Training for MPs' staff

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed Parliamentary Affairs Minister A.H.M.Azwer to organise special computer/management training programmes for the staff members of all parliamentarians irrespective of party differences.

According to Minister Azwer, the first workshop for all staff members, like the parliamentarians' coordinating secretaries and private secretaries and other officials attached to MPs would be held in Nuwara Eliya on July 14. On this day the staff of the MPs from Nuwara Eliya and Badulla Districts would be given basic training.

The programme according to Azwer is called 'Computer Training and Efficient Management Skills.' Azwer says this system though new to Sri Lanka is being followed in the United States and other developed countries.

He said the staff of a particular MPs is the choice of the member concerned. Therefore he says such individuals may not have the necessary knowledge that is needed to support a member of parliament at all times. "Most of the times our parliamentarians select individuals from their kith and kin to be either their private secretaries or coordinating secretaries. We would not know whether they are with or without such knowledge to handle the computer. This is why the Premier thought it is necessary to train these individuals and give them basic training in computers like in any other country," the Minister pointed out.

The Minister said the second phase of the programme would be conducted in Jaffna. The date for this programme has still not been finalised. At this workshop, staff of the MPs from the north and east would be given the same training, he said.

"Sometimes MPs make mistakes. At this time it is the private secretaries and the coordinating secretaries who should be able to point out such errors to the members. But here it does not happen because the staff attached to the MPs are not capable of doing so," the Minister added.