More than one million letters and parcels got piled up at the Postal department due to the week long strike. Postal department sources said yesterday that those who may have important mail pending could collect them by producing their identification at the mail exchange.   

 

Postal unions began a hunger strike last Monday calling on the government to remove Post Master General M. K. B. Dissanayake from the Postal Department owing to allegations of corruption and misuse of government resources. 

 

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Jeevan Kumaratunge said that during discussions held with unions yesterday he had assured that Dissanayake would be removed from his position if found guilty of allegations made against him.

 

In May this year a three-member committee appointed to inquire into corruption allegations made against Dissanayake. The committee report which came out in October stated that of 26 charges made against the Post Master General he was guilty of 21 charges against him. However Minister Kumaratunge said the report is not adequate to take action immediate action against him. 

 

“The committee was meant to investigate the corruption allegations and not to make decisions on behalf of the government. Therefore thoughtful consideration on the matter,” he said. The Postal Trade Union Collective said that they are waiting for the Post Master General to be removed with immediate effect.

 

 “We are not asking for any salary increments like other unions, or to protect our rights, all that we ask for is to remove the Post Master General from his position at the earliest time possible,” the union’s Spokesman Chinthaka Bandara said. (By Olindhi Jayasundere)