Salary increase for MP's and ministers
Sangha Sabha demands govt to withdraw proposalJust like the government's appeal to public servants not to demand higher wages considering the grave financial situation the country is currently confronted with the Jathika Sangha Sabha too wishes to appeal to the Government for the same reasons to withdraw the proposal to increase the allowances of parliamentarians, states a press release issued by the President of the Sangha Sabha Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera.
Ruthless LTTE terrorists are presently engaged in a bloody war with the Government demanding a separate state. Thousands of human lives are lost in this war which also cost the Government colossal sum of money. Almost every citizen of the country is assisting the war efforts of the Government by contributing to the defence fund apart from other sacrifices they are making.
About 35,000 unemployed graduates are at present launching a fast unto death campaign demanding employment. The price of goods is sky rocketing day by day.
Local producers ranging from paddy to potatoes were in the doldrums. Some men commit suicide being unable to settle loans they have raised from banks. When the situation of the country is like that there is a proposal in the parliamentary order paper to increase the monthly allowances of parliamentarians.
When the poorly paid workers unable to make ends meet due to the high cost of living demand a paltry salary increase they are being advised to put the country before self.
Though the plight of the country is extremely unsatisfactory, parliamentarians are entitled to various privileges. They can import tax free vehicles for personal and official use. The price of a loaf of bread has soared up to Rs. 8.50. Bread incidentally, constitutes the main meal of the poor man today. In the meantime parliamentarians could enjoy a quality meal at the subsidised price of Rs. 15.00. They are also paid an entertainment allowance.
While enjoying all these privileges with what heart parliamentarians demand an increased allowance, the prelate questions.
Ven. Sobitha Thera warns the Government that people have not forgotten the pledges made to the people prior to the general election. Among the pre-election promises were - bread at Rs. 3.50 per loaf, reduction of the price of petroleum products, doing away with pajeros, pruning down the cabinet to 20 ministers. Was there any mention about an increase in the allowances of parliamentarians in the pre-election promises, Ven. Sobitha thera finally asks.
Rs. 1.3b ADB aid to develop youth and women skills
by Sumadhu Weerawarne
The government is expected to commence a Rs 1.3 billion (US$ 20 million) Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded rural youth and women centred skills training project at the end of 1999, according the Ministry of Rural Industry and Vocational Training.The project is aimed at the development of skills of rural youth resident in rural areas to enhance their entrepreneurial skills. They will be provided with start-up capital, technical assistance and advice to enable them to engage in self- employment or set-up micro level enterprises.
Advisor to the Ministry Earl Fernando said that the feasibility study was already underway. The ADB has provided a Rs 40.2 million grant for project preparation technical assistance. A five member team of foreign consultants arrived on Tuesday to commence the formulation stage of the project. This is expected to take at least four months.
The project formulators will include five foreign and five local consultants and representatives of the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission, the Vocational Training Authority (VTA), National Apprenticeship and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and will be co-ordinated by the Ministry.
A memorandum of 'understanding was signed between the government and the ADB in May this year, subsequent to a fact finding mission conducted by' the ADB. When the ADB fact finding visited the country' in April this year, the Presidential Task Force on Technical Education and Vocational Training had submitted the framework and guidelines for the proposed project.
It is also expected to support the implementation of technical education and vocational training reforms through the formulation of action plans to reorientate the skills development system into one that can provide for marketable skills.
Mr. Fernando said that in terms of the proposed reforms the government would seek to move away from being the major provider of training in this area and become its facilitator, coordinator, standard-setter and regulator of training.
BOC staff officers suspend non-cooperation campaign
The Staff Officers' Association of the Bank of Ceylon this week suspended the non-cooperation campaign they were following against the failure to resolve their salary question. The management has 'shown a positive response' to their demands, a union source told 'The Island'.
Meanwhile, the Staff Officers' Association of the Peoples' Bank, which gave notice to their management of trade union action starting on November 26 on the same issue, has also suspended their protest action.
