- Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardene says the Cabinet has approved a proposal to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Mechanism in Sri Lanka based on the South African experience: also says Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa and Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabri had visited South Africa to study South Africa’s T & R Commission.
- IMF’s Deputy MD Kenji Okamura to visit Sri Lanka for a 2-day official visit and hold talks with President, Finance Ministry officials, and CB officials: State Ministry of Finance says discussions with Okamura will be on “recent trends in Sri Lanka’s economic program, opportunities to empower the economy in the future, and ways to minimize obstacles and delays”: analysts say Okamura’s visit and agenda confirms the point raised by many persons that Sri Lanka’s economy is now under the management of the IMF
- State Minister of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe says an agreement has been signed to extend the USD 1,000 mn assistance scheme from India for a further year, as USD 423mn from the allocated sum has been unused.
- Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena says the Govt can’t fund the “Sisu
Seriya” school bus service any more: also says the Govt will bear only
70% of the cost, and that parents will have to bear the balance. - Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong assures that China will stand by Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, political independence and socio-economic development: also assures that China will increase investments in agriculture,
trade & commerce, ports, and infrastructure development in Sri Lanka. - SJB issues “Show cause” letters to Badulla District MP Vadivel Suresh and
Kalutara District MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne for defying a directive to be present
in Parliament when a vote was taken on the Govt’s proposal to remove the PUC
Chairman Janaka Ratnayake. - Commissioner General of Examinations says he expects to release the results of the GCE Advanced Level Examinations (2022) in August 2023.
- MP Dilan Perera of the Nidahasa Janatha Sabawa alleges that Pastor Jerome Fernando and Natasha Edirisooriya are actors in a drama orchestrated by the Govt to distract people from the real issues faced by the masses: says such issues distract the people from key issues such as inflation, X-Press Pearl compensation and cheap drugs that have made scores of people blind.
- Cabinet spokesperson Minister Bandula Gunawardena says the Cabinet has
granted approval to recommence the Colombo Light Rail Transit project, which was abandoned by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa: the project is said to be funded by a massive loan of about USD 2 billion from Japan: Gunawardene also says the move will “restore Sri Lanka’s credibility within the international community”. - Sri Lanka Cricket announces the 16-member squad for the first two matches of the One-Day International Cricket series against Afghanistan: Test Captain Dimuth Karunaratne, 20-year old IPL pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera included in the squad.
