Early retirement for public servants

paves way for unemployed graduates:

People are of the view that implementation of a premature retirement scheme for Government servants is essential to solve the graduates’ unemployment problem as well as to reduce the staff in departments, ministries and local government institutions.

When the Sunday Observer sought the views of Government servants on this issue, Senior Assistant Secretary, J.M. Karunadasa welcomed the media for making Public servants aware of this matter and for seeking their opinion before such a scheme is implemented.

“On one hand, the public sector loses experienced officers and on the other the Government will have more vacancies to provide employment for graduates,” he said. He said the Government should take a decision on such a scheme as there are public servants who are eagerly waiting to leave their jobs.

An executive with 25 years experience in a State institution, Nimal D. Gamage said such a scheme would bring about a major collapse in the public sector due to the retirement of experienced officers.

Gamage recalled that over 30,000 public servants voluntarily retired in 1990 when such a scheme was introduced by circular No 44/90.

“It severely affected the whole public service due to the departure of well experienced officers”.

Departmental worker, R.M. Somapala was of the opinion that such a premature retirement scheme would help young public servants to retire.

“Then, they can either go abroad or engage in their own business activities with the commuted pension they receive”.

An executive, Government sector, Mohan Wijeratna said although such a premature retirement scheme would help many young public servants to retire, there will be a collapse in the public service due to the departure of experienced persons.

“But, on the other hand more unemployed graduates could be provided with jobs.”

An executive, Public Sector, C. Weerasuriya said: “If such a scheme is implemented there will be employees who would want to retire, however, I wish the Government will take its own decision in this regard”.

He further said such a scheme would also benefit a large number of unemployed youth to secure jobs. An executive in the Department of Small Industries, Nirmala Amarasinghe welcomed an early retirement scheme for Government servants and urged the authorities to expedite the scheme as early as possible.

“I was in the Public Administration Ministry several years ago and according to statistics all the departments, ministries and local Government institutions in the country are overstaffed”.

She therefore, urged the Government to implement such a retirement scheme and provide jobs to unemployed graduates.

Dr. Daham Jayakodi of the Health Department said the Government’s objective is to reduce the number of employees of State sector institutions by implementing such a scheme.

“Although introducing such a scheme is good, it will not help to solve the unemployment problem in the country, as the majority of employees who retire from the Government service prematurely would seek employment in other places”.

An employee, Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Kumari Kariyakarawana said that at present there are over 1.2 million employees in the Government sector and if such a scheme is implemented it will help to reduce the staff to a certain extent.

She said by implementing such a scheme, the Government cannot provide jobs to all unemployed graduates in the country. “Therefore, I call upon the authorities to make monthly payments to unemployed graduates until they find jobs”.

Chartered Accountant in a mercantile establishment, Chitrangani Weerasekara urged the Government to reduce the staff in all public sector institutions, considering that it was the main reason for the high cost of living in the country.

“As we are aware all public sector institutions are over staffed due to backdoor appointments made by politicians, I suggest the Government to implement a premature retirement scheme without further delay.” “Although, I am drawing a monthly pension of 12, 654 at present, I feel sorry when thinking about my premature retirement in 1990 since my friends who worked with me and still in the service are drawing higher salaries”.