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Ranil tells govt. to accept Prabhakaran’s peace offer
United National Party (UNP) and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe in an interview with Reuters yesterday urged the government to take serious note of an offer of peace talks by LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran and initiate a dialogue.
‘This is a major move by the Tigers and it is a very positive one to which the government must respond to. They can’t stay silent’, he said.
‘The government has dilly-dallied too much on this issue. Now they have to take it up’, Mr. Wickremasinghe added.
The LTTE leader said last Friday that he was willing to hold initial talks with the government to create a climate of goodwill before entering into formal negotiations to end the war.
‘Their (LTTE) genuineness is a matter to be tested. It may be a concern on everybody’s mind but you can’t hold back an opportunity like this on those grounds’, the UNP leader said.
‘Prabhakaran has said that if this offer is not made use of they will get back to their demand of a separate state that means they are not considering it right now. We have never seen an offer like this before’, Mr. Wickremasinghe added.
There has been no comment from the government on the peace offer by the LTTE.
Rice imports from India arrive
by Shamindra FerdinandoThe first consignment of a 12,000 metric tonnes of rice arrived in Colombo yesterday amidst continuing differences between Agriculture and Lands and the Internal and International Commerce and Food Ministries over rice imports. A ship bringing in approximately 2000 metric tonnes of rice from India berthed at the Colombo harbour, authoritative Trade Ministry and Co-Operative Wholesale Establishment [CWE] officials told The Island yesterday afternoon.
The CWE intends to release the new stocks of rice to the local market within this week. "Remaining stocks will arrive before end of this month," a CWE spokesman said.
Officials said that the order for rice was made three weeks ago to meet shortages in the local market. They did not rule out the possibility of more rice imports if prices remain high.
They said both the Trade Ministry and the CWE continue to watch the situation and will not hesitate to place orders for more rice if there was a need.
The Trade and the Agriculture Ministries have repeatedly clashed over the import of rice, potatoes, B-onions, red onions and chillies.
Earlier Agriculture and Lands Minister and the general secretary of the People’s Alliance [PA] D. M. Jayaratne strongly opposed Trade Ministry plans to import rice to meet shortages in the local market. Minister Jayaratne told ‘The Island’ recently that he has decided not to go ahead with the decision to import rice as local production is sufficient to meet the demand.
However both Trade Ministry and CWE officials believe that there was a shortage of rice in the local market. "Prices have gone up," they said pointing out that prices can go up further in late December.
In a story headlined "No rice imports," The Island quoted Minister Jayaratne as saying that "most traders in Sri Lanka create an artificial shortage of rice to push up their prices. This happens when there is a scarcity. That’s the reason for the high price of rice,"
He had warned that if the government import rice farmers will stop producing.
Minister Jayaratne believes that the fate that befell potatoes, B-onions, red onions and chillies will befall rice if rice imports continue.
Trade Ministry said that anyone can import rice. "There is no restriction on rice imports," official sources said adding that CWE was only competing with the private sector. As long as they [importers] pay 35% duty on rice there was no law to prevent rice imports, sources explained.
Apart from the 35% duty, the 5.5 National Security Levy and bank charges will push the price of imported rice further up. They point out that there was no alternative but to import rice, B-onions or any other item to meet shortages in the local market.
Recently the CWE imported huge stocks of onions from Netherlands bringing rising prices down.
Pay hike to Parliamentarians stalled
The government is likely to postpone an earlier decision to revise salaries and allowances of parliamentarians, informed sources said. Earlier, under a resolution to be moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle MPs were to get pay and allowance hikes with retrospective effect from January this year.
In view of strong opposition to government’s move, the top leadership has decided against going ahead with the proposal, temporarily, sources told The Island.
Infact the ruling party approved pay and allowance hikes for MPs last year, sources said. Under new proposals, now temporarily suspended the Speaker and 30 member cabinet will receive a monthly salary of Rs. 29,815 which is an increase of Rs 12,315.
The Deputy Speaker, the Deputy Chairman of Committees and Deputy Ministers will receive a monthly salary of Rs 28,750- an increase of 11,750.
MPs will get a 22,100 salary an increase of 8600.
