October 06, Colombo (LNW): The head of Sri Lanka’s postal service has voiced deep concern over ongoing irregularities and systemic inefficiencies within the department, pointing to a culture of misconduct that has undermined both public trust and operational standards.
Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara made the remarks during a World Post Day gathering held at the Haputale Post Office, where he addressed both employees and the public.
Speaking candidly, he acknowledged that his tenure has been marred by persistent internal challenges, many of which stem from fraudulent practices and administrative negligence.
Among the most alarming revelations was the misuse of overtime claims, which, according to Sathkumara, has cost the department millions of rupees.
“Overtime has been recorded and paid out without proper biometric verification,” he stated, referring to the fingerprint-based attendance system intended to ensure transparency. In many cases, records were manipulated or not maintained at all, enabling employees to secure payments without fulfilling the corresponding work hours.
He also highlighted abuse in relation to vehicle maintenance operations, where staff reportedly exaggerated the number of personnel involved and overstated the hours spent on routine servicing.
In addition to financial mismanagement, Sathkumara drew attention to unacceptable delays in the core function of mail delivery. He cited a recent incident in which a letter posted from Pilimathalawa to the Ministry of Higher Education in Colombo inexplicably took close to a month to arrive.
