Calling for nominations for the local government election will begin today (18) in the morning.
It is scheduled to end on January 21 at 12.00 noon.
Political parties and independent groups have been given time till 12.00 noon on January 20 for this election.
The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, (CPA) Mr. Stephen Twigg who arrived in the island the 10 th of January, met with Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Speaker of Parliament.
The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, (CPA) Mr. Stephen Twigg visited Parliament and met with the Hon. Speaker and other high officials for cordial discussions last Friday (13) in Parliament.
The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association during his visit to Parliament also met with Hon. (Dr.) Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education and Leader of the House of Parliament. A separate discussion was also held with Member of Parliament Hon. Yadamini Gunawardena and State Minister Hon. (Dr.) Suren Raghavan.
During the discussions held, Secretary General Mr. Stephen Twigg made a special emphasis on the CPA Parliamentary Academy which was initiated as a central learning hub for Commonwealth Parliamentarians and parliamentary officials and stated that the purpose of the said initiation has extended to anyone who wishes to learn about Parliaments and key thematic topics. Moreover, Mr. Twigg elaborated on the importance of extending women representation in Parliaments across the Commonwealth Parliaments.
Mr. Stephen Twigg, accompanied by Ms. Emily Davies, Head of Strategy and Engagement of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association also met with the Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament Ms. Kushani Rohanadheera and Assistant Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Tikiri Jayathilaka for a cordial discussion followed by a special tour around Parliament.
The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association also met with senior officials of the Parliament staff and discussed future opportunities and areas of improvements.
ECONOMYNEXT – Debt re-structuring talks with India and China are successful, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament as the country is trying get an International Monetary Fund bailout.
“I can tell this assembly that the talks are successful,” President Wickremesinghe told parliament.
“Very soon we will have an answer.”
Sri Lanka has raised taxes and tightened spending to bring a wide budget deficit and unsustainable debt under control. Formal assurances that creditors are willing to re-structure debt has to be given.
State Minister for Finance Shehan Semasinghe said Sri Lanka is expecting to get executive board approval for an International Monetary Fund program by March.
“The President, the Finance Ministry, the central bank and line ministries have done a lot of work,” he said.
“The good results of that work is coming. We have done a lot of work on financial assurances.”
A high level delegation of China’s Communist Party (CPC), led by Vice Minister Chen Zhou, Head of the CPC International Department called on Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on January 16.
“Sri Lanka is a very special friend of China and we are considering how we could assist Sri Lanka to get over the current crisis,” Chen Zhou was quoted as saying.
“You will have some good news soon.”
The Hon. speaker endorsed the first Bill of the year 2023 yesterday(17). Accordingly, the Speaker endorsed the certificate on Recovery of Possession of Premises Given on the Lease Bill.
This Bill entails provisions to make arrangements regarding the procedure for recovery of possession of leased premises under a lease agreement, to formalize the recovery of arrears of tax installments, money service charges and quantified losses, and to make arrangements for matters connected or incidental thereto. The said Bill was passed in Parliament on January 5th.
Accordingly, given the endorsement on the certificate on Recovery of Possession of Premises Given on Lease Bill, the stated shall come to effect as the Recovery of Possession of Premises Given on Lease” Act, No. 1 of 2023 from January (17).
The overseas travel ban imposed on former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Ajith Nivard Cabraal has been extended till February 16, 2023.
This was when the private complaint lodged by Keerthi Thennakoon against Cabraal was taken up before Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawala today (17).
The initial objections filed by Sampath Mendis PC appearing for the ex CBSL Governor was objected by filing answers by Maithri Gunaratne PC appearing for Thennakoon.
The Court allowed Mendis PC to submit counter-objections against the answers by the plaintiff, and the answers were ordered to be produced before Court by February 16, 2023.
The PC appearing for Cabraal informed the Magistrate that his client does not wish to elaborate on the extension of his overseas travel ban at this moment given that he has no intention of leaving the country whatsoever.
Accordingly, the Court ordered that the travel ban on the ex CBSL Governor be extended till February 16, 2023.
MIAP
YouTuber Sepal Amarasinghe who was arrested and remanded on the allegation of inciting blasphemy via making a derogatory comment about the holy Temple of Tooth Relic in Kandy has been further remanded till January 31.
This was when the case against the activist was taken up before the Fort Magistrate Court today (17).
The Court has informed that the defendant is eligible to apply for bail through the High Court.
Amarasinghe was arrested on January 05.
MIAP
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has sought to strengthen relations between the GCC and Sri Lanka.
Dr Nayef Falah M.Al Hajraf, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, underlined the significance of strengthening the bonds between the GCC and Sri Lanka, and the means to enhance and develop them, in a way that serves common interests.
The Secretary General’s statements came during a meeting with P.M. Amza, Ambassador of the Republic of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on Monday, at the headquarters of the General Secretariat in Riyadh, a GCC statement said.
During the meeting, several issues were discussed, foremost of which were the means of cooperation between the GCC and the Republic of Sri Lanka in various political, economic and tourism fields, in order to accomplish common interests.
They also addressed the latest developments at the regional and international levels.
Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is set to launch a promotional campaign to attract tourists from Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar, as part of an on-going effort to develop the number of tourists visiting the island from the four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) cities.
As part of the promotional activities Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Omani and Qatari travel agents and tourism professionals will be provided the latest information and updates on Sri Lanka’s touristic offerings through presentations, workshops and a series of business development meetings.
Sri Lanka is one of the preferred destinations for Gulf tourists as it offers a distinctive, adventure-packed, eco-friendly, family-focused experience and offering.
With the country’s rich nature, heritage and culture, year-round schedule of festivals and special events, numerous parks and eco centres, luxury resorts and wellness centres, Sri Lanka has many reasons for GCC families to return to Sri Lanka again and again.
According to Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau “Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar remain integral target markets for Sri Lanka’s tourism development.
The upcoming promotional campaign is one of many major activities Sri Lanka tourism conducts to ensure that key international travel agents maintain a close awareness and link with Sri Lanka’s tourism industry partners.
The aim is to mutually expand the business opportunities between both, while offering their clients quality tourism experiences.
Through the promotion campaign in four GCC countries , bureau’s expectations are that travel to Sri Lanka from these markets will continue to grow and thrive, reinforcing Sri Lanka’s status as a world-class destination for eco-tourism, cultural and family tourism.
A group of activists from the ‘Aragalaya’ people’s protests has decided to contest the upcoming Local Government Election from the United People’s Party (UPP), secretaried by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles.
The Party will contest the Election under the ‘Mobile Phone’ symbol.
After changing the leader through the protests of the Aragalaya, further aggression will not be necessary, for everyone should be working towards economic stability of the country now, Avishka Viraj Konara aka ‘Konara’, YouTuber and Social Activist, calling in a briefing said.
He noted that he chose the UPP to enter politics because the Party has given an opportunity to work freely through his own programme to develop the digital economy of Sri Lanka.
The activist also revealed that he will be contesting for the Colombo Municipal Council under the UPP, whilst briefing the media projects he has already implemented to develop the country’s digital economy.
MIAP
Previous report:
The move taken by the General Treasury to settle the salaries of the non-executive public servants on the designated date and the salaries of the executive public servants several days after the designated date has been approved by the Cabinet.
The move, which was made in compliance with the limits of the government’s cash flow in order to manage the expenses for the next few months from January, was approved during the Cabinet meeting held yesterday (16) and was revealed during today’s (17) briefing called in for announcing the Cabinet decisions.
MIAP