01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
Transcript of 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 1/61
Th
6
Sri La
for de
Performance Iand is funde
9%61
31%
W
Buil
Local Infrast
Ministry
Nation Bu
Estate In
Develop
kan - G
Performvelopmen
mprovement Proby the German
60%
39%
men in Wo
ings
ructure
Freq
f
ilding and
rastructure
ent
erman
nce Impactors in
ject works with tFederal Ministr
34%0%
66
manag
en Men
Public Utiliti
ency o
evelop
rovementhe North
he Public Adminfor Economic
B
28%
ement
Land
es
f compl
ment C
Projectand East
istration in the Nooperation and
sel
9%
Fie
Offic
Ban
Centr
m
Envi
aints b
operat
(PIP)f Sri Lank
orth and East ofDevelopment (B
ine
Seni
Mana
Band
ld ers
d 2
al tendency de scores b
ronment
catog
ion
a
Sri LankaMZ)
stu
r ers 3
Teach
Band
of distributiy professio
ry
Trin
Aug
y
ers 4
on:
0
omalee
st 2009
ep
9 rt
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 2/61
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 3/61
Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations 1. Introduction 1
1.1 Project background 1.2 Purpose of the study 1.3 Project log frame 1.4 Scope of the study
2. Summary of findings and recommendations 5 2.1 Human Resource Development findings 2.2 Human Resource Development recommendations 2.3 Local Government findings 2.4 Local Government recommendations 2.5 Community Development findings 2.6 Community Development recommendations
3. Human Resource Development (HRD) 9 4. Local Government 21 5. Community Development 48 6. Appendices 57
Appendix 1: HRD Data Collection 59 Appendix 2: HRD Results 85 Appendix 3: Local Government data source and schedule of visits for data 91
collection Appendix 4: Local Government Data Collection Forms 97 Appendix 5: Awareness of Standing Committees and number of types of 159
Communication tools Appendix 6: Redressal System Data Collection 165 Appendix 7: Community Development Data Collection 181
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 4/61
List of abbreviations
ACLG Assistant Commissioner of Local GovernmentADB Asian Development Bank BMZ German Federal Ministry for Economic DevelopmentCAP Capacity Building for Implementing Authorities at Local LevelCBO Community Based Organisation CDO Community Development OfficerCIM Centre for International MigrationCIRM Centre for Information Resource ManagementCLG Commissioner of Local GovernmentDPCC District Planning Coordination CommitteeDS Divisional Secretariat, District SecretariatEPC Eastern Provincial Councils FSCT Food Security and Conflict Transformation ProjectGS Grama Seveka GTZ German Technical Cooperation HRD Human Resource development IDP Internally Displaced People LA Local Authorities MA Management Assistant MDTD Management Development Training DepartmentMC Municipal Council NECORD North East Community Restoration and Development ProjectNGO Non Government Organisation NPC Northern Provincial Council PA Programme Assistant PIDT Public Information Dissemination TrainingPIP Performance Improvement ProjectPLA Participatory Learning in Action PreSTEPS General English course (Pre Skill Through English for Public ServantsPR Public Relations PRO Public Relations Officer PS Pradeshiya Sabha R/ACLG Regional Assistant Commissioner of Local Government (see ACLG)RDO Rural Development Officer RDS Rural Development Society SLIDA Sri Lanka Institute for Development AdministrationSTEPS Skills Through English for Public ServantsTO Technical Officer UNOPS United Nations Operations UC Urban Council WRDS Women’s Rural Development SocietyWSPS Writing Skills for Public Servants
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 5/61
1
1 Introduction
1.1 Project background
The GTZ Performance Improvement Project (PIP) is implemented by German Technical
Cooperation (GTZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development (BMZ). It is a good governance ‐ conflict transformation project which
operates in the conflict affected North and East of Sri Lanka. It was set up in 2003 and is now
in its third phase. Although the project’s partner ministry is the Ministry of Nation Building
and Estate Infrastructure Development, it is implemented through the Northern and Eastern
Provincial Councils to strengthen the devolved structures of governance.
The first phase (2001 ‐ 2004) consisted of rehabilitation work in conjunction with the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) North East Community Restoration and Development Project
(NECORD). The second phase (2005 – 2008) focussed on strengthening the North East
Provincial
Council,
and
after
the
de‐merger,
the
Northern
and
Eastern
Provincial
Councils
respectively. This was done by developing capacity in human resource management,
organisational development, planning, and information management. The work was
conducted through the Chief Secretary’s Office, the Provincial Planning Secretariat, the
Management Development Training Department, and the Centre for Information Resource
Management. When the Tsunami funded Capacity Development for Implementing
Authorities at Local Level (CAP) project was set up under the same management umbrella as
PIP, the Commissioner and Assistant Commissioners of Local Government also became key
stakeholders. CAP focussed on strengthening 27 tsunami affected local authorities.
In the current phase (2009 – 2010), the project’s mandate is to build capacity for provincial
and local government, and community based organisations so that they can work together
towards
sustainable
development
in
a
participatory
and
conflict
mitigating
way.
The
project’s main stakeholders are key offices in the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils,
local authorities, selected divisional secretariats and Women’s Rural Development Societies.
The project’s implementing partners at government level are the Management
Development Training Department, the Centre for Information Resource Management, and
the offices of the Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Local Government. There
are three main areas of intervention.
Human resource development For a large number of change agents in governance and development, human resource
development improves planning, management, communication, good governance and
conflict
transformation
skills.
Directed
through
over
70
departments
and
organisations
within the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils, activities include
• developing materials and training trainers to deliver Tamil and Sinhala courses in
effective communication, management, methodology and facilitation skills, integrated
local level development planning, public information dissemination, and self access skills;
• working through British Council Sri Lanka to train over 2,000 public servants to use
English as a link language for governance and development, effective management, and
conflict transformation
• Strengthening and making sustainable provincial council training courses and institutes.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 6/61
2
Local government capacity development For government agencies working at local level, local government capacity development
ensures better service provision and more participatory ways of working with the public.
Directed through 77 local authorities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, activities
support local government reform and include
• strengthening local government advisory and standing committees;
• facilitating grievance redressal between the public and their local authorities;
• supporting local government communication with the public and the way information is
disseminated;
• implementing integrated local development planning through central and provincial
structures at local level .
Community development Through women’s groups and other community based organisations, community
development empowers the public to improve their livelihoods and make better use of
government and
non
government
services.
Directed
through
30
Women’s
Rural
Development Societies (WRDS) in Batticaloa District, activities include
• supporting livelihood development, microfinance and small scale socio‐economic
development at village level;
• providing advocacy training and proposal writing to empower women to make better use
of local authorities and donors;
• working with the Czech NGO People In Need to help WRDS and their local authorities
develop pre schools and pre school education.
1.2 Purpose of the study
The purpose of the baseline study is to provide a factual account of the current needs of
each of the three areas the project supports. From this, the project will develop an
operational plan, a monitoring and evaluation system and a marker from which impact can
be measured. Specifically, the aims of the baseline study are
• to determine how many key skills for governance and conflict transformation are being
used by project partner staff in the workplace;
• to asses the needs of local government in terms of improving council affairs,
strengthening people’s participation in local government, and making local government
more responsive to the public;
• to
determine
to
what
extent
30
WRDS
in
the
Batticaloa
District
are
able
to
draw
on
support from local authorities and local donors for their community development
projects and to assess their needs in terms of access, advocacy and ability to
communicate effectively with these development actors;
• to establish a baseline position against which to measure impact as determined by the
agreed project outcome level indicators:
- 650 staff from partner organisations who apply what they have learnt about good
governance and conflict transformation in the work place; - At least 2 local authorities who use conflict sensitive, participatory mechanisms such
as committees and redressal systems; - 10 current, small scale socio‐economic projects which incorporate WRDS plans and
proposals.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 7/61
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 8/61
4
1.4 Scope of the study
The baseline study was comprehensive and detailed. 7 separate studies were carried out in
five districts in the Northern and Eastern Provinces – Jaffna, Vavuniya, Trincomalee,
Batticaloa and Ampara ‐ between November 2008 and March 2009. In total, the opinions
and
skills
of
1,121
public
servants
and
citizens
were
considered,
representing
146 government and civil society organisations.
Date Study Districts Number of respondents Measuring tool
Feb to May
2009
Analysis of public servants’
ability in English Language Batticaloa,
Trincomalee.
Vavuniya,
Jaffna
473 from 65
organizations in
the NPC and EPC;
senior and middle
managers, field
officers, clerical
staff etc.
English language
written test
Analysis of public servants’
skills in good governance and conflict transformation
Written
questionnaire
Mar 2009
Analysis of existence,
composition and functions of
standing and advisory committees
Ampara,
Batticaloa,
Trincomalee,
Jaffna
67 staff from 16
LAs ‐ councillors,
secretaries, middle
managers and field
officers; 95 citizens
Structured
interview
Analysis of channels of local government communication with the public
Structured
interview
Nov 2008
and
Feb/Mar
2009
Effectiveness of the grievance redressal system and analysis
of complaints Ampara,
Batticaloa,
Trincomalee
98 staff from 30
LAs – chairmen,
secretaries, PROs,
CDOs etc.
Structured
interview
Data collection
from complaints
registers
Analysis of successful resolution of complaints
57 citizens from 18
local authority
areas
Complaints
analysis; door to
door follow up
interviews
Feb/Mar
2009
Analysis of Women’s Rural Development Societies use of local authorities
Batticaloa
310 women from
30 WRDS in 32
villages and 21 LA
staff
30 + 12 structured
& in‐ depth
interviews
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 9/61
5
2 Summary of findings and recommendations
2.1 Human resource development: findings
• The 2009 baseline study corroborates the findings of the 2005 HRD training needs
analysis: public servants in the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils need
training in English as a link language for management and conflict transformation,
planning, management, professional development, communication and IT skills.
• 51% of participants nominated by their department heads were women. More
women than men were nominated at junior management level (61%) but more men
than women at senior management level (34%).
• In general, there was no significant difference between what men and women said
they knew and what they could prove they knew.
• Public servant
respondents
could
provide
very
few
practical
examples
of
using
skills
for good governance, conflict transformation, spatial planning, management
communication, public information dissemination and proposal writing in the
workplace.
• Two thirds of public servants are at elementary to pre intermediate level in English.
• 81% of government servants fall into an ability range in English that can be
enhanced enough by a four week training course to improve the capacity of the
organisation they come from and the links they have with public servants who speak
another national language.
2.2 Human resource development: recommendations
• Training should continue to be delivered based on needs identified during the 2005 ‐
2008 phase of the project, placement tests conducted between 2006 and 2009, and
project partners’ expressed requirements for 2009‐2010.
• Priority to General English (Pre STEPS) and Skills Through English for Public Servants
(STEPS) courses should continue to be given and bridging courses developed to
accommodate the greatest needs in English amongst public servants.
• Training courses should be related to the development of practical skills in the work
place, and include on‐the‐ job components and follow‐up. Participants should be
certified after work place components are complete.
• Senior managers should become more aware of the skills their staff gain on training
courses and ensure staff utilise their new skills in the workplace on a regular basis.
• The pool of qualified Provincial Council trainers should be increased and quality
assured based on an agreed list of trainer competencies.
• Project partners and PIP should make a conscious effort to involve more women
senior managers and administrators in capacity development. They should support
more promotion of women to senior management level.
• The
local
government
redressal
system
training
materials
should
be
updated
and
authentic examples from the field integrated in them.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 10/61
6
2.3 Local government: findings
• None of the local authorities in this study had fully implemented local government
reforms regarding committees and means of communication with the general
public.
• Most of the assessed local authorities in the Eastern Province had functioning
standing committees. Those assessed in the Northern Province only had advisory
committees.
• The number, composition and functions of the standing committees examined were
not uniform. None had the legally required five committees but most had 1 for
finance and planning.
• In general women, youth and non‐elected members were underrepresented.
Functions also varied but mainly concerned budget, building, town planning, public
utilities, health and environmental issues.
• Advisory
committees
performed
similar
functions
to
standing
committees,
helping
to develop services to do with garbage, drainage, roads, and public amenities.
• None of the advisory committees in the study effectively ‘advised’ elected
councillors even though this was one of their three roles according to the
government circular.
• Although committee meetings were held regularly, no sound data on the frequency,
quality or effectiveness of committee meetings was evident.
• Public awareness of both standing and advisory committees was poor: 10% and 13%
respectively.
• Local authorities
used
many
ways
of
communicating
with
the
general
public
but
the
majority of these were one‐way, print based and not very accessible outside the
immediate environ of the local authority. This did not encourage public
participation, especially in rural areas.
• The analysis of the public redressal system showed
- complaints fell into five main categories: environment, land, buildings, local
infrastructure and street lights
- 96% of complaints could be resolved at local level
- women were key plaintiffs in the Tamil dominated local authorities of Batticaloa
but not in the Muslim dominated local authorities of Ampara
- according
to
the
public,
approximately
66%
of
complaints
are
resolved
by
the local authority.
• Local authorities had problems with registering, analysing, acting on and recording
outcomes of public grievances. There was no collective analysis of complaints. As a
result, the redressal system was under‐utilised for needs analysis or improved
service delivery.
• The role of Public Relations Officers (PRO) and the need for public relations was not
well established in most of the local authorities in this study. There were limited
resources, skills, recognition and respect for the post. Because of this, many
complaints bypassed the PRO system.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 11/61
7
2.4 Local government: recommendations
• The project’s support for local government reforms should be done through the CLG,
ACLG, Secretaries, elected councillors and civil society groups.
• A feasibility study should be carried out prior to any larger engagement in
strengthening
standing
and
advisory
committees.
This
study
should
also
form
the
basis for any decisions on whether to strengthen existing committees or support the
formation of new ones.
• Balanced appointments of committee members should be made taking into
consideration gender, age, ethnicity, transparency, non‐elected status and sector
specific criteria.
• Quality assurance of how the committees function should be provided through
effective communication training for committee members.
• The redressal system should be standardised and improved and local authorities
should use
the
new
system
to
improve
the
way
they
register,
analyse
and
follow
up
complaints. Existing PIP public relations and redressal training for local authorities
should be revised accordingly.
• Analysis of high frequency complaints in the redressal system and utilisation of the
Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT) should lead to improved public
awareness and service delivery.
• The role of public relations officers in local authorities should be strengthened, so
that they can provide front desk services, organize public information dissemination
and run the redressal system effectively.
• Two‐way communication between the public and the local authorities should be
improved with
more
emphasis
on
face
to
face
communication
and
outreach
to
the
community through, for example, open days and mobile services.
• Models of good service delivery that benefit the poor should be duplicated.
• Advocacy from community based civil society groups as a bottom‐up means of
strengthening channels of communication between the people and their local
authorities should be encouraged.
2.5 Community development: findings
• WRDS were not aware of their local authorities’ roles and responsibilities or how
local authorities
could
help
them
with
their
community
development.
• WRDS members lacked confidence in their local authorities and the confidence to
approach them.
• Local authorities were less accessible or visited in areas where the local authority
office was not adjacent to the Divisional Secretariat’s, for example in Kiran Division.
• Front line officers from both central line and provincial government often failed to
meet their community development obligations at village level because they were
not in the field enough.
• WRDS were much more likely to visit the DS than their local authority. 92% of
respondents
had visited
their
DS
at
least
once
and
66%
visited
on
a regular
basis,
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 12/61
8
whereas 22% had visited their local authority at least once and 8% visited on a
regular basis.
• Citizen’s charters in their present form were neither reader friendly nor accessible to
women from the WRDS.
• WRDS did
not
use
the
PIP
supported
local
authority
system
to
redress
grievances
in
their communities. Four out of six local authorities in their area didn’t have the
redressal system and women in the other two areas didn’t use the system even
though it existed.
