Job stretch for retiring lady officer creates dispute at state rubber body

This is the story at many of our other research institutes as well. We can’t retain officers because many go to work in universities as the salaries and benefits are better. It is a struggle to retain even the few officers we have

A dispute has arisen over a Cabinet decision to extend the tenure of a retired senior officer at the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL) by a year on a contract basis.

In December, the Cabinet approved a proposal submitted by Plantation Minister Ramesh Pathirana to extend the tenure of the RRISL’s Deputy Director Research (Biology) by one year. The proposal had been forwarded by the Ministry of Company Estate Reforms headed by State Minister Kanaka Herath.

The officer was due to retire on December 18, 2021 upon reaching 60 years of age. However, her tenure was extended by one year on a contract basis effective from December 19, 2021 as per the Cabinet proposal.

The minister had noted in his memorandum that there were no other officers at the RRISL with the relevant qualifications required to be appointed to the post of Deputy Director Research (Biology) once the current officer retired. Several other RRISL officers, though, insist they have the necessary qualifications and have expressed dismay that the Cabinet has chosen to extend the tenure of a retiring officer rather than elevate a serving officer from within the institute.

Plantation Industries Ministry Secretary Ravindra Hewavitharana acknowledged a dispute had arisen within RRISL following the Cabinet decision.

He pointed out that there were severe shortages of qualified officers within the RRISL. “This is the story at many of our other research institutes as well. We can’t retain officers because many go to work in universities as the salaries and benefits are better. It is a struggle to retain even the few officers we have. In the midst of this, the few who remain compete with each other for senior positions and this creates unseemly disputes.”

In a bid to keep officers within institutes such as RRISL and encourage others to apply, the Plantation Ministry has proposed to set up a Plantation Research and Management University encompassing the six research institutes under the ministry and the National Institute of Plantations Management.