Now, a war against inefficiency - President

Danushka Godakumbura

As much as the Government won the war which was described as unwinnable it will start a journey towards building a successful state by launching a war against inefficiency through correct leadership said President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The District Secretariats which have won the National Quality Certificate have fired the first salvo towards transforming public service into an efficient service, he said.

Public servants who number five percent of the total population have a duty to provide solace to the people who come to them with their problems and enable them to go back with smiling faces said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The President said so addressing a meeting held at Temple Trees yesterday to award the ISO 9001 International Quality Certificates to the Galle, Matara, Kandy and Kurunegala District Secretariats.

The President said ‘We as public servants who number 1.2 million should be mindful that we are maintained by the public by way of paying taxes to the state. We are able to maintain our families and support our children became we are paid by the public.

Therefore, we should all work according to our conscience in attending to the needs of the public.

The President said ‘All this time our attention was drawn towards the war. Now that the war has been won we have devoted full attention towards this people and their needs and ensure an efficient public service. The Government has institute a mechanism to monitor the functioning of state institutions. Ministers are visiting all Divisional Secretariat Divisions to monitor the progress in the areas. The Presidential Secretary will be visiting all Districts to ensure that the wheels of the administration are working smoothly, and efficiently in the interests of the people.

The President said award ceremonies of this nature were being held to ensure efficiency in the public service. Earlier, such ceremonies were only restricted to the private sector. The President who said he was proud of the achievements made by the four district secretariats said that he expected all other state institutions to take a cue from them and give of their best in the service of the public.

A sum of Rs. 5.5 million collected by the public Administration and home Affairs Ministry in association with District Secretariats and Divisional Secretariats in aid of the ‘Uthuru Mithuru’ Northern Railway Development Fund was also handed over to the President by Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama. Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera, also spoke.

Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunge and Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry Secretary D. Dissanayake were also present.