Jeewan satisfied with ongoing investigations into death of young girl at Bathiudeen’s house

By Ranjith Rajapakse   

State Minister of Estate Infrastructure Facilities and General Secretary of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) Jeewan Thondaman expressed satisfaction about the ongoing investigations into the death of the domestic aide at former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s residence.   

 He told the media yesterday at the CWC Head Quarters in Kotagala the ongoing police investigations were free of political interference. The state minister said as a lawyer he was hopeful that the suspects would be swiftly brought to book.   

“ I am confident that the government is watchful of the investigations and further developments of the incident. We have decided to amend the existing laws to prevent the children of estate workers from child labour. The prevailing labour charter had been passed more than 100 years ago and it needs amending. Parents who allow the employment of underage children would be subject to deterrent punishment in the future. We must compel the authorities to hold a formal investigation of the incident and to bring the culprits to book. However,no one should be allowed to gain cheap political mileage from it.” he said   

State Minister Thondaman said that he was conscious of the hardships faced by estate workers but allowing underage children to work as domestic aides was not the way to resolve the economic constraints.