News

Sri Lanka’s President assails AUKUS and contests concerns about China

Published

8 months ago

September 19, 2023

editor

Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe assailed the AUKUS pact as a “military alliance” and an unnecessary arrangement that will backfire on the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.

The comments, from the head of a country widely viewed as having fallen victim to predatory loans from Chinese state-backed firms, highlight Washington’s challenges in courting non-Western countries skeptical of joining efforts to push back against Beijing’s malign activity.

“I think it’s a strategic misstep, and I think they made a mistake,” said Wickremesinghe this afternoon of AUKUS. He was addressing the Islands Dialogue, a conference hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation that convened leaders from Pacific island nations today, on the sidelines of the U.N.’s General Assembly meetings. He also said that it was intended to focus only on one country; though he did not name it, he was clearly speaking about China.

Throughout his remarks, Wickremisinghe criticized several Western diplomatic initiatives, saying he was taking a middle ground between the U.S. and China to staunchly advance his country’s interests.

He contested the Indian government’s claims that Yuan Wang 5, a Chinese ship that docked in his country in August 2022, was a spy ship. He said it was a research vessel and that his government had worked out a standard operating procedure for ships like that.

He also said a new port in Sri Lanka backed by the Chinese state-owned firm China Merchants Group was not linked at all to the Chinese military.

Wickremesinghe said that throughout his lifetime, he has seen the great-power blocs shift considerably.

“I have seen China and the U.S. taking on India and Russia. Now I’m seeing the U.S. and India taking on Russia and China.”

(nationalreview.com)

News

Sri Lanka slips down Press Freedom Index

Published

11 hours ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Reporters Without Borders released the 2024 World Press Freedom Index on Friday (03).

According to RFS, Sri Lanka has slipped to the 150th position in the index, from 135th position last year.

Click here to read the RSF Sri Lanka Fact File

News

Companies should be ashamed of not giving workers a raise – Vadivel Suresh

Published

12 hours ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Mr. Vadivel Suresh, General Secretary of the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union, emphasized that both the Government and the Plantation Employers’ Association bear the responsibility of providing wage increases to plantation workers. These workers, who play a pivotal role in sustaining the esteemed reputation of ‘Ceylon Tea’, contribute significantly to the national economy of Sri Lanka.

MP Vadivel Suresh, made this statement during his participation in today’s (03) news conference at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC), under the theme ‘Collective path to a Stable Country’.

The Member of Parliament noted that plantation companies, benefiting significantly from the fluctuating dollar value, ought to feel ashamed for not providing their workers with a salary raise. He emphasized that the salary increase outlined in the gazette notice issued by the Labour Commissioner General for plantation workers should be implemented.

MP Vadivel Suresh further commented:

“We express gratitude to the President and the government for raising the salary of plantation workers to LKR. 1700. However, the Plantation Employers’ Association is contesting this decision.

The estate companies that profited greatly from the dollar’s value should be ashamed of themselves for not giving their workers a raise. Expressing opposition to the decision to increase wages for their workers, who contribute significantly to strengthening the national economy by upholding the reputation of Ceylon Tea, is regrettable. The decision to raise estate workers’ wages was not made hastily; rather, it followed extensive negotiations over the course of a year involving the Department of Labour, trade unions, and relevant stakeholders.

Employers’ unions persistently refrained from engaging in wage-fixing negotiations. Similarly, they remained silent when a salary increase of LKR 1000 was requested. However, the Labour Commissioner General, utilizing his authority, lawfully issued a gazette notice for a salary hike of LKR 1700. It is unjust for estate companies to procrastinate without providing relief to the workforce amidst fluctuations in the dollar’s value.

Both the government and the plantation Employers’ Association bear responsibility in this matter. Consequently, companies cannot contravene government decisions. Estate companies claim they are in dialogue with the high-level committee for the ultimate verdict. However, all 22 estate companies are owned by five individuals. These owners are involved not only in tea plantations but also in sectors such as tourism, small-scale manufacturing, agriculture, and gems. Additionally, plantation workers and trade unions must unite in support of this wage increase.

(President’s Media Division)

Gazette issued to up estate workers’ daily wage

Unable to increase daily wage – Plantation owners

News

CID records another statement from Maithri

Published

12 hours ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Former President Maithripala Sirisena has appeared before the Criminal Investigations Department today (May 03) to record another statement regarding the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

The CID had previously obtained a five-hour-long statement from the former President on March 25 over a statement he had made a few days earlier.