State bank men fear job loss

By Chamintha Thilakarathna.

The closure of the branches comes after the World Bank made proposals to privatise the state sector banks for better cost saving and efficiency.

Bank Union officials estimated that 4,000 employees would be directly affected by the process while other changes including transfers will be effected under the proposed restructuring programme.

But bank officials say any closure will only be the last resort in an action programme that is intended to increase efficiency and cost-saving in financial market.

State Bank officials confirmed that an agreement between the Treasury and the Bank of Ceylon and the People's Bank has already been signed to put the programme into effect. 

The agreement signed on July 16, this year states the boards of the two banks shall submit to the Central Bank a list of loss-making branches as at December last year, including the temporarily closed branches in the North and East, within six weeks from the date of execution of this agreement — October 1 this year.

The boards shall close, amalgamate or dispose of the businesses of five of the branches which cannot be turned around by December this year and 50 per cent of the balance loss-making branches before December next year and the rest before December 2000.

The World Bank report said, "Probably the single most important medium term measure to improve efficiency in financial markets is to privatise the two state-owned commercial banks. Of the two, Bank of Ceylon seems the best choice to start the privatisation programme. People's Bank could then follow."

So far, the People's Bank has closed down its Taprobane, Main Street and Corporate Second branches in Colombo and the BoC has closed down its Waligamuwa branch on a Central Bank order. 

However, People's Bank General Manager Chandra Sahabandu said that no decision had been taken to close down any branches as a matter of policy. 

"But, if some branches are not properly located or profit making, they will be shifted. In our rationalising programme, we hope to reduce staff to cut down on cost. Some branches are over staffed. The agreement aims at cost reduction in branches and in the process to computerise the branches for better efficiency," he said.

A senior Bank of Ceylon official who did not want to be named said no branches would be closed in the near future. 

However, according to a circular by BoC Chairperson Dayani de Silva , if all attempts at turning around loss-making banks fail, "we are required to amalgamate such branches with another, dispose of its business or as a last resort close down the bank branch in line with a properly formulated policy."

The banks are also restricted from establishing or investing in new subsidiaries or associate companies or starting any new business activity. 

The total number of branches of the Bank of Ceylon and People's Bank is around 500.

Tamil parties horrified by LTTE child conscription 

By Roshan Peiris

EPRLF leader, K. Premachandran told The Sunday Times that after the Kilinochchi operation, the LTTE leadership had ordered the Batticaloa area leaders to recruit 5000 cadres within three months. 

First the LTTE attempted to recruit young boys and girls by showing them the video clippings from the operations at Kilinochchi and Paranthan. Since the response was not upto expectations they resorted to forcible conscription. 

"We have reliable information that in many instances the forcibly taken children who escaped from the LTTE have been abducted by the LTTE for the second time as they could not come into the cleared area". 

The Military do not allow young Tamils from the uncleared areas to come into the cleared area for security reasons. 

So even the Tamil parents who want to rescue their children from the clutches of LTTE do not have the chance to do so due to decisions taken in Colombo without considering the ground realities, he said. 

EPDP leader Douglas Devananda said the LTTE's recruitment of children was ghastly and heartless. "We are totally and strongly against the LTTE and all its methods. We have often said this openly. 

"It is ghastly for the LTTE to conscript young boys and even girls, The flower of our youth". "The LTTE is heartless. Recently it was reported that mothers and fathers of children taken forcibly for the LTTE army were wailing and tearing their hair with grief. 

"The 'baby brigade' is one of those inconceivable horrors of history," he said.

Flowers from CBK to Anura

They said the 49-year-old Mr. Bandaranaike, who admitted himself to the hospital on Monday for a check up, would be leaving for the United States on a private visit next week.

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, his sister, sent a boquet of flowers to her brother while he was in hospital.

Several ministers, including Lakshman Jayakody and C. V. Gooneratne, also visited Mr. Bandaranaike at hospital.

Thonda's new front ready for action

By Chamintha Thilakarathna

Mr. Thondaman told The Sunday Times, the alliance known as the 'Indian Origin Front' would represent an estimated one million people of Indian origin and contest upcoming elections mainly in the Central, Uva and Western Provinces. 

The alliance includes CWC, Democratic Workers' Congress, National Workers' Congress, Red Black Union, Lanka Estate Workers' Union, Uva Workers' Aid Centre, All Ceylon United Workers' Congress, Christian Workers' Organisation, Uva Hindu Association and the Indian Community Council. 

Another spokesman for the alliance said their main objectives were to project the needs and aspirations of Indian Tamil community and to help find a just solution to the ethnic conflict.

He said the alliance would be applying for official recognition by the Commissioner of Elections, once the confusion over the postponement of provincial elections was cleared.

The CWC has been a key ally of every government since 1977 and is now supporting the ruling PA. With the formation of a united front of the CWC and other leading plantation unions, the alliance is likely to play a major role in national politics.

"Government should intervene to stop unethical conversions"

By Nilika de Silva

The conference which was held at the BMICH to mark the golden jubilee of Sri Lanka's independence, recommended that the governments of predominantly Buddhist countries should adopt effective measures to prevent foreign-funded NGOs and evangelical groups from using financial inducements, or other unethical means as strategies of religious conversion.

