A recent meeting of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus focused on strengthening female political representation and advancing key initiatives within the Sri Lankan Parliament. Discussions included engaging with recognized political parties and party secretaries from Parliament, Provincial Councils (PCs), and Local Government (LG) bodies to advocate for increased nomination of women representatives to PCs and local authorities.

The Caucus also addressed the re-establishment of the Parliamentary Caucus for Children for the Tenth Parliament and reviewed progress on establishing a daycare centre within the Parliament premises to support working parents.

Azusa Kubota, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, participated in the meeting and emphasized UNDP’s readiness to support the implementation of the Parliamentary Development Action Plan 2024–2027. She reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to empowering women in politics and supporting inclusive governance initiatives.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Co-Chairpersons Chamindranee Kiriella (Attorney-at-Law) and Samanmali Gunasingha, along with Deputy Committee Chairperson Hemali Weerasekara. Members of Parliament present included Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne, Nilanthi Kottahachchi (Attorney-at-Law), Chathuri Gangani, Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Thushari Jayasingha (Attorney-at-Law), Anushka Thilakarathne (Attorney-at-Law), and Ambika Samivel.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Arun Hemachandra, announced that the government is actively working to relocate the Sri Lankan Embassy back to Tehran. The move is part of a broader strategy to strengthen diplomatic presence and foreign employment opportunities in the region.

“We are actively working towards the relocation of the Sri Lankan Embassy back to Tehran, alongside the resumption of foreign employment opportunities in Israel. These efforts are being carried out in an organised and well-coordinated manner, in close consultation with our overseas missions and all relevant stakeholders,” Hemachandra stated.

He further noted that Sri Lankan missions in the region, in collaboration with partner agencies and community networks, are engaging with host governments to ensure a smooth and efficient transition.

“The safety, welfare, and dignity of our citizens abroad remain central to every decision we take,” he emphasized.

The office of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has strongly denied recent media reports concerning his visit to the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom on September 8, 2023. In a statement issued yesterday, the former President’s office described the reports as “misleading and false.”

“The media have carried reports attributed to the police regarding the visit of the Eighth Executive President Ranil Wickremesinghe to Wolverhampton University in September 2023. These allegations are incorrect and inaccurate,” the statement read.

Dismissing the claims as malicious in intent, the statement further noted that additional clarifications would be provided in due course, based on legal counsel.

This response comes in the wake of reports that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court about an ongoing investigation into Wickremesinghe’s foreign trips during his tenure as President.

Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Madura Seneviratne, announced that a new circular will soon be issued to address longstanding flaws in the school admission process. The circular is designed to introduce clear and standardized guidelines, ensuring that only the most eligible students are admitted based on merit and transparency.

Dr. Seneviratne emphasized that the new policy aims to eliminate illegal and unfair admission practices that have undermined the credibility of the education system in recent years. He stressed that this is a critical step toward restoring fairness and public trust in school admissions.

In addition, the Deputy Minister revealed that a separate, updated circular specifically for Grade 1 admissions is expected to be released next week. Together, these initiatives represent a broader effort by the Ministry to streamline and regulate admissions across all grade levels.

Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Jayatissa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the public healthcare system by expanding access to essential medicines, during the opening ceremony of the 65th State Pharmacy branch of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) in Narahenpita, Colombo. The new branch, located at No. 209, Kirula Road, is part of a broader initiative led by the Minister to establish a more accessible and reliable state pharmacy network across the country.

This marks the third new branch launched under the current administration, following recent openings in Mount Lavinia and Kiribathgoda. The expansion aims to ensure uninterrupted access to quality medicines through a state-managed supply chain.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Jayatissa acknowledged previous disruptions in the pharmaceutical supply system caused by irregular procurement practices and the failure to place timely bulk orders. He highlighted that corrective measures have already shown results, with the SPC issuing 268 medicine procurement tenders within the first five months of 2025—compared to just 68 tenders throughout all of 2024.

SPC Chairman Dr. Manuj C. Weerasinghe added that the expansion will continue, with new branches scheduled to open soon in Batticaloa, Kegalle, Trincomalee, and Puttalam districts.

The Narahenpita branch offers high-quality medications overseen by qualified pharmacists and provides a 5% discount to senior citizens, pregnant mothers, children under five, and Ranaviru Virusara card holders. Operating hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays.

To ensure public safety, all medicines dispensed through the state pharmacy network undergo rigorous four-level quality testing at SPC’s advanced laboratory facilities.

The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) has announced a temporary suspension of registration for three job categories in Israel’s construction sector.

Registration for qualified Sri Lankan workers in selected subcategories was scheduled to begin today (June 27) and continue until July 1. However, the SLBFE stated that the process has been halted due to an unavoidable reason, though further details were not disclosed.

The Bureau has not yet announced a revised timeline and advised applicants to await further updates.