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President at EPF Golden Jubilee celebrations:
Value addition the hallmark
Rohan MATHES
COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa underscored the need to
augment and consolidate the ‘Social Security’ mechanism of the working
class, by value addition to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF).
Addressing a colourful ceremony under the auspices of the Labour
Relations and Manpower Ministry and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka at the
BMICH yesterday to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the EPF
(1958-2008), President Rajapaksa pointed out that with the eradication
of terrorism in total in the country, the right of every citizen of the
land to engage in vocation or profession, of one’s choice sans fear nor
discrimination and suspicion, would be ensured.
The simultaneous provision of optimum retirement benefits to the
membership, via prudent and efficient management of their respective
contributions, would be the sole objectives and the prime duty and
responsibility of his Government. “The Government had ratified several
Acts and Labour Laws which the previous regimes had ignored due to
various influences, he said, and would consistently intervene at any
instant where the rights of ignored the workers are violated.
“It was during the tenure of the Alliance Government of the SLFP, led
by its Premier S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, that the labour force of Sri Lanka
won the envisaged workers’ rights and demands. There was an era when the
powers at that time, sans any regard to the security and the protection
of the workers, were pre-occupied in privatising the EPF process.
Monetery gains and profit maximisation were their only concern, even
at the risk of the workers’ rights”, he said. We have a vision and a
mission for our working class, of around 8.5 million work force of which
about 1.2 million are government servants.
Unemployment figures have dropped drastically to around 6 per cent,
the lowest ever, and the value of the Graduates has been recognised to
the extent that he should not fear of his future employment prospects.
Job opportunities are in abundance, both in the State as well as in the
private sector, the President further said.
He said that the EPF which is progressing on the mutual cooperation
and dedication of the Tripartite stakeholders comprising the Government,
Employer and the Employees, while discharging a social obligation, has
rendered an invaluable and yeoman service to the workers within the past
50 years, and urged the Fund to grow from strength to strength in the
future.
President Rajapaksa said the Government had the right to probe and
ascertain whether the beneficiaries were utilising the benefits accrued
from the Fund, in a beneficial and prudent manner, with the future
welfare and the security of the worker in mind.
He urged the Employers on their part, to provide an efficient and
convenient mechanism to ensure that they match and meet their statutory
responsibilities and moral obligations of contributing to EPF, on behalf
of their employees. “ The Employer should not seek to abscond from his
social and statutory obligations, by creeping through the apparent
loop-holes available. Protecting your employees upon their retirement is
your bounden duty”, he added.
Pointing out that the Employees too should be fully aware of their
responsibilities and duties towards their Employer sans dereliction of
duty, President Rajapaksa noted that there were Employees’ Unions who
were acting with due responsibility and restrain from their side while
there were certain unions which were behaving to the detriment of the
nation.
“They strove to win their unjust demands by utilising as shields,
innocent students who were incapable of defending themselves”, President
Rajapaksa added.. Minister of Labour Relations and Manpower Athauda
Senevirathna, his Ministry Secretary Mahinda Madihahewa, the Director
International Labour Organisation (ILO) Colombo Tinie Staermosa, the
Director General of the Employment Federation of Sri Lanka Ravi Peiris,
the Director of the Social Security Department of the ILO Geneva,
Michael Cichon, the Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabral
also addressed the ceremony.
A memento was presented to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in
appreciation of the great and invaluable service rendered by him, to the
working class of Sri Lanka.
A Commemorative Stamp and a Coin was also issued to celebrate the
50th Anniversary, followed by the launching of a new Website for the EPF. |