Several organisations and some MPs have pointed out that parliamentarians should not go for a salary hike. The President of the Sangha Sabha Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera in a statement issued recently called on the government to abandon moves to increase salaries of politicians. "Just like the government’s appeal to public servants not to demand higher wages considering the grave financial situation in the country is currently confronted with, the Jathika Sangha Sabha wishes to appeal to the government for the same reasons to withdraw the proposed increase," he said in a statement. (SF)
Defence Secy’s decision quashed by Appeal Court
The Court of Appeal last week quashed the decision of Secretary Defence R. K. Chandrananda de Silva to send Senior DIG Manage Mettananda Gunaratne on compulsory leave and further directed de Silva prohibiting to take any further action in the matter.
The Court also held that the decision taken in the case, to place the petitioner DIG on compulsory leave, was a nullity or ultra vires and has no legal effect.
The judgement was on a Writ application by DIG Gunaratna challenging the decision by the Defence Ministry Secretary de Silva to send him on compulsory leave sequel to findings against him by the Batalanda Commission.
The bench comprised Justices H. S. Yapa and Upali de Z. Gunawardene.
Justice Yapa in his judgement observed:
"In this case, one cannot deny the fact that the nature of the findings against the petitioner DIG by the Batalanda Commission are serious allegations and require further investigations. It would be that, further investigations may require the petitioner to be placed on compulsory leave. However, the decision to place the petitioner on compulsory leave has to be made by the Public Service Commission alone and it is not open to the respondent Ministry Secretary to take this decision."
It is very clear that, it was the respondent, who has decided to place the petitioner on compulsory leave, and has therefore recommended to the PSC that the approval be granted for placing the petitioner on compulsory leave.
Even though the PSC has granted its approval to the recommendations made by the respondent, having regard to the speed at which all these things had happened, it is obvious, that the PSC has not brought its minds to bear on the facts of this case and taken a decision. All that the PSC has done is to approve the recommendation made by the respondent. Therefore, obviously it is a decision made by the respondent and what the Public Service Commission has done is to rubber stamp the respondent’s recommendation. A public body which merely rubber stamps some other officer’s recommendation will therefore, be acting unlawfully.
Justice Gunewardene in his judgement said the respondent does not, under the Constitution of the Republic, have the semblance of a right or power to take any disciplinary action against the petitioner and his decision, which had been conveyed to the pettioner by letter dated 17.08.1998 under the hand of the respondent (Secretary/Defence), placing the petitioner on compulsory leave, is as void as void can conceivably be. The facts of this case afford a typical and characteristic example of the most direct and, if I may say so, unproblematical application of the principle of ultra vires because the Secretary/Defence had purported to place the petitioner on compulsory leave when the Secretary/Defence did not have the shadow of a power to do so.
The petition was supported by K. N. Choksy PC with Mohan Peiris and Mrs. Kissan Wijetunga.
The Additional Solicitor General K. C. Kamalasabaysan PC, with State Counsel Uditha Egalahewa, appeared for the respondent Secretary/Defence, de Silva.
No drugs to treat AIDS
by Shakuntala PereraThe failure by the Sri Lankan government Health sector in taking a policy decision with regard to making certain drugs for HIV positive persons available in the country, on grounds of their high cost, has reportedly led to the current non-availability of drugs for HIV positive persons, according to informed sources.
According to these sources such a lack of policy decision has led to the doctors failing in prescribing a number of drugs for HIV positive persons.
Currently only one drug, " Retrovir" has obtained registration from the Drug Regulatory authority for sale in the country, which has an estimated 30,000 HIV positive persons at present.
‘Retrovoir’ is sopld at Rs. 100 per 100 mg tablet.
According to the General Manager, Glaxo Wellcome pharmaceutical company, Michael Andree, the pharmaceutical companies were not able to bring down any of the drugs available in the international market to the country as the drugs were not being prescribed by the doctors following the failure by the government in taking a policy decision on it.
"The country has only registered and allowed us to bring only Retrovir. We are yet to receive registration for another drug, Epivir which is currently prescribed in combination with Retrovir in other developed countries. We cannot bring any drugs if there is no demand for them and they are not being prescribed. But this non-availability is anyway a common occurrence in developing countries. Affordability will always be a factor but if we are allowed to bring the other drugs, atleast those who can afford may be able to purchase them", he added.
Meanwhile the Medical Consultant, Glaxo Wellcome Company, Dr. Lucian Jayasuriya claimed that the pharmaceutical companies were not able to bring any other drugs down as the doctors were not requesting for any.
"The National STD/AIDS clinic does not prescribe any drugs as they say these are too expensive to be affordable to the majority of the patients in Sri Lanka. The Health Ministry however earlier had a stock of this drug purchased for the use in emergencies by the medical staff, if they were to accidentally inject themselves with a needle used on an AIDS patient etc. But that is not for the care of the patients but staff only. There are drugs available its just the reluctance by the government sector in taking the necessary policy decisions in making these available to the patients", He said.
