Since the establishment of provincial councils 30 years ago, all governments, with the support of government heads, including the architect of the system, have attempted to take back devolved powers which had been constitutionally ensured, back to the central government, Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal De Silva said.
“During the past three decades, they were in the practice of getting back a number of political, legislative and administrative powers by the right hand that they had offered by their left hand,” he said.
He was speaking as chief guest at the opening of the Dhakshina International Book Fair at the Galle Town Hall, on Wednesday.
The book fair, organised by the Southern Development Authority for the second consecutive year, was inaugurated following a function held under the patronage of the chief minister. Indian Consul General in Hambantota, Prem K. Nair also took part in the event as a special invitee.
The book fair was held under the theme ‘Book Springtime of the South’ with the objective of crafting a generation which has made knowledge its wealth, and will continue till Sunday (29).
Through various legislative amendments made to the Constitution by way of Acts of Parliament, the central government has infringed the constitutional empowerment that the Parliamentary system of government introduced to the provinces, the chief minister said.
The contemporary Gamperaliya project launched islandwide through district secretariats focusing on village development is the latest such manoeuvre which interferes with the scope of provincial council powers. Under the Gamaperaliya project, many economic activities that come under the purview of the provincial council are handled by the Centre, making fiscal devolution a centralised rather than a provincial responsibility, he said.
Since the inception of the provincial councils, the Centre held a dominant position over the peripheral system of government in making financial allocations to the councils. On many occasions, we suffered greatly due to the delays in getting our financial allocations from the Centre. When we get the funds at the end of the year, many of our planned economic programmes are hampered. The Centre’s control over marginalised provincial finances is one of the main factors that have constrained the performance of economic activities, the chief minister said.
However, despite such obstacles, we have been able to deliver our services to the people of the province to the best of our ability. We have launched many creative initiatives for the progress of the province and the people, he added.
“The Dhakshina International Book Fair is one such constructive project we launched. I think that the Southern Provincial council is the only such provincial authority that launched an international book fair, after the one held in Colombo,” he said.