- Minister of Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva says the loss incurred by SriLankan Airlines over the last few days due to flight delays is USD 6 mn: also says there’s no possibility to grant a salary increase to employees right now: further says it has been decided to let other airlines operate the flights of the carrier by granting them the ‘5th Freedom Rights’.
- SLPP MP Professor Ranjith Bandara says the SLPP is set to unveil the identity of the Party’s candidate for the Presidential Election 2024 at the Party Convention in November’23: also says the person has a name with 3 letters.
- NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake says plans are afoot to sell Milco, Highland and the dairy farms owned by the National Livestock Development Board to India’s Amul Diary Company: also says Cabinet approval has already been granted to sell Milco while a Cabinet Paper has been finalised to sell Highland: further says NLDB’s dairy farms in Adigama, Ridiyagama, Narammala & Polonnaruwa are also included.
- Central Bank says Exports in August’23 has recorded USD 1.12 bn, which is a decline of 8.7% YOY compared to USD 1.22 bn in August’22: Imports also declined 4% YOY to USD 1.43 bn in August’23, compared to USD 1.49 bn in August’22.
- Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella says a decision has been taken to halt the emergency purchasing of medicinal drugs, with immediate effect.
- Technology State Minister Kanaka Herath confirms that the tender to build the platform for SL’s digital national identity card project will be refloated after the Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee disqualified the 2 Indian companies that had submitted bids.
- State Minister for SME Development Prasanna Ranaweera says SL will work with the SME Foundation of Bangladesh to implement joint ventures.
- Electricity Consumers’ Association lament that the Public Utilities Commission does not intervene sufficiently to prevent the Ministry of Power & Energy and CEB from violating policies regarding electricity tariffs: also accuses the Govt of violating policies that govern the rights of the electricity consumers.
- State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says the Ministry is planning to recruit a group of Assistant Customs Superintendents and Customs Inspectors to increase the active contribution of young & talented officials to prevent tax evasion: also says the Govt had increased its revenue by 50% thus far this year, compared to the same period last year, although the progress is still not sufficient.
- Sri Lanka’s Mixed Relay team comes second in the Mixed 4x400m event at the Asian Games, currently being worked off in China: however, the team has been denied the Silver Medal as it has been disqualified in the event due to a lane infringement.
