He said, most government institutions, ministries, corporations and departments waste time holding unnecessary seminars, workshops and thereby the time for engaging themselves in some useful public work is lost.

Dr Amunugama further said, "Today a large number of people serve in the public service but many government institutions are mostly engaged in doing various kinds of purely internal work. Preparing salaries and wages of employees, granting of salary increments and allowances, preparing overtime and batta payments, leave matters, seminars, workshops conferences, scholarships, maintenance of vehicles and buildings etc take most of the time of public servants. At the same time heaps of files keep piling up on tables, in drawers and filling up cupboards."

He said officers in clean suits sit around in big and comfortable air conditioned rooms. However the problems of the people are mostly neglected. People visit offices to get solutions to their problems, spend a lot of time there but most of the time go back disappointed." We hear this complaint from the people all the time.

"Therefore we must adhere to the stipulated hours of work, perform our duties according to the required schedule of priorities and contribute to the resolution of the country's problem," said the Minister.

The minister said at the same time there were also exemplary public servants who devote their time and effort to their work beyond even the call of duty.