News
Police directed to raid houses keeping children as domestic workers
By Norman Palihawadane
Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd.) Sarath Weerasekera said yesterday that the police had been ordered to conduct raids to arrest those who employ underage children as domestic workers.
“Police have been instructed to investigate complaints and act on tip-offs about underage children being employed at houses. We hereby call on any person who has hitherto employed any such children to report to the nearby police station without waiting for the police to arrest them. There is information that a large number of children, from the plantations sector, have been brought to other areas to work in houses as domestic aides. We call on the public to provide police with any such information of any person who employs children as domestic aides. They can use the police hotline 119 for that purpose,”the Minister told The Island yesterday.
The National Child Protection Authority has listed 76 sectors of employment as dangerous for children to be employed in under any circumstances.
NCPA Chairman Prof. Muditha Vidanapathirana said the list would soon be given legal status.
Teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 were often employed in those listed sectors and it would be prohibited following discussions with the necessary stakeholders, he said, adding that children could not be employed as domestic aides in the future.
Prof. Vidanapathirana said that the NCPA had received 4,740 complaints with respect to incidents of cruelty to children during the first six months of this year alone.
There was a spike in such incidents in June 2021, he said.
State Minister of Women and Child Development, Pre-schools and Primary Education, School Infrastructure and Education Services Piyal Niishantha said that a new mechanism would be introduced to be followed with regard to the recruitment of individuals for domestic work.
Those who wish to be employed as domestic workers or those who were already engaged in domestic work should register with the Divisional Secretariat in the respective area of residence, State Minister De Silva said.
“Children are being forced into domestic work given the lack of a proper recruitment procedure with regard to domestic work. Accordingly, a mechanism has been introduced to be followed when recruiting females for domestic work.”
The State Minister said raids would be carried out across the country with regard to children being used as domestic aides.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
USA’s Ali Khan claims having been ‘denied’ India visa ahead of T20 World Cup
At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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