Suspension of all payments to ministers and their staff

All payments to ministers and their personal staff have been suspended on a directive from the Public Administration Ministry, consequent on a Court of Appeal stay order which has restrained the functions of the ministers, a senior official said.

Public Administration Ministry Secretary J. J. Ratnasiri told the Sunday Times the payments to ministers, state and deputy ministers, their allowances including payments for fuel and phones, and the personal staff emoluments had been suspended from this week.

“Instructions have gone out also not to entertain any claims from the former ministers for any events held earlier," he said.

Ministry secretaries also had sought clarification from President Maithripala Sirisena when they met him this week about the steps to be followed regarding payments to ministers in view of the motions passed in Parliament and the subsequent interim order of the Court of Appeal.

Mr Ratnasiri said the President also had advised them not to sanction any payments in view of the court order.

Prime Minister’s Secretary S. Amarasekara said that although the Court of Appeal interim order did not specifically direct to stop payments of the ministers and the staff, it had restrained the functioning of the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers.

He said ministry secretaries had been instructed to take orders only from the President or his secretary and, on Financial matters, from the Finance Ministry Secretary and regarding administrative functions, from the Administrative Ministry Secretary.