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| Sunday, 30 January 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Rebuilding: Some strategic issues by Jayatilleke de Silva
Now that the relief mechanism is in place and rehabilitation and reconstruction has taken centre stage it is timely to dwell upon certain aspects of the new phase taking into account our experience during the first four weeks since the tsunami disaster. The first striking feature is the lack of coordination and organization at the receiving or delivery end of services in spite of a coordinated central mechanism at the national level. Take for example the effort to reopen schools or provide schooling for the children whose schools were destroyed by the tsunami wave. We witnessed how bureaucratic orders from top failed to evoke corresponding response from the localities in question. Obviously much more has to be done at the provincial and local levels to open schools or provide schooling to all children. Elsewhere in this issue of the Sunday Observer we carry a report about the failure of some concerned students to seek admission to other schools due to the non-availability of vacancies. Extraordinary situations demand extraordinary measures. We have to find innovative solutions. This could be done only at provincial and local levels through discussions with education authorities, teachers, parents and children. A possible way out is to explore the possibilities of starting dual sessions in certain neighbouring existing schools until such time the damaged schools are rebuilt. This brings to the fore two questions. One is the strategic approach of the policy makers. The top down approach so derided in management seminars and ridiculed as "command economy " in case of Soviet republics seems to prevail still. What is needed is a far more democratic approach that takes into account the local ground realities and sensitivities of the affected people. The commitment and sweat of dedicated central staff will come to nothing if this approach is not changed. There seems to be a certain degree of bureaucratic arrogance on the part of the decision makers. The other is the role of the Provincial Councils. There does not seem to be any place for the Provincial Councils and the Provincial administrative systems in the present set up. For example, education is a devolved subject under the Constitution. It is primarily the duty of the Provincial Councils to ensure that education of children in schools under their authority goes on uninterrupted. On the other hand, Provincial authorities, both political and administrative seem to be looking up to Colombo for instructions, thereby neglecting or ignoring their duty by the people. Actually the Provincial Councils should be able to organise and coordinate most of the physical and human resources for the rebuilding of their coastal areas. According to reports coming from the provinces there are scores of groups who are ready to assist by supplying required materials and logistics support as well as voluntary labour for reconstruction activities. These resources have to be harnessed at the provincial and local levels. It is also important to consult the affected people in planning out the rebuilding programs. This is particularly so in the case of housing. Their wishes and concerns should be considered as far as possible. The Urban Development Authority and the Housing Development Authority have jointly drawn plans to build nearly 100, 000 houses for the victims. According to reports most of them will have only 200 square-ft of floor space. This is hardly adequate considering the fact that the average size of a family is about 5 persons. I wonder what made the architects, engineers and other officials as well as those above them to decide on a 200 sq. ft floor space. Either they have no common sense or they have a contemptuous attitude towards the poor, mostly fisher folk. This is adding misery to misery, shame to shame. This is in contrast to the pledge of the Director of the Task force on Rebuilding the Nation (TAFREN) before representatives of the public and private sector establishments about a fortnight ago that they will "not replace poverty with poverty, but build a modern infrastructure". If the rebuilding process is to be successfully carried out lethargy and apathy in the public service should be got rid of as soon as possible. There is no commitment and dedication on the part of many officials though there are a few exceptionally dedicated officers. The entire public service has to be set on an emergency footing. There is also a question of setting priorities. Even now, a month after the disaster there seems to be some ambiguity regarding the 100 or 200 metre buffer zone along the coast. What is more demarcating that boundary on the ground in some form or other, perhaps like the marking of the RDA boundaries for roads is essential for the affected families to know whether their land falls within or outside it. This involves lot of logistical work - surveying, putting up sign posts etc. Now that most of the tourist hotels and unaffected houses would remain inside this buffer zone, it may be only the poor folk who would have to move inland. It would be difficult to find uninhabited land bordering the 100 metre zone along the southern coastal belt in which case these unfortunate people would be forced to move further inland hampering their livelihood activities. Whatever it is, the most prudent method would be to consider resettlement case by case in consultation with the affected households. Rebuilding requires detailed case-by-case estimates of expenditure, bills of quantities, procurement of physical and human resources and other logistical requirements. These could be done only at the local level. Hence the need for bottom up approach to planning and management. |
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