If Sri Lanka’s efforts to position itself to thrive in the ‘Asian Century’ are to succeed, it will require significant introspective analysis of how we work as a country. There is much talk about the agreed terms of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the necessary structural changes and reforms, which Sri Lanka must enact if we are to pull ourselves out of the economic crisis we have dug ourselves into. 

However, given the slow pace of state sector reforms, thinking of a bygone era, and the dense jungle bureaucracy which investors, donors and local entrepreneurs must navigate to get anything done in Sri Lanka, points to the need for a significant change in the culture of governance, and attitudes of state officials.

For an example, earlier this week, Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva told a gather which included Colombo-based diplomats and senior government officials that, following an initiative with an international donor organisation to improve women representation in the maritime and ports sector, the first batch of Sri Lanka women gantry crane operator trainees were awarded their appointment letters, and told to report to Colombo Port to begin practical training. However, several port trade unions, almost all, male dominated, had threatened to go on strike, demanding that the group of women trainees, numbering less than 50 not be allowed to enter the Port premises, and had sought all male-trainee operators to be made permanent immediately. State-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority started employing women gantry crane operators in 2017, and South Asia’s first team of women gantry crane operators is seen in the island. The new batch of trainees are now in a difficult position. Herein lies one of the key issues that plague the Sri Lankan state sector. Many in specialist roles have found a modus operandi which they are comfortable with and are reluctant to allow change. But change is vital for growth and in an ever increasing frequency, women are entering the maritime sector, world-wide. The misogynistic attitudes which are entrenched in the state sector are holding Sri Lanka back. They also forget that with women making 51% or more of the population, they are a vital part of the change Sri Lanka needs. Broadly speaking, women in Sri Lanka were generally engaged in conservative jobs such as nursing, teaching profession, clerical, and are increasingly challenging that conservatism, and taking on more technical jobs, and many excel in them.

Several foreign investors and Colombo-based diplomats have told The Daily Morning their experience in ‘trying to do business’ in Sri Lanka. One such investor from a European aviation interest, pointed out that the red tape in Sri Lanka is smothering the vibrant island’s investor potential. The investor pointed out that the number of regulatory bodies and state institutions which they need to deal with to get ‘clearance’ from to push ahead with investment projects is often demoralising and a ‘waste of time’. “I came with a plan which would have seen more European tourists flying into Colombo, but it was stonewalled, it seems like no one wants to take responsibility for their job and is waiting for a ‘higher power’ to ‘green light’ their assessment. It is indeed a shame, I see why India, the Maldives and Bangladesh are drawing the investment that was intended for Sri Lanka. It is so hard to do business here,”  the investor said.

It is also reliably learnt that a fully funded proposal Ocean Science-related monitoring mechanism, which would enable Sri Lanka to predict weather and sea conditions better, identify where fish spools are, remains stagnating, unapproved for over an year, due to the bureaucracy and the lethargy of the state officers who have to act on it. An accomplished Sri Lankan scientist who facilitated the project, which would bring significant improvement to Sri Lanka’s weather, focusing and understanding of ocean currents, is fed up with the slow pace the relevant state institutions and ministries are working at to process the proposal.  

As such, while structural changes and reforms are enacted, Sri Lanka would be prudent to take a serious look at its sub cultures that dominate state work practices, and update them. If not, we are likely not going anywhere with the same attitudes we have now.