Minister Seneviratne offers a better deal for public servants

by Ananda Kannangara

Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne was born in Ratnapura. After his primary education in Ratnapura, he entered Horana Takshila College for his secondary education. Later he received his higher studies at Aquinas College of Higher Studies Colombo. He pursued his professional studies at the Sri Lanka Law College and passed out as an Attorney-at-Law.

He completed 40 years in politics recently. Minister Seneviratne held ministerial portfolios of Labour, Health and Power and Energy.

He is the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer on his new portfolio, Minister Seneviratne thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for appointing him as the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs as it is a new Ministry for him.

He said he was happy to serve over 1.2 million public servants in the country.

“My Ministry is the core of all Government Ministries, Departments and local Government institutions and, therefore, it is my bounden duty to extend my fullest co-operation to develop these institutions and also to improve the welfare facilities of employees,”.

Minister Seneviratne said that public servants are rendering an invaluable service to the people in all parts of the country irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

Asked what was the main task of his new Ministry, he said that priority would be given to create a better administrative environment in the Northern and the Eastern districts where people suffered for nearly three decades due to terrorism.

“Now that the Government has eradicated terrorism under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa it is important for us to create a better administrative zone in these two districts, especially in the North where a large number of public servants had to face numerous hardships for years on end.

The Minister said he would appoint a committee to look into administration in the North and he himself would visit these areas to see the pressing needs of public servants and also the public.

“Priority will be given to renovate office buildings and office complexes which were badly damaged in the recent past”.

We know that some public servants in the North are having grievances and we have plans to resolve them, so that they could perform their duties in a better working environment.

Minister Seneviratne also highlighted the salary anomalies of certain public servants and said that he would summon all relevant officers and trade union officials to discuss this matter so that steps could be taken to rectify them within a certain time-frame.

He also highlighted several grievances of pensioners and said that there are 465,000 pensioners in the country.

The Government’s annual provision for pensioners exceeds Rs. 103 billion.

“When a public servant presents his or her pension papers to the Pensions Department at the right time, the pension must be paid within one month of his/her retirement. It should not be delayed under any circumstances”, the minister said.

He said he would take steps to pay pensions within one month of retirement and the Commuted Pension within a short period.

Asked whether he would take steps to fill vacancies in the public sector, he said after the recommendations of the special committee appointed by him are known he would fill all vacancies under the guidance of President Rajapaksa.

Minister Seneviratne said that there are vacancies in Government departments in the North and the East and those vacancies will be filled shortly.

The Minister said he would provide modern facilities to all Government Departments in the country with sophisticated equipment including computers and internet facilities so that, employees could perform their duties in a better atmosphere and the public who visit these departments will also benefit,” he said.