Compensation for 2473 Sathosa employees

Irangika RANGE

COLOMBO: The Government has decided to pay compensation to 2473 Sathosa employees who retired voluntarily due to financial and management crisis faced by the institution consequent to its privatisation under the UNP regime in 2003.

Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operative and Consumer Service Minister Bandula Gunawardana told the Daily News that these employees are undergoing severe hardships due to non payment of their salaries since June 2005 due to the financial crisis at the Sathosa.

The Government has only paid a Rs.4000 as a monthly allowance from June 2005 up to March 2006 as compensation.

The ceremony to award compensation will be held on August 19 at Sugathadasa Stadium under the patronage of Minister Bandula Gunawardana.

The Minister said former Trade Minister Jeyaraj Fernadupulle has obtained the Cabinet approval to introduce two voluntary retirement schemes regrading the payment of Rs.811 million as compensation to these employees.