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 24th May 1998 |
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Golden handshake for SLBC employeesBy Shelani de SilvaSri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is offering a golden handshake to its employees in a bid to solve its problem of over-staffing. SLBC Chairman Janadasa Peries told The Sunday Times SLBC had more than 2,000 employees. "Our target is to bring the number to 750. Over 65 percent of the corporation's revenue goes on salaries. "Furthermore the SLBC has employed unskilled persons while there is a shortage of skilled officers in certain fields," he added. The deadline for applications which ended last Thursday has now been extended to the end of this month because of the postal strike. Many from the outstations are expected to apply. The compensation varies from Rs. 350,000, Rs. 300,000 and Rs. 250,000 depending on the salary scale. In addition, they will be paid a gratuity of one and a half month's salary for each year of service provided he or she served a minimum of five years. The package will also include other benefits. "In all, a person will receive close to four lakhs. This package is for all those under fifty five years of age, explained the Chairman. The Joint Trade Union of the SLBC has requested the management to increase the compensation. Union President Tissa Jayawardene told 'The Sunday Times" they had requested the management to increase the sum to five lakhs. "We are yet to receive a reply. We are not against this scheme as we know how serious it has become. But at the same time they should offer a better sum. It is the previous and present management who should take the responsibility for this problem," he said. The Union alleges that although the government has requested the Treasury to grant Rs.500 million for the scheme the Corporation is yet to receive the money. "We have also asked the management to tell us what other plans are in store if this scheme fails to meet the need. There are rumours to say that certain departments will be closed and even privatised. If such a move is made. we will take action. We are yet to see how successful this scheme has been. But we have learned that less than 200 have applied. It is because of this that the deadline was extended," he said. However Chairman SLBC denied rumours that the Commercial Service is to be privatised.
Prince College to be model schoolPrince College, Kotahena, will be re-opened to function as a Model School from January 01, next, PPA President Amitha Mallawarachchi said. This leading Buddhist educational institute founded in the 1930s is now close to closure due to maladministration. On representations made by its PPA to WP Chief Minister A. D. Susil Premajayantha it has been decided that the school should function as a Model School with a Nursery and classes from Grade one. The Chief Minister had instructed officials of the Department to attend to the necessary repairs so that the school may begin to work on this day, Mr. Mallawarachchi said. A shramadana will be held today where the Chief Minister and Colombo Mayor Karu Jayasuriya has been invited to participate.
RAW says don't but Vajpayee will attendSAARC summitBy Bandula JayasekeraIndia will participate in the 10th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) in Colombo despite reports of a possible cancellation of Indian Premier, Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit on security advice. An Indian news report said that at a high level meeting of RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) and other intelligence officials last week it was reportedly advising Mr. Vajpayee to cancel his proposed visit to Sri Lanka in July. The doubts about the possible cancellation of the visit was cleared by the Indian High Commission in Colombo this week. 'India will definitely take part in the forthcoming SAARC summit', Deputy Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, B.S. Prakash told 'The Sunday Times' when contacted. The RAW had rated Mr.Vajpayee as the fifth most-threatened leader in the world. However the Pakistani High Commission press spokesman in Colombo, Methab Khan said it was 'too early to confirm' participation adding that they were awaiting the traditional visit of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar to Pakistan to invite Premier Nawaz Shariff. Pakistan was due to host the 10th SAARC summit this year, but decided to allow Sri Lanka to host the event to coincide with the country's 50th anniversary independence celebrations. High Commissioner for Maldives in Colombo Abdul Azeez Yousuf told 'The Sunday Times' that president Abdul Gayoom will take part as the current chairman. 'We have no doubt that the SAARC summit will go on as scheduled. All the countries have agreed on the dates and there will not be any changes, said Mr. Yousuf. High Commissioner for Bangladesh Masum Ahamed Choudhury confirming the country's participation said 'we are taking part and there is absolutely no doubt about that'. Nepalese Ambassador Nilambe Acharya also confirmed their decision to participate in the event.