• WRDS had other ways of redressing grievances in their communities. Approximately
one third resolved problems through the Grama Seveka or other village leader, one
third through the president of the Rural Development Society or Women’s Rural
Development Society, and one third through the police.
• DS supported community based organisations – the Rural Development Societies
and Women’s Rural Development Societies – did not coordinate with the Provincial
Council
supported
community
based
organisations
–
the
Community
Centres.
• Rural Development Officers, who look after WRDS, and Community Development
Officers, who look after Community Centres, did not coordinate at village level.
Duplication and gaps were evident.
• WRDS did not utilise the services or amenities offered by the Community Centres.
However they would be interested in doing so in future.
2.6 Community development: recommendations
• Women from vulnerable communities should receive confidence building training
and
active
accompaniment
to
meet
officials
and
establish
a
working
relationship
with them.
• Local authorities need to learn how to promote their services more effectively and
at the same time the WRDS need to learn how to advocate for support more
effectively.
• WRDS and community centres should be encouraged to work together since they
are all from the same village.
• Local authorities should reassess the effectiveness of their Citizen’s Charters and
explore new ways of providing more accountable, accessible, effective,
participatory, face to face means of communication with the public at village level.
• More outreach could be done through using local authority sub‐offices, providing
mobile‐services, open‐days, and by sending Community Development Officers
(CDOs) on bi‐weekly visits.
• The redressal system could be set up in the four WRDS‐local authority areas that
don’t yet have it, or where there is too much dependency on the police.
• Grama Sevakas could be encouraged to refer individuals and community based
organisations with grievance needs to the local authority redressal system.
• Central line authority field officers working at village level (Rural Development,
Samurdhi and Social Services Officers) and local authority field officers (Community
Development Officers)
should
coordinate
their
roles
more.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 13/61
9
3 Human resouce development (HRD)
3.1 Aim of the HRD baseline study
To determine
how
many
key
skills
for
governance
and
conflict
transformation
are
currently
being used by project partner staff in the workplace.
To establish a baseline position against which project impact can be measured in terms of:
Indicator at outcome level 650 people working at provincial and local government level apply what they have learnt
about good governance and conflict transformation in the work place Means of verification Gender sensitive survey
3.2 Background
In the 2005 – 2008 phase of the project, the Human Resource development component
focussed on strengthening the two main provincial council training service providers, the
Management Development Training Department (MDTD) and the Centre for Information
Resource management (CIRM). This involved building up training facilities, courses, materials
and in‐house trainers and using these new resources to begin to meet the needs of the
provincial councils as determined by the 2005 HRD training needs analysis. As a result, 46 in‐
house Tamil and Sinhala speaking trainers were trained and placed, nearly 800 programme
and management assistants did Induction training for Public Service, and a further 1,500
field officers, middle and senior managers from the public service successfully completed
Skills
Through
English
for
Public
Servants
at
three
levels,
courses
in
Spatial
Planning,
Self
Access Skills, Effective Communication, Management, Proposal Writing, Impact Monitoring
and Assessment, Information Management, and English language training in the UK.
The 2009 human resource development component of the project continues quite
systematically from the 2005 – 2008 phase with many of the courses and target participants
remaining the same. However, in this new phase the training programmes are to be
expanded and made more sustainable and work‐place oriented. This will involve developing
new courses for local government, increasing the pool of provincial council trainers and
finding a permanent home for Skill Through English for Public Servants programme, as
planned for the STEPS Institute, Jaffna. It will also involve ensuring direct links between the
training room and the workplace and proving that a significant number of course
participants use their new skills in good governance and conflict transformation in their jobs.
An extensive HRD training needs analysis was carried out in 2005. On going project
monitoring and evaluation since then shows that training needs remain the same. The 2009
baseline study was therefore designed as a way of collecting quantifiable data on a known
problem in order to measure progress more systematically at outcome level.
3.3 Methodology
Scope of the study
Questionnaires and English language Placement Tests were administrated to 473 public
servants from management support level (Management Assistants) to senior managers
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 14/61
10
(Divisional Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Heads of Departments) working in the Northern
and Eastern Provincial Councils and representing 65 organisations. See Appendix 1 pp.60‐66.
Respondents filled out the questionnaires at the same time as they sat for the Skills Through
English for Public Servants (STEPS) placement test.
Date Venue No. respondents 12 Feb 09 Batticaloa ACLG Office 36
24 ‐ 26 Feb 09 Jaffna Public Library; Jaffna ACLG Office 233
26 ‐27 Mar 09 Vavuniya ACLG Office 85
11‐12 May 09 Trincomalee MDTD 119
Future respondents will fill out the same questionnaire prior to other Performance
Improvement Project (PIP) courses so that the impact in different professional fields can be
measured
at
the
end
of
the
project.
Date Course No. respondents July 09 Methodology 20
July – Dec 09 Public Information Dissemination Training 50
Aug – Dec 09 Effective Communication 50
Oct – Nov 09 Integrated Local Level Development
Planning Guidelines
30
As the
indicator
at
outcome
level
requires
a gender
sensitive
survey,
it
was
important
that
data at the baseline level was also analysed in a gender sensitive way. Therefore data
collected was analysed first collectively and then disaggregated by women.
Measuring instruments
An English language placement test was administered which consisted of two parts – a
listening paper and a grammar paper. Both were multiple choice and clerically marked out of
100. Overall marks corresponded to a banding scale and participants’ ability in English was
measured according to this system, and to the GTZ PIP courses on offer.
Band 0 ‐1 Beginner; no course available
Band
2
Elementary
(Council
of
Europe
A1);
Pre
STEPS
Band 3 Pre intermediate (Council of Europe A2); STEPS
Band 4 Intermediate (Council of Europe B1); WSPS 1
Band 5 Upper Intermediate – lower advanced (Council of Europe B2); WSPS 2
Band 6 Advanced (Council of Europe C1); WSPS 2.
A questionnaire in Tamil and Sinhala was used to find out to what extent six key skill areas
for governance and conflict transformation were being used in the workplace, as shown in
the table below. These skill areas corresponded to training needs identified through
• the PIP 2005 training needs analysis
• emerging needs identified over four years of project implementation
• the requirements
of
the
Northern
and
Eastern
Provincial
Councils
as
identified
through
the PIP stakeholder planning workshops in February and March 2009.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 15/61
11
Each skill area was divided into its key sub skills which form the main components of PIP
training courses:
Skill Sub skills 1 Good
Governance
transparency, accountability, dealing with corruption,
responsiveness,
public participation,
equality,
consensus,
efficiency and effectiveness
2 Conflict Transformation dealing with conflict in the home, workplace, community; armed
conflict; conflict resolution
3 Spatial planning
local level development planning, resource mapping, integrated
local level planning, compiling development profiles
4 Management and communication assertive communication, time management, effective meeting
skills, information management
5 Public information dissemination public information management
6 Writing skills text types for writing, proposal writing
The questionnaire was designed so that data could be analysed at sub skill level and then
aggregated, to get an overall picture. See Appendix 1 pp.67‐75 for the questionnaire and pp.
76‐84 for an example of a filled one. For each of the six skill areas, respondents were asked if
a) they knew about the skill and its sub skills and b) they were using the skill and its sub skills
in the
work
place.
If
they
said
‘yes’
to
b)
they
were
required
to
give
an
example
that
‘proved’
they used the skill in the workplace. Those collating the questionnaires went through a
standardisation exercise to agree on which examples from respondents would be considered
‘good’ and which ‘invalid’. Responses were considered good, and therefore counted, if they
referred to practical use of the sub skills in the workplace. Responses were considered
invalid, and therefore not counted, if they referred to personal experience without relevance
to the workplace, or showed misunderstanding of the concept in the first place.
Examples of answers classified as ‘Invalid’ Good governance: efficiency Public
assets
were
being
vandalised
by
someone
so
I advised
the
public
to
catch
the
people
who
were
responsible.
Good governance: responsiveness When the public approached our office, I told them that we couldn’t provide services for them due to
lack of fund allocation from our line ministry.
Good governance: accountability Agriculture inputs provided by the government were distributed among the farmers.
Conflict transformation: dealing with conflict in the work place During the school sports meet a lot of conflicts came up among our staff.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 16/61
Ex
Go
An i
Spa
We
in o
Ma
We
nee
Pub
We
had
Wri
Wit
tim
See
3.
Ag
Out
Acc
Assifor
wo
Offi
See
mples of ad governanc nquiry was c
tial planningdo a resourc
rder to mana
agement andiscussed wit
ds of the IDP
lic informati
disseminate
not yet regis
ting skills
h the support
s according t
Appendix
Findin
regated
of the 473
rding to t
stants, and
raining cou
en workin
cers were ab
Appendix 1,
69%
31%
Teachers
nswers cla: transparenrried out for
resource m map plan fo
ge the water
d communic
h the DS in o
in the camp
n dissemina
information
ered their ch
of a partner
o the docum
, pp. 86‐8
gs
indings
respondent
e sample,
Programme
ses provide
as Senior
le to take a
p.
65.
61%
39
Managem
Assistant
sified as ‘cy and deali why extra m
pping r wells, mobil
problem in th
tion
ur divisional l
.
ion
through leafl
ildren’s birth
organisation,
ent requirem
.
s in the HR
more wom
Assistants
d by the Per
Managers,
vantage of
60%
4
nt
s
Progra
Assista
Women
12
ood’ g with corruney was bei
e water cont
e dry season
vel planning
ets about birt
s.
I prepared a
nts.
baseline s
en than m
re being
n
formance I
ommunity
the training
34%0%
me
nts
Se
Man
in mana
omen M
tion g charged at
iners, drivers
in our local a
coordinating
h registration
proposal for
udy, 51% o
en working
minated or
provement
Developmen
opportuniti
2
66%
nior
agers
Co
Dev
ement
en
the public ce
and easy pu
thority area.
committee (
in order to r
NOPS and r
responden
as Teache
putting the
Project. Bu
t Officers o
s offered b
%
72%
mmunity
elopment
fficers
A
etery.
lic access po
PCC) meetin
egister those
‐edited it sev
ts were wo
s, Manage
mselves for
more men
r Administr
the project
9%
91%
ministration
Officers
ints
g the
who
eral
en.
ent
ard
than
tion
.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 17/61
We
wo
wit
ther
rev
is al
the
rele
(e.g
Res
are
mor
plan
Ho
the
Res
ma
bet
but
In g
kne
diss
thei
The
resp
ma
ma
imp
trai
would hav
en workin
the gender
e is a 70‐30
rses to 30 –
so a commo
rural travel i
ase women
. Administra
ondents w
s of good g
e technical
ning (36%).
ever, for all
knew and
ondents w
agement c
een knowl
only 3%
cou
eneral, ther
and what
emination,
r knowledge
se results c
ondents n
agement, p
agement i
ortant to n
ing course
i
79%
15%
Good
governance
to compar
in these jo
demograp
female to
70 at Senio
n fact
that
nvolved in t
in certain j
tion Officers
re more c
vernance (
skills of ma
subjects, t
hat they co
re weakest
mmunicati
dge and pr
ld provide
p
e was no s
they could
ore than
with practi
orroborate
eded to cl
lanning, co
good go
te that 94
n these
subj
75%
3%
Conflict
transformat
Respon
e our basel
bs to see if
ic in the wo
ale ratio at
Manageme
ewer wome
he job. But i
obs (e.g. M
) for trainin
nfident to
79%) and co
agement c
ere was a v
uld prove th
in evidencin
n and spa
of was for
ractical exa
ignificant di
prove they
wice as ma
al example
the findin
ose the ga
municatio
ernance, c
of the res
ects before.
60%
1
ion
Publi
Informa
dissemin
ents’ sta
13
ine figures
the male‐f
rkplace. Ac
Manageme
nt level. In r
n work
as
fi
t may also b
nagement
.
laim knowl
nflict transf
mmunicati
ery big disc
ey knew.
g practical
tial plannin
onflict tran
ples of
usin
ference be
knew. Ho
ny women
from the w
gs of the
p between
, report w
nflict tran
ondents st
See
Appen
56%
1%
c
tion
ation
Mana
comm
ed vs. pr
with the ac
male upta
ording to th
nt and Prog
ough terms
eld officers
e true that
and Progra
edge about
ormation (7
n (56%), w
epancy bet
nderstandi
g. Of the
sformation:
g the
skills
ween what
ever, in th
(8%) than
orkplace. Se
IP 2005 Tr
their kno
iting propo
sformation
ated they h
ix 2,
p.90.
5
3%
ement
nication
Wr
oven kno
tual propor
e for PIP c
e Eastern P
ramme Assi
then, the fi
(CDOs and
anagers ar
me Assista
the perhap
%) than th
iting skills (
een what
g of conflic
e, the big
75% said th
t work.
men and
field of p
en (3%) co
e Appendix
aining Nee
ledge and
sal writing,
contexts. I
ad not follo
%
6%
iting skills
ledge
knowledge
ion of men
urses corre
rovincial Co
stant level
ures correla
DOs) becau
e more willi
nts) than o
s more ‘gen
y were wit
51%) and s
espondents
transforma
est discrep
ey knew ab
omen said
blic inform
uld substan
2, pp. 86 – 8
s Analysis.
performanc
and inform
addition
wed any ty
36%
3%
Spatial
planning
proof
and
lates
ncil,
hich
te. It
se of
g to
hers
eral’
the
atial
said
tion,
ancy
ut it
they
tion
tiate
8.
The
e in
tion
it is
e of
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 18/61
Fin
Eng
The
the
corr
of a
whi
has
By i
Engl
cap
tholink
of
tran
66%leve
B
dings by
lish placement
public ser
oborated th
ll those test
h are suita
been betwe
nternational
ish that co
city of the
e tested
ha
with public
he PIP app
sformation.
of
all
publl. 36% of th
8%
3%
Public info
dissem.
Dif
nd 3 STEPS
30%
B
skill and
est results
ice in the
e findings o
d could be
le for those
en 81 and 8
standards,
ld be enh
organisatio
the
potent
servants fr
roach to u
ic
servants
test taker
7%8%
Good
governan
erences i
and 4 WSPS
13%
Pla
ub skill
ere entirel
North and
f the PIP 20
accommoda
who scored
%.
81% of gov
nced by a
n they cam
ial, through
m other pa
se English
tested
were were place
3% 3
ce
Writin
n what m
1
Band 5 WS
2%
ement t
14
consistent
East of Sr
5 baseline
te on PIP de
Bands 2 to
rnment ser
four week
from. By
English lang
rts of the co
as a tool
placed
betd in Band 2,
2%
skills
com
en and wknew
omen M
S 2st band l
with the pr
i Lanka bet
study for En
signed Engli
5 on the tes
vants teste
training cou
xtension,
uage trainin
untry. The r
or effective
ween
elem Elementary
1.52%
Mgt
unication
Sa
omen co
n
Band 0‐1
course
19%
B
vels
evious 1500
ween 2005
glish. IN the
sh courses i
t. Between
fell into a
rse enough
ore than t
g, to
establi
esults affir
managem
ntary
and
(Council of
% 1.4%
tial planning
ld prove
o
nd 2 Pre
STEPS
36%
test takers
and 2008
2009 study
the STEPS
2005 and 20
ability ran
to improve
hree quarte
h more
effe
ed the pote
nt and co
re
intermeEurope leve
1.4% 1.6%
Conflict
transformati
they
from
and
81%
suite
08 it
e in
the
rs of
ctive
ntial
flict
iate
l A1)
n
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 19/61
and
plac
Thr
fore
me
The
cler
and
com
com
In
Adv
See
2
4
6
qualified fo
ed in Band
ugh Englis
casts and th
t the dema
results also
ical staff we
administra
mon place
mon place
he entire
anced level,
Appendix 2,
0%
0%
0%
0%
Ban
Sr M
Band 0 ‐1
C
r the PIP G
, Pre interm
for Public
e decision t
d.
showed th
e very simil
ion officers
ent in Ba
ent in Band
ample no‐
Council of E
p.89
d 0 ‐1
S
gers Mid
Mi
manag
Offic
Cleric
Ba
Ba
ntral ten
neral Englis
ediate (Cou
Servants (
run Pre ST
at the spre
ar with the
showed m
d 3 and E
4.
one scored
urope level
Band 2
read of s
dle Mgers
dle
rs, Field
rs and
al staff
d 2
d 2
dency of p
15
h course (P
cil of Europ
STEPS) cou
PS and STE
d of scores
ost comm
ore ability,
nglish teac
higher th
2).
