First Labour Museum to open in Narahenpita

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Sri Lanka's first Labour Museum, `Urumayaka Piyasatahan' (Footsteps of a heritage) will be opened by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the invitation of Labour Relations and Manpower Minister Athauda Seneviratne at the Labour Secretariat, Narahenpita on December 1 at 10.30 a.m.

President Rajapaksa will also lay the foundation stone for the 30-storey new Employees Provident Fund Building, `Mehewara Piyasa' at Narahenpita.

Labour Ministry Secretary Mahinda Madihahewa told the Sunday Observer that the main objective of opening such a museum is to educate the country's present and future generations about the progress achieved by the Labour Department during the past 87 years.

The Department was earlier called the Indian Labour Industry and Commerce and was established in 1923, while the Labour Ministry was established in 1931.

It is said that the Labour Department was established with the objective of solving employment matters related to Indian labour.

Madihahewa said from 1931 to date, 25 Labour Ministers, 19 Labour Commissioner Generals and Permanent Secretaries have served in the Labour Ministry. The photographs and details of all these ministers and officials are on display at the museum.

Senior official of the Labour Ministry Sarath Kalugamage said photographs and details of the country's first estate sector trade union member Govindas and the first public sector trade union member Kandasamy are also displayed at the museum.