Minister of Foreign Employment Vijitha Herath has denied allegations of political vengeance with regard to the ongoing transfers at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
Addressing Parliament today, Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake said the SLBFE consisted of a large number of employees from the Badulla District, who are now being transferred.
The MP said that the Foreign Employment portfolio was mostly held by ministers from Badulla.
“The employees are largely from Badulla. Through political appointments or other means, people from Badulla are serving at the SLBFE. But now, an employee from Hali-Ella has been moved to Jaffna, and vice versa,” he said.
MP Dassanayake requested the Minister of Foreign Affairs to arrange for reasonable transfers, where employees will be able to find suitable boardings and continue their service.
Responding, Minister of Foreign Employment Vijitha Herath pointed out that the MP’s speech confirms political appointments to the SLFBE, adding that investigations are underway into the matter.
He further said that employees serving in the same post in the same area for a long period have been identified as an issue, due to which a transfer process has been implemented.
“There is no political involvement here. We are issuing transfers to current employees. Staying in the same place for a long time creates issues related to the involvement of unnecessary transactions. Therefore, we will definitely carry out these transfers,” the minister said.
Minister Herath assured that the transfers would be carried out in a fair manner, reiterating that it was not vengeance or any such action. (Newswire)
