New building for Matara District Secretariat

A. W. Gunawardhane, Matara central corr.

MATARA: A greater number of vacancies that existed in the state service has been filled by now, and 43,000 graduates have been provided jobs.

The maximum salary now being paid to a State employee is Rs. 11,000 per mensum. When all that is considered it is clear that the Government is a worker-friendly one.

Government servants in return should dedicate themselves to discharge their duties to the very best of their abilities, said the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs. Dr. Sarath Amunugama at the opening of the new secretariat building at Fort, Matara.

He further said urgent relief measures provided by the officers of the Matara District Secretariat and allied services won praise from everyone.

He also praised them for the hard work put in especially during the time the tsunami struck and encouraged them to keep up the good work.

The Minister said that they plan to hold the next annual conference of District Secretaries at Matara.

Almost all development activities are carried out through Divisional Secretaries.

The issue of permits to tap kithul for purposes of obtaining treacle and cutting Jak trees need not be personally attended to by the Divisional Secretaries. If the existing difficulties are removed the general public will take a greater interest in planting jak saplings, he said.