Protests erupted in the country on Tuesday against delays in providing permanent state employment for interns.

The demonstrations were held in Kandy, Matale, Kurunegala and Hambantota by trainee graduates enrolled in the state service in August and September last year.

“The government enrolled us in the state service by assuring we would be offered permanent employment in a year,” Pavithra Kumari, the organizer of the Central Province Trainee Graduates Association complained.

She pointed out that it has been a year and 4 months since 14283 graduates were offered internships at state institutions.

Chandana Tennakoon, the district secretary of Kandy – in which a protest took place – said that a decision has not been reached on providing permanent employment.

“The higher echelons of the government will direct us to offer permanent employment from a certain date,” he noted claiming that district secretaries cannot directly intervene to resolve the problem.