Financial Times

Tsunami relief efforts lack co-ordination
By Duruthu Edirimuni
A majority of business leaders seem to be rolling their eyes heavenwards at the patchy post-tsunami government relief effort saying their disgust with its ineffectiveness had prompted them to work on their own.

But others said the private sector's own efforts lacked co-ordination and that the most effective way was for a joint private sector-government relief and aid distribution campaign.

Victims of the tsunami complain that the separate efforts of government and business have rendered the relief work chaotic, sluggish and uncoordinated. That is evident from reports from journalists and relief workers on field visits.

Rienzi T. Wijetilleke, CEO, HNB said managing the tsunami disaster is not an easy task, but it needs to be done in a systematic and orderly manner. "We must get the best out of the aid that is coming into the island," he said. He said there are vast resources available for relief activity, but there is no proper coordination attempt by the state authorities to allocate them fittingly.

He said there is a good chance of better town planning and electric trains if the grants are utilised properly. He expressed his reservations on whether the government authorities can carry this out single handedly.

"The private sector has a track record of success stories in every sphere of reconstruction that is needed in the country presently," he said, adding it is doubtful whether the state sector has such expertise. "If given Rs.100, the state sector has a record of giving a Rs.10 return, whereas the private sector would give a Rs. 1000 return."

He said the politicians are talking together, but not working together. "We had a crisis, which converted itself to an opportunity, but the state must not reconvert the opportunity to another crisis," he emphasised.

Mahendra Amarasuriya, Chairman, Commercial Bank said the private sector trying to work on their own serves no purpose. "They do not have any moral or legal authority to ignore the state sector," he said, adding it should be a combined effort by both the government and private sectors. Joint Business Forum, Chairman, Kingsley Bernard said he feels the government has got the basics right despite the glitches in implementation. "The country was never prepared for this. There may be certain difficulties at field level, but the government is doing a good job," he added.

Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) President, Nihal Abeysekera said the relief efforts by the government have been a little scrappy, since they were taken unawares by this disaster.

"I feel the government will not be able to handle this situation alone without volunteers," he said, adding the state does not have right personnel for this operation, despite the aid they have gathered. "The requirements of the victims in the relief centres are different from what they are actually getting," he said. Abeysekera said direct assistance to the victims such as proper housing has not yet been looked at. "None of the aid that has been pledged so far has gone to the victims, except for their basic requirements.

Their main complaint is that everyone is filling up forms, but no one is really doing anything," he said. However, some business leaders are not of the same view. "The government is doing what it has to do and seem to be getting aid across to the victims," Susantha Ratnayake, John Keells Joint Managing Director told The Sunday Times FT.

He said John Keells is doing its own relief projects in conjunction with the government. "We are not executing relief work in isolation with the authorities," Ratnayake said, adding the company always checks with the state agencies when doing projects.

Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chairman Deva Rodrigo said they are working closely with the Ministry of Defence in the relief effort. "Whenever a company affiliated to the CCC takes up a development effort, the 'relief coordination efforts' project headed by Mr. Tilak Ranaviraja is alerted," he said.

He said companies should not try to take on the role of the government. "It is true it does not have the resources for relief efforts, that is why the companies should support the government," he added.

Help for SME revival
The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka is preparing project proposals for each small and medium enterprise (SME) that has been affected by the tsunami.

President, FCCISL, Nihal Abeysekera said, "We are currently organising project proposals for each individual case, so the entrepreneurs have a document to apply for funding."

Abeysekera said the banks are sending positive vibes despite their limitations to help the businessmen. "The bankers and the chambers are working together to expedite the process of reviving the SMEs in the south," he said.

Govt. identifies land for displaced
Presidential Advisor Mano Tittawela, at a meeting with business leaders last week, said the government has proposed to identify lands in which houses will be built for the displaced.

"By January 20, the government will identify the lands for housing and it will be given to parties who are offering to donate houses," Joint Business Forum, Chairman, Kingsley Bernard said. The guidelines to build the houses are to be provided by the government.

Back to Business