CWC firmly behind President and UPFA - Muthu Sivalingam
by P. Krishnaswamy

Muthu Sivalingam
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Deputy Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure
Development and President of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) Muthu
Sivalingam told the Sunday Observer in an interview that their decision
to become a UPFA ally during the last Parliamentary elections in 2004
was prompted by their confidence in President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his
genuine commitment towards the socio-economic welfare of the plantation
community. The President, true to his assurance, introduced several far
reaching development programs which are unprecedented for the
socio-economic uplift of the impoverished plantation community.
These development programs were introduced and implemented in terms
of the Mahinda Chintana- Ediri Dekma (extended version). The programs
were implemented in coordination with the CWC and other UPFA allies in
the plantation sector, Sivalingam said.
For all programs envisaged for the benefit of their community under
the Mahinda Chintana - Ediri Dekma (extended version) to be continued
unimpaired, political parties, trade unions, business community,
academics, professionals and the educated youth from the community
should extend their undivided support to the UPFA in the upcoming
parliamentarty elections instead of being carried away by unrealistic
and false assurances of persons who have nothing in common with the
community but entered politics with their personal agenda, the CWC
President said.
Excerpts
Q: Your vision and plans as CWC President for the welfare of the
plantation community?
A: CWC is committed to win the political rights and fulfil the
aspirations of the plantation community , to raise their socio-economic
standards in par with the other communities of the country and fully
merge them in the national mainstream through the establishment of
plantation villages, in place of the present plantation estate system,
with all infrastructure and other facilities. We became an ally of the
UPFA led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa because they fully supported
these objectives.
Under the vision of Mahinda Chintana, the UPFA Government allocated
huge funds aimed at improving the living conditions of the plantation
community, provided infrastructure, including concreted roads and
electricity, better housing facilities, employment opportunities in the
estate sector to the educated youths, improved mail delivery facilities
and much more.
More funds are to be allocated and this process will continue
uninterrupted in the next seven years of President Rajapaksa’s tenure.
The far-reaching National Action Plan (NAP) for the plantation people
at a cost of Rs. 100 billion, phased over a period of ten years and
funded mainly by the UNDP, will also be completed within that period
with the anticipated transformation of the plantation estates into
plantation villages with all facilities including modern housing units
and business centres.
For these benefits to reach the community, they should unite in
extending their undivided support to the UPFA in the upcoming General
Elections instead of being carriedd away by unrealistic assurances of
‘outside’ invididuals who are totally new to the plantations, working on
their personal agenda and who want to keep plantation workers trapped
into illusive hopes.
The precarious situation that the Indian origin plantation community
in Malaysia experienced will become imminent if the workers fail to
realise the hazards of taking the words of such individuals for granted.
Q: Do you think that the UPFA under President Rajapaksa will continue
its development programs for the plantation community in spite of their
seemingly deviating support to President Rajapaksa in the January 26
Presidential Poll?
A: The assumption that the plantation workers deviated in their
support to President Rajapaksa in the January 26 Presidential Poll is
incorrect.
In the Nuwara Eliya electoral district the majority votes polled by
the UNP eroded to 29,000 as against 150,000 in the previous Presidential
Poll.
It is the same in the case of several other planttion electoral
districts, including in Badulla.
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. We are certain that all envisaged development
programs for the community will continue to be implemented and the
President has assured it.
In the last four years 12,230 independent/twin housing units were
constructed at an expenditure of Rs. 845.6 million; 765 kilometres of
new roads were constructed at a cost of Rs. 1,400 million; 100
electricity supply projects were implemented at an expenditure of 135
million benefiting 15,000 families; 87 water supply schemes were
implemented at an expenditure of Rs. 63 million benefiting 8,700
families; 482 schools were constructed/renovated at an expenditure of Rs.
725 million; 24 socio-cultural projects were implemented at an
expenditure of Rs. 62 million; and 38 health facility projects were
implemented at an expenditure of Rs. 30 million. All these are ongoing
projects with anticipated fund allocations in the coming years.
Q: There is a general complaint that in the election campaign in the
run up to the Presidential poll, there was no coordination between the
CWC and other allies of the UPFA in the plantation areas, unlike the UNF
whose candidates and supporters belonging to different constituent
parties jointly conducted their campaigns. Your comments?
A: The CWC is a well established organisation with a long history of
championing the rights and aspirations of the community. Similarly as in
previous elections, the CWC conducted its campaigns vigorously in all
plantation areas.
Q: Is it correct to say that information on the development programs
for their socio-economic uplift as envisaged in the Mahinda Chintana and
its extended version and the process of their phased implementation had
not fully reached the community?
A: That is not correct. They are aware of it. But they may have been
swayed away by the unrealistic election promises of opposition
candidates, includinbg the Rs. 500 wage increase. The last wage increase
of Rs. 405 offered to the workers under the Collective Agreement was the
optimum possible increase considering the long term sustainability of
the industry and the fluctuating tea prices in the world market.
Q: Some Trade Unions in the opposition camp have stated that the
workers were not being offered work on an adequate number of days and,
as a result, they are having a hard time.
A: This is a baseless statement; 300 days work in a year and 25 days
in a month was agreed to by the Regional Management Companies under the
Collective Agreement.
As far as we are aware this is being adhered to in almost all
estates.
We have not received any complaints saying that this is not being
done. But there may be a few estates where this may happen.
But we have information that workers take the freedom of not turning
up for work on a number of days in a month for personal/family reasons. |