‘Govt servants’ dedication, key to new Sri Lanka’
Danushka Godakumbura
The hope of building a new Sri Lanka can only be realised if all
public servants dedicate themselves to serve the public, Secretary to
the President Lalith Weeratunga said.
“Whatever the rank or position, the most important document for the
public servant to confirm their road map is the Mahinda Chintana Idiri
Dekma,” the Secretary said.
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Commencing the first working day for 2012, all public
servants took an oath to provide an efficient and productive
public service. A special ceremony was held at the
Presidential Secretariat led by secretary to the President
Lalith Weeratunga. Picture by Sudath Silva |
He reminded that “we must always keep in mind that we are not the
masters but merely servants of the public”.
The Secretary to the President expressed these views addressing a
ceremony for officially commencing work in the public service in the New
Year under the theme ‘Building the Miracle of Asia’.
The ceremony which began with the hoisting of the national flag and
the singing of the national anthem, was followed by the oath of the
public servants led by the Secretary to the President.
“This New Year has arrived two and a half years after terrorism was
defeated. There is a lot of work to be done. A new Sri Lanka can only be
built if all public servants are dedicated. The onus of protecting law
and peace, providing solutions to difficulties faced by the public fall
on the public servants,” Weeratunga said. “I believe the 1.2 million
public servants can accomplish this task for the 20 million people of
the country,” he said.” President Mahinda Rajapaksa took his oath to
serve his second term in this very complex.
“That oath encompassed the hope of being able to witness a free and
prosperous country where all citizens live with happiness. It can be
seen clearly throughout ‘Mahinda Chintana Idiri Dekma’. Realizing that
vision is the responsibility of the entire public service,” he said. Mr.
Weeratunga said: “It is hoped that anything that could not be completed
in 2011 or in any prior year will be more comprehensively achieved this
year. It is our duty to provide solutions to the problems faced by the
public.
“The President made an important statement while he was the Prime
Minister. He said, “the public service we expect is the service which
wipes the tears off a person who comes to us asking for our help.’
People come to us not because they don’t have anything else to do. They
come to us to find solutions to their problems. The first quality of a
public servant should be courtesy. Funding for all our salaries and
allowances come from the public. Therefore, the public must be treated
as our masters and not our servants.
“Year 2012 is a leap year. There are 366 days in this year. One
hundred and four of those days are either a Saturday or a Sunday.
Another 17 days are holidays. Therefore, we only have 245 days a year to
work . We must complete the work given to us during this period to the
fullest.”
“All ministry Secretaries, Heads of departments, corporation and
Constitutional Council Heads must ensure that their institutions operate
as exceptional organizations. Only then can the public service that the
President expect, can be delivered,” he said. |
