Features

Court Orders on the Plantation Wage Issue

Published

2 years ago

2024/08/4

by Anura Gunasekera

On May Day, flanked by plantation sector legislators representing the Ceylon Worker’s Congress( CWC), President Wickremesinghe announced the increase of the plantation worker daily wage to Rs 1,700.00. His will was legitimized by a gazette notification signed by Manusha Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour. Twenty one plantation companies, collectively, filed a petition before the Court of Appeal, seeking the invalidation of the said gazette, on the basis that the unilateral and arbitrary decision by the minister violated the legal principles of natural justice.

On July 4, a three-member Supreme Court bench issued an interim injunction order, preventing the implementation of the said gazette. Clearly, the court considered that the plea by the plantation companies had merit. The latest court ruling, along with the two others delivered on the recent election-related petitions, is more egg on the president’s face.

On July 10 minister Nanyakkara has issued a gazette notification, canceling the earlier determination. However, the plantation companies, who are contesting the issue in court, had not been informed officially of this step.

Fools, they say, rush in where angels fear to tread- a highly overworked cliché but perfectly descriptive of most of our politicians who tend to lose all sense of proportion, propriety and credibility when wooing the vote base before an election. For Wickremesinghe, the man who lost (including his own seat) in the Colombo district in the 2020 general election – the first such defeat suffered by the United National Party since Independence- garnering the plantation vote in case he actually contests the presidency- is of paramount importance. Minister Nanayakkara, indebted to President Wickremesinghe for his cabinet portfolio, is enthusiastically promoting the latter’s personal agenda with the CWC.

There are 44 Wages Boards, including the Tea Export Trade and the Tea Growing and Manufacturing Trade, currently operational in Sri Lanka. All those boards cover industries, inhabited largely by manual and blue-collar workers, occupying the lower levels of our socio-economic order. Whilst almost all the minimum wage determinations of the other boards are lower than that of the Tea Growing and Manufacturing Trade, and none of the relevant workers enjoy free-of-cost facilities such as housing, child-care, sanitation, water service and basic medical care, as plantation workers do, it is the plantation worker that the president has selected for special attention. To that list of in-house services should be added estate welfare societies, cooperative societies and, on many plantations, library facilities, language training centres and IT training centres for plantation youth.

The above is not to say that the plantation worker does not deserve a wage increase, but to emphasize that in determining a living wage, workers in all industries merit equal consideration, especially in the context of current escalations in living costs. The cost of living and the hierarchy of needs, particularly at the lower socio-economic levels of society, whether in Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya or Moneragla, vary only minimally.

The National Living Wage, determined by the State, was Rs 43,080 in June 2022, when the USD exchange rate was Rs 360. At that stage an ordinary agricultural worker’s monthly household income was, reportedly, Rs 39,617, whilst the average tea estate sector household income was said to be Rs 46,865 per month.

The plantation companies have now offered a package of Rs 1,350 per day, with Rs 150 of that being contingent to a minimum attendance, coupled with an increase of Rs 10 (from Rs 40 per kg to Rs 50 per kg) on the over-kilo rate. However, at a recent meeting between Minister Nanayakkara and the concerned parties, the former had insisted on Rs 1,350 basic wage per day plus allowances, unashamedly inching his way back to the original promise made to CWC leader, Jeevan Thondaman. This must also be a rare instance in our political and industrial history, when a senior cabinet minister is acting as the delegate of a trade union in a wage dispute between the union and the employer.

Leaving all other factors aside, this craven desire to curry favour with Thondaman does not make much political sense, as the CWC is no longer the force it used to be in the plantation sector. The captive, plantation community vote base is now fragmented, consequent to the outward migration of plantation residents to employment outside. Add to that the general loss of relevance of all trade unions in the lives of plantation residents. Since the time of great-grandfather Saumyamoorthy Thondaman, trade-unionist-cum-negotiator par-excellence, the CWC presence in the plantation sector has steadily eroded, with the exception of a few pockets in Kotmale, Nuwara Eliya and Badulla, maintaining a bare semblance of the old dominance.

