Peace and Conflict

Minister of what?????

Really, does Sri Lanka actually need a Minister of bloody Indigenous Medicine? Or a Minister of Special Projects (whatever that is). Has no one heard of parliamentary and ministerial secretaries — in other words, the Civil Service? The latter, while not quite the bastion of Sir Humphrey Appleby’s bureaucracy, should theoretically be able to handle the bulk of work areas currently awarded separate ministries. And probably much better than the politicians themselves. For example, is a former union leader the best choice as Minister of Sports and Public Relations?

I doubt that there was anyone in Sri Lanka today who wasn’t blown away by the number of cabinet apointments, and that’s not even counting the deputy ministers and other assorted cooks and bottle washers. The most commonly heard sentiment this morning (after the amusement at the whole ridiculous scenario had subsided), was “who the hell’s going to pay for this lot?” Well, we all know the answer to that, don’t we? You, of course, and me.

Everyone sort of grumbled a bit but eventually shrugged their shoulders and moved on after last years huge pay raise that the parliamentarians gave themselves. OK, fair enough, a Minister of Sacred Area Development has enough to worry about without the wife nagging about tution fees for the kids. I think it’s OK to make sure that politicians are paid well enough that they can concentarate on their jobs. But do we need so many of ’em?

Isn’t it only fair that we expect our leadership to be able to govern and administer themselves before they try and govern the nation? Isn’t it only right that they minimise public spending at its very source — the parliament? I would say that the bulk of current ministries could very easily be accommodated as departments under a far shorter list of ministries. Do we need a Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Service, as well as a Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights? Wouldn’t it be logical to downgrade both to the level of departments within a Ministry of Social Services & Welfare? Like this:

MINISTRY OF ADMINISTRATION

Internal Administration
Public Administration
Constitutional Affairs and National Integration
Plan and Implementation
Parliamentary Affairs
Special Projects
Local Government and Provincial Councils

MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

Highways and Road Development
Posts and Telecommunication
Urban Development
Water Supply and Drainage
Construction and Engineering Services
Transport

MINISTRY OF TOURISM & CULTURE

Tourism
Cultural Affairs
National Heritage
Sacred Area Development
Irrigation and Water Management

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

Plantation Industries
Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Development
Supplementary Crops Development
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Livestock Development

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Nutrition
Indigenous Medicine

MINISTRY OF PORTS & AVIATION

MINISTRY OF POWER & ENERGY

Petroleum & Petroleum Resources Development
Common Amenities

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

Science and Technology
Youth Affairs
Youth Empowerment
Vocational and Technical Training
Higher Education

MINISTRY OF TRADE & INDUSTRY

Socio Economic Development
Export Development & International Trade
Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion
Trade
Marketing Development
Co-operatives and Consumer Services
Rural Industries and Self Employment Promotion
Industrial Development
Women’s Empowerment

MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Social Services and Social Welfare
Housing
Community Development
Social Inequity Eradication
Resettlement and Disaster Relief Service
Disaster Management and Human Rights
Child Development

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT

Public Estate Management and Development
Land and Land Development

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION

Public Relations
Mass Media and Information

MINISTRY OF LABOUR

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare
Labour Relations and Manpower

MINISTRY OF SPORTS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

We then go from 51 ministries to a mere 15, each with its relevant departments, a far more manageable structure.