The Emerald Island is no second home. This is where I discovered the woman I am.
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Have been observing the way in which people reacted in the post-war (can we say that yet?) context. Nationalistic spirit knew no bounds. Even the ardent opponents of the government praised its military campaign and the subsequent victory of annihilating the LTTE. The President would have been in a mental state, where ANY world leader would aspire to be in. Enviable position. It would have been the proudest moment for the Commanders of the forces. The least that the soldiers who fought and found the dead body of VP could do was to fire in the air. The mirth; The victory of three decades. The majority of people would have had a sigh of relief. The Colombo metropolis, where the heavy weight of elites – the intellectual and all the other varieties – of Sri Lanka reside, would have had more than a sigh of relief. Every one had a reason to rejoice for their own reasons.
I had my position on this conflict – lived in the country for nearly 13 years; have seen many heightened forms of terrorism; lived through the insecurity and unpredictability of each moment; days where bombing takes place 200 meters away from you and you wonder, that you could have been 10 meters away and got caught; days where you decide to take a route and then for some strange reason take another one and be in awe to hear that there had been a blast down the road, which you have just decided to avoid. Unpredictablity of life; and the morbidity of death. But still my views would have just been that of an outsider. My anguish too must have been that of an outsider; who had a choice, if I wanted to make one. But there was a country at large, which had no choice, caught up in a protracted armed conflict of the deadliest kind. Many children were panic stricken in the nights when LTTE carried aerial attacks in Colombo; they hated and dreaded an army check point after that. A child of 6 years of age stops talking because of terror; what chance was left for him to grow up as a normal adult?
I have friends who were born at the time of the beginning of the conflict; their reactions are notable. They are adults, intelligent enough to understand and rationalise the belligerence of armed fighters. Their entire childhood, adolesence and youth had been caught up in the conflict. Their minds hardly knew a chance to know what it meant to be secular (well, Sri Lanka is not a secular state). They had less chances of making good tamil friends – quite contrary to John’s generation where he says he had close Tamils friends (still continue to be so) in the University and work places, who shared a drum stick curry and cracked a joke on each ethnicity’s idiosyncrasies and eccentricities. Friends of my generation lack that – probably, if they did crack a joke of the kind, it would have been termed as ‘ethnic polarisation’ or ‘marginalisation’ or something to that effect. These are times I am glad that I was born and bred in India, where we can have Mallu, Sardar, Tamil jokes, enjoy the spirit of it in perfect abandon, laugh at ourselves and yet not be bitter. What a lot they lose, who have never known how elating that feeling is!!!
My thoughts and experiences are all about Colombo and it suburbs. My sentiments are built on my own experience of agonizing moments of waiting for a husband (or another extended family member) who had gone down town where there had been a blast. The moment a connection is made which assures his safety, my problem was over. Life got back to normal when he reached home. Meaning, I am a Colombist (if I can coin a term). A Colombist’s view can be very distorted and far removed from the reality out there. It could be narrow; nevertheless, it is a view, it is an experience lived through my own reality. Each one has his or her own reality and that is their truth.
All what one could do is to imagine the untold misery and hardships of the innocent people who get caught between the firing lines. The feeling of discrimination and having to feel a second citizen in one’s country of birth. The feeling of disowning. The feeling of fundamental rights being violated. The lack of opportunity to make a police complaint in one’ own language! Serious matters. Will these be addressed?
I wonder what a genuine Tamil sentiment is, at this time of Sri Lankan history. I do have friends – but somehow I always feel, they do not speak the way they truly feel; probably due to their own reasons of ‘having to exist’ as some one once said.
Just an after thought. I know I have more to write on this.
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The local government system in Sri Lanka has a long history, extending to the period of Sinhalese kings, dating back to the fourth century. The most famous chronicle of Sri Lanka, Mahawamsa (sixth century) cites that local administration was carried out by the Nagara Guttika (city Mayor). Village level organizations called Gam Sabhas functioned under village leaders who enjoyed powers to administer local affairs and also perform judicial functions such as addressing minor offences and reconciling disputes. What is understood as local government today is an expanded version of such responsibilities, operating under the democratic system of governance. The local government system underwent many changes from time to time to become what it is today.
With the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987, the present day local government became a devolved subject under the Provincial Councils, which operate under three legal entities- Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas and are governed by three main laws - the Urban Council Ordinance (enacted in 1939) Municipal Council Ordinance (enacted in 1947), and Pradeshiya Sabha Act (enacted in 1987). The Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry is currently involved in a landmark process of updating and reforming the three main legislations with the view of addressing the challenges faced by the local government, which include resource constraints, weak systems and infrastructure, limited scope in socio-economic development planning of localities and low revenue.
The proposed amendments have updated several provisions which will address these constraints by according new responsibilities to the local authorities to widen their scope with powers, functions, functionaries, funds and other resources, which will ultimately lead to local government strengthening.
“The local government needs further strengthening and the system needs to be updated. The proposed amendments have been made to match the current challenges and try to widen the scope and mandate of the local government with more functions, power and resources,” says Secretary, Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry Cashian Herath who is very keen in strengthening local self government in the island.
The process
The beginning of the reform process started a decade ago, in 1999, when a Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Local Government was appointed to look into the “existing local government system, the defects and shortcomings and the reforms required to remedy such defects and shortcomings.”
The Commission of Inquiry was also to study the necessary amendments “to have an effective legislative structure to ensure good governance at the local authority level,” and identify the “reforms needed to ensure effective representations of the peoples of the respective areas of authority of local bodies.”
Since the Report of the Presidential Commission was published, the Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry had been engaged in consultations at regular intervals with the sub national levels of governments (provincial and local) on the suggested gaps, recommendations and necessary amendments put forward by the Commission Report.
After a long process of consultation spanning over a decade, the Ministry is now involved in the process of collating all the proposed amendments to the main laws in order to update the existing legislations.
There are 73, 71 and 104 proposed amendments to the Pradeshiya Sabha Act, Urban Council Ordinance and Municipal Council Ordinance, respectively.
In order to involve all stakeholders in the reform process, the Ministry embarked on its pioneer e-consultation, where the suggested amendments were posted on the Ministry website (www.pclg.gov.lk) for a wider public consultation. The suggestions and recommendations posted by all stakeholders were incorporated into the overall reform process. Furthermore, the Ministry held consultations with all three chapters of the local government sector, i.e. Chairmen of the Urban Councils, Mayors Forum and Heads of Pradeshiya Sabhas on May 29, June 29, and July 7, 2009, respectively to get their views, suggestions and recommendations on the proposed amendments.
