Update – Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghemakes a written request to the President Ranil Wickremesinghe seeking an opportunity to apprise Members of Parliament through an appropriate Parliamentary Committee, of the process and rationale behind the recent revision of salaries of CBSL staff.
In a recent development, State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe has recommended summoning the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to the Committee on Public Finance for clarification on the recent salary increments, sparking a heated debate both in the media and Parliament.
State Minister Semasinghe took to X social media platform, stating that it is crucial for the Committee to seek explanations from the CBSL regarding the controversial salary adjustments. The CBSL recently implemented salary increases ranging from 29.53% for the most junior office assistants to 76.97% for its highest-grade employees.
However, the CBSL defended the salary hikes, asserting that they were the outcome of negotiations with seven employee unions based on collective agreements that mandate salary revisions every three years. The revised scales, effective since last month, are set to remain unchanged until December 2026. CBSL Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe addressed concerns, emphasizing that there would be no further salary increases for CBSL staff until 2027.
The controversy surrounding the salary increments has spilled into the media and Parliament, where some Members of Parliament argue that parliamentary approval should have been sought before such substantial hikes were granted. (LankaXpress.com )
