News
Ganesan condemns attack on estate officials, but says workers do such acts in sheer frustration
Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan says the Tamil Progressive Alliance condemns attacks on estate officials. The Estate Managers’ Association of Sri Lanka has warned that they will have to refrain from estate administration in view of attacks on its members.
MP Ganeshan has, however, said that the reason for the attack on the estate officials was the frustration of workers. He says most of them have lost their livelihoods, and the blame should not be placed only on these frustrated workers.
MP Ganesan questioned why the government’s attention has yet not been focused on the problems of declining incomes of workers and the decline of the plantation industry.
“Why hasn’t the Ceylon Workers Congress, the government’s plantation partner, understood the gravity of the current situation? I am astonished by its silence. I don’t understand if this silence is a deceitful ploy to hide the government’s inability to rectify the situation,” MP Ganesan said.
The MP says the situation has arisen due to the worst decline in the livelihoods of plantation workers in recent history.
“All the activities we initiated, including the construction of houses on estates, have come to a standstill. They are conducting opening ceremonies for the handover of the houses we built. The living conditions on estates are appalling. The main reason for this is the collapse of the plantation industry.”
Ganeshan said that the estate workers are not receiving the promised wage hikes as the management companies claim their revenue has declined.
MP Ganesan said that the income of the people living on estates should be increased. He suggests that estate workers be given the right to engage in alternative employment. Opportunities should be provided for animal husbandry and vegetable farming. The government should provide assistance to them, he says.
The MP said that estate managers don’t allow these workers who have lived on these estates for many decades even to effect minor repairs to their houses or to grow some vegetables in their compound for their consumption. Such actions, he said, only serves to increase the frustration of the poor workers.
When outsiders were given land belonging to estates, those who have worked on them for decades get frustrated. ” Such incidents have taken place in a number of districts and have been brought to our attention. These, too, add to the frustration of workers,” he noted.
The High Court has convicted 14 of the 24 men accused of being directly involved in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people.
The three-judge bench read out its decision on Tuesday after a five-year trial and said sentencing would take place later, the AFP news agency reported.
The charges included murder and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
Nine others were acquitted, while another defendant was found guilty of only some of the charges, the court said.
[Aljazeera]
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The ruling NPP yesterday (21) dismissed claims of a widening rift, within the government, over the proposed 22nd Amendment. Asked whether the NPP was concerned over a section of the Opposition alleging Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and two dozen MPs taking a view contrary to that of the party in this regard, authoritative party sources said some persons were propagating speculation for their own interest.
Declaring that there was absolutely no issue regarding the controversial Amendment, sources emphasised once it was tabled in Parliament, it would be passed with 2/3 majority.
Sources dismissed claims that out of its 159-member parliamentary group a section of NPPers was opposed to the government move. According to an influential Opposition activist, there are 57 JVPers and 66 NPPers in the government group and the rest contested the last parliamentary polls, having aligned with the JVP.
Ministerial sources told The Island that the government was confident of going ahead with the 22nd Amendment and Judicature (Amendment) Bills. Sources said that the NPP was not bothered about the Opposition protests in and outside Parliament.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne is expected to disclose the confidential ruling that he received from the Supreme Court in respect of more than 65 petitions for and against the 22nd Amendment and Judicial Amendment Bills. The enactment of the 22nd Amendment would pave the way for extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, from 65 to 67 years, and Court of Appeal judges, from 63 to 65 years.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Justice Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat last morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
High Court convicts 14 over deadly Easter bombings
Mandhana, Shafali and Ghosh lead dominant India to Asian Games gold
Fatima Sana and Umm-e-Hani secure bronze for Pakistan in Asian Games
India bat first in Asian games womens cricket final
Showers about 100mm will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts
Govt. confident of 2/3 majority despite NPP split speculation
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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