Overseas Telecommunication

Overseas Telecommunication Act No. 61 of 1957, 8 of 1963. AN ACT TO VALIDATE THE PURCHASE MADE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON OF PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE COMPANY KNOWN AS CABLE AND WIRELESS LIMITED; TO MAKE CERTAIN PROVISIONS REGARDING EMPLOYEES OF THAT COMPANY WHO WERE APPOINTED TO THE STAFF OF THE OVERSEAS TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICE OF THE POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT; TO AUTHORIZE THE HIGH COMMISSIONER OF CEYLON IN THE UNITED KINGDOM TO EXECUTE, ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON, ANY AGREEMENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON MAY HAVE TO ENTER INTO WITH THE COMMONWEALTH TELECOMMUNICATIONS BOARD IN PURSUANCE OF THE COMMONWEALTH TELEGRAPHS AGREEMENT DATED 11TH MAY, 1948; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OUT OF THE CONSOLIDATED FUND OF CEYLON OF ALL SUCH SUMS AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY SUCH AGREEMENT TO BE PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON. Short title. 1. This Act may be cited as the Overseas Telecommunication Act, No. 61 of 1957. Validation of the purchase made by the Government of Ceylon of property of Cable and Wireless Limited. 2. All the movable and immovable property in Ceylon purchased by the Government of Ceylon from the company known as Cable and Wireless Limited (hereafter in this Act referred to as ” the company “) shall be deemed to have been validly transferred to, and become the property of, the Crown free from all encumbrances, notwithstanding any defect in any instrument by which such purchase was effected. * See section 1 (2) of the Overseas Telecommunication (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 1963. Transfer of company’s liabilities under pension funds of the company to the Government. [§ 2, 8 of 1963.] 3. Where the company transfers to the Government of Ceylon the liabilities of the company in respect of any pension or superannuation fund maintained by the company in relation to any member,- (a) the company shall pay to the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury to be credited to the Consolidated Fund of Ceylon all sums lying to the credit of such member in such fund, together with any other sum (that the company may agree to pay to the Government in connection with such transfer; and (b) the Government may establish and maintain a Government Pension Scheme for the purpose of paying a pension or gratuity to such member or his heirs or other dependants, such pension or gratuity being not less favourable than the pension or gratuity that such member or his heirs or other dependants would have been entitled to under the pension scheme of the company. Payment out of the Consolidated Fund of Ceylon of sums payable by Government of Ceylon under agreement with Commonwealth Telecommunications Board. 4. All sums required to be paid by the Government of Ceylon by any agreement that may be entered into by the Government of Ceylon with the Commonwealth Telecommunications Board in pursuance of the Commonwealth Telegraphs Agreement dated the 11th day of May, 1948, shall be paid out of the Consolidated Fund of Ceylon. Authority for the High Commissioner of Ceylon in the United Kingdom to execute agreement. 5. The High Commissioner of Ceylon in the United Kingdom is hereby authorized to execute, acting in the name and on behalf of the Government of Ceylon, any agreement that the Government of Ceylon may have to enter into with the Commonwealth Telecommunications Board in pursuance of the Commonwealth Telegraphs Agreement dated the 11th day of May, 1948. Regulations. [§ 3. 8 of 1963.] 6. (1) The Minister of Finance may make regulations in regard to- (a) the establishment and maintenance of the Government Pension Scheme referred to in section 3 (including regulations requiring members to make contributions to such Scheme); and (b) any other matter directly or indirectly connected with such establishment or maintenance or the transfer of the liabilities of the company referred to in section 3 to the Government. (2) Every regulation made under subsection (1) shall be approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives and notification of such approval shall be published in the Gazette. (3) Every regulation referred to in subsection (2) shall come into force on the date of publication of the notification referred to in that subsection, or on such earlier or later date as may be specified in that regulation. Interpretation. [§ 3, 8 of 1963.] 7. In this Act, ” member ” means a person employed on the staff of the Overseas Telecommunication Service of the Posts and Telecommunications Department, who was a permanent employee of the company on May 31, 1951, and who has agreed- (a) to the transfer to the Government of Ceylon of the liabilities of the company in respect of any pension or superannuation fund maintained by the company in relation to him, and (b) to be subject to the Government Pension Scheme.