People disappointed with state officers; work won’t happen without influence or bribery
Peradeniya University survey paints pathetic picture of public service
People are mostly dissatisfied with the conduct of state officers, as they either need to obtain support from influential officials or resort to bribery to get their work done, according to a Peradeniya University survey.
Most people have described a visit to state offices as an unpleasant experience, as they are forced to stay in queues, wait for hours until an official's response, and have to go several times to get their work done.
The survey also reveals that people had to repeatedly visit several sections of the same department multiple times due to a lack of guidance and instructions given by relevant officials.
Professor Wasantha Athukorala, who carried out the survey, said he interviewed 500 people who went to state offices and departments related to the health and education sectors, as well as grassroots-level state offices.
He said that according to an extensive questionnaire handed over to a sample of 500 people, they reviewed the helpfulness of Gramasevaka, Samurdhi Officer, Development Officer, Agriculture Research Assistant, and family health officials when they visited their offices.
The sample of people responded that they were unsatisfied with the services of the state officials; the public expected better services as the state officials’s salaries were paid from taxpayers' money.
Through the survey, it was also identified that people expected efficient service so that they could be directed to the right official at the right place.
It was also revealed that it would be more convenient if the offices of the Gramasevaka, Samurdhi, development, agriculture, and research officers were brought to one area.
The professor explained that in separate research, they telephoned 98 of the 278 Pradeshiya Sabhas and 589 Gramasevakas, Samurdhi, and Development officers to see if
they responded.
As a result of the research, it was revealed that 49 percent of phones were not working, while 22 percent of phones ranged but were not answered; therefore, only 29 percent of phones were operational.
Meanwhile, people also expressed angry remarks as the government offices failed to answer calls or assist the public.
One such person vented out his frustration, saying that some state officers were unreliable as they failed to provide simple information. A traditional medical practitioner, Dr. K.B. Gunawardena, told the Sunday Times that he repeatedly rang the Irrigation Department and the Mahaweli Authority to get the Mahaweli authorities Embilipitiya office contact number so he could clarify a matter regarding a land issue.
He explained that he called the Mahaweli Authority's general number, which he obtained through an internet search, yet the number was unresponsive. Thereafter, he called the Public Service Commission number. Even though an official responded, he did not have the contact number of the Mahaweli Authority but had given the Irrigation Department's general number.
Then, when he called the given number, the
phone call was picked up, but they kept the receiver aside instead of responding to him.
Thereafter, when he dialled another number of the Irrigation Department, a female official picked up the phone and said she did not have the Emblipitiya office number of the Authority and gave the head office number.
The Mahaweli Authority head office answered the call and gave the number of the Embilipitiya office, yet that number too was unresponsive. Thereafter, he was forced to seek the help of a friend to learn the date when the Mahaweli authority office was open.
“I need to know when it is public day so that I can go to the Emblipitiya office to sort out a land issue matter. However, I did not know that I needed to repeatedly call so many numbers to get that simple information," he said.
When the Sunday Times called the Mahaweli Authority head office general number, it responded but failed to clarify whether the public day is on Monday or Wednesday. The Sunday Times also made observations at the state offices and found that the majority of officers who turn up at the office early in the morning tend to chat and have breakfast upon arrival instead of being at their seats, to answer phone calls they receive.