Liberalization Of The Labor Market: Is The End Of Permanent Employment?

By Sumanasiri Liyanage –July 27, 2015 

Sumanasiri Liyanage

How do the three main parties in Sri Lanka, United National Front for Good Governance, United Peoples Freedom Front and the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna respond to the increasing demand made by the international financial agencies for labor market liberalization? Do these parties address this issue?

Last weekend I attended two meetings. While the first is organized by the people working on the Free Trade Zone, the second is a meeting of the office-bearers of branch unions of the CMU. The principal focus of the both meetings was manpower agencies and the labor market. The second meeting was more focused as its organizers opted for the title, “Is it the end of permanent employment?” In fact, I borrowed the phrase used by the General Secretary of the CMU, Comrade Sylvester Jayakody’s apt phrase, “manpower contagion” as part of the title of this article.

I have no idea when the manpower agencies entered the Sri Lankan labor market. When Mahaweli Development Project was underway, private agencies entered as intermediaries in bridging the demand for and supply of labor for various project sites. Individual intermediaries also facilitated in finding domestic helpers. Foreign employment agencies have proliferated since the beginning of the outflow of labor first to the countries of West Asia and later to other emerging economies. As far as I know, a very limited studies were done on the subject of the role of these intermediaries. According to the data I possess, these agencies usually charge from the organization that demand labor once and for all payment. When the workers were transferred to said employer, the role of the intermediaries usually comes to an end. The responsibility of the employee would be shifted to the new employer. The manpower agencies are different as they leave the employee rather ‘undefined’ the issue to which I will turn shortly.

There is another novel element. In the past, this service of intermediaries was used only by the private sector. Today, many government and semi-government agencies have also used manpower agencies in meeting the labor demand of those organizations. Lake House, Sri Lanka Telecom has been widely using manpower agencies in ‘recruiting’ people. National Savings Bank once hired around 500 people through manpower agencies. Manpower agencies were very much present in the Free Trade Zones and also in many private sector companies. Comrade Jayakody used the word ‘contagion’ primarily because of the increasing presence of the manpower agencies in the Sri Lankan labor market. The degree of extensity and velocity of the presence of manpower agencies appear to be phenomenal.                           Read More

Democracy in Sri Lanka Will Soon Confront Its Second Moment of Truth

In happier times: Maithripala Sirisena (R) and Mahinda Rajapaksa, pictured here at a 2013 event in Colombo

BY JAYADEVA UYANGODA ON 27/07/2015

With fresh parliamentary elections scheduled for August 17, Sri Lanka’s politics has once again entered a phase of some uncertainty. The fate of the ‘silent revolution’ of January 8, 2015, which saw the autocratic regime of Mahinda Rajapaksa being replaced, is in the balance. If Rajapaksa returns to power as Prime Minister with a parliamentary majority, Sri Lanka’s democratic reform process will certainly be rolled back. However, Sri Lanka’s public mood and electoral arithmetic do not seem to favour a Rajapaksa return. Not as yet.

Democracy in Sri Lanka Will Soon Confront Its Second Moment of Truth by Thavam Ratna

Election law violations by ex ministers Devananda and Weerakumara Dissanayake –herein is evidence to punish them

(Lanka-e-News- 27.July.2015, 10.20PM)   Douglas Devananda and Weerakumara Dissanayake who were ministers under the Mahinda Rajapakse government have not returned their  State vehicles to the government. These vehicles  were allocated to them at that time when they were ministers . 

The election monitoring chain of the intellectual circle concerning human rights had lodged a complaint with the Elections commissioner that these government vehicles are being used illegally  for their election campaigns.

The State vehicles that are being used unlawfully by Douglas Devananda for his election campaign are :

Two Mitsubishi Cabs  253- 7783 and 253 -7950
Toyota Jeep GF-9312
Toyota land cruiser  Jeep KW -9982

The state vehicles that are bieng used unlawfully by Weerakumara Dissanayake for his election campaign are :
Two Toyota land cruiser jeeps   KW -9971 and KT 8467

The use of these vehicles after 26 th June are unlawful  and constitute serious violation of election laws. Hence the  election monitoring chain of the intellectual circle concerning human rights had lodged  complaints with the Elections commissioner to take legal action against these two ministers based on grave violations of election laws. 

