Developmental vision and the leadership initiative

The spur for Development entails commitment from leadership, which must guide by example. The need of the hour is a distinct and inclusive Strategy; one that transcends the boundaries we have built around us. We need to make way for opportunity. The thrust of our Economy is in the hands of the Private sector, and the State must take its place as a facilitator; providing the necessary incentives for Growth, through a bold process of consultation, learning and action.
Last week, President Rajapaksa hinted at the prospects of a new Development climate for Sri Lanka. He espoused the need to form Economic strategy to nurture Innovation and Growth; of spreading the gains of Development to all parts of the country, urging the Public sector to take the initiative and commit to rebuild the nation. For the Development-minded, this initiative by the President would serve as a panacea for all ills. In a milieu of peace, the leadership has the opportunity to embrace the mantle of Development, and the public must welcome the emphasis placed by the President, on the need to pursue a fast track for Growth. It is not wrong to surmise that, over the years, our leadership failed to communicate the wants of Development to the public. As much as they failed to translate words into effective action, their lack of clarity on effective action, gave room for discord, as we diverted from convention. With the essentials of peace and public confidence firmly in his grip, Rajapaksa’s pledge for Development and effective change should augur well for Sri Lanka’s prospects. In this process, the President must also heed the Development advice of recognised professionals, and more importantly, he must ensure its implementation. In addition to the initiatives led by the central government, Sri Lanka could well look at a model to devolve its Development powers to the Provinces, through a structured process of empowerment.
What was perhaps most inspiring of the President’s statement was his call to shed the habit of working within an accepted blueprint. He is affording room to the Public sector to look beyond – to innovate, and break from the confines of tradition. Our reluctance to break from age-old confines of how we do Business and shape Policy has hampered the progress of the nation. This mindset of apprehension is partly a sad result of our decadent political culture, with platform rhetoric belittling change as tyrannical and unjust. In any case, we have, historically, been averse to change, as portrayed by our experience in the latter half of the 20th century. We have often practised a closed and chauvinistic culture, oblivious to the pace and progress of the people, and the world around us, which, in no uncertain terms, contributed to the three decades of terror and violence. Today, we are faced with a milieu of peace, of victory, of personal and political triumph. Our leaders are well versed of the initiative and change that Sri Lanka must deliver, in order to accomplish its Developmental goals. The nation must derive confidence by this statement from the President, that here, we have a leader who would deliver – that he would be the catalyst of a transformation. History will remind of Rajapakse as a conqueror of terrorism, and here’s his chance to also be a harbinger of Economic and Development prosperity.
A home-grown Economic agenda would, in essence, be the best solution to drive an inclusive Development agenda. Sri Lanka requires an Economic roadmap that will be designed by recognised experts in Trade and Infrastructure, with necessary input from Development professionals representing the Provinces. There could be Provincial Development authorities that would measure the needs and potential of its region, and propose necessary action to complement the broader national plan. A system of devolution of Development power – engineered and administered by committed professionals. Our experience with a top-down model, where government fuels Trade and Investment, has its fair share of problems, with voting masses displaying impatience, as they did during the UNP regime. The new Development plan must promote Trade and Investment, but, at the same time, it would find imperative to feed the Growth requirements of the rural masses. Sri Lanka must prudently consider the unconventional in its quest for Growth, and an open Economy with controlled and targeted subsidies, might prove a viable solution. Leadership is key, and much as the Executive will play its part, so must the supporting arms of government, and its machinery and the people.