News

Five Cargills employees arrested; 2 more to be arrested

Published

8 months ago

September 25, 2023

editor

Five people were arrested in connection with the incident of brutally assaulting a young woman at one of the Cargills Foodcity supermarket outlets, the Borella Police said.

The attack took place inside the supermarket on Cotta Road in Borella.

Initial police investigations revealed that the girl was attacked for allegedly stealing chocolates from the store on the 18th.

Meanwhile, it was reported that two more employees are to be arrested.

Investigations are being conducted on the instructions of Borella Police OIC Chief Inspector Janaka Priyadarshana Withanage.

Why did employees become violent?

Meanwhile, social media platforms were alive with conversations on how some factions in the society were attempting to justify the attack.

Some media organizations have published the news without mentioning the name of the institution where the attack took place.

However, Cargills employees have been heavily criticized for taking the law into their own hands.

Meanwhile, human rights organizations and consumer rights protection organizations pointed out that Cargills Foodcity’s strict management has led to the employees’ violent behaviour.

Sri Lanka Mirror was able to reveal that the employees are under immense pressure due to the ‘strict’ rules imposed by the management of Cargills Foodcity on its employees.

Mentioned below are some of the rules and regulations imposed on the employees by the Cargills Foodcity.

1. If any of the items packed in Cargills Food City are missing, the employees will bear the responsibility and the value will be deducted from their wages.

2. Cargills Foodcity will give a certain amount (1000/-) to the cashiers in the morning and if there is a shortfall in that amount after the balancing books at the end of the day, it should be recovered from their salary or in some other way.

3. All the employees have been assigned certain shelves in the Food City and they should bear the responsibility for the assigned shelves.

4. Even if the employees are given leave, it is difficult for them to get a leave on the required day.

5. Cargills also cut and sell vegetables, meat and fish and they are being prepared by the employees. It is said that they often have to cut pieces from items that are about to expire, and therefore, the task is unpleasant.

6. Although the working hours are from 7 am to 9 pm, the work shift in some Cargills Food City outlets ends at around 11 pm.

News

Fire breaks out in workers’ living quarters near Colombo Port

Published

8 hours ago

May 19, 2024

editor

A fire has reportedly broken out in the living quarters of highway access road workers near the Colombo Port.

The Colombo Fire Brigade said it has dispatched four fire trucks to assist in extinguishing the flames.

News

President Wickremesinghe meets Elon Musk to discuss starlink implementation in Sri Lanka

Published

8 hours ago

May 19, 2024

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has met with billionaire and investor Elon Musk on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting being held in Indonesia.

During the meeting, Wickremesinghe and Musk discussed the implementation of ‘Starlink’ in Sri Lanka.

It was emphasized that Sri Lanka is committed to expediting the application process to connect the country to the global Starlink network, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Minister Jeevan Thondaman, accompanying the President on his two-day visit to Indonesia, tweeted: “President and Elon discussed Sri Lanka’s recovery, economic potential, and new opportunities for investment. Great to have two visionary leaders come together for Sri Lanka.”

Elon Musk arrived in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation.

The billionaire head of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of social platform X, arrived by private jet on the idyllic “island of the gods,” renowned for its tropical beaches, terraced rice paddies, mystical temples, and colorful spiritual offerings.

Musk is slated to launch the service alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo in a ceremony later Sunday at a public health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.

Musk will also sign an agreement to enhance connectivity in the country’s health and education sectors.

During his first in-person visit to Bali, Musk is also scheduled to participate in the 10th World Water Forum, which seeks to address global water and sanitation challenges.

–With agencies inputs

News

Senior diplomat to oversee Sri Lankan embassy in Russia

Published

18 hours ago

May 19, 2024

nipuni

It is reported that the government has planned to send a senior officer of the foreign service to the Sri Lankan embassy in Russia until a new ambassador is appointed due to the lack of an ambassador.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Taraka Balasuriya has told the media that the absence of an ambassador is just a gap in the work procedure, and based on the current situation in Russia, a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be directed to supervise its affairs.

He emphasized that a retired foreign service senior is being sent and the lack of an ambassador is not a major problem.

The Minister further stated that there is already a senior Foreign Service officer there, and given the urgent need, a very senior Foreign Service officer is being sent not because the officer currently in Russia is inadequate.

Mr. Balasuriya has stressed that this is being done to strengthen the operation and that the work will be done according to the normal protocol.

However, even though an ambassador has been appointed to Russia, Mr. Balasuriya has made arrangements not to reveal who it is to the media.

The former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Prof. Janitha A. Liyanage, was given three extensions, and she ended her service at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow on April 29.

At present, Counsellor Ruvini K. Munidasa serves as the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy.