Tilvin Silva says government positions are now given based on expertise, not party loyalty, even when capable people come from the opposition.
Tilvin Silva says a new political culture is being created in Sri Lanka where government positions are given based on ability and expertise, not political loyalty.
The General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna made the statement while joining a discussion on Independent Television.
He said the current government rejects the old and flawed practice of filling state institutions with party loyalists simply because they belong to the ruling political camp.
Tilvin Silva stated that under previous governments, appointments to positions in state institutions were often decided according to party politics. He said the present government has changed that system.
“We did not come to power to fill all the positions in state institutions with our own party people. We want to appoint capable people to those positions. We will not go looking for what their political party is,” he said.
He pointed to appointments made under the current government to institutions such as the cricket committee as examples of experts being brought in based on ability.
Silva said it is an illusion for any government to believe that it alone knows everything. He added that the government’s policy is to seek the support of the most capable person in any field.
He also revealed that some economists and advisers are already helping the government without receiving any salary. According to him, they are doing so purely out of patriotism for the country and are not party members.
Tilvin Silva said governance is not about taking everything for oneself, but about correctly managing human and natural resources.
“We need to work not with a party, but with a country,” he said.
He stressed that the government will not, under any circumstances, remove capable officers from the public service just to replace them with its own party members.
The JVP General Secretary expressed confidence that through this new approach, Sri Lanka can be built by properly managing the country’s human resources.
