The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I thank Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi for moving this Motion. I feel a moral duty to speak because many Development Officers sought legal and judicial remedies from me, which I could not provide.

¶ 02 I have seen their plight; some were in tears describing their service issues. They believe they were tied to a post created in haste—recruiting graduates as DOs on impulse—without proper legal arrangements, leading to repeated court defeats. Meanwhile, their peers—siblings and friends—secured better appointments with proper service minutes and scales.

¶ 03 Many women appointed as DOs went home crying at the outset—some were not even given a chair. They are not unskilled; they are graduates, some with diplomas—young, trained, and a valuable human resource. Why are we not utilizing them properly?

¶ 04 This is a good Motion. Even if delayed, we must address it. Hon. Minister, can we not create a dedicated legal framework for them? I am ready to assist. Otherwise, it is a grave injustice to them and the country. They are assigned routine tasks and left idle without proper duties; there is no clear Service Minute, no structural career path, no meaningful promotion scheme, no proper grading—ultimately, no future.

¶ 05 In your strong Government with 159 MPs and the President, remember the unfortunate incident when teachers and DOs came to state their grievances—fortunately the President engaged them. This is a human problem; I personally know several DO families suffering. People ask me to place them on staff because “this post leads nowhere.” We all share responsibility for creating a cadre without clear duties or future. Please, within a lawful framework and with the Attorney General’s advice, create a pathway to absorb them.

¶ 06 We discussed similar legal solutions for teacher issues; I am willing to contribute. Even if we cannot give everything they ask, provide the bare minimum justice society can accept, as they have done no wrong—they qualified as graduates and obtained this job. I thank the Hon. Member for bringing this Motion.

¶ 07 Thank you.