A number of AirLanka's Air Traffic Control Officers have opted to join Middle East Airlines causing a shortage of staff in this vital sector.
President Air Traffic Controllers Association of Sri Lanka Nihal de Silva told The Sunday Times that nine fully trained air traffic controllers have been selected to serve as Air Traffic Control Assistants in Abu Dhabi.
'Six fully trained officers have already sent in their resignations. This is about 10 percent of the total required ATC cadre in Sri Lanka,' he said.
The association blames the officials claiming that there is a serious problem in the ATC system for these officers to seek employment abroad.
Executive Director of Airport and Aviation Services Air Vice Marshal P. M. Fernando explained that it was not a serious problem and denied that nine officers had left. He added officers should put the country first specially since Sri Lanka is going through a difficult period. 'Still no one can stop them. They are very good in their work. The management is revising the salaries," he added.
Amidst the continuing controversy over the locomotive tender, it has now been revealed that the Transport Ministry had last month approved the purchase of two locomotives for US $ 1.48 million each under the Indian line of credit.
Both these locomotives have a wheel base specification of 12 feet 5 inches. This is in contradiction to specifications called for last year for 10 new locomotives, the tender for which has been given to GEC Alsthom of France amidst charges and countercharges of dishonesty and double standards. In the controversial locomotive tender the specification is for a wheel base not greater than 10 feet 6 inches. It is on this requirement that both General Motors Canada. and Samsung Korea were turned down.
A Cabinet Appointed Tender Board (CATB) met on December 1997 and considered the report submitted by the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC).
Sri Lanka's trade ties with Iran and the economic benefits to hundreds of Sri Lankans working in that Islamic Republic were among the reasons why Sri Lanka banned the filming of controversial author Salman Rushdie's book, a top official said.
According to a London based Journalist Presidential media advisor Sanath Gunathileke, he saw nothing wrong in using Sri Lanka as a location for the filming of Rushdie's Midnight's Children by the BBC. But the government decided to ban it after the BBC crew came here and he could do nothing though he opposed the ban. Mr. Gunathileka had said. He made his comments to journalists in London where he was on a visit connected to some PR work for the President. The government had ordered the ban last month on the basis that filming of the book by Rushdie, who is still under the death penalty by Iran for alleged blasphemy, would hurt the feelings of local Muslims. But Mr. Gunathileke's comment about the Iran connection gave a new dimension to the ban. Mr. Gunathilaka also disclosed that he too was to play a role in the Rushdie movie.
Sri Lanka will not be following a path of rapid devaluation simply to maintain currency competitiveness with some of the worse affected East Asian economies, a top Central Bank official said.
"We expect stability to prevail," Central Bank Economic Research Director Dr. R. A. Jayatissa said.
In the whole of 1997, the Sri Lankan rupee depreciated only 7.5 per cent against the dollar. The rupee was pegged at Rs 61.94 against the dollar at the end of last week, up Rs. 4.75 from 12 months ago.
However during the last quarter of 1997, the bottom fell out of Asian currencies such as the Thai bhat, Malaysian ringgit, Korean won and Indonesian rupiah.
Sri Lanka together with its South Asian neighbours has been relatively immune to the crises, protected by exchange controls which prevented the free flow of capital.
But some economists warn that an artificially high rupee could have disastrous effects on the economy, making imports cheaper to Sri Lankan consumers and exports more expensive to overseas buyers.
As a result local exporters in particular have been calling for a sharp depreciation of the rupee, complaining that competitors in East Asia would now be able to reduce the dollar price of their products.
The main competition to Sri Lanka's top high value-added exports based on rubber and coconut comes from East Asia. Even tourism could be affected next year with popular Thai destinations already offering rock bottom prices, analysts warn.
The Central Bank however says East Asia may have got only a short term benefit by being able to underprice their products in export markets and rising inflation is rapidly undermining long term benefits.
In Indonesia over the weekend there were signs of panic with consumers rushing to supermarkets hoping to stock up on essentials before their currency received another battering in the exchange markets. This has raised the spectre of hyperinflation in East Asian economies, reminiscent of the post Second World War Germany.
Sri Lanka so far has a declining trade balance, a services account in deficit and an overall balance of payments surplus to back the rupee.
"We will be taking appropriate policy responses when the need arises," says Dr. Jayatissa. "We will not allow our competitiveness to be eroded."
However some analysts say the time to act is now. Lost markets are harder to regain, and the corrective measures may have to be much harder for the economy to bear if implemented sooner than later.
Army Commander Lt.Gen. Rohan Daluwatte in a New Year's message assuring a definite victory for the government forces, remembered all those who dedicated their lives toward achieving peace during the recent past. "We hope to restore peace in the country, this year, by getting rid of all elements of terror," Daluwartte said. The commander, praising the parents of soldiers, officers, other cadres and civilians said, that it was their encouragement, which facilitated the victory of the forces.
He also remembered amidst tears those who sacrificed their limbs or their loved ones.
Tens of thousands of estate workers are poised to come out on strike a day after the golden jubilee of independence, following the breakdown of talks between major unions and employers on daily wages.
