• Transfers being effected to address divisional excesses, shortages 

The Ports Ministry stated that it is in the process of addressing staff imbalances within the Ports sector, as certain divisions currently have an excess number of employees whereas others are facing shortages.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy subject Minister Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said: “There are around 6,000 employees in the Ports sector. At the moment, we don’t see a general excess of employees. What we do see is that some divisions have more staff than necessary, and that other divisions don’t have the required numbers.”

He further noted that employees who had already been recruited could not simply be removed from service, and added that imbalances should be resolved through other possible means. “We have streamlined the recruitment process now. What we are trying to do is transfer excess employees from certain divisions to other divisions as much as possible.”

The remarks come in the wake of allegations that several former Ministers overseeing the Ports sector had recruited large numbers of employees on political grounds over the years.