|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Monday, 12 January 2004 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Private bus strike put off by Anjana Gamage The private bus operators' strike today has been put off by another 24 hours pending the outcome of a meeting between Deputy Finance Minister Bandula Gunawardena and the Lanka Private Bus Operators Association (LPBOA) this morning. The Deputy Minister along with Treasury officials has called for a discussion with LPBOA members at 7 a.m. today, LPBOA Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said. "Everything depends on the discussion. If the talks fail, we will be left with no alternative but implement our original decision," he said. LPBOA members also met Western Province Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna last week and requested to withdraw the new 15 per cent lease rental tax on buses, one of major demands of the private bus owners. Western Province Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority Chairman L.S. Perera told the Daily News, that the tax introduced from January 1 was a big blow to private bus operators. Allegations of corruption by Sanjaya Asela Maturata It is rumoured that millions of rupees allocated by the Plantation Industries Ministry for tea replantation projects as well as funds released from the "CESS" Fund of the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Asian Development Bank to conduct awareness programs, are being swindled by corrupt officials employed in the Accounts Branch of the Kandy Divisional Office of the Tea Smallholding Development Authority. The Tea Board under the CESS Fund provides Rs. 60 per participant while food, stationery, work books and other facilities are provided under the Asian Development Bank Funds to conduct workshops and seminars for tea smallholders to educate them on technological know-how and update their knowledge in the tea plantation industry. It is learnt that certain officers in the Kandy Divisional Office show bogus attendance of participation and obtain maximum funds on fraudulent vouchers and also personally contact the beneficiaries to work out gratifications, in spite of specific financial regulations to remit their dues by registered post. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
