CEA boss tells irate workers demanding bonus

Environmental field officers attached to the Divisional Secretariats countrywide are up in arms against the Central Environmental Authority’s failure to pay the year-end bonus in spite of a written assurance from Chairman of the CEA Udaya Gammanpila.

President of the Divisional Environmental Officers Association, Asanga Dharmadasa told The Island yesterday that they had been working at the divisional secretariats from 1997 and salaries were paid by the CEA. But, they had not been entitled to bonus based on outstanding leave while other CEA workers were.

"In response to our protests, the CEA’s present Chairman Udaya Gammanpila promised to pay us bonus with effect from 2008, at a discussion held on December 28, 2007. But, he has reneged on that promise and now claims the CEA has no money to pay bonus," Dharmadasa said.

He said that CEA Chairman had said that the CEA would be in a position to pay their bonus only after the CEA began to produce fuel form garbage. "Such cynicism only adds insult to injury," he said.

Of the 800-member strong CEA workforce, 350 are environment field officers.

"If the CEA Chairman does not honour his promise, we will consider legal action against him," Dharmasada said adding that the CEA was wasting millions of rupees on ‘useless publicity campaigns’ which yielded no returns but only helped boost the egos of politicians and their stooges.

CEA Chairman Udaya Gammanpila could not be contacted for comment.