Cypress Social Security Fund benefits of 150,000 Sri Lankan workers unpaid

The secretary of Ethera Api organization of Sri Lanka, Lakshman Nipunaarachchi said that about 150,000 Sri Lankans had not received the benefits of Cypress Social Security Fund. 

He pointed out that 7.5% of the workers' salary and 7.5% from the employer are contributed to this fund. Thus, 15% of the workers' monthly salary was deposited in this fund but the employees have not received any benefit. 

"No Sri Lankan employee has received the benefits of this fund when they left the job. Some employees had worked about 15 years in Cypress. For example, one employee has calculated that she must receive three million rupees. This is big money for them who mostly live in poverty after returning from service abroad. Some people struggled many years to get this money and died in desperation," Nipunaarachchi said. 

No government has attended the issue of Cypress Social Security Fund of the Sri Lankan expatriate workers. The issue was cited by Sri Lankan workers in Cypress to the present Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa also when he toured in Cypress as the Minister of Labour.  

Lakshman Nipunaarachchi

Ethera Api organization pointed out that states like Philippine had discussed with Cypress diplomatically and obtained this money belonged to their nationals. 

About 150,000 Sri Lankans have either worked in the past or working now in Cypress for a number of years. 

On October 02, over 2,000 people agitated in Colombo to focus the attention of the government on this issue. Two coordinating officers discussed with the representatives of the protesting people and promised a discussion with the relevant authorities within two weeks but did not deliver the promise, Ethera Api organization pointed out.  

(Cover photo: Consulate General Of Sri Lanka, Cyprus)

New areas under isolation; many areas relieved; travel restrictions removed in Sri Lanka

Chief of Sri Lanka National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Army Commander Shavendra Silva said that Maradana, Fort, Pettah, Slave Island and Dam Street police divisions in Colombo city would be isolated since 5 a.m. Monday, 16 November. 

Seventeen police areas in Colombo district are now isolated. The other areas are Mattakkuliya, Modara, Bloemandahl, Kotahena, Grandpass, Coastal, Aduruppu Weediya, Maligawatta, Dematogoda, Wellampitiya, Borella and Keselwatta.

Seven police areas in Colombo, Kalutara, Kegalle and Kurunegala districts were withdrawn since tomorrow, the Army Commander said. 

Kelaniya police area will be under isolation since 5.a.m. on Monday, November 16.

Ja-ela, Negambo, Ragama, Wattala, Peliyagoda and Kadawatha areas of Gampaha district will remain isolated.   

Peliyagoda, Pamunuwa and Sapugaskanda police areas in Gampaha district which are isolated now will be freed since 5 a.m. Monday, 16 November. 

Horana, Ingiriya (police divisions) and Wekada West Grama Niladhari Division in Kalutara district also will be freed since 5 a.m. tomorrow. 

Mawanella, Ruwanwella police divisions in Kegalle district and Kurunegala Municipal Council area and Kuliyapitiya police division in Kurunegala district will also be relieved from isolation since tomorrow. 

All areas under isolation will remain in that state until further notice. 

Meanwhile, travel restrictions out of the Western Province will be withdrawn since midnight November 15. The travel restriction was in force since midnight November 11.

Sri Lankan arrested for fake news on roadside deaths due to COVID-19

Sri Lanka police say that a 35 years old man has been remanded until 18th November after producing before the Kandy Magistrate for posting fake content that says the Sri Lankans are dying on roadsides due to COVID-19.

The person has been arrested from Egodawatta in Kadugannawa in Kandy district and police media spokesman Deputy Inspector General of Police Ajith Rohana says that four more persons who shared this post are to be arrested.

The police media spokesman said that only one person had died on a roadside due to COVID-19 and he was a homeless person.  

The investigations are carried out by the Cyber Crime Unit of Criminal Investigation Department.

Sri Lanka bans vehicle imports for one more year; saves 1 billion dollars

Sri Lanka Ministry of Finance has increased the ban on import of vehicles for another year. 

The Ministry says that the country can save one billion US dollars per annum through this ban. 

However, the vehicle importers urge the government to import vehicles. 

To control foreign currency outflow, the government strictly imposed a complete ban on motor vehicles since March 2020.

Government sources say that Sri Lanka has sufficient stocks of vehicles for up to two-and-a-half years.

However, industry sources say that around 100,000 direct and indirect employees will lose livelihood due to the import ban.  

(Photo: imported vehicles at Hambanthota port - via Daily News)

Travel restrictions removed tomorrow midnight

The police media spokesman of Sri Lanka, Deputy Inspector General of Police Ajith Rohana said to Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation that the travel restrictions on the Western Province would be withdrawn since midnight November 15.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed to impose travel restrictions on the Western Province at the daily meeting of the COVID-19 Task Force held in the Presidential Secretariat on November 11.

The travel restriction was imposed since midnight of November 11. All the trains, buses and private vehicles were stopped at the boundaries of the Western Province. 

Maruti Suzuki Espresso achieves zero in crash test

Maruti Suzuki S-presso, a small hatchback car sold by AMW in Sri Lanka targeting youth has achieved a zero star rating in Global NCAP’s new round of #SaferCarsForIndia crash tests. 

The S-Presso is fitted with a driver-only airbag, achieved zero stars for adult occupant protection and two stars for child occupant protection. 

There is no place for zero-rated cars in the Indian market but the car is marketed in Sri Lanka flagged as a mini-SUV.

(Source: Yahoo! Sports) 

Sri Lanka government and opposition lock horns over the renovation of Deegavapi stupa

Sri Lanka major opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) accused today to the government that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has removed a foundation stone laid by the previous government and laid a new foundation stone ceremoniously. 

Addressing press conference held in the Opposition Leader's office today, Opposition SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna said that present Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa as the Minister of Cultural Affairs had started the renovation of historic Deegavapi stupa in Ampara district on 31 August 2019. He further pointed out that the then Minister allocated Rs. 853 million for the project.  

The MP said that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa ceremoniously started the same renovation project of Deegawapi stupa on November 11, 2020. 

In April 2019, the cabinet approved a proposal presented by Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Sajith Premadasa to procure the special type of bricks required to re-construct the Deegavapi stupa. 

Deegavapi is a Buddhist sacred shrine believed built by King Saddhatissa. It was declared an archaeologically protected monument in 1947.