FUTA is highly politicized — Ekanayake

Says engaging in TU action to fight for 6% GDP, not  a TU’s function By Aisha Nazim, Ceylon Today Higher Education Deputy Minister, Nandamithra Ekanayake, charged the FUTA of being highly politicized and having personal political agendas. He also alleged that engaging in trade union action to fight for 6% GDP was  not a trade union’s function, as trade unions are meant to fight for their rights and issues. “There are enough politicians in Parliament that can speak up and fight for  6%. It does not concern the FUTA,” he said. He said it was not FUTA’s concern, because it was not an issue concerning trade unions. Furthermore, though 6% has not been allocated from the GDP specifically for education, a large amount of funds are already being channelled into  the education sector, he said. The infrastructure of universities is being developed,  and most of the funds allocated to universities are returned to the government  as sometimes, not all are used. With regard to the funds allocated to the Defence sector being increased even  three years post-war, Minister Ekanayake said that the people’s security is extremely important, regardless of if the country is in a war situation or not. “Large amounts of funds are reserved for the public’s security in all countries,  including India and America. India also has poverty, and yet a large sum of  their funds is allocated to security. If the people are not safe, education, health,  and everything else would automatically collapse,” he said.