State Minister for Home Affairs, Ashoka Priyantha, emphasized that maintaining stable public services without any employee layoffs or salary cuts, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and severe economic crisis, is a significant achievement.
He credited President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s guidance as instrumental in achieving this stability.
Addressing a press briefing titled “Two Years of Progress and Advancement” held at the Presidential Media Centre, the state minister highlighted the substantial challenges of the past two years, particularly the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and severe economic crises.
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 public services.
He noted that this achievement has been pivotal in safeguarding the public sector, which has received widespread support from both its workforce and the citizens of the country.
With elections being a current topic of discussion, he said the Ministry of Home Affairs has played a crucial role in facilitating the necessary conditions for holding them.