The long-delayed employee integration program of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) will commence today, Deputy Minister Prasanna Gunasena said.
In a statement, the deputy minister said the integration process had not been carried out for eight years since 2018, causing difficulties for SLTB employees as well as the public who rely on the service.
“The SLTB Chairman is a political appointee. For the first time in history, all employees beginning with the CEO will be interviewed,” he said. Gunasena added that he was initially against the CEO being interviewed for the position as he believed that the Chairman and CEO had already developed a good working relationship. However, Gunasena said that the official volunteered to sit for the interview as he was confident of his competence and qualifications for the role.
He said the matter was treated as a priority and that, following several rounds of discussions, decisions were taken to implement the process more effectively.
Gunasena said the completion of the process is expected to help address the current shortage of drivers, conductors and technical staff. He added that the aim is to ensure the benefits are delivered to the public as soon as possible.
“Out of 107 SLTB depots islandwide divided into 12 regions, 30 to 35 buses are not in service due to the lack of drivers and conductors. Across the country, this number is between 350 to 400. Imagine the pressure this puts on us,” the Deputy Minister said.
When the ministry sought to address the issue through recruitment, authorities pointed out that the Sri Lanka Transport Board currently employs about 18,000 staff, despite an estimated requirement of around 14,000, he said.
“The issue is that these employees join the force as drivers or conductors, but are currently employed elsewhere in other roles,” the Deputy Minister explained highlighting the need for the integration program. (Newswire)