Tight security for May Day

By Shelani de Silva

More than 3000 police officers will be deployed in the city for this year's May Day rally on Friday. City security will be tightened with more than 15 rallies due to parade Colombo this year.

However, the police will not get involved in any political rally instead each party has been advised to have a close check on all people taking part in the rally.

DIG Colombo J.A. Jayawardene told The Sunday Times that strict instructions will be sent out to all parties this week regarding the security for the procession.

"We have decided not to allow any officer to get involved with the party as this will only cause problems. Instead each party will have to see to its own security. They will have to know who is taking part in the rally. Each party will have to keep a close watch on those taking part in the procession," he said.

The decision to ban party floats was withdrawn last week, after several political parties protested.

"The parties will have to submit a list containing the names of the driver, the registration number of the vehicle and the National Identity Card number of the driver to the police. The police will also carry out random checks on vehicles on or before May Day. It is a security risk to allow floats but if we get the co-operation of the parties it can be avoided," explained DIG Jayawardene.

The government will stage its procession from Campbell Park to Town Hall. The UNP which ran into problems in getting Kandy as its venue will hold the procession at Gatambe leading to the Kandy Market for the main meeting.

However UNP General Secretary Gamini Atukorale said that the party will not submit the names of the drivers to the police.

"It is by giving the names to the police that there will be a security risk," he said.

The People's Liberation Front [JVP] will commence its May Day procession from Cooray grounds at Wellawatte and proceed to BRC grounds.

According to Wimal Weerawansa, party secretary, several foreign delegations will join in the procession. This will include the participation of Trade Unions.

The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna [MEP] will hold its May Day rally at Horana, with the participation of 14 Trade Unions.

The Lanka Sama Samaja Party together with four parties will commence their rally from Cotta Park and proceed to Town Hall. They will march in protest passing the PA rally at Town Hall. They will protest against the government's delay in implementing the Workers' Charter, and for the delay in paying compensation to the July strikers.

Meanwhile, the National Workers Congress will join with the All Ceylon Federation of Free Trade Unions at their Workers Centre at Dehiwela with a mass meeting and rally. The theme for the May Day rally will be "Solidarity and Peace".

The LSSP which will join with the Communist Party, the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya and the Desha Vimukthi Janatha Pakshaya to emphasise the relentless struggle against the UNP and its blighted policies that marked a 17 year period of misrule.

The slogans will include the Workers' Charter and the undue delay in giving relief to the private sector workers who were victimised in the July '80 strike.

This May Day rally is a restoration to these left political parties their distinct identity within the PA.

The LSSP has called upon all progressive forces to rally round the four parties and to defeat all reaction so completely that the country will be assured that it will not be pushed back to the dark days of the UNP.

Meanwhile The Federation of Media and Communication Service Trade Union will hold its May Day rally at the Nomads ground at 9 am.

This media May Day rally will be attended by ministers, and opposition MP's. This is the first time that media has organised a May Day procession.

Leading media personalities including editors of newspapers will take part in the rally.

Czech mates here for business

A powerful business delegation from the Czech Republic seeking trade and investment opportunities was in Colombo recently to conduct one to one talks with their Sri Lankan counterparts.

The ten member delegation comprising top level businessmen, and investors were seeking to invest in areas like power generation, machinery, capital investment, banking and financial assistance, and motor vehicles.

They also had discussions with several trade Chambers, leading businessmen, as well as top government officials.

Ambassador Extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic Ivan Jestrab addressing a press Conference at the Consulate of the Czech Republic of Sri Lanka. Also in the picture are Honorary Consul Jayantha Fernando and Chryshantha Perera.

Pic by Dunstan Wickremaratne


"We hope to continue these business visits in the future," Ambassador Ivan Jestrab said during a recent media briefing. The next delegation is due in Sri Lanka towards the end of this year.

At present, the trade balance is in favour of the Czech Republic. "We would like to promote economic relations more vigorously in the future," he said.

In 1993, when the then Czech Republic was formed after the break-up of the former Czechoslovakia, trade with Sri Lanka was valued at Rs. 108 m. By 1996, it had risen to Rs. 233 m.

In 1996, Sri Lanka had imported Rs. 142 m worth of Czech pharmaceuticals, skimmed milk, polymers and iron. In the same period, the Czech Republic had imported Rs. 91.7 m worth of Sri Lankan tea, coir fibre and desiccated coconut.

Embassy officials believe there is potential for Sri Lankan tea, rubber, coconut products, spices, ready-made garments and sportswear in the Czech market.

Honorary Consul for the Czech Republic Jayantha Fernando said, the Sri Lanka tea market in the Czech was flourishing, but a great deal needed to be done to promote Ceylon Tea more vigorously.

Sambol, Kiri Hodi with GST

By Chamintha Thilakarathna

Look out or you will be paying the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 'Pol sambol' and 'Kiri hodi' as thousands have found out in Colombo's restaurants.

The Department of Internal Trade and the Inland Revenue were inundated with complaints about traders imposing the tax arbitrarily.

Inland Revenue has opened a hot line for consumers to call if they are diddled.

"We receive at least 500 calls a day.

Most of the inquiries are on the use of the tax and on registration," an Inland Revenue official said.

The official said that there is a misunderstanding among traders and they add the GST onto the BTT, which the IRD cannot do anything about.

"This is for the price control authority, he said.

