The Hon. (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Votes of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government.

¶ 02 During the good governance period, many Divisional Secretariats were created by dividing larger ones. We now hear that the Norwood Divisional Secretariat is to be shifted to Hatton. We insist that the Norwood DS must remain in Norwood. The DCC minutes state a decision last month, but I was present only till 12.30 p.m. and had no part in any decision taken later. I oppose this transfer.

¶ 03 Norwood has 177,938 people. Moving the secretariat to Hatton, ostensibly for the 110 staff, disregards the service point needed by people from Norwood/Maskeliya areas. While facilities are limited, there is an RDA building at 51,510 and an LRC-owned building/lands which can be adapted. There are sizable TMA buildings too. Allocate part of the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat’s Rs. 1,464 million and the Ministry’s overall Rs. 29,027 million to construct a proper Norwood DS.

¶ 04 At Talawakelle, serving 113,763 estate-sector people, the DS faces space constraints, lack of washroom facilities, and staff shortages. The DS runs upstairs while a preschool (under the Urban Council) runs below. Since both now fall under the same Ministry cluster, relocate the UC’s preschool and expand DS space to serve over 113,000 people.

¶ 05 Valapane DS has 68,412 people, of whom 32,297 are estate sector. Relocating the DS to Ragala would better serve that community.

¶ 06 Nuwara Eliya District has about 778,950 people; 416,575 are estate/malaiyaha people. Their issues are addressed through DSs and local authorities. Strengthen these institutions’ facilities. Further, electricity connections for estate houses still require estate management approval. Integrate malaiyaha people into the national stream so they obtain services through Grama Niladhari, DSs, and local authorities without depending on estate managers.

¶ 07 On labour: Many workers in state-run estates like Janawasama, Usawasama, and Nuwara Eliya district estates were settled, but their EPF (about Rs. 5.6 billion) lies in the Central Bank. They lack NICs and documentation due largely to past failures in issuing NICs. Please regularize and enable them to withdraw EPF/ETF.

¶ 08 At Loolcandura (James Taylor’s first tea estate, 1867), workers cannot access their EPF. Similar issues exist at Mount Jean, Kalapatha, Monte Cristo, Malkolla, Kolabathan, Mawila, Puppurassa, and Kalaha. Some interim lease arrangements and splitting of estates deprived workers of rights; EPF/ETF deducted but not credited; no maternity benefits or death relief; no recognized scholarships for workers’ children because EPF/ETF records are missing; no access to teacher training college quotas; inadequate medical support or compensation. Even hornet-attack injuries see no compensation. Please ensure the Labour Ministry intervenes.

¶ 09 On wages: The Rs. 1,700 daily wage has been “recommended” by successive governments, but not delivered. Have you secured agreement with plantation companies? Employers’ Federation spokesperson Mr. Rajadurai reportedly said, “We did not discuss this with them; we cannot do anything.”