Amidst Sri Lanka’s economic downturn, the recent salary revision for Central Bank of Sri Lanka Office Work Assistants Grade Three has ignited controversy and drawn scrutiny from government officials.
Dr. Harsha De Silva, Chairman of the Government’s Finance Committee, disclosed in Parliament today (20) that the revised gross monthly salary for the third-grade office assistant at the Central Bank stands at two hundred and twenty-three thousand seven hundred and sixty-three rupees. However, the Finance Committee has recommended a temporary suspension of this salary increase pending an independent investigation.
The Finance Committee’s deliberations underscored concerns regarding the lack of transparency and methodological clarity in implementing salary adjustments. Against the backdrop of economic hardships facing citizens, exacerbated by tax hikes and soaring living costs, the Central Bank’s wage hike has elicited public outrage.
The Finance Committee emphasized the need for a fair and transparent solution that respects the Central Bank’s independence while addressing economic realities. To this end, it has proposed the establishment of an independent and transparent committee, in collaboration with the Central Bank Governor, to review the salary increase.
Furthermore, the Government’s Finance Committee advocates for the submission of a comprehensive report within four weeks, urging the Central Bank to suspend the salary increment until a satisfactory resolution is reached.