The Company was yet to receive a reply to a request made four months back to the Director General Health Services to make available "zidovudine" to the Ministry free of charge, he said.
The drug given to HIV positive pregnant mothers during the last four weeks of pregnancy is reported to have a 50% success rate in avoiding transmission of the virus to the foetus.
"We requested to give this free of charge to the Ministry, but we have not received a request for the drug. We are ready to give this drug even now", he added.
However the Director of the National STD/AIDS Control Program, Dr. (Mrs.) Iyanthi Abeywickrama said that the lack of a policy was the high cost of the drugs.
"The other drugs are not brought down because no pharmaceutical companies have submitted the drugs for registration to the Drug Regulatory authority. Many of these drugs also have side effects and the STD Clinic has no proper equipment to measure these at the moment. We are at present only able to do simplified checks. There are foreign agencies ready to lend financial assistance to purchase the drugs if the pharmaceutical companies obtain registration to bring these drugs down", she added.
Consultant to the STD Clinic Dr. (Mrs.) Sujatha Samarakoon told ‘The Island’ that before the drugs were made available it was important to make the patients understand the functions of the drugs. "It is not simply a matter of introducing a drug to the patient they have to understand its functions as well", she said.
Meanwhile the Drug Regulatory Authority takes over two years at a time in clearing registration of a single drug at times, it is alleged.
Shortage of gas cylinders will end soon, says Shell
The persisting problem of inadequate additional LPG cylinders will end with the commissioning of the USD 90 million import and storage facility, with a state-of-the-art filling system, at Kerawalapitiya by the end of next year, a senior Shell Gas official said yesterday. ‘The existing infrastructure cannot absorb the growth. That’s why extra gas cylinders are not readily available’, explained Soshana Wijeratne, External Affairs and Brand Management, Shell Gas Lanka Ltd.
‘Cylinders can be given, but they cannot be filled up until the system in place is improved. We must ensure that the system doesn’t collapse. Under these circumstances a ‘waiting period’ is inevitable’, she said.
Ms. Wijeratne noted that additional LPG cylinders are introduced to the market and issued to customers from time to time. Since December 1995, the market has expanded by 45%, filling capacity increased by 42% and LPG imports have shot up by around 42%. During this period 325,000 new cylinders were imported, with 100,000 more this year and 280,000 targeted for next year.
The new terminal under construction will have four storage spheres each capable of holding 2,000 MT of LPG and two automated filling lines which can collectively fill 1600, 13 kg LPG cylinders per hour. The process of transporting LPG by bowsers will be eliminated as the new facility will have an underwater pipeline directly to the terminal complex. LPG tankers can then moor at a Conventional Buoy Mooring (CBM) system situated 3.5 km offshore, she said.
Ms. Wijeratne called upon those who require new cylinders to register with Shell Gas so that they can be informed to purchase their requirements, depending on availability, from the respective dealers.
Study reveals AIDS on the rise in Sri Lanka
Although Sri Lanka has a low prevalence rate in comparison with many other Asian countries, a study funded by the UNDO on HIV AIDS in Sri Lanka warns that there is no reason to be complacent, the United Nations Information Centre says. There are several factors, such as the proximity to India which in the next ten years, is expected to become the AIDS capital of the world, the presence of migrant workers, refugees and tourists and unsafe medical practices, that make Sri Lanka highly vulnerable to the disease.
The study has revealed that HIV/AIDS may cost Sri Lanka US $ 200-230 million by the year 2005. This does not include non-personnel direct costs such as blood testing, education campaigns and basic research which may add another 15-20 percent.
At present there are nearly 6,800 people infected with AIDS in Sri Lanka. Though it has not attained epidemic proportions, AIDS is slowly on the rise in Sri Lanka, according to all indications. The study done by UNDP on HIV AIDS in Sri Lanka estimated that by the year 2005 the number of cases in the country will have increased more than ten fold, to almost 80,000 HIV infected people.
To mark World AIDS day today UN secretary General Kofi Annan said in a message "We mark World AIDS day in memory of those who have died, and those who live and work on the front lines of the struggle against the epidemic. He paid tribute to Jonathan Mann, the founder of the United Nations AIDS programme and his wife Mary-Lou, the pioneering AIDS researcher, who died along with several UN colleagues in a plane crash less than three months ago.
