News

2000 government employees have gone abroad

Published

1 year ago

April 30, 2023

editor

Nearly 2,000 public sector employees have opted to obtain extended leave for a five-year period to travel overseas for employment.

The scheme was introduced last year in view of an unprecedented move to tackle the economic crisis and reduce government spending.

Public sector officers were allowed to utilise this no-pay leave to work abroad, receive vocational training, or improve their language and IT skills.

Since the introduction of this circular, a total of 1988 public sector employees have already received approval to pursue foreign employment, data issued by the Ministry of Public Administration show.

“It is worth noting that this leave period will still count as a period of service for the purposes of calculating seniority and pension. However, it is important to note that the provisions of this circular will not apply to executive grade officers who have not been confirmed in their position,” a senior Ministry official said.

He said the majority of public sector employees who had been granted leave with no pay under the special provisions had sought employment in various fields abroad. “The most popular sectors among them include teaching, healthcare, law, security, transport, IT, and construction.”

Such public sector employees would be required to remit money to a Non-Resident Foreign Currency Account (NRFC) opened in their own name, he said.

In terms of the circular, the amount required to be remitted will depend on the officer’s service category, with officers of the Primary Service Category required to remit USD 100 a month, officers of the Secondary Service Category USD 200 a month, officers of the Tertiary Service Category USD 300 a month, and officers of the Executive Service Category USD 500 a month.

It also stated that officers employed abroad under this circular could remit the above amount or 25% of their salary, whichever was higher. A concessionary period of two months from the date of departure will be given for remittance, and it must be made from the third month onwards.

A recent Right to Information (RTI) request made by the Sunday Times revealed that as of March 03, 2023 only 534 government sector employees had registered through the survey portal of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) under the special circular allowing public officers to take leave without pay.

There were about 1.5 million public sector workers in Sri Lanka, according to the Department of Statistics.

There have been concerns about the low efficiency of most of these public sector institutions, which has led to calls for reform and restructuring of these organisations. This could include measures to improve the skills and training of public sector employees, as well as efforts to reduce bureaucracy and streamline processes, experts have suggested.

The World Bank and other policy analysis organisations have conducted various studies on the country’s public sector efficiency and effectiveness over the years. These studies have highlighted issues such as low capacity, lack of accountability, and bureaucratic inefficiencies that have hindered the productivity and performance of the public sector.

(Sunday Times)

News

China Pledges Full Support for Sri Lanka’s Debt Restructuring

Published

8 hours ago

May 4, 2024

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State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe has met with the Chinese Vice Minister of Finance Liao Min.

This meeting was held on the sidelines of the ADB annual meeting in Georgia.

Minister Semasinghe said on X ”at this discussion China assured its fullest support and cooperation to conclude the debt restructuring process in Sri Lanka.”

Furthermore, he said that China reaffirmed steadfast support to Sri Lanka on all fronts.(news first.lk)

News

Sri Lanka slips down Press Freedom Index

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Reporters Without Borders released the 2024 World Press Freedom Index on Friday (03).

According to RFS, Sri Lanka has slipped to the 150th position in the index, from 135th position last year.

Click here to read the RSF Sri Lanka Fact File

News

Companies should be ashamed of not giving workers a raise – Vadivel Suresh

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Mr. Vadivel Suresh, General Secretary of the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union, emphasized that both the Government and the Plantation Employers’ Association bear the responsibility of providing wage increases to plantation workers. These workers, who play a pivotal role in sustaining the esteemed reputation of ‘Ceylon Tea’, contribute significantly to the national economy of Sri Lanka.

MP Vadivel Suresh, made this statement during his participation in today’s (03) news conference at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC), under the theme ‘Collective path to a Stable Country’.

The Member of Parliament noted that plantation companies, benefiting significantly from the fluctuating dollar value, ought to feel ashamed for not providing their workers with a salary raise. He emphasized that the salary increase outlined in the gazette notice issued by the Labour Commissioner General for plantation workers should be implemented.

MP Vadivel Suresh further commented:

“We express gratitude to the President and the government for raising the salary of plantation workers to LKR. 1700. However, the Plantation Employers’ Association is contesting this decision.

The estate companies that profited greatly from the dollar’s value should be ashamed of themselves for not giving their workers a raise. Expressing opposition to the decision to increase wages for their workers, who contribute significantly to strengthening the national economy by upholding the reputation of Ceylon Tea, is regrettable. The decision to raise estate workers’ wages was not made hastily; rather, it followed extensive negotiations over the course of a year involving the Department of Labour, trade unions, and relevant stakeholders.

Employers’ unions persistently refrained from engaging in wage-fixing negotiations. Similarly, they remained silent when a salary increase of LKR 1000 was requested. However, the Labour Commissioner General, utilizing his authority, lawfully issued a gazette notice for a salary hike of LKR 1700. It is unjust for estate companies to procrastinate without providing relief to the workforce amidst fluctuations in the dollar’s value.

Both the government and the plantation Employers’ Association bear responsibility in this matter. Consequently, companies cannot contravene government decisions. Estate companies claim they are in dialogue with the high-level committee for the ultimate verdict. However, all 22 estate companies are owned by five individuals. These owners are involved not only in tea plantations but also in sectors such as tourism, small-scale manufacturing, agriculture, and gems. Additionally, plantation workers and trade unions must unite in support of this wage increase.

(President’s Media Division)

Gazette issued to up estate workers’ daily wage

Unable to increase daily wage – Plantation owners