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.
News
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
The book “Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” ,authored by Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mahinda Siriwardana, was officially launched this morning (08) at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, with the participation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
The first copy of the publication was formally presented to President Disanayake by Mr. Siriwardana during the event.
It has been reported that former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pilleyan’ has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
A meeting between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and senior officials of SriLankan Airlines was held this afternoon (April 8) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The discussions mainly focused on proposals to transform SriLankan Airlines into a more profitable state-owned enterprise. Special attention was also given to possible short-term and long-term solutions for the airline’s debt management.
The talks further explored new investment opportunities for the airline. The President instructed the officials to take all necessary steps to transform SriLankan Airlines into a profit-making entity.
Although the airline has recorded operational profits, due to past mismanagement and poor decision-making, it remains one of the leading loss-making state enterprises. The current government has decided to reverse the previous administration’s decision to privatize the airline. Instead, it plans to continue operating it as the national carrier while introducing a new management structure to ensure its profitability moving forward.
Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, President’s Senior Advisor Duminda Hulangamuwa, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Sarath Ganegoda along with several senior officials of SriLankan Airlines, were present at the meeting.
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
Former state minister arrested by CID
President meets with senior officials of SriLankan Airlines
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