Minister to redress APSE grievances

Dulshani Gunawardena

Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the country's administrative service was focusing on recruiting more graduates from the science stream.

Speaking at the 36th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Public Service Engineers(APSE) yesterday, Dr. Amunugama stated that it was an illusion to think of developing Sri Lanka without placing emphasis on science and technology.

The APSE Annual General Meeting dwelt on the issues raised due to the disparity between APSE and Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) professionals in granting promotions and salary increments.

APSE Secretary, H.M.U. Seneviratne said that though revisions had been passed in 2006 regarding salary and promotion scales, they have not been amended. However the SLAS revisions have been amended, leading SLAS officers to be promoted to a higher grade with less years of service. This has created a defect in the Provincial Council structure, leading to senior APSE officers to work under junior SLAS officers.

Seneviratne said the low salaries, poor work conditions and lack of promotion opportunities have led to the great brain drain affecting the country today, with more engineers migrating or seeking jobs in the private sector.

President of APSE, Engineer Wimalasena Gamage questioned whether the great investment the Government put into the education of engineering students resulted in providing service to foreign powers. He stated that the Government should encourage engineers to develop their potential.

Dr. Amunugama assured that measures were being taken in revising the APSE promotion scale. He implored all professional unions to unite, as there is an unhealthy trend in public sector professionals to believe that their safety would only be assured if another profession was suppressed.

He further added that he was focusing on bringing regulations to make local engineers place a pivotal role in foreign funded projects, commending the current Moragahawewa project. An award ceremony, commending senior APSE members was also held.