News
Unions determined to go ahead with strike despite essential services gazette
GMOA threatens to cripple the country unless….
Public sector trade unions yesterday (28) vowed to go ahead with their one-day strike scheduled for today (01) to pressure the government to reverse new tax regime.
Spokesperson for the trade union collective, Ranjan Jayalal, told The Island that workers in sectors such as petroleum, electricity, ports, water supply and drainage, health, education, banking would join the strike.
Jayalal said that the issuance of an extraordinary gazette Monday (27) night declaring several sectors as essential services with immediate effect would not deter them.
The President’s Media Division (PMD) said that all services for passengers or goods, discharge, carriage, landing, storage, delivery and removal of articles of food or drink, or coal, oil, fuel from vessels within any port had been declared essential services.
The provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by road, rail or air including roads, bridges, culverts, airports, ports and railway lines, too have been categorised under the essential services.
Declaring that the private sector, too, would join the strike, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) said that the recent talks a group of professionals had with President Wickremesinghe revealed the government’s determination to go ahead with the new tax regime.
GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge has, in a statement issued after an emergency meeting of their decision making body, warned that if the government ignored March 1 strike the trade union grouping would be compelled cripple the country anytime one week after today’s trade action.
The University Executive Officers’ Association, too, yesterday pledged its support for today’s strike. However, Gemunu Wijeratne speaking on behalf of a section of private bus operators said that they would maintain services.
Ananda Palitha, senior SJB trade union representative, said that they had the full backing of the Opposition. “We’ll gradually step up campaign leading to total crippling of the public sector by mid-next week,” Palitha told The Island. (SF)
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Docs to skip private practice today
A GMOA official said yesterday that its members wouldn’t engage in private practice on 01 March in support of the public sector trade union strike.
In terms of the provisions of the Establishments Code on payment of festival advance to government officers, there’s a possibility of obtaining rupees 10,000/- as an advance for celebrating festivals of Theipongal, Ramazan, Sinhala and Hindu New Year, Wesak, Deepavali, and Christmas as well as for pilgrimages (Sri Paada pilgrimage and Hajj pilgrimage).
Provisions have been given to recover the said advance in 08 installments or if required earlier without interest. It has been proposed by the Budget 2026 to increase the said festival advance up to rupees 15,000/-.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local governments to revise the relevant provisions so that the festival advance can be increased up to rupees 15,000/- .
As per the approval given by the cabinet meeting held on 02-06-2025, action is being taken at present to offer the underutilized lands/properties of the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Etate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation Company which are under the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure which have been identified under stage one to suitable investors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure to provide following lands/properties on a lease basis to the suitable investors for optimal utilization following the prescribed procurement procedure.
• underutilized lands/properties identified under stage two owned by the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Estate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation
Company,
• The Mawarala watte land and the Tea factory 40.48 hectares in extent, located in Matara District belonging to the Tea Shakthi Fund.
• The underutilized land of 1,541 hectares in extent of Kondachchi Estate is enjoyed by the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation.
The drafting of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has commenced with the objective of equitable distribution of the benefits of the fisheries industry and the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture. This policy has been updated from time to time according to current requirements. However, steps have not been taken to obtain the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for that purpose.
According to the policy declaration of the present government, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor’ the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has been redrafted, updating the aforementioned policy in line with the economic and development objectives of the government.
The recommendations of the Department of National Planning have been received for the drafted policy.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Marine
Resources to implement the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, integrating it with other relevant policies.
Lanka Premier League draft set to take place on March 22
Trump to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Machado at the White House
Festival advance for government officers to be increased
Providing underutilized lands/properties to suitable investors for optimal utilization.
Implementation of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy
Expressions of Interest called to develop selected locations within the Pelawatte Sugar Factory premises
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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