- The Sri Lanka Parliamentary Election 2024 is held today (14) covering all electorates of the districts island-wide: The Election Commission ensures peaceful conduction of the polling procedure, with voters encouraged to exercise their right to vote correctly: Voters can vote for the political party they favour by placing an X mark in front of the party symbol, and cross up to three preferential numbers with an X mark, should they choose to: All other means of voting in the ballot paper will be accounted for as rejected votes: The voting procedure commences from 7 a.m. onwards, and will operate till 4 p.m.
- As Sri Lanka holds its general election, law enforcement has deployed over 90,000 personnel nationwide for security, including 64,000 police officers and 3,200 Special Task Force members, supported by 11,000 military personnel and 12,227 Civil Security members: Extensive patrols, roadblocks, and anti-riot units are in place to ensure safety at polling stations and prevent post-election violence.
- The United States lifts its security alert for Sri Lanka’s Arugam Bay following cooperation with the Sri Lankan government and enhanced local security measures: The Foreign Ministry highlights swift, coordinated actions by defence and public security agencies to ensure safety for tourists and residents: The US praises Sri Lanka’s response, reinforcing the nation’s image as a secure destination ahead of the tourist season.
- The Korean SME Association pledges support to advance Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector and expand employment, agreeing to provide technical aid and training for fishing industry growth: At a meeting with Sri Lankan officials, the association discussed training local workers for Korea’s fishing industry, aiming to boost employment prospects: The delegation was led by President Kim Chung Ryong.
- The Railways Department announces the cancellation of at least ten train services today (14) due to a shortage of drivers and assistants, with an additional 22 services also impacted: The department warns that if recruitment issues persist, more cancellations may follow, causing further inconvenience to commuters as the shortage of train drivers and controllers remains unresolved.
- The government launches an initiative allowing expatriates to obtain birth, marriage, and death certificates through seven selected embassies, including those in Kuwait, Japan, and Qatar: This pilot project, supported by an enhanced e-BMD database, will initially provide approximately 45 million records dating back to 1960: Occasional delays may occur for updated certificates.
- The Colombo Stock Exchange’s All Share Price Index (ASPI) surpasses 13,000 points on November 13, marking the first time since January 2022: The index closed at 13,125.19 after a 1.05% rise, with a 136.20-point increase and a turnover of Rs.6.9 billion, signalling renewed investor interest and market momentum.
- The new Board of Directors of Sri Lanka’s Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), chaired by Dr. Hans Wijeyasuriya, held its inaugural meeting on 13 November: The board, comprising notable industry leaders, aims to advance the country’s digital economy: Key members include experts in digital governance, software engineering, and digital transformation, focusing on enhancing national competitiveness and economic growth through technology initiatives.
- Supreme Court has been notified that the Excise Department plans to suspend the licences of five liquor manufacturers, including W.M. Mendis & Co., if they fail to settle outstanding VAT dues by November 30, 2024: This action, relayed by the Attorney General, is part of the Excise Department’s tax collection efforts.
- Fitch Ratings has affirmed the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) National Long-Term Rating at ‘BB+(lka)’ with a stable outlook, aligning it with Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating due to high government support: Fitch expects CEB’s costs to decrease with falling interest rates and recent tariff cuts, though restructuring efforts to divide its operations face potential risks dependent on the upcoming election.