“Consultation is an indicator of participatory governance, which we try to promote in Sri Lanka. Involving all the stakeholders is very important as we need to hear their concerns, opinions, suggestions, and recommendations,” states, Sunil Fernando, Advisor to the Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry.
“The fact that we are re-visiting these Ordinances is very encouraging because we are still using the same old laws which were drafted long time ago. So, it is very good that we are amending these laws to suit the present challenges,” said Mayor Kurunegala and the President of Mayors’ Forum Chandrasiri De Silva. “We need to practically make these amendments and implement them; it is a major challenge,” he added.
When asked about his views on the legal reform process, Chairman Ambalangoda Urban Council and the President of the Urban Councils Forum Aruna Pradeep had this to say, “Updating of these laws is very important as most of them are outdated. If the proposed amendments are implemented, it will help increase the revenue of the Local Authorities, which is a very critical aspect.”
Amendments
“The ongoing legal reform process is the major development in the local government sector after late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike’s period, which was a significant time for the local government in Sri Lanka” noted Secretary, All Island Pradeshiya Sabha Association Nimal Jayawardene.
The existing laws of the local authorities specifies their mandate, which make them the authority of the area charged with the regulation, control and administration of all matters relating to public health, public utility services and thoroughfares. The proposed amendments recommend to widen the functions of the Local Authorities (LAA )by including socio-economic development activities and protection of the environment in their mandate.
“Four new provisions namely, mandatory Committee System, participatory local planning, environmental protection and Citizen’s Charter had been incorporated to the existing governing legislation, with the objective of widening the scope of the Local Authorities” says D.P. Hettiarachchi, Additional Secretary, Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry. “As per the Presidential Commission report, there was a necessity to expand the functional domain of the Local Authorities. This can only be achieved by giving legal binding to provisions. These new provisions are the current requirements of the society and there was great demand from the civil society for same. This is why these new provisions are incorporated,” he added.
The Committee System had been made mandatory for all LAA and the Standing Committee will facilitate coordination of development activities with wide citizen participation. According to the Committee System, there will be a Standing Committee on Finance and not less than four other Committees with members drawn from the Council and citizens to advice the PS on its duties, responsibilities or any other matter. A new provision had been introduced on local planning where a Local Authority undertakes development and physical planning. The development plans cover a wide spectrum, which include infrastructure development, development of medium term plan for five years as well as annual development plans in collaboration with the Divisional Secretariat and other relevant Governmental and non-Governmental agencies.
Under the physical planning, the new amendments encourage the Local Authorities to formulate zoning schemes and urban development schemes in collaboration with the National Physical Planning Department and the Urban Development Authority. The LAA will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of physical planning by facilitating the enforcement of regulatory measures relating to land utilization. One of the notable features of the amendments is the inclusion of civil society and citizens in participatory planning.
The concept of “Citizens’ Charter” is introduced into the local government system as a measure of good governance practice. The Charter will specify the different categories of services rendered by the Local Authorities, the conditions and time frame within which such services will be performed and completed. The Charter aims to reduce the gap between the Local Authority and the citizenry (the governing and the governed) and bring them closer in understanding the duties and responsibilities of each other.
The proposed amendments further embrace to enhance the powers of the Local Authorities by promotion of agriculture, minor irrigations and animal husbandry, which will allow the LAA to conduct experiments in agriculture and animal husbandry.
The Pradeshiya Sabhas will be able to promote local tourism and will enjoy the ability to run eco-tourism and tourism-related projects, establishment and maintenance of ayurvedic dispensaries, herbaria and the power to grant any person, firm, company or corporation for any purpose, a licence of concession.
Outcome
With the existing nature of Sri Lanka’s democratic system, there is dependency on the national and sub-national levels of Governments by the local government for decision making, resources, revenue, etc. Thus, policy interventions by these two levels of governments are essential to bring about any change to strengthen the local government system.
The proposed legal amendments have undergone many rounds of consultation among the local and provincial authorities, civil society and local government practitioners.
As the local government is a devolved subject under the Provincial Councils as per the Constitution, the final draft amendments will be presented to the Provincial Councils for concurrence within next couple of weeks by Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon who is the driving force behind the entire process.
The proposed amendments aim to strengthen the local government by according them the mandate to improve socio-economic development of localities, increase local revenue through partnerships with the Government and private sectors, act as catalysts for local economic development and emerge as effective models of local, democratic governance with wider citizen participation and collaborative local planning.
These reforms aim to address most of the fundamental challenges faced by the local government and make them more empowered with powers, functions and resources to emerge as local self governing bodies.
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The Local Government in Sri Lanka is an important level of democratic governance. The word ‘local’ itself creates a feeling of closeness, proximity to the local context, and local people. The Local Governments affect the lives of people on a day-to-day basis; they are often the next-door agents for people, especially on matters pertaining to basic service delivery.
We would all like to have good local roads, well functioning public health system, and public utility services such as children’s parks, pre-schools and libraries, that cater to all sections of the public to improve our living standard and quality of life.
It is the Local Government, functional at three levels? Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas that are responsible to carry out these functions at the local level. People need to reach them first on any of the above needs, issues or complaints.
So, one could largely say that Local Governments ‘localize’ the context, issues and challenges faced by people and offer context-specific solutions, given the socio-cultural diversity of Sri Lanka.
The versatility of the concept of Local Government in Sri Lanka is that we find a local authority in Gomarankadawala, (a Pradeshiya Sabha), a remotest village in Trincomalee, as well as in Colombo (a Municipal Council), right in the middle of the country’s economic and political hub.
This goes on to explain how intrinsically Local Authorities, totalling 330, scattered all over, are connected to the social, cultural, political and ethnic landscape of the country.
Proper planning and budgeting are the important prerequisites of effective service delivery, socio-economic development as well as the general well being of the citizenry, as planning sets out the goals and objectives and the path ahead to reach the milestones within the specified time frame.
In the formation of the local development plans, the Local Authorities are responsible to involve citizens in the planning process. Following the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Local Government Reforms in 1999, it is accepted that a Local Authority is the planning authority at the local level.
