📈 Crisis Looms in State Sector Amid High-Profile Resignations

Public sector stability in Sri Lanka is under pressure as key government-appointed heads exit their roles, signaling growing friction between the administration and state institutions. • High-Profile Exits: Airport and Aviation Services SL Chairman, Air Chief Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama (retd), and National Women’s Commission Chairperson Ramani Jayasundara have resigned. Reports cite "interference" as a primary driver for these departures. • Healthcare in Turmoil: The health sector faces a major crisis as the GMOA (Government Medical Officers' Association) launched an indefinite strike this week. Issues include medical shortages and the controversial suspension of high-ranking medical officers. • Education Setbacks: Implementation of the Grade 6 new modules has been postponed to 2027. This follows a major scandal involving an inappropriate link in the English language module, which the government attributed to "editorial inefficiency." • Oversight & Accountability: • The Auditor General post has remained vacant for nearly 10 months. • Maha Nayaka Theras have formally urged the President to appoint an internal senior official to ensure fiscal transparency. • The Deputy Secretary General of Parliament was recently interdicted, further fueling claims of a "hostile" environment for state employees. The government, which holds a two-third majority, faces mounting criticism for alleged "politicization" of independent bodies, risking long-term support from the 1.5 million-strong state workforce.