- Labour Minister Manusha Nanayakkara says 900 Electric Vehicle import licences have been issued to Sri Lankans who have sent remittances through legal channels and USD 100 mn has been remitted by persons under the scheme.
- Higher Education Minister Suren Raghavan says many cases of harassment of juniors by their seniors within the universities go unreported: asserts the Govt will leave no stone unturned in its attempt to eradicate the ragging menace.
- SOE Restructuring Unit says prospective bidders for the debt-saddled SriLankan Airlines will be given more time with the Govt extending the deadline for Request for Qualification to 9th Jan’24; the previous deadline was 5th Dec’23: extension said to be in response for requests for more time by interested parties.
- Dissident SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera expresses concern over a potential 50% drop in the revenue of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation due to the entry of foreign companies into the petroleum market.
- SJB MP S M Marikkar says his party will go to the streets against the current Wickremesinghe-Pohottuwa “junta”, in Jan’24: expresses concern that the Govt is making efforts to conclude the term of the Parliament and dissolve it prematurely.
- Colombo Port City Economic Commission says 3 leading commercial banks of SL (Commercial, HNB & Sampath), have been issued “Authorised Persons” licences by the Commission.
- SL Navy conducts operations to chase Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters: operation leads to seizure of 4 Indian trawlers with 21 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Mannar and off Kankasanthurei.
- Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) learns there are around 37,000 firearms licensed in SL: asks officials of Defence Ministry to expedite the amendment of the Firearms (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 1996 and the Explosives (Amendment) Act, which have been delayed for many years.
- Former SL Cricket captain Sanath Jayasuriya is set to become a Full Time “Cricket Consultant” for SL Cricket: Jayasuriya’s role will involve “providing his insights in strategy planning, technical aspects, as well as training, coaching and overall development of the national team”.
- Former SL Cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene is set to get extension as “Consultant Coach” of the national Cricket team, despite SL’s horrendous World Cup campaign last month: the team finished 9th in the sport’s showpiece event suffering several embarrassing defeats and also failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy.