Ceylon Workers' Congress General Secretary Arumugam Thondaman said workers of his giant union, the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers' union and 12 unions in the Joint Plantations Trade Union Centre had decided on a strike from February 5.
He said the unions were demanding a daioly wage of Rs. 105 — an increase of Rs. 22 — in view of the rising cost of living, but the Employers' Federation of Ceylon was prepared to give only Rs. 93.
EFC chief E.F.G. Amarasinghe said they had offered to increase the daily wage to Rs. 93 based on the Colombo's consumers' price index and the official inflation rate.
But Mr. Thondaman and other union leaders rejected the basis of the EFC calculations and said a daily wage of Rs. 105 was justified.
Bank of Ceylon Regional Manager I. K. Chandrasena left in a van around 9.00 p.m. last Saturday to pick up his brother in law's teenage daughter after a party at Pannipitiya.
Having done so he was about to drive back home when a man with a pistol stood at one window. The bank executive asked, "what do you want" and the man retorted, "I want the vehicle". Before he realised what happened another man opened the door from the other side, shot the bank executive dead at point blank range and dragged him out while the horrified teenage girl and the others at the back seat jumped out. The robbers drove the vehicle away.
I. K. Chandrasena
The two men who brutally gunned down the BOC Regional Manager at Pannipitiya are still at large with Police so far tracing only the vehicle hijacked by them.
Mr. Chandrasena's family of three - one child in the A/Level classes and the other in the O/Level are still in a state of shock over the killing on the Pannipitiya Arawwala Road.
Mr. Chandrasena's brother-in-law, Srilal Siriwardena, an ex-Air Force officer told 'The Sunday Times, "My daughter had gone for a birthday party and she was due to be picked up by Chandrasena in my van. He left around 9.00 p.m. accompanied by my wife and three others.
"Around 9.35 p.m. I got a call from my daughter saying that uncle (Mr. Chandrasena) had been shot and the vehicle robbed. I called the Police and rushed to the scene in a friend's vehicle."
The vehicle was later found abandoned in the Piliyandala Police area.
Senior Superintendent of Police Nugegoda, Nihal Dharmadasa said the vehicle hijacked might have been for use in some other criminal job or to get away after a crime.
"We are checking whether any other crimes have been committed in the area on that particular night and whether the vehicle had been used for any of these," he said.
The much awaited debate on the devolution package organised by the National Joint Committee at the BMICH in Colombo on Tuesday suffered an early set back with the chief architect of the package, Minister G.L. Peiris turning down the invitation.
NJC spokesman Piyasena Dissanayake told The Sunday Times last night that Dr. Peiris was invited on December 6 for the debate but he had waited till last Friday to say he would not come.
Attorney General Sarath N. Silva and one of the Opposition members also have refused to accept the invitations.
Prof. Tisss Vitharana, an LSSP politburo member invited as one of the three proponents of the package in addition to the Minister and the Attorney General confirmed his participation yesterday.
Gamini Irriyagolla for the opponents also has refused to accept the invitation while Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera and Attorney S.L. Gunasekera have confirmed their participation.
Sources said that Minister Peiris is unlikely to take part in the debate.
The Attorney General has informed the organisers that he would not take part in the debate since he is a public servant.
With only one more day to go the turning down of invitations was a disappointment for the organisers who had sold tickets at Rs. 500 for the much awaited debate.
The debate which is scheduled to commence at 5.30 p.m. will be attended by several leading political figures, professionals and top members of the business community, among others.
President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on Thursday hailed the services of the Colombo Young Men's Buddhist Association and called on the organisation to take the leadership in building the nation.
President Kumaratunga was speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Colombo YMBA held at the BMICH.
The work of the YMBA so far has been praiseworthy, specially its stance against colonialism. Sir Baron Jayatillake was a pioneer of the association, which gave way to the Buddhist revival in our country, she said.
"The commencement of Buddhist education and the struggle against the colonials were hallmarks of the association. They also led the fight for Independence at the beginning of the 20th century. While other countries had to shed much blood in getting their freedom, we did not have to shed a drop of blood," she said.
"The work of the YMBA started to show results after we obtained Independence in 1948," she said. This freedom was enhanced in 1956 when the common man received his political Independence. The due place to the language of the majority and religion was obtained thereafter. Self respect and our cultural identity were restored, thanks to peoples' liberation in 1956," the President said.
"Before, our country lost its freedom to three foreign powers. From time to time the peace and progress it had before was restored only after 1948. All other countries which gained Independence from 1948 to 1970, had their own problems, for which they found solutions. Though the majority in those countries had their rights restored, it did not hamper the rights of minorities. But unfortunately in our country it was not so. This we need to accept on the 50th anniversary of our freedom.
"We need to unite as a nation and build ourselves. Buddhism in which I believe, has given us a good philosophy. Lord Buddha has told us how to live as good Buddhists and if we follow His Dhamma, our country's problems will get solved," President Kumaratunga said.
Continue to the News/Comment page 3 * "American Degree" at your doorstep? * Britain to return Ruwanvalisaya relic * Health warning on phosphate deal * LSSP decide on Wednesday * ICRC office guard killed and documents stolen * Under the date palm * Ashraff on tender confusion
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