Mr. Amila Bandara, General Secretary of the State Provincial Public Management Service Officers Association, has issued a warning that they will launch protests if authorities attempt to make appointments that violate the service constitution of Management Service Officers. He expressed these concerns during the association’s 69th annual convention, which took place at DS Senanayake College in Ampara.
The situation highlights a significant number of vacancies in the management service, with 5,000 positions vacant within the central government and an additional 2,000 vacancies at the provincial council level. Despite the examination being gazetted since 2020, the Management Service Officer open competitive examination has not been conducted for three years. The delay has left the management service officers frustrated, and they claim that requests for conducting the open competitive examination have been rejected.
This has led to concerns that some authorities are proposing hiring individuals who don’t meet the necessary qualifications, potentially undermining the service’s quality. The officers have submitted requests to multiple authorities in writing, urging them not to make inappropriate hires. Additionally, they have sought salary increases and anticipate a positive response in the interest of all public employees.
Mr. NM Wijeratne, the chief president of the association, emphasized the challenging economic situation faced by government employees. He noted disparities in pay among parallel grades and delays in the payment of retirement gratuity for about a year, resulting in the loss of accrued interest. The officers also expressed their concerns regarding the implementation of commission recommendations and called for the welfare of public employees.
Additionally, the convention honored exceptional individuals like Javed Munawwar, Nandani Wijesinghe, Mohammad Navusad, Upul Withanage, Ashoka Peiris, CPR Menike, and Sunitha Hewapathirana for their remarkable contributions to the public management service.
