November 07, Colombo (LNW):The dedicated medical unit at the Prime Minister’s Office was officially discontinued on November 5. Prime Minister’s Secretary Pradeep Saputhanthri facilitated the transfer of medical officers, support staff, equipment, medicines, and two ambulances from the unit back to the Health Ministry.

The handover ceremony took place at the Prime Minister’s Office, where Saputhanthri presented the relevant documents and keys to Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Palitha Mahipala. These resources will now be repurposed to support broader public health initiatives, aligning with the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare services nationwide.

Sri Lanka’s new government will go ahead with the three-stage vehicle import ban relaxation as planned by the previous administration with specifications from the Finance Ministry, Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Vijitha Herath said.

Speaking yesterday (6) at the cabinet decision media briefing, he said that the current government is willing to proceed with stage-one of the three-stage vehicle import plan as proposed by the previous government.

The previous Ranil Wickremasinghe regime has planned to permit the importation of vehicles for private use starting in the first quarter of 2025.

Permission for commercial vehicle imports will be granted under the first pahse. . The initial phase will focus on allowing imports for business and transportation purposes.

The previous Government aimed to avoid reverting to the era of strict import restrictions driven by election-centric decisions. The move was a significant step towards easing import policies and addressing the demand for vehicles in the country.

Minister Vijitha Herath said that the finance ministry along with several other ministries had discussions with the vehicle importers association on the relevant criteria based on which the vehicle imports would be allowed.

“There are certain specifications included for vehicle imports and the finance ministry will announce those specifications in the coming days,” he said.

The previous government said that the removal of the temporary suspension on the importation of motor vehicles and non-motorised goods, classified under a total of 304 HS Codes, would be done in three stages:

Stage 1: The importation of public passenger transport vehicles, special purpose vehicles, and other non-motorised goods will be allowed starting 1 October.

Stage 2: The temporary suspension on the importation of commercial or goods transportation vehicles will be lifted on 1 December.

Stage 3: The importation of personal usage motor vehicles (including cars, vans, and sports utility vehicles, pickups, and more.) will be permitted starting 1 February 2025.

The conditions laid out by the previous administration include limiting the importation of motor cars, sports utility vehicles, motorcycles, and pickups to those less than three years old. Public passenger and commercial vehicles will be limited to five years, while special purpose and defence vehicles can be up to ten years old.

Also, the Importers were required to sell and register vehicles within 90 days of importation, with penalties introduced for any delays.Furthermore, an annual licensing system was proposed for importers, manufacturers, and traders to regulate the motor vehicle market and ensure they contribute to the national tax system

November 08, Colombo (LNW): The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Sri Lanka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to facilitate information sharing on money laundering (ML), terrorist financing (TF), and related crimes, as well as individuals connected to such activities.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) noted that the MOU, signed under the Financial Transactions Reporting Act, No. 6 of 2006, aims to strengthen the country’s AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism) framework. The agreement was signed by Mr. Sanjeewa Wimalagunarathna, Director General of the National Secretariat for NGOs, and Dr. Subhani Keerthiratne, Director of the FIU, at a ceremony attended by CBSL Governor Dr. P Nandalal Weerasinghe, who also chairs the AML/CFT National Coordinating Committee.

This partnership empowers the NGO Secretariat to share insights from investigations, prosecutions, and activities that could be linked to ML/TF, a critical step in preventing misuse of NGOs. By working together, the FIU and NGO Secretariat aim to safeguard national and global financial stability from crimes that threaten economic security.

To date, the FIU has established 16 MOUs with local agencies, including Sri Lanka Customs and the Sri Lanka Police, to enhance domestic AML/CFT efforts. It also maintains 45 MOUs with international counterparts, reinforcing its commitment to global financial integrity.

