CWC will vote President Rajapaksa to power - CWC Leader Arumugan Thondaman

By P. Krishnaswamy

Leader of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) and Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development Arumugan Thondaman told the Sunday Observer in an interview that as a constituent of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's UPFA government they have been able to achieve much more for the socio-economic betterment of the plantation community, than what was done under previous governments . President Rajapaksa is sincerely committed to the welfare of the community and he knows what they need, Thondaman said.

The CWC has a history of 75 years championing the cause of the community and represents a bulk of them, Thondaman said.

The last Uva PC polls proved beyond any doubt that a large majority of the community is with the CWC and, consequently, the CWC is confident that they, along with all other communities of the country, will vote for President Rajapaksa in the January 8 Presidential poll to return him to power, in spite of efforts of some recently mushroomed unions to destabilise the CWC vote bank. after benefiting from the gestures of the President's goodwill towards the community, he said.

He also explained the salient features of the many development programs implemented by the UPFA government for the welfare of the community and the other programs that are under implementation.

Excerpts of the interview:

Q: Many plantation political parties joined the opposition bloc in the run up to the January 8 presidential poll. They claim that the plantation community will overwhelmingly vote for the opposition candidate. Your comments ?

A: The CWC has a 75 year history, championing the cause of the plantation workers and fighting for their political, employment and socio-economic rights. Many of the unions you are referring to had their origin in the CWC. Others are unions that sprouted up recently.

They have no substantial vote bank in the plantations and the last PC polls in the Uva proved that a majority of the plantation people are with us. So I do not think that I have to elaborate on that.

We are confident that the plantation people will vote for the re-election of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the light of the fact that so much was done for them by the government under his

leadership, compared to previous governments. Much has been done in developing infrastructure , including roads, electricity and water, in improving the educational standard, in the health sector, in the socio-economic sector , shelter to them , employment to their educationally-qualified youth and in the socio-economic sector.

Q: You have stated that you will submit to the President, after he is re-elected, a list of important needs of the community that need to be fulfilled on a priority basis. Can you please explain ?

A: Although much has been done, there are still some more important needs of the community to be fulfilled. The President knows as to why we said it . He knows what the plantation community needs. We have been holding discussions with him on these matters.

After he is re-elected, we would want these matters to be fulfilled on a priority basis.

A university for them is very much needed to realise our efforts to transform them as an educated community on par with the other communities. There has been a marked improvement in the performance of

the plantation children in the last GCE (A/L) and GCE (O/L) examinations, thanks to the improved educational facilities provided by the UPFA administration. We want a more number of our children going to universities.

The other matters will include an accelerated pace on the housing programs, infrastructure development, school buildings and hospitals. More has to be done also on providing clean drinking water.

Transforming the residential areas of the plantation estates into villages is one more important issue that we have discussed with the President. When this happens, of course, on a gradual phase they will have an abiding interest, unlike at present, in the places of their domicile, in the plantations and the surroundings.

This again will change their thought pattern and give them a sense of pride and ‘belonging’ . Incidentally, the UDA and the Plantation Human Development

Trust (PHDT) will take over the next phase of the housing programs for the plantation workers, with much focus on this aspect of ‘village concept'.

The President recently ordered the immediate supply of roofing sheets , other materials and enhanced relief assistance to the landslide victims in Meeriyabedde Estate and several other places in the plantation areas, especially in the Badulla district.

He also ordered the provision of temporary shelter to the affected families. The construction of permanent shelters to them and to the other families from landslide-prone areas will be handled by the UDA and the PHDT.

Q: The rival unions in the opposition bloc say that they crossed over on issues of providing homestead lands and replacing the line-room system. Do you think that such a system is long overdue and UPFA administration did not successfully implement any of its programs on it ?

A: I can't understand what these unions are speaking about on this matter. Everybody knows that President Rajapaksa is specific about and sincerely committed on doing away with the line-room system.

The housing programs introduced under the ‘Mahinda Chintana’ concept are under implementation with over 27,000 independent/twin houses, with all facilities, having already been completed.

The program is under implementation with the ultimate objective of doing away with the line-room system and providing the plantation community with decent separate houses.

Programs for the allotment of seven perches of homestead land to the plantation people are also being worked out, as the President has confirmed in public meetings among the community. The CWC is continuing to hold discussions with the Government on this matter.

Q: There have been complaints that the condition of the workers of the ailing Janatha Estates Development Board (JEDB) and State Plantation Corporation (SPC) plantation estates is extremely bad and they do not get work on an enough number of days to eke out a living. What is being done to resolve this problem ?

A: One recent incident will set light on the President's concern for the plantation workers of the JEDB and the SPC Estates. When it was brought to his notice that the EPF, ETF and other statutory dues of these workers were long over due and were not remitted to the respective

departments, he immediately ordered the release of an amount of Rs. 1000 million for settling the statutory dues of the workers.

The question of selling portions of the ailing estates to offset the losses and to allot lands of these estates to the workers are also in the agenda of matters that are under discussion.

Consequent to the President's decision on extending maximum assistance and facilities to the tea small holders, the CWC proposed that lands under the management of the JEDB , SPC and other ailing estates with the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) should be distributed among the

plantation workers in extents ranging from 01 - 05 acres , depending on the number of working members in a family so that they, with their experience, will tend them and get maximum productivity. Distribution of tea lands in that manner will also help towards creating plantation villages.

Q: What are the other government's programs that are being implementation or recommended for the benefit of the plantation community ?

A: On a government directive, the Education Ministry took immediate measures to solve the teacher shortage in the plantation areas. Besides,500 Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) have also been recruited for enhanced medical assistance to the plantation community. More employment opportunities for he community in the state sector are expected. There are programs to address the problem of malnutrition among plantation workers.

A Presidential Task Force (PTF) has been set up for this purpose.

There was budget allocation for the construction of another 50,000 houses while more houses are also expected to be constructed under the National Action Plan (NAP).