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Sri Lanka’s economy has not been in the best of health over a long period of time. The reasons for this are many. Over the years successive Governments’ management of the economy has left much to be desired. In more recent times international borrowings for vanity projects involving high investment that did not ensure sufficient income generation to service such borrowings has added to the strain of keeping the economy afloat.

During the past couple of years the impact of the Easter Sunday attacks as well as the COVID-19 pandemic has made the task of economic management all the more demanding. While some of the factors that have impacted adversely on the economy  are due to circumstances beyond the control of Government there are other factors if prudently managed could help to reduce the strain on the economy.

The most recent attempt to build an international cricket stadium at Homagama at the cost of US$ 40 million in the midst of the country grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic is illustrative of the mindset of politicians and the ease with which  they gravitate towards incurring huge expenditure  totally oblivious to the situation the country is facing. Mercifully, the Government has called a halt to this project after leading national cricketers of yesteryear pointed out the absurdity of launching such a project.

A common thread that has been running through the management of the economy over the years has been the curse of corruption. While this phenomenon has reached scandalous proportions without any form of accountability in recent years corruption in one form or the other has always bedevilled the struggling economy.

Ronnie de Mel, who was the Finance Minister during the Mahaweli Diversion Accelarated Project under the J. R. Jayewardene administration that took office in 1977, once lamented that one third of the aid obtained for the Mahaweli Project had been gobbled up by corruption.

Corruption in its various forms has inevitably had an impact on the lives of the ordinary people who are compelled to pay for the costs of corruption which is inbuilt into the price of practically every commodity that he has to pay for.

Sri Lanka has yet to develop and implement a zero tolerance policy for corruption. Mega Projects are often proceeded without following due diligence and hardly any accountability mechanisms are implemented. The Bribery Commission has yet to deliver while those few who are brought before the Courts on charges of bribery and corruption are able to take advantage of the perennial delays in the administration of justice to escape accountability. Unsolicited bids for large projects are still entertained despite pledges not to entertain such interventions.

With the controversy over whether the President can draw on funds from the consolidated fund after April 30, 2020 still unresolved and the absence of financial oversight as a result of the Parliament not functioning, the situation is fraught with issues of financial accountability.

The situation is compounded by claims by Government spokesmen that although various pledges have been made international sources the actual funds have not been received. If and when such funds are received it is imperative the public is kept informed about the sums received and how it has been spent. This would equally apply to the COVID-19 Health Care and Social Security Fund which has been set up by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, for which substantial funds have been received.

In such a context it is timely that Transparency International  Sri Lanka (TI) has in a letter to the Prime Minister dated May 22, 2020 suggested three practical steps to ensure a degree of transparency in the receipt and disbursement of funds  relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his letter to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Transparency International Sri Lanka Executive Director Asoka Obeysekera makes three key recommendations:

1. Establish an online platform providing all information on grants/donations received with timely updates on spending.

2. Maintain an e-procurement platform to publish all government tender notices and related documents, technical evaluations, decisions etc, providing timely updates during the procurement process and implementation.

3. Issue a circular reinforcing the need for strict record management practices in all public institutions in compliance with provisions of the RTI Act and regulations promulgated by the RTI Commission.

According to TI , the Government has received pledges of US$ 128 million from the World Bank, 22 million Euros from the European Union, US$ 6 million from the US as well as  a concessionary loan of US$ 500 million from China. The COVID-19 Health Care and Social Security Fund set up by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reported to have received over one billion rupees in donations.

TI has urged the Prime Minster in his capacity as the Finance Minister to follow international best practices on disclosing information to ensure transparency and accountability in the utilisation of funds and grants from overseas.

Transparency International has pointed out the overarching concern in all aspects of the COVID-19 response, is to remember that the people are the victims of the pandemic and that the response to the crisis should not inadvertently provide an opportunity for a pandemic of corruption and mismanagement.

(javidyusuf@gmail.com)