• Don't kill the golden hen, says angry garment tycoon
• CBK wants dialogue to settle strikes
• Sinhala group denies racist tag
• Mechanic's project on fire
• Karunanidhi seeks Katcha Theevu solution
• Beauty lost among barrels and barricades
• Stale 'kiribath' for vendors at Maradana bridge
• KMC's unkindest cut
• Another top UNPer faces charges
• German surgeons will come again
• DM pushes ahead for computer land
• From Joseph to George
• PA won't make new promises
• Shrama Shakthi rallies behind Susanthika
• BOI blunder leaves businessmen in huff
• Emirates deal web of corruption - UNP will disentangle it
• TULF seeks commission on disappearances
• LTTE threat: Muslims desert village
• The UNP caught well in the split
• PA on the beaten track as UNP returns
• Indian Nuke threat an overdue wake-up call?

Don't kill the golden hen, says angry garment tycoon

Claiming that Tri Star Apparel Exports (Pte.) Ltd. getting orders to the tune of Rs 100 million a month from April through its main collaborator in London, its Chairman Kumar Dewapura is resisting BOI and bank pressure to sell 12 of the group factories in rural areas.

In a statement Mr. Dewapura said that in view of certain rumours and misrepresentation of facts, he was reassuring his 30,000 employees that the group enjoys the confidence and trust of its traditional buyers abroad as well as new buyers.

In view of financial problems faced by the Tri Star group, a consortium of banks comprising the Bank of Ceylon, People's Bank, Sampath Bank and Hatton National Bank assisted Tri Star Group with a loan of US$ 7.5 million in the latter part of last year. With the resumption of new orders (non-quota) Mr Dewapura said he was confident of servicing the loan.

However, the Board of Investment intervened in the matter and in consultation with the consortium of banks suggested a restructuring programme for Tri Star which entailed that Tri Star sell off 12 factories and that the BOI would recommend to the Textile Quota Board the restoration of the quotas to these factories under new ownership.

Tri Star is of the opinion that it would be better for the country and the employees if the quotas are restored to these factories to be operated by Tri Star under whose management the employees have achieved skills and are familiar with the working conditions, Mr Dewapura said.

Mr Dewapura further asks "would the remedy now sought to be given be worse than the disease?" "We appeal to the authorities to view this issue rationally and evolve a pragmatic solution ensuring that it would not be a case of killing the hen that lays the golden egg ," he said.

The Rs 100 million worth monthly orders can very comfortably overcome the cash flow problem. Fabric and accessories for these orders have already come in and there is no danger Tri Star's foreign partners going elsewhere, he said.

Mr. Dewapura said the chairman of Marks and Spencer had assured him that the famous British chain would continue to place its confidence in Tri Star.

Mr. Dewapura said that during the past five years 15 factories in the group which manufacture non-quota garments for his buyers made a profit of Rs 548 million. It is by ploughing back these profit that the Tri Star Group was able to set up the 12 garment factories in the rural areas and sustain them.

CBK wants dialogue to settle strikes

By Arshad M. Hadjirin

President Chandrika Kumaratunga has directed Cabinet Ministers and top officials to settle strikes through dialogue rather than by force, Minister D. M. Jayaratne said.

He said that at a meeting of ministers the President had rejected any idea of suppressing trade unions and told ministers to visit institutions where there was labour unrest and settle matters through friendly persuasion and fair means.

The President's guidelines came after some ministers issued stern warning to unions amidst a spate of strikes in the Postal Department, health sector, banks and elsewhere.

An angry Post Minister Mangala Samaraweera had accused a major postal union of acting like a political mafia and warned that stern action would be taken against it.

Last Saturday, when non-union postal workers with police escort moved into the Central Mail Exchange and took away bags of letters for sorting, the unions immediately launched an all-out strike.

After, several rounds of mediation the postal workers resumed normal duties from last Wednesday.

But the leader of the Union of Post and Telegraph Officers (UPTO) warned yesterday they would launch strike action again after the New Year if their call for over-time payments and other demands were not met.

Sinhala group denies racist tag

A Sinhala group working among rural farmers and traders has denied government allegations that it is a racist group.

It was reacting to remarks made by Minister Mangala Samaraweera after last week's cabinet meeting.

Allegations were made that the group was exploiting farmers and promoting racial trade practices. The group, Sinhala Veera Vidahana said its aim was to uplift the living conditions of the Sinhala people through various means including a link up of rural producers and traders with big marketing networks.

The SVV said it welcomed the appointment of a cabinet committee to look into paddy purchases amidst allegations that some groups were trying to sabotage or manipulate the process.

Mechanic's project on fire

By Chris Kamalendran

A project by an innovative mechanic to turning out a three-wheel vehicle for disabled persons, mainly soldiers was abruptly ended when a group of unidentified persons set fire to his garage.

Namal Ajith, (27) the owner of a motor cycle garage along the Kadawatha - Ragama road had been in business for the past eight years. He specially designed the three wheel - motorcycle in 1993.

"I designed the motorcycle mainly for disabled soldiers. I donated the first motor cycle to one such soldier. I have received orders and assembled more than 200 motor cycles," said Ajith seated near his garage which was totally burned down.

He said most of his customers were disabled soldiers and even the 'Ranaviru Sevana', the home for disabled soldiers has been sending in orders.

'Last Sunday as usual I worked during the day and went home early. On the following day I was informed that my garage had been gutted. The people in the area had seen the garage in flames. They had heard and seen a group of people coming to the garage around midnight," he said.

Ajith believes that some of his relatives were responsible for the burning of his garage, but he was not sure about the reason.

"I have suffered losses amounting to over 800,000 rupees. Besides the vehicles for disabled people, 20 motor cycles were also destroyed.

Karunanidhi seeks Katcha Theevu solution

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has asked Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, to take up with the Sri Lankan authorities the issue of hardships faced by Indian fishermen in enjoying their traditional fishing rights in the waters around Katcha Theevu Island, a Hindu report said. In his meeting with the Prime Minister Mr.Karunanidhi said Indian fishermen had the right to fish in the waters around Katcha Theevu Island as per the Indira Gandhi-Srimavo Bandaranaiake settlement of 1974.

More News/Comment * Beauty lost among barrels and barricades * Stale 'kiribath' for vendors at Maradana bridge * KMC's unkindest cut * Another top UNPer faces charges * German surgeons will come again *

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