Both unions were opposing the non-implementation of the recommendations made by a special committee that went into the restructuring of salaries in all four state banks. A senior officer of the Bank of Ceylon Staff Officers' Association said the report of this committee was out in July, after which it was referred to the secretary to the Treasury. The Secretary has now asked the managements of the four banks to go through the report and refer their comments to him. He would take action to implement the salary recommendations after he receives their comments, said the source.
He said that the management of the Bank of Ceylon is presently going through the report. 'We hope to receive a definite word from the Treasury in December', he said.
More than 700 Bank of Ceylon staff officers were following a non-cooperation campaign since November 11 and had been threatening to intensify their action. - (NW)
80 houses damaged as sailors go berserk in Ratgama
Atleast 80 houses in the village of Pitawella, Ratgama are reported to have been damaged by armed Navy personnel who ran berserk on Thursday night following a clash with some youths in the village, according to eye witness accounts. Among the damaged houses are those of three army men.
Armed sailors stormed the village around 6.30 p.m. on Thursday and terrorised the village for over two hours unleashing a severe onslaught on some of the villagers and causing heavy damages to the houses and household goods.
Soon after police received information, an armed contingent of policemen were rushed to the village and by the time they arrived the naval personnel had left leaving behind a devastated village, S. P. Asoka Ratnaweera said. A number of vehicles had also been damaged in the attack, police said.
Two youths who had sustained severe injuries were sent to Karapitiya hospital, they said.
It all began after two youths in the village who had an altercation with a few seamen doing a stroll in the village the previous day, were taken to the Naval camp at Boossa and harassed, villagers said. Thereafter some youths of the village had set upon two navy men who were returning to the camp. Sequel to this assault, over 100 armed navy personnel had stormed the village and unleashed the attack, villagers said.
The matter is now being fully probed by a combined police and Naval team of investigators.
Commander of the Boossa Camp L. T. B. Illangakoon said even on previous occasions there had been incidents and arguments between navy personnel and youths of this village. In this instance one of the youths returning after playing cricket had collided with a sailor. Thereafter the Navy men brought two village youths upto the camp gate. He intervened and saw to that the two youths were sent home.
Later he came to know two of his men while returning to the camp had been set upon by the villagers. The two navy men had sustained injury and they had to he admitted to the Karapitiya hospital. Had I information that his men were going to retaliate, I would have taken steps to avert it.
Navy sources said that those found guilty at the inquiry would be dealt with.
Licensing of Produce Brokers Act amended by Minister's gazette notification
The Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Plantation Industries, Rathnasiri Wickremanayake issued on Monday this week a Gazette Notification amending the Licensing of Produce Brokers Act No. 9 of 1979, to provide for the applying for an issue of a license under the act at any time during the course of a year.
The law as it stood became a point of conflict between Asia Siyaka Commodities (Pvt.) Ltd. and Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers. The latter made application to the Appeal Court to quash the license granted to Asia Siyaka.
The Appeal Court Order quashing the licence was a sequel to an application made by Forbes and Walker on the ground that the license issued to Asia Siyaka for 1998 was contrary to the regulations made under the Licensing of Produce Brokers Act.
Asia Siyaka sought special leave application against the Appeal Court order. This is now to be taken at before the Supreme Court on Monday.
The new regulation stated, Regulation 11 A states: "every applicant for a licence for a particular year made by an individual firm or company entering the business of a produce broker for the first time may, not withstanding anything in regulation, be submitted to appropriate Authority at any time during the year in respect of which the licence is applied for and shall be determined by the Appropriate Authority within thirty days of the date on which such application is made, and such licence shall expire on the thirty first day of December of the year in which it was so issued:
Provided that, notwithstanding the provisions of regulation 10, and licence issued under this regulation upon an application made on or after the first day of October in any year, by an individual, firm or company entering the business of a produce broker for the first time, shall expire on the thirty-first day of December of the succeeding year."
Earlier the regulations stood ambiguous in that the Regulation stated "the year for such licence" and which has now been substituted with the words "the year for which such licence."
The amendments now enables any one to enter the business of produce broking any month of the year.
