The Hon. Hector Appuhamy

¶ 01 This is important, because under them lies our primary and smallest administrative unit. The three-wheeler is a vehicle closely connected with the people, and likewise, those officers carry a greater burden of State administration. It is that officer who has to face incidents in the village. The village’s poor, the innocent, the differently-abled, the sick, as well as those engaged in business — everyone’s needs and grievances connected with the State and with administration — all of these must be addressed, while also taking responsibility for the people in the village. The chief officer in the village who bears that responsibility is the Grama Niladhari.

¶ 02 Therefore, at this moment, I make a request. Let us properly digitize this service and provide every Grama Niladhari with a computer. We can train them and instruct them to survey the entire Grama Niladhari Division and input all the data into the computer. Once entered, the officer will have all the information — each person’s needs and issues recorded. Information on offenders, on those sentenced and imprisoned — all of this can be compiled, and programs needed for that can be prepared there. Likewise, if someone needs a certificate or a service from an institution, this small unit — the Grama Niladhari office — can quickly provide it.

¶ 03 You have now decided that we must move towards digitization. If so, start that task there: from the Grama Niladhari office. Beginning there, you can enlist capable, intelligent youth in the village to volunteer. Especially, there are many who have studied computer science. They are willing to help the country’s work. You can involve them to input these details and data into the computers. As that is done, it can be linked to the Divisional Secretariat. Once connected to the Divisional Secretariat, anyone in the country or the village can get their requirement fulfilled within a few hours. But what happens today? When people try to get something done, they have to go from the starting point to every place, distributing money, wasting time, and roaming without any concern for time. If people need an essential task done, they cannot get it done at the required time. Sometimes, for a person travelling abroad, a letter or a concession is needed, but the certificate is not given at the time the person needs it; it is given when the officer wants to. Therefore, I ask that a program be prepared for State administration to eliminate this system. We can resolve these issues if, when entering data into the computers, we include all this information and link it with the relevant sections. We can include data from State banks and all relevant HSS institutions, collect all data for those going for foreign employment, and prepare the necessary procedures to issue the documents they require. Through this, not only will people’s time be saved; when that time is saved, it will be a great strength and competitiveness for economic development.

¶ 04 Hon. Minister, I believe you have good knowledge regarding this. Please use that knowledge and start from what I have said — begin with this program.

¶ 05 I am not asking you to focus on calculating relief or on SEDs “2961” for Grama Niladharis. Do this task well. If you do, both you and your Government will earn a name. My primary proposal is regarding State administration.

¶ 06 Next, I would like to especially speak about the Ministry of Labour. As time is short, I intend to speak on the Ministry or Department of Labour together with these matters. In my view, this is of special importance. For workers’ welfare, starting with the Indian Immigrants (Ordinance) No. 01 of 1923, the institutions required by this Ministry were initiated. After the Department of Labour began, then with Act No. 15 of 1958, the Employees’ Provident Fund commenced. The Ministry of Labour is a very important Ministry. However, it has been sidelined. Often, the Ministry does not focus on those in the State service; rather, it focuses on workers in companies, corporations, and the private sector outside the State service. In the private sector, there are two categories: formal and informal wage earners. For informal wage earners, there is still no provident fund or welfare program in the country. Nowhere has it been connected. As I understand, the previous Government was ready to start it, but it did not happen.