Security Forces’ pay hike soon - Chief Whip

Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Chief Government Whip and Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardane yesterday told Parliament that salaries and other payments of security service personnel will be increased very soon.

This Government is grateful to the service personnel who fought valiantly risking life and limb to end the 30 year long terrorist war and it would never forget the dedicated service rendered by them, he said.

Answering a question raised by JVP MP Premasiri Manage on the issue of paying compensation to Security Forces’ personnel, the Minister said that there were a total of 7,951 personnel entitled for compensation since 2000.

There were 7,362 from the Army, 505 from the Navy and 84 from the Air Force.

He said that upto now only 5,300 service personnel had been paid compensation. There were certain legal procedures causing the delay in payment of compensation, the Minister said.

In the case of delays the Attorney General’s Department had been consulted and once the recommendations are made the balance payments would be made, he said.