The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara

¶ 01 Yes, some are in the pool.

¶ 02 Mr. Chairman, I recall how OICs were appointed earlier: the IGP and two Senior DIGs conducted interviews and appointed competent, untainted officers. We hear 160 more OICs will be appointed on political grounds. Is this not politicisation? Please allow the service to function independently, not as you wish.

¶ 03 Also, the Police are short by 20,000 officers. Will the Government recruit them? The Budget says 30,000 will be recruited to the public service under Public Administration, but Police are short by 20,000. What steps are being taken? Under our Government, we raised the basic salary of the lowest rank from Rs. 14,280 to Rs. 29,540—an increase of 107 percent. Officers work not 8 hours but often 24 hours. We also gave, beyond the cost of living allowance, a special 40 percent allowance from constable to IGP. In this Budget you have cut that 40 percent to 22 percent—a cut of 18 percent, as stated in your Budget document. This reduces the special allowance of every police officer by 18 percent. The force, including STF, should be around 100,000 but only about 70,000 are working. Because they work more, we gave a special allowance, now cut by 18 percent. The lowest officer earlier got about Rs. 11,816 from that allowance; now Rs. 5,317 is cut. You say salaries increased by Rs. 5,950—but Rs. 5,000 of that was by Ranil Wickremesinghe; only Rs. 950 is new. Meanwhile allowances are cut, reducing take-home by Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000 depending on rank. Is this how you treat those who uphold law and order and fight the underworld?

¶ 04 Parliamentary staff previously got a special one-third allowance; now your Government has reduced it to one-fourth.