Millions for luxury cars for ministers; but poor estate workers keep waiting for a mere Rs 50 allowance

Colombo (News1st) - No steps have been taken to provide estate workes with a Rs 50 additional allowance that they were promised. The workers charge that they have not been granted their allowances this month as well. In March last year, a proposal was forwarded to grant an additional daily allowance of Rs. 50 to estate employees. Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that cabinet approved a sum of Rs 1.2 billion for this and the estate workers state that although it has been 4 months since this was approved they continue to be deceived, by broken promises. We inquired on this matter from the Minister of Labour Ravindra Samaraweera on the 30th of last month. He stated that the allowance would be granted soon. Due to this statement made by the minister, estate workers were hopeful that they would receive this allowance this month along with arrears.