Political party for Indian TamilsSome groups representing the people of Indian origin in Sri Lanka are taking steps to form a fully fledged political party for them, a spokesman said. Nirmalan Dhas who heads an Indian Tamil network told a news conference at the Renuka Hotel in Colombo that his group and several others including the DWC had as a first step formed an Indian Tamil conference. He said that since 1948 when Indian Tamils were stripped of citizenship rights, those poor and oppressed people turned to trade unions to regain their rights. Thus emerged organizations like the Ceylon Workers Congress. Mr. Dhas said he felt the time had now come for the formation of a political party. He said they would call for the setting up of an Indian Tamil ethnic council and for a state appointed commissioner to handle matters relating to that community.
Galadari:it will be business as usualThe Hotel Galadari opened for business in the first week of May after the October bomb blast. According to General Manager Chandra Mohotti,"Four floors have been fully refurbished and are in occupation.The remaining floors and the rooftop will be completed soon." The new coffee shop with its Sri Lankan and Western cuisine will function from May 25,"said Mr Mohotti.
Chandrika Ranil from same stage call: Unite for PeaceBy Arshad M. HadjirinPresident Chandrika Kumaratunga and Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday together called for a united approach to find a solution to the ethnic conflict. Addressing the 15th annual convention of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, at the Stanley Janz Park in Colombo, the leaders of Sri Lanka's two major political parties - the PA, and UNP - endorsed the urgency of uniting for peace, forgetting party politics. President Kumaratunga endorsed a point made by SLMC leader, Shipping Minister M. H. M. Ashraff, who urged the opposition to become a partner in nation building rather than a permanent enemy of the government. "We should unite for a common cause - and that is peace," said Mr. Wickremesinghe, while President Kumaratunga said: "I call upon the leaders of all parties to guide their supporters on the path of peace. We are ready to listen to others." President said she had told Mr. Wickremesinghe of the importance of following a common approach on crucial issues, like the ethnic conflict. The annual SLMC congress was attended by a number of supporters largely from the outstations, who withstood a blazing hot sun until the very end. Many Cabinet Ministers, foreign dignitaries, and religious leaders were also present. President Kumaratunga said that, at any given time in the history of this country, it had just one per cent of the population who endorsed violence. "Our priority is to protect human life, because life is too precious to lose." She added that Lankans will perish together if they don't unite to bring about peace very soon. "We all should be proud of the community, religion and the language we speak, but all these should be forged into a single Sri Lankan identity," she said. Mr. Ashraff said that their greatest achievement since founding the party was distracting the Muslim youth from entering gun-culture, at a crucial time when Muslims too were drawn into the separatist war. He said that Sinhala language cannot be the language of the majority Sinhala people. "Tamil should cease to be the language of the minority Tamils and the Muslims. We have to create the necessary atmosphere at least at this late hour. Sinhala and Tamil should soon become the language of every Sri Lankan," he said.
Info on LTTE training unit in KandyBy J.A.L. JayasinghaAn LTTEer arrested at an Institute in Talatuoya who has foreign connections confessed to the special police group that apprehended him, that the LTTE sends Tamil youth for training, and they collect information on important places in Kandy town. Talatuoya police who grilled the suspect was told that suicide cadres were in Kandy to collect details of Kandy and its environs. A senior police official said that on his information, the police visited the place and was able to take into custody some suspicious equipment. The institute is said to be a major joint to collect secret information. A priest and a foreigner who had helped the suspect to find lodging, are since missing, according to police sources. The arrested suspect has given the police a false name, as Maheswaran Muhandanam aged 22 from Vavuniya. DIG Central Range, Sirisena Herath and SSP Nimal Mediwaka are in charge of investigations.
More News/Comment * Parliament time not party time – Ravi * Relatives fined for harbouring deserters * A lady gentle and kind is no more * World Bank probes at UNP's request * Mangala gives clue for story * CBK moves to stamp out nepotism * Cooray cries over Kataragama Return to News/Comment Contents
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