Colombo (LNW): Principals and teaches engaged in evaluating the G.C.E. Ordinary Levels Examination this year have been granted a two-day work leave on Monday (28) and Tuesday (29).

The evaluation process of the OL answer scripts was commenced on August 18 and concluded on August 27.

Earlier, OL exam evaluators demanded that an allowance of Rs. 2000 be granted, and the Subject Minister responded that he has already taken steps to address the matter.

Colombo (LNW): Inmates visitation privileges have been restored at the Galle Prison, following the measures taken to neutralise health hazard occurred due to an infection.

Accordingly, relatives of inmates at the Prison have been granted another opportunity to pay a visit, said the Prisons Department.

The prison authorities clarified that prisoners will not be removed from prison premises any longer, and measures have been taken to control the disease spread.

Earlier, visits and prison affairs were restricted due to an outbreak of Meningococcal disease, which is caused by Meningococcus bacteria.

Two inmates died due to the illness while several others were hospitalised.

Previous reports:

1. KPMG Tax and Regulatory Principal Suresh Perera says that, in line with the IMF conditions and Cabinet approval, SL authorities will be ready to impose Wealth Tax, Inheritance Tax, Gift Tax and Capital Gains Tax from 1January’25 onwards: analysts point out that such capital taxes are considered “draconian”, and have been discontinued worldwide many decades ago.
   
2. State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon says Defence authorities have ordered a crackdown on those responsible for causing deliberate forest fires: adds that fire belts will be set up at the earliest to prevent further infernos.
   
3. Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe says that the insurance company relating to the MV X-press Pearl disaster has expressed willingness to pay USD 878,000 plus LKR 16 mn for the damage caused by the X-Press: previously, several politicians had stated that Sri Lanka stands to receive around USD 6,000,000,000 (six billion US dollars) as compensation for the disaster.
   
4. State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe says that out of the 15 lakhs of beneficiaries who have been selected, the Welfare Benefits Board will disburse payments related to the month of July to the banks on Monday for the 8 lakhs of beneficiaries whose information has been confirmed correctly.
   
5. Defence Ministry spokesman says that approval has been granted for the Chinese vessel ‘Shi Yan 6’ to carry out research on Sri Lankan waters with NARA, based on a request from NARA & the Foreign Ministry.
   
6. Johnson Liu, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group of the Hambantota International Port says the HIP has joined hands with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Small Enterprises Development Division to bring about progressive change for entrepreneurs in the Hambantota District: asserts the HIPG is creating meaningful opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs in the region.
   
7. Ministry of Finance officials say the Treasury is preparing to create an Asset Management Company (Bad Loans Bank) to take over the toxic assets of the banks and ring-fence these assets for the banks to move forward: also say this proposal was approved by the last budget, but progress was very slow.
   
8. Export Development Board’s Director (Export Agriculture) Janak Badugama says the EDB is to introduce the first geographical indication (GI)-certified (Ceylon) cinnamon products to the market by October’23: asserts that achieving the certificate was a “herculean task”.
   
9. University Grants Commission Chairman Prof Sampath Amaratunga says that although there should be 12,992 university lecturers, currently there are only 6,548: laments there is a drastic brain drain and the university teachers and non-academic staff were leaving the country en masse.
   
10. Three top bowlers, Dushmantha Chameera, Wanindu Hasaranga and Lahiru Kumara, ruled out from the Asia Cup Cricket tournament, due to injuries: as the defending Asia Cup champions, Sri Lanka to meet Bangladesh on August 31 at Pallekele, Kandy.

Colombo (LNW): The National Police Commission’s (NPC) responsibility is to clean up the Police Service in Sri Lanka, and if there are officers within the Sri Lanka Police itself who file false charges against honest Police officers for the mere benefit of politicians, the NPC including its Chairperson should pay attention to such, the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) said in a statement.

Full Statement:

We are grateful to the Judiciary for acquitting four skilled, brave, honest and independent Police officers including former Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Director, Shani Abeysekara, who suffered severe injustice in a fully politicised regime. We, as the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) raised our voice about the injustice caused to them from the beginning.

Abeysekara and other officers who became the victims of a programme launched by a group of opportunists merely for their political benefits, endured great mental trauma over the past few years. They were stopped from getting their salaries and other benefits, and such incidents should never happen again.

In the name of humanity, we strongly believe that the National Police Commission will act to correct the injustice caused to these officers, and grant them the salaries and promotions they deserve at the earliest possible.

Furthermore, if there are officers within the Police Department itself who file false charges against honest Police officers to please politicians, we appeal to the NPC including its Chairman to pay attention to such, clean the Police service, and make it earn public respect again!

Sunil Jayasekara
General Secretary
National Movement for Social Justice
27.08.2023

Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka should be calling in a referendum prior to building a bridge linking India and Sri Lanka, in order to seek the public’s consent for such a move, Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said, addressing the Sunday Mass held at the National Basilica Church in Thewatta, Ragama yesterday (27).

