Sri Lanka has never lacked rules. Ministries, departments, and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are full of circulars, guidelines, and policy documents. Every procedure is carefully written, steps are closely monitored, and compliance is checked. On paper, everything appears perfect.
For citizens, the reality is far from perfect; long queues at public offices, half-finished projects, and resources spent with little visible impact are all too common. This gap between rules and reality shows a system that excels on paperwork but often falls short on results.
The challenge is clear: governance must move beyond forms and procedures to deliver tangible, meaningful outcomes for people.
When complaints arise, the response is often that “the procedure was followed”. But that provides little comfort if the promised service never arrives. A rural road may remain a muddy track, a school building may lie half-finished, or a hospital ward will open without sufficient staff or equipment. In Colombo, repeated drainage projects have failed to prevent flooding.
Digital government portals, launched with much publicity, are often slow, confusing, or rarely used. Too often, success is measured by reports filed or meetings held, rather than whether people’s lives genuinely improve. Real progress should be judged by better roads, safer schools, reliable healthcare, and services that truly work for citizens.
Governance gains purpose when outcomes matter. Citizens judge performance by real-life impact: a mother getting her child treated without hours of waiting, a small business paying taxes efficiently, or a farmer accessing online services from a remote village.
Performance-based governance transforms rules from rigid obligations into tools for delivering solutions. When citizens see their time, money, and trust respected, faith in institutions grows. Success becomes measured not by procedures followed but by shorter waits, simplified processes, and services delivered directly to communities, schools, hospitals, and workplaces.
Impact of tangible improvements
Sri Lanka can learn from global models of results-driven governance. Singapore has harnessed Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics to enhance efficiency, streamline workflows, and spur innovation in public service. Rwanda’s Imihigo system ties officials to measurable targets, reducing malaria, expanding access to clean water, or improving school enrolment, with results evaluated publicly.
New Zealand links portions of its budget to outcomes such as reducing unemployment and improving literacy, demonstrating that resources should follow impact, not mere compliance. By adapting these proven approaches to local realities, Sri Lanka can transform the government from a distant bureaucracy into a service that citizens trust and experience daily.
Imagine a mother whose child receives timely care at a hospital, a student mastering literacy and digital skills, or a taxpayer confident in a fair system. Picture SOEs becoming efficient, customer-focused, and profitable, and local councils delivering cleaner streets, timely waste collection, and responsive civic services. This is the government Sri Lanka can build, one judged by real-life impact, not paperwork or procedures.
Focusing on outcomes across healthcare, education, taxation, SOEs, and local government creates a public sector where citizens see, feel, and trust that every effort works for them. Tangible improvements grow trust and make progress visible in communities, schools, clinics, and offices.
A matter of will
Some critics claim performance-based governance does not suit Sri Lanka’s culture. But culture is not fixed; it evolves when incentives, recognition, and resources are tied to real outcomes.
When officials understand that promotions, funding, and public trust depend on results, routines shift, innovation thrives, and a results-driven mindset emerges. Measuring outcomes may seem challenging, but technology now makes it far more feasible: dashboards can track service delivery in real time, online platforms can gather citizen feedback, and audits can independently verify progress.
The greatest hurdle is not technical, it is a matter of will. Success requires leadership ready to prioritise impact over procedure, reward tangible improvements over paperwork, and make decisions that truly benefit citizens. Overcoming this challenge is essential for building a public sector that delivers visible, meaningful results and earns trust.
Performance-based governance is about more than efficiency; it is about making government accountable, visible, and responsive to citizens’ real needs. People often see rules followed, taxes collected, and reports filed, but rarely feel the benefits in their daily lives. By tying public servants’ responsibilities to measurable outcomes, government shifts focus from completing paperwork to delivering tangible impact.
Transparent monitoring, citizen feedback mechanisms, and clear performance targets ensure that success is visible and verifiable. Schools are measured not only by buildings but by improvements in literacy, digital skills, and student well-being. Hospitals are judged by timely care and patient satisfaction, local markets by income growth and community engagement, and public transport by reliability and commuter experience.
This approach encourages innovation and efficiency among officials while empowering citizens to demand accountability. When people see their voices matter and feedback influences decisions, trust grows.
Governance becomes a living system, one that actively responds to citizen needs, demonstrates its value, and ensures that every policy, programme, or project makes a real difference in daily life.
By linking measurable outcomes to tangible benefits, performance-based governance transforms public service from a distant bureaucracy into a system that citizens can see, feel, and rely on, strengthening both institutions and public confidence in the process.
The test of governance
The path forward requires a comprehensive approach. Leaders should introduce performance contracts for ministries and SOEs, tying promotions, funding, and recognition to measurable outcomes.
Civil servants must view results-based evaluation as recognition, not punishment, and media coverage should focus on achievements, not just compliance. Citizens should be empowered to hold the government accountable through dashboards, report cards, and open data platforms.
By shifting the focus from procedure to performance, from rules to results, the government can build a culture where services are delivered efficiently, equitably, and transparently.
There are also opportunities for innovation. Public services can harness mobile technology to reach remote populations with healthcare updates, digital tax assistance, or education support. Community-based monitoring can allow citizens to evaluate the quality of local projects in real time.
Data analytics can predict where interventions are most needed, allowing scarce resources to have maximum impact. Even small innovations, when tied to measurable outcomes, can rebuild citizen trust and improve daily life.
Sri Lanka has the people, the tools, and the knowledge. What is needed is political will, managerial accountability, and citizen engagement. When the government focuses on results that touch lives, such as cleaner streets, faster healthcare, and digital access for rural communities, trust is earned and meaningful change follows.
The ultimate measure of public service is not in regulations passed, forms processed, or meetings held. It is in the tangible improvements people can see, feel, and rely upon every day: safe roads, effective schools, responsive hospitals, thriving local markets, and efficient public institutions. That is the test of governance that truly works.
(The writer is an independent researcher)
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the official position of this publication)