News
Tilvin gives deft reply to govt. accusation that JVP is behind teachers’ strike
By Saman Indrajith
The JVP was at the forefront of the struggle by teachers and principals demanding rectification of their salary anomalies, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said yesterday.
Asked during a press conference held at the party headquarters to comment on government ministers’ accusation that the party was behind the teachers strike action, Silva said: “We are not behind it; we are at the vanguard because we accept that the struggle by teachers and principals is just and reasonable. The JVP is always at the forefront of just and reasonable struggles by anyone. Giving leadership to people’s struggles is politics.”
“Actually, it is the government that politicised this issue first. They did so by bringing in teachers and principals to their political advantage. They did so by including the teachers and principals in their policy manifesto and promising solutions to get votes. Now, there is no point in accusing others. If the government ministers think that we are making political capital out of this issue, the path is well open for them to deprive us of that capital and gain itself the same capital. All it has to do is just deliver what it has promised so that the political advantage would be theirs.
That would solve the problem too,” Silva said.
Silva said that the teachers and principals of government schools and pirivena schools had resorted to trade union actions after trying talks and discussions for months with education authorities and the government.
“The government continuously ignored their demands and kept blaming the teachers. Thereafter they tried to describe the struggle as an enemy action against children. The sinister motive of creating such public opinion was to set the parents against teachers. In the meantime, teachers and principals made a very influential decision that they would take up the responsibility themselves to give education to children while continuing their struggle till their demands are met. They said they would report to work not on Oct 21 or 22 but on 25. That was a very decisive blow against the government’s campaign against teachers. We applaud the teachers and principals for their decision.
It also put an end to the government’s sudden found love for children’s education. If the government really cared for children’s education it should have given a decent salary to the teachers. The government came to power promising to rectify the teachers’ salary anomaly issue but soon reneged on their promise. All that the government needs is to find Rs 64 billion to solve this problem. If it cuts down its waste and extravagances this could have been done easily,” the JVP General Secretary said.
The second day of the “Vesak Bhakti Gee Saraniya”, held in parallel with the “Buddha Rashmi Vesak Kalapaya” jointly organized by the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s Office, commenced on Tuesday (13) at 6:30 p.m. under the patronage of Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat premises.
The evening featured musical performances by renowned vocalist Ilyas Beg and the Sri Lanka Air Force Bhakti Gee Troup, accompanied by the Air Force Band. A Vesak lantern exhibition was also held at the venue. The event was attended by the Chief Incumbent of Gangaramaya Temple Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thero, along with several senior officials of the Presidential Secretariat.
This Bhakthi Gee programme will continue today [May 14] and tomorrow at the same location. Additionally, a short-eats dansala is being held near the Presidential Secretariat for the benefit of the public visiting Colombo for Vesak, and will continue until May 16.
Meanwhile, a ‘Buth Dansala’ organized jointly by the Presidential Secretariat and the Sri Lanka Army was inaugurated yesterday near the Presidential Secretariat, with the participation of senior military officers. A large number of devotees from across the country attended the event.
In line with the ‘Buddha Rashmi’ and ‘Bauddhaloka Vesak Kalapya’, several Vesak programmes have been organized in the vicinity with the support of the Presidential Secretariat. These include the illumination of nearby government buildings and roads with decorative lights, and the display of Vesak lanterns, with the active participation of the Presidential Secretariat staff.
[PMD]
The French Navy Ship ‘BEAUTEMPS BEAUPRE’ which arrived in Sri Lanka on a goodwill visit (09 May 25), departed the island on Tuesday (13 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of ‘BEAUTEMPS BEAUPRE’ visited some tourist attractions in the country. In addition, the Commanding Officer and a group of
crew members of the ship called on senior officers of the Sri Lanka National Hydrographic Office (SLNHO) to discuss key hydrographic matters of bilateral importance.
News
“Clean Sri Lanka” joins hands to Improve facilities and sanitation at Kotmale Regional Hospital
Following the bus accident in the Garandiella area of Kotmale, a large number of injured individuals were admitted to the Kotmale Regional Hospital for treatment. In response, the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme has collaborated to improve the facilities and sanitation of the hospital.
Accordingly, the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme actively worked to clean the hospital ward complex and the hospital premises, aiming to create a comfortable environment for the patients’ treatment and to enhance other facilities.
A notable aspect was the voluntary participation of the local community in this effort. The “Clean Sri Lanka” secretariat appreciates the dedication shown by the doctors and hospital staff of the Kotmale Regional Hospital, who provided emergency treatment to those injured in this unexpected incident despite having access to limited resources.
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