Thus it makes all the more important for the Local Authorities to be competent to undertake participatory planning as an active process, which in the long run will reap many benefits. The catch phrase here is the word ‘participatory.’ The process of participatory planning involves citizens and all other stakeholders so that the spirit of working towards common objectives is upheld.
The medium-term participatory planning process generally undertaken for a period of three to five years follows a sequential process of gathering data, stakeholder analysis, need assessments, setting goals and objectives, prioritizing, budgeting, building commitment, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Each of these steps is extremely vital to the overall result-oriented planning process.
Once these untapped resources are identified, the Local Authorities can look at different means of mobilizing these resources to the maximum. In many cases, the Local Authorities are not able to undertake projects with their own income and hence need external support.
This support could be from the provincial government, national government, NGOs, international development agencies and the private sector. In order to harness this support, the Local Authorities have to become competitive enough to bid for projects which may include capacity building, community and infrastructure development or any other development priorities identified in the planning process.
Thus, an indirect result of the local planning process is that it encourages the Local Authorities to hone their ability to develop strong proposals and receive external support for the development of their localities.
Tapping the untapped resources in many ways would mean increased revenue for the Local Authorities. There had been successes in the past where localities were able to increase their revenue for the activities identified through effective resource mobilization. Kalmunai Municipal Council, Urban Councils of Hikkaduwa, Weligama, Hambantota, and the Pradeshiya Sabhas of Kalpitiya, Karathivu, Sorriyawewa are a few examples that can be cited.
Thus the process is one that of learning and sharing for achieving the goals and objectives to improve the socio-economic status of the constituency as well as the standards of living of the people.
Service delivery is one area where the Local Authorities come under the most amount of public scrutiny. When a garbage pile on the roadside or near one’s home fails to get collected and disposed, it becomes a social problem ? and the Local Authorities come under criticism. For a moment, let us think what is the citizens? role in helping the Local Authorities deliver their services? How accountable are the citizens? The participatory planning process helps understand the two sides of the coin? the expectations of the service recipients and the challenges of the service providers - the dichotomy of giving and receiving.
The local governments of Sri Lanka, as we know, face several challenges and constraints in terms of human resources, finance and infrastructure. Given the fact that the local governments are mandated to undertake noteworthy functions at the local level, they need to be further strengthened and supported with resources and capacity, which will enable them to carry out these functions in an effective manner.
One of the many mechanisms that will help strengthen local governments is participatory planning, which has reaped many benefits in the past. In this light, participatory planning and implementation ought to be promoted and supported as an effective, sustainable tool that can strengthen Local Authorities to address many issues positively at the local level and help them act as catalysts for local, regional and ultimately, national development.
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The Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils, headed by Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon has embarked on many new initiatives with the aim of strengthening the Provincial Councils as well as the local government system. Given below are the excerpts of an interview with him.
Q: We understand there are many changes, especially at the Policy level, taking place at your ministry. Could you briefly explain?
A: You are right. The Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government had been involved in many changes in the past few years. First and foremost, we are in the process of drafting a new Policy for Local Government.
The Policy was declared in 2007 at the National Symposium on the Leading Practices of Local Government, in Colombo. Since then a few changes had been incorporated into the Policy Declaration to suit the changing needs.
We are now prepared to present the new Draft Policy to a wider audience of intellectuals, academics and practitioners to get their expert opinions and suggestions. We will present the Draft Policy to the Parliament within the next couple of months.
Q: So, there is a new Policy in the making. What is the spirit of the Policy?
A: The Policy is essentially for strengthening Local Government in Sri Lanka. As you know, Local Government is a devolved subject under the Provincial Councils, according to the 13th amendment of the Constitution. But they need further strengthening in terms of resources and power.
The Policy recommends measures to strengthen the Local Government system through collective vision, participatory governance, development of necessary infrastructure, etc. to make the local authorities the third tier of the representative government.
The concept is one that of gamey anduwa or grama rajya, where villages become development models, embedded in the relevant local cultural and social setting, aiming to achieve goals and objectives which are set according to the needs and priorities, with utmost participation of the people.
Q: What other new initiatives are underway?
A: We are involved in a very important initiative of amending the three main laws and the subsidiary laws of Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas, which constitute the Local Government.
These laws are very old and need to be updated to match the current socio-economic scenario. So we are in the process of amending them.
Q: How long does this process take?
A: It had been a long process. In 1998 - a Presidential Commission was appointed to make recommendations on the necessary changes. Those changes were incorporated and since then it had been an ongoing process. By now, we have completed all the amendments that had been found necessary.
In fact, the Ministry embarked on its first e-consultation process to get wider input from the public and other interested parties on these laws. We posted these laws on our website (www.pclg.gov.lk) and received very good response from people, especially from local government practitioners.
All their recommendations are incorporated. We are in the process of obtaining Provincial consensus on this, which is very important, and there after, will be tabling it to the Parliament for approval.
Q: The processes you have mentioned seem to be very transparent and participatory. The Ministry seems to be involved in harnessing wide participation and support. Your comments?
A: Yes. Sure. Good governance should be participatory, transparent and accountable. We are involved in the process of making and amending laws which affect everybody’s lives in one way or the other. So, should we not consult them? Consultation and consensus at different levels - Provincial and local levels are extremely vital to implement these laws and policies. Also, it is very important that people feel that they have a say on certain decisions taken for them; that they are also part of the process. This is an important step towards good governance.
Q: How ordinary people know Local Authorities is as service delivery agents, garbage disposal, for example. What more can they do? Do they have resources, money...etc?
A: That is a gross underestimation of the scope of the Local Authorities! Let me ask you a few questions before I answer your question. Who maintains the local roads? Who maintains the libraries? Who maintains primary health care in localities? These are all undertaken by the Local Authorities.
They are very close to the people in their day-to-day activities; it is their next door agency for service delivery, which is why you say that they are identified as agents of garbage disposal. But they are much more than that; they are democratically elected Councils and Sabhas and undertake other important functions a few of which I have mentioned before.
In some cases, they have limited resources and skills and that is why we need to strengthen them and this requires support from all layers of the government. The proposed Policy aims to give powers to the Local Governments for participatory decision making to manage and share the public affairs under their purview.
The proposed Policy aims to reduce the dependency of the Local Governments and then transform them into self-governing partners.
Q: From what you say, I understand that the Ministry of Provincial Councils is undertaking many proactive measures to improve local governance. How do you communicate this to all parties concerned? Do you have any medium?
