Efficient and equitable public provision of health, education and social services is vital for economic development and civil security. Sri Lanka’s public sector is responsible for providing these services. Yet, although it is massive, it is plagued by overlapping roles, redundancy, and underpayment. Decades of reform have failed to address corruption and accountability issues, from public procurement to service delivery. We plan to overhaul the public service through digitalisation and introduce key performance indicators to enhance productivity. This will improve management, transparency and efficiency while minimising corruption.
Establishing a SOE Holding Company is a key part of state-owned enterprise reform. This SOE Holding Company will provide a centralised and strategic framework for managing SOE ownership, under a structure like Singapore’s ‘Temasek model’. What shareholding the State shall hold in each of the SOEs shall be determined based on multiple objectives of the various stakeholders, balancing national security interests with international competitiveness and efficiency.
The health sector will be transformed with high-tech solutions from drug procurement to all health services. Lessons learnt in using digital technology in ‘1990 Suwa Seriya’, being classified as one of the world’s most advanced and fastest ambulance services, will be incorporated into enhancing quality and efficiency.
