Minister of Urban Development and Housing Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga instructed the Ministry Secretary recently (10) at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Urban Development and Housing, to consult with the relevant parties and take a decision regarding the abandoned unfinished buildings in Colombo municipal area. Accordingly, the minister informed to take steps to submit those recommendations to the cabinet.

The Minister instructed this when the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Urban Development and Housing, chaired by the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga, State Ministers, Hon. Arundika Fernando and the Hon. Thenuka Widanagamage, met in Parliament recently (10).

Here, the State Minister Hon. Arundika Fernando pointed out that in Colombo area with high commercial value, abandoned and unfinished buildings such as ‘Krish’ and ‘Hyatt’ are causing a lot of damage. Therefore, it was emphasized in the committee that immediate action should be taken in this regard.

Meanwhile, Minister Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga instructed to the officials to follow some relief program due to the current economic crisis, in collecting the installments from the people who bought the houses of the Housing Development Authority. The minister also advised to take the concessional measures so as not to harm the financial sector of the authority.

The Minister also instructed the officials to arrange for the immediate release of the land belonging to the Coastal Conservation Department (CCD), which can be used for the advancement of the tourism industry, to the relevant investors within the legal framework. It was discussed that it is necessary to provide land for temporary construction for the tourism industry while keeping the right of the land with the department and Bali Islands in Indonesia is a good example for that.

Parliament of Sri Lanka @ParliamentLK @slparliament Parliament of Sri Lanka Accordingly, the Minister also instructed to contact the Ministry of Investment Promotion and carry out related activities.

Members of Parliament Hon. Chandima Weerakkodi, Hon. Upul Mahendra Rajapaksa, Hon. Gunathilaka Rajapaksa, Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumitrarachchi, Hon. Manjula Dissanayake and Hon. Jagath Samarawickrama as well as officers of the institutions under the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing also participated in this meeting.

1. Govt sources say the first tranche of approximately USD 330 mn will be received from the IMF on 22nd March 2023 once the IMF Board approves the 4-year USD 2.9 bn bail-out package on 20th March: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa first sought IMF assistance on 18th March 2022.
2. President Ranil Wickremesinghe says debt service to any external creditor will take place only after the creditors agree to the debt treatment plan in line with the IMF-supported programme: reiterates commitment to “comparable treatment to all external creditors”
3. Past President and Director of the Chartered Financial Analysts Society Ravi Abeysuriya says the tendency for the LKR to depreciate is very high when the IMF lifts the import controls: LKR crashes from 328.87 to 335.69 against the USD in a single day, recording a massive depreciation of Rs.6.82 (2.1%): analysts expect the LKR to plummet further.
4. Chief Prelate of the Malwatte Chapter Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera and the Chief Prelate of the Asgiri Chapter Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanaratana Thera say the Govt must take immediate steps to hold the LG elections: warn that a great deal of dissatisfaction is building up in society as a result of the uncertainty surrounding the post-ponement of the elections.
5. Special CID team bring back notorious drug dealers & wanted criminals Nadun Chinthaka alias “Harak Kata” and Salindu Malshika alias “Kudu Salindu” to the island from Madagascar.
6. Former State Finance Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal says the present highly damaging economic contraction is demonstrated by the massive reduction in fuel consumption from Jan’22 to Jan’23: also says the “QR code” rationing scheme is now meaningless as people can’t afford to buy even the rationed quantity: as per the Energy Ministry, consumption of diesel down 54%, petrol down 35%, and kerosene down 75%.
7. Top Nidahas Janatha Sandhanaya Spokesman and former Foreign Minister Professor G L Peiris asserts that President Ranil Wickremesinghe would not have challenged the Judiciary without the backing from the ruling SLPP.
8. Professionals’ Trade Union Alliance representing over 30 multi-sectoral trade unions scheduled to stage a 24-hour token strike today: sectors include power, water, education, medical, banking, postal, ports and railways: strike said to be against the electricity tariff hike and “unfair” tax policy.
9. Cabinet Spokesman says the Govt intends to present an anti-corruption bill in the coming days, at the request of the IMF which has urged Sri Lanka to reduce corruption vulnerabilities through improving fiscal transparency and public financial management, introducing a stronger anti-corruption legal framework, and conducting an in-depth governance diagnostic.
10. SLPP Rebel MP and former Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa says the new Central Bank Bill seems to be designed to create a parallel unelected Govt which is only responsible to the IMF instead of being accountable to Parliament.

It is reported that the 8 people, including Nandun Chintaka alias Harak Kata and Salindu Malshika alias Kudu Salindu, who were arrested in Madagascar by the country’s security forces, were brought to the island this morning (15).

A team of Criminal Investigation Department officials had recently gone to Madagascar to bring them to Sri Lanka.

Harak Kata and Kudu Salindu are accused criminal suspects who are the main drug traffickers and underworld leaders in the country.

A committee will be formed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to identify suitable government hospitals as teaching hospitals to provide clinical training for Medical Students enrolled at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Dr. Neville Fernando Hospital, Lyceum Campus and other universities in Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala, and Polonnaruwa, without hampering the training of students in State Universities.

Accordingly, State Minister of Health Dr. Seetha Arambepola will be appointed as the Chairperson of the aforementioned Committee, while other appointed members will include Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. R.M. Saman Kusumsiri Ratnayake, Additional Secretary (Medical Services) of the Ministry of Health Dr. A.K.S. de Alwis, Chairman – University Grant Commission Senior Prof. Sampath Amarathunga, Senior Consultant Surgeon Prof. Mohan de Silva, Professor in Surgery, Faculty of Medicine USJP Prof. Bawantha Gamage, Senior Consultant Orthopaedics & Trauma Surgeon Dr. Narendra Pinto, Dean -, Faculty of Medicine – KDU Prof. Namal Wijesinghe, President of SLMC Prof. Vajira Dissanayake, President of GMOA Dr. Darshana Sirisena, Executive Director -, University Hospital KDU Prof. J. Balawardane and Director Nursing (Medical Service) – Ministry of Health Mrs. R.L.S. Samanmali.

