A workshop aimed at briefing the heads of 250 state institutions on establishing Internal Affairs Units was held on January 29 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, under the patronage of Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The programme was organised as part of the Government’s drive to create a clean, transparent and corruption-free public service. In the first phase of this national initiative, Internal Affairs Units were set up in 106 state institutions and officers attached to those units received specialised training, according to the President’s Media Division.
As the second phase, instructions have now been issued to establish similar units in a further 250 state institutions. The workshop was organised by the Presidential Secretariat with the support of the Clean Sri Lanka Programme to guide institutional heads on implementing this process.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Kumanayake noted that although Sri Lanka performs relatively well in areas such as education and healthcare, the country ranks 121st in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index, a position that could adversely affect its reputation in other key sectors.
He said the recent public uprising was driven by strong opposition to corruption, with public anger directed not only at politicians but also at corrupt public officials, particularly during a period when the country was experiencing economic bankruptcy and severe hardships.
The Secretary to the President stressed that such uprisings are the result of long-standing frustration and declining public trust in governance, warning that they should never be underestimated as they reflect the powerful will of the people.
He emphasised that both political leaders and public officials must clearly understand public expectations and sentiments, and have a duty to provide a clean, transparent and accountable public service.
Explaining the broader framework, Dr. Kumanayake said a structured national programme has been launched to strengthen integrity in public administration, with Internal Affairs Units playing a central role in enhancing internal oversight, transparency and accountability.
He highlighted that promoting ethical conduct and personal integrity among public officials is key to changing the wider culture of corruption within state institutions.
He further noted that the Internal Affairs Units would serve both as a mechanism to build a culture of integrity within the public service and as a channel for the public to raise concerns about official conduct, thereby strengthening accountability and public trust.
Additional Secretary to the President Chandima Wickramasinghe and University of Kelaniya Senior Lecturer Tharindu Dhananjaya Weerasinghe also delivered keynote presentations at the event.
