Plantation Sector Quagmire; Is There A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

By Ratnam Nadarajah –April 5, 2016

Ratnam Nadarajah

I recently visited Sri-Lanka after a two-year spell. Pleasantly surprised to see that people are happier and no apparent tension among the citizens which is a healthy situation in a democracy. They are very free to express their views and the media seem to be freer. There is a general euphoria among the citizens. People talk about ease of transport due to excellent road network. Mobility to the masses gives another dimension to their thinking and living, which is good for the nation’s march towards development. But roads alone cannot solve the country’s problems. I spent a good part of our holidays, in the hill country learning about the lives and times of the people from the plantation sector. They have been in the Srilanka for almost close to two centuries They were the backbone of the nation’s economy and contributed to the balance of payment for a long time.

Today in the second decade of the 21st century their livelihood has not changed any better compared to the other communities. This have been acknowledged by all parties. Some people would rightly argue that these forks have the universal franchise like any other citizenry of the land and what stops them from bettering themselves. I have no qualms about their line of thinking and argument. But their problem does not stop at them exercising their God given right to vote at elections.

Let us consider their living conditions compared to the rest of the society. They live in the same “lines” as their forefathers. Little has changed except that they are no more stateless, they are citizens of the land. Their basic life revolves round the estate where they live and work. They have no adequate recreation facilities for them or their families. The result for the majority of the adults is drinking alcohol seems to be the solution. To give some sort of statistics; In my days as a youth in Talawakelle there were only two liquor shops. If my memory serves me correct there was the UK de Silva’s and the other was Mel Mendes

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