The Minister of Ports and Shipping, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, participating in a special function held at the Sri Sambuddhathva Jayanthi Chaitya premises of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) on 25th October 2021 stated that the salary anomaly that had affected nearly nine thousand five hundred employees of the SLPA for many years had been resolved.
The Human Resources Division of the SLPA, headed by Nalin Aponso – Director (Human Resources Development) made the technical background required to review and resolve this discrepancy.
Expressing views at the occasion, Minister of Ports and Shipping – Rohitha Abeygunawardena said that he highly appreciated the commitment made by all the employees, especially the Management, for a continuous port service, at a time the country was facing health restrictions for more than 20 months due to the global Covid -19 pandemic.
“Although the salary anomalies of port employees have been an ongoing problem, we have taken the necessary steps to resolve those issues without passing them on to another Minister and it is a pleasure to announce this achievement today,” he said.
He also thanked U. D. C. Jayalal – Secretary to the Ministry of the Ports and Shipping, Mrs. H. M. L. S. Herath – Additional Secretary (Administration & Finance) to the Ministry, Capt. Nihal Keppetipola – the Chairman of SLPA and its Vice Chairman – Dr. Prasantha Jayamanna, Managing Director – Upul Jayatissa, Additional Managing Director (Technical) – Susantha Abeysiriwardena, Director (Finance) – Mrs. Shirani Wnniarachchi for their commitment and Nalin Aponso – Director (Human Resources Development) initially, for making the technical background required to review and resolve this issue, the Progressive Workers Association for Commercial Industry and Services (PWACIS) and all trade unions of SLPA who represented the committee to resolve the matter.
The Minister further said that the elimination of this salary anomaly through two-stages was a reason for the employees to be satisfied. At a time when port development, which had been stalled for many years, was being revived, he said that he expected the support of officials as well as employees to make the emerging port development programmes a reality with projects such as the West Container Terminal and the East Container Terminal development of the Port of Colombo.
“I would never hesitate to make the right decision, no matter what the opposing ideologies to development, and as a result of such accurate decision making, the Port of Colombo has been able to create the most conducive environments even for the world’s largest container vessel to call at the port,” he added.
- D. C. Jayalal – Secretary to the Ministry of the Ports and Shipping, Mrs. H. M. L. S. Herath – Additional Secretary (Administration & Finance) to the Ministry, SLPA’s Chairman – Capt. Nihal Keppetipola, Vice Chairman – Dr. Prasantha Jayamanna, Managing Director – Upul Jayatissa, Additional Managing Director (Technical) – Susantha Abeysiriwardena, Director (Finance) – Mrs. Shirani Wnniarachchi, Director (Human Resources Development) – Nalin Aponso, Director (Development) – Saman Devapriya, Director (Technical) – P. A. R. D. Pathiraja, a number of Directors, executive staff members, employees and trade union representatives also joined the occasion.
