CWC and SLPP sign MoU for presidential election

• The agreement we formed today will not be limited to the presidential election and will continue in the future as well

By Lahiru Pothmulla   

The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to support Gotabaya Rajapaksa for the 
presidential election.   

SLPP Chairman Professor G.L. Peiris and CWC Leader Arumugam Thondaman signed the MoU at a ceremony held at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo.   
SLPP Presidential Candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, MPs Mahinda Amaraweera, Dinesh Gunawardana, Nimal Siripala de Silva and party leaders of the Joint Opposition were also present at the occasion.   

Speaking at the event, Professor G.L. Peiris said SLPP candidate Gotabaya has come forward as a common candidate who represents all communities.   

“We are glad that the CWC decided to back Mr. Rajapaksa. The CWC is a party with a reputed history of fighting for trade unions and workers’ rights. The agreement we formed today will not be limited to the presidential election and will continue in the future as well,” he said.   

He said the estate workers and tea industry as a whole had been neglected over the years. “Mr. Rajapaksa said the daily wage of estate workers can be increased to Rs.1,000. This can be achieved by increasing productivity and finding new markets for our Ceylon Tea,” he said.   

Meanwhile, CWC National Organiser R. Rajadurai said they hope that the MoU signed yesterday will promote the understanding among different communities.   
“We need to uplift the livelihood of the estate workers. We took sometime to decide on whom we will support at the election. The CWC allowed our national council to make a final decision. Out of the 500 members of the council, over 300 pledged to back Mr.Rajapaksa,” he said.