In Sri Lanka

STRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT (SDGAP) IN SRI LANKA QUARTERLY REPORT JULY 1, 2018- SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 CONTRACT: AID-OAA-1-12-00003 ORDER: AID-383-TO-16-00002 StrengtheningOctober 30, 2018 Democratic Governance and Accountability P roject (SDGAP) in Sri Lanka This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by DAI. USAID SDGAP QUARTERLY REPORT Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project (SDGAP) in Sri Lanka QUARTERLY REPORT JULY 1, 2018- SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 Program Title: Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project (SDGAP) in Sri Lanka Sponsoring USAID Office: USAID/Sri Lanka & Maldives Contract Number: AID-OAA-I-12-00003 Contractor: DAI Date of Publication: September 30, 2018 Authors: DAI Staff TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................. 5 PROGRAM OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................... 7 PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ................................................................. 8 PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING CONTRACT DELIVERABLES ............................................. 10 SUMMARY OF PROGRESS ................................................................................................... 11 TASK 1: STRENGTHENING PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS ........................... 11 SDGAP’S PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (PFM) REFORM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ........................................................................................................................... 14 TASK 2: IMPROVING STRATEGIC PLANNING AND COMMUNICATION, POLICY REFORM AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES ............................................................. 17 TASK 3: INCREASING POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND UNDER REPRESENTED GROUPS IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE......................................... 22 GRANTS ................................................................................................................................... 26 CHALLENGES AND REMEDIAL ACTIONS ....................................................................... 29 ACTIVITY MONITORING, EVALUATION and LEARNING PLAN (AMELP) ................ 29 CLA ........................................................................................................................................... 32 FINANCE AND OPERATIONS ............................................................................................. 33 PLANS FOR QUARTER 1, YEAR 3 ....................................................................................... 37 ANNEX 1 – RESULTS SUMMARY ........................................................................................ 39 SDGAP PERFORMANCE MONITORING INDICATORS, YEAR 2, QUARTER 4, JULY- SEPTEMBER 2018 .................................................................................................................... 39 SDGAP Results Framework Indicators (19) .......................................................................... 39 ANNEX 2 – PROJECT ORGANIZATIONAL CHART ........................................................... 51 ANNEX 3 – SUCCESS STORY .............................................................................................. 52 ACRONYMS ADB Asian Development Bank AESF Asian Electoral Stakeholders’ Forum AGDSL Auditor General’s Department of Sri Lanka AFRIEL Association of Friendship and Love AWAW Association of War Affected Women CLA Collaborating, Learning, Adapting CIABOC Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption COPA Committee on Public Accounts COPE Committee on Public Enterprises COPF Committee on Public Finance CPA Center for Policy Alternatives DPMM Department of Project Management and Monitoring GOPAC Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption GRB Gender Responsive Budgeting ICT Information and Communications Technology IPDET International Program for Development Evaluation Training IRBMS Integrated Results Based Management Systems IQC Indefinite Quantity Contract JO Joint Opposition JSAC Jaffna Social Action Center MELP Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan MMDA Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act MNPEA Ministry of National Planning and Economic Affairs MOIC Ministry of Industry and Commerce MOPA Ministry of Public Administration and Management MOWCA Ministry of Women and Child Affairs MPRMM Ministry of Parliamentary Reform and Mass Media MSDW Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife MWRAF Muslim Women’s Research Action Forum NAO National Audit Office NAP National Action Plan NAPCC National Action Plan for Combatting Corruption NBD National Budget Department NEP National Evaluation Policy NMO New Member Orientation NPC National Police Commission NPC National Procurement Commission OGP Open Government Partnership PAFFREL People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections PBO Parliamentary Budget Office PFC Public Finance Committee PFM Public Finance Management PSC Public Service Commission PPP Public Private Partnerships RTI Right to Information RTIC Right to Information Commission SCORE Social Cohesion and Reconciliation SDG Sustainable Development Goals SDGAP Strengthening Democratic Governance and Accountability Project SG Secretary General SLFP Sri Lanka Freedom Party SLIDA Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administrators SLILG Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance SLPFE Sri Lanka Parliamentarians Forum for Evaluation SLPI Sri Lanka Press Institute SO Standing Orders SOC Sectoral Oversight Committee SOCLAM Sectoral Oversight Committee on Legal Affairs and Media SOCWG Sectoral Oversight Committee on Women and Gender TAMIS Technical and Administrative Management Information System TBD To Be Determined TISL Transparency International Sri Lanka TNA Tamil National Alliance UN United Nations PROGRAM OVERVIEW Good governance is a continuous challenge for post-conflict states such as Sri Lanka and yet a fundamental pillar of strengthening democratic reform. The current coalition government’s already shaky alliance further threatens this state of affairs owing to internal fissures, a loss of public support and halting progress in its overall promises to move the democratic governance agenda forward. The local government elections held in February demonstrated a lack of confidence in the current ruling coalition. Since the election, the government has struggled to improve its public perception as exemplified in the results of SDGAP’s perception survey. The Provincial Council elections now face an extended delay, owing to the rejection of the delimitation report by Parliament in late August. The reasons cited for its rejection are multi-fold; ranging from objections raised by critics regarding the use of the new electoral systems, its lack of clarity, failure to represent minority communities, to shortcomings in the demarcations of the wards and the delay in the passing of the new constitution which would have given the provincial councils more meaningful power to govern themselves. A delimitation review committee has since been appointed by the Speaker and chaired by the Prime Minister, under whose responsibility this process now lies. Based on this current timeline, reports indicate that if and when the President gazettes the delimitation report in late October or early November, the Elections Commission could then possibly hold Provincial Council elections in either late January or early February 2019. The Prime Minister has made assurances that steps would be taken to avoid any loop holes that might delay the polls further. In addition, this fragile governing alliance coupled with a lack of confidence in the current coalition seems to be only increasing due to events such as the suspension of members of Parliament owing to their violation of the code of conduct of Parliamentarians, the reshuffling of Ministers owing to several members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) having defected to the Joint Opposition, and the request for a change of the Opposition leader, among others. The Speaker however, announced that there will be no change and that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA leader, R. Sampanthan would remain the leader of the opposition on the grounds that doing so would violate Parliament’s standing orders. The joint opposition (JO), however, has raised concerns over the decision and insisted that it be reconsidered as it feels the ruling was unfair and that the current leader cannot function in his capacity, given the lack of his impartiality as he and his party, the TNA support the Prime Minister. On the other hand progress, while slow, has been made in other areas. One being through the passing of the National Audit Bill, a key pledge of good governance by the coalition government but which was supposed to have been adopted within the first 100 days of having come into power. The National Audit Commission, one of the independent commissions in the 19th amendment will be established under this bill. Sri Lanka, as a nation is also making progress in terms of combatting and preventing corruption. The Special High Court set up to try cases related to special offences, including corruption was operationalized this quarter. Approximately 100 state attorneys are to be recruited to fast track the USAID SDGAP QUARTERLY REPORT process through this special court. More recently, civil society members of what is better known as the March 12th movement including

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