Death of a top civil servant

One of Sri Lanka's most outstanding civil servants, Gaya Cumaranatunge, who held the post of Principal Collector of Customs among other top positions, has died in London after a brief illness. He was 63.

Mr. Cumaranatunge, after holding several posts in ministries, became the youngest principal collector of Customs, where he earned respect and praise for his independence and integrity.

After his last appointment in public service, as the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, he served as a Director of the Asian Development Bank in Manila. He also had functioned as a Director on a number of Boards, including AirLanka.

He was the Chairman of the Foreign Investment Advisory Committee and the Presidential Tariff Commission, which was responsible for advising the Government on fiscal policy and tariff reforms.

After he completed his term at the ADB, he functioned as the Chairman of the Public Sector Infrastructure Development Company (PSIDC), a position he held till the time of his death.

He leaves his wife Lakshmi and two sons Chandima and Milinda.

Mothers gun for absent GN

The grama niladhari's office in the Modera, Mattakkuliya area is often closed causing severe hardships to the people, residents of the area have complained.

In a petition to the Colombo Kachcheri, they say the office is expected to be open on Mondays and Fridays, but it is either closed or the officer is often away.

Mattakkuliya women's organisation leader R. K. Pushpa said a host of public services were being delayed or denied to the people because of indifference or inefficiency.

Right of reply

General still waits for inquiry

General G. H. de Silva, in a statement to 'The Sunday Times', replying to allegation in the media regarding the 'removal of property from the General's House says:

'I refer to recent reports in the media published in regard to the removal of movable property from the "General's House".

Such reports have been appearing in various newspapers since September 1996, the latest of which is in The Sunday Observer of 22nd November 1998.

Sometime in September 1996 after I had retired and had vacated "General's House" and after members of my family had also left, I received from the Army Commander a letter at Islamabad, Pakistan, where I was stationed as High Commissioner. This letter alleged that a check of the Inventory at "General's House" had been carried out by some officers without my knowledge or participation, or that of my family, while I was already functioning as High Commissioner in Pakistan.

The Army Commander's letter further alleged that several deficiencies had been identified by those officers. "Since I was in Pakistan and as I did not have access to any documentation relating to the contents of this letter, I was prevented from commenting adequately on the unilateral inspection carried out and the matters contained in the Army Commanders letter.

Despite addressing the Army Commander, the Secretary Defence, the Secretary Foreign Affairs and other Military and Political hierarchy in writing for an impartial inquiry, to date no such inquiry has been held in which I have been called upon to defend the various allegations made against me. It is over two years and three months since the first letter was written by the Army Commander, and it is over two years and seven months to date since I have been deprived of my Gratuity and Pension.

"I have decided to make this statement in sheer desperation for the General Public to be made aware of the injustices perpetrated against me."

Three children allegedly abused

By Shane Seneviratne and J.A.L. Jayasinghe

A ten-year-old girl, beaten, allegedly sexually abused and bearing burn marks on her body, was handed over to the care of the Salvation Army until the case in which she figures was concluded, Police said yesterday.

The child had been brought up at a businessman's house.

The girl had been allegedly sexually abused, according to the Kandy Judicial Medical Officer A. B. Seneviratne.

Meanwhile a 10-year-old child domestic who had been kept at a millionaire businessman's house was taken into protective custody by the Central District Women and Child Abuse Prevention Bureau.

The wife of the businessman who was said to have been keeping the child by force and harassing her has been asked to appear in court Monday.

The child was produced before the Kandy Acting Magistrate Upali Bogahapitiya who ordered her to be handed over to the Salvation Army and produced in court on December 23.

In another case an eleven year old school girl in Nugawela had been allegedly sexually abused by a teacher of the same school.

The Sunday Times learns a politician in the area had used his influence to get the suspect released.

Do justice to Tribunal

By Faraza Farook and Nilika de Silva

The main Colombo office of the Labour Tribunal — a court of justice for the workers — is falling apart with union leaders accusing the government of building their own mansions while neglecting basic workers' facilities.

On a daily basis at least 200 workers come for litigation to this building at Vauxhall Street. This labour tribunal complex where more than 14,000 cases are pending looks like an abandoned stable, union activist S. Siriwardena said.

The building which was constructed more than 20 years ago to run a cigarette store had been taken over by the Labour Ministry in 1984, and subsequently taken over by the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Siriwardena said.

But Justice Ministry Secretary M.S. Jayasinghe said the building did not belong to the Justice Ministry. She said she was aware that tenders had been called but there were no takers as they felt the building was beyond repairs.

This dilapidated labour tribunal building where 70 staffers work is lacking even basic amenities such as water. There is no janitorial service of any sort and the elevator has been lying broken and idle for the past five years.

When we visited the building, the gravity of the situation was evident. We were shocked to see cement blocks falling off the ceiling where there were large damp areas. It was a serious threat to workers and litigants.

The record room of the tribunal is also in a mess, with moisture seeping in through the walls, and little effort being made to preserve documents. The cupboards are coming apart and we saw documents stacked or strewn on the floor. The corridors and the stairway are dark and provide little by way of encouragement to thousands of workers who come there to settle their grievances.

Shuttle diplomacy by peace makers

By Nilika de Silva

Business leaders in typical shuttle diplomacy style will hold separate talks with PA and UNP delegations in a bid to bring the two major parties together in finding a peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict.

"A long and difficult journey begins with a single step. It has now been taken. We hope and pray that the New Year will usher in a new era of love, peace, justice, equality and freedom," said Lalith Kotelawela, Chairman of the business communities co-ordinating committee and a key figure in the peace-making process.

Another member Patrick Amarasinghe, President, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry said they had written to the PA and the UNP seeking dates for separate meeting. "We will meet them separately. It will be shuttle diplomacy," he said.

Mr. Amerasinghe said the business community would have an open mind, with no preconceived notions. "Our role will be as listeners to help the parties in coming to a consensus."

After a long delay, the UNP recently nominated a top level four member delegation for the dialogue through the business community. The delegation headed by A. C. S. Hameed includes Ronnie de Mel, K.N. Choksy and D.M. Swaminathan.

The PA delegation comprises G. L. Peiris, M. H. M. Ashraff, Neville Kanakaratne and K. Vignarajah.

Both delegations are multi-ethnic and multi-religious in line with the concept that any solution must be based on the principle of unity in diversity.

Sex case goes to High Court

The man who was alleged to have sexually abused a seven-year-old girl in Dehiwela, has been indicted in the High Court. The incident was first reported in The Sunday Times of November 15.In this case, the man has been indicted for sexually abusing his wife's sister's seven-year-old daughter, who along with her mother lived in his house.

The girl's mother, who on hearing this incident had got into a frenzy and allegedly thrown hot water onto the suspect. The Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate ordered that the mother be remanded but later released her on bail the same day.

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