### CoPF Clears New Salary Structure for Revamped CIABOC ⚖️

The Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has approved the salary scales and service conditions for the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), a critical step in operationalizing the Anti-Corruption Act No. 03 of 2023. • Staffing & Recruitment: The Department of Management Services has authorized 971 positions. This facilitates the recruitment of specialized personnel required to transition CIABOC into its new institutional structure as mandated by law. • Salary Benchmarks: Legal Officers: Current approved salaries were noted to be lower than those in the Attorney General’s Department. Despite this, CoPF granted approval to prevent further administrative delays. Leadership: Salary proposals for the Chairman, Commissioners, and DG (expected to align with Court of Appeal Judges) will be submitted separately. • Operational Expansion: CIABOC plans to decentralize operations by establishing 9 provincial offices to address the challenges of its currently Colombo-centric investigation and raid capabilities. • Economic Context: Strengthening the anti-corruption framework is a key pillar for improving governance and investor confidence. CoPF emphasized higher remuneration is justified as staff are prohibited from outside employment to mitigate conflicts of interest. _Note: Approval was granted despite pay discrepancies to expedite the commission's full functionality after a two-year delay since the Act's enactment._