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Playing musical chairs with public servants

22 Dec 2021

  • Analysing the impacts of the constant flux in public officials’ positions
BY Sumudu Chamara  Amidst economic and health crises, Sri Lanka is getting ready to welcome a new year. The people are expecting answers to a myriad of questions, and even though there seems to be little hope, the Government urges the people to remain hopeful as it is striving to find solutions. However, it is not only the health sector and the economy that are struggling to stay afloat. Countless other sectors, such as the education and private sectors, are also struggling. Even though the public sector is often viewed as a sector that does not get affected due to economic decline, mostly due to the receipt of funding regardless of the losses it suffers, in 2021, there has seemed to be a huge decline in this sector as far as its stability is concerned.  These concerns mainly stem from the significant number of resignations and removals of high-ranking public sector officials, which begat many discussions about the relationship between the public sector employees and the Government, and also the conditions under which they work. Some of these officials who tendered their resignation or were removed had been vested with massive responsibilities pertaining to some of the pressing matters in the country such as agriculture, consumer affairs and rights, and Covid-19 management. What is more concerning is the fact that some of those who resigned cited their expert opinion not being given due importance, while some cited undue pressure or interference from, or lack of consensus with, the higher authorities including the political authorities, as the reason for their decision. There were also instances where certain topmost officials’ unwillingness to agree to government policies was said to be the reason for their removal. However, despite rumours, some have stated that their resignations were based on service-related requirements, not external influence. Resignations, removals, transfers Even though a large number of this spate of resignations, removals, and transfers took place this year, in fact, it started last year. In May 2020, Health Ministry Secretary Bhadranie Jayawardhana was replaced with Maj. Gen. Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, which foreign media reported as another military appointment. Then came Dr. Anil Jasinghe’s transfer from the post of Director General of Health Services (DGHS) to the post of Environment Ministry Secretary in August 2020, which was questioned by many due to his expertise in the health sector and the way he co-ordinated the Covid-19 management efforts. In November 2020, then Health Ministry Spokesman Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara was removed from the post.  The Agriculture Ministry and various institutions coming under the Ministry saw a number of resignations and removals this year. In February and June, Maj. Gen. Sumedha Perera and Rohana Pushpakumara, who held the post of Ministry Secretary, resigned. In September, Paddy Marketing Board Chairman Dr. Jatal Mannapperuma resigned. In October, it was reported that Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had instructed to remove Prof. Buddhi Marambe from all posts the latter held in the Ministry, including from the post of the Chairman of the Policy Planning Committee of the Ministry, for allegedly criticising government policies.      In March, Government Information Department Director General Nalaka Kaluwewa resigned from his post. In the same month, Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and Covid-19 Disease Control State Ministry Secretary Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva was transferred to the post of Backward Rural Areas Development and Promotion of Domestic Animal Husbandry and Minor Economic Crop Cultivation State Ministry Secretary.  Moreover, his year saw several changes at the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). In March, the NMRA’s honorary Board Members Dr. Kapila Ranasinghe, Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, M.K. Harshana Karunaratne, and Chamindika Herath were removed from their posts, while NMRA Chairman Prof. Asita de Silva resigned and was replaced with Dr. R. Wijewantha. In April, NMRA Board Member Dr. Lakkumar Fernando was also removed.  In April, National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) Chairman Renuka Perera resigned. The reason, according to some media reports, was influence and pressure from the higher authorities.  In May, Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) Chairman Nushad Perera resigned from his post, in a context where the SLSI had come under fire after it was reported that a carcinogen called aflatoxins had been found in imported coconut oil. In June, Tea Small Holdings Development Authority Chairman Mahinda Vidanapathirana resigned.  In the same month, Health Ministry Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera was transferred to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU), and further, Dr. Jayasundara Bandara of the Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project resigned.  Moreover, during the past few months, Senior Consultant Physician attached to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama and Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. Asoka Gunaratne also resigned from the Health Ministry’s Covid-19 Technical Committee. What is more, this year, two members of the NMRA’s independent vaccine advisory committee – namely, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine Prof. Neelika Malavige and Prof. A. Pathmeswaran attached to the Colombo North (Ragama) Medical Faculty – also resigned. In September, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Emeritus Prof. W.D. Lakshman resigned from his post. In the same month, Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Executive Director Thushan Gunawardena and National Zoological Gardens DG Ishini Wickremesinghe resigned. October saw a change in two topmost positions in the pharmaceutical sector. State Pharmaceuticals Corporation Chairman Dr. Prasanna Gunasena and its Managing Director Lalith Jayakody resigned. National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Chairman Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana also resigned in October.  The latest of the string of resignations was reported from the Board of Investment (BOI). Its entire Director Board including Chairman Sanjaya Mohottala and also BOI Director General Pasan Wanigasekara resigned. It had been reported that among the reasons for their resignations was the inability to work with the current management. There are also rumours about members of the Government exerting pressure on President’s Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera to resign from his post over allegations that his conduct has not been satisfactory, and that he has also caused certain failures on the part of the Government.  