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CWC says 'no' to President

The Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) Friday decided a not to align itself with the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government.

The decision was taken following marathon discussions between CWC representatives and an UPFA delegation led by Ports Minister Mangala Samaraweera which took place over the past few weeks.

CWC Leader Arumugam Thondaman who returned to the country from his Indian tour Thursday communicated his decision to Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and assured his continued support to the United National Front (UNF).

The discussion between the parties came to a halt after President Kumaratunga accused the largest plantation trade union in the country of 'asking for more.'

The President it is learnt had told Samaraweera who was the chief mediator who persistently attempted to initiate a marriage between the UPFA and CWC that he should not have ever made an attempt to unite the CWC with the government.

CWC officials said Thondaman had bargained for the  Civil Aviation Ministry with Hemasiri Fernando as the secretary and the Housing Ministry with the Urban Development Authority (UDA), Upcountry Plantation and Estate Infrastructure under its purview.

According to the officials, the CWC Leader has also demanded that the executive presidency and the proportional representation system should not be abolished and that the government should with immediate effect drop its idea of pursuing the Upper Kotmale hydropower project.

Officials said the President who had been 'annoyed' by the demands of the Congress decided never to concede to the demands.

Officials attached to the CWC said that they were never prepared to join a party that could not accommodate their demands and added they have now decided to support the main opposition party.

The CWC will also contest the forthcoming provincial council elections with the UNP in Central, Uva, Western and Southern Provinces while contesting under its own symbol in the Sabaragamuwa Province.

Sources said that the original plan to join hands with the government was a sequel to a series of requests from various other groups as the government did not have representatives from the plantation sector.

"We thought it would be better to be in the government to safeguard the rights of our workers. But the attitude of the UPFA and especially the President turned us off," they said.

Sources said they did not like the infiltration of UPFA members into the plantation sector as ministers and deputy ministers. They said that since their base is not the plantation sector, though they are appointed as ministers and deputy ministers their focus would be on their electorates and not the plantation sector.

"As a result, the workers would suffer. We did not want the workers to feel that they are without leadership. This is what prompted us to consider joining the government," sources told The Sunday Leader.

They also pointed out that many projects undertaken by the CWC during the past regime were half done and added it would have been ideal for them to join the government in order to complete whatever projects that were incomplete.

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