Authors : Athambawa Sarjoon, Mohammad Agus Yusoff and Mohammad Azziyadi Ismail
Abstract: One of the key arguments expressed by many theorists and advocates of decentralization is that it allows for more channels to increase the outreach of public services. Greater institutional capacity and an enhanced mode of language for service delivery in a decentralized administrative model is believed to dramatically improve service delivery in plural societies. Many developing countries have thus initiated decentralization initiatives. This study examined service delivery limitations and impact of establishing a decentralized administrative district in the coastal belt of Amparai district, commonly known as the “Kalmunai region” of Sri Lanka’s Eastern province. Qualitative data in this case study revealed that the residents of the region, the majority of whom are Tamil-speakers have long faced a number of problems and challenges accessing the public services offered by the district’s secretariat and other decentralized government departments located in Amparai town. Those challenges were found to be mainly related to the location of the district’s capital and the use of Sinhala rather than Tamil as the official language of the district administration. The situation was found to have resulted in a public demand for a separate administrative district for Kalmunai region. Overall, this study provided evidence to suggest that the establishment of the proposed administrative district would significantly facilitate the delivery of public services to the Tamil-speaking community in the Kalmunai region through properly and efficiently administered the district-level decentralized institutions.
Athambawa Sarjoon, Mohammad Agus Yusoff and Mohammad Azziyadi Ismail, 2017. Public Service Delivery: Impact of Establishing an Administrative District in the Kalmunai Region, Sri Lanka. International Business Management, 11: 929-940.