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CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT 9

One of the major setbacks in managing to meet the criteria to get promoted. policy. They must say that they will
the SLPA was the absence of any These systems are never violated. continue to uphold the national policy in
consistency. It is rather difficult to That’s why everything in the Army is their own unique innovations and style.
introduce a new system and implement moving so smoothly. Even the Army In this way, the new government can
it. However, we were able to introduce Commander is unable to change the adopt the election manifesto which is
stringent cost-cutting measures quite system; there are advisory boards and consistent with the national policy. But
effectively. councils at different levels. Everything what happens is, after each election,
runs according to Military Policy. This the succeeding government changes
The financial management of SLPA type of disciplined systems is not the national policy which places the
was not in an acceptable state. For present in the Civil Service. Various country in a chaotic situation. When I
that matter, most of the government governments come to power from time first came out of the Military and joined
institutions aren’t. From a military to time with different political agendas a civil organisation, I had to face the
point of view, the biggest challenge and manifestos, and such manifestos challenge of tuning myself to work with
we face as a civilian organisation is the become national policy for a particular such a system.
absence of a national policy to manage term of office. This is not a sound
state institutions. Although such system. When I joined SLPA, the Port of
policies were introduced from time to Colombo ranked 24th in the Best Ports
time, there has been no consistency, In the Port also we had the same issue. of the World chart, and by the time I
making it particularly tough for a We couldn’t continue with the policies handed over, it had gone up to the 17th
succeeding Chairman to continue of the previous government because position. As far as the connectivity is
seamlessly. Therefore, the introduction they clashed with the policies of the concerned, the Port of Colombo is now
of a consistent National Policy for all current government. As a result, we 11th or 12th in the world. There were
state organisations is of paramount had to follow the ruling government’s countless inconsistencies in the Port,
importance. policy and, in the process, some of yet, we are one of the leading ports
the policies had to take a 180o turn. in the world. We have achieved this
The Military, on the other hand, works Thus, the government institutions face ranking in the world without any great
with an unambiguous policy. The serious challenges. effort but purely due to its strategic
recruitment system in the Military location. Sri Lanka is the gateway to
always puts the right person in the right My suggestion is that the public service Asia and we are surrounded by vast
position. Nobody is able to interfere should have a national policy. The countries of Asia. Therefore, we have a
with the promotion system. All the political parties, when preparing their huge opportunity if we are to properly
basic requirements have to be fulfilled. election manifestos, should base them exploit this strategic advantage by
Whatever influence you have, you have in accordance with the national developing a proper master plan.

www.cma-srilanka.org | Volume 06 -No. 2 - September 2021