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Sabry reiterates trade unions should be regulated

Published

4 years ago

2022/02/5

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, says specific measures are required to thwart trade unions from disrupting essential sectors.

Acknowledging that trade unions’ right to strike as part of their overall strategy, the SLPP National List MP emphasised the pivotal importance of them, too, being subject to some conditions.

Minister Sabry pointed out that many countries in different regions have adopted measures to prevent destabilisation of essential services much to the discomfort of the public.

The Justice Minister said so when The Island sought his response to strong criticism of his recent call to ban strikes.

Professionals’ National Front (PNF) in a strongly worded letter dated Feb. 03 addressed to the Justice Minister asked him whether the government intended to suppress trade unions. The letter issued under the hand of PNF’s Secretary Kapila Renuka Perera questioned whether Minister Sabry was preparing the ground work to sell the remaining national assets.

MP Sabry told The Island that various interested parties had misinterpreted his original statement on the issue at hand. “Let me stress again, I didn’t call for a total ban on strikes under any circumstances.

Therefore, those who have criticised me for pushing for elimination of strikes should listen to what I told the electronic media recently.”

The Minister said that Sri Lanka could study safeguards adopted by other countries to prevent disruptive trade union actions. Referring to international standards in this regard, Minister Sabry pointed out that trade unions had to consult the entire membership through a ballot and the mandatory requirement to give 14 day notice before going on strike.

Responding to another query, the lawmaker said: “This is my opinion. I have no intention to give up that position.”

The President’s Counsel said that though he hadn’t brought this issue before the Parliament or political authority he strongly believed all stakeholders should give sufficient attention to the crises caused by some trade unions.

Referring to recent Railway strike, Minister Sabry said that a deliberate bid was made to undermine government efforts to attract foreign tourists, at a time the cash-strapped economy was struggling to cope up with current difficulties. Railway strike left over 200 foreigners on their way to Ella stranded on the upcountry line. “We had to arrange buses to take them to the final destination,” lawmaker Sabry said, underscoring that trade union action was obviously taken with one objective to cause chaos, thereby derailing government efforts to revive tourism.

Minister Sabry said that one of those foreigners who had been affected by the Railway strike declared in social media they would never encourage anyone to visit Sri Lanka.

The top lawyer said that the public had been severely inconvenienced due to public sector workers resorting to trade union actions over what the MP called private disputes. There had been instances of public sector strikes due to an altercation between a member of a particular trade union and another representing some other body, MP Sabry said.

The minister stressed that a dialogue was necessary to explore ways and means of reaching a consensus on what he called responsible trade union set-up.

The lawmaker stressed that strikes affected the public, particularly those struggling to make ends meet, certainly not the President and cabinet of ministers. Those who eternally speak of the rights and privileges of the public sector conveniently ignored the rapid deterioration of the public service in spite of significant expansion.

Minister Sabry said that trade unions couldn’t wage war against the administration at the expense of the people. The minister alleged that such strategies had been exercised over the years at the expense of the hapless public while successive governments and Opposition appeared to have not addressed the contentious issue.

Could trade union campaigns be allowed to jeopardise the overall well-being of the people? Minister Sabry asked. Would it be fair for those in the public sector to push for their rights disregarding the suffering of the needy, MP Sabry asked.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

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Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.