News
Kiriella decries salary hikes at CB: Govt. says it has no control over CB decision
By Saman Indrajith
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday that the Central Bank officials had increased their salaries by outrageous proportions and demanded to know what action the government would take to stop this.
“The Central Bank is also responsible for the economic crisis. While they were asking the rest of us to tighten our belts and to prune down the staff members to the bare minimum, they got together to increase their salaries. A Deputy Governor’s salary has been increased by Rs 712,000. A peon’s salary has been increased by Rs 75,000. The salary increase is reported to have been 70 percent. How could they justify this?” Kiriella queried.
Kiriella asked the government to stop this immediately.
The independence of the Central Bank does not mean bypassing parliament. The Central Bank could calculate their salaries but they need parliament’s approval for this, Kiriella said.
State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that the Finance Ministry had no control over the salary increase of Central Bank employees.
As per their service contracts, the Central Bank employees are entitled to a salary increase every third year. It was the Governing Board of the Central Bank that decides the salaries of the Central Bank employees, the Minister said, adding that it would be prudent if government workers could serve for a minimum wage considering the prevailing situation.
“However, employees of Central Banks world over have higher salaries. It is because the Central Bank retains the services of financial experts and senior economists. Some of their jobs do not have replacements. As such those positions are entitled to special treatment. The salaries of Central Bank employees are not paid by the Consolidated fund but from the Bank’s account, the Minister said.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development to recognize the “Sri Lanka National Export
Development Plan – 2026–2030” as the official strategic framework for export development and promotion of exports in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board, in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders connected to the export sector, has formulated the National Export Development Plan 2026–2030 by obtaining technical assistance under the Policy-Based Lending Programme of the Asian Development Bank.
The aforementioned Plan provides a comprehensive strategic framework to guide and monitor Sri Lanka’s export development process, with the target of earning US$ 36 billion in foreign exchange through the export of goods and services by the year 2030
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs to accept the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform for Sri Lanka.
Approval has been granted by the Cabinet of Ministers on several earlier occasions to amend the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003.
In accordance with the approval granted at the Cabinet
meeting held on 2023-05-02, the Legal Draftsman is currently in the process of preparing the relevant amended Bill, and the Legal Draftsman has informed that it would be appropriate to obtain policy approval from the present Cabinet of Ministers for that purpose.
Accordingly, taking into consideration the necessity of restructuring the Consumer Affairs Authority too, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative
Development to instruct the Legal Draftsman to expeditiously complete the preparation of the relevant Bill to enable the amendment of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003.
Cabinet approves recognition of ‘Sri Lanka National Export Development Plan – 2026–2030’
Cabinet nod to accept the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform for Sri Lanka
Cabinet grants policy approval to amend the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003
Cabinet approal for Legal Draftsman to prepare a Bill to enable the amendment of Finance Business Act, No. 42 of 2011
M.S. Mahadiulwewa appointed act in the post of Director General of Commerce
Wimal S.K. Liyanagama appointed Director General of Customs
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News7 days agoRooftop Solar at Crossroads as Sri Lanka Shifts to Distributed Energy Future
-
News2 days agoCJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict
-
News6 days ago“Three-in-one blood pressure pill can significantly reduce risk of recurrent strokes”
-
News3 days agoUSD 3.7 bn H’tota refinery: China won’t launch project without bigger local market share
-
News6 days agoAlarm raised over plan to share Lanka’s biometric data with blacklisted Indian firm
-
News5 days agoTen corruption cases set for court in May, verdict ordered in one case – President
-
News4 days agoEaster Sunday Case: Ex-SIS Chief concealed intel, former Defence Secy tells court
-
News6 days agoUSD 2.5 mn fraud probe: Interdicted MoF official found dead at home