The Institute of Migration Sri Lanka (IMSL) is pleased to announce that its Executive Director, Shantha Kulasekara, has submitted a formal policy proposal to Sri Lanka's national Budget Proposal Hub, an initiative hosted on publicfinance.lk by Verité Research. The proposal, titled "National Expert Support Service: Rapid Access to Specialist Expertise for Public Institutions" (NESS), recommends creating a pre-qualified pool of high-calibre local, diaspora, and international specialists that ministries and public institutions could rapidly mobilise for support in areas such as policy analysis, economics, investment appraisal, technology, and project management.

The proposal notes that while Sri Lanka's Government Professional Services provide essential administrative and institutional leadership, increasingly complex governance challenges often require specialised technical expertise that cannot always be sustained within the permanent public service. NESS is designed to complement, not replace, these existing structures, giving senior officials on-demand access to multidisciplinary expert support to accelerate reforms, improve project implementation, and strengthen evidence-based decision-making.

The proposal is informed by Mr. Kulasekara's more than 25 years of experience as a senior international civil servant with the United Nations and international organisations, during which he collaborated closely with Sri Lanka's Government Professional Services, including the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS), and contributed to national initiatives such as the ETA visa system, biometric passport issuance, the Vessel Monitoring System, and e-Gates at Bandaranaike International Airport. If adopted, NESS would be implemented under the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, with an estimated cost of LKR 750 million to 1 billion over two years.

Have your say: The proposal is open for public review on the Budget Proposal Hub, where citizens can vote to show support and submit feedback to help shape the initiative as it progresses. IMSL encourages its partners, colleagues, and the wider public to engage with the proposal at dashboards.publicfinance.lk.

IMSL remains committed to contributing practical, research-driven policy solutions that strengthen governance and support Sri Lanka's long-term development.