Starting from August 1, the Health Ministry’s Medical Administration Service and other executive grade officers will be required to use fingerprint machines to record their daily arrival and departure. The circular announcing this mandatory measure was issued by Health Ministry Additional Secretary Geethamani C. Karunaratne and forwarded to all Additional Secretaries, the Director General of Health Services, and all Chief Financial Officers.

Specifically, the officers of the Medical Administration Service and other executive grade officials who receive additional duty allowances must utilize the fingerprint machines for attendance tracking. This decision comes as a result of a Cabinet directive aimed at ensuring accurate payment of allowances to officials engaged in additional duties within the Health Ministry.

The Lotus Tower, standing tall as South Asia’s highest tower, has achieved a significant milestone by welcoming one million visitors since its public opening on September 15, 2022. The momentous occasion was marked on Wednesday (26) as the millionth ticket was sold, and a lucky family from Wilgamuwa, Matale, won a cash prize of Rs. 150,000 and other rewards worth around 50,000 rupees.

Among the one million visitors, 22,000 were foreigners, highlighting its appeal as a tourist attraction. The Chief Executive Officer of the Lotus Tower Management Private Company, Major General (retired) Prasad Samarasinghe, expressed his delight at the overwhelming response.

Apart from ticket sales, the Lotus Tower generates substantial income by offering services to various institutions located within the tower. Major General Samarasinghe revealed that the second and third phases of the Lotus Tower project, currently in progress, are expected to be completed by December.

The tower, sprawling over an area of 30,600 square meters and towering at 350 meters, provides visitors with a unique opportunity to spend 30 minutes on its seventh floor, offering breathtaking views of prominent landmarks such as Sigiriya, Adam’s Peak, and Knuckles Range. The Lotus Tower remains open to both local and foreign tourists, promising continued allure to visitors from all corners of the globe.

Emphasizes Government’s Support While Ensuring Commission’s Full Authority and International Accountability Process

During a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (26), Mr. Ali Sabri, Minister of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the significance of establishing a Truth-Seeking Commission to address the ethnic problem’s impact on affected communities. He stressed that the commission should operate independently, with the government’s role limited to providing necessary support and facilities.

Once established through an act, the truth-seeking commission will be granted full authority. To promote its implementation, Minister Ali Sabri announced the organization of international forums. The Cabinet-approved Interim Secretariat is expected to lay the groundwork for expediting the commission’s operations.

Minister Ali Sabri Briefed Trade Unions and Civil Organizations on the Truth-Finding Commission at a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

The Minister acknowledged the importance of an internationally recognized accountability process and assured that the government is committed to creating such a mechanism. He pledged to take all essential steps to instil confidence in the truth-seeking commission.

Mr. Saman Ratnapriya, Director General of Trade Unions to President Wickremesinghe, also expressed his views during the discussion. He pointed out that the three-decade-long war had caused extensive damage throughout the country as a whole, and there is a pressing need for a thorough investigation.

He noted that previous commissions’ proposals on this matter were not adequately implemented, leading to the consideration of models from countries like South Africa to devise a suitable mechanism for Sri Lanka. Mr. Ratnapriya emphasized that informing society about the commission and garnering support for its implementation is vital to prevent the country from facing further difficulties.

Also addressing the event, Mr. Asanga Gunawansa, the Director General of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, drew attention to Singapore’s remarkable transformation into a developed country through reconciliation, two decades after gaining independence.

He underscored that reconciliation is an indispensable factor for Sri Lanka’s own development. Mr. Gunawansa highlighted the commission’s potential to create an environment where the unfortunate past would not be repeated.

To support the establishment of this commission and contribute to a locally effective and internationally recognized mechanism, three divisions have been set up: the Interim Secretariat, Legal and Policy Division, and Public Relations Division, along with the Information Technology Division. The event witnessed the participation of numerous representatives from trade unions and civil organizations.

The best foreign policy of independent Sri Lanka is being implemented in the present era, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said.

The State Minister further noted that Sri Lanka would gain greatly in the future as a result of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s non-aligned foreign policy and his strong cooperation with all countries.

He expressed these views yesterday (26) during a press conference themed ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’ held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC).

State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya further commented; 

Some earlier governments were accused for maintaining close relationships with China while some were accused for maintaining close ties with the West. Today, such accusations are not made due to the foreign policy of the current government and strong foreign relationships maintained.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe follows a non-aligned foreign policy. The close relationship with our neighbour India is very important for us as a country. It will provide strong support for the nation’s future growth.

