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| Tuesday, 19 October 2004 |
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by Rajmi Manatunga The Transport Ministry has received Cabinet approval to place the Bill abolishing the Railways Authority, before Parliament immediately. Transport Ministry Secretary Dr. D.S Jayaweera told the Daily News that the Cabinet which met last week confirmed that the Bill should be presented in Parliament where it will have to be debated and passed with a simple majority. "The Cabinet in the first week of May approved the repeal of the Railways Authority Act and the re-establishment of the Railways Department. However, it took some time for us to finalise the provisions of the Bill. Last week the Cabinet confirmed its previous decision and decided to speed up the process," he said. Dr. Jayaweera said the Bill will be placed before the House immediately after the drafting is completed. "The final version of the Bill is being prepared at the Attorney General's Department. It seeks to abolish the Railways Authority, at the same time re-establishing the Railways Department," he added. The Railways Authority was established by the United National Front (UNF) Government last year in terms of the provisions of the Sri Lanka Railways Authority Act passed in Parliament in 1993. With the formation of the Authority, all movable and immovable property belonging to the Sri Lanka Railways Department and all its functions were vested in the Authority headed by a Chairman. Railway trade unions have constantly been pressing for the repeal of the Railways Authority Act and re-establishing the Railways Department claiming that it caused a retrenchment of employees and affected employees rights. "The UNF Government established the Railways Authority as a step towards privatising the railway service. But abolishing the Authority was an important item in the present UPFA Government agenda when they came into power," Convenor of the Organisation for the Protection of Railways Property and Employees' Rights Sumathipala Manawadu said. |
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