President appoints committee to probe into issues related to tea industry, workers' wages

A special commitee was appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday (Feb 13) to study the issues related to the tea industry, including the wage issue of the estate workers.

The committee would be entrusted with the duty of providing recommendations to accelerate the development of the industry and to increase the welfare activities of estate workers. The report is expected to be submitted to the President within a month.

President Sirisena had yesterday held talks with relevant state officials regarding the salaries of estate workers and the issues that have arisen in the field of tea exports.

Accordingly it was decided to appoint a committee comprising President's chief-of-staff H. M. P. Hitisekara, Plantation Secretary R.P.R. Rajapaksa, Labour Secretary Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga, the Treasury Secretary, Tea Board Chairman W.L.P. Wijewardena, Commissioner General of Labour and the Chairman of the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority J. Wimalaweera, and a representative from the Planters’ Association of Ceylon, Sri Lanka Tea Factory Owners Association, Sri Lanka Tea Brokers’ Association and Tea Exporters Association

Secretary to the President Mr. Udaya R. Senevirathne, relevant Ministry Secretaries, public servants, veteran cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, representatives of the Associations related to the tea industry were present at the meeting.