News
Estates in crisis due to fuel shortage – Planters’ Association
25 per cent drop in production feared
By Nalaka Rathnayaka
A million people employed in the tea sector might lose jobs if the government doesn’t provide adequate stocks of diesel and petrol to plantation companies, Planters Association Spokesman Dr. Roshan Rajadurai says.
He said that plantations needed large amounts of fuel to operate machinery and transport purposes.
“Due to power cuts, we need to run generators. A million people are directly and indirectly working in the tea industry. If the tea industry collapses, workers will lose employment and the country a great deal of foreign earnings.
Rajadurai added that they had estimated a production drop of about 25 percent by the end of this year. Between January and April this year 86,232 tonnes of tea were produced. The amount produced during the corresponding period last year was 299,338 tonnes, he said.
“If we can’t meet the demand, buyers will switch to India and Kenya. When we go to gas stations near the estates, people who had been in the queues attempt to stop us. Then we can’t get fuel. If the CPC can send us fuel directly, we have facilities to store them,” he said.
Rajadurai said that in recent months, a large number of plantation workers have gone overseas in search of jobs. Meanwhile, a lot of estate sector youth are not interested in working on estates, he said.In recent months, a large number of estate youth who migrated to urban areas in search of employment had returned due to the economic crisis. “However, they are not interested in working on estates, and there is a severe labour shortage,” Rajadurai said.
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Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
The Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Russian House in Colombo unveiled a plaque at the public library Colombo today (29th April) in honour of the 80th anniversary of victory day.
Victory Day is celebrated on the 9th of May, the day Nazi Germany was defeated in World War II. It is an important date in the Russian calendar and an integral part of Russian culture.
The plaque was jointly unveiled by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka Lenav Dzhagaryan and Ms Maria Popova Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and Director of the Russian House in Colombo
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Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
It has been recognized that the state enterprises should be re – structured and maintained with proper administration with the assistance of local or foreign investments without being a continuous burden to the General Treasury and the country’s economy. Therefore, it is the policy of the new government to introduce an efficient and accountable mechanism in the regard. An initial draft named “State Commercial Enterprises Management Draft Bill” has been already prepared to introduce a new legal framework required for maintaining after performing necessary restructuring and with proper management of government owned business companies. Thereon, it will be possible to totally free the state entrepreneurship establishments from political influences and appoint professionals with proficiency for its board of directors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to grant policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for the said initial draft and appoint a special committee with the following composition to submit appropriate proposals for further enhancing after reviewing the initial draft:
• Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development – (Chairman)
• Hon. Sunil Handunneththi Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship
• Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co – operative Development
• Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Sooriyapperuma Deputy Minister of Finance Plan Implementation
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi, a special grade officer in Sri Lanka Administrative Service who served in the post of Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, to the post of Commissioner General of Official Languages with immediate effect.
Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi appointed Commissioner General of Official Languages
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