November 13, Colombo (LNW): Estate workers in Badulla have publicly welcomed the government’s decision to raise plantation wages, expressing both relief and gratitude for what they describe as a long-overdue improvement to their livelihoods.
At the same time, they voiced frustration at opposition parliamentarians, accusing them of making grand promises in the past without delivering meaningful results.
Several residents remarked that while some MPs had previously vowed to push for a daily wage of Rs. 1,700, those same politicians are now locked in parliamentary squabbles over who deserves credit for the pay rise.
“We can’t feed our families with speeches or slogans. We survive on what we earn, not on political talk,” one worker commented, echoing the sentiment of many in the community.
The workers also pointed out that their hard work, along with the taxes paid by ordinary citizens, supports the nation’s progress. They expressed appreciation to the National People’s Power (NPP) government and the President for taking concrete action to improve living conditions for estate employees, rather than merely discussing reform.
To mark the occasion, several estate families gathered at a local temple to offer coconuts and prayers, symbolically seeking blessings for continued prosperity and for what they described as “the silencing of hollow political claims.”
The event, filled with gratitude and optimism, reflected both the pride and perseverance of a community that has long been at the heart of Sri Lanka’s plantation industry.