Another recommendation was that Vesak Full-Moon day in May be declared a holiday of the United Nations. The five-day conference on the "Timeless Message of the Samma Sambuddha" was jointly organized by the Ministry of Buddhasasana and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Following the final session of the conference the delegates were taken to Kandy and Anuradhapura to visit places of religious and cultural significance.

The joint chairpersons of the Conference were ministers Lakshman Jayakody and Lakshman Kadirgamar.

The delegates deplored the attack on the Sri Dalada Maligawa by the L.T.T.E. 

Dasa Sil Upasika Dhammadinna, a delegate from Britain, appealed to the Sri Lankan government to provide some funds for the training of more Dasa Sil Mathas in their temple congregation. 

She said it had been found that there was a need for such Dasa Sil Upasikas to counsel female members of the Sri Lankan congregation on personal problems of confidential nature. It had proved embarrassing for monks to give advice on such problems, and contrary to the Vinaya Rules for Monks to be secluded with females. Minister Jayakody said the government would take note of the request.

National Peace Alliance vows to carry on the struggle

A spokesman for the alliance told The Sunday Times that a group of about 25 extremists, led by a few Buddhist monks, had infiltrated the inaugural meeting and tried to disrupt it.

He said that despite such threats and sabotage by extremists the alliance was determined to go ahead in the awareness that the challenge of making peace would be more difficult than waging war. 

He said the main objective of the alliance was to exert maximum pressure on all political parties to come together in reaching a consensus on finding a political solution to the ethnic conflict.

NAP convenor Professor Tissa Vithana said the PA government had come to office in 1994 pledging it would give top priority to peace to a political solution. But today priority had obviously being given to the military option and second priority had gone to election politics while peace was in third place.

The alliance was urging the PA and all parties to give top priority to finding a political solution.

At the inaugural meeting, a top-level national council was appointed to give guidance to the peace alliance.

The council includes five Nayaka Theras, three Bishops and eminent figures representing the Hindu and Muslim communities.

The NAP spokesman said the group which tried to disrupt the meeting had left behind leaflets calling for the arrest of National Peace Council members including Jehan Perera and some journalists who they accused of being LTTE propagandists.

Sita – in politics from the cradle

Sita was the only daughter of Sir Francis Molamure first Speaker of both the State Council and the House of Representatives of Independent Ceylon, and Lady Adeline Molamure, first Lady Senator to preside over the Senate. 

Sita Molamure Seneviratne fought three elections for the UNP in Pelmadulla and Balangoda albeit unsuccessfully. 

An indefatigable social worker and one time Chairperson of the National Council for Child and Youth Welfare, she was appointed to the Senate in 1967 during Dudley Senanayake's government. 

Sita was the wife of L.J. de S. Seneviratne, Secretary to the Treasury in the early months of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike's Government. He was a man of formidable intellect and a no-nonsense member of the elite Ceylon Civil Service. 

Sita leaves daughter Sunethra (Mrs. Sepala Ilangakoon) and Chandra Seneviratne who is a President's Counsel. The Funeral took place at the general cemetery Kanatte on Thursday. 

Muslim welfare body marks 23rd b'day with grand show

Minister Alalvi Moulana will be the chief guest while Saudi Arabian charge de affaires Ali Al Hamdan and World Islamic Call Society representative Mehdi Al Jali will be the guest of honours. B. M. Murshideen will chair the aniiversary celebrations where a magazine 'Ilmul Islam' will be launched and prizes distributed to to Ahadiya competition winners.

Newsprint duty: polls pledge forgotten?

Though the duty in Sri Lanka is only 10% and B.T.T. also 10%, now replaced by G.S.T. at 12.5%, the eventual calculation works out at 15.12%, when the defence levy is calculated the actual total tax is very much more, a statement by M. G. Wenceslaws, Managing Director of Express Newspapers states.

According to some, publishers of newspapers, periodicals, tabloids and even books are being badly affected as a result of this. Sources said that ever since the P.A. Government came into power the newspaper society comprising all the government newspapers including Lake House (who withdrew from the society recently) have been making representations to the government. 

In June '97 the Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera called the owners of newspapers and discussed their problems. At that discussion, when someone asked him why the government even after three years had not made a decision either to reduce or not to reduce the duty on newsprint he replied that he would inform the Treasury, the statement adds.

However Mr. Samaraweera sent a letter dated July 14, 97 addressed to the Ministry of Finance and Planning for the attention of Dr. Sanath Jayanetti, Advisor, requesting he examine the appeal for a reduction or a complete abolition of the duty and taxes on the import of newsprint.

According to a Publisher he does not know why this official has been sitting on this paper for the last one year. There is no tangible reason as to why the government refuses to see sense and reduce the duty on newsprint when many items are allowed to be brought into the country at a low rate of duty.

Most intriguing is that the government does not reply to letters on this matter or give any valid reason as to why duty cannot be reduced, he said. 

This publisher also said that during the last elections they had high hopes that the P.A. government would do justice and lift the duty on newsprint since their manifesto declared that "the current structure of taxes and duties on newsprint would be drastically revised to provide relief."

He also cited that the country imports around 25,000 tons of newsprint and this is a small quantity by world standards and for instance 'The Hindu' of Madras alone requires 30,000 tons of newsprint per annum, the statement adds.
 

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