The late Saumyamoorthy Thondaman achieved more for the plantation worker than any other plantation trade unionist, through clever negotiation, honourable interaction, and the pragmatic acknowledgement of mutual requirements. His diplomatic soul would have cringed at the ugly theatrics and thuggery, which seem to be the only weapons of persuasion in the arsenal of his descendant.

In an earlier writing on the same issue (Politics and the Plantation Wage- Sunday Island, June 30), I dealt with the wide-ranging adverse impact that this enforced wage increase would have on the plantation industry in totality. An erosion of industry competitiveness, arising from unmanageable costs, will hurt the lives of at least two million people, equivalent to about 10% of the country’s population.

The declaration of an unsolicited wage increase, whether as an inducement to woo a potential vote-base or as an off-the-cuff solution to economic challenges, ignores the wider, national socio-economic impact. Plantation wage revisions significantly impact other sectors, especially those linked to agriculture. Firstly filtering down to areas in close proximity to the plantations, impact of revisions eventually reach regions which are non-contiguous.

The sectoral impact of a plantation wage increase, though immediately non-quantifiable, have far-reaching consequences, especially in food cultivation. That apart, the wide ranging public debate stimulated by the revision – particularly when the matter is before the Supreme Court – has an inevitable ripple effect, and becomes highly cogent in the demands made for salary revisions in other employments.

A State-mandated wage increase in a privatized industry sector, is in complete contradiction to the stated policy of a government, which claims to follow market-based reforms. It is also a move which is certain to discourage potential investors, both local and foreign. A country which desperately needs foreign investment for the revival of a wrecked economy, cannot afford the imposition of illogical, politically driven policy changes, with adverse socio-economic potential.

Whilst the Regional Plantation Company sector is far behind the smallholder segment, in terms of tea/rubber production, its stability and sustainability is important for the plantation industry for a number of reasons unconnected to production volume.

The RPC sector, with its direct connectivity with the primary regulatory bodies covering the plantation industry, remains the sophisticated and representative official voice of the industry. Unlike the amorphous small-holder segment, the RPC sector is structured, completely protocol driven, supports industry-wide international certifications and is instrumental in guiding industry-related research and development. It is a fact that the most of the scientific studies of the Tea Research Institute, are first tested commercially in the RPC sector plantations.

The Planters’ Association of Sri Lanka, the officially acknowledged voice of the producer sector, comprises largely of RPC sector representatives. And that is the official body, which represents producer interests in every issue which impacts the plantation industry. The RPC sector also actively promotes plantation heritage and tourism, which reinforce the image of Ceylon tea, internationally.

It is also the RPC sector, that provides the leadership and the role-model example for sustainable plantation agriculture, which includes management of shade, forestry, water resources, the conservation of plantation eco-systems, and maintaining the balance between natural eco-systems and plantation mono-culture. Certain plantation companies have already executed internationally recognized initiatives in the relevant dimensions. A State-mandated wage, divorced from productivity, may compel RPC’s to cut back on connected strategies in order to maintain financial viability, with adverse consequences for long term sustainability.

Why is the tea industry in Sri Lanka important, apart from the lives it supports and the foreign exchange it earns?

Certain industries define countries, globally. Ceylon/Sri Lanka is associated globally with the tea it produces, as much as Scotch whiskey defines Scotland and France is invariably linked to the fine wine it produces. Scotch whiskey is registered as a Geographical Indication (GI) – in the European Union – a special form of intellectual property rights, applied to products that have unique characteristics and a reputation associated with their origin. This is in addition to various legal provisions, which shield the image of Scotch whiskey from unfair competition. Similarly, the AOC (Appellation d’origine controle’e) defines and protects French wine. The authenticity and territory of champagne, produced only in a legally defined region in France, is guarded by an even greater body of protocols.

Ceylon Tea has, for over a century, enjoyed a reputation similar to that of wine, scotch and champagne; in fact it is the only tea in the world which occupies that privileged niche. Regrettably, an industry which should be the subject of State patronage, has now become a political theatre. I reiterate what I have said earlier, that the State interventions of the last five years, commencing with the Glyphosate ban and the inorganic fertilizer embargo, coupled with the unbearable weight of the new cost burden, will relegate our tea industry to irrelevance in the international arena.

(The writer is a retired plantation specialist with over 50 years experience, covering the Agency House era, the State-management interlude and the Regional Plantation Company period)

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Features

Crucial test for religious and ethnic harmony in Bangladesh

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

A political protest that led to governmental change in Bangladesh mid last year. (photograph: imago)

Will the Bangladesh parliamentary election bring into being a government that will ensure ethnic and religious harmony in the country? This is the poser on the lips of peace-loving sections in Bangladesh and a principal concern of those outside who mean the country well.

The apprehensions are mainly on the part of religious and ethnic minorities. The parliamentary poll of February 12th is expected to bring into existence a government headed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist oriented Jamaat-e-Islami party and this is where the rub is. If these parties win, will it be a case of Bangladesh sliding in the direction of a theocracy or a state where majoritarian chauvinism thrives?

Chief of the Jamaat, Shafiqur Rahman, who was interviewed by sections of the international media recently said that there is no need for minority groups in Bangladesh to have the above fears. He assured, essentially, that the state that will come into being will be equable and inclusive. May it be so, is likely to be the wish of those who cherish a tension-free Bangladesh.

The party that could have posed a challenge to the above parties, the Awami League Party of former Prime Minister Hasina Wased, is out of the running on account of a suspension that was imposed on it by the authorities and the mentioned majoritarian-oriented parties are expected to have it easy at the polls.

A positive that has emerged against the backdrop of the poll is that most ordinary people in Bangladesh, be they Muslim or Hindu, are for communal and religious harmony and it is hoped that this sentiment will strongly prevail, going ahead. Interestingly, most of them were of the view, when interviewed, that it was the politicians who sowed the seeds of discord in the country and this viewpoint is widely shared by publics all over the region in respect of the politicians of their countries.

Some sections of the Jamaat party were of the view that matters with regard to the orientation of governance are best left to the incoming parliament to decide on but such opinions will be cold comfort for minority groups. If the parliamentary majority comes to consist of hard line Islamists, for instance, there is nothing to prevent the country from going in for theocratic governance. Consequently, minority group fears over their safety and protection cannot be prevented from spreading.

Therefore, we come back to the question of just and fair governance and whether Bangladesh’s future rulers could ensure these essential conditions of democratic rule. The latter, it is hoped, will be sufficiently perceptive to ascertain that a Bangladesh rife with religious and ethnic tensions, and therefore unstable, would not be in the interests of Bangladesh and those of the region’s countries.

Unfortunately, politicians region-wide fall for the lure of ethnic, religious and linguistic chauvinism. This happens even in the case of politicians who claim to be democratic in orientation. This fate even befell Bangladesh’s Awami League Party, which claims to be democratic and socialist in general outlook.

We have it on the authority of Taslima Nasrin in her ground-breaking novel, ‘Lajja’, that the Awami Party was not of any substantial help to Bangladesh’s Hindus, for example, when violence was unleashed on them by sections of the majority community. In fact some elements in the Awami Party were found to be siding with the Hindus’ murderous persecutors. Such are the temptations of hard line majoritarianism.

In Sri Lanka’s past numerous have been the occasions when even self-professed Leftists and their parties have conveniently fallen in line with Southern nationalist groups with self-interest in mind. The present NPP government in Sri Lanka has been waxing lyrical about fostering national reconciliation and harmony but it is yet to prove its worthiness on this score in practice. The NPP government remains untested material.

As a first step towards national reconciliation it is hoped that Sri Lanka’s present rulers would learn the Tamil language and address the people of the North and East of the country in Tamil and not Sinhala, which most Tamil-speaking people do not understand. We earnestly await official language reforms which afford to Tamil the dignity it deserves.

An acid test awaits Bangladesh as well on the nation-building front. Not only must all forms of chauvinism be shunned by the incoming rulers but a secular, truly democratic Bangladesh awaits being licked into shape. All identity barriers among people need to be abolished and it is this process that is referred to as nation-building.

On the foreign policy frontier, a task of foremost importance for Bangladesh is the need to build bridges of amity with India. If pragmatism is to rule the roost in foreign policy formulation, Bangladesh would place priority to the overcoming of this challenge. The repatriation to Bangladesh of ex-Prime Minister Hasina could emerge as a steep hurdle to bilateral accord but sagacious diplomacy must be used by Bangladesh to get over the problem.

A reply to N.A. de S. Amaratunga

A response has been penned by N.A. de S. Amaratunga (please see p5 of ‘The Island’ of February 6th) to a previous column by me on ‘ India shaping-up as a Swing State’, published in this newspaper on January 29th , but I remain firmly convinced that India remains a foremost democracy and a Swing State in the making.

If the countries of South Asia are to effectively manage ‘murderous terrorism’, particularly of the separatist kind, then they would do well to adopt to the best of their ability a system of government that provides for power decentralization from the centre to the provinces or periphery, as the case may be. This system has stood India in good stead and ought to prove effective in all other states that have fears of disintegration.

Moreover, power decentralization ensures that all communities within a country enjoy some self-governing rights within an overall unitary governance framework. Such power-sharing is a hallmark of democratic governance.

Features

Celebrating Valentine’s Day …

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love, romance, and affection, and this is how some of our well-known personalities plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day – 14th February:

Merlina Fernando (Singer)

Yes, it’s a special day for lovers all over the world and it’s even more special to me because 14th February is the birthday of my husband Suresh, who’s the lead guitarist of my band Mission.

We have planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day and his Birthday together and it will be a wonderful night as always.

We will be having our fans and close friends, on that night, with their loved ones at Highso – City Max hotel Dubai, from 9.00 pm onwards.

Lorensz Francke (Elvis Tribute Artiste)

On Valentine’s Day I will be performing a live concert at a Wealthy Senior Home for Men and Women, and their families will be attending, as well.

I will be performing live with romantic, iconic love songs and my song list would include ‘Can’t Help falling in Love’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Burning Love’, ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’, ‘The Wonder of You’ and ‘’It’s Now or Never’ to name a few.

To make Valentine’s Day extra special I will give the Home folks red satin scarfs.

Emma Shanaya (Singer)

I plan on spending the day of love with my girls, especially my best friend. I don’t have a romantic Valentine this year but I am thrilled to spend it with the girl that loves me through and through. I’ll be in Colombo and look forward to go to a cute cafe and spend some quality time with my childhood best friend Zulha.

JAYASRI

Emma-and-Maneeka

This Valentine’s Day the band JAYASRI we will be really busy; in the morning we will be landing in Sri Lanka, after our Oman Tour; then in the afternoon we are invited as Chief Guests at our Maris Stella College Sports Meet, Negombo, and late night we will be with LineOne band live in Karandeniya Open Air Down South. Everywhere we will be sharing LOVE with the mass crowds.

Kay Jay (Singer)

I will stay at home and cook a lovely meal for lunch, watch some movies, together with Sanjaya, and, maybe we go out for dinner and have a lovely time. Come to think of it, every day is Valentine’s Day for me with Sanjaya Alles.

Maneka Liyanage (Beauty Tips)

On this special day, I celebrate love by spending meaningful time with the people I cherish. I prepare food with love and share meals together, because food made with love brings hearts closer. I enjoy my leisure time with them — talking, laughing, sharing stories, understanding each other, and creating beautiful memories. My wish for this Valentine’s Day is a world without fighting — a world where we love one another like our own beloved, where we do not hurt others, even through a single word or action. Let us choose kindness, patience, and understanding in everything we do.

Janaka Palapathwala (Singer)

Janaka

Valentine’s Day should not be the only day we speak about love.

From the moment we are born into this world, we seek love, first through the very drop of our mother’s milk, then through the boundless care of our Mother and Father, and the embrace of family.