A: Recently we launched a monthly newsletter, named, “Gamey Anduwa.” This newsletter which was launched in February 2009 goes out once a month to all ministries, the cabinet, the parliament, practitioners, Provincial Councils, local government authorities etc.
We have received encouraging response from the readers. Written in simple language, it covers a wide range of topics and opens a forum for Local Government - its opportunities, challenges, constraints, etc.
Recently we carried a series of live discussions on SLBC, on different aspects of local governance. These opened a forum where people could call in live and seek clarifications from the panel of discussion. Currently, we are aiming to generate awareness in the print media.
Furthermore, annually, we showcase the best leading practices in the Local Authorities at a national level symposium.
This enables the Local Authorities to learn from each other’s experience and replicate good practices. Last year we could not hold the symposium due to security concerns; this year we will be holding it in August and there will be an exhibition showcasing the best practices, which will be open to the public as well. You are welcome.
Q: Do you draw expertise from international development agencies?
A: Yes. We do. We work with organizations like JAICA, The Asia Foundation, ADB, World Bank, GTZ etc. among others.
We rely on the specialized skills and international development experience they possess and use these experiences to improve the local context.
We take in what is more suitable to the Sri Lankan context. We also draw from regional experience - for example from India, Bangladesh, Philippines, etc. just to name a few.
There have been cases where some of our experiences and successes had been shared with other countries as well. So, it is mutual learning and a win-win situation for all.
Q: Local Government being a devolved subject under the Provincial Council system do you have a mechanism to get provincial support towards the Local Government?
A: Good question. Provincial support is extremely important to strengthen the Local Government system as it is a devolved subject. But we also need to strengthen the present Provincial Council system. Strengthening of the Provincial Councils will also mean Local Government strengthening.
On the basis of the provincial request, a new concept called Provincial Reform Cells (PRCs) is established at the provincial level with the primary objective to strengthen the Provincial Council system to undertake necessary reforms at the provincial level as well as give policy feedback to the national level.
For example, as per the Constitution of Sri Lanka, the Local Governments come directly under the Provincial Councils.
But the National Policy on Local Government is mandated to be formulated at the national level.
The PRC can play a vital role here by acting as a link that will help Provincial Councils forge effective partnerships with the Local Government and reflect their needs and interests in the process of making the National Policy on the Local Government, for example.
Q: What are the ultimate Policy goals?
A: The proposed Policy identifies short term as well medium term changes to strengthen the role, structure and functioning of Local Government.
The local government reforms process recommends to make the local authorities the third tier of representative government, with highest permissible level of democratic decentralization and autonomy within the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
The Policy aims to reduce regional disparities and imbalances and encourage local units to ‘emerge as micro-centres of growth on modern lines.” This is the main thrust of the Policy goal.
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An Afterthought by An Inside Outsider
http://www.groundviews.org/2009/05/29/an-after-thought-by-an-inside-outsider/
After a war is won, there is always the after thought. Leaders from conflict parties, either dead or living, will be portrayed either as martyrs, heroes, traitors, terrorists….the list is endless. Which ever side one takes on the debate of romanticising the vanquished or demonising him, it is always interesting to see what the other party has to say.
I had my position on this conflict – lived in the country for nearly 13 years; have seen many heightened forms of terrorism; lived through the insecurity and unpredictability of each moment; days where bombing takes place 200 meters away from you and you wonder, that you could have been 10 meters away and got caught; days where you decide to take a route and then for some strange reason take another one and be in awe to hear that there had been a blast down the road, which you have just decided to avoid. Unpredictablity of life; and the morbidity of death. But still my views would have just been that of an outsider. My anguish too must have been that of an outsider; who had a choice, if I wanted to make one. But there was a country at large, which had no choice, caught up in a protracted armed conflict of the deadliest kind. Many children were panic stricken in the nights when LTTE carried aerial attacks in Colombo; they hated and dreaded an army check point after that. A child of 6 years of age stops talking because of terror; what chance was left for him to grow up as a normal adult?
I have friends who were born at the time of the beginning of the conflict; their reactions are notable. They are adults, intelligent enough to understand and rationalise the belligerence of armed fighters. Their entire childhood, adolesence and youth had been caught up in the conflict. Their minds hardly knew a chance to know what it meant to be secular (well, Sri Lanka is not a secular state). They had less chances of making good tamil friends – quite contrary to John’s generation where he says he had close Tamils friends (still continue to be so) in the University and work places, who shared a drum stick curry and cracked a joke on each ethnicity’s idiosyncrasies and eccentricities. Friends of my generation lack that – probably, if they did crack a joke of the kind, it would have been termed as ‘ethnic polarisation’ or ‘marginalisation’ or something to that effect. These are times I am glad that I was born and bred in India, where we can have Mallu, Sardar, Tamil jokes, enjoy the spirit of it in perfect abandon, laugh at ourselves and yet not be bitter. What a lot they lose, who have never known how elating that feeling is!!!
My thoughts and experiences are all about Colombo and it suburbs. My sentiments are built on my own experience of agonizing moments of waiting for a husband (or another extended family member) who had gone down town where there had been a blast. The moment a connection is made which assures his safety, my problem was over. Life got back to normal when he reached home. Meaning, I am a Colombist (if I can coin a term). A Colombist’s view can be very distorted and far removed from the reality out there. It could be narrow; nevertheless, it is a view, it is an experience lived through my own reality. Each one has his or her own reality and that is their truth.
All what one could do is to imagine the untold misery and hardships of the innocent people who get caught between the firing lines. The feeling of discrimination and having to feel a second citizen in one’s country of birth. The feeling of disowning. The feeling of fundamental rights being violated. The lack of opportunity to make a police complaint in one’ own language! Serious matters. Will these be addressed?
I wonder what a genuine Tamil sentiment is, at this time of Sri Lankan history. I do have friends – but somehow I always feel, they do not speak the way they truly feel; probably due to their own reasons of ‘having to exist’ as some one once said.
Just an after thought. I know I have more to write on this.
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Local Government Laws to Undergo Reform in Sri Lanka
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/08/13/fea01.aspThe local government system in Sri Lanka has a long history, extending to the period of Sinhalese kings, dating back to the fourth century. The most famous chronicle of Sri Lanka, Mahawamsa (sixth century) cites that local administration was carried out by the Nagara Guttika (city Mayor). Village level organizations called Gam Sabhas functioned under village leaders who enjoyed powers to administer local affairs and also perform judicial functions such as addressing minor offences and reconciling disputes. What is understood as local government today is an expanded version of such responsibilities, operating under the democratic system of governance. The local government system underwent many changes from time to time to become what it is today.
