News

CEB workers gather to Colombo; proposed to go for strike

Published

11 months ago

June 21, 2023

editor

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) United Trade Union has requested all CEB employees to gather in Colombo today (21) to show opposition to moves by the government to privatise CEB.

Trade Union’s President Ranjan Jayalal said that a massive conference of trade unions will be held at the Vihara Maha Devi Open Air Theatre at 1:00 PM and an agreement will be reached regarding the future measures against the attempts to privatise CEB.

Mr. Jayalal said that the Government has prepared to restructure the CEB and sell it to 15 private firms.

He said that trade union action will be carried out against moves to alienate CEB to foreign companies in the name of restructuring even without considering national security.

If necessary, he said that a resolution to launch an indefinite strike will be adopted at today’s conference.

Except for the employees who operate power plants and attend to breakdowns, all other CEB employees are scheduled to go on sick leave and arrive at the Vihara Maha Devi Theater for today’s conference.

News

Rathupaswala shooting: Army personnel acquitted

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

editor

All four Sri Lanka Army personnel who had been indicted on charges of shooting dead three persons and injuring 45 others during a protest by villagers demanding clean drinking water in Rathupaswala in 2013 were today acquitted by the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar.

Delivering its verdict, the three-judge High Court ordered the acquittal and release of all four accused – a Major and three Army soldiers.

The incident occurred on August 1, 2013, when army personnel opened fire on a protest by villagers in Weliweriya. The villagers were protesting against a factory which they said was contaminating groundwater in their area and were demanding clean drinking water.

(sundaytimes.lk)

News

Fmr. Army Chief joins SJB

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Former Army Commander Retired General Mahesh Senanayake has joined with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

In a Facebook post, party leader Sajith Premadasa said that the Former Army Chief joined the SJB to support the program to rebuild Sri Lanka.

Mr. Premadasa had appointed General Mahesh Senanayake as the Chief of the Samagi Ranaviru Balawegaya.

News

Colombo HC sentences 9 Pakistani drug traffickers to 10 years in prison

Published

5 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Nine Pakistani nationals, who were arrested on charges of smuggling a large cache of drugs, have been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Colombo High Court.

During a joint operation carried out by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and the Sri Lanka Navy on January 01, 2020, the Pakistani nationals were apprehended while transporting 614 kg of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine) and 581 kg and 34 grams of suspected drugs by boat.

The report of the Government Analyst has confirmed that the seized parcels contained over 491 kilograms of ‘Ketamine’ drugs and nearly 472 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine).

The accused pleaded guilty to the charges when the case was taken up before the court, and were subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison, police said.

Furthermore, the police mentioned that measures are underway to extradite the suspects to Pakistan in order to serve their sentences.

(adaderana.lk)

(This story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)