News

JVP: What happened to proposal to use SLBFE deposits totalling Rs. 14 bn to repatriate workers?

Published

5 years ago

2021/02/8

By Saman Indrajith

Thousands of Lankan migrant workers were stranded in West Asian countries amidst the COVID-19 pandemic after losing their jobs while the government continues to make statements promising to bring them all home, says the JVP-led Progressive Women’s Collective (PWC).

Addressing the media at the JVP headquarters in Pelawatte yesterday MP Dr Harini Amarasuriya said the situation of the stranded migrant workers was deteriorating day by day while the government kept postponing bringing them home.

She said that some workers who had lost their jobs were staying at places provided to them by their employers while others received help from fellow Sri Lankan workers. “But with the gradual increase in the number of coronavirus infections, more people faced difficulties. Nobody has an exact figure of the Lankan workers killed by the pandemic abroad so far. Their situation is worsening. The government should not forget the fact that they were the ones who contributed to the national economy to run this country.

“We have raised this issue many times. We also staged a demonstration opposite the Foreign Employment Bureau. There has been no response from the government. The family members of the stranded worker have no way of contacting them. There are no officials in embassies and high commissions to answer queries about the workers. Our party leader raised this issue in Parliament several times and the government kept on saying it was planning to bring them back. The government so far has helped only those who could spend around 400,000 to 500,000 out of their pockets to fund their passage home.”

PWC member and JVP member of the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Samanmalee Gunasinghe said the government kept telling lies to the people about the issue of bringing the migrant workers home. “There were reports that the Prime Minister and ministers had discussed the use of Rs 14 billion in bank deposits of the Foreign Employment Bureau to bring the stranded Lankans home. Yet, no action has been taken so far. In the meantime, corpses of workers form West Asian countries are delivered to Chilaw, Rajanganaya, Anuradhapura and Hambantota. The Labour Minister pledged in Parliament that the Lankan workers would be brought home free of charge. He said that any migrant worker unable to obtain air tickets to Sri Lanka should immediately report to the Sri Lankan Embassy in that country or call the toll free number 800119119, but anyone who dial that number can understand that there is no response. Why do they cheat people in this manner?” she queried.

PWC Member Saroja Savithri Paul Raj said those who wanted to return also had to pay for PCR testing. “Many of those stranded workers do not have money.”

All News Advertisement

News

Development Officers threaten to intensify their protest

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Protesting Development Officers continued their hunger strike near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday (01), for the seventh consecutive day.The protesters, who are members of the Lanka School Development Officers’ Association, are demanding that they be absorbed into the teacher service as they have served as teachers in state-run schools for nearly seven years.

Secretary of the Association, Viraj Manaranga, said the protesters were seeking an urgent meeting with the President. He added that a presidential aide had visited the protest site and offered to arrange for a meeting with the President on 03 Feb., but the union insisted on an earlier date. Manaranga warned that failure to grant a meeting could trigger a massive protest in Colombo today (02).

Four officers participating in the hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while two more joined the fast on Saturday (31).

In a bid to raise awareness of their grievances, on 30 January a delegation of the All Island Development Officers’ Association visited Most Venerable

Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera, Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, and subsequently with the Chapter’s Registrar, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera. The prelates said promises that had been made to them should be fulfilled.

The protest began on 26 January as a satyagraha, after authorities failed to respond to repeated requests to integrate the officers into the teaching service. The escalation into a fast-unto-death underscores the protesters’ frustration over the prolonged delay

by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon

News

Auditor General to be appointed tomorrow

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Bimal

The long-vacant post of Auditor General would be filled on 03 Feb., after months of controversy and delays, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake said on Friday (31) in Kandy.

The Constitutional Council met at the Parliamentary complex on Friday to discuss the appointment but failed to reach a decision on a suitable candidate. The President had previously proposed four names on four separate occasions, all of which were rejected. The Council is now set to consider the fifth nominee.

The post has remained vacant since April 2025, following the retirement of Chulanta Wickramaratne, who served as the 41st Auditor General. More than 10 months have passed without a permanent appointment.

Sources said a female officer in the Auditor General’s Department has been nominated again, though her previous recommendation was rejected due to some allegations against her.

Meanwhile, senior audit officer Dharmapala Gammanpila, with 31 years of service and the department’s most senior official, has received backing from the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas, the Maha Sangha, and several civil society groups for appointment as the 42nd Auditor General.

Sources noted that the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council will play a crucial role in the final decision.

by Chaminda Silva and SK Samaranayake

News

Two arrested for aiding and abetting murder

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Two 18-year-old youth were arrested by the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division on 31 January for allegedly aiding and abetting two murders carried out in Dehiwala and Kohuwala. ICE (crystal meth) was found in their possession at the time of arrest.

The suspects are residents of Mount Lavinia and Boralesgamuwa, according to the police. They are accused of having helped carry out a murder at a hotel in the Dehiwala Police Division on 9 January, 2026, and an attack on a person travelling in a three-wheeler at Bodhiyawatta, Kohuwala, on 12 December, 2025.

Police said the charges included sending photographs of the victims to a criminal living overseas.

Investigations revealed that the youth had acted under the direction of a criminal known as Sando.

Under the guidance of Janaka Kumara, Director of the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division, investigations are being led by Police Inspector Hemanta Kumara, assisted by Sub-Inspectors Prasanna Gunathilaka and Prasanna (40248), and Constables Chaminda (72987), Anil (79598), Kumar (88762), and Senanayake (19363), who are continuing the probe.

by Norman Palihawadane and Chaminda Silva