Band 3
cores by
Field Office
Senior Ma
Band
Band 3
distributi
rofession
e STEPS 1).
e level A2)
rse. The re
S more fre
for middle
n placemen
as was to
ers were
n Band 5
Ba
rofessio
rs Clerica
nagers
3 T
Band
on: mode
30% of the
nd qualified
sults also c
uently than
managers,
t in Band 2.
e expected
etter again
(Upper Int
d 4
l staff Te
eachers
Band 4
4
scores b
test takers
for the PIP
orroborated
other cours
ield officers
Senior man
, with the
with the
rmediate‐L
Band 5
achers
Band 5
ere
Skills
PIP
es to
and
gers
ost
ost
wer
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 20/61
16
Good governance
79% stated that they knew about good governance. However, only 15% could prove they
used it in the work place. No significant gender difference was found.
Respondents’ working knowledge, overall,
was
better
about
dealing
with
the
public
(responsiveness, equality, and public
participation) than it was about dealing
with internal matters (efficiency,
effectiveness and dealing with corruption).
Good governance Men Women
% that said they knew
about it
39.5 % 39.5%
% that could prove it
with a good
example
8% 7%
Conflict transformation
75% stated that they
knew about conflict
transformation. How‐
ever, only 3% could prove
they used it in the work
place. The difference
here between stated
knowledge and proof was the largest in the whole survey. No significant gender difference
was found.
In all areas (from dealing with conflict
at home to dealing with armed
conflict) respondents were unable to
substantiate their knowledge with
good examples of using skills for
conflict transformation. Even if
respondents
had
valid
strategies
for dealing with armed conflict it would
have been unlikely for them to have
written them down in the
questionnaire, given the present situation in Sri Lanka. However, one third of the
respondents (156) gave invalid examples with specific reference to dealing with conflict in
the home, community and workplace.
Public information management
60 % stated that they knew about public information dissemination. However, only 11 %
could prove
they
used
it
in
the
work
place.
Unlike
other
sub
skills,
more
women
than
men
Skills % who prove itPublic participation 29%
Equality 23%
Responsiveness 22%
Transparency 15%
Consensus 14%
Accountability 12%
Efficiency 9%
Dealing with corruption 6%
Effectiveness 4%
Conflict transformation Men Women
% that said they knew about it 37% 38%
% that could prove it with a good
example
1.6% 1.4%
Skills % who proved itConflict in the work place 5%
Conflict in the community 4%
Conflict in
the
home 3%
Armed conflict 1%
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 21/61
17
said they knew about public information dissemination and more than twice as many
women as men could give practical examples from the work place.
The 8% of good examples
given by women came from
women in a wide range of
jobs,
the
biggest
group
being
Programme Assistants (31%)
followed by administrators –
Management Assistants (19%)
Senior Managers (17%), Teachers (17%), and Community Development/Front Line officers
(17%). This showed that the difference was more a gender than a job related tendency.
Management communication
56% stated that they knew about management communication. However, only 3% could
prove they used it in the
work
place.
No
significant gender
difference was found. A
few more women than
men said they knew
about management communication but the same number could prove it.
Most respondents said they knew about
time management (84%) whereas they were
not so confident about information
management (59%), assertive
communication (41%), and effective meeting
skills (39%). However, as for conflict
transformation and spatial planning, only 2 –
5 % could “prove” practical tools or skills for
effective management and communication
in the work place.
Writing skills
51% stated that they knew about writing skills. However, only 6% could prove they used
them in the work
place.
Slightly
more women than men
said they knew
about writing skills
but in terms of good
examples, both men and women didn’t have a lot of proof.
Respondents showed more awareness and skills in proposal writing than in text types. This
may have been because respondents were
more familiar with proposal writing
courses offered through NECORD, CIRM,
and SLIDA. ‘Text types’ is not such a
familiar approach
in
Sri
Lanka.
Public Information management Men Women
% that said they knew about it 27% 33%
% that could prove it with a good
example
3% 8%
Management and communication Men Women
% that said they knew about it 27% 29%
% that could prove it with a good example 2% 2%
Skills % who proved itTime management 5%
Information
management
5%
Effective meeting skills 2%
Assertive
communication
2%
Writing skills Men Women
% that said they knew about it 24% 27%
% that could prove it with a good example 3% 3%
Skills % who proved itProposal writing 9%
Text types
for
writing
4%
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 22/61
18
Spatial planning
36% ‐ approximately only one third of respondents ‐ claimed to know about spatial planning,
and this was the skill that scored the lowest on the questionnaire, in terms of both
knowledge and
proof. Of those few
who
said
they
knew
about spatial
planning only 3%
could give an
example of applying spatial planning
skills in the workplace. This finding
correlates to earlier findings by CIM
experts working in the Provincial
Planning Secretariat. Slightly more
men than women said they knew
about spatial planning but slightly
fewer
of
them
could
prove
it.
Respondents were slightly better at
the needs analysis side of
development planning (provincial council planners may have had more experience in
preparing a development profile or doing resource mapping) but respondents were less
good at evidencing implementation skills for spatial or integrated local development
planning.
3.5 Recommendations
• Training should continue to be delivered based on the main needs identified in the 2005
training
needs
analysis,
the
2006
CAP
organisational
analysis
for
local
government,
needs arising from other PIP project activities 2005 ‐ 2008 and requirements from
stakeholders expressed in planning meetings in 2009. These needs include
- using English as a link language and tool for management, conflict transformation,
critical thinking and learning about governance and development;
- improving communication skills in all three languages (English, Sinhala and Tamil)
including writing better letters, minutes, and proposals and conducting better meetings;
- encouraging on‐going professional development by increasing self access skills and the
pool of qualified trainers and resource persons;
- making government organisations more effective and efficient and more responsive to
the public;
- finding
ways
of
running
longer,
more
intensive
courses
in
order
to
change
they
way
people do things, without depleting departments of their key staff too often.
• The approach of relating all ‘general’ training courses ‐ like STEPS, effective
communication, information management and self access skills training ‐ to practical
skills for the work place should continue.
• Senior managers should be more actively involved in making their staff apply their
newly gained skills in the work place. They should become more familiar with the
content of the training courses on offer through MDTD, CIRM and PIP, and find ways of
incorporating the best practices promoted through those courses in the workplace on a
daily basis.
Spatial planning Men Women
% that said they knew about it 19% 17%
% that could prove it with a good example 1.4% 1.5%
Skills % who proved itPreparing development profile 5%
Resource mapping 3%
Integrated local development
planning
3%
Spatial local level development 2%
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 23/61
19
• PIP should increase awareness amongst secretaries and heads of departments of how
the courses on offer are of benefit to the work place. This could be done through PIP
preparing
- more regular reports and presentations for provincial council meetings
- short articles for EPC and NPC newsletters and websites
- short
‘taster’
courses
and
awareness
raising
sessions
for
secretaries
and
heads
of departments.
• New courses on guidelines for integrated local development planning, public
information dissemination, redressal system, and methodology should contain a
practical component which obliges participants to apply their new skills in the work
place. Courses should be designed so that recognition, funds or eligibility to continue to
the next level, depend on implementing a project or activity using the skills gained from
the training course. Certification should only be granted after participants have ‘proved’
they have utilised the new skills at work, measured against agreed criteria.
• The
pool
of
qualified
Provincial
Council
trainers
should
be
increased
and
quality assured, based on an agreed list of trainer competencies, in order for more training
courses to be run with follow‐up visits in the workplace.
• PIP should update local government training courses and materials in the light of the
PIP/CAP experience and changing frame conditions, to make them even more work
oriented. Changes should be made to
- spatial planning, to include the Kinniya experience and incorporate the integrated local
level development planning guidelines
- redressal system training, to standardise the approach, include lessons learnt since the
initial training, and add some more practical examples/case studies to make the
materials more
relevant
and
specific.
(See
recommendations,
Redressal
System,
p.
46,
bullet point 3.)
• PIP should continue providing the highest number of places for Pre STEPS and STEPS
courses to accommodate the 66% of all public servants who are placed in these bands.
However, because these numbers are so large and the placement test is a fairly crude
measuring instrument, the 66% represents a wide range of ability. To accommodate this
range, the STEPS suite should be expanded to bridge the gaps between Pre STEPS and
STEPS and between STEPS and WSPS so that more staff get a chance to continue at the
right level.
• Once WSPS
1 (letters,
emails
and
minutes)
is
developed
and
understood
as
catering
to
different needs than WSPS 2 (concept papers, reports and proposals), the two writing
courses should be used to target specific needs related to specific posts. For example,
more senior managers should follow WSPS 2 while those with greater administration
needs (Management Assistants, Chief Management Assistants and Administration
Officers) should follow WSPS 1.
• PIP and its project partners should work together to ensure equal participation by
women including at the higher management and administration levels. This should be
done as part of a longer term initiative to promote more women to senior management
level and even out the 60/40 junior management – 30/70 senior management female to
male ratio.
For
example
targets
for
women
in
senior
management
could
be
set
for
40%
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 24/61
20
by 2015 and 50% by 2020. The Performance Improvement Project should contribute to
this process by
- collecting real data on the female‐male staff ratios in both Provincial Councils,
disaggregated by job title
- conducting a special placement test for women in senior management and
administration so
that
more
places
can
be
provided
for
them
on
courses
- considering school principals as a rich source of women in senior management
positions, encouraging more of them to attend training courses like STEPS, and through
them establishing more positive role models and longer term professional development
patterns for girls and women
- comparing the number of women on residential and non residential courses and seeing
if there is a correlation between women with family responsibilities being more likely to
attend non residential courses at district level, and if so, providing more of these
courses (e.g. in Batticaloa, Vavuniya and Jaffna).
• PIP should continue to offer a choice of course dates to maintain the good will of senior
management and
at
the
same
time
maximize
the
release
of
staff.
3.6 From baseline to impact study
The findings in this report provide the baseline for the Performance Improvement Project to
measure progress and impact of its human resource development interventions. However,
of all the project indicators, data proving that ‘650 people working at provincial and local
government level apply what they have learnt about good governance and conflict
transformation in the work place’ will be the most subjective. A ‘time and motion’ study or
other work‐based observation tool might quantify specific use of specific skills in the
workplace, but so much of what is taught about governance and conflict transformation
through the
PIP
HRD
component
is
integrated
skills
and
not
observable
at
regular
intervals
in
the workplace. Therefore the impact assessment measuring tool, described in the project
document as a ‘gender sensitive survey’, must somehow ‘test’ practical application of skills
at work. It would need to be:
• compatible with the baseline instrument so that impact can be measured in a
transparent way
• designed as a quantifiable pen and paper questionnaire to accommodate the large
sample (650 positive examples might require up to 1000 respondents) perhaps with a
series of short case studies or scenarios with multiple choice questions that would
verify application of skills in the workplace
• non‐confrontational in test taking terms, in order to get the best out of the respondents
• designed with several alternative sections to accommodate the different skills taught by
the different courses in the HRD programme (public information dissemination,
effective communication, written correspondence, training methodology, dealing with
conflict at work…)
• conducted several months after course participants have completed the training course
and returned to the workplace, to give them time to put newly acquired skills into
practice
• conducted in several stages in the middle two quarters of 2010 to accommodate the
size of the sample
• corroborated by focus group interviews to measure participants’ and Senior Managers’
perception of
how
much
they
have
learnt
is
applied
in
the
workplace
• disaggregated by men and women, and by junior and senior managers.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 25/61
21
4 Local government
4.1 Aim of the local government baseline study
To asses
the
needs
of
local
government
and
determine
project
interventions
with
regard
to:
• improving council affairs through the establishment of standing committees, (local
government reform circular no. 2)
• strengthening people’s participation in local government through advisory
committees, (local government reform circular no. 10)
• making local government more responsive to the public they serve by improving
communication mechanisms and grievance redressal systems (local government
reform circular no. 10).
To establish a baseline position against which project impact can be measured in terms of:
Indicator at
outcome
level
Conflict sensitive, participatory mechanisms (committees, redressal systems) are established
and used in at least two local authorities Means of verification Minutes, publications and agreements
4.2 Background
From August 2005 to October 2008 the Performance Improvement Project’s sister project,
Capacity Building for Implementing Authorities at local level (CAP), strengthened 28 tsunami
affected
local
authorities
primarily
in
the
Eastern
Province.
During
that
time,
CAP
built
capacity in local government through
• organisational development: training in organisational analysis and the development of
organisational change plans
• responsiveness to the public: grievance redressal systems in 20 of the 28 local authorities
• better coordination with the central line authorities: integrated local level development
planning in Kinniya ‐ the first time in Sri Lanka that a Divisional Secretariat, an Urban
Council and a Pradeshiya Sabha had worked together on an integrated four year plan and
budget.
The importance of local authorities for the development of the country as a whole was
underlined by
the
Government’s
1999
Local
Government
Reforms
circular
No.
4 and
in
the
National Policy Declaration for Local Government (2007). The Citizens' Charter, adopted in
2008, emphasises public participation as a crucial prerequisite for sustainable, democratic
development.
In 2009 the local government component of PIP was extended to support the
implementation of local government reforms in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, to
enable greater public participation in local authorities through standing and advisory
committees, improved communication and redressal systems. Work in these areas builds on
what had already been achieved through CAP in 2005 – 2008 (see above). Specifically PIP will
work towards making local government more responsive to the needs of the communities
they
serve
through
piloting
models
of
workable,
participatory
standing
and
advisory
committees, an improved and standardised public redressal system, public relations officer
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 26/61
22
(PRO) front desk training, information dissemination training, capacity development for
service delivery, and integrated local level development planning.
4.3 Methodology
Scope of the study
Committees and communication mechanisms For gathering baseline data on local government standing and advisory committees and
mechanisms of communication, 15 local authorities were assessed.
Date District No. LAs No respondents
Mar 2009
Ampara 3 4 LA staff and 9 citizens
Batticaloa 3 6 LA staff and 11 citizens
Trincomalee 3 9 LA staff and 15 citizens
Jaffna 7 48 LA staff and 60 citizens
See Appendix 3, p.92 for further details.
Local authorities were selected to include
• all types of local authorities ‐ Pradeshiya Sabha (PS), Urban Council (UC) and
Municipal Council (MC)
• a mixture of elected and non elected councils
• the districts where PIP could work (local authorities in Vavuniya, Kilinochchi,
Mullaitvu and Mannar were not included due to their conflict related inaccessibility)
• those previously
assisted
by
the
GTZ
supported
CAP
project
• a range of government and civil society respondents.
Redressal system For gathering baseline data on the redressal system, staff from 32 local authorities were
interviewed and their redressal systems assessed: 25 local authorities in the East and 7 in
Jaffna. 20 of these Eastern Province local authorities had already set up redressal systems
with the support of the CAP project before the end of 2008 (see 4.2 above.) For this study,
five other local authorities in the Eastern Province (Manmunai West PS and Poratheevu PS in
Batticaloa District, Ampara UC in Ampara District, and Kuchchaveli PS and Trincomalee UC in
Trincomalee District) and the 7 local authorities in Jaffna who had not had the same support
were
also
assessed,
with
a
view
to
setting
up
the
system
systematically
for
them
in
the
future.
