No Public Sector Employee Layoffs Despite Crisis

COLOMBO (News 1st); State Minister for Home Affairs, Ashoka Priyantha, emphasized that despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and severe economic crisis, maintaining stable public services without any employee layoffs or salary cuts is a significant achievement. 

He credited President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s guidance for being instrumental in achieving this stability.

Addressing the press briefing titled “Two Years of Progress and Advancement” held at the Presidential Media Centre, the state minister further stated, that the past two years have presented significant challenges, especially navigating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and severe economic crises. 

He said amid concerns of potential job cuts and fears of public service disruptions, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s counsel and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s adept management as Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government ensured the stability and continuity of the public service. 

He said this achievement has been pivotal in safeguarding the public sector, which received widespread support from both its workforce and the citizens of our country.

With elections being a current topic of discussion, he said the Ministry of Home Affairs has played a crucial role in facilitating the conditions necessary for holding them.