Language policy helped promote national unity - Minister

Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera said the achievements realized by the implementation of language policy for the promotion of peace,unity and cohesion is incredible.

The support provided for the resolution of the ethnic problem by the implementation of the Official Language Policy was enormous, he said.

Speaking at a function held at the National Institute of Language Education and Training in Agalawatte to award certificates to the participants who followed a course on translation the Minister said that according to the Official Languages policy, classes and examinations for public officers were being conducted by the Department of Official Languages to facilitate the bilingualization of the Public Service.

He said the Cabinet had decided in 2005 the bilingualization of the Public Service, incentives for public officers who were in service for achieving proficiency in the second official language. Newly recruited public officers should have proficiency in the second language within a prescribed period. Minister Gunasekera said 2,635 officers were successful at the written examination held in March 2008 and 2,962 were successful at the level of oral examination. 5,875 public officers sat for the examination on September 27, 2008.

The Minister pointed out that the proposal on the vigorous implementation of official languages policy in the Mahinda Chintana program provided added strength and support to the implementation of official language policy.