The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity. Supporting the Adjournment Motion moved by Hon. Nizam Kariapper, I wish to say the matter he raised is very timely.

¶ 02 We know there is a significant shortage of officers in essential services across various fields. Especially in the medical sector, every hospital is short of doctors, and many doctors are preparing to migrate. For example, this year alone about 1,900 doctors are set to leave for Australia after passing its exams. Replacing them will take many years. Therefore, some hospitals are bringing retired doctors—particularly specialists—back into service. As Hon. Kariapper said, they do not need pensions while on contract; they can be engaged on a contract or temporary basis as required by the Government.

¶ 03 By Gazette Extraordinary No. 2263/5, the compulsory retirement age was previously extended to 65 for all public officers. Another crucial point: the Attorney-General’s Department has about 29,000 files pending, severely affecting the administration of justice. Many officers are leaving for foreign jobs due to these issues, which creates further crises. Therefore, it is essential to retain prosecuting officers and, if necessary, recruit retired officers on contract, just as we have done with specialist doctors.

¶ 04 Regarding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are about 10 Consulate General offices and over 50 embassies and missions. There are many capable officers who joined around 1993 still in the Foreign Service. However, despite commitments not to appoint politically connected individuals, we see many political appointments to the Foreign Service. This undermines experienced career diplomats and creates major problems.

¶ 05 The President has said we need billions in foreign investment. Our exports, especially to the USA, are significant—about USD 2.8 billion to the best of my recollection; USD 2.769 billion in 2023—followed by India (USD 852 million) and the UK (USD 849 million). Therefore, sending experienced ambassadors to the USA, India, the UK, Italy and similar key destinations is essential.

¶ 06 Supporting Hon. Kariapper’s Motion, I ask the Minister of Public Administration to take a decision. While bringing in young blood through competitive exams is valuable, we must also retain experienced officers. We need a balance. I request that Circular No. 19/2022 be reconsidered, and that Circular No. 02/2022 be re-implemented to resolve these issues.

¶ 07 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member.