The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, please grant me two more minutes because I need to raise issues from my district.

¶ 02 At the Pulmoddai Plant of the Lanka Mineral Sands Company, salaries have not been paid to 83 employees for the past 15 months, causing severe hardship. Despite a continuous protest of about 39 days, there has been no solution to the salary issue. As the next step, they have commenced a continuous satyagraha. They have repeatedly appealed to the Chairman of the Corporation and to the Secretary to the Ministry, but no solution has been provided to date, and their satyagraha actions continue.

¶ 03 At the recent Trincomalee District Coordinating Committee meeting, when the media questioned the Hon. Minister of Industries, Sunil Handunnetti, he stated that immediate steps were being taken to pay the arrears and salaries to these 83 workers. However, the arrears still have not been paid. Therefore, I request the Hon. Minister to pay special attention and take action to settle both the salary arrears and the current salaries of these 83 employees at the Pulmoddai unit of the Lanka Mineral Sands Company.

¶ 04 Meanwhile, in December 2023, the former Minister of Industries and Health, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, granted temporary appointments at the Pulmoddai unit to 17 persons from the Galle District. These 17 persons have been provided with salaries, allowances, quarters, electricity, water and other facilities. In contrast, the 83 long-serving employees remain without their dues. I therefore urge the Hon. Minister, who knows the pain of struggle and understands people’s feelings, to engage in discussions with these employees and resolve their issues.

¶ 05 Additionally, I wish to raise a point regarding the national programme to create 1,000 young entrepreneurs implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development. The Eastern Province districts of Ampara and Trincomalee have not been included. I had submitted a proposal at the Ministerial Consultative Committee and also received a reply from the Secretary to the Ministry. Because Ampara and Trincomalee have been excluded, entrepreneurs and youth from these districts are disappointed. I request that in the 2026 Budget, arrangements be made to include Ampara and Trincomalee Districts of the Eastern Province in the national programme to create 1,000 young entrepreneurs.

¶ 06 Finally, I wish you success so that your good actions will contribute to the national income of the country. Thank you!