Love is everywhere. All living beings, even plants, respond in affection when they are loved.

As we grow, we learn to love, and to be loved. One day, that love inspires us to build a new family of our own.

Love has no beginning and no end. It flows through every stage of life, timeless, endless, and eternal.

Natasha Rathnayake (Singer)

We don’t have any special plans for Valentine’s Day. When you’ve been in love with the same person for over 25 years, you realise that love isn’t a performance reserved for one calendar date. My husband and I have never been big on public displays, or grand gestures, on 14th February. Our love is expressed quietly and consistently, in ordinary, uncelebrated moments.

With time, you learn that love isn’t about proving anything to the world or buying into a commercialised idea of romance—flowers that wilt, sweets that spike blood sugar, and gifts that impress briefly but add little real value. In today’s society, marketing often pushes the idea that love is proven by how much money you spend, and that buying things is treated as a sign of commitment.

Real love doesn’t need reminders or price tags. It lives in showing up every day, choosing each other on unromantic days, and nurturing the relationship intentionally and without an audience.

This isn’t a judgment on those who enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day. It’s simply a personal choice.

Melloney Dassanayake (Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2024)

I truly believe it’s beautiful to have a day specially dedicated to love. But, for me, Valentine’s Day goes far beyond romantic love alone. It celebrates every form of love we hold close to our hearts: the love for family, friends, and that one special person who makes life brighter. While 14th February gives us a moment to pause and celebrate, I always remind myself that love should never be limited to just one day. Every single day should feel like Valentine’s Day – constant reminder to the people we love that they are never alone, that they are valued, and that they matter.

I’m incredibly blessed because, for me, every day feels like Valentine’s Day. My special person makes sure of that through the smallest gestures, the quiet moments, and the simple reminders that love lives in the details. He shows me that it’s the little things that count, and that love doesn’t need grand stages to feel extraordinary. This Valentine’s Day, perfection would be something intimate and meaningful: a cozy picnic in our home garden, surrounded by nature, laughter, and warmth, followed by an abstract drawing session where we let our creativity flow freely. To me, that’s what love is – simple, soulful, expressive, and deeply personal. When love is real, every ordinary moment becomes magical.

Noshin De Silva (Actress)

Valentine’s Day is one of my favourite holidays! I love the décor, the hearts everywhere, the pinks and reds, heart-shaped chocolates, and roses all around. But honestly, I believe every day can be Valentine’s Day.

It doesn’t have to be just about romantic love. It’s a chance to celebrate love in all its forms with friends, family, or even by taking a little time for yourself.

Whether you’re spending the day with someone special or enjoying your own company, it’s a reminder to appreciate meaningful connections, show kindness, and lead with love every day.

And yes, I’m fully on theme this year with heart nail art and heart mehendi design!

Wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day, but, remember, love yourself first, and don’t forget to treat yourself.

Sending my love to all of you.

Features

Banana and Aloe Vera

Published

14 hours ago

2026/02/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

To create a powerful, natural, and hydrating beauty mask that soothes inflammation, fights acne, and boosts skin radiance, mix a mashed banana with fresh aloe vera gel.

This nutrient-rich blend acts as an antioxidant-packed anti-ageing treatment that also doubles as a nourishing, shiny hair mask.

* Face Masks for Glowing Skin:

Mix 01 ripe banana with 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel and apply this mixture to the face. Massage for a few minutes, leave for 15-20 minutes, and then rinse off for a glowing complexion.

* Acne and Soothing Mask:

Mix 01 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel with 1/2 a mashed banana and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply this mixture to clean skin to calm inflammation, reduce redness, and hydrate dry, sensitive skin. Leave for 15-20 minutes, and rinse with warm water.

* Hair Treatment for Shine:

Mix 01 fresh ripe banana with 03 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and 01 teaspoon of honey. Apply from scalp to ends, massage for 10-15 minutes and then let it dry for maximum absorption. Rinse thoroughly with cool water for soft, shiny, and frizz-free hair.