With the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987, the present day local government became a devolved subject under the Provincial Councils, which operate under three legal entities- Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas and are governed by three main laws - the Urban Council Ordinance (enacted in 1939) Municipal Council Ordinance (enacted in 1947), and Pradeshiya Sabha Act (enacted in 1987). The Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry is currently involved in a landmark process of updating and reforming the three main legislations with the view of addressing the challenges faced by the local government, which include resource constraints, weak systems and infrastructure, limited scope in socio-economic development planning of localities and low revenue.
The proposed amendments have updated several provisions which will address these constraints by according new responsibilities to the local authorities to widen their scope with powers, functions, functionaries, funds and other resources, which will ultimately lead to local government strengthening.
“The local government needs further strengthening and the system needs to be updated. The proposed amendments have been made to match the current challenges and try to widen the scope and mandate of the local government with more functions, power and resources,” says Secretary, Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry Cashian Herath who is very keen in strengthening local self government in the island.
The process
The beginning of the reform process started a decade ago, in 1999, when a Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Local Government was appointed to look into the “existing local government system, the defects and shortcomings and the reforms required to remedy such defects and shortcomings.”
The Commission of Inquiry was also to study the necessary amendments “to have an effective legislative structure to ensure good governance at the local authority level,” and identify the “reforms needed to ensure effective representations of the peoples of the respective areas of authority of local bodies.”
Since the Report of the Presidential Commission was published, the Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry had been engaged in consultations at regular intervals with the sub national levels of governments (provincial and local) on the suggested gaps, recommendations and necessary amendments put forward by the Commission Report.
After a long process of consultation spanning over a decade, the Ministry is now involved in the process of collating all the proposed amendments to the main laws in order to update the existing legislations.
There are 73, 71 and 104 proposed amendments to the Pradeshiya Sabha Act, Urban Council Ordinance and Municipal Council Ordinance, respectively.
In order to involve all stakeholders in the reform process, the Ministry embarked on its pioneer e-consultation, where the suggested amendments were posted on the Ministry website (www.pclg.gov.lk) for a wider public consultation. The suggestions and recommendations posted by all stakeholders were incorporated into the overall reform process. Furthermore, the Ministry held consultations with all three chapters of the local government sector, i.e. Chairmen of the Urban Councils, Mayors Forum and Heads of Pradeshiya Sabhas on May 29, June 29, and July 7, 2009, respectively to get their views, suggestions and recommendations on the proposed amendments.
“Consultation is an indicator of participatory governance, which we try to promote in Sri Lanka. Involving all the stakeholders is very important as we need to hear their concerns, opinions, suggestions, and recommendations,” states, Sunil Fernando, Advisor to the Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry.
“The fact that we are re-visiting these Ordinances is very encouraging because we are still using the same old laws which were drafted long time ago. So, it is very good that we are amending these laws to suit the present challenges,” said Mayor Kurunegala and the President of Mayors’ Forum Chandrasiri De Silva. “We need to practically make these amendments and implement them; it is a major challenge,” he added.
When asked about his views on the legal reform process, Chairman Ambalangoda Urban Council and the President of the Urban Councils Forum Aruna Pradeep had this to say, “Updating of these laws is very important as most of them are outdated. If the proposed amendments are implemented, it will help increase the revenue of the Local Authorities, which is a very critical aspect.”
Amendments
“The ongoing legal reform process is the major development in the local government sector after late Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike’s period, which was a significant time for the local government in Sri Lanka” noted Secretary, All Island Pradeshiya Sabha Association Nimal Jayawardene.
The existing laws of the local authorities specifies their mandate, which make them the authority of the area charged with the regulation, control and administration of all matters relating to public health, public utility services and thoroughfares. The proposed amendments recommend to widen the functions of the Local Authorities (LAA )by including socio-economic development activities and protection of the environment in their mandate.
“Four new provisions namely, mandatory Committee System, participatory local planning, environmental protection and Citizen’s Charter had been incorporated to the existing governing legislation, with the objective of widening the scope of the Local Authorities” says D.P. Hettiarachchi, Additional Secretary, Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry. “As per the Presidential Commission report, there was a necessity to expand the functional domain of the Local Authorities. This can only be achieved by giving legal binding to provisions. These new provisions are the current requirements of the society and there was great demand from the civil society for same. This is why these new provisions are incorporated,” he added.
The Committee System had been made mandatory for all LAA and the Standing Committee will facilitate coordination of development activities with wide citizen participation. According to the Committee System, there will be a Standing Committee on Finance and not less than four other Committees with members drawn from the Council and citizens to advice the PS on its duties, responsibilities or any other matter. A new provision had been introduced on local planning where a Local Authority undertakes development and physical planning. The development plans cover a wide spectrum, which include infrastructure development, development of medium term plan for five years as well as annual development plans in collaboration with the Divisional Secretariat and other relevant Governmental and non-Governmental agencies.
Under the physical planning, the new amendments encourage the Local Authorities to formulate zoning schemes and urban development schemes in collaboration with the National Physical Planning Department and the Urban Development Authority. The LAA will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of physical planning by facilitating the enforcement of regulatory measures relating to land utilization. One of the notable features of the amendments is the inclusion of civil society and citizens in participatory planning.
The concept of “Citizens’ Charter” is introduced into the local government system as a measure of good governance practice. The Charter will specify the different categories of services rendered by the Local Authorities, the conditions and time frame within which such services will be performed and completed. The Charter aims to reduce the gap between the Local Authority and the citizenry (the governing and the governed) and bring them closer in understanding the duties and responsibilities of each other.
The proposed amendments further embrace to enhance the powers of the Local Authorities by promotion of agriculture, minor irrigations and animal husbandry, which will allow the LAA to conduct experiments in agriculture and animal husbandry.
The Pradeshiya Sabhas will be able to promote local tourism and will enjoy the ability to run eco-tourism and tourism-related projects, establishment and maintenance of ayurvedic dispensaries, herbaria and the power to grant any person, firm, company or corporation for any purpose, a licence of concession.
