President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera to adhere to the existing methodology of paying gratuity to retiring public servants.

Trade unions in Sri Lanka say that 18,000 state employees have not received pension gratuity for three years.

The All Ceylon Trade Union Federation said the state employees have not received Rs 700 million in pension gratuity for three years as the funds allocated have been spent by the government on other activities.

The Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has also reportedly confirmed the union’s claim.