News
Organisers out to break all previous records with May 6 hartal to send govt. home
By Saman Indrajith
Arrangements were underway to make the May 6 hartal a record success so that it would leave all previous hartals in the country in limbo, the organisers said yesterday.
Member of the Trade Union Coordinating Committee (TUCC), Chandana Sooriyarachchi, told The Island that more than 1,000 unions from the government, semi-government, estate and private sector would participate in the hartal campaign demanding the government to step down immediately.
The TUCC leaders who met at the auditorium of the Public Library in Colombo yesterday said: “We call on people to hoist black flags in their houses and hope that shops and offices will close. The people have a constitutional right, and we call on them to exercise their rights. We want this government to go home. Hartal is the second step after our countrywide token strike on April 28. The government seems to show that it is not bothered by the people’s call. Let us see how long it could go on in this manner. This hartal will break all the records of former hartals by the numbers as well as intensity. In the 1953 hartal, the then Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers had to hide aboard a British ship HMS Newfoundland in the Colombo Harbour in fear of the people. The present-day leaders are already hiding in bunkers in Colombo. Let’s see how they would react this time,” Sooriyarachchi said.
TUCC Committee Member Mahinda Jayasinghe said that the unions had brought the country to a near standstill last Thursday with over 1,000 government and private sector trade unions, representing all sectors from transportation to banking, striking work to demand that the government quit.
“We issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government to step down. There has been no response yet. Next Friday, workers will stay away from work and take to the streets, demanding the government’s resignation. Transportation will come to a complete halt with no trains running and private bus owners keeping their vehicles off the road.
Trade unions, representing banks, railways, education, harbour, electricity, postal, apparel industry and tea estate workers joined the protests on 28 April while doctors and the medical sector will join Friday’s hartal, Jayasinghe said.
Ravi Kumudesh of the Collective of Trade Unions and Mass Organisations said: “We gave the government time till 06 May to resign and if the government does not listen to the people, we will have to have a hartal.”
General Secretary, Ceylon Teachers’ Union, Joseph Stalin said: “If the government is not willing to leave, we will have to kick it out. People are asking the Rajapaksas to go home and they do not have a mandate to govern the country anymore.”
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.
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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
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