COURTS SENTENCES FORMER PSD OFFICERS FOR HARASSING RUKANTHA AND CHANDRALEKA

August 1, 2013 

Ten former PSD officers have been ordered to pay Rs. 2 million compensation to Rukantha and Chandraleka in their harassment case along with four and half year prison sentences.

The former PSD officers of Chandrika Bandaranaike stood accused of breaking into the home of the popular singing duo Rukantha Gunathilaka and Chandraleka Perera in Mattegoda and harassing them.

The Panadura High Court sentenced the ten suspects today (August 1).

Nine of the ten suspects received four and half years of rigorous imprisonment while the other suspect, who is disabled, received a four and half year sentence of simple imprisonment.

Each of the suspects were also ordered to pay Rs.100,000 each to both Rukantha and Chandraleka which amounted to a total of Rs.2 million in compensation.

They will serve an addition one year of simple imprisonment if the amounts cannot be paid.

The seventh defendant in the case was released without charges by the court.

Maverick Mervyn shuts down Hayleys Group export factory with 600 workers

July 31, 2013 

Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva yesterday allegedly took the industrial law into his own hands when he walked into Hayleys Group’s Venigros Ltd. in the Gampaha District and ordered its closure, endangering 600 jobs and key supplies for exports, to the cheers of residents accusing the factory of a major pollution scandal.

The factory which is part of Dipped Products Plc of Hayleys Group, was implicated in the alleged contamination of groundwater prompting the Chief Monk in Weliweriya to start a fast onto death yesterday. Tensions were rising with residents surrounding the factory.

The residents are demanding that the authorities provide pipebourne water to the area free of charge and a relocation of the factory involved.
However the factory staff said they have got the relevant certifications to confirm it was not responsible for alleged contamination. They alleged that Minister Silva’s high handed action was unwarranted at a time when the Company was in discussions with relevant stakeholders to address their concerns.
Venigros manufactures industrial and surgical gloves and accounts for around 50% of DPL’s export turnover. DPL is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of protective gloves. Operating for four decades DPL accounts for 5% of world’s production of non-medical rubber gloves.