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by     (2015-07-27 17:41:35)

President salvage the armed forces from politicization

Monday, 27 July 2015

Dsspite there were very efficient and obedient senior officers in the Sri Lankan armed forces many undue promotions were given to the lackey’s of Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa during the earlier regime. Inefficient officers who were charged for crimes and corruptions were given gratuitous promotions and influenced to do unlawful and corrupt activities.

President Salvage the Armed Forces From Politicization by Thavam Ratna

Predicting Mahinda’s Post-Election Options Based On Game Theory

By Razi Muhammadh –July 27, 2015

Razi Mohmamadh

Game theory is a mathematical model for decision making that helps to understand how people interact in their decision making process. If applied correctly, I would make wonders and help us to predict the future in a greater extent. For sure this is not astrology. It is purely based on mathematical calculations.

In this article I am applying the basic components of the Game theory and trying to guess how Mahinda Rajapaksa will react after the upcoming general elections. This game tree is set up on one fact that Mahinda Rajapaksa would be elected to the Parliament from Kurunegala district. In case if he is not elected to the parliament-something unlikely to happen, there is no need for game tree because there will be no more Mahinda.

The payoff are given based on the interests of MR. According to the payoffs the options for Mahinda Rajapaksa would be as follows,

If UPFA sets up the government, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s          Read More     

Warnasinghe victim of intra-party friction – CaFFE

Campaign office and supporters attacked twice

Nishantha--July 26, 2015, 10:34 pm 

A group of thugs armed with firearms attacked the party office of Kalutara District UNF candidate Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe twice at Baduraliya in Agalawatte during the early hours yesterday, according to Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE).

CaFFE said yesterday’s attack was the worst election law violation during the last seven days as the attackers had used firearms to chase away the supporters of Warnasinghe.

According to eye witness accounts recorded by the CaFFE the assailants had arrived in a jeep and assaulted everyone in the party office before damaging placards and propaganda billboards. The victims had lodged a complaint with the Baduraliya police, the election monitors said. Several hours later, the attackers returned the place in the same jeep, set upon those who had gathered there and chased them away. Two persons, Ajith Priyantha and D. K. Jayathilake were injured.

Victims suspect that the thugs were set on them by a politician belonging to the same party in the same district, according to CaFFE.

There was a bitterly fought battle for the preferential votes in the district among the UNF candidates resulting in incidents such as yesterday’s one, the polls monitors said.

CaFFE has so far received 538 complaints and of them 23 are of election violence incidents. The highest number of election law violations (80) has been reported from the Colombo District while the lowest (three each) from the Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa Districts. Districts of Badulla and Hambantota have come second with 36 incidents each.

Of the incidents reported, the highest number (260) of election law violations was of illegal election propaganda. The second highest (240) was about misuse of public property, using state employees for electioneering, appointment and transfers during the election period. There have been 13 incidents of damaging property and election propaganda materials, nine incidents of assaults and threatening and one murder reported from Ratnapura District, according to CaFFE said.

Champika spends Rs. 65 million on election campaign TV ads- Mega deal books or mega ‘deals’ earned him this much ?

(Lanka-e-News- 27.July.2015, 10.20PM)  A sum of Rs. 65 million has been allocated by ex Minister Champika Ranawake towards his election campaign television advertisements alone based on reports reaching Lanka e news. 

Out of this huge sum , Rs. 20 million was paid by him to Swarnavahini TV channel recently.

How did Champika Ranawaka amass so much money to spend this lavishly for  his election campaign TV advertisements alone? 

Did he collect this large amount of money by selling the ‘Mega Deal’ book or putting through Mega ‘Deals’ following  the book ?  .

The people for good governance who are baffled over his mega payments are making a humble request to Champika to explain how and from whom he collected these ‘mega’ monies? 

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by     (2015-07-27 17:14:46)

Rajapaksas used war for existence, personal gain

 Monday, 27 July 2015

The Mahinda Rajapaksa regime used the war for its existence and personal gain, says foreign affairs minister Mangala Samaraweera, stressing that it is not the Rajapaksas, but the heroic armed forces who had rescued the country from Tiger terrorism.

