The salaries in SL are low compared to other countries and mainly because we get free education and free health service, these are two things that UK got but now they charge a nominal fee for university. Their NHS is free but you need to wait for a long time for an operation . We do not understand the cost involve in getting things cheap. Our bus fares are also very low that is because of duty waiver of lot of items including import of buses. Our cost of a start up company is low compared to other places in the world. Our electricity charges are comparatively high and this is one factor that affects all sectors . The other thing is our pensioners. The percentage of pensioners and cost of that is also very high on the govt expenditure.
I was in a government pensionable job and in 2005 I was drawing a salary of 60k , but I was offered a post in a government non pensionable taxable job on contract basis for more than 200k. I could not get released for the post, though the establishment code provides for that.
When I left my job for overseas job in 2010 I was drawing a salary of 80k and a vehicle allowance of 30k (if the govet vehicle is not used)
I obtained overseas leave and employed for a net salary of more than 700k, but wanted to go back to sl. I got few promotions in my overseas job though I am contracted and came for specific post.
I want to go back to SL for low salary job, I would not have come here if I was released 2005 to another government institution for 2 years. I needed money to build a house. I could not do that from a loan . In government your merit is not recognized and sometime penalized!
Do not get discouraged . I started from 4,000 pm salary in 1994(not in govt sector, I joined the govt in 1998 for a salary of 20k). (please note that the amounts stated here are not inflated and are exact or approximated)