SLPA resolves longstanding employee salary anomaly

Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena hands over a copy of the Ministry of Finance approval resolving the salary anomalies of about 9,500 SLPA employees to PWACIS President Sanjaya Kumara Weligama, on behalf of all SLPA trade unions. Ministry of Ports and Shipping Secretary U.D.C. Jayalal, Additional Secretary (Administration & Finance) H.M.L.S. Herath, SLPA Chairman Capt. Nihal Keppetipola and Managing Director Upul Jayatissa are also present. 

The salary anomaly that had affected nearly 9,500 employees of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) for many years has been resolved. 

This was stated by Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena participating in a special function held at the Sri Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Chaitya premises last week.

The SLPA Human Resources Division Director (Human Resources Development) Nalin Aponso made the technical background required to review and resolve this discrepancy.  

Expressing views at the occasion, Minister Abeygunawardena said that he highly appreciated the commitment made by all the employees, especially the Management, for a continuous port service, at a time the country was facing health restrictions for more than 20 months due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Although the salary anomalies of port employees have been an ongoing problem, we have taken the necessary steps to resolve those issues without passing them on to another Minister and it is a pleasure to announce this achievement today," he said. 

He also thanked Ministry of the Ports and Shipping Secretary U. D. C. Jayalal and Additional Secretary (Administration & Finance) H. M. L. S. Herath, SLPA Chairman Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Vice Chairman Dr. Prasantha Jayamanna, Managing Director Upul Jayatissa, Additional Managing Director (Technical) Susantha Abeysiriwardena, Director (Finance) Shirani Wanniarachchi for their commitment and Director (Human Resources Development) Nalin Aponso for making  the technical background required to review and resolve this issue, the Progressive Workers Association for Commercial Industry and Services (PWACIS) and all trade unions of SLPA who represented the committee to resolve the matter.  

The Minister further said that the elimination of this salary anomaly through two stages was a reason for the employees to be satisfied. At a time when port development, which had been stalled for many years, was being revived, he said that he expected the support of officials as well as employees to make the emerging port development programs a reality with projects such as the West Container Terminal and the East Container Terminal development of Colombo port.

"I would never hesitate to make the right decision, no matter what the opposing ideologies to development, and as a result of such accurate decision making, the Port of Colombo has been able to create the most conducive environments even for the world's largest container vessel to call at the port," he added. 

Jayalal, Herath, Capt. Keppetipola, Dr. Jayamanna, Jayatissa, Abeysiriwardena, Wanniarachchi, Aponso, Director (Technical) Saman Devapriya, P.A.R.D. Pathiraja, a number of Directors, executive staff members, employees and trade union representatives also joined the occasion.