SLN has nothing to do with customs strike [October 26 2010]

By Ranil WIJEYAPALA

Navy Spokesman Captain Athula Senerath told the Sunday Observer online that Sri Lanka Navy has nothing to do with the strike launched by the Custom officers asking permission to enter the Port through Chaitay road gate.

"It was resulted due to an internal matter of the Customs Department by not sending a list of names of customs officers to be allowed entry to the Port using gate number 01", he added.

He said that even within the Navy, officials above Captain rank are allowed to use this number 01 gate and a list of essential customs officers whose names are given to the Sri Lanka Navy far has been allowed access to the Port through this gate.

According to the Spokesman the Director General of Customs has asked Defence Ministry approval for all the customs officers to have access to the Port through this gate and the Navy responded to the Defence Ministry when asked for Navy's view on the request of the Customs officers that more essential officers can be allowed through this gate if they are providing a list of names to the Navy but not all due to security reasons.

The Defence Ministry has conveyed this message to the Customs Department but they have so far failed to give an additional list of names to the Navy. He said no incidents and no blockade of the gate has been reported due to this strike.