Effective decentralised governance and sound public management is an integral part for Sri Lanka’s pro-poor and pro-growth development strategy. In the Mahinda Chintana the Government clearly commits to the principle of subsidiarity with direct and continuous involvement of the citizens in public management at the local level. The Government subscribes to governance principles that are inclusive and participatory with a special focus on the most vulnerable in order to prevent their further marginalisation from the governance of development. Emphasise is placed on creating the institutional conditions for active and optimal participation of different stakeholders in economic and social activities. The Government’s vision is putting in place a collaborative government based on clear demarcations of responsibilities and authorities between the three levels of governance – national, provincial and local. While the assignment of responsibilities would usually follow the principle of subsidiarity, the result should be the elimination of overlapping in responsibilities and authority between the different levels of governance.
The sharing of government responsibilities has been a subject of continuing debate in post-independence Sri Lanka polity -a debate that gathered intensity in the decades after 1987. Under the eighth schedule of the 13th Amendment the allocation of functions was categorised into three lists, the Provincial Council list, the Reserved List and the Concurrent List. Matters of national importance were allocated to the Central Government and those of regional or local interest to regional or local governments.
ART GOLD Sri Lanka, in line with the Government’s 10 years framework for development, supports the efforts to put in place effective decentralised governance and sound public management structures based on the principle of subsidiarity. It supports an enabling environment where shortcomings of the present dualistic system - the decentralised system and the devolved system – can be addressed. By fostering coordination and linkages between both systems it will contribute to rationalising and synergising development programmes and service delivery mechanisms.
Currently AGSL’s interventions in the Governance sector are concentrated on capacity development for local authorities, improving the efficiency of the local land registry offices, networking local authorities and the community for planning and territorial development. AGSL initiatives under Governance sector are:
