8 Wednesday 27th September, 2006 Somawansa’s SLFP comments highly inappropriate for his age - Anura

Ven. Moderawane Sudharma Thera Chief Priest Sri Bodhirukkarama Thelulla Wellawaya, and his Tourism Minister, addressing the public after launching the Kahabilihena water supply project. ‘Dayaka Sabha’ have initiated the construction of a 163 feet high ‘Sky Chethiya’. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake laid the foundation stone for the new Chethiya while Ven. Sudharma Attanagalla: Tourism tected by the masses.The JVP party,,although I was the coor- Military offensives have its Thera looks on. -Pic. by H.M. Samarakoon Bandara, Badulla Corr. Minister Anura is incomparable to our party. dinator of SLFP-JVP merger. drawbacks. Sinhalese, Bandaranaike said it was His rude statement will- 88% of the Sri Lankan popu- Muslims and the Tamils highly unbecoming of an eld- boomerang’ on his party one lation belong to the two major should be unified under a sin- erly person like the JVP day”, Bandaranaike said at parties. The President has gle flag. For this to happen the leader Somawansa the opening of the Rs. 69 lakh, invited the opposition leader two major parties should be Amarasinghe, to describe the Kahambilihena and Hubutiya to cooperate to solve the eth- united.The JVP is not a politi- Estate employers give workers SLFP as a party, having con- rural water supply projects, to nic problem, within a unitary cal power. It won only a single nections with the oldest pro- supply water to 354 housing state. This attitude should be seat at the provincial council fession, in the world. settlements, on September 24. encouraged.” elections. Such a party cannot ‘kasippu’ instead of wages He said that the JVP leader He said that launching He emphasised that the degrade a stable party such as after being in hiding for a water and electricity supply successful military offensive the SLFP.” Deraniyagala: Workers employed the evening when they return home long time came back and projects was a meritorious will not solve the ethnic prob- Several deputy ministers in Tea and Rubber Small Holdings, after work, they allege, certain mergered with the SLFP on act. “I have learnt a lesson lem.”The capture of Sampur provincial council members complain that some of their employ- employers do not pay for their serv- his backing. from what the JVP did to my does not mean successful and former members partici- ers give “Kasippu” instead of wages ices instead give them ‘Kasippu’ for “The SLFP is strongly pro- mother and our eradication of terrorism. pated in the ceremony. and recover its cost in instalments. which they have to pay back in These unfortunate workers forgo instalments. Some employers, it is their E.T.F. and retirement gratuity said provide them coconut, yams and in Company owned estates and seek other produce and deduct it against employment in privately owned their wages.” estates, with the expectation of high- Workers allege that some er wages and other facilities.” employers who own vehicles, give Emmigration and Immigration “But for many workers this has them free transport to their work become a day dream as the majority place from Company Managed of the Employers in Smallholdings Estates. “The Cost of transport is do not honour the Labour Laws, nor also recovered from their wages, are these workers paid regular wages thus ignoring their promise of office opened in Matara for the casual work done by them. In “Free” transport.” Akuressa: The first outstation ing.” office of the Emigration and He said that those who wish to go Immigration Department was opened abroad need not go to Colombo to at the Vijaya building at Gabada obtain travel documents spending Japan funds reconstruction of Veediya, Matara by the Prime unnecessary expenditure. “Now they Minister, Ratnasiri Wickramanayake could get such services done here in recently. Matara itself. The government has police stations Wickremanayake said that send- also decided to open two more ing domestic aides abroad brings in branch offices shortly in a lot of foreign exchange, but at the Anuradhapura and Kandy.” same time we should be ashamed for Minister of Home Affairs and sending our young women for such Deputy Minister of Housing and jobs. “The present government is Fisheries, taking steps to train young women and Minister of Cultural Affairs and who seek foreign employment for National Heritage, Mahinda Yapa better job opportunities like nurs- Ratnasiri Wickramanayake Abeywardena also spoke.

