The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said today the number of skilled professionals in the government sector was fast declining because of the gross discrepancies in salaries between professionals in the public and private sectors.

Speaking on behalf of all government sector employees, the GMOA urged the authorities to increase their salaries, which was long overdue. GMOA Secretary Dr. Sankalpa Marasinghe said according to the salary structure introduced in 2006 government employees were expected to receive salary increments but that had not happened.

“Skilled workers and professionals are grossly underpaid. The lowest salary of a government employee is Rs.12,500 while the highest is Rs.50,000,” Dr. Marasinghe said. He said the salary compression ratio which is one to four, should be increased to one to 12. In the private sector salary ratios should be increased up to 1000.

Dr. Marasinghe said skilled professionals in the government sector are now scarce due to the low salaries. “There are very few chartered accountants or engineers employed in the government sector. However an overwhelming number of doctors are in the government sector,” he said adding that 16,000 doctors are employed in the government sector.

The GMOA today met the Salaries and Cardre Commission and requested for a meeting with the Treasury Secretary and other officials to negotiate salary increments in the 2012 budget. He said discussions would continue in the coming weeks. (Olindhi Jayasundere)