| News |
||||
| IBIS
deal meets with opposition "Other
competitors were deprived of the facilities being provided to the
IBIS company, therefore this deal is illegal," PA MP Dinesh
Gunawardene told The Sunday Times. Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry is awaiting the court ruling on a case filed by two employees of the SLCTB against the sale of cluster bus company shares. The case is to be taken up on May 12, and Transport Ministry Secretary Cecil Amerasinghe told The Sunday Times no steps regarding the management of the cluster bus companies will be taken until the court ruling is given. Despite hurried attempts at getting the deal signed the authorities have been kept in the dark, with even the SLTB Chairman completely uninformed as to changes due to take place. "I know nothing at all," Sri Lanka Transport Board Chairman, U.L.M. Farook told The Sunday Times. "The minister
has not briefed me and we have in no way been instructed on how
the utilisation of buses should be done with the transition taking
place." "However, the employees are suffering, because
unlike in previous years the state banks are refusing to extend
the usual advances for the New Year as they are unsure of what changes
will take place. In other years advances totalling about Rs. 10
million were given to SLTB employees, to be deducted later from
their salaries," Mr. Farook said. "We receive
Rs. 120 million each month from the Treasury of which Rs. 57 million
is towards the Employees Provident Fund while the balance Rs. 63
million is for the 11 cluster bus companies," he said, adding
that in the past several months, due to the rise in diesel prices
the SLTB has suffered losses of Rs. 24.9 million each month. Mr. Guneratne's secretary informed The Sunday Times that because there is a pending court case he is not in a position to make any comments, while Mr. Hewagama ignored the request. NTC Chairman A.B. Talagune told The Sunday Times a meeting had taken place on Thursday with IBIS representatives to discuss future work. "Regulations
for private bus owners will be applicable to IBIS. It will be another
private body. However, the cluster companies will own a fleet of
buses and therefore we will give them the option of changing routes,"
Mr. Talagune said, explaining that this will enable the cluster
bus companies to move as and when they want on many routes. In a letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunga, the CTB Joint Front of Trade Unions has requested her to intervene and stop the illegal privatisation of the cluster bus companies and the President had sent a letter to the Prime Minister calling for the halting of the deal. However, the deal between the IBIS company and the Treasury was signed on Monday afternoon, with Finance Ministry Secretary Charitha Ratwatte representing the government. Mr. Ratwatte left the country on a two week trip. Although Ministers Tilak Marapana and Milinda Moragoda were reported to be meeting the President to discuss at length any other alternatives available with regard to the IBIS deal, no requests had been made to arrange such a meeting, the President's office said on Friday. Meanwhile, Cabinet Spokesman G.L. Peiris announced that the agreement signed by IBIS and the government was still operational. In a move seen as appeasing one of the strongest opposers of the deal, the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association was offered a bus company to manage. However, in a letter to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association (LPBOA) had cautioned him regarding the dangers involved in the deal with IBIS. "The PERC document clearly states that no government guarantees would be given to the investor for purchase of equity. But now Cabinet is being asked to accept a letter of credit from a UK bank." LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne said. "These six cluster bus companies comprise 3000 buses and there is a staff of approximately 30,000. A company which cannot afford to pay the necessary dues is hardly likely to be able to afford even the electricity bills, leave aside staff salaries and running costs," he told The Sunday Times. Politician’s
thugs storm Police station They said the attempt by about 20 armed men who came in vehicles was foiled and police arrested three of them. The gang had tried to release five suspects -- four females and a male -- who had been taken in after a raid on an area brothel. Police said that during an argument, the gang had tried to grab a T-56 automatic weapon from a police officer and in the process, 17 cartridges were fired but no one was hurt. Chilaw SSP Upali Ranasinghe said that the raiders had claimed that they were politically powerful and the police officers would be transferred if they did not bow to the demands. He said the raids on brothels and illicit liquor outlets were being conducted on orders from the IGP who had told police not to be afraid of any political pressure.Yesterday's incident came a few days after UNP parliamentarian Olitha Premaratne allegedly stormed the Seeduwa police station and took away suspect who had been held for a motor accident. The suspect is said to be a supporter of the MP. Following media reports, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe intervened and the MP is to face a disciplinary inquiry tomorrow. Two months ago, UNP parliamentarian A. A. Wijekoon allegedly stormed the Kalawana police station and demanded that two police officers be transferred for arresting one of his supporters. Mystery
surrounds women cricketers The three women players - Captain Sudarshini Sivananthan, Ramani Perera and Hiroshi Abeysinghe - arrived at Gatwick airport with the rest of the team and transferred to Heathrow airport where they were to take the SriLankan Airlines flight to Colombo. They checked
in for the flight with the others but later airline authorities
found that they had not reported at the departure lounge, informed
sources said. What is puzzling sections of the Sri Lankan community
here is a report in a Colombo daily shortly after the team arrived
in Colombo, that the Sri Lankan High Commission in London had located
the three cricketers and informed officials in Colombo about it. The Sunday Times reliably understands that the High Commission had in fact made inquiries from British immigration authorities whether they had any information on the visa status of the three women. According to airline sources the three players had transit visas for the UK like the others in the team. However newspaper reports in Colombo seemed to suggest that the three had valid visas for a stay in the UK. This claim has added to the confusion about the current whereabouts of the players. Among the questions being asked here are: Why the three players checked in for the flight to Colombo if they intended to spend some time here? From where did they obtain visitor visas for a stay here as reported in a newspaper? N.
Ireland peacemaker wants all-party talks "All democratically elected parties should participate in the on going peace talks and all agreement or memorandums of understanding must get approval from every Sri Lankan citizen," Mr. Hume told a news conference at the Sri Lanka Institute of International Relations. He called for a power sharing government which would help the development of the country and would reduce conflicts among people. He said violence had no role to play but the handing over of weapons was a secondary issue compared to trust among the concerned parties. Ethnic difference being the major problem today, he said that difference was an accident of birth and therefore it must be respected. Mr. Hume explained he was happy to see how much the people of Sri Lanka were interested in peace and he had seen the real essence of it. "The President, the Prime Minister and the LTTE are clear in their vision of peace. They all want a developed, calm and beautiful Sri Lanka," he said. No
organ racket at Orugodawatte: Police Police said
their initial investigation had revealed that the child who was
found chained under a bed was a relative of the suspect, and school
uniforms that were recovered from the house belong to a daughter
of the suspect's elder sister. Police said that their investigations had revealed that the woman had chained the girl to prevent her from associating with a notorious person in the area. The woman has been charged with causing cruelty to the child. More
trains, buses to meet New Year rush If the service appears to be required, these trains will operate permanently. A new service, the Rajarata special service will operate from Colombo Fort to Vavuniya There will be a 24 hour operation and we will also introduce a contingency plan to meet any situation, Mr. Premasiri said. Meanwhile, 1,000 buses have been repaired and are also being put into service to ease passenger congestion during the New Year season, SLTB Chairman U.L.M. Farook said.(NK) |
||||
Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