The Rajapaksas did not give dividends of the war victory to the people, but instead made it into a personal achievement of their family, he says.

 

He was speaking at a public meeting at Kamburugamuwa in Weligama yesterday (26), organized by former chairman of Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Dikkumburage Kulaweera.

Led by Kulaweera, who reproached Matara district UPFA leader Dullas Alahapperuma at the handover of nominations for the general parliamentary election, more than 1,500 UPFA supporters obtained the UNP membership on the occasion.

Sinhale Flag Raised At UPFA Meeting : Journalist 'Detained'

Monday, 27 July 2015

Several Sinhale flags were raised at the site of UPFA rally in Yatinuwara this afternoon, prior to the begining of the rally.

A report by Lankadeepa said that its photo journalist had been 'detained' by a group claiming to be body guards of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.

They had reportedly asked the journalist not to publish the photos since Rajapaksa might not visit the rally if he sees them.

The organizers raised the flags without realizing its implications, the guards had stated further. The 'body guards'relesed the journalist after the flags had been removed.

The flag creates a controversy in April when it was carried by a number of participants of a protest near the Bribery Commission.

Wasim Thajudeen death not accidental: CID

2015-07-27

The death of former Havelock’s Rugby captain, Wasim Thajudeen was not accidental but a murder, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the Colombo Additional Magistrate today.

The CID informed Magistrate Nishantha Peiris that the investigations conducted so far had revealed that Mr. Thajudeen’s teeth had been broken, the bones in the pelvic region also broken and his neck pierced with a sharp instrument prior to his death. The CID added that muscles in his legs had been cut with a piece of broken glass.

The CID said the government analyst's report and the postmortem report on the death of the ruggerite appeared to be contradictory and that the death was not an accident but murder.

Further magisterial inquiry into the matter was postponed for tomorrow (28).

The former Havelocks SC captain Wasim Thajudeen was killed, apparently, in a road accident in Colombo in May 2012.

Earlier the police had said that Thajudeen was driving to the airport and had lost control of his car and crashed into the wall of Shalika Grounds on Park Road, Narahenpita, and that his vehicle had exploded within seconds of the crash.

Although police said the death was accidental, SSP Ajith Rohana, on February 26 this year, said there were grounds for suspicion. He said that according to the JMO his death could not have been due to the accident. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda) - See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/81121/wasim-thajudeen-death-not-accidental-cid#sthash.XvSUuQi1.dpuf

Surcharge Those Responsible For Mattala Air Port

By Madawala Hemananda –July 27, 2015

Madawala Hemananda

I read the article by R.M.B Senanayake published in your esteemed journal, the Colombo Telegraph, and it provoked me to respond in a rather lengthy detail, as the idea of surcharging is such a foolish idea, because it will just prove to be a case of adding insult to injury, in addition to throwing good money after bad, without benefitting anyone, other than lawyers perhaps. It will certainly be an absolute waste of time and money, while the Airport remains moribund. The reality is that there is a brand new International Airport ready and waiting to be put into good use. What needs to be done is to come up with bright ideas and suggestions to make the best use of what is already there, without sloshing more money down the drain. With this in mind, I would suggest the following long term plan, if implemented will be of great benefit to the economy at large and to Hambantota District in particular.

Current state

In April 2014, I visited Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport and what I witnessed, without a shadow of doubt, was terribly disappointing, not only because of sheer visible inactivity, but an investment of such magnitude not being put into proper economic use. I saw large sections of the newly built access roads to the Airport being used by farmers, living in the vicinity, to dry their newly harvested rice spread over the tarmac, in the hot mid-day Sun. The conclusion that one could safely draw from that was that the farmers were sufficiently convinced – due to obvious lack of traffic – that there would not be any vehicles to disturb their illegal use of the Public Highway.