Some would have us believe that because better medicines have been found, the AIDS emergency is over. The facts tell us otherwise. There is still no cure. The advance of HIV has not been stopped in any country. Even in Western Europe and North America around 75,000 people were infected last year, he said.
The truth is that AIDS is still an emerging epidemic-one that is killing more people every year than malaria. Because the victims are mostly young adults, who would otherwise be raising families and supporting the economy, the repercussions are reaching crisis level. Nowhere is this truer than in sub-Saharan Africa, where 34 million people have been infected and 11.5 million have died since the epidemic began.
This tidal wave risks wiping out the hard-won gains of poorer nations. In Botwana, a child born early in the next decade can expect to live just past 40 instead of to age 70 in the absence of AIDS. Zimbabwe estimates that by the year 2005 it will have more than 900,000 AIDS orphans under 15. A major company in Tanzania says its costs due to AIDS exceeded its total profits for the year Kofi Annan further said in his message.
That is why the broad based struggle against the epidemic carried out by the UNAIDS Inter-agency programme is vital. Perhaps the most important message the UN system can convey is that we are not powerless against the epidemic, Many countries, including a handful in the developing world, have slowed the spread of HIV by talking openly about AIDS and sexual behaviour; by showing solidarity with those already infected, and by making information about prevention and support available to all citizens.
The theme for this years world AIDS day is "Force for Change". The theme has been chosen to highlight the role that young people can play in changing the course of the epidemic, the United Nations said in a news release.
The World AIDS day is an annual campaign to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS worldwide and stimulate appropriate remedial action. It was first observed on December 1, 1988 after a summit of world Health Ministers, convened by the World Health Organisation (WHO) called for a spirit of tolerance and greater exchange of information on HIV/AIDS. The first world AIDS Day slogan was "Join the Worldwide Effort".
By the end of December this year the number of adults and children living with HIV/AIDS will exceed 33 million. Ten percent more than the previous year. AIDS has already taken 14 million and about half of all HIV infections occur in young people aged 15-24. Atleast 95% of all infections and deaths occur in the developing world, where the costly new medicines that can help prolong lives are scarcely available or affordable.
More than 8 million children have lost their mothers to AIDS. Millions more are living with a HIV positive parent. Even children who are neither infected with HIV nor orphaned by AIDS suffer the social and economic fallout. Most HIV-positive children are infected through mother to child, transmission during pregnancy, childbirth and breast-feeding. But children and adolescents face a range of additional risks, such as child abuse, exploitation in the commercial sex trade, from blood transfusions and intravenous drug use and unprotected consensual sex.
HIV erodes the body’s defence system exposing the infected person over time to lung diseases, cancers, wasting, sores and other infections. This syndrome of illness is called AIDS and is the end stage of HIV infection. These illnesses eventually overpower the body’s ability to fight back causing physical ruin and death. There is as yet no cure for HIV/AIDS. AIDS is essentially a sexually transmitted disease which like some other diseases can also spread through blood and from an infected mother to child.
Young people are a powerful influence for education and understanding in their families, their peer groups, their schools, their communities and their countries. On this World AIDS Day, let us recommit to our investment in young people everywhere — for they hold the key to a safer future the message from the UN says.
The UN specialised agency UNAIDS, which comprises UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, WHO and World Bank is in the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS since the disease was first identified in Sri Lanka. UN’s Support to the National HIV/AIDS control programme includes facilities for HIV testing and blood safety and technical support in the form of consultants and transport.
Meanwhile to mark World AIDS Day, Alliance Lanka, a nonprofit organisation, with a mission to support community action in HIV/AIDS prevention and care, has organised public awareness programmes throughout the country today. This is an attempt to achieve the following objectives:-
• To promote young people’s genuine participation
• To promote policies and action for young people’s health and development using a human rights framework
• To increase awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS on young people and young people’s impact on the course of the epidemic
• To mobilize social and private sectors to work in partnership on young people’s health and development
While coordinating in all the provinces, the distribution of a education/information leaflet, and the pinning of the red ribbon in memory of those who have died of AIDS and for those who are still living with AIDS, Alliance Lanka has been able to mobilise its partner organisations this year to implement an activity programme in the Provinces.
'Pursuit of justice should be the primary duty of an attorney-at-law'
by Himangi JayasundereChief justice G. P. S. De Silva told at the Annual Awards Ceremony of the Sri Lanka Law College last Thursday that the primary duty of an attorney-at-law should be the pursuit of justice.