Health Ministry delays to get WHO aid for NGOs to fight AIDS
by Shakuntala Perera
The Ministry of Health has failed to release funds from the World Health Organization, for the AIDS prevention programme for this year amounting over US$ 125,000 to the non governmental organization sector, alleges the President of the AIDS Coalition for Care Education and Support Service, Sherman de Rose.Mr. De Rose said that continued representations and project proposals forwarded to the Ministry of Health for financial assistance through the WHO funds, have not been met.
'The letters and proposals have not even been responded to' alleged De Rose. Approximately 53 NGO's have made representations to the Health Ministry for assistance according to De Rose.
Similar failures in releasing the funds for the AIDS program in 1997, had lead to 60% of the funds being returned to the WHO said De Rose.
According to De Rose the proposals from the 53 NGO's were submitted following requests by the Ministry at a special meeting of the NGO's with Ministry officials convened at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on June 10 this year.
'We were invited to submit proposals for a US$ 125,000 financial assistance from the WHO. We were asked to submit the proposals before June 30. The Minister of Health was also present at this meeting. However we have not even received a letter of acknowledgment from the Ministry of the acceptance of the proposals.
'The Ministry and its Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD/AIDS) Unit have no proper person to sit down and decide where the money should go or who should get it. It was this same reason that led to 60% of the WHO funds being sent back due to under utilization. The government provides no assistance to the NGO's involved with the prevention programme and fails to do anything effective themselves.
'The National STD/AIDS Unit has no proper building for its functions,and their staff need to be trained better to offer a much satisfactory system of confidentiality and a non discriminatory attitude towards the patients. Such stigma holds many patients back. The Health officials are yet to treat the growing problem with due seriousness.' he alleged.
Despite the funding been available it was the Coalition that had to purchase a much needed bed for examination of patients for the STD/AIDS Clinic in Colombo note the president of the AIDS coalition. Health Ministry sources early this week disclosed the number of HIV Positive patients as 52 with 14 developing the AIDS virus for the ten month period ending October this year. This is as opposed to last year which was a 7 persons HIV Positive in the country.
Director STD/AIDS Unit of the Health Ministry, Dr.Iyanthi Abeywickrama refused to comment.
Meanwhile the Resident Representative of the WHO, Peter Hybsier speaking to 'The Island' stated that the WHO was unable to allocate or release any funds to the NGO direct unless the Ministry forwards their proposals to the WHO.
'I need to see project proposals before any money can be released. I have not seen any such proposal as yet. We will consider any proposal if forwarded to us. Our funds are given to the Ministry to be channeled to the NGO's and we are quite specific in our assistance.'he added.
The WHO representative refrained from commenting if 60% of the financial assistance for last year had gone back to the WHO 'underutilized'.
Approximately 256 cases have been reported HIV Positive up to November 10, 1998 from 1987. Ninety one cases have also been reported infected with AIDS during the same period according to government statistics. However the actual number of HIV Positive persons in the country are suspected to be in the region of 30,000.
Lankan exporter to hold exhibition in Oslo
From Sisira Wijesinghe in Oslo
A visiting business delegation from Sri Lanka, organised by the Sweden-based Sri Lankan embassy in cooperation with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and Norway's Oslo Chamber of Commerce, is to hold a mini exhibition of their export products here in Norway beginning December 3, 1998.As of November 25, 1998, Norway's imports from Sri Lanka for this year totalled Norwegian Crowns (NoK) 76.3 million (US$ 12.7m) where as the figure for 1997 stood at NoK 78.2 million (US$ 13.1m) in return Norway has exported items worth NoK 47.5m to Sri Lanka up to date and its total worth of exports to Sri Lanka in 1997 was NoK 111.7 million (US$ 18.6m).
The ten-member delegation is also expected to meet a selected number of Norwegian export business magnates during their stay here. Tea in gift packets, jewellery, ceramic and glassware, ornaments, handicraft made of wood, brass and silver, toys, artificial flowers, lamps, spices in gift packets, greeting cards, etc. are among a section of items that would go on boards during the exhibition.
This promotional mission of leading Sri Lankan companies is part of a 15 day promotional mission covering Norway, Sweden, Denmark and this is the second business delegation from Sri Lanka to Norway during the year. Bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and Norway has shown a forty percent increase during the last four years.
