Manifesto For NPC: A Restatement In Response To Comments
S.Sivathasan
While thanking the contributors for their response, may I express my thoughts on them. To me the approach to administering the Province is three phased at the beginning.
Three Phases
Phase l – From the holders of sovereign power – the people – the Party intent on governing seeks and obtains a mandate through an admirable Manifesto. The Manifesto limited in length, sets out in clear perspective but only in broad outline the direction that the Provincial Council envisages taking. It is now done, whatever may be the infirmities. The mandate is awaited for 21stSeptember.
Phase ll – The Party installed in power, will be led in governance by the Chief Minister (CM). Together with the permanent bureaucracy he will prepare a Policy Statement (PS) setting out the parameters of policy and action for the full five year term of the Council. The PS, prepared within three weeks, endorsed by the Board of Ministers and approved by the Council will enjoy the sanction for implementation.
The PS will serve as the sheet anchor for framing the Budget and the course of administration in the ensuing year ie 2014. An extremely important condition for vertical take- off is a one off grant to be negotiated with the government with all the persuasive skill that the Chief Minister can marshal. The scope of work and the magnitude of investment in the remaining four years will be determined by the success achieved in: 1) The rapport established with the Central government. 2) Ability in mobilizing resources.
Phase lll – An Action Plan covering the full tenure of the Council needs to be formulated. Under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary (CS) and with the collaboration of the Secretaries, such a Plan has to be prepared. The segment on development will embrace the important sectors in which Education will have precedence. This exercise to commence in October this year should be concluded by September 2014. Within this span of one year, administrative and technical capacity shall have been built up. At all times, direction from the CM and interaction with the Ministers will be available. Discussions with central Ministries and important institutions will be deemed indispensable.
Prospecting for and securing finances will be the most paramount task for the CM and the CS. Foreign aid will form a major component of the finances. This will be done as per the constitutional provisions and with the necessary approvals of the Central government as are mandated by law.
