Colombo (LNW): Former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has settled Rs. 15 million as compensation for the victims of the April 2019 Easter Sunday massacre.
Settling the said amount, the ex President said he will be able to settle the balance payment in instalments until the full amount ordered to be paid by the Supreme Court, Rs. 100 million, is met.
Ahead of the deadline on July 12, Sirisena paid Rs. 15 million as compensation on June 28, 2023, and filed a motion requesting that he be allowed to pay the balance in 10 instalments of Rs. 8.5 million from June 30, 2024 to June 20 June 2033.
Providing rationale for his capacity to settle the full compensation to the victims, Sirisena through his lawyers explained that he receives a pension of Rs. 97,500 as the former Head of State, alongside a salary of Rs. 54,285 as a Member of Parliament, and therefore, will be able to settle the full amount of Rs. 100 million within the aforementioned period.
On January 12, 2023, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ruled that the ex President, alongside former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, former Head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Nilantha Jayawardena and former Head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Sisira Mendis, has violated the fundamental rights of the people by failing to take action to prevent the Easter Sunday Massacre, which took away more than 270 lives on April 21, 2019 via a series of suicide bomb attacks, despite receiving sufficient intelligence on the threat. The Bench had ordered the former President to pay Rs. 100 million, the ex IGP and the ex SIS Chief to pay Rs. 75 million each, the ex Defence Secretary Rs. 50 million and the ex NIS Chief Rs. 10 million from their personal money.
The order was produced by the seven-member Supreme Court Bench, considering 12 Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed by a number of parties claiming that their fundamental rights were violated via the negligence and failure to avert the attacks.
Colombo (LNW): India’s Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Ministry of Defence a short while ago, confirmed the President’s Media Division (PMD).
The Indian Foreign Secretary’s arrival in Sri Lanka aims at making the necessary arrangements for the Sri Lankan Head of State’s visit to New Delhi, India later this month.
Colombo (LNW): The government has taken a significant step towards state-owned enterprise reform with the appointment of transaction advisors for the divestiture of 7 identified entities. The decision is in line with the policy directive set by the government and aims to ensure effective and transparent divestiture of key entities.
Under the leadership of the president, a proposal was presented to the cabinet of ministers and subsequently approved. To ensure a successful process of divestiture the government decided to seek expert advice from the transaction advisors.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the appointment of The International Finance Corporation (IFC) a member of the World Bank Group for the divestiture of Sri Lankan Airlines Limited, Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC and Sri Lanka Telecom PLC.
The appointment of advisors for the remaining 4 entities, namely Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Ltd (SLIC), Hotel Developers Lanka Ltd (Hilton), Canwill Holdings (Pvt) Ltd (Hyatt) and Litro Gas (Pvt) Ltd (Litro, including Litro Gas Terminals (Pvt) Ltd) was carried out through a competitive bidding process following Government’s Consultant Procurement Guidelines. Both local and international advisors submitted proposals, which were evaluated by a Special Cabinet Appointed Consultants Procurement Committee, appointed by the Cabinet. Following the procurement process, the committee recommended the appointment of transaction advisors as follows:
Litro Gas (Pvt) Ltd (Litro, including Litro Gas Terminals (Pvt) Ltd): Deloitte India has been appointed as the transaction advisor.
Canwill Holdings(Pvt) Ltd (Hyatt): Deloitte India has been appointed as the transaction advisor.
Hotel Developers Lanka Ltd (Hilton): Colliers Singapore and Platinum Advisors has been appointed as the transaction advisor.
Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation Ltd (SLIC): Alvarez & Marsal and Capital Alliance Partners has been appointed as the transaction advisor.
These recommendations were approved by the Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting held on Monday 10th July. The agreements with respect to these appointments will be concluded shortly setting the stage for the next phase of the divestiture process including investor engagement.
The government believes that the appointment of these expert transaction advisors ensures efficient and transparent divestiture process. By leveraging their expertise, the government is working towards the successful transition of these entities which promotes economic growth and sustainability.
01. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says the MPs of the SJB and its allied parties will be dropping themselves out from the Parliament Select Committee chaired by SLPP Secretary General Sagara Kariyawasam appointed to probe the bankruptcy status of Sri Lanka: NPP MP Vijitha Herath was the first to announce that he will be withdrawing from the Committee.
02. President Ranil Wickremesinghe issues an Extraordinary Gazette (2340/03) announcing the collection of the census of population and housing in Sri Lanka for the years 2023 and 2024: The gazette issued by the virtue of the powers vested in the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies, by Section 02 of the Census Ordinance (Chapter 143).
03. Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara issues an Extraordinary Gazette on the petroleum products licensing regulations for the import, export, selling or supplying petroleum products in SL: The gazette issued in compliance with Section 07 of the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act, No. 33 of 2002 read with Sections 05 and 06 of that Act on the advice and recommendation of the Committee appointed under Section 03 of that Act: Applies to an applicant and any person or body of persons issued with a licence under these regulations to import, export, sell, supply or distribute petroleum in the country under Section 05 of the Act.
04. Foreign Minister Ali Sabry says SL is likely to discuss energy, power and port projects during a presidential visit to New Delhi next week; adds SL will now focus on grid connectivity between the two countries, port development and renewable energy projects, largely in the northern part of the island, when President Ranil Wickremesinghe visits India from July 21 for two days.
05. 08 SLFP MPs whose party memberships have been suspended summoned to the Party’s Central Working Committee on July 14: These MPs are Nimal Siripala De Silva, Duminda Dissanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Jagath Pushpakumara, Surendra Raghavan, Chamara Sampath Dissanayake and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.
06. Education Minister Susil Premjayanth vows the country’s education system will undergo an educational transformation and essential measures will be taken to produce students who are prepared for the twenty-first century; adds human resources will be managed for that purpose and education will be reformatted in accordance with worldwide standards in order to produce a sustainable and high-quality education.
07. The Appeal Court issues notices to the members of the PCoI on Political Victimisation, including its Chairman ex SC Justice Upali Abeyratne, to lay down facts pertaining to a petition filed by ex CID Director Shani Abeysekara alleging the breach of a pledge made before the Court: Abeysekara claims that he had received summons from the PCoI to testify in relation to a complaint made by Avant Garde Chief Nissanka Senadhipathi and he, therefore, filed a writ petition against it; adds the attorney who represented the PCoI pledged before the Court that he would not act against Abeysekara regarding Senadhipathi’s complaint until his petition is heard, but the PCoI report includes several recommendations against him.
08. Finance State Minister Shehan Semasinghe assures all deserving individuals who require will be included in the “Aswesuma” Welfare Benefit Scheme: adds 968,000 appeals and 17,500 objections received on the Scheme and asserts district secretaries will commence assessment on theses appeals and objections to make accurate determinations.
09. The Child Protection Alliance addressing a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe raises strong concerns regarding the continuous direct activity with children by Ven. Pahalagama Somarathana, Chief Prelate of Vidyaravinda Pirivena, Pahalagama, Gampaha, who is a convicted child molester: Somarathana Thera was convicted to serve 07 years in prison for child sexual abuse on June 01, 2012 by Ilsworth Crown Court in the UK.
10. Crudiazeylanica, or what the locals called ‘Sri Lanka Laguma’, an ancient tree located in Daraluwa, Veyangoda area for over 100 years, was reported to have been removed in secrecy: A group of people had used backhoes to remove the tree, despite many protests of environmentalists when it was planned to be cut down during the construction of the Colombo – Kandy Expressway.
Colombo (LNW): The Child Protection Alliance addressing a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe raised strong concerns regarding the continuous direct activity with children by Ven. Pahalagama Somarathana, Chief Prelate of Vidyaravinda Pirivena, Pahalagama, Gampaha, who is a convicted child molester.
Somarathana Thera was convicted to serve seven years in prison for child sexual abuse on June 01, 2012 by Ilsworth Crown Court in the United Kingdom, the Alliance wrote, reminding that the Thera lost his appeal, and the conviction was upheld but the sentence was later reduced to six years in June 2013.
“The 65-year-old was jailed for seven years and was put on the Sex Offenders Register for life. The judge also told Somarathana that he must never work with children again,” the group quoted the Court verdict.
The Child Protection Alliance also revealed that Somarathana Thera is now living in Sri Lanka as the Chief Prelate of Vidyaravinda Pirivena, Pahalagama, Gampaha, and works knowingly and directly with children, in what the group described as a deliberate violation of the Court’s orders.
Child protection being a national crisis in Sri Lanka with child abuse being the second highest grave crime reported by the Police, the Child Protection Alliance urged the President to shed his attention on this matter, and take urgent action to protect and promote the rights of vulnerable children, the true beneficiaries of the future before the religious privileges of a convicted child sex offender.
Colombo (LNW): Finance State Minister Sehan Semasinghe said the government will ensure that all deserving individuals who require assistance will be included to the “Aswesuma” Welfare Benefit Scheme.