In addition 52 citizen plaintiffs from 18 local authorities were interviewed whose grievances
had purportedly been redressed successfully.
Date District No. LAs No respondents Conducted by Nov 2008
Batticaloa 6 12 LA staff, 23 plaintiffs PIP and respective R/ACLG
staff Trincomalee 4 7 LA staff, 10 plaintiffs
Feb‐ Mar
2009
Ampara
8 + 1
new
9
LA
staff,
24
plaintiffs
PIN and respective R/ACLG
staff
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 27/61
23
Date District No. LAs No respondents Conducted by Feb‐ Mar 2009 Batticaloa 2 + 2 new 16 staff, no plaintiffs
Mar 2009
Trincomalee 2 new 6 LA staff, no plaintiffs
PIP
Jaffna 7 48 LA staff, 60 citizens
See Appendix 6, p.171 for details.
Measuring instruments
Local government committees and communication mechanisms In the Eastern Province, five structured interviews were used and answers recorded in the
format included in Appendix 4, pp.97 ‐ 104. These consisted of
• Three
questionnaires
for
local
authority
secretaries
and
chairmen,
on
standing committees, advisory committees and communication mechanisms respectively
• Two questionnaires for the public (community leaders, community based
organisation representatives, teachers, and religious leaders), one combining
standing and advisory committees and one on communication mechanisms.
In the Northern Province (Jaffna) information was gathered through open interviews with
the administrative heads of the selected local authorities and with members of their
respective advisory committees, community based organisations and citizens. In both the
Northern and Eastern Province studies, citizens were interviewed to corroborate local
authority claims about reform implementation.
Questions
for
both
the
structured
and
more
open
interviews
covered
the
following
topics:
• the existence, type, composition and performance of committees
• public and public service awareness and opinion of committees
• the existence, type and purpose of communication mechanisms
• the form and kind of information transmitted by local authorities
• public awareness of information transmitted and effectiveness of the mechanisms.
Redressal system In the 20 assessed local authorities, information was collected and cross referenced in the
following ways:
• A questionnaire
was
used
to
collect
information
on
how
the
complaint
system
was
set up and functioned.
• Joint interviews were conducted with the PRO and the Secretary.
• The complaints ledger and a selection of complaint letters were examined.
• A limited number of follow‐up visits with plaintiffs were conducted, where the local
authority had entered the case as ‘successfully resolved', in order to corroborate if
this was in fact true.
In 12 local authorities in Jaffna, Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee Districts, information
was collected by using more open interviews with local authority representatives and
citizens as respondents. In addition, accompanied by the Secretary and the Public Relations
Officer (PRO), a physical inspection was carried out to verify the existence of complaint
boxes, information counters and complaint registers. See Appendix 3, p.96 for details.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 28/61
4.
St
The
The
no.
Nu
Noncom
ass
stan
Mu
con
See
Findi
nding co
role of theconcept
of
2
• The co
• Every L
addition
• Subjects
come u
• All matt
• Inclusio
the com
• The co
particip
• In view
operate
Ministry
ber of stae of
the
as
mittees, as
ssed local a
ding commi
icipal Coun
orming to t
Appendix 5,
3
2
gs
mittees
standing standing
co
mittee syst
cal Authori
a minimum
of commit
der one co
ers presente
of citizens
mittees sho
pulsory in
tion in loca
of the abo
d in all types
of Local Gov
ontained in t
nding comsessed
loca
outlined in
thorities in
ttees and a
cils of Battic
e governm
p.161.
3 3
2 2
umber o
ommittee
mmittees is
m should b
ty should h
of four oth
ees should
mittee.
d to the cou
in the area,
ld be made
lusion of c
l governmen
ve consider
of Local Au
rnment and
he Local Gov
ittees l authoritie
the local go
the Eastern
other three
aloa and Ka
nt circular,
2
3
f LA stan
Actual
24
specified b
made com
ve one co
r committe
be grouped
ncil should b
and represe
compulsory
tizens in t
t affairs.
ations the
horities.
rovincial Co
rnment Refo
had
estab
ernment re
Province, fi
had two fu
lmunai, wit
had only thr
3
0
2
5
ing com
Required
y the
Local
ulsory in all
mittee for
s.
providing f
e channelle
ntatives of
.
ese commi
committee
ncil, Local G
rm Circular 1
lished all
o
form circula
e local auth
nctioning st
the highes
ee standing
23
32
ittees
Governmen
Local Autho
inance and
r closely re
through th
outh and w
tees will f
ystem sho
vernment Re
to13 dated 2
the
requir
r quoted ab
orities had
nding com
need for,
committees
2
3
t reform
cir
rities,
planning a
lated subjec
e committe
omen sectio
cilitate peo
ld be unifo
form Circular
3 Apr 07, Col
ed five
sta
ove. Out of
hree functi
ittees. Eve
nd likelihoo
.
cular
d in
ts to
s.
ns in
ple’s
rmly
No.2
mbo
ding nine
ning
the
d of,
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 29/61
Onl
ther
wer
Fina
nin
Ord
The
by t
eac
The
of 2
two
com
com
thei
One
the
eve
elected loc
e were no s
e functionin
nce and Pla
assessed l
inance and
second mos
he Health a
of the follo
public were
1 committe
. These wer
mittee and
mittee. Sec
r standing c
of the aim
work of
the
aware th
8
Finance and
planning
90
Secretaries/C
al councils
tanding com
g as elected
nning com
cal authorit
he Local
Go
t common
nd Sanitatio
wing: Housi
not aware
es in nine l
In Ampara
in Vavunat
etaries, cha
mmittees.
of the bas
standing co
y existed.
6
Environme
protectio
T
%
ommissioner
Awar
ave standin
mittees in t
councils.
ittees wer
ies had the
vernment R
ere the Env
n committe
ng and Deve
f the existe
cal authori
UC, where t
hevu PS wh
irmen and
ee Appendi
eline study
mmittees in
Of the 10
4
tal
n
Health
sanitat
pes of st
Chair
nes of st
25
g committe
e Northern
found to b
. This was
eform Circu
ironment Pr
es (4 found
lopment, Pl
ce of most
ies, the pu
he public w
ere they w
ayors, on t
x 5, p.160.
as to find
their area.
who said
and
ion
Housi
devel
anding c
86%
en/Mayors
anding c
s. At the ti
Province as
e the most
probably be
lar 2 explici
otection co
). The other
nning and
local author
lic were a
re aware o
ere aware
he other ha
out how sat
However, 9
they knew
1
ng and
pment
P
mmittee
mmittee
e of condu
none of the
prevalent ‐
cause the
ly required
mittees (6
committee
ublic Utiliti
ity standing
are of the
the Enviro
f the Finan
d were ver
isfied the ci
0% of
respo
something
1
lanning p
10%
The Public
cting the su
local autho
eight out o
unicipal Co
there to
be
found), foll
s comprised
s.
committees
xistence of
ment Prote
ce and Pla
y much awa
tizens were
ndents wer
about sta
1
ublic utilities
rvey,
rities
the
uncil
one.
wed
one
. Out
only
ction
ning
re of
with
not
ding
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 30/61
com
coul
Co
The
ran15
Rep
me
me
of 1
You
me
any
sign
PS s
mittees, no
d be of use
position o21 standin
ed from
4 t
embers). T
resentation
bers) were
bers at all.
2 members
ng people
bers (22%)
ne under t
ificant prop
tanding com
12
3
B a t t i c a l o a M C
Ba
Y
13
2
B a t t i c a l o a M C
Wo
ne of them
to the publi
f standing committee
o 15
memb
e average
of women
women. In
The only lo
ere wome
ere better
under 35. H
he age of 3
rtion of yo
mittees.
9
15
0
K a t t a n k u d i U C
tticaloa
oung peo
19
1
0
K a t t a n k u d i U C
en on st
could desc
.
committee
s assessed
rs in
size
(T
as 6.
n standing
5 out of 8
al authority
.
represented
owever, thi
while 10 o
nger memb
20
V a v u n a t h e v u P S
A m p a r a U C
ple on st
7
0
V a v u n a t h e v u P S
anding c
26
ribe how t
s omprised o
rincomalee
committees
local autho
with a gend
on the co
was not un
ut of 12 m
ers was also
20
0
3
K a l m u n a i M C
Ampara
nding co
23
5
m p a r a
K a l m u n a i M C
mmittee
e committ
f 130 comm
C Finance
was very li
rities there
er balance
mittees wi
iform. Two l
mbers at A
identified i
53
S e r u v i l a P S
mitteeso
8
0 0
S e r u v i l a P S
es function
ittee memb
nd Plannin
ited. Only
were no fe
as Ampara
h 29 out o
ocal authori
mpara UC
Kuchchave
108
K u c h c h a v e l i P S
Trincomalee
ver 35 un
18
0
K u c h c h a v e l i P S
Men
ed or how
ers. Commi
Committee
% (9 out o
male comm
UC, where
130 comm
ties did not
ere under
li PS and Ser
18
2
T r i n c o m a l e e U C
der 35
18
2
T r i n c o m a l e e U C
women
they
tees
had
130
ittee
out
ittee
have
5. A
uvila
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 31/61
In t
the
littl
stan
wer
Vav
Onl
Of i
Fun
No
fun
In a
vari
citiz
Sta
Acc
met
20
e assessed
public. 55%
standardis
ding commi
e more pub
unathevu PS
Ampara U
s 12 memb
ctions of tstatutory r
tions can b
• Finance
prepara
• Environ
environ
• Plannin
• Health
diarrho• Public u
public u
ddition to t
ous technic
en charter c
ding comrding to th
regularly. 2
said at lea
15
0
B a t t i c a l o a M C
Ba
sample, 58
belonged to
tion. Two l
ttees (Batti
lic member
, in
Ampara
had a goo
rs, 5 were
e standingesponsibiliti
summarise
committee
tion.
ent prote
ental prot
committee
nd sanitati
a. tility comm
tilities.
he standing
l or sub co
ommittees,
ittee mee
e responde
0% said the
t once in tw
5 5
14
K a t t a n k u d i U C
tticaloa
on coun
c
ut of 130 st
the provinc
cal authori
caloa MC a
s in the co
UC and
in
K
balance of
omen, 10
committe
es were fo
d as follows.
recommen
tion comm
ction.
s prepared
n committ
ittees were
committee
mmittees w
library com
tings ts most of
y met weekl
o months.
2
10
V a v u n a t h e v u P
S
cil memb
ouncil memb
27
anding com
ial councils.
ies did not
d Seruvila
mittees th
chchaveli P
women, yo
ere under 3
s und for th
ded and ap
ittees inspe
hort, mid a
es raised p
responsible
s there wer
hich includ
ittees, spo
the commit
y, 75 % said
18
10
K a l m u n a i M C
Ampara
rs on sta
er non‐
ittee mem
However, i
ave any m
PS) while in
an council
S).
ng people
5 and 10 we
standing
roved finan
cted buildi
d long term
blic aware
for mainte
e advisory
d tender b
ts clubs, an
ees met ve
they met a
85
0
S e r u v i l a P
S
nding co
ouncil memb
bers (45%)
this catego
mbers of th
four local
embers (K
nd general
re non coun
committees
cial transac
gs and fac
developme
ess on den
ance of m
ommittees
ards, techn
purchasin
ry frequentl
t least once
6
12
K u c h c h a v e l i P
S
Trincoamal
mittees
er
ere membe
ry too there
e public on
uthorities t
attankudi U
public mem
cil member
, but their
ions and bu
tories to e
nt plans.
ue, malaria
rkets and
(see below)
ical commit
committee
y. 95% said
in a month,
13
7
T r i n c o m a l e e U C
ee
rs of
was
their
here
C, in
bers.
.
real
dget
sure
and
ther
and
tees,
.
they
and
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 32/61
Ho
min
me
wer
Ad
The
‘An
con
in t
bet
per
Mini
cont
Bas
the
com
sho
Ad
In t
com
majof a
ever, it wa
utes or oth
tings were
e not being
isory co
role of theadvisory co
isting of se
e area, who
een the Lo
orm the foll
• Assist l
taking i
• Functio
the exch
• Assist a
stry of Local
ained in
the
d on this d
general ma
mittees sh
ld be non‐ p
isory comhe Eastern
mittee as d
ority of
loca
dvisory com
ever
s not possi
er records.
less frequen
ept.
mittees
advisory cmittee on
ior citizens,
could contr
al Authorit
wing functi
cal authori
to account
as a comm
ange of info
d advise th
overnment
ocal Govern
efinition, th
date to dea
uld compri
olitical.
ittees in tProvince,
fined by Lo
l authority
o
mittees as
y 2 months:
20%
Frequen
le to verif
Therefore
t and that i
ommittees
community
subject spe
ibute to Loc
and the pe
ons.
ty in decidi
the needs of
unication ch
rmation an
councillors
nd Provincia
ent Reform
ere should
l with ‘com
e of only c
he Eastern one of th
cal Govern
fficers and
tipulated b
other: 5
cy of sta
28
the accura
it can be i
most case
affairs shou
ialists, war
l Governm
ople. The co
g develop
the people.
annel betw
ideas.
in the disch
l Council, Loc
ircular 1 to1
e one advi
unity affai
itizens who
Province assessed
ent Circula
lected me
the circula
onthly: 50%
%
ding com
cy of this i
ferred tha
s accurate
d be appoin
members
nt. This co
mmittee sh
ent policies
en the Loca
rge of their
l Governme
3 dated
23
A
sory commi
s’. Unlike st
are not m
nine local
10. The as
bers were
. However,
weekl
mittee m
formation
in some
inutes and
ted in every
nd other co
mittee sho
uld be non
and distri
l Authority
responsibili
t Reform Cir
r 07,
Colomb
tee per loc
anding com
mbers of t
uthorities
essment als
ot familiar
13 citizen’s
y: 20%
bi‐wee
eetings
from comm
ases comm
meeting re
Local Auth
mpetent pe
ld serve as
political an
uting resou
nd the peo
ties.’
ular No.10
o
al authority
ittees, adv
he council;
ad an adv
o found tha
ith the
con
committees
kly: 5%
ittee
ittee
ords
rity,
sons
link
will
rces,
le in
with
isory
they
isory
t the
cept
that
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 33/61
29
specialized in particular subjects had been established in seven local authorities. With the
exception of Karathevu PS, each local authority had one or two of these citizen’s committees
and Batticaloa MC had four.
Local Authority Committee Functions of the committee
Amparai UC
Solid waste management
committee
Raises awareness on solid
waste management at
village level
Vavunathevu PS
Planning Committee
Identifies community needs
and implements village
development plans
Rural Development
Committee
Acts in place of an RDS
Kattankudi UC
Federation
of
mosques
Provides advice to the PS
regarding development
activities
Karathevu PS no advisory committees
Kalmunai MC Working Group
Provides advice to the MC
for village level
development
Batticaloa MC
Community Service Fund
Repairs damaged roads and
drainage systems
Development Committee
Provides advice
on
town
development
Library Committee
Provides advice for library
development
Environment Protection
Committee
Provides advice to protect
environment
Trincomalee UC
Community Service fund
Repairs damaged roads and
drainage systems
Health Committee
Informs the public about
health related issues
Seruvila PS
Jana Sabha
Addresses development
related issues
Community Development
Committee
Addresses water related
issues to the PS
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 34/61
11
gov
wer
Co
Non
cou
disc
In p
spe
wit
pro
soci
con
bet
poo
tha
con
stan
syst
Ad
In
tfun
Cou
Co
inte
Ho
loca
loca
full
sect
abs
autcom
f the 13 ass
rnment ref
e the Vav
munity Ser
e of the adv
cillors and
harge of the
rincipal, inf
ial needs o
advice, su
ide a platfo
ety can be i
ect people
een comm
r. Public Ser
the
public.
lict resoluti
ding commi
em is strea
isory come
Northerntioning adv
ncil did n
missioner,
rference wa
ever, the c
l authoritie
l authorities
discretion in
ions of soci
nce of wo
orities only
mittee me
9
Public serva
Aw
essed advis
orm circular
nathevu P
ice Fund.
isory comm
a means
o
ir responsib
rmal citize
the public
port and p
rm for advo
ntegrated i
of differen
unities. Unf
vice Officer
See
Append
on in the c
ttees, advis
lined there
ittees in t
Province,
sisory comm
t have a
embers of
s delaying it
mposition
the memb
on two me
nominating
ety, particu
en on the
2 were
wo
bers.)
ts Cha
reness oCommitt
ry committ
10 (see the
S Rural De
ittees really
transparen
ilities’.
’s committ
to local gov
ublic contr
cacy for diff
the work
t ethnic, rel
ortunately
and Chair
ix
5,
p.162.
ommunity.
ry committ
is a danger
he Northerix
out
of
seittees as de
advisory
the advisor
s establishm
f committe
ers were no
mbers per
the membe
larly wome
Jaffna advi
men. (Chav
9
irmen
f Advisor
es, EP
30
es fulfilled
Role of the
velopment
fulfilled the
cy, ‘assist[i
es and ass
rnment an
l. They link
rent social
f the local
igious, and
ublic awar
en were th
At the sam
ees and info
f duplicatio
n Province en
assesseined by th
committee.
committee
ent.)
s was not
minated on
ard. The se
rs. This led t
. The asse
ory commi
kachcheri P
3
The Public
the first two
advisory co
Committee
third functio
g] and
advi
ociations ar
possibly o
the local a
groups. The
authorities
social back
ness of the
ree times m
Unl
aw
citiz
list
mo
trad
ass
tion
and
will lob
adv
not
stre
e time ther
rmal citizen’
n or commit
local
auth governme
According
had alread
ased on uni
the basis o
retary of th
o inadequat
ssment tea
ttees. Out o
radeshiya S
functions d
mittees ab
and the
n ‐ acting a
s[ing] the
c
a way of
providing l
uthorities t
interests of
nd this has
rounds and
se citizen’s
ore aware
ss there i
reness in
en’s comm
d in the
que federa
er’s partn
ciations, ta
s, develop
library co
remain as ying gro
isory comm
realise its
ngthening
e is overla
s committe
tee fatigue.
rities
in
tht circular. (
to the J
been ident
form criteri
one per w
ese local au
e represent
observed
f 87 memb
bha had
2
escribed in
ove). Excep
Trincomalee
a check on
ouncillors i
representin
ocal govern
the public
citizens and
the potenti
build toler
committees
f their exist
greater p
the wor
ittees like t
table abo
tions, muni
erships, tr
x‐payers ass
ent commi
mittees ‐
special int
ps and
ittee system
full potenti
democracy
between
s do. Unles
Jaffna
areaJaffna Muni
affna Muni
ified but pol
. In some o
ard and in
thorities enj
ation of diff
an almost
ers from 6
women out
ocal
tions
UC
local
the
the
ent
and
civil
al to
ance
was
ence
ublic
of
hose
e ‐
cipal
ders
ocia‐
tees
they
rest the
will
al in
and
hat
s the
had
cipal
cipal
itical
f the
ther
oyed
rent
total
local
of 9
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 35/61
It w
Acc
imp
Poifun
for
secr
ann
cou
Co
The
Dev
plac
Gov
is u
com
as found tha
held reg conven conduct
at
the
fo well att
rding to t
rovement o
• garbage
• drainag
• road de
• market
• bus stan
• library i
t Pedro
Ur
ing of a pu
cemetery d
etaries of th
ual budgets,
cils. Adviso
municat
role of coolution
of
p
e and the
ernment Ag
ndermined
munication
• change
channel
with, fo
• inform
Wom
t advisory c
ularly, ever
d and chair
ed with me
llowing
mended (60%
e minutes
local gover
removal
maintenan
elopment
developmen
d and cycle
provemen
an Council
lic market
velopment
e local auth
a significan
ry committe
ion mech
municati
wer to
loca
central go
ent and the
and there i
between lo
public perc
of good go
example,
itizens abou
Men
98%
n memb
mmittee m
two or thre
d by the se
ting agend
ting
attendance
subjects
ment servi
ce
t
parking inst
t.
Advisory C
rom the Go
and mainte
orities cons
t involveme
e members
anisms
n mechani
l governme
vernment
Divisional S
s very little
al governm
ption of lo
ernance at
aste manag
t their right
ers on ad
31
eetings wer
e months, u
retaries of
s and minu
f committe
iscussed a
es. These in
llation
ommittee c
vernment A
nance. One
lted the ad
t of people
independen
sms t as
intend
ontinues t
ecretariats.
public awa
nt and the
al governm
local level a
ement;
regarding
W
isory co
sually in the
heir respect
tes which
e members)
meetings
cluded
laimed they
gent and th
important
isory comm
s’ participati
tly corrobor
d by
the
13
operate
As a result,
reness of it
public are n
ent so that
d not just
ervice provi
men
2%
mittees
local autho
ive local aut
ere circulat
.
generally p
successfullt they had
spect to n
ittees befor
on in the ab
ted this fac
th Amendme
at local le
the role of l
s role. Effe
eded to
people be
s a sector i
sion;
in Jaffna
ity offices
horities
ed and revi
ertained to
advocated
a sub comm
te was tha
e preparing
sence of el
t.
nt has
not
t
el through
ocal govern
ctive syste
in to see it
stitution de
wed
the
the
ittee
the
their
cted
aken
the
ent
s of
as a
aling
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 36/61
P
6
Nu
All
wit
acti
East
tool
cha
com
dra
Loc
morcost
Suc
and
Pr
Le
N
Ci
N
N
bu
Po
Le
In t
(poboa
int
0%
Types
• inform
regulati
taxes
• receive
ber and t5 assessed
the public i
e. With the
, the North
s for both
ters (13), a
munication
a, mobile s
l authoritie
e popular
t
efficiency
an investi
what impac
int aflets
tice boards
izen’s charte
wspaper ads
wsletter
lletins
sters
tter campaig
he followin
sibly) stree
rds, citizen’
f commu
b
citizens a
ns on hygi
citizen feed
pe of comlocal author
n at least th
exception
and the Eas
were leafle
d local me
was more i
ervices ad l
preferred
an audio
v
ut the effe
ation shoul
t printed m
No. 14
13
s 11
3
2
1
s 1
chart, lett
drama
we
charters,
nication LAs
out their
ne in public
ack on local
municatio
iries (9 in th
ree differen
of loudspea
t used the s
ts (used by
ia (10). A g
nteractive a
tter campai
o communi
isual or
face
tiveness of
d include h
terials have
Audio/Vi
Loudspea
announce
TV/local m
Video doc
er campaig
re counted
ewspaper a
32
Face to
face
21%
ools use
public res
places, buil
authority s
tools e East, 7 in
t ways. Batt
er announ
me channe
14 local a
reater varie
nd more fa
gns were fo
ate throug
to
face
too
so much pri
w well prin
on the prob
ual ers
ents
edia
mentary
s, informat
as ‘two
‐wa
ds, posters,
Audio
visual
19%
ponsibilities
ding codes,
rvice delive
the North) s
icaloa MC a
ements whi
ls of comm
thorities),
ty of tools
ce to face:
nd. See Ap
print mate
ls. This
can
nt media ne
ted materia
lems they t
No. 8
5
1
In
m
tio
to
us
into
w
ne
th
of
lo
bu
de
go
ion counter
’ communi
publicity c
including
zoning, and
ry, and redr
aid that the
d Seruvila
ch were on
nication. Th
otice boar
as found in
meetings,
endix 5, p.1
ials, which
be attribut
eds to be e
ls are receiv
rget.
Face to faInformatio
counters
Publicity c
Mobile ser
Meetings
Workshop
Street dra
addition,
chanisms
n were ‘on
say, the
ed media
ormation t
p‐down,
y, rather th
gotiating
m. In this
communic
al authority
t not ne
mocratic
od governa
s, meetings,
ation, whil
mpaigns (a
local auth
payment of
ess grievanc
y communic
S were the
ly popular i
e most com
s (13), citi
the East, w
orkshops, s
63.
ere three t
d to
labour
xamined fur
ed by the p
ce n
mpaigns
ices
a
most of
of commu
e‐way’ – th
local autho
to anno
the
public
on‐particip
an discussi
solutions
ense the m
tion upheld
as an ‘auth
cessarily a
echanism
ce.
workshops
leaflets,
n
lso describe
ority
local
es.
ated
ost
the
mon
en’s
here
treet
imes
and
ther.
ublic
No. 6
3
2
1
1
1
the
nica‐
at is
rities
unce
in a tory
g or
with
eans
the
rity’
s a
for
and
otice
d by
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 37/61
resp
ann
Not
comand
Mo
info
Aga
by
aut
wha
the
com
exp
rec
of t
reg
aut
In a
villaloca
serv
out
sec
Det
Lea
Loc
envi
envicoll
ondents a
ouncements
e: The PIP s
munication
this baselin
t local aut
rmation abo
• disease
• siramat
• garbage
• paymen
in, these me
elling citize
ority’s resp
t the public
public. As s
munication
ess their g
ived only li
he commun
lar basis in
ority is onc
ddition, non
ges. In
7 di
l authorities
ices, or Pra
each faciliti
rity reasons
ails of comflets l authority
ronmental i
ronmental
ction. As s
various
, TV, local m
upported r
and accoun
study desc
orities use
ut
prevention
ana activiti
collection
t of local go
ssages stre
s what to
onsibility a
had to do f
ch, the loc
to strength
ievances o
ited feedb
ication tool
this way, t
every four
e of the me
tricts in
Ba
could build
eshiya Sab
es to isolate
.
municatio
responden
ssues. Acco
protection
ch they we
T
com
ombination
edia, and vi
dressal syst
tability, sho
ribes the im
d communi
es
ernment ta
gthened th
do. Howeve
a service
or the local
al authoritie
n their cred
have their
ack from cit
used. With
e only time
years at the
ia, includin
ticaloa, no
links with l
a ‘mobile s
d communi
tools (in o
s used lea
ding to the
activities,
re used as
o way
unication
14%
33
s of poste
eo were co
em for loca
uld also
be
pact of the
ation tools
xes and fee
‘authority’
r messages
rovider we
authority, n
s in this stu
ibility, or to
say in loc
izens becau
out a prop
left for pe
elections.
local news
regular mee
cal people
ervices’ wer
ies where t
rder of po
lets for dis
, leaflets i
solid waste
hygiene/h
rs and an
unted as ‘on
l authoritie
considered
edressal sy
to create
.
of local aut
concerning
re missing.
t what the
dy were no
provide citi
l governm
e of the pr
r platform
ple to expr
papers and
tings at
vill
and dissemi
e observed,
ravel was di
ularity)
seminating
creased pu
managemalth aware
One
commun
86
tyle of c
ouncemen
e‐way’ com
, a two‐wa
as a tool
fo
tem in secti
awareness
orities in lo
citizen’s ri
The empha
local author
really usin
zens with th
nt affairs.
dominantly
or citizen p
ess their vie
radio, reach
ge level,
‘o
nate inform
despite the
fficult for b
information
blic particip
nt activiti
ess raising
ay
iation
mmunci
s), loudsp
munication.
mechanis
communicon on it belo
and dissemi
cal develop
hts, or the
sis remaine
ity had to d
mechanis
e opportuni
Local autho
one‐way n
articipation
ws of their
ed poor, isol
pen days’
w
ation about
need to pr
th logistical
on health
tion in han
s and
gar
tool but di
tion
aker
for
tion
w.
nate
ent
local
d on
o for
s of
ty to
rities
ture
on a
local
ated
here local
vide
and
and
dling
bage
not
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 38/61
34
provide the public with information about local government services. Local authorities didn’t
produce the leaflets themselves but distributed printed materials prepared by other
authorities such as the Health Department or the Central Environmental Authority.
In the 2008 integrated local level development model for Kinniya, leaflets were written by
the local authority themselves. They extended the citizen’s charter by providing information
to the
public
about
services
and
procedures
for
obtaining
permits
and
approval,
for
example,
for construction. In addition they provided the public with a monitoring/transparency tool
which bound the local authority to abide by the stated fees, timeframes and regulations
printed in the leaflet. In this baseline study, most local authorities saw the usefulness of
producing their own the information leaflets and would like to do so in future, if assistance
were available as per the Kinniya model.
Notice boards Notice boards were used as a traditional communication tool and were in operation in 13 of
the 15 local authorities assessed. Local authority respondents stated that mostly health and
environment related information and calls for tender were posted on notice boards. It was
an inexpensive
tool
but
with
limited
reach.
The
majority
were
placed
in
the
office
of
the
local
authority, and addressed only visitors who came there. Notice boards in more prominent
spots in the town were not observed.
Citizens’ charters The Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs issued a directive instructing all
governmental organisations, ministries, departments, statutory bodies, semi governmental
organisation, provincial councils and local authorities to prepare and display citizen charters
in their offices. The Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Council published a ‘Guide to Citizens’ Charters for Local Authorities’. As such, the Citizen’s Charter should be a
document that illustrates local authority services, standards, time frames, responsible
officers and mechanisms for grievance redressal. It should be prepared with community
involvement and should state citizens’ rights and responsibilities. It should be publicly
displayed and there should be adequate publicity upon its release.
In the Northern Province, all the assessed local authorities except for Jaffna MC displayed
their citizen’s charters in their offices. Charters were in Tamil and were designed in different
sizes. For example, the Chavakachcheri Urban Council put up a very conspicuous 15’ x 30’
one on their front wall. However, regardless of how well charters are displayed, their impact
on service delivery is not known. Only some of the community based organisations and
citizens interviewed had seen their citizen’s charter. They too were not sure whether
services were delivered promptly as stated or whether the charter exerted pressure on the
local authority
to
be
more
efficient.
See
also
the
findings
from
the
Community
Development
baseline study in section 5 (page 52) where 96% of respondents were not aware of the
citizen’s charter.
Loudspeaker announcements Loudspeaker announcements were popular communication tools in the Eastern Province
and used by eight out of nine local authorities assessed. Loudspeaker announcements were
used to disseminate information related to health, drinking water, environmental issues,
emergency news and collection of local authority taxes and fees. According to local authority
respondents they increased public participation in environmental issues, disease prevention,
tax collection and road and drainage maintenance. It was an inexpensive and mobile tool
which was
used
to
reach
large
numbers
of
people.
However,
it
was
used
to
communicate
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 39/61
35
only simple, short public messages as one way communication which didn’t elicit feedback
from the community.
Information counters In the Eastern Province, information counters were established in three local authorities:
Kalmunai MC,
Batticaloa
MC
and
Seruvila
PS
and
in
the
Northern
Province
in
Point
Pedru
UC,
Valvettithurai UC and Nallur PS. Local authorities used this ‘front desk’ service to keep the
public informed about the services they offered and who to go to for what. Information on
health, environment and community development projects were usually available at the
counters. Respondents felt that this tool improved public access to local authority services.
However many of the Public Relations Officers (PRO) who were responsible for the counter
and the ‘front desk’ services only had limited knowledge of how to do things and in many
cases had no printed materials (leaflets, forms) as back up.
Local media Local media included the use of radio to disseminate information on health, drinking water,
environmental
and
emergency
news
in
Kattankudi
UC,
Kalmunai
MC
and
Batticaloa
MC.
Trincomalee UC used cable TV and newspaper advertisements as their communication tools.
Respondents stated that communication through local media increased public participation
in paying taxes and improved prevention of diseases. For example Trincomalee UC were able
to warn the public through the local cable TV network about contaminated bakery products
in a recent food poisoning case. Jaffna Municipal Council and other urban councils also
communicated with citizens through local newspaper advertisements, mainly regarding
payments of property rates and fines. Notices announcing market spaces and meat stall
tenders were also published in this way.
