- President Wickremesinghe directs the formulation of a new Medical Act within six months with the aim of addressing shortcomings in the present Medical Ordinance and thereby provide better healthcare and protect citizens’ well-being: A high-level Committee, consisting of the Secretary of Health, Legal Draftsman, and President of the SLMC, assigned to examine the provisions of the Medical Ordinance and formulate a new Medical Act with appropriate provisions.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe to table the government’s proposals on the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in Parliament next week: The proposals will be presented with a special statement by the President: Wickremesinghe is believed to be presenting facts pertaining to the sharing of powers other than police powers under the 13A.
- Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeewan Thondaman issues a gazette notification revising the water tariffs, effective from August 01: The low-income families, including Samurdhi beneficiaries and residents of the plantation community, will not be affected by the revision.
- The Immigration/Emigration Department says only the residents of the Northern and Eastern Provinces and the Anuradhapura District will be eligible to access services from the Immigration/Emigration Office at the Vavuniya Divisional Office from today: The limitation was imposed in order to minimise the existing congestion in the regional office and provide a more efficient service to the customers.
- UNP’s Working Committee lifts the suspensions imposed on Ministers Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando and reinstates them in the Party’s Working Committee: The two were suspended by the UNP a few years back, when they decided to leave the Party and join the SJB led by Sajith Premadasa.
- Sri Lankan singer Umara Sinhawansa makes a formal apology to anyone who was offended by the way she sang the National Anthem at the opening ceremony of LPL 2023 Cricket Tournament.
- Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Roshan Ranasinghe says the distribution of land deeds for 15,000 families in the Mahaweli region will commence from the second week of August this year, as per the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe: asserts steps have been taken to provide land deeds to 20,000 families who do not possess land deeds in the Mahaweli region.
- Small plantation owners lament ‘Ceylon Tea’ and cinnamon prices are coming down rapidly, making it difficult for tea small holders and cinnamon cultivators to survive in the plantation sector: The price of a kilo of fresh tea leaf has dropped drastically to Rs 150 at present from the new high of Rs.300 a few months ago: Before the 2022 economic crisis, tea exports accounted for US$1.3 billion annually and 5% of all global tea production: The figure has dropped to its lowest level in 23 years.
- Plantation Industries and Industries Minister Ramesh Pathirana says the second Coconut Triangle would be launched in the Northern Province this year consisting of the areas of Jaffna, Mannar and Mulaitvu Districts in conjunction with World Coconut Day on September 2: adds 290 million kg of tea are planned to be exported this year.
- The Hotels Association says Sri Lanka’s golden opportunity to reposition tourism via Minimum Room Rate must not be squandered and it should not impact tourist arrivals but enhance much needed higher foreign exchange earnings: warns selling 5 star double room per night at US$ 60 net no longer acceptable pointing to DMCs only accounting for 20% of city hotels bookings while insisting higher room rate means higher contribution to Govt, hotels and economy.