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1. The Sri Lanka Immigration and Emigration Officers’ Association has issued a statement calling for an investigation into senior officials responsible for the current passport crisis. The association’s statement highlights the department’s failure to disclose the true status of Passport issuance to the responsible minister, impacting both national administration and the government’s agenda.
2. Two newly appointed Ambassadors to Sri Lanka presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt Adel Ibrahim and Ambassador of Japan ISOMATA Akio presented their credentials to the President.
3. Senior Advisor to the President on Economic and Financial Affairs Prof. Anil Jayantha stated that the government will focus on reducing the VAT levied on school material including textbooks and essential foods and medicine. The professor said this while participating in the meeting of Gampaha district farmers organised by Sri Lanka Agricultural Development Council, chairman Sashika De Silva
4. The Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi says that despite 8,888 candidates vying for positions in this year’s General Election, fewer than 1,000 are actively campaigning, reflecting a notable decline in political engagement. Hettiarachchi attributed this trend to a shifting public perception regarding the benefits of political involvement and a growing disillusionment with traditional party structures.
5. Sri Lanka has been voted the Most Desirable Island in the World at the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2024 in London. At the prestigious Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2024 held in London, Sri Lanka emerged as the “Most Desirable Island in the World,” marking a significant milestone in its tourism recovery journey.
6. Doctor Shafi Sihabdeen of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital today filed a complaint with the Ministry of Public Security over his arrest and detention in 2019. Speaking to the media today, Dr. Sihabdeen said that he faced the ordeal due to false allegations made against him for political propaganda and that he has filed a complaint to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
7. Sri Lanka’s Official Reserve Assets has increased to US$ 6.46 billion in October 2024 from the US$ 5.99 billion recorded in September this year. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), this was a significant increase of 7.9%.
8. The Secretary to the Ministry of Trade M.M. Naimuddin handed over the report prepared by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) on rice and paddy stocks in the country to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. This assessment of the rice stocks available within the country was carried out following the President’s directive to gauge the rice supply amidst a market shortage of several varieties, including Nadu, White and Red Raw rice.
9. The public who have fallen victim to online financial scams through social media, such as WhatsApp, has been requested to inform the Police Computer Crime Investigation Division. Complaints can be filed by sending emails to the Police Computer Crime Investigation Division via [email protected].
10. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Sri Lanka has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organizations to exchange information on investigations and prosecutions of Money Laundering (ML), Terrorist Financing (TF) and related crimes and of any persons connected.

November 08, Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Northern and North-western Provinces and in Puttalam and Trincomalee districts. Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the other areas of the island after 1.00 pm.

Showers may occur in the Western province and in Galle, Matara, Ampara and Batticaloa districts in the morning too.

Fairly heavy showers above 75 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

November 07, Colombo (LNW): Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya convened a high-level meeting with senior officials from the Justice Ministry and its affiliated bodies on November 5 to discuss improvements in operational efficiency and capacity building. The focus was on enhancing the Inspector General’s Department’s efficiency in delivering inspection reports and addressing key areas within the Attorney General’s Department.

Attendees included Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, Prime Minister’s Secretary Pradeep Saputantri, and Ministry Secretary S. Aloka Bandara. Other prominent officials present were Solicitor General Ayesha Jinasena, Legislative Draftsman Dilrukshi Samarajeeva, Government Inspector Sandhya Rajapaksa, Prisons Commissioner General Thushara Upuldeniya, and Rehabilitation Commissioner General (Retired) Darshana Hettiarachchi.

The meeting underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening the justice sector’s efficiency, aiming for improved service delivery and capacity across various departments and agencies.

November 07, Colombo (LNW): The Animal Production and Health Department in Sri Lanka has designated all Divisional Secretariat divisions as either affected or at-risk areas for African swine fever. In response, Director General Dr. Hemali Kothalawala issued a gazette notification on November 5, easing previous restrictions and allowing the transport of healthy animals. This directive remains in effect until further notice.

Under the new guidelines, animals from farms verified by veterinarians to be free from African swine fever can now be transported and slaughtered for meat, provided they are accompanied by a veterinarian-issued health certificate. Dr. Kothalawala explained that the decision to relax restrictions was based on significant containment progress in managing the outbreak.

November 07, Colombo (LNW):Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that the National People’s Power (NPP) is committed to supporting war-affected communities, providing comprehensive humanitarian assistance, and facilitating reconciliation efforts in Sri Lanka. Speaking during her campaign in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi on November 4, the Premier outlined the NPP’s plans to address the needs of the Northern Province, which continues to bear the scars of the civil conflict.

Amarasuriya also made it clear that the NPP-led government will not offer ministerial portfolios to members of other political parties who secure seats in the upcoming Parliamentary election. She criticized certain politicians from other parties who, she claimed, are misleading voters by suggesting they could join the NPP’s cabinet to serve the people after entering Parliament.

At a gathering in Kilinochchi’s Green Park, Amarasuriya reiterated, “The NPP, symbolized by the compass, will appoint only NPP-elected members to ministerial positions. We will not include individuals from other parties who have not delivered for the people.”

The Prime Minister also highlighted plans to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) and reopen roads in the North that were previously closed to the public, signaling a commitment to restoring freedom of movement as part of the reconciliation process. These measures, Amarasuriya noted, aim to strengthen trust and unity among communities impacted by the civil strife.