Local authorities felt that using local media was innovative for local government. It provided
a wide reach which was not necessarily very costly. It had the potential not only for
information dissemination, but also as a platform for public debates on development issues.
It was suggested that this could be done through interviews with local government
representatives where listeners or viewers contributed.
Public information campaigns In Jaffna, Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha designed and distributed posters for public awareness
campaigns. Topics included dengue, and herbal gardening. One successful campaign was
against spitting in public places. They were also planning to launch a website for the
Pradeshiya Sabha. Three other local authorities used cultural events, essay competitions and
school seminars for public information campaigns.
Newsletters Newsletters were published in only 2 local authorities in Jaffna (Nallur PS and
Chavakachcheri UC) where they were issued in very limited numbers (25 copies) mostly for
the local authority offices and libraries. They were issued for PR purposes and to
commemorate special occasions. They did not disseminate everyday information from the
local authority, as in the 2008 PIP Kinniya model which used newsletters to provide the
public with a range of information about local authority activities, leaders, decision making
processes, budget allocation and news from the area. None of the assessed local authorities
in the Eastern Province produced newsletters. All interviewed representatives in local
authorities expressed their interest in producing newsletters but some were unclear as to
the difference
between
newsletters
and
leaflets.
They
thought
of
using
them
to
disseminate
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 40/61
36
information to the public about health, local authority activities, taxes, and local authority
services.
Mobile services Mobile services were used in two local authorities – Ampara UC and Nallur PS Jaffna ‐ to
disseminate
information
related
to
health
issues,
drinking
water,
licenses,
taxes,
environmental issues and tenders. The main purpose was to provide the public with the
opportunity to attend to affairs close to their place of residence. This mechanism provided
access to local authority services in a gender sensitive way because it accommodated
vulnerable groups and women who, because of family or work commitments, could not
afford the time or money to travel to their local authorities. In the case of Nallur PS the
mobile service was jointly arranged with community based organisations in the area. The
mobile service not only improved service delivery but also created opportunities for
community based organisations to work together with the local authority.
Public meetings and workshops Public
meetings
provided
immediate
feedback
for
local
authorities
especially
when
public
participation in important decisions related to the development of the area was needed,
such as development plans, or proposed regulations. The perceived disadvantage by local
authorities was that public meetings were labour intensive and could not cover large groups
of people without becoming very time consuming and costly.
Two local authorities (Kattankudi UC, Vavunathivu PS) said they used public meetings and
workshops as a means of communicating with the public. Meetings were organized as the
need arose. Issues related to health, street cattle, and emergencies were discussed.
However, the citizens interviewed for the purpose of this study were not aware of such
meetings.
Street drama Batticaloa MC used street drama on a quarterly basis to create public awareness on health
and environmental issues. As a live medium it was seen as a very useful tool to address
social issues in a non literary, motivating way. However, it was fairly labour intensive and
required finding performers (usually young volunteers) and then organizing them to
rehearse and perform.
Other mechanisms observed
Local Government
Reform
Unit
In Jaffna a Local Government Reform Unit was set up in every local authority to assist the
secretary in coordinating and monitoring the implementation of local government reforms.
The unit, staffed by a local government assistant plus either a management or programme
assistant, prepared monthly progress reports on reform implementation, which were sent to
the Regional Assistant Commissioner of Local Government (R/ACLG). Together these units
compiled an Annual Report for 2008 and this speeded up the reform process. In addition, in
a process initiated by the R/ACLG, the secretary met the staff once a week to share
experience on local government reform activities and related them to the local government
circulars they exemplified. As a result local government staff were much more aware of local
government reforms.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 41/61
37
Innovations in service delivery To improve service delivery, the R/ACLG Jaffna initiated a programme called ‘one project per
month’ in which local authorities carried out small scale participatory projects each month
which involved the public. These projects were normally on a shiramadana basis and
included
• clearing cemeteries; repairing public buildings,
• cleaning drains and wells; reducing mosquito breeding grounds
• planting trees around community centres, pre schools and along the roadside
• honouring preschool teachers, celebrating Children’s Day, promoting reading habits
with poster campaigns or book exhibitions
Jaffna Municipal Council implemented a new system for maintaining the drinking water
supply at stand pipes in poor areas for families who could not afford individual household
pipe water connections. In the past, Jaffna MC was unable to recover costs from common
water users. Stand pipes were often damaged and common water users quarrelled over
drawing the water. Under the new system nearly 650 water user groups were formed on
the
basis
of
one
group
per
stand
pipe.
Each
group
consisted
of
10
to
20
families.
These
families were assigned to a particular stand pipe close to them and told they could draw
water only from that stand pipe. This reduced quarrelling among the users. Each group was
made responsible for their pipe and immediately reported any damage to the council. The
group also agreed to pay a nominal sum of one rupee per day per family. This meant each
family paid Rs.30 per month and, in a water user group of say fifteen families, Rs. 450/‐ per
month was collected, enabling the council to recover part of the water supply cost. As in
most development contexts around the world, the water user groups were mostly
composed of women. The team met such a group and found the system was working
satisfactorily. Stand pipes were maintained well, quarrels among water users had been
reduced and monthly payments were made promptly. The water user groups were
supervised by
community
centre
officers.
Public redressal system
Situational analysis The PIP/CAP supported redressal system, set up in 20 local authorities in the Eastern
Province in 2008 consisted of
• an information counter for providing information on local authority services and
navigating citizens to respective departments
• a
suggestions
box
• a system for registering and dealing with complaints
• a collectively formulated and displayed citizen’s charter
• a trained public relations officer
• the beginning of a monitoring and evaluation system which used complaints to
analyse public needs and improve service delivery. The system for registering and dealing with complaints had five steps:
• step one: receiving complaints
• step two: registering complaints
• step three: analysing complaints
• step four:
acting
on
complaints
• step five: recording outcomes for the action taken
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 42/61
38
In each of the 20 local authorities visited in the Eastern Province for the baseline study, the
five step process for registering and dealing with complaints was broadly discussed with the
staff, especially with the Public Relations Officer (PRO) and the Secretary. Feedback was then
collated for the situational analysis under these five steps. In the five local authorities where
no PIP supported redressal system had been set up, and in Jaffna, the five step process was
used as
a tool
for
needs
analysis.
Receiving complaints In general, only a few local authorities could demonstrate a transparent and standardised
system for receiving and passing on complaints from the chairman/secretary to the PRO and
thereafter to the respective subject officers. Respondents said that local authorities usually
received formal complaints by letter and that letter was usually handed over to the
chairman or the secretary. If posted, then it was also usually addressed to chairman.
Although a complaints box was established in every local authority, fewer complaints were
received via the box, or by personal visit to the front desk. Informal verbal grievances were
also received by the chairman or secretary, but these were usually unsubstantiated
complaints. As
the
PROs
were
not
included
in
the
complaints
administration
in
most
of
the
local authorities visited, the PRO was not aware of the verbal complaints received by the
chairman and this was reflected in their lack of registration and follow up.
Registering complaints In the PIP/CAP supported model for the redressal system, when citizens lodged a complaint
by personal visit or through a letter, their complaint was recorded in a complaints register.
Out of 25 local authorities visited in the Eastern Province, it was observed that
• 8 local authorities had general complaint registers, usually in the form of a ledger.
• 9 local authorities had separate complaint folders for different types of complaints,
such
as
building
approvals,
environmental
protection,
public
utility
services,
local
infrastructure and land related issues.
• 8 local authorities did not have a recorded complaints register, ledger or folder for
their public redressal system. Instead they filed the complaint letters without
transferring the data into a summarised register and recorded progress or
comments on the letters themselves.
See Appendix 6, p.180.
Registers were usually maintained by the staff responsible for the subject of the complaint.
The main problems arose from improper recording of verbal complaints in the registers, as
described above. All 7 local authorities visited in Jaffna had a complaints ledger in some form
or another
but
were
not
maintaining
them
regularly.
Analysing complaints None of the local authorities in the study analysed resolved or pending cases or looked at
complaints collectively for patterns, needs analysis or lessons learnt. However, most of them
were interested in how to do this and requested further training. Some officers suggested
having a computer database application, for example in Microsoft Access with which they
could record complaints, and produce analyses and reports on a regular basis.
Acting on complaints When not referred to other government departments, action was usually taken by the
chairman, secretary,
PRO,
Technical
Officer
(TO)
or
in
combination:
the
chairman
with
the
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 43/61
39
PRO or the PRO with the TO. Information on how the case was handled and resolved was
usually written directly onto the letter of complaint so whole history of the case was
contained in that letter.
When the case was referred to another government department, it was not usually followed
up any further and the real outcome was not recorded in the local authority. Instead, such
cases were
counted
as
resolved
when
in
fact
they
were
simply
passed
on
to
someone
else.
Recording outcomes In the PIP/CAP model, after taking action on a case, the outcome was recorded and future
follow up planned if necessary. Local authorities sent a letter to the plaintiff explaining how
the case had been resolved. In general, it was found that steps three to five – analysing and
acting on complaints and recording outcomes ‐ were not carried out consistently. There was
no standardised ‘complaint tracking system’ for local authorities. None of the local
authorities were feeding the analysis of complaints back into the system as a form of
community needs analysis. If complaints were collected and categorised over a period of
time, patterns would emerge that could be dealt with more efficiently by dealing with them
collectively. But
local
authorities
did
not
have
this
overview
because
they
were
not
collating
the data beyond the individual complaint. As a result, the local authorities in this study had
not made the connection that the redressal system could also be used as a planning tool.
Complaints analysis Analysis of the data collected from 23 local authorities which had the redressal system
focussed on the type and quantity of complaints recorded, complaint resolution, gender
issues, and the role of the Public Relations Officers (PROs).
Complaints by category The
subjects
of
the
complaints
fell
into
six
main
categories,
which
were,
in
order
of
frequency,
• utilities (street lamps)
• environmental issues (felling trees, garbage collection, commercial waste, sewage)
• land disputes (accessing and demarking land)
• unauthorised building
• problems with local infrastructure (local roads, irrigation, community buildings).
Frequency of complaints 77% of the complaints ‐ 2116 complaints out of 2194 ‐ were about street lamps, and these
complaints were lodged in four large local authorities in the urban centres (in order of
complaints registered: Sammanthurai PS, Ninthavur PS, Akkaraipattu PS and Kalmunai MC).
Ranking Type of complaints No. of cases 1 Public utilities (including street lamps) 2194
2 Environmental issues 310
3 Land issues 166
4 Buildings approval 98
5 Local infrastructure 92
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 44/61
The
autlam
inte
rep
com
Ra
1
2
3
4
5
numbers o
orities
fromp complaint
rpretation
esentative
plaints wer
nking Ty
En
La
Bu
Lo
Pu
Public utiliti
77%
Frequenc
Buildin
13%
infra
Fre
f complaint
where
the skewed th
f the com
way. Puttin
about envi
pe of compl
ironmental i
d issues
ildings appro
al infrastruct
blic utilities (
s
of com
s
ocal
tructure2%
uency o
s about str
came
and
data for th
plaints min
g the stre
ronmental i
aints ssues
al
ure
xcluding stre
laints by
Land iss
23%
Public util
(excludi
street la
10%
complai
40
eet lamps
should
be
de whole sa
us those a
t lamp iss
sues ‐ 42%.
et lamps)
Environmen
issues
11%
category
es
ities
ng
ps)
ts by cat
ere releva
ealt
with
seple. Theref
bout street
ue aside, t
tal
Land is
6%
(i)
Environ
issu
42
ogory (ii)
nt to the l
arately.
Hore this rep
lamps in
e most fr
N
31
16
98
9
78
sues
Buildings
3%Loc
infrastr
3
mental
es
rge urban
wever
the
srt focuses o
a proportio
equently lo
. of cases 0
6
l
cture
local
treet
n an
nally
dged
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 45/61
23%
acc
buil
get
ProAcc
duti
neg
The
aut
dev
willi
Bec
reso
The
unu
onl
reso
the
inte
coul
link tem
An
not
Plai
66%
soci
Cit
3
of complai
ssing lanes,
ding unauth
a bank loan.
lem solver
rding to th
es, 38% by
lecting their
refore, 96%
ority level.
lopment, e
ng to pass o
use 38% o
lved by citiz
se cases in
sed land, no
needed to
lve their dif
local autho
rventions at
d offer the
up with
the
ple or the m
nalysis of t
really sure
ntiffs by g of cases w
ety. This rev
izens
8%
ts were ab
demarking
orised struc
See Append
complaint
the behavio
duties.
of all prob
This is an
pecially in
n the respo
grievances
ens themse
luded disp
ise pollutio
turn up as
erences. In
ity and thi
the interpe
public. This
more usual
ediation bo
hese compl
hat the rol
nder re recorded
ealed a faul
ut land issu
land, disput
ures and th
ix 6, pp.169
analysed, 5
ur of other
lems report
empowerin
n environm
sibility of a
were cause
lves with so
tes betwe
, and acces
a figure of
certain case
was enou
rsonal level
might be q
mechanismrd.
ints lodged
of their loc
without no
in the local
Others
4%
Problem
41
es and this
ing bounda
problems
‐70.
8% were ca
citizens, an
ed by the
statistic f
ent where l
dressing gri
d by citizen
e assistan
n neighbo
ing lanes. I
authority in
s people ask
h to settle
ould be de
ite a simpl
s for
arbitra
against nei
l authority
ting if they
authorities’
olvers
as a signifi
y walls, an
f obtaining
used by loca
4% by oth
ommunity
r citizen a
cal govern
evances to t
s, it follows
e in arbitra
rs about b
many of th
order for
ed for help
the quarrel.
eloped as a
matter if t
tion in
the
c
ghbours als
as or who
ere from w
complaints
ant numbe
in urban a
building ap
l authoritie
er governm
ould be de
vocacy and
ent in the p
he central li
that 38% o
ion from th
oundary wa
ese cases t
he two dis
rom a parti
It was sug
service that
he local aut
ommunity‐
revealed t
should resol
omen, men
registration
Local
Authorities
58%
. Issues incl
reas, neighb
roval in ord
neglecting
ent departm
alt with at
for comm
ast has bee
ne authoriti
f cases coul
e local auth
lls, dumpin
e local auth
uting parti
ular officer
ested that
local autho
hority could
local
mosq
hat people
ve their cas
or on behal
system.
ded
ours
er to
their
ents
local
nity
too
s.
d be
rity.
g on
ority
s to
from
such
rities
also
e or
ere
.
of a
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 46/61
wer
soci
5%
and
ofte
a l
exa
com
poll
fact
Kor
live
felt
diso
was
of
and
Ver
Acc
the
not
reso
stu
(10
35%
Pl
e women, 4
eties.
of cases we
these coll
n represent
rge group
ple more
plained a
ution from
ory in
laipattu W
near the
it resulte
rders for t
resolved b
the public
PS staff of t
ification of rding to th
local author
resolvable.
lved. Howe
y, 73% of t
weren’t su
Not s
antiffs by Male
5% men an
re from soc
ctive comp
ed the wis
of people
than 50 p
bout the
the brick m
Kavaththa
st PS; thos
rick makin
in respi
heir childr
the interve
health insp
e area who
complaint
e local auth
ity within a
According t
ver, accordi
eir compla
re either wa
pecified
6%
6
gender
emale
15%
ieties
laints
es of
. For
eople
air
aking
unai,
who
yard
atory
n. It
ntion
ector
got the fact
orities, 69%
month, whil
o the local
ng to the pl
ints were re
y, and 17%
Plainti
42
5%
ory owner t
of complai
e 25% were
authorities’
aintiffs who
solved not
ere not sat
ffs by cat
136161
Batticalo
Plai
At district
female
dominated
Batticaloa
the Muslim
of Ampar
citizens w
complaints
o agree to u
ts were res
resolved wi
records the
were visite
94% as clai
isfied.)
