Public servants should vote for President - TU leader

M.P. Muttiah

President Mahinda Rajapaksa had taken many initiatives to uplift the standard of the public service. If the working class wants to safeguard the hard-won rights it should re-elect him to power, said Public Service Trade Union Federation’s President W.H. Piyadasa.

Speaking at a press briefing of the Joint Trade Union Alliance in Colombo, the PSTUF President said Government servants faced many difficulties during the UNP regime. No recruitment was made by it on the advice of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Piyadasa said President Mahinda Rajapaksa restored the salary cut introduced by the UNP regime.

He said the President had agreed to increase salary of the public servants by Rs 2,500 in the next budget.

Public servants would receive ten perches of land. He added that 15 housing complexes would be constructed for service personnel.

Now that the war is over, the President pays attention to development activities. Therefore, it is the duty of every Government servant to work for his victory, he said.

Sri Lanka Independent Trade Unions (SLITU) General Secretary Leslie Devendra said President Mahinda Rajapaksa always listened to the workers’ grievances. Relations between the public service and the Government was always good.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the only leader who listened to the Trade Unions since late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, he said.

Although the war continued for three years, the President increased salaries of the public servants. In many countries where civil wars were raging, salaries of workers had been slashed.

The President had increased the compensation paid to Government servants if their death occurred while on duty.

The SLITU General Secretary said President Mahinda Rajapaksa had increased salaries four times.

During the UNP regime, attempts were made to dissolve 43 statutory bodies. However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa made many institutions profitable, Devendra said.

Lanka Kamkaru Sangamaya Central Council Secretary Somaweera Chandrasiri said the President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s political leadership brought an end to the terrible war. In the past, workers were under fear when they were travelling.

Attacks on the Central Bank and the Telecommunication Department were good examples.

Therefore, all the people should work for the President’s victory irrespective of political differences, he said.

SLFP trade unionist Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra also spoke.