By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
The Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees’ Union (FTZ & GSEU) has urged the Government to hold an independent inquiry into the present outbreak of Covid-19 at the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda.
In a letter dated 11 October 2020 written to Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 Chairman Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, FTZ & GSEU Joint Secretary Anton Marcus requested the appointment of a special investigation committee with expertise and knowledge on the apparel and export manufacture sector and also community health, to investigate the outbreak and spread of the Covid-19 virus at the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda and whether it had any Indian connection; by way of Sri Lankan expatriates through Indian labour or through raw materials imported from India.
Numerous media reports on the suspicion of how the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda became the origin of the present wave of Covid-19 are also linked to Sri Lankan expatriates or Indian labour brought from Visakhapatnam during the last weeks of September. To this effect, the Brandix management has cautiously avoided making a statement regarding the suspicion, the letter alleged.
It further alleged that some big companies that manufacture exports and handle mega construction projects have been employing cheap labour from neighbouring countries, especially during the last decade. Despite the pandemic, labour from these neighbouring countries continued, although not to the prior extent.
Citing several media reports, the Union Secretary has stressed that the suspicion that there can be an Indian link to the Covid-19 outbreak at the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda keeps growing with no acceptable, forthright, and official explanation to date from the Brandix management.
“We feel disturbed with these allegations going without any reasonable and acceptable explanation from relevant quarters. It could impact adversely on the whole apparel industry and in turn its employees too,” he has stressed.
Therefore, the union reiterated that the Government should appoint an independent commission to investigate the outbreak and spread of the Covid-19 virus at the Brandix factory.
Meanwhile, Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has appointed a committee to investigate complaints against the Minuwangoda Brandix factory for not following proper health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The committee was appointed last evening (12) at a meeting held at the Labour Ministry. The committee comprises Deputy Commissioner of Labour E.C.P. Dabare and Department of Labour Legal Officer K.B.G. Premadasa.
The Minister has instructed the factory management to obtain full statements from the factory administration on whether the factory’s health committees implemented during the Covid period were properly functioning in the factory premises and whether the Covid prevention health instructions were followed, and so on. The Minister also requested the trade union representatives to submit their complaints, evidence, and statements to the committee appointed last evening.
The Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees’ Union (FTZ & GSEU) has urged the Government to hold an independent inquiry into the present outbreak of Covid-19 at the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda.
In a letter dated 11 October 2020 written to Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 Chairman Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, FTZ & GSEU Joint Secretary Anton Marcus requested the appointment of a special investigation committee with expertise and knowledge on the apparel and export manufacture sector and also community health, to investigate the outbreak and spread of the Covid-19 virus at the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda and whether it had any Indian connection; by way of Sri Lankan expatriates through Indian labour or through raw materials imported from India.
Numerous media reports on the suspicion of how the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda became the origin of the present wave of Covid-19 are also linked to Sri Lankan expatriates or Indian labour brought from Visakhapatnam during the last weeks of September. To this effect, the Brandix management has cautiously avoided making a statement regarding the suspicion, the letter alleged.
It further alleged that some big companies that manufacture exports and handle mega construction projects have been employing cheap labour from neighbouring countries, especially during the last decade. Despite the pandemic, labour from these neighbouring countries continued, although not to the prior extent.
Citing several media reports, the Union Secretary has stressed that the suspicion that there can be an Indian link to the Covid-19 outbreak at the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda keeps growing with no acceptable, forthright, and official explanation to date from the Brandix management.
“We feel disturbed with these allegations going without any reasonable and acceptable explanation from relevant quarters. It could impact adversely on the whole apparel industry and in turn its employees too,” he has stressed.
Therefore, the union reiterated that the Government should appoint an independent commission to investigate the outbreak and spread of the Covid-19 virus at the Brandix factory.
Meanwhile, Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has appointed a committee to investigate complaints against the Minuwangoda Brandix factory for not following proper health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The committee was appointed last evening (12) at a meeting held at the Labour Ministry. The committee comprises Deputy Commissioner of Labour E.C.P. Dabare and Department of Labour Legal Officer K.B.G. Premadasa.
The Minister has instructed the factory management to obtain full statements from the factory administration on whether the factory’s health committees implemented during the Covid period were properly functioning in the factory premises and whether the Covid prevention health instructions were followed, and so on. The Minister also requested the trade union representatives to submit their complaints, evidence, and statements to the committee appointed last evening.