Samurdhi recipients not paid Rs. 6,288 million
Tuesday, 19 March 2013 
The government has not paid a Rs. 6,288 million subsidy due to the Samurdhi recipients for a period of five months since last November.
There are over 1.5 million Samurdhi recipients in the country and they are paid monthly payments that range from Rs. 750, Rs. 1,200 and Rs. 1,500.
A sum of Rs. 125.7 million is spent to make payments to the Samurdhi recipients. The amount that is due for five months is Rs. 6,288 million.
It is learnt that the non receipt of the monthly payment has resulted in many low income families facing many difficulties.
The monies for the subsidies are released from the Treasury to the Economic Development Ministry and the ministry allocates the funds to the Samurdhi commissioner general at the Samurdhi Department.
Samurdhi Director General Bandula Thilakasiri when inquired said that the Samurdhi Banks have failed to make payments to Samurdhi recipients from last November and that steps are now being made to make the payments for the months of November and December last year.
He observed that the arrears payments to the Samurdhi recipients would be made soon.
General Secretary of the Samurdhi Development Officers Association, Chamara Maddumakaluge condemned the government’s failure to make the monthly payments to the poorest in the country.
He observed that the government instead of making payments to the poor people was spending billions of rupees on night races and Deyata Kirula exhibitions.
He added that steps shod be taken to complete paying all arrears payments by the end of March before the April New Year.
Sri Lanka likely to lose Lanka Mahapola
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Head of the Sri Lanka Shippers’ Association, Palitha Atukorale has warned that the country might lose the only ship owned by the Shipping Corporation, Lanka Mahapola.
Atukorale has said this situation has arisen since the company that has taken Mahapola out on lease has failed to pay the wages of the ship’s crew. The ship is currently berthed in Mombassa in Kenya.
Atukorale has said the crew has decided not to steer the ship until their wages are paid and that the Shippers’ Association has complained about the matter to the International Transport Federation.
He has explained that the company that had previously taken the ship had also failed to pay wages to the crew resulting in the ship being stick in Durban and the company had also not paid the rental for the ship to the Shipping Corporation for one year.
General Manager of the Shipping Corporation when inquired said the Corporation has already taken the matter of non payment of rental for arbitration. He has added that the ship’s crew had not been paid as well.