1
egory
6548
Trincoma
tiffs by d
level, th
laintiffs i
local
and more
dominated
i district.
o were sa
had been
e water to
olved by th
hin six mon
refore, 94%
door to do
ed by the
ale
9%
Fem
10
Society
5%
339
lee Amp
istrict an
re were
n the
authorities
ale plaintif
local
autho
Of the 66
isfied that
redressed,
educe the d
interventi
ths and 6%
of all case
or as part o
local author
le
6
ra
gender
M
Fe
ore
amil
of
fs in
rities
of
their
40%
ust.
n of
ere
are
this
ities.
le
male
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 47/61
The
reso
coul
wat
the
dep
the
The
wha
doo
thei
The
As p
wer
loca
info
and
the
Mar
the
Ma
app
Ma
bee
did
thei
resp
und
mec
com
com
ana
diffi
re was a 21
lved and
w
d be accou
er and elect
local author
artments bu
other depar
re is still a
t the public
r follow up
r own in ord
Public Relart of the r
e trained. It
l authoritie
rmation cou
Assistant C
PROs in ch
ch 2009, th
Eastern Pro
y of the P
ointed as
P
agement A
n made res
’t have a p
r PRO resp
onsibilities
er utilised. I
hanism for
missioner.
missioner,
lysed by the
cult or
resol
Resolved
within 6
months
25%
% differenc
at the
plai
nted for as
ricity supply
ity was con
t as far as
tment took
iscrepancy
thought of
ith plaintif
er to get a
tions Offidressal syst
was their
and most
nter, and a
mmissione
rge of look
system w
ince and th
Os encount
ROs. They
sistants, Lo
onsible for
oper job de
onsibilities
f the PRO
n addition,
communica
Many co
ere not re
PRO. In ret
ed cases
fo
Not resolv
6%
Ac
e in opinion
tiffs though
complaints
and health
erned thes
he plaintiff
are of them
between w
s resolved.
fs. Local au
ore realisti
er systemem, 20 Publ
esponsibilit
f them carr
citizen’s ch
s of Local G
ing after th
s functionin
ee local aut
ered proble
ere officia
cal Govern
PR on top o
scription or
were. The
nd therefor
here was n
tion betwe
plaints re
ceived, regi
rn, the PR
r the
chairm
able
ion take
43
between
t of
as
reso
that were
services iss
were resol
were conc
.
at the loca
But this fac
horities wo
picture of r
ic Relations
to set up
ied out the
arter. From
overnment
e redressal
g without
horities in t
ms in their
lly employe
ent Assista
f their nor
training for
public wer
e did not se
proper su
n them an
eived by
stered, refe
was unabl
an or
secret
on case
hat the loc
lved (94%
‐
eferred to
es (98 out
ed because
rned, they
l authorities
only came
uld have to
edressal ne
Officers (PR
the redress
tasks of set
April 2008
(CLG and A
systems on
TZ PIP supp
e Northern
new role.
d under
ot
ts and Pro
al work loa
being a PR
e also not
ek them ou
port syste
d their cha
the chair
rred, tracke
to prepare
ary to
consi
wi
al authoriti
73%). 13%
other depa
of 744 com
they were
remained u
thought of
to light afte
carry out a
ds and reso
Os) from 20
l system in
ing up a co
onwards, t
LGs) and th
e they wer
ort in 16 lo
Province.
one of the
er designa
ramme Assi
d. As a resu
; they wer
aware of
. As a resul
for them
irman, may
an, mayor
d, resolved
an overvie
er at
the
m
Resolved
hin a month
69%
s thought
of the
differ
tments, su
laints). As f
eferred to
nresolved u
as resolved
r doing a do
similar surv
lution.
local autho
their respe
mplaints bo
e Commissi
e secretarie
e establishe
cal authoriti
were offi
tions –
as
stants. The
lt, most of
e not clear
the positio
t, the PROs
r an establi
or, secretar
, secretary
or cumulat
of the ong
onthly meet
f as
ence
h as
ar as
ther
nless
and
or to
y of
rities
ctive
x, an
oner
put
d. In
es in
cially
hief
had
hem
hat
n or
ere
shed
, or
, or
ively
oing,
ing.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 48/61
44
4.5 Recommendations
• In general, local authorities should participate fully in the reform process, take
ownership and responsibility for the change process and sustain reforms in the long
run. To increase such ownership, Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Local
Government, Secretaries,
Mayors
and
Chairmen,
councillors
and
local
government
staff
should be involved to a greater or lesser extent in the research, design, implementation,
and evaluation stages of the reforms.
• Local authorities should explore new ways of providing more accountable, accessible,
effective, participatory, face to face means of communication with the public at village
level.
Standing Committees • Proceedings of existing standing committees should be examined – the way the minutes
are taken and the meetings are conducted (perhaps using a time and motion study) ‐ to
collect best
practices
from
committees
that
are
functioning
well,
and
to
gather
data
for
a
meeting skills needs analysis.
• Local authorities should be advised on which committees they should form, according to
the law and according to the needs of the communities they serve.
• Good examples of standing committees should be disseminated to raise awareness and
motivate local authorities, particularly Chairmen, as to their importance and potential
benefit.
• A balanced membership in standing committees should be encouraged, to include
women, non‐elected members and younger citizens.
• More
transparent
selection
criteria
should
be
introduced
for
appointing
committee
members. Councillors should be trained in how to evaluate the specialist skills needed
for standing committee members.
• Public awareness should be raised and specific groups and individuals (subject experts)
in the community motivated to become members of standing committees.
• The ways committee work is communicated to the public should be improved.
Advisory Committees • There should be further investigation into how advisory committees should be
established,
how
they
should
best
function,
and
the
most
practical
number
of
members
they should have. Some good national and international examples should be researched
to help with suggestions.
• Decisions on the best way to appoint members to the advisory committees should be
made, and whether or not this should be standardised for all committees.
• Selection of committee members respecting the principles of good governance in terms
of transparency, democracy, inclusiveness and efficiency should be ensured, including
gender and ethnic balance for proper representation of women and ethnic minorities.
The hold of the secretary or the chairman on the membership should be loosened and
membership should be made more non‐political.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 49/61
45
• Further research should be done on potential synergy between standing committees,
advisory committees and informal citizen’s committees and how the system could be
streamlined to avoid duplication or committee fatigue.
• Advisory committees should be strengthened in the Northern Province until there are
more elected councils while both standing and advisory committees should be
strengthened in
the
Eastern
Province.
Public redressal system • Citizens should have a better working knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of their
local authorities and by extension, which issues it is the local authority’s responsibility to
redress.
• Citizens should be encouraged to utilise the redressal system more. Local authorities
should actively address their grievances more. Trust should be built between people and
their local authorities.
• More
complaint
boxes,
citizen’s
charters
and
notice
boards
should
be
put
in
public
places. At the same time Citizen’s Charters should become more community oriented, in
the way they are drafted and disseminated to the public, to create greater public
demand for services.
• All local authorities should be encouraged to keep a separate complaints register/system
for street lamp complaints, which should be quicker and easier to operate than the
general complaints register.
• All complaints should be recorded, regardless of who receives them. Prepared forms
(who, when, subject of the complaint) would make it easier.
• Plaintiff’s gender should be recorded in the complaints register/system.
• Some advocacy training for women, especially Muslim women, should be conducted to
encourage more of them to get involved in the development of their community.
• Further research should be carried out on community based / civil society groups as a
bottom‐up means of strengthening channels of communication between the people and
their local authorities. As one complaint from one of these groups can represent up to
fifty people, such complaints should be given priority in the redressal system. They
establish the local authority’s responsiveness and increase its impact.
• Local authorities need to regularly analyse complaints and use the redressal system as a
monitoring/needs analysis tool and a way of improving services. Further analysis of
environmental, land and building issues should be carried out as well as more door‐to‐
door follow up with plaintiffs.
• Public awareness campaigns for the most common grievances should be designed, for
example for the 41% of complaints which are about environmental issues.
• Local authorities should use mediation skills to help sort out the 38% of neighbour‐to‐
neighbour complaints they receive – for example, land disputes. The mediation training
from the Ministry of Justice could be researched, modified and delivered to PROs and
secretaries for this purpose.
• For the successful implementation of the redressal system a proper tracking system for
complaints should be implemented that follows the complaint from receiving it,
recording it,
resolving
it
and
analysing
it
along
with
other
complaints.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 50/61
46
• An electronic database, for example in Microsoft Access, should be designed and
introduced to register and analyse complaints and produce quarterly reports.
• The redressal system should be updated and standardised to accommodate new
findings. Thereafter redressal training should be revised to incorporate changes in the
system and to include practical examples from the Sri Lankan context and experience.
• PIP‐trained local authorities should undergo consolidation training on public redressal
before the system is expanded to new local authorities. This should include follow‐up
training for PROs on how to analyse the data within the complaints, similar to the way
data has been analysed in this report – including categorising data in tables, presenting
data in diagrams, summarising findings and making recommendations. In fact, this
baseline report could be used as a local authority training resource.
• Once revised and standardised, the redressal system should be expanded to new local
authorities, for example in Eastern Province to the areas where PIP is working with
WRDS ‐ Manmunai West and Poratheevu in Batticaloa – and in Northern Province to
Jaffna and Vauniya.
• The PRO should:
- be officially and formally appointed by chairman, R/ACLG and CLG
- have a specified job description concerning public relation responsibilities and
other duties
- be involved in promoting and administrating the redressal system
- have full access to the complaints register and be informed by other officers of
any complaints they receive.
• The position and responsibilities of the PRO should be announced to the public, for
example on
the
notice
‐board,
in
the
local
newspapers
etc.
• The Chairman should clearly delegate the receiving of complaints to the PRO. Greater
transparency and effectiveness could then be encouraged in the local authority. The
referral of all complaints to the PRO should be clearly communicated to all concerned
and the chairman should actively support and implement this way of working. In cases
where the chairman would still like to be involved in receiving complaints, the PRO
should at least receive a copy of the complaint and register it.
• Two‐way communication between officers and the PRO should be improved. The PRO
should be able to ask for what action has been taken by other officers on specific cases
and other officers should be instructed to supply such information as a matter of course.
The
chairman,
mayor,
secretary,
commissioner
and
other
office
staff
who
receive complaints should support the PRO by cooperating and coordinating with him/her over
the receiving of complaints.
Other communication mechanisms • Local government staff should undergo Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT)
to develop their capacity in addressing specific public needs including analysing needs,
designing appropriate information campaigns, using appropriate communication tools
and evaluating the success of the information transfer. PIDT should provide core training
in the above and have a series of add‐on training days to help staff from local authorities
specialise in specific tools – presentation and facilitation skills for face to face meetings
and open
days,
poster
and
leaflet
design,
etc.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 51/61
47
• Greater emphasis should be put on two way, participatory, face to face communication
with the public ‐ public meetings, workshops, open days, street theatre followed by
discussion etc – in order to make channels of communication more effective and
democratic.
• Local authorities should understand that the onus lies with them to develop and
promote
outreach
mechanisms
to
connect
effectively
with
local
people.
More
‘open
days’ where local authorities build links with local people and disseminate information
about local services should be held. A Pradeshiya Sabha ‘mobile service’ could provide
the necessary outreach facilities to isolated communities.
• A further study on the efficacy of print based PR materials should be conducted,
particularly in rural areas with low literacy rates.
• Localised leaflets providing information about local authority services and procedures
(such as obtaining building permits, leasing market places etc.) should be produced,
particularly if they cover topics that hold the local authority accountable to the general
public.
• Electronic templates for leaflets could be prepared in local languages and local
authorities could be trained in modifying them to match with their particular needs. All
this should be linked to Public Information Dissemination Training (PIDT).
• Local authorities should prepare more pre‐printed application forms for people to obtain
permits and licences more efficiently.
• Local authorities should be encouraged to target not only with the general public as a
set of individuals, but also with community groups, societies, religious groups and NGOs,
in order to make their channels of communication more effective.
• The replication of local government reform units, similar to the one set up by ACLG
Jaffna,
should
be
considered
as
an
effective
mechanism
for
speeding
up
the
reform
process.
• Models of good service delivery that benefit the poor, such as the supply of drinking
water to water user groups by Jaffna Municipal Council, should be documented and
replicated.
4.6 From baseline to impact study
The findings in this report provide the baseline for the Performance Improvement Project to
measure progress and impact of local government interventions. At the end of the project,
data will be collected and compared with this baseline to prove that conflict sensitive,
participatory mechanisms such as committees and redressal systems have been established
and are being used in at least two local authorities. The following things will be measured:
• the number of local authorities that have functioning standing and advisory
committees with the right proportion women, young people and non‐elected
members and what they did to achieve this reform;
• the positive effects improved redressal and communication systems have brought
about, in terms of community needs analysis, service provision and the local
authorities’ general capacity to be responsive to the public;
• the benefits to local authorities and the public by having well trained Public
Relations Officers.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 52/61
48
5 Community development
5.1 Aims of the community development baseline study
To determine to what extent the 30 PIP supported WRDS in the Batticaloa District are able
to draw on support from local authorities and local donors for their community
development projects.
To assess WRDS needs in terms of access, advocacy and ability to communicate effectively
with development actors.
To establish a baseline position against which project impact can be measured in terms of:
Indicator at outcome level Plans and proposals from women’s/community based groups are reflected in at least 10
current, small scale socio‐economic projects. Means of verification Agreements and local development plans
5.2 Background
Between September 2004 and December 2008 the GTZ supported Food Security and Conflict
Transformation Project (FSCT) worked with 58 women’s groups using a methodology called
Participatory Learning in Action (PLA). PLA focused on the needs of vulnerable women within
conflict and tsunami affected areas, and helped them strengthen their capacity for self help
by improving their self ‐confidence as well as their incomes. Initiatives included savings and
loan schemes,
livelihood
support
for
small
businesses
such
as
mushroom
farming
and
milk
collection, and village development planning. In 2008 the 58 groups were amalgamated into
30 Women’s Rural Development Societies (WRDS) in order to give them sustainability and
legal status from within the government system. When the Performance Improvement
Project took over support of these 30 WRDS in 2009 it was decided to build their capacity to
work with a wider range of development actors at local level, primarily local authorities, but
also other donors and NGOS, and integrate these new links with their existing links to the
divisional secretariats.
In practice this will involve helping the WRDS become aware of the specific services local
government offers so that they can make informed choices about through whom to
implement their
small
scale
development
plans.
To
do
this,
the
WRDS
need
to
build
capacity
in
- understanding the roles and responsibilities of their local authorities,
- utilising existing channels of communication (representation on committees and in
community centres, registering complaints through the newly established redressal
system),
- making use of information disseminated by local authorities and front line officers,
- developing, writing and presenting small scale development plans and proposals,
- using advocacy skills to ensure their plans are incorporated in the local development
plans of the local authorities, the DS and the local donor community.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 53/61
49
5.3 Methodology
Scope of the study
A structured interview was conducted with more than 100 women in 30 WRDS from 32
villages in 7 divisions in Batticaloa district. From each village, one to two existing WRDS
members and
a member
of
the
previously
supported
GTZ
Participatory
Learning
and
Action
(PLA) group were interviewed by GTZ PIP Batticaloa field staff. In addition, the PIP Advocacy
Consultant conducted a series of extended but less structured interviews in 12 WRDS with
almost 200 women, 19 public servants and 2 councillors from the local authorities in
Batticaloa District. In total, 331 people expressed their views in this part of the study.
