By: Isuru Parakrama
Colombo (LNW): The government is considering the closing down, or suspension of operations at certain project offices and project management units of large-scale development projects, announced Cabinet Spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardena today (07).
The move comes in following the observations made at the Cabinet meeting held yesterday (06), and as a solution to address the recession befallen the island nation.
According to the Cabinet Spokesman, these offices are operating with specialists and consultants recruited for high salaries, hence a burden being created against the efforts to overcome the economic crisis.
Accordingly, a committee headed by ex ministry secretary H.G. Kamal Padmasiri was appointed to examine the necessity of such offices, and thereby a recommendation to close down 55 offices and to suspend the operations of 32 offices was forwarded.
Meanwhile, 46 offices will continue to operate under a specified organisation, Gunawardena added.
Nonetheless, a final decision has not yet been taken in this regard due to the concerns raised by the ministers in light of continuing their operations, and therefore, the President has instructed the ministers to hold discussions with the Finance Ministry to identify which offices can be closed down and which can be operated without being suspended.
