The Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I wish to respond to this very timely Motion by Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi.

¶ 02 From 1994 to 2022, successive governments recruited unemployed graduates into the public service as a solution to graduate unemployment across disciplines. Those among the allied service recruits from 1994–2010 who opted for absorption into the Development Officer Service were integrated with effect from 01 August 2011. The DO Service has Classes III, II and I; qualified officers can be promoted sequentially to Classes II and I. These recruitments were not based on approved vacancies at the time, and consequently the approved cadre has been exceeded.

¶ 03 Because these recruitments were not vacancy-based, many graduates lost opportunities to become specialists and professionals in other sectors—contributing to current distortions. Therefore, our Government has decided that future graduate recruitment will be strictly vacancy-based to avoid this outcome.

¶ 04 Presently, DOs and allied officers have limited pathways into island services such as Sri Lanka Administrative Service, Sri Lanka Planning Service, and Sri Lanka Accountants’ Service; a significant number have already entered. At departmental level, DOs with subject expertise have limited access to board-level and executive posts; recruitment processes for such vacancies are underway with Cabinet approval.

¶ 05 DOs who opted into the service can be promoted to Class I upon satisfying qualifications under the DO Service Minute; promotions to Class I are being effected. For those who did not opt in, promotion schemes have been framed under PSC Circular 01/2012, enabling advancement.

¶ 06 Where DOs have entered other posts, they receive pay above MN-04. Pay decisions are made by the Wages (Salary) Commission within the statutory framework, according to the nature of duties. As stated in the Motion, the Government is acting to address these issues, notably via the Wages Commission and the Pensions Commission established by the President in the last Budget. We see scope for these bodies to take measures to resolve the current concerns of these officers.

¶ 07 In conclusion, drawing focused attention to these long-outstanding issues, the Ministry and the Government will intervene to resolve the problems faced for decades by these officers.

¶ 08 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member.