Oil subsidy for trishaws - Athauda

THE Government has taken a decision to provide a Rs. 1,000 oil subsidy per month for a three wheeler from next month under a concession to the passenger transport field although there is a severe economic crisis in most countries as world oil prices increase, said Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Minister Athauda Seneviratne.

Addressing several meetings in Dedigama electorate to open several developmental projects in the area, the Minister said poor countries like Sri Lanka cannot control the oil price as "we depend on oil producing countries".

"Oil prices are controlled by oil producing countries", he added.

The North and East war, the tsunami and increasing oil prices are the major factors for a big threat to Sri Lanka's economy. But the Alliance Government provided employment to 42,000 graduates and 3,000 nurses were recruited to the health sector out of 5,000 vacancies of nurses, he said.

Seneviratne said funds have already been allocated.

"Another batch of 2000 nurses will be recruited before the end of year. Although the UNP Government presented three budgets, they were not able to give a single job to any unemployed youth in this country, Seneviratne said.

"The very unfortunate situation arising in our country today is we don't have trained and skilled workers for foreign employment.

Our Government has already taken immediate measures to implement a joint training program to train our youths with the Vocational Training Authority and my Ministry", the Minister said.

Action will be taken to fill vacancies in Government service on a competitive examination for those who have passed the GCE (Ordinary Level) and (Advanced Level) examinations, he said.