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Thursday, 21 November 2019 01:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
As the country shoulders a new vision through fresh leadership, the Treasury must work towards restoring its lost dignity, said Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle while formally assuming duties yesterday.
He called for cooperation between all stakeholders, including when addressing State security, economic development and welfare programmes, to take the country forward.
“A clear mandate has given the country new visionary leadership. Steps will be taken to move the country forward with the inclusion of State security, economic development and welfare,” he added.
Arguing that the economic statistics presented were not reflected in the living standard of the general public, Attygalle asserted that it was therefore the prime duty of the Treasury to ensure an equitable and dignified existence for the country’s people.
“While we are pleased that the per capita income is statistically high, this is not seen at the grassroots level and officials must be committed to transforming the living standards of the general public,” he added.
He stated that proper coordination between all departments of the ministry was critical.
“The Treasury Operations Department should be able to simultaneously disclose the funds allocated to the National Budget Department. Such correlation enables the Treasury to make easy decisions. The role of the Planning Department is also important here,” he pointed out.
Attygalle stressed that he would stand by every decision made by officials at the Treasury.
“The Ministry of Finance is a prestigious organisation, but when we had to give evidence to the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Bribery Commission that prestige was lost and officials were in the habit of delegating responsibility to others. The Ministry of Finance is not a playground. The continuation of this situation will hinder the country’s progress and therefore officials need to be given the authority to make the right decisions at the right time. I will stand by every decision you make,” he stressed.
“We all must try to save the country from where it fell to and I believe that this is possible. The President›s concept should include all sectors of the country for security, economic development and welfare,” he emphasised.
Senior Deputy Secretary to the Treasury A.R. Deshapriya, Deputy Secretaries A.M.P.M.B. Atapattu and A.K. Seneviratne and Department Director Generals were also present at the occasion. In addition, Acting IGP C.D. Wickremaratne was also present.
Attygalle, who is from the Central Bank, had earlier served as a Deputy Secretary to the Treasury for more than 10 years and also as the Treasury Secretary and Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs for a short period.
Attygalle holds a Master’s Degree (M.Sc.) in Quantitative Development Economics from the University of Warwick, UK and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Degree in Physical Science from the University of Colombo.
He has also served as the Director General of the Department of Fiscal Policy and Department of Public Enterprises of the Ministry of Finance and Planning and has contributed substantially to the Government›s fiscal consolidation endeavours.
Attygalle has previously served as a Director and Acting Chairman of National Savings Bank, a Director to the Board of the Regional Development Bank and represented the Treasury as a Member on several Boards at key Government institutions such as the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
At the time of his appointment to his new post, he was serving as the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, senior officials of the Treasury and Heads of Departments operating under the purview of the Ministry of the Finance were also present at the occasion.
