PM says State banks should be protected as national assets

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena last week stressed the importance of protecting State banks as national assets.

“We are of the opinion that these State banks should be preserved as a national resource. There is no issue regarding this. But we should have discussions on how to make some changes. Otherwise unilateral decisions might have been taken,” Gunawardena said during a meeting with trade union 

representatives.

Trade union activities and institutional issues were discussed at length during this discussion.

The representatives of the trade unions presented many points regarding the restructuring of institutions, alternative proposals on preservation and maintenance of institutions.

“At present, since we have recovered from the economic crisis to some extent, we should endeavour to protect State banks. It should be discussed at length on measures that can be taken regarding this matter,” the Prime Minister said at the meeting.

“A serious situation has arisen due to the loans given to several large-scale entrepreneurs. It is a fabricated story that State banks have confronted bankruptcy due to lending large amounts of money to politicians, and the only option to recover from this situation is to sell it to a private company. We should not be fooled by such stories and intervene to safeguard these three banks in a special way,” the Prime Minister added.

State Minister Sisira Jayakodi, former Minister, Member of Parliament Gamini Lokage, Prime Minister’s Trade Union Coordinating Secretary Attorney at Law Thushara Dissanayake, President of the Public Service United Trade Union Federation W.A. Piyadasa, Secretary of Podujana Pragathisheeli Sewaka Sangamaya, Bandula Saman Kumara, and other representatives of many trade union federations attended the event.