Ready to introduce special laws to enforce minimum wage for plantation workers - President

President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that seven plantation companies have agreed with the government’s decision to provide a daily salary of Rs.1, 700 to plantation workers.

“As the current labour minister, I have planned to convene the Wages Board on Monday to further discuss the matter. If necessary, special laws will be introduced to implement this decision”, he added.

The President also announced that, workers’ welfare funds, which have been neglected for many years, will be paid starting next year.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made these remarks while attending the Kandy District Plantation Labour Unions and Youth Leaders meeting organized by the Ceylon Workers’ Congress today (10) at the KARALIYA Convention Centre And Center For Performing Arts, Kandy.

The issues faced by the Tamil community in the hill country were directly presented to the President, and he responded positively to their concerns.”

The President further elaborated;

Over the past two years, the people of this country have faced severe hardships. However, we have managed to bring the economy to a more stable level. While the country’s economic issues are not entirely resolved, we have provided significant relief to the people, easing their burdens compared to 2022.

This progress was made possible due to the agreement with the International Monetary Fund. Additionally, we have successfully negotiated with the countries that have lent us money, giving us until 2042 to repay our debts. If we abandon or attempt to amend these agreements, we will lose those benefits, and the country will revert to its previous state, facing issues like shortages and long queues.

Therefore, we must decide whether to continue with this program.

We cannot be complacent with the success achieved through the International Monetary Fund. We should aim for economic development similar to India’s progress. By 2048, we have planned for rapid development. The people must also decide whether they want leaders who will guide the country forward or those who are more focused on personal pursuits.

For many years, workers’ welfare funds have not been disbursed to the working people. We plan to start paying these funds from next year, as the country’s economy is recovering and the government is now in a position to provide this support.

In recent years, the people working in the plantation sector have endured significant hardships. While other workers have received salary increases and farmers have been provided with better income, relief has not yet reached the plantation workers.

Seven plantation companies have agreed with the government’s decision to set a daily salary of Rs.1,700 for plantation workers.

Following the transfer of responsibility from Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, I, as President, am prepared to discuss the matter with the Wages Board next Monday. We will also consider enacting special laws if necessary to implement this decision. I believe that both Minister Jeevan Thondaman and

MP P. Digambaran will support the adoption of these laws.

Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development, Jeevan Thondaman;

“It has been a year since I assumed office as a cabinet minister, and I have done my best during this time. Over the past year, Rs.160 million has been allocated solely for estate infrastructure in the Kandy district. It is an unprecedented amount.

We also have plans to establish Thondaman Vocational Training Centers in Kandy and Badulla, with support from the Indian government. While the hill country has a population of about one million, only 115,000 are employed in the plantation sector.

Plantation workers are seeking a pay rise, and President Ranil Wickremesinghe has implemented various programs to address the development of the hill country and the salary issue. The government is actively taking steps to increase the wages of plantation workers, and several estate companies have already agreed to wage hikes. A meeting will be held this coming Monday with the estate companies, under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, to further address this matter.”

State Minister for Plantation Industries and Mahaweli Development, Lohan Ratwatte;

“Today, our country has a leader who genuinely prioritizes solving the land and salary issues faced by the estate community. Under his guidance and leadership, we have already begun addressing these problems swiftly. It’s important to note that these actions were not motivated by any election goals.

Therefore, I urge all of us to unite in reappointing President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President of our country—someone who truly understands and addresses the needs of the people, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliateion. I ask you all to think of the country first and cast your valuable votes for him.”

State Minister of Justice and Prison Affairs, Anuradha Jayaratne;

“President Ranil Wickremesinghe has the support of 6 out of the 7 MPs elected by the Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in the Kandy district. Additionally, Minister Jeevan Thondaman stands with us, carrying forward the strength and legacy provided by his grandfather and father. We are all committed to helping President Ranil Wickremesinghe secure a great victory in the Kandy district and lead the country by September 22nd.

All our endeavours for the people of the plantation sector have been possible due to the unwavering support and patronage from the President. He is determined to secure your land rights and is challenging estate companies to ensure a fair salary increase. It’s important to note that none of these efforts were initiated with election motives. From the very beginning, the President has made decisions with the sincere intent of benefiting the estate community.”

Parliamentarian M. Rameshwaran;

“In 2022, when the country was in crisis, no leader stepped forward to take charge. Today, the leaders running for the presidential election should be asked why they didn’t step up when the people were suffering. President Ranil Wickremesinghe took on the responsibility in 2022 and created an environment where the oppressed could live with dignity. He made many decisions aimed at improving the lives of the estate community, including a program to provide them with land rights.

The President has allocated the necessary funds for the development of the hill country, including provisions for granting 10 perches of land and for the educational advancement of students in the area. Therefore, people should recognize who saved the country during its most significant economic crisis.”

Former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara;

“In the past two years, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has initiated significant programs to benefit estate workers, focusing on improving their land rights and daily allowances. Unlike other leaders who wait for election periods, the President has consistently advocated for estate communities since taking office, and he has supported an increase in their daily wages.

During the economic crisis, plantation workers played a crucial role by continuing to harvest tea and bolster export income, a contribution the President acknowledges.

A committee was appointed to address land issues, and following the wage increase in 2020, no further wage adjustments had been made. The Wages Board was convened to discuss the daily allowance, resulting in a proposal for a daily allowance of Rs.1, 700. A fourteen-day period was provided for raising objections to this proposal. It was officially announced in Kotagala on May 1. Subsequently, the estate company filed a lawsuit and obtained an injunction. However, we are exploring alternative methods to increase the daily allowance for plantation workers. Due to the withdrawal of the Ministry of Labour’s gazette notification, the estate owners have dropped their case. The salary council will reconvene next Monday, with a new proposal to set the daily allowance at Rs.1, 350 and a production allowance at Rs.350. Some individuals are attempting to leverage this situation for political gain.

As a leader representing plantation workers, MP P. Thigambaram has never submitted a proposal to increase their salaries. When the Ceylon Workers’ Congress proposed wage increases, they only inquired whether the wages would be raised or not. Thigambaram has been slow to provide allowances to estate workers.

In the past two years, the country has received USD 12 billion from foreign workers alone. The group led by Sajith Premadasa, unable to wait, went to court to challenge Manusha Nanayakkara’s position. With people returning to normal life and the era of long queues coming to an end, Sajith Premadasa is now attempting to disrupt MPs who support the President by canceling their party memberships. We remain steadfast, and all of this will culminate in a victory for President Ranil Wickremesinghe.