Outcome
With the existing nature of Sri Lanka’s democratic system, there is dependency on the national and sub-national levels of Governments by the local government for decision making, resources, revenue, etc. Thus, policy interventions by these two levels of governments are essential to bring about any change to strengthen the local government system.
The proposed legal amendments have undergone many rounds of consultation among the local and provincial authorities, civil society and local government practitioners.
As the local government is a devolved subject under the Provincial Councils as per the Constitution, the final draft amendments will be presented to the Provincial Councils for concurrence within next couple of weeks by Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon who is the driving force behind the entire process.
The proposed amendments aim to strengthen the local government by according them the mandate to improve socio-economic development of localities, increase local revenue through partnerships with the Government and private sectors, act as catalysts for local economic development and emerge as effective models of local, democratic governance with wider citizen participation and collaborative local planning.
These reforms aim to address most of the fundamental challenges faced by the local government and make them more empowered with powers, functions and resources to emerge as local self governing bodies.
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Significance of Local Planning for National Development
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/06/16/fea03.aspThe Local Government in Sri Lanka is an important level of democratic governance. The word ‘local’ itself creates a feeling of closeness, proximity to the local context, and local people. The Local Governments affect the lives of people on a day-to-day basis; they are often the next-door agents for people, especially on matters pertaining to basic service delivery.
We would all like to have good local roads, well functioning public health system, and public utility services such as children’s parks, pre-schools and libraries, that cater to all sections of the public to improve our living standard and quality of life.
It is the Local Government, functional at three levels? Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas that are responsible to carry out these functions at the local level. People need to reach them first on any of the above needs, issues or complaints.
So, one could largely say that Local Governments ‘localize’ the context, issues and challenges faced by people and offer context-specific solutions, given the socio-cultural diversity of Sri Lanka.
The versatility of the concept of Local Government in Sri Lanka is that we find a local authority in Gomarankadawala, (a Pradeshiya Sabha), a remotest village in Trincomalee, as well as in Colombo (a Municipal Council), right in the middle of the country’s economic and political hub.
This goes on to explain how intrinsically Local Authorities, totalling 330, scattered all over, are connected to the social, cultural, political and ethnic landscape of the country.
Local planning and its benefits
As a unit of government, that too, as elected bodies of the democratic system, each Local Authority is to undertake planning and budgeting for the area under its jurisdiction.Proper planning and budgeting are the important prerequisites of effective service delivery, socio-economic development as well as the general well being of the citizenry, as planning sets out the goals and objectives and the path ahead to reach the milestones within the specified time frame.
In the formation of the local development plans, the Local Authorities are responsible to involve citizens in the planning process. Following the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Local Government Reforms in 1999, it is accepted that a Local Authority is the planning authority at the local level.
Thus it makes all the more important for the Local Authorities to be competent to undertake participatory planning as an active process, which in the long run will reap many benefits. The catch phrase here is the word ‘participatory.’ The process of participatory planning involves citizens and all other stakeholders so that the spirit of working towards common objectives is upheld.
The medium-term participatory planning process generally undertaken for a period of three to five years follows a sequential process of gathering data, stakeholder analysis, need assessments, setting goals and objectives, prioritizing, budgeting, building commitment, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Each of these steps is extremely vital to the overall result-oriented planning process.
Why plan?
The benefits of the process of planning are many and varied; far reaching as well. Among the many benefits, the local development planning process brings in new opportunities to clearly understand the untapped resources within a locality, which are massive in some cases.Once these untapped resources are identified, the Local Authorities can look at different means of mobilizing these resources to the maximum. In many cases, the Local Authorities are not able to undertake projects with their own income and hence need external support.
This support could be from the provincial government, national government, NGOs, international development agencies and the private sector. In order to harness this support, the Local Authorities have to become competitive enough to bid for projects which may include capacity building, community and infrastructure development or any other development priorities identified in the planning process.
Thus, an indirect result of the local planning process is that it encourages the Local Authorities to hone their ability to develop strong proposals and receive external support for the development of their localities.
Tapping the untapped resources in many ways would mean increased revenue for the Local Authorities. There had been successes in the past where localities were able to increase their revenue for the activities identified through effective resource mobilization. Kalmunai Municipal Council, Urban Councils of Hikkaduwa, Weligama, Hambantota, and the Pradeshiya Sabhas of Kalpitiya, Karathivu, Sorriyawewa are a few examples that can be cited.
Joint effort
The culture of working together has the potential of changing the attitudes of people, which is essential in any progressive initiative. The participatory planning process gives an opportunity to create this culture, where the Local Authorities and the citizens get to work together, where both sides understand each others challenges and constraints.Thus the process is one that of learning and sharing for achieving the goals and objectives to improve the socio-economic status of the constituency as well as the standards of living of the people.
Service delivery is one area where the Local Authorities come under the most amount of public scrutiny. When a garbage pile on the roadside or near one’s home fails to get collected and disposed, it becomes a social problem ? and the Local Authorities come under criticism. For a moment, let us think what is the citizens? role in helping the Local Authorities deliver their services? How accountable are the citizens? The participatory planning process helps understand the two sides of the coin? the expectations of the service recipients and the challenges of the service providers - the dichotomy of giving and receiving.
The local governments of Sri Lanka, as we know, face several challenges and constraints in terms of human resources, finance and infrastructure. Given the fact that the local governments are mandated to undertake noteworthy functions at the local level, they need to be further strengthened and supported with resources and capacity, which will enable them to carry out these functions in an effective manner.
One of the many mechanisms that will help strengthen local governments is participatory planning, which has reaped many benefits in the past. In this light, participatory planning and implementation ought to be promoted and supported as an effective, sustainable tool that can strengthen Local Authorities to address many issues positively at the local level and help them act as catalysts for local, regional and ultimately, national development.
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‘Local Governments are Much More than Service Delivery Agents’ - Minister Tennakoon
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/06/09/fea01.aspThe Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils, headed by Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon has embarked on many new initiatives with the aim of strengthening the Provincial Councils as well as the local government system. Given below are the excerpts of an interview with him.
Q: We understand there are many changes, especially at the Policy level, taking place at your ministry. Could you briefly explain?
A: You are right. The Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government had been involved in many changes in the past few years. First and foremost, we are in the process of drafting a new Policy for Local Government.
The Policy was declared in 2007 at the National Symposium on the Leading Practices of Local Government, in Colombo. Since then a few changes had been incorporated into the Policy Declaration to suit the changing needs.
