Public servants should be more polite and receptive - Minister

Nihal Jayawardena, Kandy North Correspondent

KANDY: President Mahinda Rajapaksa in appointing Dr. Sarath Amunugama as Minister of Public Administration wanted him to make the Ministry more viable and receptive to the needs of the public, said Public Administration Minister, Dr. Sarath Amunugama. The Minister was addressing the Kandy District Divisional Secretaries at a workshop at Kandy Kachcheri recently.

The event was organised by Kandy Divisional Secretary Gothabaya Jayaratne on the initiative of the Public Administration Ministry. Minister, Dr. Sarath Amunugama was the chief guest.

The Minister said, his new task is a challenge itself which he voluntarily accepted to give effect to the President's vision of providing a much better service to the people.

"I hope to meet all District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries at regular intervals so as to discuss their outstanding problems and streamline the administration. A commenced my task by upgrading the status of all public servants," the Minister said.

He said the housing programme for public servants started in Galle would be implemented in Kandy as well. Disproportionate to the size of the population, Sri Lanka is supposed to be having the highest number of public servants, the Minister said.

He said, the public service has to be more energetic or lively. Criticising levelled against it in the print or electronic media are being discussed at the weekly cabinet meetings.

He pledged that new quarters would be constructed for the divisional secretaries in the fourteen districts and added that a special unit would be setup to deal with the errant public servants including higher-ups who have made it a habit to attend office lately.

The Minister said he would initiate action to ease the burden cast on the Divisional Secretaries and introduce a new scheme to facilitate the pension payments.

He however said for the benefit of the pensioners a new lottery would be established whilst the scope for housing loans to public officers would be further expanded.

The members recounted when he was the Government Agent, it was the prevailing practice for them to seek the Prime Minister's approval in case they need to leave their respective districts. Whilst cautioning the public servants to be more polite and receptive to the public wherever they call over to transact their business he pointed out that 99% of complaints received by him refer to incidents of impoliteness and indifference.

Several officials including District Secretary Kandy, Registrar-General or Director General/Establishments spoke.

Central Provincial Councillor, Dilum Amunugama participated.