Sri Lanka, Dec. 26 -- Few appointments to State institutions escape criticism. This is natural in a country where meritocracy spices rhetoric but rarely gets inscribed in recruitment processes. It is not easy for the right person to be placed in the right position even when there's no political involvement.
People can move up the ranks. The years inevitably confer seniority. However, where training and assessment are absent or inadequate, being seniority cannot be taken as a proxy for competence.
Political appointments. Political appointees. That's been the name of the game for decades in Sri Lanka when it comes to top posts in the State sector. A new government, naturally, would be wary of retaining the services of people appointed from...