President urged not to extend retiring Dep. Governors
View(s):A Central Bank union has urged President Maithripala Sirisena not to provide extensions to two retiring deputy governors and immediately appoint a senior official who has been picked to replace one.
The bank’s Executive Officers Union, representing over 500 senior staff including deputy governors, in a May 3 letter called for a policy where all officers are retired, without an extension, when reaching 60 years.
As reported in the Sunday Times last week, the dispute arose over alleged attempts to extend the services of Deputy Governor S. Lankatillake who retired on April 30 and Senior Deputy Governor P. Samarasiri who is due to retire on August 18. Both are said to be close to former Governor Arjuna Mahendran. The bank’s Monetary Board on April 4, in view of Mr. Lankatillake’s impending retirement, interviewed six senior officers (all assistant governors) to pick a new deputy governor. Soon after that, the MB sent their selection to the Finance Minister for approval. The ministry is yet to respond.
Meanwhile in an internal circular, it was announced that nine departments managed by Mr. Lankatillake will be handled temporarily by Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy until the vacant position is filled.