Leader of the NPP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake today slammed President Ranil Wickremesinghe for calling for job cuts in the state sector while excessively hiring staff to the Presidential Secretariat including the Presidents Media Unit.

Dissanayake questioned the recent spate of appointments to the President’s Media Division in parliament and read out a lengthy list of names of those appointed to top posts in the division.

He revealed a Presidential Advisor for media, a Director General and at least 15 directors, 10 deputy directors, eight photographers, four video editors and six media assistants have been appointed in the last month alone.

“The President has asked state sector employees who do not work to go home. But how many directors does his own media division have? Is he able to come to parliament and reveal this information?” Dissanayake asked.

The NPP leader also revealed information relating to the salaries, fuel allowances and vehicles provided to the staff at the PMD. “The advisor is being provided with a salary of Rs. 100 000, a fuel allowance of Rs 60 000 and a vehicle” he noted before listing the salaries and benefits of others at the division.

“Nearly one month has elapsed. What are the duties of these individuals? How much are their salaries? If they are not going, then he must send them home. But he is now asking other state sector employees to go home. However, he has forgotten that he was the one sent home by these employees. Look at the manner in which the Presidential secretariat is being overstaffed. He should therefore not preach to the country,” he added.