Plantation sector beholden to UPFA - Muthu Sivalingam

by P. Krishnaswamy

The Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) is a highly disciplined political party with a 70-year-history of safeguarding and promoting the rights and welfare of the impoverished plantation community. As UPFA constituent, it has fielded candidates with credible records in community service to contest the April 8 General Election, Party President and Deputy Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Muthu Sivalingam told the Sunday Observer.

He said that party leader Arumugan Thondaman has proved himself an accomplished leader of the community of equal calibre as his grandfather and founder leader of the party Savumiyamurthy Thondaman. He was confident that the plantation community would extend its overwhelming support to the UPFA in the election as they had benefited immensely under President Rajapaksa’s administration.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: Please tell us about the background of the CWC candidates contesting the election in the plantation areas?

A: Party leader Arumugam Thondaman is contesting in Nuwara Eliya. He has the same characteristics as party’s founder leader Savimiyamurthy Thondaman in resolving the social, economic and political issues of the plantation community. As leader of the party for the last 15 years, he took right decisions on the future welfare of the community. Rajathurai who is in the judicial service for over 20 years with a background of community service and Radhakrishnan former Minister of the Central Provincial Council, with a strong support base in the district, are also contesting in Nuwara Eliya.

T.V. Chennan who is a former parliamentarian and Uva PC member is contesting in Badulla together with A.S. Chandramohan, a prominent social figure who associated with the CWC for over 20 years. A.M.D. Rajan former Parliamentarian and PC member who has been holding senior positions in the party for over 40 years is contesting in Ratnapura. Mathuyugaraja senior party member and former PC member is contesting in Kandy. Party supporter Senthil Sivagnanam is contesting in Matale and party organiser Ravichandren is contesting in Colombo. I won all parliamentary elections that I contested in Nuwara Eliya but this time around I consented to be on the national list to give place to the others. Deputy Minister S. Jegatheeswaran is also on the national list.

Q: As a UPFA constituent party, how successful is the CWC in mainstreaming the plantation community and implementing development programs for raising their political and economic status in par with the other communities?

A: It has been a very successful endeavour under President Rajapaksa’s administration and his Mahinda Chintana concepts.

Steps have already been initiated for merging them in the national mainstream through the establishment of plantation villages, in place of the present plantation estate system, with all infrastructure and facilities. The 10 year National Action Plan (2006 - 2015) at a total expenditure of over Rs. 100 billion is under implementation for reduction in poverty levels, raising living standards and guaranteeing all political, social and economic rights of the plantation people.

During the last four years of his office, President Rajapaksa has clearly demonstrated in deeds his desire and commitment towards the welfare of the community. In the four years 12,230 independent/twin housing units were constructed at an expenditure of Rs. 845.6 ml; 765 km of new roads were constructed at Rs. 1,400 ml; 100 electricity supply projects were implemented at an expenditure of 135 ml benefiting 15,000 families; 87 water supply schemes were implemented at an expenditure of Rs. 63 ml benefiting 8,700 families; 482 schools were newly constructed/renovated at an expenditure of Rs.725 mil; 24 socio-cultural projects were implemented at an expenditure of Rs. 62 ml; and 38 health facility projects were implemented at an expenditure of Rs. 30 ml. All these are ongoing projects with anticipated fund allocations in the coming years.

The Government allocated Rs. 700 million in 2008 to the Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Socio Economic Development for implementing projects in the plantation areas.

Appointments as teachers were given to 3,100 plantation youth, 350 were appointed as postal employees, a good number of communication facilitators were appointed and Grama Niladharies were also appointed under the UPFA administration.

Q: As representatives of the Indian origin plantation community, your relations with India?

A: We have the best of relations with India. India has been providing higher education facilities to the plantation youth for several decades and some new schemes have also now been introduced.

The twenty buses which India donated to the CWC are being operated in remote plantation areas, mainly to transport school children. Thirty more buses under the program will be arriving shortly.