The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Hon. Presiding Member, in this debate on the allocations of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, a ministry that touches people’s lives from birth registration to death certification—and upholds justice, fairness, administration and inter-ethnic unity—I thank the Minister, State Minister, Secretary and officials, who have especially served with dedication in the North and East even during the war.

¶ 02 To foster harmony, I proposed at the Ministry’s advisory committee that appointments at Divisional Secretariats in the East reflect local demographics—for example, where Sinhalese are majority and Muslims second-largest, appoint one community as Divisional Secretary and the other as Assistant Divisional Secretary to build unity. In my Athauliyachenai area, if the DS is Muslim, appoint a Sinhala ADS for Deegavapi/Thiriyakeani GN areas, in line with population shares.

¶ 03 On pensions: Circular No. 15/2015, dated 01.07.2025 and signed by Secretary S. Aloka Bandara, states that arrears as at 01.01.2018, 01.01.2019 and 01.01.2020 will be adjusted per the 2025 Budget. However, officers who retired between 01.01.2020 and 31.12.2024 find no mention of them, causing the largest-ever pension anomaly. About 154,000—including former military commanders—retired in 2020–2024 are protesting across districts. The 2025 Budget proposes only to bridge pre‑2020 gaps, excluding 2020–2024; please address this.

¶ 04 On Efficiency Bar (EB) exams: All central and provincial officers get six chances to pass EB; Public Service Commission Circulars 01/2023 and 01/2023(1) add three more chances for those appointed before 30.06.2024, totaling nine. But there is no relief for those who retire before using all nine. Please amend PSC Circulars 01/2023 and 01/2023(1) to grant exemptions/relief so retirees are not penalized.

¶ 05 On Provincial Council elections: the Minister stated a select committee will make arrangements. A prior select committee’s report on the electoral system had signatures from Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dinesh Gunawardena, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Douglas Devananda, M.U.M. Ali Sabry, Madura Vithanage, and Sagara Kariyawasam. Those who did not sign include then-Opposition Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Rauff Hakeem, Kabir Hashim, R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Mano Ganesan, M.A. Sumanthiran, Wimal Weerawansa, and Basil Rajapaksa. Notably, the current President did not sign and opposed that system then. Nevertheless, please now proceed and hold PC elections.

¶ 06 On inter-ethnic local disputes: for three decades in conflict-affected areas there have been land and boundary disputes and DS overlaps. We consistently tell our Tamil and Sinhala brothers that we will resolve these through dialogue without inflaming ethnic tensions for electoral gain. For example, in Ampara, after 15 years, we resolved the Navalladiwatte land issue between displaced Muslims and Tamils by sharing land amicably under the District Secretary’s leadership. Let us do similarly elsewhere, and not stoke ethnic fires for elections.

¶ 07 Local authorities in the East struggle to pay even salaries. Many cannot prepare budgets because all revenue goes to salaries; next year they must meet 40% of salary increases. Some have no revenue at all, and officers refuse transfers fearing unpaid salaries. Please establish a mechanism or subvention so councils can pay staff and function.

¶ 08 Thank you.