Govt. resorting to acts of political revenge - Sajith

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today (8) charged that the Government was engaging in acts of political revenge by conducting mass firings of State employees recruited under the previous Yahapalana Government. 

Making a special statement in Parliament, Mr Premadasa listed a range of State agencies where employees hundreds and in some cases, thousands of employees had allegedly been "thrown out onto the street."

He claimed that 167 employees of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and 6800 project assistants recruited by the Ministry of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs have already been thrown out of their jobs though they were recruited according to proper recruitment procedures. 

"Furthermore, 100 school health assistants,1500 labourers of the Department of Archaeology and over 2500 employees at the Housing Development Authority have been fired." 

Mr Premadasa also claimed that the promotions of over 1500 employees of the Sri Lanka Transport Board that were given through a proper scheme have all been suspended. 

The Opposition Leader also alleged that over 1100 persons who had been recruited in March, 2017 as dengue eradication field assistants for the dengue eradication programme run by the Health Ministry have been informed that their posts will be suspended after March, 2020. 

He also said State employees who are members of UNP affiliated trade unions were also being hunted and subjected to acts of political revenge. 

"We have heard that the Government intends to provide 100, 000 jobs. Are they going to do that by first firing 100, 000 people from existing ones?" he queried. 

Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena said the Government needed to check if there have been occasions where those recruited without following proper procedures have been let go. He requested two weeks to provide a detailed answer.