Building a resourcing strategy: Blueprint for sustainable local governance - Part 3

Sri Lanka stands at a pivotal moment. To restore confidence in Government institutions and improve service delivery, the country must invest in professional, strategic asset management.

- By Eng. Janaka Seneviratne

The importance of asset management in public sector reform

PUBLIC sector organisations, ranging from national agencies to local councils, are responsible for managing critical assets, including roads, buildings, parks, and water systems. These are not static inventories; they are long-term investments that support community wellbeing, service delivery, and economic performance. Effective asset management ensures that these assets are used efficiently and sustainably, serving both present and future generations.

However, in Sri Lanka, asset management remains undervalued, underdeveloped, and underutilised. For public sector reform to succeed, Sri Lanka must invest in modern asset management practices that incorporate strategic planning, lifecycle cost analysis, risk mitigation, and datadriven decision-making.

Reforming provincial governance in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's three-tier governance model, Central, Provincial, and Local, deserves reconsideration. The necessity of Provincial Councils is increasingly questionable. For context, New South Wales, Australia, which is 12 times larger than Sri Lanka, functions without provincial structures. This comparison highlights that administrative layers should be based on practicality rather than size or complexity.

The creation of Provincial Councils was a political response to regional and ethnic tensions, but today, many view these councils as redundant. There is no question that ethnic needs are to be fulfilled. In my view, strengthening local government bodies, Municipal Councils, Urban Councils, and Pradeshiya Sabhas would be a more effective solution.

Local governments, being the closest to the public, are better positioned to address.

community needs and deliver essential services.

A call to action: Strengthening asset management for Sri Lanka's future