Government's U-turn on meritocracy for plum public sector posts

THE recent appointment made by the Government to the post of DG of the Department of Excise called into question the NPP administration's commitment to establish a culture of meritocracy and independence within the public service, which was one of its main electoral pledges before coming into power.

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The Cabinet's decision to appoint M.B.N.A. Premaratne - a retired Navy Commodore - as DG of the Excise Department has caused bewilderment and surprise even among the sympathisers of the ruling party.

Excise Department is one of the three premier revenue-collecting State agencies in the country and throughout its history, the post of DG has been held either by an in-service senior employee or prominent Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) officer. As Premaratne's wife Professor Wasantha Subasinghe was on the NPP National List at the last Parliamentary election held in November 2024, the decision attracted allegations of rewarding political loyalty and nepotism a practice which was severely ostracised by the ruling party politicians during their days in the opposition.

Professor Subasinghe was recently appointed as Vice Chancellor of the Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine another move which was portrayed as an instance of displaying favouritism based on political affiliation.