Delivering people-centric development main goal for New Year: President

• Calls on public sector to work with optimism, determination and commitment to implement policies 
• SL only country to pay salaries and pensions to over 2 m public workers despite COVID-19: President’s Secy.

People-centric development and preserving Sri Lanka’s national identity will be the core focus for 2021, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said yesterday, while commencing duties for the New Year and calling on the public sector to work with perseverance to achieve the goals set out by the Government.  

Commencing duties in the New Year, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met the ministers, members of Parliament and his staff at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a statement. 

Mingling at the gathering, President Rajapaksa said it was necessary to work with optimism, determination and commitment to achieve the aspirations of the people while being conscious about the challenges ahead.

Extending his warm wishes to the Ministers, MPs and his staff, the President engaged in cordial discussion with them. Secretary to the President Dr. P. B. Jayasundera administered the oath by his staff, marking the commencement of official duties by public servants in the year 2021.

Delivering...

“The entire public service should be sincerely committed to an efficient and effective public service as per the ‘Saubhagyaye Dekma’ policy framework,” the Secretary to the President stated.

“The country is moving towards professional leadership. The President hopes for a public service that would fulfil the aspirations of the people under the ‘new normal’ situation that has evolved following the COVID-19 epidemic,” he had added. 

Despite severe financial difficulties, Sri Lanka is the only government in the world that had paid salaries and allowances to over 1.5 million public servants and over 600,000 retirees on time without any deductions, the Secretary had pointed out. “The Government led by President Rajapaksa is committed to protecting public servants.” 

The Secretary to the President emphasised it was the responsibility of all public servants to commit themselves to render the best of their service to the country.

Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga , Director General (Administration) Retired Major General K.B. Egodawele, Private Secretary to the President Sugeeshwara Bandara and officials of the Presidential Secretariat were also present.