The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, during this debate on two Ministries that strongly affect the public, I will focus on a few matters impacting the Police Department, which serves the people closely.

¶ 02 Sri Lanka Police has a proud, 158-year history under 36 IGPs; currently an Acting IGP leads. It has been under an Acting IGP for a long stretch recently. There are about 83,000 active officers, with around 20,000 vacancies. Officers want clarity on salary increases—how, when, and by how much by rank. The Hon. Deputy Minister gave some clarity, but officers still say they do not know the details. They wish to know the precise increments per rank.

¶ 03 You also promised to stop deploying officers from their stations to special duties elsewhere—carrying bags from place to place. While it has reduced, officers from other divisions are still mobilized for special duties in the Parliamentary complex.

¶ 04 There are about 20,000 vacancies. When will recruitment be done? Background checks must be robust—historically, four generations were checked; today, there are concerning kinship links between some officers and criminals. Protect the reputation of the Police by scrutinizing recruits carefully.

¶ 05 Government servants usually work 8 hours; police often do 12, sometimes more. After a 12-hour shift, senior officers sometimes assign more duties—warrants, cattle operations, snap roadblocks, special ops—leading to job dissatisfaction and even ill health. Please address this.

¶ 06 Recent killings often show a police officer somewhere in the chain; this seriously affects public trust in a 158-year-old institution. Protect its reputation with strict attention.

¶ 07 Earlier talk of petty bribes among a few officers has now turned into involvement in serious crimes and contract killings by some. Often they plan to leave service for business and dabble in crime. This is dangerous; improve job satisfaction and eliminate such trends.

¶ 08 Beyond the 83,000 active officers, many retired police, with families, rely on police hospitals. Currently, Narahenpita, Jaffna, and Kandy hospitals serve them. Consider expanding hospital facilities—e.g., in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Galle, Matara—where many police live, to help active and retired officers and families.

¶ 09 On promotions, lower ranks face different processes than higher ranks. As an example, when Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon passed out as an ASP, another person passed out as a Constable the same day. The higher officer rose ASP > SP > SSP > DIG > SDIG > Acting IGP, but the Constable has only advanced to various sergeant grades. There is an imbalance; create pathways for talented lower ranks to rise.

¶ 10 Prison officers receive a risk allowance; police, facing grave risks in arrests and court production, should also receive a risk allowance.

¶ 11 When officers travel long distances to Police Headquarters to get pensions or other matters processed, they must go from section to section—Welfare, then to other units. Create a one-roof service at Headquarters to complete all processes.

¶ 12 Earlier there was a departmental competitive exam every five years for promotions; it lapsed. It was recently announced again but not held yet. Please conduct it so junior officers can progress on merit.

¶ 13 I also noted the Deputy Minister emphasized past eras’ wrongs; I expected him to also mention 1988/1989 atrocities—monks like Ven. Suddhathissa Thera of Kotikawatta, Vijaya Kumaratunga, and many innocent villagers who suffered. But I will not dwell on that.

¶ 14 On graduates sitting for interviews: currently, serving lower-rank police cannot appear for certain interviews, while external graduates can. That is unjust to serving officers; please address it.

¶ 15 Lastly, the Parliament Police: they provide security from morning till night. About five years ago, officers here were attached to MSD; they still serve as such, but only some receive the one-third MSD allowance. Those who served five years here attached to MSD still do not receive it. I raised this even under the last Government; I raise it again under the JVP–NPP Government. Please rectify this injustice.

¶ 16 Thank you for the opportunity. Do not view these matters through a political lens. Many police trusted you in the election, expecting a better environment and mindset. Today, people say things are even tougher than before. Thank you, Hon. Chairman.