ANCL honours its longstanding employees

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

'The Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (ANCL) has been recognized as a profit-making venture last year. The institution had to face a number of challenges successfully with the assistance of its staff, ANCL Chairman Bandula Padmakumara said.

The ANCL chairman was addressing the annual felicitation of ANCL employees who have completed 25 and 35 years of service, at Hotel Taj Samudra,yesterday.

He said, "Printing field is very competitive and the Lake House has to play a vital role with these competitors in disseminating the government's views. The Lake House struggled to pay salaries and provide welfare services to the employees in the past".

He said that the company has not received even a cent from the Treasury. "We did not receive advertisements from the ministries due to the competitiveness in this field," the chairman said.

This is the 45th occasion that ANCL recognizes the longstanding employees of the company. The company started honouring its dedicated employees in 1967.

'Lake House is the only printing and media institution which pays higher salaries for its employees . The ANCL employees have been entitled to good salary scales compared to other institutions as well. It pays 60 percent out of its total income for the welfare of its employees, he said.

'The management failed to strengthen the institution during the past three decades due to terrorism and the institution was burdened with extra staff.'

The chairman said that the management has taken a number of decisions to develop the company while introducing modern technology.

"When I was appointed as the ANCL chairman there was an extra staff in the institution. But the number of employees were reduced from 3,200 to 2,000 by introducing a Voluntary Retirement Scheme.

'Many employees of the company who truly loved the company and who considered the ANCL as a national asset supported the management in its development endevour, though a segment of employees disliked this move.

'However, we have implemented those programmes and achieved our goals with the contribution of employees. ANCL Director (Editorial) Seelaratne Senarath,Director (Operations) Upul Dissanayake,Director (Legal) Rasanga Harischandra and a number of Depatrment Heads of ANCL also participated.