Attitudinal change imperative:

Productivity must increase

Productivity Promotion Minister Lakshman Seneviratne said the media has a responsible role to play to promote productivity. The Minister told the Sunday Observer that his Ministry has recommended to Cabinet that promotions in the state sector should be given mainly based on performance. The Cabinet has agreed to this in principle. But we have to come out with methods of implementation.

The Minister said there are so many good state officers in the Government sector who really do a lot of hard work. What we lack in this country is that there is no methodology to appreciate their performance.

Therefore the Ministry has decided to give them productivity awards. What happens today is the person who works and the person who does not work, are both put into the same category. We have to find a method to identify people who really work and appreciate their service by giving them incentives and other benefits. We have to have attitudinal change. That is the only way to overcome the situation.

Commenting on the present crisis faced by the UNP, Minister Seneviratne said it is very unfortunate because there should be a powerful Opposition. Irrespective of leadership the UNP needs attitudinal change.

At present the UNP has so many electorates without even organisers. They only have press conferences and talk on the floor of the House.

That is their politics. They don’t go to village level. There are so many good things that the Government is doing. But they don’t talk or make any constructive criticism regarding these. The UNP has to appreciate certain things which this Government has done for the people. Unfortunately they don’t do it.

By Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Q: Has the Budget 2012 laid emphasis on productivity development?

A: Comparatively last year, we got enough funds to mobilise our Ministry and to start new ventures in 2012. That is the kind of encouragement that is needed because productivity is priority along with attitude change.

Q: Most people say the state sector is inefficient. What are the steps being taken by your Ministry to raise productivity in the state sector?

A: We have recommended to the Cabinet that promotions should be given mainly based on performance. On principle, the Cabinet has agreed. But we have to have methods of implementing. If we take the state sector today, there are many good state officers who really do a lot of hard work. What we lack in this country is there is no appreciation. We have to introduce some methodology to appreciate performance. That is why we have decided to give them productivity awards. What happens today is the person who works and the person who does not work, are both put into the same category. We have to have a method of identifying people who work and appreciate their services by giving them incentives and other benefits. That is the right thing to do. We believe there has to be a change in attitude. That is the only way to overcome this situation.

Q: Many people have little or no idea about the concept of productivity. How can we raise awareness?

A: We have started new awareness programs in this regard. Actually the media has the ability to play a lead role to promote this concept. The media should take the lead to promote this concept. Because you can’t expect one person or the Government to do that. I believe the print media and electronic media can really go forward and make this endeavour a success. The Ministry has started an advertising campaign and will be put forward during the next couple of weeks. I think media personnel should suggest a method doing this. To change attitudes in the country as a whole our productivity and attitude should go hand in hand. It is regret to note that nothing is being done about this. President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Ministers can’t go it alone. The media has to take the lead. If we don’t think differently, we will give this same attitude to our children as well. We should create a positive, workable attitude among people.

Q: What is the importance of having higher productivity for a vibrant economy?

A: I mean higher productivity in everything. Even if we take the paddy yield, a higher yield means productivity has gone up. We have to introduce systems to farmers to increase productivity. Every institution should increase productivity. If we take private sector institutions, they perform well. As far the State sector, half of it is good. There are some state institutions which are lagging behind. It is the media that has to play a major role to increase productivity.

Q:Have you identified the least productive sectors in the economy? If so what are the steps being taken to improve these areas?

A: Actually there are so many areas. If we take the transport sector, we should not forget that it is a service oriented sector. If we take all these sectors, consecutive Governments have to be blamed. Most of these places became job supplying agencies and Governments put supporters into these institutions. Now these institutions have turned out to be loss-making, institutions. We can’t get rid of them as they are service oriented institutions. If we take the money spent by the CEB and the number of people working there, we are a country that gives continuous supply of electricity. Every household will be provided with electricity by 2012 December. This is the President’s idea and he has given instructions to the CEB and other institutions concerned to achieve this target. When we look into these things, these institutions have become loss-making institutions. We are coming out with new schemes and methods to get involved with some of the institutions after speaking to the Ministers and Heads of departments and help them improve productivity.

Q: We have seen many productivity workshops and training programs conducted in English which limit their scope. Any plans to expand similar programs in Sinhala and Tamil?

A: We have started training programs in Sinhala. We have got resource persons as well. We will be going to Jaffna and Kilinochchi in time to come. We will have programs in these areas next year at village level, local Government and provincial level. On the directive of UPFA MP Namal Rajapaksa, we had a three-day workshop at Passara recently for Local Government Bodies in the Hambantota district.

Q: Foreign investors often say that our workforce is educated intelligent and can be easily trained. Do you think that higher rates of productivity would further boost production?

A: Absolutely. We have a skilled workforce. They have the ability to learn quickly and are very pleasant and adoptable as well. Majority of them speak in English and they can understand English. Sri Lanka is country that possesses a very pleasant work force. We have to do these programs through the media to boost productivity. It is unfortunate that the media has not started anything on this.

Q: What kind of lessons can we draw from other countries to increase productivity for example the 5S system from Japan?

A: All these systems were taught by the Buddha. He was one of the best teachers who taught productivity. If you take countries like Japan, they have systems like 5S. Since we don’t have these systems and until we introduce a system of our own, we have to adopt those systems and introduce them to Sri Lanka. At present so many people are using the 5S system in Sri Lanka. There are so many other systems as well. The private sector is doing extremely well. We have an excellent human resource sector. The only thing is that we have to develop it. We have to introduce these systems at school and pre-school levels and spread it throughout the country.

Q: Sri Lanka has many holidays. There are suggestions that at least some of these holidays must be done away with. What is your opinion and has the Government considered this matter?

A: As you know I am new to the Government. So I am not in a position to say anything about it. But if you ask my personal opinion, I would say holidays should be reduced. However, this is not the Government view as I am a newcomer. In Australia, they have only seven public holidays and America has only eight holidays. In most of the countries in Europe, nothing in excess of nine or ten days. But in Sri Lanka we have so many holidays. Productivity levels have dropped. If you really take the Government sector, even during working days, some public servants are not working more than three or four hours. That is the truth. But they demand many things which is very unfair. An attitudinal change is imperative.

Q: What are your comments on the crisis in the UNP. Do you see a revival of the party under a new Leader?

A: It is very unfortunate because we should have a powerful Opposition. No matter who comes to leadership, again, the UNP needs a attitude change. Unless they change attitudes, their is no future. The UNP has so many electorates without organisers. They only conduct press conferences and talk on the floor of the House. That is their kind of politics. They don’t go to village level. There are so many good things that the Government is doing. But they don’t make constructive criticism.

The UNP was criticising the construction of the Hambantota harbour. But if Ranil Wickremesinghe built the harbour, they won’t have a problem. If the UNP did it, it would have been fine. This shows their bankruptcy. The UNP has to appreciate certain things which this Government has done for the people. Unfortunately, they don’t do it.

Q: Some political analysts and certain sections of society say there should be a vibrant Opposition. What is your comment?

A: How can their be a vibrant Opposition? They don’t have vibrant people to have a vibrant Opposition.

The Opposition does not identify with the pulse of the people. It is very sad to say that this is the downfall of the Opposition.

Q:How do you view the claim made by the Opposition that the Budget has failed to provide relief to the people?

A:This is what the Opposition is saying for the past 17 years which I also followed when I was in the Opposition. In the Opposition, what do they do except criticise?

Q:Since the Budget debate, the absence of Opposition MPs to make speeches has become a common phenomenon. Parliament sittings were also abruptly suspended on December 08 as Opposition MPs who had been listed to speak were not present. What is your comment?

A: Priorities are mixed up. The Budget debate is a debate in which the Opposition should play a major role.

They allocate time, dates and speakers. Opposition MPs criticise and then walk away. They never stay in the House to listen to the reply.

Q:Another UNP MP Mohan Lal Grero crossed over to the Government. Will there be more crossovers from the Opposition?

A: You never know. A lot of people are disgruntled with the UNP. They are very unhappy with the present set up. If you can see a light at the end of the tunnel. The amount of development work this Government is doing is enormous. They can’t see what their potential is and they can’t use it. I think that is why UNP MP Grero also crossed over to the Government. He is a brilliant person. The Government can use his intellectual capacity and do something for the country.

Q:The LLRC report was tabled in Parliament on Friday. However, certain minority political parties and civic organisations have some reservations. What are your comments?

A: No matter what you do, there will be a team of people who will criticise. If it not for their benefit, they criticise. I am sure the LLRC is a very balanced report. Everybody went before the LLRC and gave evidence, and made comments. Certain minority groups and NGOs might say this is not the right thing. People have the right to say what they want. But majority rules.

It’s our own report. Why do we need a foreign body when we have professionals in our country to do the right thing. I would say we should ignore speculation made by the certain sections.

Q:The Government is going to introduce a parliamentary select committee to evolve a home-grown solution to ethnic problem. How will these recommendations made by the LLRC facilitate this.

A: At the moment I have no idea about it. I am sure these recommendations will be adopted, it is a must.

If you ask my personal opinion on certain issues, I am not for what some of these minority parties are asking. We have to follow the LLRC report and adopt the policies.