Chairman of the SLSEC Ratnasiri Kalupahana said a cabinet paper seeking approval to sell the land for Rs.10 billion had already been prepared. He said the land extent of more than 17 acres was adjacent to the Peliyagoda fish market.

Only Rs.7000.00 each had been paid as salaries in May to the employees of the National Machinery and Equipment Authority and they were protesting against it.

The chairman pointed out that the construction sector had suffered a serious set back due to the prevailing economic crisis in the country and that the Engineering Corporation and its affiliates had lost their income. He said the SLSEC was facing a serious crisis for want of a sufficient income to pay salaries and emoluments and that only a part payment of salaries was paid in May.

He said 1100 employees who opted to retire alone should be paid Rs.2600 million.

The Chairman Kalupahana further said large scale monetary malpractices and the recruitment of excessive staff during the Yahapalana rule had resulted in this situation.

(Pushpakumara Jayaratne)