President’s Secretary Dr. N.S. Kumanayake has provided Ministry Secretaries with detailed instructions regarding the appointment process for consultants and staff in each Ministry.
The guidelines specify that a Minister can have a personal staff of up to 15 members, while a Deputy Minister can appoint a maximum of 12 staff members. For a Minister, the allocations include:
- Two personal assistants
- Two coordinating secretaries
- One press secretary
- One public relations officer
- Five management assistants
- Two office assistants
- Two drivers
For a Deputy Minister, the allocations are:
- Two coordinating secretaries
- Three management assistants
- One each for other roles
Additionally, the directive prohibits appointing family members or close relatives to these positions.
The guidelines also limit the number of official vehicles to two for both Ministers and Deputy Ministers. Phone expense limits are capped at Rs. 20,000 for office and residential use and Rs. 10,000 for mobile phones. The document clarifies that telephones and related equipment for support staff cannot be provided at the government’s expense.
These measures aim to ensure transparency, cost-efficiency, and accountability in ministerial appointments and expenditures.