In 1997 Sri Lankan exports to Norway amounted to US$ 13.1 million while machinery and paper remained the main exports from Norway. In the recent past a number of Norwegian companies have established operations in Sri Lanka assisted by the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD).
Sri Lankan companies expected to attend this promotional exhibition comprise Amaran Gems & Lapidaries Ltd., Associated Technology (pvt) Ltd., Ceylon Company Trading Ltd., Euro Scan Exports Ltd., Gem Paradise, Kandawala Multi Traders, Kandyan United Exporters, Mincraft Company, Sri Lanka Handicraft Board and Standard Trading Company.
Uniform system to register strangers entering Colombo and suburbs
by Franklin R. Satyapalan
The Presidential anti Harassment Committee has recommended that a uniform system be adopted by the police for the registration of strangers who may enter Colombo and t`he suburbs, especially in the registration of those from North East entering the south to stay over. The Presidential Anti Harassment Committee chaired by Minister Lakshman Jayakody summond all OICs attached to police stations in Colombo and suburbs last week to make these recommendations after a long discussion.This uniform system would be submitted before the Committee next week for ratification, the spokesman confirmed.
The new system would include the proposal where a house holder would have to submit two copies of photographs of the stranger he would wish to register at any police station.
The Presidential Anti Harassment Committee which includes Ministers S. B. Dissanayake, Batty Weerakoon, G. L. Peiris and MPs R. Sampanthan (TULF), Douglas Devananda (EPDP) and M. M. Zuhair (SLMC) had received 140 complaints from members of the public of which 130 had been disposed of.
The Committee called up all OICs attached to police stations in Colombo and suburbs last week after it received numerous complaints from members, that the OICs were making ad hoc regulations on the registration of strangers and the problems they faced.
The Committee directed the police department not to delay in submitting a uniform system for ratification next week.
Youth clad in dress similar to army uniform, arrested
Kandy - The Emergency Unit of the Kandy Police arrested on Thursday a twenty two year youth of Angunakolapelessa area while walking on Bogambara Road in Kandy clad in a dress similar to an army uniform.
Preliminary inquiries have revealed that the youth had purchased the uniform from a tailor at Kandy Railway Station Road for Rs. 850.
The youth and the tailor are detained for further interrogation, Kandy Police headquarters said.
Applications for NWP postal voting date extended
Commissioner of Elections, Dayananda Dissanayake announced yesterday that it has been decided to extend the period for submission of applications for postal voting in respect of the elections for the North Western Provincial Council elections up to 10th December 1998.
In a Press release issued by the Elections Secretariat, it was also announced that accordingly, all those who are eligible to vote by post at these elections are requested to forward their applications through their respective Certifying Officers to reach the Returning Officers of the Administrative Districts relevant to the North Western Provincial Council on or before 10th December.
District project on Diabetes awareness
A district project on Diabetes awareness to observe the World Diabetes Day, during this month has been organised by the Lions Club International in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Diabetes Association, on November 29.
The district project includes blood screening clinics for people, especially the underprivileged to avail themselves of an opportunity to consult medical specialists and obtain their expert advice and guidance, all free of charge.
The venue of this project is St. Anne's Balika Vidyalaya, Kotahena, Colombo 13.
The clinics will commence from 7.30 am. to 12.30 pm, at which Dr. Mahen Wijesuriya, Consultant Physician and the President of the Sri Lanka Diabetes Association and Dr. Henry Rajaratnam, consultant physician and Dr. Wariyapola, consultant eye surgeon would be the resources persons with medical specialists Lion Dr. W. A. Ferdinand from the Lions Movement as moderator.
India train crash death toll rises to 154
CHANDIGARH, India, Nov 27 (Reuters) - The death toll from Thursday's train crash in northern India has risen to 154 and officials said the figure could climb.
'More bodies are trapped in one of the bogies and the number of deaths may rise,' a police official told Reuters on Friday.
Police also said more than 150 people had been injured in the collision, some of them in serious or critical condition.
The crash happened early in the morning on Thursday when the Ambala-bound Sealdah Express rammed into derailed coaches of the Frontier Golden Mail.