During President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent visit to India, it was possible to improve the relationship with India. Additionally, there are advantageous aspects between the two nations in terms of investments as well as development projects. 

85% of the containers destined for this country go to India. Therefore, we may benefit economically if we negotiate with India and expand the ports that are already in place. Also, a direct ferry service between the two countries as well as the improvement of the Palali airport are under discussion.

Attention has also been focused on making Sri Lanka an energy hub. It will be discussed on how to develop offshore wind energy, solar energy and green energy in the future. Modernizing the Trincomalee Oil Tank Complex and enhancing trade between the two nations have also received attention.

 The President is scheduled visit China and a number of countries in the future. We should also improve our relations with regionally powerful countries.

Until now, only policies to develop political relations with countries were implemented through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But in the same way, the government is currently focusing on how to develop economic and social relations with other countries in the world.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is working closely with all countries through a non-aligned foreign policy. We have been successful in obtaining international support as a country. The current foreign policy can be called the best era of foreign relations in Sri Lanka’s history. This makes it possible for the country to grow while maintaining close ties with the international community.

PMD

The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has issued an order restricting a dozen members of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) from staging demonstrations or protest marches in certain parts of Colombo until 10.00 a.m. on Saturday (July 29).

The court’s directive specifically prohibits FSP activist Duminda Nagamuwa and 11 others from conducting protests near critical locations such as the National Hospital Complex, Health Square, National Eye Hospital, and other healthcare institutions.

The Foreign Affairs Minister of Japan, Hayashi Yoshimasa, is set to arrive in Sri Lanka tonight (July 28) for a two-day official visit, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

During his stay, Minister Hayashi will engage in bilateral discussions with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ali Sabry at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo. Additionally, he will pay courtesy calls on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Accompanying Minister Hayashi will be a delegation consisting of key officials from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, including Murakami Manabu (Senior Foreign Policy Coordinator), Arima Yutaka (Director General of Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs), Endo Kazuya (Director General International Cooperation), and Okano Yukiko (Deputy Press Secretary).

The delegation’s agenda also includes a visit to one of the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) sites in Sri Lanka, showcasing Japan’s commitment to supporting development projects in the country.

In a separate historic event, President of France Emmanuel Macron is also planning to undertake a brief visit to Sri Lanka on the same evening. During his visit, President Macron will meet with Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and addressing shared regional and global challenges.

President Macron, accompanied by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna and a high-level delegation from the French Government, is currently on an official visit to the Pacific region, traveling to Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea before arriving in Sri Lanka.

State Minister of Provincial Councils & Local Government, Janaka Wakkumbura, revealed plans to fully map all roads belonging to local government (LG) institutions by the year 2025. Speaking at a press conference themed ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’ held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) on Thursday (July 27), the state minister stated that a special gazette notification would be published following the completion of the road mapping process.

This initiative, implemented after 36 years, aims to identify the roads under the purview of relevant local government bodies. In the first phase, a total of 49,200 roads in the North-Western Province have already been marked. The mapping of roads covering a distance of up to 21,000km is being carried out at a rate of Rs. 102 per kilometer.

To address areas without local government-owned bridges, the state minister announced the construction of 160 new Bridge Kits, with 22 Bridge Kits already under construction. The ‘Regional Bridge Kits Project’ has been allocated a budget of Rs. 5,000 million for this year, and a total of Rs. 14,112 million has been earmarked for the project, which is scheduled for completion and public use by 2024.

Wakkumbura also mentioned that the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the Delimitation Committee has been put on hold to avoid impacting the reconciliation process and creating further disarray among local government bodies due to the presentation of facts in the document.

On Thursday, Kuwait carried out the execution of five prisoners, including a Sri Lankan drug dealer and an inmate involved in the 2015 bombing of a Shiite mosque, which claimed 27 lives and was attributed to the Islamic State group.

The executions were conducted at the Central Prison, as confirmed by Kuwait’s Public Prosecution in an official statement. Among the five inmates were Abdulrahman Sabah Idan, the individual convicted for the mosque attack, three individuals convicted of murder, and a Sri Lankan national sentenced for drug-related offenses. Notably, one of the convicted murderers was Egyptian, and the other was of Kuwaiti nationality.