Public sector reforms in Sri Lanka: an empirical study

Abstract

Despite serious doubts emerging about the efficiency of New Public Management (NPM) in western countries, developing countries may still be adopting part, or all, of this model. This paper examines Sri Lanka's recent experiments with NPM in the context of overall public sector reforms. Interviews with Ministers, ex-Ministers and senior bureaucrats focussed on the level of understanding of the concept, the extent of implementation of NPM, the impact of NPM on the relationship between bureaucrats and politicians and the issues for Sri Lanka. The evidence suggests that some elements of N PM are already to be found in Sri Lanka and there is a trend towards adopting further elements of the NPM model. New initiatives to improve transparency in the public sector management are of paramount importance to the country. The reforms will demand new skills and attitudes from both bureaucrats and politicians but it is questionable whether the necessary political will exists for such reforms.

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