News

MPs call for abolition of collective agreement

Published

2 years ago

2024/03/6

Sahan Weerasooriya

Speaker Mahinda Yapa

Central Bank pay hike controversy:

By Saman Indrajith

The MPs who met a group of officials from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) yesterday found that the controversial salary increments of the CBSL workers had been based on a collective agreement. Some of the MPs argued that the collective agreement should be abolished.

The meeting with CBSL officials was attended by over 50 MPs of both the government and Opposition and commenced around 11.30 am at the Committee Room 2 and continued till 1.30 pm.

The CBSL officials made a presentation and the room was open for MPs to raise questions. They first met the party leaders and then the Committee of Public Finance members and MPs. The second meeting was also attended by officials of the Attorney General’s Department. The Speaker presided over the first meeting.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said. “I asked them to point out the legal provision for what they did and name a section or an Act of Parliament giving powers to them to decide their own salaries. They could not cite such provision,” Kiriella said.

The CBSL salary increments amount to around Rs 232 million a month. “I was the one who first raised this issue in the House. This morning, too, I demanded to know from the government what the standpoint of the Cabinet is because the summoning of CBSL officials to Parliament had been discussed at Monday’s Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet ministers, too, have expressed their displeasure. At the meeting with CBSL officials, four government MPs spoke, and none of them approved of what the CBSL officials have done,” Kiriella said.

CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe stated that there were provisions in Sections 5, 8 and 23 of the CBSL Act for the slaries of the CBSL officials to be increased.

Kiriella pointed out those sections expressly made provisions for the expenses of the CBSL but not about salary increases. Section 23 stated about determining the amount of salaries provided that it is approved finally by Parliament.

SLPP dissident MP Gevindu Cumaratunga pointed out that the problem had been created by the government by passing a Bill to make the CBSL independent, but neither the Prime Minister, leader of the House, Chief Government Whip, nor the Finance Minister or State Finance ministers were present at this meeting. “We opposed this Bill and voted against this. Now those who created this mess are not present to question the CBSL officials,” Cumaratunga said.

Kiriella said that the government looked the other way when CBSL officials got their salaries increased. The government did not increase the salaries of professors, doctors, university teachers and other professionals, but kept silent when the CBSL officials got it done for themselves. The government must give answers. One of the CBSL secretaries told me that with the recent increment, she draws a monthly salary equal to ten times of the monthly salary of a ministry secretary. They collected money from tins and distributed it among themselves by barrels, he said.

Cumaratunga pointed out that the money handled by the CBSL officials were public funds therefore they are responsible to Parliament which has supremacy over the matters pertaining to the use of public funds.

TNA MP Sumanthiran, too, expressed the same view. He said that the CBSL did not earn money but uses the public money.

The CBSL officials responded that the salary increment was done as per the provisions of a collective agreement.

Gamapaha District MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna demanded to know from the CBSL officials whether that collective agreement was registered with the Labour Department.

MP Dayasiri Jayasekera said that a collective agreement to be valid should be registered with the Labour Department and became valid only after the Labour Commissioner gazettes it.

The collective agreement in question was neither registered nor gazetted, as such it is not a valid collective agreement, Jayasekera said.

As per Articles 148 and 149 (2) of the Constitution, Parliament had the powers over the use of public funds, he said, adding that the CBSL, too, was coming under that purview despite that there are wrong interpretations of the CBSL Act passed recently to give independence to the Central Bank. It is stated in that Act that money remaining in the Central Bank should be directed to the Consolidated Fund, and that meant the CBSL, too, come under the institutions responsible to Parliament.

Jayasekera said that the operations of collective agreements could be suspended. The operations of collective agreements in the CEB, CPC, and Harbour have been suspended.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]