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by Mahinda P. Liyanage

The Sinhala and English edition of the UNP's manifesto for the forthcoming general election carry divergent interpretations over the proposed Interim Council for the Northern and Eastern provinces, pointed out Dr. Richard Pathirana, the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Administrative Reforms, Local Government, Provincial Council and Southern Development.

The Minister made these observations addressing a meeting of public servants convened by the Galle branch of the Public Services Trade Union Federation at the circuit banglow of Minister Pathirana. The meeting was attended by a large number of public servants of different professions representing several trade unions.

According to the Sinhala edition of the UNP manifesto the proposed Interim Council would be established for a short period of time where as nothing is mentioned about the timeframe or the so-called Interim Council. This very feature itself manifests the double dealing policy of the UNP. Two different sentiments are conveyed to the two communities on the same issue through which they attempt to mislead and fool both the Sinhala and Tamil communities, the Minister further pointed out.

Commenting on the services rendered by the PA Government to the public servants, the Minister also said that he, as the Minister of Public Administration, heeding to a demand of the Public Services Trade Union Federation, could arrange to make permanent thousands of employees who were on temporary, and contract basis in their respective posts within just 24 hours of the said claim.

"We have already increased the salaries of Government servants by Rs. 2200 at two stages pending the final report of the Special Salary Commission. Further the pensioners' allowance was also increased by Rs. 750 by the PA Government, but surprisingly, when we increase the salaries of Public Servants, both M/S Karunasena Kodituwakku and G. L. Peiris of the UNP alleged that such benefits are illegal", he said.

"Soon after I assumed duties as the Minister of Public Administration, I ordered to end the officers pool where a large number of high ranking officers were paid for idling.

Now there is no officers pool in my Ministry. All such officers who idle were transferred to various departments of the Ministry and given the opportunity to serve the country irrespective of their political affiliations.

The PA government bestowed strength, courage and dignity to all categories of public servants. So it is the bounden duty and sincere obligation of the public servants to protect the PA Government.

The President of the Public Services Trade Union Federation, W. H. Piyadasa addressing the meeting assured an attractive and enhanced salary for all Government servants following the final recommendations of the Tissa Devasurendra Salary Commission.

The PA administration is ready to allocate a massive additional sum of Rs. 24 billion for that purpose. A similar amount of money is spent to pay the pensions of the retired Government servants.

During the 17 year rule of the UNP not a single attempt was made to increase the salaries of Government servants. Instead they sent about 100,000 Government employees home for involvement in 1980 general strike demanding an increase of Rs. 300 for a month. Such was how they looked after the interests of the working class.

The UNP also tried to suppress the entire trade union sector by way of a so-called white paper for trade unions. But they had to retreat with it in the face of powerful protest from the Trade Union Movement. However at later stages they implemented several harmful proposals of the so-called 'white paper' ignoring the voice of the Trade Union Movement.

There is nothing mentioned about the public servants in the UNP election manifesto. That very fact displays that the UNP has no regard whatsoever for the working class of the country. So it is better to commit suicide rather than voting the UNP to power.

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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