The Prime Minister made these comments today (14.03.2024) while attending the opening of the “Nila Piyasa” housing complex built in Mahara - Kelaniya.
The Prime Minister further commented as follows –
“An efficient and productive public service should be established for the proper maintenance of a state. It is crucial to recruit the officers with suitable qualifications to the public service as well as attaching them after being trained properly and providing them not only with salaries and allowances but also facilities to get a continuous motivated service.
This programme of providing facilities to government officials was initially implemented in distant areas. A large amount of money is spent when private lands are taken over to construct quarters for public servants because only limited land space is available in urban areas. Therefore, our intention is to use state lands as much as possible. We should provide a greater service to the people than before.
Initiation of these projects in various districts expects to provide residential facilities required for the public service. Further thirty one houses are handed over to you today to carry out your service to the public more conveniently.
We are taking necessary steps to implement the proposals, by taking into consideration the various practical demands presented by the executive officers and representatives of the public administration during recent discussions. The executive officers and the regime faced the economic difficulties of the past period with mutual understanding and responsibility. It was through that that the good health of the people could be preserved. We are rising once again after facing a major economic debacle at this time. That trust was created through the support of everyone in the public service.
The concept of increasing productivity through collective efforts could be witnessed so far in the private sector. The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to join a new effort with the World Labour Organization to bring this concept to the public sector. Therefore, I hope that in the public service, it will be possible to win their rights and facilities, and reach the future development that they expect, with new ideas and by solving the problems in the various departments of the public service.
A gathering including State Ministers Ashoka Priyantha, Sisira Jayakodi, Prasanna Ranaweera, Parliamentarians Sahan Pradeep Withana, Yadamini Gunawardena, and Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Pradeep Yasaratne participated in this event.
Prime Minister’s Media