Impact on public sector  This situation, according to trade unions, can have a significant impact on the quality of the country’s public sector, and it can even affect the people.  Expressing his views in this connection, Sri Lanka Government Officers’ Trade Union Alliance (SLGOTUA) Secretary Gamini Hettiarachchi said that an experienced official not being able to serve in their field of expertise could be detrimental to the country, because their knowledge and experience are extremely important to the country, especially in the future. He told The Morning: “As a country, these developments are a huge loss to the country. For example, changing officials that were tasked with controlling the Covid-19 pandemic during the Covid-19 pandemic affected the country. The same way, top officials of various public institutions being removed could pose a dangerous situation to the future of the country. We certainly do not agree with these developments.” He further noted that experts leaving or being removed from various public institutions can affect the quality of the public service, especially if those who have expertise, experience, and intelligence are not appointed to those positions. Meanwhile, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) trade unionist Wasantha Samarasinghe told The Morning that the Government has prioritised the wellbeing of certain selected individuals, instead of the quality of the public sector. “This is all because the Government lied to the people to come to power, and it is now getting its work done. The Government does not allow public officials, especially those in high positions, to do their work. Instead of the duties they are entrusted with, they have had to do what the Government and ministers want. This is the situation behind these incidents (resignations and removals). At the same time, the Government came to power promising to appoint educated and intelligent people and experts to these positions. However, instead, the Government is now releasing people who have been sentenced to jail and is giving them chairman positions. In fact, those who have supported the Government are the ones who are receiving good positions.” He opined that the process of appointing officials to top positions, ranging from honorary positions at universities to top positions at corporations and Ministry Secretary posts, has lost its quality, and has been politicised.  “As a result, those who held top positions that did not like this situation resigned. Behind all these is the Government’s failure. The Government is now oppressing the people. Public officials are resigning because they do not want to be a part of it. What this (resignations and removals) shows is that the Government does not have a vision or a plan to control this situation,” Samarasinghe alleged.  He also said that the resignation of medical experts from Covid-19-related task forces is concerning.  Speaking on how experts leaving or being removed from top positions can affect the quality of the public sector, he pointed out that those officials being replaced by people who do not have the necessary qualifications, based on personal relationships, has affected the public service and also the diplomatic services. Samarasinghe added: “Military personnel have been appointed to certain administrative positions violating the standards of the administrative service. Giving retired military personnel certain responsibilities is one thing. But, to be a part of this service, one must work with the people at the grassroots level first. We do not have that quality now, and that is why the people dislike the Government.” Public sector recruitments in 2022  While the year 2021 saw massive changes in top positions, the Government recently announced that it had taken a policy decision to refrain from making new recruitments for the public sector, claiming that public sector expenditure has reached an unbearable level.  Addressing the media following the tabling of the 2022 Budget, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the public sector has become a burden to the country, and that even though several measures have been taken for the benefit of public sector employees, the sector cannot be expanded. He also stated that new recruitments will be made only to fill the vacancies created by those retiring.  With regard to the Government’s decision, Hettiarachchi said: “When we look at the present economic situation in Sri Lanka and in the world, we can clearly see that there is a financial crisis in the country. In this context, we would not express displeasure with regard to not making new recruitments. However, if any existing positions become vacant, they should be filled.” He added that the SLGOTUA does not agree with the Government’s decision to increase the age of retirement to 65 years. He explained his stance, noting: “Every person has a capacity in which they can work. Being mature in the profession is important; however, allowing a person who cannot perform well in his/her position to be in the public sector would be fruitless. In my opinion, the best age for retirement is 55 years, and if we really need to, I think we can increase it to 60 years. However, we have to give the new generation opportunities.” Speaking of the same, Samarasighe questioned the Government’s plan to provide jobs for those who try to enter the workforce every year. “If the Government is not recruiting more people to the public sector, the Government must tell the people how it plans to ensure that the youth have jobs. Every year, 340,000 people complete the age of 18 years, and out of them, only 60,000 youth get higher education opportunities in the public and private sectors and abroad. Around 280,000 join the workforce. What is the Government’s plan to give them jobs? If they are not recruited to the public sector, they should get jobs in the private sector, or in the industrial or service sectors. Or, they should be given vocational training and foreign employment opportunities.” He added that if the Government has decided not to recruit more employees for the public sector without a proper plan as a solution to one crisis, it is likely to create another unemployment crisis.  “These policy decisions have not been taken due to concerns about the country; they are taken owing to the Government’s inadequacies,” Samarasinghe claimed. In a context where the prices and charges of almost every service have increased, and are increasing, the public sector is perhaps the only sector from which the general public can get services for free or at a reduced cost, especially with regard to health and education. However, when top public sector officials decide to leave, or get removed, due to reasons other than the quality of their service, it can considerably affect the quality of the service, and leave service-seeking people helpless.  At the same time, in a context where the Government is spending a massive amount of public funds to maintain the public sector, retaining and getting the service of experts should be a priority.


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