• Central and Monetary Board to be summoned before Committee 
• Committee questions legality of increase
• Government and opposition MPs criticize 70% salary hike

By Ajith Siriwardana   

Amidst criticism over the exorbitant salary hike of the  Central Bank employees, a top parliamentary committee has called for a  report from the Central Bank on the legal provisions for such a salary  increment without parliamentary approval.   

Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Alleviating  the Impact of the Economic Crisis MP Gamini Waleboda said the matter  regarding the salary hike was raised during the committee meeting on  Thursday when the Central Bank officials were present. He said the Central Bank is expected to submit the report  on the salary increment next week and after that, the Central Bank and  its Monetary Board would be summoned before the Sectoral Oversight  Committee on Alleviating the Impact of the Economic Crisis. 

 
He said the committee raised heavy criticism about the 70  per cent salary increase of the Central Bank employees amidst the  economic crisis, and called it an immoral act.   

“We instructed the Central Bank to provide a report by next  week to justify the salary increase. They will need to provide the legal  provisions that empower them to effect such an increment.  

We will  summon the Central Bank and its Monetary Board after receiving the  report,’ he said.   

Both government and opposition MPs in Parliament this week  raised criticism over the Central Bank’s moves to increase their salary  scales by 70 per cent.   Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella said the Central  Bank Act had no provision to increase salary of Central Bank employees  without parliamentary approval and that it was illegal.