Govt. to review public sector staffing

Wednesday, 1 January 2025 00:22 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Government has decided to review and restructure the staffing of commissions, ministries, departments, statutory bodies and provincial councils.

The decision taken at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Monday is an initiative led by a Committee chaired by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, and aims to optimise public sector services by aligning staffing levels with the exigencies of service delivery, whilst also allowing for essential recruitments where necessary.

Addressing concerns about potential conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce public sector capacity, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa clarified that such conditions are open to negotiation.

“As long as we can establish a clear mechanism to ensure optimal output, there is room to negotiate these terms,” he stated at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

He underscored the Government’s commitment to balancing fiscal discipline with the need to maintain effective service delivery.

“It is an effort to streamline public sector operations while addressing external obligations, ensuring that reforms are both sustainable and aligned with national priorities,” he added.

The new decision comes amid the Senior Presidential Advisor Duminda Hulangamuwa last month stating that the country would have to downsize its public sector workforce from its current 1.3 million employee base to 750,000 employees.

“We will need to reduce the 1.3 million employees to at least 750,000 and pay the remaining staff competitive salaries for efficiency. We will also need to begin digitising these services and make sure the taxpayers’ funds are used effectively,” Hulangamuwa added.