War Heroes Memorial in memory of Rajans Kandy: Plans are underway for the erection of a war Heroes Memorial at the premises of Dharmaraja College, Kandy in honour of Rajans who sacri- ficed their lives for their motherland. Chief guest Nobuaki Ito and Minister Piyasiri Gamage inspect a guard of honour by the The College Past Cadet Union patron- Ratgama police. ising the project is in the process of col- Galle: The new Ratgama police sta- The Japanese International Co-oper- lecting the names of the heroes who sac- tion which was reconstructed by the ation system (JIC’s) is implementing rificed their lives due to the conflict. Japanese Government at a cost of over the project in collaboration with the Sri The secretary of the PCU K. M. S. Rs. 40 million, was opened by Nobuaki Lankan Government. The reconstruc- Welagedara invites bereaved families to Ito, Charge de Affairs of the Japanese tion of these police stations were esti- furnish him details at No. 35, Lake Road, Embassy recently. mated to cost Rs. 80 million which was Katukele Kandy. Particulars should Minister of Vocational Training and allocated from the Rs. 8 billion granted The bridge over Kelani River at Yatiyantota is in its final stages road users predict. Heavy vehicles include the name, service and place of Skills Development by the Japanese Government, to assist are prohibited to ply on this bridge and buses unload passengers before crossing the bridge. This death of the hero, Welagedara said. He and DIG Colombo Kumarasiri Hettige the post Tsunami rehaibiliation and bridge on the Yatiyantota-Garagoda road was built by the British when the Railway service was said that information should reach him were also present. reconstructions efforts of the Sri extended up to Yatiyantota. Now the railway station has been converted to a police station. early as arrangement are being made to In addition the reconstruction of Lankan government. Buses plying to Panawatta, Degalessa, Meegastenna and Deraniyagala use the bridge to reach their complete the project to conincide with Ahangama, Kosgoda, Hikkaduwa, D.I.G. Southern Province Jayantha destinations. Since the bridge plays a pivotal role in the transport service, people request the rele- the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Dikwella, and Kirinda police stations Gamage and OIC Ratgama police vant ministry to either repair the bridge fully or replace if with a new one. (Pic. by J. Antony, College Cadet Platoon in early 2008. are nearing completion and are due to Mahesh Bandara participated in the Ratnapura Corr.) be cloned shortly Nobuaki Ito, said. ceremony.

Labour relations Bus stand road in bad condtion five and Foreign Employment Minister months after reconstruction Athauda Seneviratne hands over a cheque to Ratnapura — When the Seneviratne said that a lot of The JVP leader criticized the an EPF beneficiary at Governor’s Policy Statement was corruption has taken place in the corrupt officials who block the the new Provincial EPF taken up for debate at the recent- construction of the access road implementation of programmes Unit in Kandy recently. ly held Sabaragamuwa and he has informed the taken by the provincial political The Minister also Provincial Council meeting, Bribery and Corruption authority. “ Annually the council UPFA councillor D. M. Commission in writing. allocates a large sum of money laid the foundation Seneviratna complained that the However, the absence of a fear- for construction work but when stone for the new short roadway leading to less opposition in the implementing, large scale cor- Labour Ratnapura Central Bus Stand, Sabaragamuwa Provincial ruption takes place and the coun- Commissioner’s Office which was completed at a cost of Council was a shortcoming, he cil has not taken positive meas- in Kandy. five million and 65 lakhs of said. ures to put a stop to such irregu- rupees, is in a bad condition Irked by the a comment UNP larities, he said. (Pic. by Cyril within five months of its comple- opposition leader A. A. Chief minister Maheepala tion. . Wijethunga, and JVP leader Herath, complemented the oppo- Wimalasurendre, Kandy The meeting was presided over Kamal Nandasena gave their sup- sition for their support in arrest- corr.) by Chairman Athula Kumara . port to the ruling party. ing corruption.