News
 		 

CWC to demand top portfolio for Thondaman
By Chris Kamalendran
Amidst threats of a withdrawal of support for the government, the Ceylon Workers Congress is to demand an important cabinet portfolio, if it is to stay with the Chandrika Kumaratunga administration, a senior member told The Sunday Times.

He said the demand would be put forward at a crisis meeting with President Kumaratunga tomorrow. The CWC member who did not want to be identified said that in addition to the portfolio for CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman they would demand solutions to other issues including teacher appointments for 500 of its members.

The CWC is also opposing the government decision to go ahead with the controversial Upper Kotmale hydro-power project. The CWC's Estate Infrastructure Development Minister Muttu Sivalingam and Deputy Minister M.S. Sellasamy on Thursday informed the President that they were resigning from their posts.

"The resignation letters have been sent to the President. We are not sure whether the President has accepted them," Mr. Sivalingam said. Before the resignation letters were sent, the CWC had made several attempts to contact the President to discuss various issues but failed.Meanwhile another crisis meeting scheduled for tomorrow between the President and the JVP has been cancelled.
Top  Back to News  

Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved.