The timing of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera’s appointment is particularly noteworthy, as he takes up this new position during a challenging period for the plantation industries. The sector faces a multitude of formidable issues, including labour outmigration, the adverse effects of hyperinflation, and stagnant growth. Despite the potential to generate $10 billion in revenue, the industry has encountered obstacles in realizing its growth and productivity aspirations.
Primary among these challenges is the imperative need for crop diversification. The global spread of a leaf disease has cast a shadow over rubber cultivation, necessitating exploration into alternative crops and agricultural practices. Furthermore, the suspension of replanting subsidies for rubber cultivation raises concerns about the continuity of rubber cultivation.
Moreover, the prohibition of palm oil cultivation on environmental grounds has presented a significant predicament that calls for strategic resolutions. Additionally, the pervasive impacts of climate change introduce new complexities that require immediate attention and adaptation.
Plantations Policy
There is a notable shortage of scientists manning the crop research institutes, with only one-third of the required personnel in attendance. It is imperative that the retirement age be extended to 65 years to align with university staff serving at similar levels. There is also a dire need to implement a ‘permanent secretary’ system and empower the secretaries with both responsibility and authority. Needless to say, the country lacks both a National Agriculture Policy and a Plantations Policy.
At this critical juncture, the plantation sector hungers for strategic leadership and innovative solutions. Mahinda Amaraweera, a longstanding friend and advocate of the industry, carries the expectations and hopes of the entire sector as he assumes this pivotal role. His wealth of experience and dedication to the betterment of the plantation industry inspire confidence in his ability to navigate the sector’s challenges and effect positive transformation.
We eagerly anticipate the initiatives and strategies that Minister Amaraweera will introduce to address the pressing issues facing the plantation industry. It is our collective aspiration that his leadership will usher in a new era of prosperity and sustainability for this vital sector, which holds a significant place in our nation’s economic landscape.
Under the ‘Agri Modernization’ banner, we wholeheartedly offer our unwavering support to Minister Amaraweera. As individuals with substantial expertise in perennial agricultural crops, commonly referred to as ‘Ex Planters,’ we are ready to collaborate with the Minister in his mission to revitalize the plantation sector.
‘Agri Modernization’ signifies a focus on innovative and sustainable agricultural practices as the key to addressing the sector’s challenges. These encompass issues ranging from labour migration to the impacts of climate change.
Financial Security
Ensuring the financial security of daily wage workers in the plantation sector, contingent on their productivity, can be realized through the implementation of essential legislative adjustments. These amendments would enable workers to receive a full month’s wages if they are capable of harvesting the equivalent of 30 days’ worth of crops before the month’s end. The established workdays standard is well-defined, and determining the month’s harvest is a manageable task. A timely action will benefit thousands of daily paid workers of the sector.
We earnestly seek the Minister’s support in facilitating this change, which holds the potential to halt the emigration of skilled labour from the sector.
The state sector, comprising an extensive network of government institutions and entities, plays a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of any nation. These entities often form the cornerstone of a nation’s public administration, providing services that directly impact the lives of its citizens. However, the call for change emerges as a clarion call, emphasizing the paramount significance of having a dynamic and forward-thinking strategic vision.
We begin by highlighting the prolonged issue of many state sector organizations maintaining an unchanging strategic vision, mission, goals, and objectives for extended periods. This inertia is characterized as “utterly incorrect,” and we earnestly implore treasury officials to prioritize an intervention to effect systemic change, as this is a widely clamoured-for necessity.
Numerous opportune instances necessitate a reconsideration of the strategic vision within any organization. A vision statement typically symbolizes an entity’s long-term objectives and aspirations. Consequently, adaptations may be required to align it with shifting priorities, values, and objectives. Notable conditions under which a government organization should contemplate altering its strategic vision include shifts in leadership, public policy, societal values, emerging challenges, legislative changes, stakeholder input, strategic planning, performance evaluation, and global events.
Strategic Competencies
Quoting the timeless axiom that “the only ‘truth’ in the whole universe is ‘change,’” we pose a pertinent question: What are we managing if we fail to manage change? Indeed, change is a constant, and failing to adapt can lead to stagnation and inefficiency.
A pivotal aspect of our appeal is the imperative to revise the Scheme of Recruitment (SOR) for decision-making roles. We underscore the necessity of incorporating ‘strategic thinking’ and ‘strategic management’ competencies as fundamental prerequisites. This transformation in recruitment criteria holds the potential to fortify the strategic competencies within these organizations.
A comparative analysis between Sri Lanka’s strategic competencies and those of other burgeoning economies reveals a substantial gap. The issue does not revolve around an absence of employee agility or resources but centres on the scarcity of strategic leadership. This perspective raises valid concerns about the execution of strategies and their bearing on GDP, dispelling the notion that employees are a burden. Instead, the dearth of strategic leadership is the root issue.
In conclusion, we emphasize that systemic change can bring substantial benefits to the masses. With the nation employing approximately 8 million individuals, the primary objective is to secure the well-being and happiness of its citizens. By embracing change and augmenting strategic competencies, the state sector can significantly contribute to boosting GDP and elevating per capita income.
Lalin de Silva