Date Division / District No. WRDS structured baseline interview
No. WRDS advocacy consultancy interview
No. respondents Community members Public
servants LA councillors
Jan‐
Mar
2009
Koralaipattu
North;
5 2 39
Koralaipattu
Central; 3 1 26
Koralaipattu
South; 5 2 40
Eravurpattu 6 2 82
Manmunai West; 5 2 55 3 2
Poratheevupattu 5 2 49
Koralaipattu 1 1 19
Manmunai South
Eruvilpattu
1
ACLG office and
District
Secretariat,
Batticaloa
15
Total 7 30 12 310 19 2 See Appendix 7, pp. 182‐3 for details.
Measuring instrumentsThe women respondents were interviewed in small groups. Guided questions on the
following topics were asked:
• the relationship public officers and councilors had with the community
• public access to local authorities
• awareness of roles and services of local authorities
• the public redressal system
• the relationship between the community centre, the WRDS and the community.
See Appendix 7, pp. 184‐92 for details.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 54/61
5.
Aw
WR
Sev
werwor
Insp
Dev
ove
of t
cen
The
leve
cert
80%
agethei
70%
Ho
offi
Acc
The
whe
30 t
bicy
Findin
reness of lS members
kas, Divisio
e of
their
lo
king in the
ectors or C
elopment
lapped. Giv
e Divisiona
ral line auth
all knew t
l, and the
ificates or n
of them f
cies to
the
r involveme
of them s
ever, less t
ers in their l
ess to localWRDS resp
n they need
o 60 minute
cle,
bus
or
9879
G r a m a N i l a d h a r i
D i v i s i o n a l S e c r e t a r
Pu
gs
ocal autho were more
nal Secretar
cal authorit
local autho
mmunity D
fficers’ cou
en that Wo
l Secretariat
orities than
heir Grama
ne respons
tional iden
lt the DS
ir villages
a
t in the WR
aid they ha
han 20% w
ocal authori
authoritieondents we
ed to meet
s travelling
an,
or
by
o
72
R u r a l D e v e l o p m e n t
O f f i c e r
DS office st
lic awar
rities aware of th
ies, Samurd
ies. They
w
rities. WRD
evelopment
nterparts i
en’s Rural
, it was not
the local au
Sevaka (GS)
ible for hel
ity cards.
layed a m
nd they
kne
DS’ bank ac
d at least s
re aware o
ties.
s re asked h
officers or c
o these offi
ther
means
47
1
S
a m u r d h i O f f i c e r
ff
ness of
50
e central au
i and Rural
re least
aw
members
Officers ev
the local
evelopmen
surprising t
thorities.
, the most
ing people
jor role in
w the
Rura
ounts.
een the ch
the presen
w they rea
ouncillors t
es, using th
(tractor,
lan
8
69
e r s
C h a i r m a n
LA Co
S and LA
horities acti
Developme
are of
provi
really did n
en though t
authorities
t Societies c
at they ha
prominent
obtain imp
bringing se
l Developm
airman of t
ce of secret
ched their
ere. Nearly
eir own me
d
master
et
22
O t h e r s
ncillors
officers,
ng at local l
t Officers (
ncial counci
ot know th
hese officer
and many
ome under
greater fa
overnment
ortant docu
rvices from
nt Officers
eir elected
aries or oth
S or local
60% of the
ns of trans
c.).
The
m
7 5
S e c r e t a r y
P u b l i c H e a l t h I n s p e c t o r
L
nd LA co
vel – the G
DOs), than
l public
ser
ir Public H
s were the
of their d
he manage
iliarity wit
officer at vi
ments like
the central
well becau
local auth
er public se
authority o
spent bet
ort – on foo
ans
of
tran
4
C o m m u n i t y
D e v e
l o p m e n t O f f i c e r
staff
ucillors
ama
they
ants
alth
ural
uties
ent
the
llage
birth
line
e of
rity.
rvice
fices
een
t, by
port
2
O t h e r s
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 55/61
wer
com
Batt
tho
Nor
(loc
far
the
loca
Cen
Odd
Sab
Wh
visit
to t
land
In t
offi
in t
the
Thethei
e similar for
mon means
icaloa distri
e divisions,
th (located
ted in Vavu
way from t
Pradeshiya
ted in Kira
tral the DS
amavady b
a was locat
re local aut
ed by the w
ke unusual
master etc.
rms of freq
e, with 46%
rms of freq
local author
said
the
r
r local autho
28%
1
Foot
travelling t
of transpor
ct has 12 l
three divis
in Vaharai
natheevu).
he DS office
Sabha was
but the P
ffice was lo
t for
some
ed in Vahar
horities wer
omen of the
routes, and
).
uency of vi
visiting on
uency of vis
ity office, wi
ason for
n
rities.
%
Mea
o both DS a
t due to the
cal authorit
ions had lo
); Eravurpat
In three oth
. In Porathe
located in P
radeshiya S
cated in Val
f the
villag
i.
e situated s
WRDS. In t
relied more
its to the D
regular ba
its to the lo
th only 5% v
t visiting
w
6%
9%
Bicycle
s of tran
51
nd local aut
rather long
y areas and
cal authorit
tu (located
er divisions,
evupattu th
alukamam.
bha was l
aichchenai
s (e.g.
Rithi
parately fr
ese cases,
on bus, van
S and to th
is within th
al authorit
isiting on a
as that
they
46%
Bu
sport to DS LA
hority, with
istances.
14 DS divi
ies close to
in Chenka
however, l
e DS office
In Koralaipa
cated in V
nd the Prad
thenna and
m divisiona
women usu
or other typ
local auth
month and
, 78% state
onthly bas
simply
did
55%
/Van
S and LA
bus and va
sions. In thi
the DS off
lady) and
cal authorit
was located
ttu South t
laichchenai
eshiya Sabh
Jeyanthiyaj
l secretariat
lly had furt
es of road t
rity, 92% h
66% within
that they
is and 8% wi
’t have
any
0%
1
Other
being the
s study of s
ice: Koralai
anmunai
ies were loc
in Vellavely
e DS office
. In Koralai
a was locat
) the
Prade
s, they wer
her to go, o
ansport (tra
d visited th
the quarter
ad never vi
thin the qu
reason
to
%
ost
ix of
attu
est
ated
and
was
attu
d in
hiya
less
had
ctor,
e DS
. But
sited
rter.
eet
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 56/61
Aw
Sinc
serv
cou
at s
disp
the
Whinfo
lan
(put
Pu
The
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
thr
thr
v
l
t
reness of e the Easter
ices were
cillors and
ome time, 9
layed quite
grievance re
t these
st
rmation dis
uage (the
ting the cha
lic grievanPIP support
wee
DS 5.0
LA 0.0
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
ough the
Police
30%
ough a
illage
ader
11%
hrough the
WRDS
president
3%
Probl
oles and sn Provincial
ecoming b
ice versa.
6% of resp
prominentl
dressal syst
atistics poi
emination
itizen’s Ch
rter or the c
e redressaed public re
lyevery 2‐3
weeks
24.00
0.00
Frequ
through
others
5%
m solver
rvices of lCouncil elec
etter know
owever, ev
ndents wer
in the loc
m (see belo
t to
is
th
in terms of
arters) and
omplaints b
l system dressal syst
monthlye
17.00
5.00
ncy of S and LA
s at local 52
cal authotions in Ma
as more
n though 2
e not aware
l authority
w).
e ineffectiv
long and, a
the local
x inside an
m is descri
ery 2‐3
onths
wh
nec
20.00 22
3.00 8.
RDS visit offices
through th
RDS
president
17%
level
ities 2008 it wa
people sou
% had visit
of the citiz
office. Like
eness of
t
t times, off
uthorities
office that t
ed in detail
en
ssaronly
once
.00 5.00
00 6.00
to
throug
the Gra
Sevek
34%
thought th
ght the su
d their loca
en’s charter
ise they w
e local
au
‐putting use
omewhat i
e majority
in section 4
pp. 4
analys
persp
local a
servicthe
velop
study,
dressa
analys
from
persp
should
the lo
the
Appen
not yet
8.00
78.00
h
a
at local auth
port of el
l authority o
which is us
re not awa
thorities’ p
of bureauc
nsular appr
ever visit).
, pp. 37 – 43
‐6, where
ed from
ctive of m
uthorities b
providers
ommunity
ent bas
grievance
l was
ed but this
a comm
ctive to se
be extend
al authoriti
RDS areas.
dix 7,
pp.19
DS
LA
ority
cted
ffice
ually
re of
ublic ratic
oach
and
it is
the
king
etter
. In
de‐
eline
re‐
also
time
nity
if it
d to
es in
See
‐4.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 57/61
53
Respondents were asked how grievances were resolved at local level, to see if they were
using the local authority redressal system – if one existed – or if they were using other ways
of resolving grievances. Four of the six local authorities which the WRDS respondents had
access to, had set up PIP supported grievance redressal systems – Koralaipattu, Koralaipattu
West,
Koralaipattu
North
and
Eravurpattu –
but
the
WRDS
were
not
using
them.
Instead,
about one third of respondents used the Grama Sevaka (34%), one third used the police
(30%) and one third used the president of the RDS, WRDS or other village leader (36%).
Those who used the Grama Sevaka said they did so because they felt it was the most
effective way of solving problems: the Grama Sevaka always worked at village level and was
usually available. Moreover, because the focus of WRDS activities was primarily on savings
and loans activities, WRDS members saw redress on access to local resources as the work of
the Grama Sevaka, or the traditional village headman (oor thalaivar) still functioning in some
villages. Those who used the police tended to come from recently resettled villages. Those
who sought help from the RDS or WRDS president or other village leader did so because they
were
part
of
the
same
community
based
organisation.
Those women who did know about the local authority redressal system lacked confidence or
incentive to approach local authority officials. Individuals and families did not believe that
they had an entitlement to local authority services and were thus reluctant to ask for them.
WRDS access to local services From the interviews conducted it was clear that the previous GTZ Food Security and Conflict
Transformation (FSCT) project had, through the Participatory Learning in Action (PLA)
programme, empowered a small number of women in the WRDS structure. But many WRDS
members remained fatalistic about official promises of help with a ‘We will believe it when
we see it’ attitude. Channels of communication were known to be bureaucratically
overburdened and
villagers
often
waited
hours
to
see
officials
who
were
‘unavailable’.
The
distribution of local authority services was seen to be manipulated by those elected to office
for the purposes of political patronage to consolidate continuing political control of the area.
As a result, there was a strong need to build confidence and motivation for most women if
they were to establish a working relationship with Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen, Community
Development Officers, and other relevant officers in the local government structure. It was
clear that these vulnerable communities required active accompaniment to meet such
officials and some measure of affirmation from those officials in order for the women to
adopt a more ‘Can do’ mentality.
WRDS interaction with community centres To coordinate more effectively, the PIP approach is, as much as possible, to integrate
mechanisms that are controlled separately by the central line authorities or by the local
authorities but where duplication or competition exists. To this end, the community
development baseline study was used to investigate potential for getting WRDS, linked to
the central line authorities, to utilise the redressal system and the community centres, linked
to the provincial line authorities.
Local authority run community centres are mandated to operate both as community based
organisations and actual buildings or sets of land and buildings for pre‐schools, reading
rooms, meeting halls and play parks. However, the study showed that if the community
centres were used at all by the WRDS, they were used for their facilities alone because the
community based
organisation
aspect
of
the
community
centres
was
not
in
operation.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 58/61
54
About 30% of the villages assessed in six divisions of Batticaloa District (Koralaipattu North,
Koralaipattu, Koralaipattu Central, Koralaipattu South, Eravurpattu, Manmunai West and
Poratheevupattu) made use of their community centre facilities. The centres were located in
Illupadichchenai; Thikiliveddai; Mayilanthanai; Jeyanthiyaya; Hijranagar; Rithithenna;
Vilavadduvan; Ganthinagar, Palaiyadiveddai. Karadiyanaru.
In addition,
the
set
up
at
local
level
was
not
conducive
to
establishing
stronger
links
between
the WRDS and the community centres. Rural Development Officers (RDOs) attached to the
DS office supported the WRDS while Community Development Officers (CDOs) attached to
the local authorities supported the community centres. Both RDOs and CDOs had a
responsibility to visit an allocated number of villages regularly to provide development
assistance, but in many cases they failed to meet these obligations effectively. In addition, it
was found that the RDOs did not encourage the WRDS to utilise the local authority services,
such as the community centres or the redressal system, and the CDOs did not have regular
contact with the WRDS so they could not publicise these services.
Despite the fact that 70% of the WRDS surveyed did not utilise their community centres at
village
level,
the
WRDS
respondents
expressed
interest
in
integrating
WRDS
and
community
centre activities. They felt that if they worked together, their village would benefit. They felt
the community centre buildings had a lot of potential that could be used to support the
WRDS, by providing space for preschools, reading rooms, mother and child clinics and
community meetings.
5.5 Recommendations
• Many more people should be made aware of the functions and services of local
government and the roles and responsibilities of the public servants and elected
councillors who
work
there.
• WRDS and other community groups need to be convinced there is a valid reason for
them to visit their local authority. Only then will they use their local authority in the
same way they use the DS.
• Women from vulnerable communities should have their confidence and motivation
built in order to meet public officials. This should include advocacy training to empower
them to approach their local authorities for support or services and active
accompaniment on initial visits.
• Better public
relations
should
be
set
up
between
local
authorities
and
the
communities
they serve. Local authorities need training in promoting their services and in analysing
and responding to the needs of the public. Initially, a series of meetings and open days
should be carried out at village and pradeshaya sabha level in order to establish good
working relations between the two groups.
• Local authorities should seek cooperation from all CBOs, not just the WRDS, to carry out
activities such as open days, and arrange them in collaboration with the DS office.
• Local authorities should do more outreach by using local authority sub‐offices,
providing mobile‐services, conducting open‐days, and sending officers (e.g. Community
Development
Officers,
Revenue
Supervisors,
Technical
Officers
and
Public
Relation
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 59/61
55
Officers) on bi‐weekly visits, especially in the 2 divisions of Koralaipattu South and
Koralaipattu Central.
• WRDS and community centres should be encouraged to work together since they are all
from the same village. This would provide more harmony among the villagers, and
make better
use
of
facilities
and
skills.
• Further study should be carried out as to whether the PIP supported redressal system
should be promoted in areas where women already have adequate means of grievance
redressal through their Grama Sevaka, RDS or WRDS president.
• Grama Sevekas should also receive local authority and redressal system awareness
training so that they can effectively refer people to the local authority when
appropriate, given the fact that 34% of women in the WRDS go to them for redressal.
• WRDS and other community groups could be introduced to the redressal system and
encouraged to
use
it
in
the
following
cases:
- where communities rely too heavily on the police for grievance redressal
- where local authorities and chairmen are amenable to setting up a redressal system,
for example Manmunai West PS
- where WRDS have a specific need for service improvement, for example for the
provision of safe drinking water.
• The roles of DS and local authority field officers working at village level should be
coordinated more. Where the activities and needs of the WRDS and the community
centres ‘meet’ is a good entry point for this coordination to begin – for example RDO
work with the WRDS development and CDOs with the community centre development.
Joint training
with
RDOs,
Samurdhi
Officers,
PHIs
and
CDOs
should
be
organised.
5.6 From baseline to impact study
The findings in this report provide the baseline for the Performance Improvement Project to
measure progress and impact of community development work with 30 WRDS and their
respective local authorities in Batticaloa. At the end of the project, data will be collected and
compared with this baseline to prove that
• productive working relations have been established between WRDS and local
authorities
• local
authorities
are
supporting
WRDS
proposals
for
small
scale
socio
economic
development
• women are participating more in community based organisations and citizen’s
committees and their voice in village level development is being heard
• local authorities are offering improved services that benefit community based
organisations.
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 60/61
56
8/8/2019 01 PIP Baseline Study Aug 2009
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/01-pip-baseline-study-aug-2009 61/61
6 Appendices