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President’s, ministers’ staff to be made permanent
View(s):Two separate cabinet papers have been submitted seeking approval to give permanency to the services of the staff attached to ministers, non cabinet ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers and the President’s personal staff.
The cabinet papers were submitted by President Maithripala Sirisena and Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena.
The President said that in accordance with the Constitution, the services of his personal staff would come to an end when the new president assumes duties. He said this was due to the term of the President being reduced from six to five years in view of the 19th Amendment.
Therefore, he said he was seeking approval to recruit them to the permanent staff, making the services pensionable.
Home Affairs Minister Abeywardena has sought approval to make permanent the services of the staff of all ministers.
Each of the ministers including the Deputies has a staff of about 10 members.
The staff includes five management assistants and five persons, including media secretaries.