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Public servants in for a better deal

Public servants are optimistic that the Government would implement the total recommendations of the Tissa Devendra Salary Commission in the next budget benefiting over 600,000 government workers.

"We have already got Rs.2200 interim allowance including the Rs.1200 granted recently until the Commission concludes its report. We are confident that the Government will implement the total recommendations to grant the other proposed benefits", All Ceylon Posts and Telegraph Workers Union Treasurer J.G.Kuruppu told the Daily News yesterday.

He said that soon after the PA Government came to power in 1994, the public servants' salary issue was taken into consideration at the D.C.Perera Salary Commission appointed in 1996.

Accordingly, the Government decided to grant 85 percent of the Commission recommendations. 60 percent of salary increment was granted in 1997 and the balance was made in 1998. Many senior public servants were benefited under this recommendations as their salary anomalies were attended, he said.

This was a big victory for the public servants when compared to their gains during the UNP regime. Public servants salaries were increased only by 40 percent within a six year period from 1988 to 1993 but the PA granted about 85 percent during a similar period of time, he said.

In 1995, a medium scale public servants' annual salary of Rs.40,000 was increased to Rs.73,000 by 1997.

However, a medium scale public servants' annual salary which was Rs.27,340 in 1988 was increased to Rs.37,656 in 1993 which was only a 37.7 percent increase.

Despite this boon to the ordinary public servant, the Government again appointed the Tissa Devendra Salary Commission to further consider more benefits for them last year.

Without waiting for its recommendations, the President has twice granted interim allowances, Rs.1000 last year and another Rs.1200 recently, he said.

Throughout the history, working class had fought for their rights. But we were able to earn our due benefits through discussions as the President always listened to the problems of public servants, Public Service Trade Union Federation Deputy Secretary Anura Seneviratna said.

He said that this has helped satisfy the public servants in the Government bid to rejuvenate the country's public service for the new millennium.

Having realised the rising cost of living, the President made grants not only to the public servants but pensioners as well, he said.

He said that the Union demanded only Rs.3000 at the beginning and later another Rs.1000 in increment and Rs.2200 out of the demand has already been granted.

He said their Union did not pressurise the Government on these issues during the last two years as the Government had to face several challenges - regional economic turmoil and several major LTTE attacks such as Elephant Pass debacle and Katunayake attack but the President humbly realised the problems of the public servants and granted immediate benefits.

Meanwhile a Central Bank employee Sunil Tilakeratne said that public servants should hail the government for her modest decision to give this salary increases despite large scale economic problems and political instability in the country.

He said the decision is good testimony of a people friendly government which had granted benefits instead suppress trade union movement and turn down their demands.

K.L.Silva, a health sector worker said that government's bold decision to increase salaries of the public sector amidst political instability and large terrorist destructions to economy portrays her understanding of the problems of the ordinary man.

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Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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