The Committee will be responsible for studying, reviewing and identifying suitable government hospitals to function as Teaching Hospitals to provide clinical training for Medical Students enrolled at the KDU, Dr. Neville Fernando Hospital, Lyceum Campus and other universities in Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Polonnaruwa. The Committee is also expected to make recommendations for the necessary developments to upgrade the hospitals identified for the provision of such training and submit a report on the findings and recommendations of the Committee within a period of eight (08) weeks.

President’s Media Division

Despite the strike being called by many trade unions, 13 office trains will run today (15) morning, says the Presidential Media Division.

A statement issued by them states that the police will also provide the necessary security for that.

Today (15) the massive strike by 40 trade unions including health, port, petroleum and electricity will be held against the tax levied on wages.

The Federation of Professional Unions has said that all services across the island will be paralyzed due to this strike.

Postal unions say they will join the strike even though it was gazetted last night as an essential service.

Many railway unions had announced that they would start the strike from midnight yesterday.

Also, the trade unions have announced that school teachers and principals will also go on strike today.

The unions say that the staff of all divisional secretariats and district secretariats also support the strike and the unions of Ceylon Electricity Board will take sick leave today and join the action.

Many health trade unions, including the Government Medical Officers Association, are on strike across the island today, and the port trade unions have also said that they will completely stop work at the port today.

Meanwhile, several trade unions in these fields have announced that they will not join the strike.

Colombo (LNW): A committee will be formed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to identify suitable government hospitals as teaching hospitals to provide clinical training for Medical Students enrolled at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), Dr. Neville Fernando Hospital, Lyceum Campus and other universities in Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Polonnaruwa, without hampering the training of students in State Universities.

Accordingly, State Minister of Health Dr. Seetha Arambepola will be appointed as the Chairperson of the aforementioned Committee, while other appointed members will include Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. R.M. Saman Kusumsiri Ratnayake, Additional Secretary (Medical Services) of the Ministry of Health Dr. A.K.S. de Alwis, Chairman – University Grant Commission Senior Prof. Sampath Amarathunga, Senior Consultant Surgeon Prof. Mohan de Silva, Professor in Surgery, Faculty of Medicine USJP Prof. Bawantha Gamage, Senior Consultant Orthopaedics & Trauma Surgeon Dr. Narendra Pinto, Dean -, Faculty of Medicine – KDU Prof. Namal Wijesinghe, President of SLMC Prof. Vajira Dissanayake, President of GMOA Dr. Darshana Sirisena, Executive Director -, University Hospital KDU Prof. J. Balawardane and Director Nursing (Medical Service) – Ministry of Health Mrs. R.L.S. Samanmali.

The Committee will be responsible for studying, reviewing and identifying suitable government hospitals to function as Teaching Hospitals to provide clinical training for Medical Students enrolled at the KDU, Dr. Neville Fernando Hospital, Lyceum Campus and other universities in Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Polonnaruwa. The Committee is also expected to make recommendations for the necessary developments to upgrade the hospitals identified for the provision of such training and submit a report on the findings and recommendations of the Committee within a period of eight (08) weeks.

By: Isuru Parakrama

Colombo (LNW): Credit card issues have lifted the threshold limits on overseas spending in response to the recent foreign currency liquidity improvement, making it possible for those travelling overseas to spend more.

The credit card threshold was limited amidst the worsening economic crisis last year, and banks had imposed daily limits on overseas card usage to prevent foreign currency from being flown out.

However, the recent liquidity conditions on forex in the local banking sector have led to the lifting of these limits, making it possible for travellers to spend more.

By: Staff writer

Colombo (LNW): India and Sri Lanka has agreed to expedite the completion of the  housing project for the benefit of workers living in plantation areas.   

High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay and Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeevan Thondaman exchanged diplomatic notes, paving way for a three-fold increase in unit cost of a house under Phase-3 of Indian Housing Project (IHP).

This step would now enable expeditious completion of Phase-3 of IHP, under which 4000 houses are being constructed through grant assistance by Government of India (GOI) in plantation areas of Sri Lanka, spread across 7 Districts in Central, Uva and Southern Provinces.

Close to 46,000 houses were built in different parts of Sri Lanka under the first two phases of IHP. Next phase for the construction of 10,000 houses in plantation areas, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, shall commence soon.

 Exchange of diplomatic notes takes place at an important juncture, when the Indian-Origin Tamil (IOT) community who are concentrated in the plantation areas marks 200 years of their arrival to Sri Lanka.

This also coincides with 100 years of establishment of Assistant High Commission of India in Kandy, which has been instrumental in implementing several people-centric grant schemes by GOI for the IOT community cutting across areas such as education, health, vocational training, livelihood development and several others, in addition to housing.

These milestones shall be commemorated by the Governments of India and Sri Lanka through several joint initiatives along with the establishment of 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two neighbours.

By: Isuru Parakrama

Colombo (LNW): The National People’s Power (NPP) has lodged a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court seeking a ruling that the non-holding of the Local Government Election on March 09, 2023 has violated fundamental rights.

The petition lodged by NPP MP (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya, former MP Sunil Handunnetti and NPP Secretary Nihal Abeysinghe cites the Finance Secretary, the Attorney General, the Government Printer, the Inspector General of Police, the Election Commission Chairman and its members, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, and the members of the Board of Ministers as respondents.