January 13, Colombo (LNW): Transport, Highways, and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana announced yesterday that due to the challenging economic situation in the country and in adherence to the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), there will be no recruitment in the public service for the next three years. The Minister clarified that provisions for new recruitments and salary payments for additional personnel are not feasible under the current agreement.
However, Minister Gunawardhana stated that Cabinet approval has been granted for the recruitment of a specific group of drivers and conductors, with a focus on ensuring mandatory accessibility to public transport. He made these remarks during a ceremony where appointments were presented to a group of new drivers and conductors at the Ministry.
Additionally, the Minister highlighted the Cabinet’s approval for the reinstatement of a selected group of employees who had lost their jobs at the Board for various reasons, including failure to report to work.
Addressing budget constraints, Minister Gunawardhana mentioned the need for Rs 20 billion to provide season tickets to schoolchildren nationwide but stated that only Rs 10 billion had been allocated. He expressed intentions to make a special request to Parliament to secure the remaining funds.
Minister Gunawardhana also outlined ongoing efforts to address issues within the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), emphasizing the appointment of a politically unaffiliated engineer with extensive experience as the Chairman. He stressed the commitment to combating theft, fraud, corruption, and malpractice within the Board, warning of job loss for those found guilty of financial fraud.
To tackle financial irregularities, the Minister revealed the establishment of an investigation unit under the leadership of a former Deputy Inspector General of the Police Special Task Force. Additionally, plans were disclosed to introduce a digital payment method, including a QR method for issuing tickets, within the next two months to curb the daily loss of nearly Rs 10 million from the income of all SLTB depots due to financial irregularities.
