Business
May Day – May Day May Day!!
Franklyn Amerasinghe
The caption is to focus attention on the significance and importance of the workers day this year, and secondly on the tragic situation employees find themselves in today as a result of the economic mess we are in. This led to the coalescing of the workers labour issues with the protests of the public in general because of its disappointment with governance which has brought the country to acknowledged bankruptcy.
Granted, everyone is responsible for this economic mess. Why do I say so? The business community, or at least the significant players, play along with politicians because it has become the culture of the country to ‘suck up’ to politicians to survive, and moreover to thrive. The country has seen the destruction of processes which were in place in relation to how public contracts should be handled, which has inevitably led to corruption. It is sad that sometimes one cannot survive in this jungle where the political beasts will destroy you unless you play their game.
Today, May 6 (as this is being written) there is a Hartal organized by the unions and principally by the JVP. It would seem as if all workplaces have heeded the call and the workers of the Free Trade Zones also were seen demonstrating.
In the 1950’s the Trade Unions were very powerful and were able to make political issues a cause for taking workers out on strike. Of course, at times the political issues had at their core issuesa which affected the working population and as we see now, political issues can and do arise as a result of socio-economic issues which concern all workers and they have a right to protest.
The July 1980 strike saw unions espouse political causes which the Left Unions brought up to defeat the government, and it was unfortunate that private sector employees who were covered by Collective Agreements which could be re-negotiated when economic conditions so needed, also joined the public sector in a strike which the Jayewardene administration crushed.
In Employers Federation Companies, the members decided that they would take back the strikers although according to the Government’s position, legally they had abandoned their jobs. There were only two unions which prevented their members from taking the offer of our members. They belonged to the Communist Unions, one pro, Moscow and the other pro Peking.
What is important to note is that between 1980 and the insurrection of 1988/89 the incidence of political strikes in the private sector were zero and the habit was formed of workers having access to their managements. They were able to resolve their issues by collective bargaining accepting that their futures depended on their employers also being viable.
Companies were anxious to have transparency in their management processes and the parent unions did not bring up issues which did not concern their members at the individual workplaces. By the 1990’s what I saw was that the membership in the EFC member companies was at around 40% and workers understood productivity issues and how they could enhance their earnings.
The current situation has seen the workers in the private sector also joining in the Hartal and earlier demonstrations. One cannot blame them as the issues are affecting them and their employment. What is important is that they see the plight of their employer also and help in whatever way they can to see that any demonstration does not make the position of the employer weaker as this would inevitably lead to a more chaotic situation.
I hope the unions who are active in fighting the political issue see the need to keep in mind what they have to do to sustain the businesses which employ their members. I am sure the Employers Federation would gather the Unions and have a dialogue of what needs to be done to maintain businesses which after all need their support as well, to rebuild our battered economy.
(The writer, who is an attorney-at-Law and former Director-General of the EFC which he long served as CEO has authored many books over the years on a range of topics covering law, conflict management, employee relations and CSR.)
Business
SIA warns of 1,000 SME collapses, urges fair policies to protect Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector
By Sanath Nanayakkare
The Solar Industries Association (SIA), representing over 1,000 companies and employing 40,000 workers in Sri Lanka’s rooftop solar sector, issued a stern warning recently regarding threats to the industry’s survival and the nation’s renewable energy ambitions. The association condemned recent regulatory instability and called for urgent policy reforms to avert economic and social crises.
The SIA categorically rejected the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) claim that rooftop solar installations caused the recent island-wide power outage, calling the accusation “baseless and misleading.”
“Public trust is eroded when accountability is misdirected,” the SIA stated. “We demand an independent, transparent investigation led by experts appointed by the Ministry or the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL). The CEB’s unilateral statements disregard the sector’s contributions and jeopardize Sri Lanka’s renewable energy transition,” they said.
“While acknowledging the formation of a tariff determination committee, the SIA criticized its narrow focus on financial parameters, ignoring the sector’s socioeconomic value. Rooftop solar empowers businesses and households with energy independence, reduces grid strain, and supports climate goals. However, proposed volatile tariff structures risk destabilizing over 100,000 installations—primarily owned by middle-class families—and deter future investment,” they noted.
“A rigid, equation-based tariff system is unsustainable,” the association warned. “Sri Lanka needs a stable policy framework to attract long-term investments. For instance, retirees could invest EPF savings into solar projects, securing income while advancing national energy targets. Without urgent action, 1,000 SMEs and 40,000 jobs face collapse, with dire consequences for employment, energy security, and economic stability,” they pointed out.
SIA urged policymakers to establish an independent committee to investigate the power outage fairly, expand the tariff committee’s mandate to include socioeconomic and environmental benefits and implement predictable policies to safeguard SMEs, households, and investor confidence.
“Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads,” the SIA emphasized. “Protecting rooftop solar isn’t just about energy—it’s about livelihoods, economic resilience, and a sustainable future. We urge stakeholders to collaborate on solutions that prioritize both people and progress,: they emphasized.
SLT-MOBITEL has entered into a strategic partnership with Rush Lanka Group to provide exclusive SLT-MOBITEL Fibre connectivity solutions to their portfolio of luxury apartment developments in Colombo and the suburbs, enhancing the digital experience of all residents.
The agreement was signed between Imantha Wijekoon, Chief Business Officer of Consumer Business at SLT, and Zaid Ariff, Director of Construction at the Rush Group headquarters. Representatives from both companies also attended the ceremony.
Under the partnership, SLT-MOBITEL will serve as the exclusive digital service provider for five prestigious Rush Lanka developments including Street Rush Residencies and Rush Court 4 in Mt. Lavinia, Rush Tower 2, Rush Metropolis in Dehiwala, and Rush Court 5 in Colombo 14. The collaboration ensures residents will enjoy superior fibre connectivity speeds, enabling seamless digital experiences in modern smart homes. The partnership with the Rush Lanka Group aligns with SLT-MOBITEL’s commitment to offer ultra-fast, reliable connectivity solutions to residential developments. Delivering exclusive fibre connectivity to luxury apartments, SLT-MOBITEL ensures residents have access to world-class digital services that complement the living experience promised by Rush Lanka Group.
Powered by advanced fibre technology, SLT-MOBITEL network will provide the residences with seamless performance across digital activities. The SLT-MOBITEL Fibre backbone ensures lag-free experiences whether tenants are gaming online, attending virtual classes, working remotely, or streaming high-definition entertainment. SLT-MOBITEL Fibre will transform the lifestyles of all apartment users bringing greater convenience and superior quality of life.
Rush Lanka Group, established in 1992, is a property developer specializing in luxury and semi-luxury apartments.
Starting its promotional work for 2025, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) added another feather into its cap of endorsements, by being recognized as the most innovative Tourism Board promotion in Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) . In parallel to that, several other sub events were held. The OTM was held in Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai—India, from 30th January to 01st February 2025.Before OTM, the Global Village – Global Exchange & Trade Exhibition was held at the Surat International Exhibition & Convention Centre , Sarsana, Surat (Gujarat – India , from 25th to 27th January 2025. This travel fair was organized by Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI).
Sri Lanka participated in both OTM and South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange (SATTE), held from 19th – 21st Feb 2025, in New Delhi, India . This was an excellent opportunity for Sri Lanka to promote it’s potential as a unique travel destination, especially for the Indian counterparts, as SLTPB has identified India as the number one source market for Sri Lanka, tourism bringing the largest number of tourist arrivals to the destination.
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