Talks between President and Dons end on positive note

Talks between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and university academics at Temple Trees yesterday evening, to find solutions to issues faced by the latter, including those related to salaries, ended on a fruitful note. Representatives of the University Teachers’ Association said that they were fully aware of the situation and the needs of the country at the moment.

They said that were prepared to adopt a flexible stance in relation to their demands to find an amicable settlement to the issues faced by them. The academics discussed several issues faced by them with the President. Later it was agreed to discuss matters further on another date. Accordingly, the academics are set to meet the President once again on June 03rd to continue the discussions.

The President last Monday too met a group of university academics at Temple Trees where he assured them that the government would not neglect to do its part for the benefit of university teachers.

On that occasion he also called on them to perform their duties by the young people of the country to the best of their ability.

He said the government had always treated the university academics with dignity and any issues faced could be sorted out amicably.

Yesterdays discussions with the teachers was also joined by Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake, President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunge, Finance Ministry Secretary P B Jayasundera, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Sunil Navarathne, and University Grants Commission chairman Prof Gamini Samaranayake.