Minister assures equal benefits for plantation sector workers

Shirley Wijesinghe

The Government will take steps to grant similar status, benefits and dignity enjoyed by public servants to the plantation sector workers, said Plantation Industries Minister D M Jayaratne.

The Minister added that measures are being implemented in the plantation sector with Ministry Support. As an initial measure, the daily wages and certain names of designations are being changed. He was addressing a gathering after opening rest rooms and rehabilitated by-roads of Hulandawa, Diddenipotha and Thiruwanagaha estates in the Southern Province last week.

Some conspiratorial elements had been trying to achieve their personal agenda through innocent people of plantation sector and neglecting them once they achieved success.

But today plantation workers have been able to overcome their basic problems and industrial disputes under the direct decisions of the present Government, the Minister said.

"The Government will never take into consideration the birth or origin of plantation workers. Now our country has only one nation.

"It is Sri Lankan. Today plantation workers too enjoy benefits and rights as citizen of the country," Jayaratne said.