The Attorney General has been summoned to appear in the Supreme Court on May 12, based on a petition filed by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL). The order was made as the petition was taken up today (05).
The BASL filed the petition seeking action to provide essential commodities and services including fuel, gas, electricity and other essential items without any shortage, and the AG has been summoned to inquire as to what steps have been taken to address the shortages.
The petition was taken up before the Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Arjuna Obeysekara and Mahinda Samayawardena.
Pyramid Wilmar (Pvt) Ltd. said it would be taking legal actions against defamatory allegations levelled against the company involving the importation of sugar by certain parties.
In a statement, the company noted that Pyramid Wilmar, has, at all times, acted fully in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations of Sri Lanka and has conducted itself in an ethical manner upholding the highest standards of corporate behaviour.
Full Statement:
Pyramid Wilmar (Private) Limited and its Board of Directors wish to inform its loyal stakeholders and the general public that, in recent times, there have been several false and malicious defamatory allegations levelled at Pyramid Wilmar (Private) Limited and its Directors, with regard to the importation of sugar during the period October 2020 to February 2021.
Our Company wishes to place on record the fact that it has, at all times, acted fully in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and has conducted itself in an ethical manner upholding the highest standards of corporate behaviour.
Our Company, being part of one of the leading agribusiness groups in Asia, takes pride in having made immense contributions to the National Economy over the years and takes any defamatory statement made against it and/or its Directors, seriously.
Our Company has already taken steps to initiate legal action in this regard.
Our Company wishes to assure its loyal stakeholders and the general public that it will do its utmost to contribute to the National Economy during these trying times and place on record the fact that the aforesaid defamatory statements are false and baseless.
The purchase of new aircraft for the SriLankan Airlines has been postponed for three months based on a decision by the Committee on Public Enterprises (CoPE), said Chairman MP Prof. Charitha Herath.
The Committee Chairman made this observation while tabling the second CoPE report for the second session of the ninth Parliament.
The protest held in Mainagogama, a hypothetical village built in objection to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as part of the bigger anti-government struggle, near Temple Trees, Kollupitiya is being held for the 11th consecutive day now.
Backing the protest demanding the stepping down of the Prime Minister, a death fast has also been launched and running for the sixth consecutive day, the protesters told media.
Heavy Police guard has also been set up around Temple Trees.
Kegalle District MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has been reelected as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament today (05).
Siyambalapitiya previously held the same position and stepped down on April 30 over the political conflict between the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).
The SLFP proposed the reappointment of Siyambalapitiya to fill the vacant post and the Ruling Party also backed it.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) nominated Imtiaaz Bakheer Marker for the post and the House was led to hold a secret ballot due to the presence of two candidates.
Siyambalapitiya secured 148 votes and Marker, 65 votes. Votes of three MPs have been rejected.
Roads around Parliament will be closed as public protests are obstructing the honourable members of Parliament, a press statement by the Police Media Division revealed.
A Senior Superintendent of Police who arrived in the Parliament entrance where public protests were being held yesterday (04) displayed a rather bizarre behaviour by uttering what they appeared to be involuntary words in the manner of making an order.
The SSP is seen supposedly uttering ‘..Fried Rice.. Human Barrier.. Stand By.. Watermelon..,’ which some critics claim to be some sort of a code implying order.
A footage capturing the scene has gone viral on Social Media, and even some editing done by Social Media activists has made it more hilarious.
The current economic situation in Sri Lanka is worse than Greece and Lebanon, said Finance Minister Mohammed Ali Sabry, addressing a meeting with the heads of state banks to discuss the current situation in the financial sector, sources said.
Sabry has told the state bank heads that it is difficult even for him to think of the next steps to be taken to battle the crisis, adding that he also has a problem with what Basil Rajapaksa as the Finance Minister and Ajith Nivard Cabraal as the Central Bank Governor did until the economy was driven into such a dire situation.
The meeting accordingly has ended without any conclusion, according to sources.
SLFP MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya is to be reappointed as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, sources said.
Siyambalapitiya stepped down from his post as the Deputy Speaker on April 30 following the political clash between the SLPP and the SLFP and Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that his resignation was accepted by the President.
However, Siyambalapitiya is believed to be sitting in the Opposition’s side today (05) and the Opposition itself is preparing to nominate and second his name for the post, according to sources.
This country cannot be built under this President or Prime Minister and it is being driven towards darkness instead of light and therefore the people should be allowed to form a new government.
The above sentiment was made by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa speaking in Parliament yesterday (04).
The Opposition Leader demanded that a date be given for the no-confidence motion very soon and requested that a Deputy Speaker be appointed immediately. Addressing those who applauded when talking about a ‘fair tax policy’, Premadasa reminded that the same members had also applauded when the government had provided tax relief to the millionaires in its coming to power.
He went on saying that the stolen money should be reclaimed from the ‘Pandora’ scammers and that the state of welfare shall not be attacked. Premadasa also condemned the government’s interpretation of the 2015 regime’s actions on increasing public servants’ salary by Rs. 10,000 being wrong, pointing out that the state did not lose its revenue by such an action.
The SJB Leader also noted that his party is not willing to accept any crowns but standing with the people for a programme that builds the country.