Underlining this point Mr. De Silva who was the chief guest at the ceremony quoted Dr. A. G. Weeramantri, vice president of the International Court of Justice, who had said that "it is the duty of attorneys at law to assist in the administration of justice and fulfil their obligations to their clients, colleagues and the bar as a primary concern".
The principal of the Sri Lanka Law College, Dr. H. J. F. Silva called for an amendment to the ordinance of the council of legal education. This, he said was the need of the hour to permit the council to make its own rules and make necessary changes in the legal education in the country and be self sufficient. "Unless such latitude is given to the council, the college will continue to be poorly equipped," he said.
He explained that the council which had so much of resources is at present in a poor state of finances. This was due to the amendment to the Council of Legal Education Ordinance in the seventies, whereby all council rules required the approval of the state. The rules which were mainly related to the curriculum and the fees, could not be thereafter readily changed to be in line with the rapid socio-economic change that followed. He added that those institutions of higher learning which are funded by the state or the professional training institutions assisted by the state are not subject to such constraints.
Referring to the period prior to the seventies, he said that it was interesting to note that at the time the council not only had sufficient resources to manage routine activities but also surplus to invest in lands and buildings to be used for immediate posterity.
One of the most important ventures we embarked on is the commencement of rehabilitation work of the college this year Dr. Silva said. I mentioned in my address last year that the buildings were in a poor state of repair due to inadequacy of financial resources. He said however that the finance committee headed by the Attorney General have commenced the rehabilitation work and it is expected that the project will be completed by the end of this year.
He said that they have made headway in a project to set up a computer laboratory in the college, as the project has been accepted by the Legal and Judicial Reforms Programme of the Ministry of Justice with financial assistance expected from the World Bank
He noted that in the academic sphere the main improvement effected was the introduction of interpretation of statutes and documents as a compulsory subject.
They have also rationalised and regrouped the subjects so that the final year course will consist of only procedural and practitioners subjects.
On the whole students have performed well and conducted themselves in an exemplary manner setting an example to the rest of the student population in the country, he said.
25th Delegates’ Conference inaugurated
by Azhara RabanThe inauguration of the 25th Delegates’ Conference of the Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers’ Union (CMU) was held at Union Headquarters last Friday.
The conference which was attended by representatives from various trade unions was decorated with banners with slogans saying " For democratic and human rights and peace and justice in Sri Lanka", "Stop war in the North and East", "Stop sell-out of Queen Elizabeth Quay to P & O", "Implementing Worker’s Charter Law", " Abolish executive presidency forthwith", "Stop sell out of national assets to transnationl companies" and "No privatization of public utilities and services".
President of the CMU W. Kumarasiri addressing the conference said its main objective was to face the problems of the country, educate the members of the CMU regarding the problems and with their cooperation create awareness among the general public who are deprived in society as a result of the policies of the government and find ways to evolve solutions.
"We have to work towards solving the problems faced by the labour force", he said.
Bala Tampoe, General Secretary of the CMU said the union continues to contend with the "free market policies" adopted by the present government of President Kumaratunga, as it did with those of the various UNP governments that preceded it. "It has done so, either on its own or in association with other trade union organisations like the Ceylon Bank Employees Union and the Union of Post and Telecommunication Officers. "We now seek to extend such inter-union collaboration with other trade unions in pursuance of the basic objective of our union, which is not only to organise workers under our own banner but to combine with other organisations of workers to develop "workers’ power", he said.
The 25th CMU Delegates’ Conference has celebrated the 50th anniversary of the development of the CMU as an independent and democratic organization of workers.
Unions oppose postal corporation, but govt. will go ahead
The Union of Posts and Telecom Officers (UPTO) is to present alternatives to corporatisation of the Postal Department when they meet with Posts and Telecom Minister Mangala Samaraweera for discussions this afternoon.
The UPTO is opposed to corporatisation, reiterated union general secretary N. P. Hetti-arachchi yesterday. However, the government has expressed firm intention to go ahead with their plans, raising fears of another dispute between the department’s unions and its management.
The UPTO maintains that corporatisation of the department will not necessarily make it a profit making and smooth running organisation.
He said they would show Minister Samaraw-eera how it has failed in other countries and would outline how there can be a viable postal service without corporatisation.
The government proposal to turn the Postal Department into a corporation is in keeping with the recommendations of the Universal Postal Union of which Sri Lanka is a member.
The project is funded by the World Bank and is expected to promote autonomy and better service.
