- Speakers at a “closed-door” IMF event say the IMF set targets in its ongoing SL programme could lead to another default: Veritas’ Dr Nishan de Mel says the IMF must place a focus on governance issues in SL: Transparency International’s
Nadishani Perera asserts that high levels of corruption hinders SL’s development and calls upon International Financial Institutions to insist on governance reforms. - Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s office says the Dept of Pension officials have stated that the Dept will have to face a financial crisis in paying pensions by the year 2028 or 2030.
- Higher Education State Minister Dr Suren Ragavan says his Ministry will “monitor” university hostels at night to prevent incidents of ragging by senior students: Inter-University Students’ Federation & Federation of University Teachers’ Associations say that decision would create turmoil between university students & law enforcement authorities.
- Senior Consultant Physician Dr Ananda Wijewickrama says the potential spread of viral infections can be attributed to the fluctuation in temperature & change in weather conditions: warns that ignoring medical attention could lead to dangerous consequences.
- Elections Commission requests the Ministry of Finance to allocate Rs.11bn from the Budget 2024 for the Presidential Election to be held in 2024: EC Chairman R M A L Rathnayake saye it’s a general practice for the EC to request the Finance Ministry to allocate funds from the budget for a particular year, if an election is scheduled for that year.
- Top Opposition spokesperson Professor G L Peiris says Justice Minister Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s attempt to introduce a new system for electing MPs is a “politically motivated project to sabotage national elections”: asserts such an exercise couldn’t be justified under any circumstances at a time the PC and LG polls, too, had been put off indefinitely.
- PM Dinesh Gunawardena calls for a Party Leaders’ meeting in Parliament to discuss proposed amendments to election laws, including a proposal to elect 160 MPs from constituencies and the other 65 MPs through the Proportional Representation system.
- SL’s tourism industry welcomes 50,395 tourists in the first 15 days of October’23: sets a positive trend for the monthly target of 147,789 arrivals: cumulative arrivals for 2023 so far, exceeds 1.06 mn.
- Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith files a Petition before the Supreme Court challenging the Online Safety Bill.
- SL loses its ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Australia by 5 wickets: SL – 209 (43.3overs) K Perera 78: AUS – 215/5 (35.2 overs) Madushanka 38/3.
