By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva warned the plantation companies that fail to provide the Rs. 1,000 minimum wage for estate sector workers, claiming they continue to incur losses, could be taken over by the Government and made profitable. Last week, at a meeting chaired by the Minister between the trade union leaders representing the plantation sector and the representatives of the employers’ federation controlling the plantation companies, de Silva had stressed that it was “surprising” that these estates continue to run at a loss and that it was questionable whether the plantation companies were operating as charities. The Minister also pointed out that if the companies continue to incur losses, the Government would take over those plantations, as it can maintain the estates in a profitable manner. Minister de Silva also stressed that a large sum of money had been spent by the Government on the plantation companies and that the construction of estate houses, roads, and other infrastructure development is being carried out by the Government. Therefore, he said the plantation companies would save a lot of money. Furthermore, he stressed that many plantation companies had failed to provide basic amenities such as drinking water, sanitation, and housing to their employees and stressed that this Government is committed to achieving social justice for the plantation community. The discussion was held at the Department of Labour with a view to reach an employeeemployer agreement to increase the minimum daily wage of the plantation workers to Rs. 1,000. In February, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa assured that arrangements were being made to pay the proposed daily wage of Rs. 1,000 to estate sector employees from 1 March. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also promised the same.