As a member of the Global Linking Society of Trinity College, Kandy, our teachers in charge and the Senior Linkers planned to take the Global Linking team on an excursion to the Keppetigala Estate on October 5, 2008.

This estate is owned by the company LALAN in the Galagama Division and consists of four kinds of plantations, such as tea, rubber, coconut and sugar cane. We visited the rubber estate and the
manager Mr. Nalaka Madawala gave us much information before we visited the plantation area.

According to the information we got, this estate consists of 59 families and about 150 – 160 harvesting
technicians. The area of the estate is divided into blocks and each block is managed by an
individual. Every technician has to tap 4,000 kg of latex per day.

They are paid according to the amount of latex they tap. Their average pay is about Rs. 320 per day. They are provided with medical facilities and Employees Provident Fund (EPF).

As soon as we went to the plantation area, they showed us the latex that was tapped and put into a tractor. After that the manager took us to show how they tap latex from the rubber trees.

Ashik Najmudeen

We experienced all this and came to the bungalow to have our lunch.

The manager quenched our thirst with fresh, king coconuts and gave us a delicious lunch. Thereafter we relaxed and took some photographs.

Finally, we wished them success and returned to school by 6.30 p.m. This was a wonderful and an unforgettable trip.