In a tweet, the State Minister emphasised that 968,000 appeals and 17,500 objections have been received on the Scheme, and asserted that district secretaries will commence assessment on theses appeals and objections to make accurate determinations.
“District secretaries will commence assessments of 968’000 appeals & 17’500 objections received for “Aswesuma” to make accurate determinations. The govt will ensure that all deserving individuals who require assistance will be included to the Aswesuma welfare benefit scheme,” Semasinghe wrote.
District secretaries will commence assessments of 968’000 appeals & 17’500 objections received for “Aswesuma” to make accurate determinations. The govt will ensure that all deserving individuals who require assistance will be included to the Aswesuma welfare benefit scheme pic.twitter.com/Ht6WxvMsmr
A delegation from the Australian Border Force led by the Commander Joint Agency Task Force Operation Sovereign Borders of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Rear Admiral Justin Jones called on Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera at the Navy Headquarters in Colombo yesterday (10).
During the ensuing discussion, they exchanged views on matters of bilateral importance, focusing on the efforts of the Sri Lanka Navy and Australian Border Force in stopping illegal people smuggling by boat to Australia as well as public awareness programmes being held in this regard. The cordial discussion drew to a close with an exchange of mementoes as a gesture of goodwill and cooperation.
In the joint media release issued by the Australian Border Force, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Police, Commander of the Navy said people were still being lured to part with their hard earned savings and falsely believe that an illegal maritime journey will work. That was why educating communities on both the pitfalls as well as the legal pathway is vital to stemming the flow, he further added.
The Defence Adviser at the High Commission of Australia in Colombo, Captain Ian Cain, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Navy and Director General Operations, Rear Admiral Pradeep Rathnayake and a group of senior officers from the Navy Headquarters were also present on this occasion.
Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Rupee indicates stability against the US Dollar in comparison to yesterday, as revealed by leading commercial banks in the country today (11).
At Peoples Bank, the buying price of the US Dollar has increased to Rs. 304.61 from Rs. 303.63, and the selling price has decreased to Rs. 319.59 from Rs. 321.60.
At Commercial Bank, the buying price of the US Dollar has increased to Rs. 304.61 from Rs. 303.85, and the selling price remains unchanged at Rs. 317.
At Sampath Bank, the buying price and the selling price of the US Dollar remains unchanged at Rs. 302 and Rs. 317, respectively.
Colombo (LNW): Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa said the MPs of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and its allied parties in the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya will be dropping themselves out from the Parliament Select Committee (PSC) recently appointed to investigate the bankruptcy status of Sri Lanka.
The Committee chaired by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Secretary General Sagara Kariyawasam was subject to immediate backlash from the moment it was appointed, in the backdrop where several members, including the Chairperson himself, were some of the direct respondents to the very bankruptcy against which they appointed to investigate.
National People’s Power (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath was the first to announce that he will be withdrawing from the committee.
The SJB had earlier slammed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena for appointing the SLPP Secretary General as the Chairperson of the PSC to investigate the country’s economic crash.
The Speaker appointed Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, MPs D.V. Chanaka, Vijitha Herath, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Eran Wickramaratne, Ashok Abeysinghe, Jayantha Ketagoda, Harshana Rajakaruna, (Dr.) Major Pradeep Undugoda, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam and (Prof.) Ranjith Bandara as the members of the PSC.
Colombo (LNW): The Court of Appeal yesterday (10) issued notices to the members of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on Political Victimisation, including its Chairperson, ex Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne, to lay down facts pertaining to a petition filed by Shani Abeysekara, ex Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) alleging the breach of a pledge made before the Court.
This was when the case was taken up before the Appeal Court Bench comprising Chair Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice A. Marikkar yesterday.
The Bench ordered the Chairperson of the said PCoI established during the previous Good Governance Regime to produce facts pertaining to the petition by Abeysekara on September 11, 2023.
The aggrieved party claimed in his petition that he had received summons from the PCoI to testify in relation to a complaint made by Nissanka Senadhipathi, Chairman of Avant Garde Maritime Company, and he, therefore, filed a writ petition before the Appeal Court against it.
When the petition was taken up, the attorney who represented the members of the PCoI made a pledge before the Court that he would not act against Abeysekara regarding the complaint by Senadhipathi until his petition is heard, the ex CID Director further stated in his petition.
However, the report produced by the PCoI on Political Victimisation containing the recommendations and findings on which the Commission was appointed to investigate includes several recommendations against him, Abeysekara revealed, thereby demanding the Appeal Court that a verdict be given that the members of the PCoI have disobeyed the Court orders and disrespected the Judiciary through their actions.
