One of the most recent issues that have garnered the attention of world leaders is the Sri Lankan crisis. The long-standing battle between the public administration, government forces and rebel fighters has led to a humanitarian catastrophe with an unimaginable human cost.
However, this is not a new problem for Sri Lanka; it’s just one that the nation’s people have been unable to fix. The country’s leadership does not seem to control the public administration adequately, which might have led to such an unsuccessful situation.
The root cause of the current crisis in Sri Lanka is public administration problems. Specifically, the government failed to provide adequate security for its citizens, allowing protesters to assemble and demonstrate freely.
There are many reasons for the failure of the Sri Lankan lok prashashan to resolve the conflict in the Tamil-dominated north and east.
Among them could be the failure of the Sri Lankan government to adhere to principles of sound public administration.
The Public Administration Failures of the Sri Lankan Government, such as:
-
There Is a Scarcity of Foreign Reserves :
Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves have been reduced by 70 per cent due to alleged economic mismanagement by successive administrations, with just $2.31 billion remaining after debt payments of more than $4 billion. In addition to the island nation’s high reliance on imports for essential items such as sugar, pulsed rice, and cereals, Sri Lanka’s increased reliance on imports for important things such as sugar, pulses, and cereals added fuel to the economic meltdown, as the island nation lacks foreign reserves to pay for its import bills. According to President Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka is expected to have a trade imbalance of $10 billion this year.
-
Negative Results of the Pandemic :
The island nation’s enormous reliance on tourism and foreign remittances was severely harmed by the COVID-19 outbreak, which served as the reason for the present economic crisis in the first place. Tourism, which accounts for more than 10% of Sri Lanka’s GDP, has suffered from a decline in tourists from three major countries: India, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
-
Inflation Brought on by the Russia-Ukraine Conflict :
The continuous conflict between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in a significant increase in the prices of crude oil, sunflower oil, and wheat. Crude oil prices reached their highest level in 14 years during the crisis, with prices rising to more than $125 a barrel. India had to step in and provide 40,000 MT of fuel as part of a $500 million line of credit offered. The country of India has so far contributed more than 200,000 metric tonnes of petroleum in the previous 50 days.
-
Agribusiness Is in a State of Distress :
After the Rajapaksa administration decided to restrict all chemical fertilisers last year to make agriculture 100 per cent organic, the country’s agricultural productivity suffered tremendously, particularly in rice and sugar production, prompting the government to reverse its stance on the matter.
-
FDI Has Seen a Significant Decline :
Under the leadership of the current President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, foreign direct investment (FDI) in the nation has declined significantly. Data from the government shows that foreign direct investment (FDI) will be $548 million in 2020, compared to $793 million and $1.6 billion in 2019 and 2018, respectively.
-
Conclusion
Now that the government has been unable to achieve its political objectives through the use of force, it is struggling to restore public order in the country. This is the worst phase that the government has ever been tangled with!
