PM says will clear officers facing legal action for unintentional mistakes

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today (Nov 25) said the government will introduce laws to clear public officers facing legal action for committing unintentional mistakes.

"Over the last few years, public officers were produced before the Fraud Bureau or Bribery Commission. Therefore, they were hesitant to undertake responsibilities," Rajapaksa said after assuming office as Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, Policy Development.

He pointed out that some officers are facing legal action as a result of making wrong decisions, despite conducting themselves in the best interests of the country's national policy.

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister called upon state sector employees to collective extend their support to uplift the country’s economy, which he said had collapsed under the United National Front (UNF) government.

The former President claimed that the country had shown a 6.8 percent economic growth during his decade long rule while reducing the amount of liable debt before he had been unseated in 2015.

“During the last four years, the debt value had increased by Rs 1.7 billion due to the depreciation of the rupee,” Rajapaksa observed.

He pointed out that complicated tax policies were introduced by the UNF government causing the cost of living rates to soar.

This, he said, had taken place against the backdrop of a scam running into millions through the issuance of Central Bank Treasury bonds in 2015.

“Fortunately, the people have made the right choice,” the new Finance Minister said referring to his brother Gotabaya’s victory at the presidential election. “Let us make the country an employment hub again."