If a bridge is to be constructed linking the two nations, it would be another event remembering that Sri Lanka is being sold out by pieces to different countries and forces, in the rulers’ stupidity leading the country towards destruction, the Cardinal noted.

He added that Sri Lanka has always been a free country and therefore, should never be slaves of any state, and stressed that the island nation was once forced by India to implement certain matters based on their opinion.

The Cardinal concluded that a referendum must be held to obtain the public opinion on building this bridge.

Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan government is committed to preserving the unitary state, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the motherland, which has been protected from one generation to another by the forefathers, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said, addressing the Sathyakriya and Adhishtana Pooja which was held for the 29th year together with several national organisations, under his patronage on Saturday (26), at Kataragama historical Kirivehera Chaithya.

The Full Statement:

“We dedicate ourselves to preserve the unitary state, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the Motherland, which has been protected from generation to generation in this holy land nourished by the blood and sweat of our forefathers.

Let’s dedicate ourselves to protect and preserve the noble Sambuddha Order and Maha Sangharatna, which was bequeathed to the nation with great honour and pride by our ancestors for more than two thousand five hundred years, and gift it to the world for its perpetuation.

Let’s protect our ancient culture, rivers, streams, lakes, water bodies, forests, animal sanctuaries, etc.

Enriched with renewable energy, we pledge to turn Sri Lanka into an environment-friendly country self-sufficient in food that could face the challenges of the climate change.

Let’s participate widely in economic innovation by ensuring the respect and safety of women and their equal participation.

We are committed to building a country in which youths are rich in knowledge, skills and positive attitudes and to create a future that guarantees new jobs and livelihood strategies.

By strengthening the democratic society, we commit ourselves to establish a mixed election system for the supreme Parliament and public representative bodies by reforming the Constitution to create a participatory democracy.

To ensure a leap forward in national economic revitalisation, we are committed to create new programs that will lead to increase production and exports by effectively using lakhs of unutilised lands, state lands and oceans across the country with people’s participation.

Together with the intellectuals and professionals, we dedicate ourselves to provide relief and facilitate capacity to rebuild for the farmers, working people, local businessmen, elderly parents, war heroes who have been affected by the current economic crisis that has collapsed and suffering from the burden of life.

Let us make a pledge to the entire nation at the historic Kataragama Kiriwehera Pooja Bhumi with determination to stand in the noble human virtues with all the people of the country.”

The Maha Sangharatna, General Secretary of the (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna) MEP, Tissa Yapa Jayawardena, Deputy Secretary, Member of Parliament Yadamini Gunawardena, Vice President, Minister of State Sisira Jayakodi, MEP activists, who traveled from various parts of the island to participate in this event.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa, State Ministers Janaka Wakkambura, Piyal Nishantha, Anupa Pasqual, Shashindra Rajapaksa, and Jagath Pushpakumara, MPs Gevindu Kumaratunga, Gayashan Navanandana, leaders of Buddhist organisations including national organisation leaders Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara, lawyer Kalyananda Thiranagama, Custodian of Kataragama Devalaya Dishan Wickremaratne, All Ceylon Buddhist Federation President Chandra Vakishta, representatives of various mass organisations and a large number of people attended the event.

Colombo (LNW): The second phase of the second school term commences today (28), announced the Education Ministry.

The second phase of the second school term will run up to October 27, 2023, the Ministry added.

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India Milinda Moragoda paid a farewell call on Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India Shri Nitin Gadkari on 24 August in New Delhi.

At the outset, High Commissioner Moragoda thanked the Indian Road Transport and Highways Minister for the cooperation that the latter extended to him during his tenure in New Delhi.

He also apprised the Minister of the references to connectivity, particularly those that are on road connectivity, in the Indo-Lanka joint document “Promoting Connectivity, Catalysing Prosperity: India-Sri Lanka Economic Partnership Vision”, which was issued following bilateral talks between the President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India in July. The High Commissioner and the Minister discussed ways and means through which the connectivity goals stipulated in the joint Vision document could be materialized.

The discussion also focussed on the cooperation in promoting alternatives to fossil fuels such as electricity and bio-fuels in the transport sector. These alternatives were seen as highly cost-effective and environment friendly, suitable to a country like Sri Lanka. The Minister spoke on the Indian experience in alternative fuels and expressed his willingness to share the relevant expertise with Sri Lanka.

High Commissioner Moragoda invited Minister Gadkari to visit Sri Lanka at a mutually convenient time, which the Minister accepted.

High Commissioner Moragoda also presented to Minister Gadkari a stone obtained from the stream flowing besides the Seetha Amman Temple in Seetha Eliya (Ashoka Vatika) in Sri Lanka, which is believed to be the site where Seetha was held captive according to the Ramayana.

Hailing from the State of Maharashtra, Shri Nitin Gadkari is the longest serving Minister for Road Transport and Highways of India currently running his tenure for over eight years since 2014. He also served as the President of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2009 to 2013. Previously, he has held the ministerial portfolios of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises; Shipping; Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation; and Rural Development & Panchayati Raj. He has authored several books as well.