A food parlour in the city charges GST on the traditional "Pol sambol" and "Kiri-hodi" at their shops. The prices of these were: Pol sambol Rs. 10 with GST to Rs. 11.20; Kiri hodi Rs. 10 with GST Rs. 11.25.

The Inland Revenue hot line numbers are 43080, 9343175-3. (See also Plus page 1, Business)

House ignores media call

Parliamentary staff are not making available copies of bills and other documents to the media, despite repeated appeals to the Speaker.

Normally such copies were available to the media as soon as they were presented in parliament. But recently that practice had been stopped and the Parliamentary Journalists Association has requested the Speaker to rectify matters.

But last Wednesday when Minister Dharmasiri Senana-yake presented the controversial documents regarding the AirLanka-Emirates deal, copies were not made available to the media by parliamentary staff.

So the minister himself had to get copies and carry the bundles to the media gallery.

Suspect wants case heard in Colombo

A suspect who is alleged to have been trained to kill the President has asked that his case be moved from the Kalutara High Court to Colombo. Kalutara High Court judge Sarath Gunatillake said the suspect,Sinnathurai Muhandiram had written to the AG that his case be transferred. The suspect is charged on several counts of being trained to kill the President in 1995.

CWC keeps options open, says Thonda

By Roshan Peiris

CWC leader and Minster Minister S. Thodaman is denying reports that his party has decided to contest the coming provincial elections on its own cockerel symbol.

Mr. Thondaman told The Sunday Times yesterday the party was keeping options open and there was still time to take a final decision as the elections are scheduled for August or September.

At different times, the CWC has been supporting one of the two major parties or going on its own.

Now Mr. Thondaman though a coalition partner and minister of the Government, refuses to be held back by rules of collective responsibility. He keeps repeating that his loyalty is first to the CWC. While he sits in the cabinet, CWC MPs sit in the opposition with the UNP.

US urges settlement of trade disputes with Lanka

By Imran Vittachi

Sri Lanka could stand to gain from commercial ties with the United States in the 21st century, but it could lose if Colombo now balks in resolving outstanding trade disputes, and fails to take bi-lateral relations further by ending the war, says Washington's leading proponent of greater American engagement in South Asia.

Addressing a group of journalists on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the US-Lankan relationship, Assistant US Secretary of State Karl F. Inderfurth said Sri Lanka is poised to reap the fruits of dynamic growth in a region he sees as a "new economic frontier".

But, in his opinion, this depends on how carefully Colombo considers commercial ties with the sole superpower — one of its largest trading partners — which at times have been fraught with tension and uncertainty.

"This is where we want our relationship with Sri Lanka to move," said the soft-spoken diplomat.

According to Mr. Inderfurth, with East Asian economies on the brink of collapse — having been hit by a series of unanticipated crises and turbulence in national currencies — Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries — if they position themselves smartly — could spur greater trade and investment interest regionally from US-based companies.

"I think that the stability of economic systems here may prove even more attractive to investors and others to look more closely at South Asia for future investments, trade, and economic upturns," he said. "We think this whole region is really a new economic frontier in that it has great promise and potential."

But, gauging from remarks made last week by Washington's special envoys who, while on a visit to Colombo, articulated the Clinton doctrine on South Asia, Sri Lanka will have to accomplish two tasks if it hopes to maintain sound relations with the US over the next 50 years.

As far as the Americans are concerned, the Sri Lankan Government first has to settle on-going bi-lateral trade disputes. According to observers, these turned particularly nasty in the recent fiasco over a lucrative US-driven contract to rebuild bombed out sections of Colombo Fort, and an Executive decision that overruled an American bid for a locomotive engine tender.

It appears this is what Bill Richardson, the visiting US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, touched on in a carefully-worded warning made during a news conference on April 18 that was dominated by US concerns about human rights in Sri Lanka.

"In recent years there have been some unfortunate commercial disputes between American companies and the Government of Sri Lanka, but we are working together in a constructive way to resolve these problems," he said. "Some of these disputes appear to be moving towards resolution, and I am urging the Government of Sri Lanka to move aggressively to settle these matters quickly so that Sri Lanka's commercial reputation is not tarnished."

On Sunday morning, only hours after Ambassador Richardson flew away, Mr. Inderfurth said that the message of the previous day should be taken as a "positive" signal, "not a punishment."

"It is an encouragement for the Sri Lankan Government to have the friendliest possible investment climate," he said. "I believe that many more American companies want to get involved here but, when they make their calculations about where to be involved, they do take into account whether there are outstanding commercial disputes, and whether they might, if they make an investment, find themselves in some difficulties."

From an American viewpoint, Sri Lanka's 15-year old war represents the second hurdle to the country's prosperity and the well-being of its commercial relations with the US.

"I believe that, if the war was brought to an end, there would be a further economic takeoff for Sri Lanka because it would attract far more investment and trade," Mr. Inderfurth said. "This country is doing well under very difficult circumstances. It could do much better if the war was brought to an end."

The Americans are not the only outsiders to make this point about a peaceful Sri Lanka tapping into its unknown potential. This message was echoed last week by the visiting Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, who praised Sri Lanka for nearly halving its budgetary deficit in less than a year, and for posting a growth rate of 6.4 percent in 1997.

"Can you imagine what would have been happening in Sri Lanka if you didn't have the problem which, at the moment, soaks up possibly no less than 30 percent of your revenue?" Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria told a news conference on Monday. "If you didn't have that problem you would be among the fastest growing economies in the world."

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