By Bandula Sirimanna

JKH unit seeks more time to vacate despite Court order to quit by Wednesday LMSL workers on Tuesday protesting outside the 8-acre complex at Cyril C. Perera Mawatha, demanding job security. Pic by Berty Mendis

While the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) says it is confident of operating the bunkering facility earlier run by Lanka Marine Services Ltd (LMSL), the latter’s owner John Keells Holdings (JKH) may incur the wrath of the Supreme Court by asking, outside court authority, for an extension to move out of the premises.

The Court has ordered that LMSL should vacate the premises ‘within one month of the judgement’ which is Wednesday, August 20 and hand it over to the SLPA. However during a discussion at the Labour Commissioner’s Office on Tuesday, officials acting on behalf of LMSL had asked the SLPA for two months time when such an extension, if ever, can be only be obtained from court.

Viran Corea, one of the lawyers appearing for petitioner Vasudeva Nanayakkara, told The Sunday Times that LMSL cannot ask for two months time to vacate the land as it is against the Supreme Court judgement. He said the company has to get permission from the court by making an appeal citing their practical problems.

The discussion at the Labour Commissioner’s office was called after LMSL workers complained that their jobs are at stake. At the meeting presided over by the Secretary of the Labour Ministry, Mahinda Madihahewa, SLPA Managing Director W.G. Samaratunge said they have to ability to operate the facility. He noted that one of SLPA’s affiliated companies, JCT Corporation, has the ability to maintain the LMSL shore facility from which the bunkering activity is being serviced.

Mr Samaratunge said the SLPA needs the services of workers and they can ensure the job security of all 113 employees currently attached to LMSL by hiring them. Deputy Director General of Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC) Kanishka Weerasinghe, making submissions on behalf of LMSL, told the meeting that the company is bound to act in accordance with the Supreme Court ruling to vacate the land on Wednesday, August 20 but there are practical problems in handing over the land and property within a month.

He said that it is easy for them to complete this task if they will be given a two-month period and requested the SLPA to take a decision on this matter and that the Employers Federation of Ceylon could conduct discussions towards this end. He added that LMSL is willing to lease the land from the SLPA to restore its operations.

Mr Weerasinghe said several Presidents’ Counsel had instructed LMSL that there was legal provision for this purpose and a decision will be taken on LMSL employees after August 20. Palitha Athukorale from the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya appealed to Labour Ministry representatives to ensure the job security of workers after LMSL quits the premises. Speaking on behalf of all employees, he said that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) should look after the interests of workers as they were earlier attached to CPC.

All parties have agreed to arrive at a decision on this matter soon and convey it at their next meeting scheduled to be held on Tuesday, August 19. CPC Chairman Asantha de Mel, LMSL CEO Z. Hasheem and 14 representatives of the JSS, Sri Lanka Independent Trade Union and JVP affiliated trade unions attended the meeting. Labour Commissioner (Industrial Relations) D.M.S Dissanayake assisted Mr Madihahewa in conducting the meeting.

Meanwhile on Thursday LMSL deployed two tankers Haisoon -16 and Al Khan -1 to remove furnace and gas oil worth Rs.2 billion stored at the oil tank facility. The two tankers are now lying at the outer harbour. Workers said the company plans to pump the oil from the facility to barges to carry it to the tankers belonging to the Bengal Tiger Shipping line, workers said. A spokesman of the joint trade union front of Lanka Marine Services.

Ltd said the company has requested the workers to assist in removing oil stored at the oil tank facility but they have so far not agreed to their request. The workers earlier this week staged a protest outside the facility demanding that the government hands over the company and its site to the CPC.

Workers say they fear losing their jobs as the management and JKH have not given any assurance on their job security. The court said the privatization deal was irregular and illegal.