News

Diplomatic communications underway to repatriate over 300 rescued SL migrants

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

editor

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has stated that the island nation has initiated diplomatic communications with the Vietnamese authorities to repatriate the Sri Lankans rescued at sea off the Spratly Islands.

The rescue operation was initiated after the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre received news that Myanmar-flagged Lady R3 with 303 Sri Lankans, who were suspected to be headed to Canada, was in distress, a spokesperson for the agency was cited by the Vietnamese news portal VnExpress.

When the vessel was around 258 nautical miles off Vung Tau in the southern coast, it had sent a distress signal after its engine room flooded and the vessel began to drift. There were rough seas at the time, according to reports.

On November 7th, the Japanese cargo ship Helios Leader en-route from Japan to Singapore approached the distressed vessel and brought all 305 Sri Lankan citizens and sailors on board and proceeded to Vung Tau where it was met by the Vietnamese Coast Guard.

The Vietnamese functional forces boarded the Herios Leader Vessel, a vehicle carrier, anchored off the coast of Vung Tau to receive the more than 300 Sri Lankans.

Accompanying the delegation on board the ship SAR 413 were representatives of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Vietnam.

News

Grama Niladhari strike stalls essential services

Published

2 hours ago

June 28, 2024

editor

The strike launched by Grama Niladhari Officers is still ongoing.

The strike was launched citing several concerns including the absence of a Grama Niladhari Service Constitution.

Co-Convener of the Grama Niladhari Officers’ Union Jagath Chandralal said that due to this, many government services have stalled.

He said these include essential services such as issuance of Grama Niladhari certificates and death registration.

Grama Niladhari Officers launched this strike yesterday after taking various union actions to pursue their demands on several occasions.

(News 1st)

(This story, originally published by News 1st has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Bandula asks teachers to report to work ; CTU responds

Published

2 hours ago

June 28, 2024

editor

Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister, Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana, as Acting Education Minister has requested all teachers to report to work and dedicate themselves to educate children without engaging in trade union action further.

The Minister also said that he would request the parents to send all their children to schools as usual. The Minister made these remarks while addressing a special press conference to raise awareness regarding the ongoing teachers’ and principals’ strike at the Government Information Department, yesterday (27).

However, responding to the Acting Education Minister’s statement, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) said that it is up to them to decide, not the Minister.

Speaking to ‘Daily Mirror’, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin has said that during the tenure of Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana, nothing substantial was provided for teachers.

“We only held a strike for two days. We will not report for duties as he said. Initially, we planned a single-day campaign. The government forced us into today’s strike after using water cannons and tear gas against us yesterday. That’s why we’ve decided to continue our sick leave campaign for today,” he has said.