We are now prepared to present the new Draft Policy to a wider audience of intellectuals, academics and practitioners to get their expert opinions and suggestions. We will present the Draft Policy to the Parliament within the next couple of months.
Q: So, there is a new Policy in the making. What is the spirit of the Policy?
A: The Policy is essentially for strengthening Local Government in Sri Lanka. As you know, Local Government is a devolved subject under the Provincial Councils, according to the 13th amendment of the Constitution. But they need further strengthening in terms of resources and power.
The Policy recommends measures to strengthen the Local Government system through collective vision, participatory governance, development of necessary infrastructure, etc. to make the local authorities the third tier of the representative government.
The concept is one that of gamey anduwa or grama rajya, where villages become development models, embedded in the relevant local cultural and social setting, aiming to achieve goals and objectives which are set according to the needs and priorities, with utmost participation of the people.
Q: What other new initiatives are underway?
A: We are involved in a very important initiative of amending the three main laws and the subsidiary laws of Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas, which constitute the Local Government.
These laws are very old and need to be updated to match the current socio-economic scenario. So we are in the process of amending them.
Q: How long does this process take?
A: It had been a long process. In 1998 - a Presidential Commission was appointed to make recommendations on the necessary changes. Those changes were incorporated and since then it had been an ongoing process. By now, we have completed all the amendments that had been found necessary.
In fact, the Ministry embarked on its first e-consultation process to get wider input from the public and other interested parties on these laws. We posted these laws on our website (www.pclg.gov.lk) and received very good response from people, especially from local government practitioners.
All their recommendations are incorporated. We are in the process of obtaining Provincial consensus on this, which is very important, and there after, will be tabling it to the Parliament for approval.
Q: The processes you have mentioned seem to be very transparent and participatory. The Ministry seems to be involved in harnessing wide participation and support. Your comments?
A: Yes. Sure. Good governance should be participatory, transparent and accountable. We are involved in the process of making and amending laws which affect everybody’s lives in one way or the other. So, should we not consult them? Consultation and consensus at different levels - Provincial and local levels are extremely vital to implement these laws and policies. Also, it is very important that people feel that they have a say on certain decisions taken for them; that they are also part of the process. This is an important step towards good governance.
Q: How ordinary people know Local Authorities is as service delivery agents, garbage disposal, for example. What more can they do? Do they have resources, money...etc?
A: That is a gross underestimation of the scope of the Local Authorities! Let me ask you a few questions before I answer your question. Who maintains the local roads? Who maintains the libraries? Who maintains primary health care in localities? These are all undertaken by the Local Authorities.
They are very close to the people in their day-to-day activities; it is their next door agency for service delivery, which is why you say that they are identified as agents of garbage disposal. But they are much more than that; they are democratically elected Councils and Sabhas and undertake other important functions a few of which I have mentioned before.
In some cases, they have limited resources and skills and that is why we need to strengthen them and this requires support from all layers of the government. The proposed Policy aims to give powers to the Local Governments for participatory decision making to manage and share the public affairs under their purview.
The proposed Policy aims to reduce the dependency of the Local Governments and then transform them into self-governing partners.
Q: From what you say, I understand that the Ministry of Provincial Councils is undertaking many proactive measures to improve local governance. How do you communicate this to all parties concerned? Do you have any medium?
A: Recently we launched a monthly newsletter, named, “Gamey Anduwa.” This newsletter which was launched in February 2009 goes out once a month to all ministries, the cabinet, the parliament, practitioners, Provincial Councils, local government authorities etc.
We have received encouraging response from the readers. Written in simple language, it covers a wide range of topics and opens a forum for Local Government - its opportunities, challenges, constraints, etc.
Recently we carried a series of live discussions on SLBC, on different aspects of local governance. These opened a forum where people could call in live and seek clarifications from the panel of discussion. Currently, we are aiming to generate awareness in the print media.
Furthermore, annually, we showcase the best leading practices in the Local Authorities at a national level symposium.
This enables the Local Authorities to learn from each other’s experience and replicate good practices. Last year we could not hold the symposium due to security concerns; this year we will be holding it in August and there will be an exhibition showcasing the best practices, which will be open to the public as well. You are welcome.
Q: Do you draw expertise from international development agencies?
A: Yes. We do. We work with organizations like JAICA, The Asia Foundation, ADB, World Bank, GTZ etc. among others.
We rely on the specialized skills and international development experience they possess and use these experiences to improve the local context.
We take in what is more suitable to the Sri Lankan context. We also draw from regional experience - for example from India, Bangladesh, Philippines, etc. just to name a few.
There have been cases where some of our experiences and successes had been shared with other countries as well. So, it is mutual learning and a win-win situation for all.
Q: Local Government being a devolved subject under the Provincial Council system do you have a mechanism to get provincial support towards the Local Government?
A: Good question. Provincial support is extremely important to strengthen the Local Government system as it is a devolved subject. But we also need to strengthen the present Provincial Council system. Strengthening of the Provincial Councils will also mean Local Government strengthening.
On the basis of the provincial request, a new concept called Provincial Reform Cells (PRCs) is established at the provincial level with the primary objective to strengthen the Provincial Council system to undertake necessary reforms at the provincial level as well as give policy feedback to the national level.
For example, as per the Constitution of Sri Lanka, the Local Governments come directly under the Provincial Councils.
But the National Policy on Local Government is mandated to be formulated at the national level.
The PRC can play a vital role here by acting as a link that will help Provincial Councils forge effective partnerships with the Local Government and reflect their needs and interests in the process of making the National Policy on the Local Government, for example.
Q: What are the ultimate Policy goals?
A: The proposed Policy identifies short term as well medium term changes to strengthen the role, structure and functioning of Local Government.
The local government reforms process recommends to make the local authorities the third tier of representative government, with highest permissible level of democratic decentralization and autonomy within the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
The Policy aims to reduce regional disparities and imbalances and encourage local units to ‘emerge as micro-centres of growth on modern lines.” This is the main thrust of the Policy goal.
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Touched by Sunera Foundation
15 May 2007
I experienced one of the defining moments in my life today, when I felt enriched by a bunch of differently abled people, including children .There were thirty five of them bubbling with life in a hall down Kithulwatte Road , Colombo
I was on a fact-finding mission to understand the workings of the Sunera Foundation, a charity organization aimed to assist the differently abled through the medium of performing arts.
My mind went back to the times that they were referred to as ‘disabled.’ What wrong usage! At least a better understanding of ‘lesser human beings’ has given them a more honourable name – ‘differently abled.’ May be our thinking has changed – and that we are beginning to see them as no ‘lesser?’
I spent more time that I had planned, and returned home enriched, humbled and pensive with a tinge of pain deep down, when some of those faces flashed through my mind - I saw untold amount of feelings written in many an eye.
“My younger brother is married, my younger sister is married. I am thirty and have no one..!” said Madhuri, a veteran participant of the Sunera Foundation with her eyes welling up with tears. But the pain was transient. “I have traveled to Norway , Italy
Should we be sympathetic? No. They are not instruments of to deserve sympathy or mere generosity of any kind. They have to be treated with equal respect, which we would accord any other normal human being. But they certainly needed special attention and care. They need opportunities and a place in the Sun, which can only be assured by us – the ‘abled us’ with a conscious change in our attitude – I told myself.
The workshop conducted twice a week by Sunera Foundation attracts many people who are differently abled. Boys and girls, men and women – there was no discrimination at all. Many were accompanied by their mothers who stay the whole day until the workshop is over.
The workshop
The progamme was to start at 9.30 and bang it did right on time! Impressive. The participants were taken through a series of games and activities, which also required team spirit, creative thinking and a lot of initiative.
‘Passing the Parcel’ was interesting. Music was played and a parcel was passed on from one person to another. Whoever in custody of the parcel when the music stopped had to perform something as he /she wished. Most of them danced. Some of them performed the ‘break dance’, gracefully and rhythmically, gyrating the lower part of the body with a natural ease! Unmistakable influence of the Bollywood; flawlessly imitated!
The most outstanding performance was displayed by a participant when he ordered the music to be stopped and got on stage; energetic. He stretched his right hand as high as he could and yelled out: “I would like to say, I will reduce the price of dhal, and will repair all broken roads. Just vote for me…” Our political culture is infectious… I laughed my gut out.
Music was an essential part of the workshop. Everything centered on it. Dancing to the tune was fun. Plus it also ensured physical exercise and flexibility to the participants, who would hardly find a way to do it otherwise. Every single participant not just enjoyed, but lived every moment of it.
I strongly resisted my temptation to get on to the floor with them!
What is a stick for?
Ramani Damayanthi, the trainer, who displayed exceptional skills in conducting the workshop showed them a long stick and asked them to come out with their own impressions of it and what they would use it for. Some innovative expressions came out – ‘pot breaking’ game of the Avurudhu, golf, billiards, rowing of the boat, shooting with the gun etc, among many others.
The exceptional aspect to note was that NONE of them used the stick to display the action of beating! I stayed until the game was over, just to learn whether any one would imitate the action of beating! No. They did not! I would think the first thing any normal child would do is to show how he/she can use the stick to beat up, to punish! It was interesting to learn how pleasant their thoughts are in their state of inability- and how we label them as ‘dis-abled’!
I left the workshop when they broke for lunch. It was a rewarding experience to learn that there is immense potential in those we think are inferior. What they lack is an opportunity to be accepted in a society that is yet too ignorant of the needs of a differently abled person.
I witnessed the bountiful expressions of happiness, confidence, acceptance, equality and contentment mirrored on their faces when they broke up for lunch. I was still seated, enthralled, when one participant came up to me and took my empty tea cup mumbling ‘Miss, I will take this to wash…’
While driving back home, my memory went back by 20 years and I remembered Narayanan – a differently abled boy- who went to the School for the Deaf and the Dumb, which was just 200 meters away from my school. Our school pick up vans had common halts and we used get down from our vehicles and have a chat. He and I shared a common habit - of collecting pictures of Gods. The numerous squabbles we used to have, and the number of times we used to spill water on each other just flashed across my mind with photographic precision. I just wondered how he was…
Life simply brushes through many of us – or may be we simply brush through life. Cocooned in our own shares of woes and penalties, we tend to pass by…not being able to appreciate and be thankful for the wonderful life force that ticks within us. My experience today just reconfirmed that to me.
Funerals: More Mirth than Mourning?
2007
We are famous merry-makers. Aren’t we? We are known for partying all night, having any reason for a get together and no reason at all ‘for a drink’ at any time of the day or night. Be it a wedding, birth, house warming, a girl’s ‘lokuwela’ ceremony, or a mother-in-law’s youngest aunt celebrating the 80th birthday, all we look forward to is a ‘good time and a good chat.’ And a lot of booze; for any excuse.
The topics of discussions at these gatherings vary and cover a wide range. As time goes, one can observe pockets of male-only and female-only forming. Most of the male-only groups will be going through different stages of verbose, jocose, lacrimose and comatose amidst heated discussions on how the cricket team is under-performing (these days, how they whacked those Indians), how to have a few more bombs to show the real Sinha spirit and not bow down to those tigers (after all, Sinha is the king of the Jungle, mind you), how stocks are down, latest corporate strategies etc, etc.
The female club will be more attentive on the children (most of whom have fallen asleep at all odd places of the host family) and impatiently waiting for their Sinha husbands to wind up their chats so that they can get back home.
The spirit of merry making shows our pleasant psyche and one may look at it as a vibrant sign of happy living and active democracy. It shows our lightness towards life and the ability to leave sorrows behind. At the same time, it may be when we adopt a blanket approach to all occasions to make merry, it may be inappropriate – especially an occasion like a funeral.
If we look around, increasingly in Colombo
It has been our tradition to keep up late in a funeral house, especially in rural Sri Lanka
In Colombo Colombo Colombo
They seem to have no sense of place or time. No respect for some one else’s space. They are always in a partying mood, irrespective of the occasion and are all out to make merry! They would even get together and have a ‘good drink and a great time’ before proceeding to a funeral house where they would stand in silence for a fraction of a second to fulfill a chore- of paying respects to a corpse.
Have we lost the spirit of an occasion? We seem to be loosing the sense to know the difference between when to be silent and when not. It is not necessary for all who attend a funeral to weep and cry and put on an air of deception. No. It is about respecting an occasion and its spirit. Funeral is a time to pay respects to the deceased and not crack loud jokes and make merry in the verandah when a corpse is lying inside and a family is bereaving. This is the greatest disrespect one can give the deceased!
Let us make merry to our heart’s content. But shall we exclude funerals?
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