Golden handshake for former Secretaries to Cabinet, non-Cabinet, and State Ministries

• Cabinet grants approval to proposal by President
• Ministry secretaries who served one year entitled to duty-free vehicle permits
• Will also qualify to be appointed to other suitable posts by 31 Jan.
• Non-Cabinet and State Ministry secretaries will qualify to retain salary scales regardless of service period

By Chandani Kirinde

 Cabinet has sanctioned granting a relief package to Secretaries of Cabinet Ministries, Non-Cabinet Ministries and State Ministries who were deprived of their posts following the dissolution of Cabinet on the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the appointment of new Ministers.

A Cabinet memorandum to give effect to the relief measures was presented by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in mid-December.

Among the relief to be provided to Secretaries to Ministries whose posts were abolished will be the reduction of the period of three years in service required under Public Administration Ministry rules to obtain duty free vehicle import permits, to one year, subject to the Government policy on importation of vehicles whenever they revert to the previous service or the post held by them.

They will also qualify to be appointed to other suitable posts prior to 31 January by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, if they do not opt to retire under special provisions made by the Minute on Secretaries, or by Cabinet decisions.

The Cabinet Memorandum also allows for the payment of their salaries and allowances, and grants them all other privileges approved for the post held by them and received by them, until their date of retirement or appointment to another post by 31 January 2020, whichever date occurs first.

In the case of Secretaries to Non-Cabinet Ministries and State Ministries who were deprived of their posts after the dissolution of the Cabinet following the election of the new President, they will be given the option to retire at their discretion with the salary, allowances, and privileges they received, assuming they had served up to the age of 60 years, provided the balance period for them to reach the mandatory age of retirement is one year or less.

Those who do not opt to retire will be attached to suitable posts before 31 January, and will be permitted to retain the relevant salary scales even after their appointment to another post, regardless of their period of service in the post of Secretary to Non-Cabinet Ministry or Secretary to State Ministry. Officers who had completed one year of service in the post of Secretary to Non-Cabinet Ministry or Secretary to State Ministry will be allowed to retain the allowance of Rs. 40,000 and Rs. 25,000 respectively.

The circulars to give effect to the Cabinet decision have been sent by the Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera to all Secretaries to Ministries and State Ministries, with a directive to conform to the decision.