Allocation of blame

It is easy to blame the Government and the political party, responsible for that inapt decision, but people of Sri-Lanka must now wholeheartedly acknowledge that there is, in fact, a newly built Airport at Mattala. It is absolutely true that this is a glaring instance, where the ‘cart is before the horse’, because it is well-neigh impossible to establish a well thought out business rationale for an Airport to be located at Mattala, other than to attribute it wholly to a politically motivated decision. It will no doubt continue to be a white elephant, for the new Government, calling on scarce resources, which the country can ill-afford. Also, it must be borne in mind that no real purpose will be served by the new Government, throwing good money after bad, trying to investigate and punish the wrongdoers. Instead, all efforts must now be concentrated in exploring, as a matter of urgency, using the best brains in the land, to hammer–out an economically viable strategy, to put this modern facility to the best possible use.Read More

Ukkuwa the underworld pet of Namal and Captain Moorthy murdered : to wipe out evidence against Namal ?

(Lanka-e-News- 27.July.2015, 3.30PM)  The most ruthless contract murderer Jayaweera Patabendige Indika Prasanna alias ‘Pallikudawe Ukkuwa’ of Namal Rajapakse and his notorious coordinating secretary , Captain Moorthy Kodituwakku was murdered by a group last morning.

Ukkuwa along with two others who are out on bail in connection with a murder have to report to Tangalla police once a week to sign the  police register .When these three murder suspects were returning after signing, in  a three wheeler , and were near Tangalla town , another group that came in a motor car had obstructed the three wheeler and halted it. Thereafter the group that was in the car had alighted and fired at the Ukkuwa group of three in the rear seat of the three wheeler. Although Ukkuwa died instantaneously , the other two passengers who were injured were admitted to hospital , the police revealed.

About a year ago , on 22nd May 2014 , it is the deceased Ukkuwa, who killed Amila Hithpriya Rajapakse when the latter turned hostile against  Namal Rajapakse’s ‘Nil Balakaya’ and became noted  for that . This murder was committed in front of Tangalla courts before a large crowd of eye witnesses. Even in the statements made to the police it had been mentioned that this killing was allegedly orchestrated by  Namal and Captain Moorthy .Killer Ukkuwa was after the killing kept in safe custody in Carlton house by Namal .In 2013 , again Ukkuwa before a large crowd in the heart of the Tangalla town  killed two youths including ayouth by the name of  ‘Mannaya’ by shooting.

It is an open secret that while Ukkuwa was in remand custody , this criminal was addressed as “Ukkuwa Sir” by prison officers from the highest to the lowest rung . This clearly illustrated to what extent Namal’s influence spread to boost and protect murderers generally and Ukkkuwa specially.

Residents of the area are harboring suspicions that Ukkuwa’s murder this morning is to ‘murder’ whatever  evidence that remains against Namal and Moorthy . Their suspicions are even heightened because Mahinda Rajapkse too has indulged in such serial crimes in the past . He is notorious for killing his hired underworld contract killer to wipe out all evidence . Even small children of Tangalla are aware of how Mahinda Rajapakse after using a contract killer to liquidate his political enemy, enlists other  underworld gang members to destroy the contract killer and thereby  any evidence against Mahinda.

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by     (2015-07-27 10:17:39)

Sajin Vaas who saw blue films from public funds

Monday, 27 July 2015

The former parliament minister and the number one stoopge of the former president Sajin Vas Gunawaradana was the first in the list of all henchmen’s who enjoyed public money for his own whims and fancies during the Medamulana thuggery Mahinda Rajapaksa era. Sajin who was an appointed monitoring minister in the foreign ministry made the actual foreign minister a

puppet and controlled the foreign ministry according to his wishes. During his tenure he lavishly spent public money during his foreign trips.

 

He stood in the most luxurious hotels where the develop country’s leaders stay. He gourmandized expensive foods and drank expensive liquors. Sajin who spent public money for all above has indeed seen pornographic movies from public funds.

 

During a visit to New York in September 20 – 24 he stood in the most expensive and luxurious hotel waldorf Astoria in New York. A cuisine he gourmandized in this hotel has cost Rs. 12,125. This amount is equal to a one month food of a local family. Another cuisine he gobbled was Rs. 39,119.

 

Sajin Vaas who got a training to serve the people in Sri Lanka in New York has lent five video movies from the hotel he stood and the cost of that is Rs. 17,530. Meantime in order to learn how to serve the people he has lent another movie for Rs. 4684.46 which was a pornographic film.

 

He has bough many expensive liquors from the hotel all of which has cost more than US dollar 100.

