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Parliament report on female staffer’s harassment gathers dust
View(s):By Sandun Jayawardana
Key recommendations made in a report into the alleged harassment of a female employee of parliament are yet to be implemented more than four months after it was officially handed over.
The investigation report prepared by retired High Court Judge Sujatha Alahapperuma was handed over to Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne on November 24, last year. The investigation had examined whether any form of sexual harassment had occurred involving a female employee attached to parliament’s Department of Information Systems and Management.
MP Mujibur Rahman had initially raised the matter in January, stating that the female employee had been subjected to sexual harassment. An internal inquiry was carried out based on the complaint by the staff member, and as the complainant was not satisfied with the outcome of that inquiry, the Parliamentary Staff Advisory Committee decided on July 25 last year to conduct an external investigation into the matter.
That investigation conducted by retired Judge Alahapperuma found no evidence of sexual harassment based on the facts revealed during the probe. The report had however, observed that the employee had been subjected to verbal harassment.
The report has also found that when interviewing the complainant for the posts of Database Administrator and Parliamentary Officer, the interview boards had acted in a manner that placed her at a disadvantage. The complainant had subsequently been transferred from the Information Systems and Management Department to another department in parliament, but the investigation concluded that this department is not suitable for one with her qualifications. Though senior officials had claimed it was a temporary transfer, the transfer letter suggests otherwise, the report observed, concluding that the transfer had been made without a valid basis.
The report has also stressed that the complainant’s salary increments have been withheld or delayed without any acceptable reason.
The report has further concluded that there are weaknesses/delays in the systems and governance of parliament. This has created a problematic environment for administrative/disciplinary actions regarding officers.
Accordingly, the report has recommended that immediate administrative decisions be taken to grant the salary increments due to the complainant for the yearsa 2024 and 2025.
It has been further recommended that a formal analysis be conducted of the duties of all officers in the Information Systems and Management Department, review duty lists, and implement close supervision of each officer’s tasks. Another recommendation is to assign sufficient staff to ensure the duties of the Senior Coordinator in the Information Systems and Management Department are carried out without hindrance and implement an appropriate administrative mechanism. Once these recommendations have been implemented, the report has recommended that the complainant be transferred back to the Information Systems and Management Department. The report has stressed that officials must ensure a positive working environment is created for the complainant through discussions with the Head of Section and staff, and to establish a supervision programme under a senior officer to maintain discipline.
Other recommendations include establishing a productive mechanism for providing necessary guidance and grievance management for parliamentary officers and strengthening systems and control mechanisms and increase administrative coordination between departments.
More than four months since the submission of the report, these recommendations are yet to be implemented, the Sunday Times learns.
When contacted, Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera noted that the report had found no evidence of sexual harassment. She however, acknowledged that some recommendations were yet to be implemented. “These are administrative matters. We are looking into them and we intend to resolve them soon,” she said.
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