Mr. Hettiarachchi said the other unions of the department (there are nine in all) have already met Minister Samar-aweera for discussions. (NW)
'More to be done in telecommunication sector'
by Danielle BoekelThe Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka conducted a workshop on the ‘Effective Use of Telecommunications in Emergency and Disaster Management’ yesterday.
The workshop, which was inaugurated by Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Media, Mangala Samaraweera was conducted with discussions and addresses being made primarily on the nature of disasters in Sri Lanka and the problems and constraints faced by emergency telecommunications.
Minister Samaraweera in his address, as chief guest, said that there is still much to be done in the telecom sector despite the fact that there has been a tremendous increase in the number of telephone lines installed in the country over the past four years. "Even with the tremendous growth rates that we are seeing today, we know that it will take some time to have a telephone in every home" he said. "The use of telecommunications in disaster management is an effective way of leveraging its potential beyond those who can directly afford it", the Minister said. He went on to say that " a disaster team that is properly equipped can help not only the affluent person carrying a cell phone in his briefcase, but also the not so affluent person who does not have a phone in his home".
Director General of TRCSL, Professor Rohan Samarajiva said technological advancements enable the "improvement of the prediction, mitigation and the management of disasters and the recovery therefrom". " Therefore, naturally telecommunication technologies that transmit information and allow for co-ordination, and thereby reduce uncertainty play a critical role in disaster management", he said.
In 1991, a process to develop a legal framework for the provision of telecommunications resources across national borders for disaster management was started in Tampere, Finland, following which an intergovernmental conference was held in June 1998 to finalise the convention that was the outcome of the 1991 process. The convention, officially named the Tampere Convention was finalised and obtained the signatures of 33 countries immediately.
Professor Samarajiva said "if Sri Lanka were to join the Convention, it has to be prepared to fulfil the attendant obligations which include the development of a Telecommunication Assistance Information Inventory". He noted that the Tampere Convention will enable Sri Lanka to request and promptly receive telecommunication assistance in emergency situations, especially since Sri Lanka in recent years has been beset not only with natural disasters but with man made ones as well.
Recommendations were also presented at the workshop yesterday among which included the building up of awareness among disaster relief agencies and telecom operators in helping manage disasters and the incorporation of emergency telecommunications as an essential part of the forthcoming National Disaster Management Plan.
First factory in seethawaka opened
by Harini Dias BandaranayakeThe first factory of the new Seethawaka Industrial Park at Avissawella was opened last Wednesday by Industrial Development Minister, C. V. Gooneratne.
The factory, Eagle Toys (Pvt.) Ltd., has been set up with Korean technology and is a 100% export oriented industry.
The toys manufactured will be exported to USA, Japan and other countries. Among the products manufactured are popular toys such as Mickey Mouse, Garfield and Donald Duck.
The factory which has provision to employ 1000 people has already taken in more than 400 as machine workers. They plan to recruit them in the next few weeks
Housing and development Minister, Indika Gunewardena and Deputy Minister of-Urban Development Athula Nimalasiri Jayasinghe were associated with Industrial Development Minister at the opening of the factory.
Minister Indika Gunewardena said that in view- of the success of the Seethawaka Industrial Park, the Ministry has decided to set up Parks of this magnitude in other areas of the country as well. Already, the Ministry has identified a 300 acre block of land at Pallegoda Estate for the Matugama Industrial Park.
The Seethawaka Industrial Park will be opened President Chandrika Kumaratunga early next year.
Minister Gooneratne expressed satisfaction that work on the Seethawaka Industrial Park, which began 16 months ago, was now nearing completion. Another four factories would start operations next year.
Industrial Development Ministry officials said that the Seethawaka Industrial park is designed to provide all the modern facilities and is being constructed to international standards. It has a total area of 168 acres where 70 factories are to be set up.
So far, this Ministry has received 40 applications for factory lots. The total investment envisaged from these proposals is about Rs. 2,000 million and has a direct employment potential for over 12,000 persons, Ministry officials said. When the Park is fully operational it would provide direct and indirect employment to about 50,000 persons.
Ministry officials said that of the applications received so far, 20 have been approved with the total investment of Rs. 800 million and has a direct employment potential of 6,000 persons. The products to be manufactured are soft toys, processed minerals, rubber products, wooden products, high value garments, processed fruit and vegetables, pharmaceuticals, knitted and woven garments, electrical accessories, tea and rubber.
Lasantha de Silva, Chairman and Managing Director of Eagle Toys exports (Pvt) Ltd., representatives of Nippon Koei Ltd., the consultants, and Kumagai Gumi Ltd., the contractors, were also present on this occasion.