Ex-Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam dies

Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam waves at New Delhi's Air Force station on September 11, 2004.

From CNN's Harmeet Singh, Kevin Wang and EP Ram Ramgopal-Mon July 27, 2015

(CNN)Former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam, who was pivotal in the country's nuclear weapons program, died Monday in northeastern India, his aide H. Sheridan told CNN.

Kalam, 83, was known as the South Asian nation's "missile man" for his role in developing the country's defense and nuclear technologies. He collapsed while giving a talk in the city of Shillong, Sheridan said.

From 2002 to 2007, Kalam was the eleventh president of India, serving in that capacity as the supreme commander of the nation's armed forces. He was the first scientist to hold the office, and was widely viewed as an apolitical figure.

"India mourns the loss of a great scientist, a wonderful President & above all an inspiring individual. RIP Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam," Indian Prime Minister Modi said on his official Twitter account.

CNN's Kevin Wang and Ram Ramgopal contributed to this report.

10 killed in India as militants attack police station, bus

After a deadly attack at a police station in the northern Indian state of Punjab, India's interior minister says security is being tightened on its border with Pakistan. (Reuters)

By Ashok Sharma | AP-July 27
NEW DELHI — Indian forces fought an extended gunbattle Monday with militants who attacked a moving bus and stormed into a police station in a northern town bordering Pakistan, with 10 people killed in the violence, officials said.

The attackers killed four policemen and three civilians in the pre-dawn attack in Punjab state, said Harcharan Singh Bains, a state government spokesman.

All three of the attackers were killed in fighting with Indian police officers backed by army personnel that lasted about 12 hours, said the state’s director-general of police, Sumedh Singh Saini.

The attackers hijacked a car and then fired at the bus and a roadside eatery before entering a police station near Gurdaspur, a border town in Punjab, police said.

Eight injured people were hospitalized, seven of them in serious condition, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

Police are investigating whether the militants came from the Indian portion of Kashmir — which borders Punjab — or from Pakistan. Rebels routinely stage attacks in Indian-held Kashmir, where they’ve been fighting since 1989 for an independent Kashmir or its merger with Pakistan.

Monday’s attack took place in neighboring Punjab state, which witnessed militancy by Sikhs in the 1980s. The revolt was put down with massive police force, arbitrary arrests and long-term incarceration of insurgent leaders.

Saini said it was difficult to say where the attackers came from or whether militancy was returning to Punjab. “They carried firearms and grenades. They came well equipped and carried two GPS systems,” he told reporters.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry condemned the attack. “Pakistan reiterates its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” it said in a statement.

State-run All India Radio said that police had discovered five bombs on a railway track in the area, causing train service to be suspended, though it was unclear whether it was related to the attack.

Gunmen attack Afghan wedding party, killing 21, wounding eight

A boy stands in the yard of a house where an attack happened at a wedding ceremony on Sunday night, in Deh Salah district, Baghlan province, July 27, 2015.-REUTERS/ STRINGER

Mon Jul 27, 2015

Armed men opened fire at a wedding ceremony in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 21 guests and wounding eight, provincial officials said on Monday.

Violence has increased sharply this year in most parts of Afghanistan, after U.S.-led forces formally ended their combat mission at the end of 2014, leaving a small contingent of about 12,000 NATO troops to train Afghan forces.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the attack in the northern province of Baghlan, but insurgent activity has increased in the province over the past year and private militias have proliferated.

"There was a wedding party, which turned to a tragedy, after some armed men entered and opened fire on male guests," Baghlan police chief General Abdul Jabar Pordeli told Reuters by telephone.

"An investigation is ongoing and police will arrest all perpetrators," added the police chief.

Around 2,500 armed members of illegal groups operate in Deh Salah district, where the attack took place, said district police chief Color Gulestan.

Civilian casualties have risen 16 percent in the first four months of 2015, according to the United Nations, which recorded a total of 2,937 civilian casualties over the period.

More the 10,000 Afghan civilians were either killed or injured last year, U.N. figures show, the most violent year since it began tracking numbers in 2009.

Weddings in rural Afghanistan start in the evening and parties follow a custom of keeping men and women guests apart.

(Reporting by Mirwais Harooni; Writing by Jessica Donati; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)