September 05, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Rupee remains steady against the US Dollar today (05) in comparison to yesterday, as per leading commercial banks in the country.
At Peoples Bank, the buying and selling prices of the US Dollar are Rs. 293.56 and Rs. 304.09, respectively.
At Commercial Bank, the buying and selling prices of the US Dollar remain unchanged at Rs. 293.20 and Rs. 303, respectively.
At Sampath Bank, the buying and selling prices of the US Dollar remain unchanged at Rs. 294.50 and Rs. 303.50, respectively.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka and France have formalised a bilateral agreement to create a Regional Centre for Maritime Studies in Sri Lanka, according to the nation’s Foreign Ministry.
This partnership marks a significant step in strengthening maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
The agreement was signed by General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, and Marie-Noëlle Duris, Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the French Embassy in Colombo, during a ceremony at the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday.
The new Regional Centre for Maritime Studies is set to become a Centre of Excellence, focusing on academic and training collaborations.
Its primary objectives include enhancing maritime safety and security, conserving the marine environment, and addressing marine pollution in the Indian Ocean.
Additionally, the Centre will play a key role in advancing research and practical solutions for maritime challenges, fostering cooperation between regional and global stakeholders.
The establishment of this Centre underlines the growing importance of the Indian Ocean as a strategic hub for maritime activities and environmental preservation.
Through this collaboration, Sri Lanka aims to further position itself as a leader in maritime studies, while France strengthens its engagement in the region.
The partnership also signals a broader commitment to sustainable marine practices and enhanced maritime governance, addressing critical concerns such as pollution and climate change.
This agreement represents a significant stride in regional diplomacy and underscores the shared priorities of Sri Lanka and France in maintaining maritime stability and environmental stewardship in the Indian Ocean.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lankan singer Windy Goonatillake has earned international recognition for her viral hit ‘Ayyo Sami’, receiving the award for Best Sensational Song of the Year – 2023 at the prestigious 16th Edison Awards, held recently in Chennai, India.
The event, which celebrates artistic excellence across South India’s vibrant entertainment industry, saw Goonatillake sharing the stage with her collaborators, Sanuka Wickramasinghe and lyricist Pottuvil Asmin.
‘Ayyo Sami’ has captivated audiences with its unique fusion of Sinhala and Tamil lyrics, reflecting a harmonious blend of Sri Lankan and Indian cultural influences.
The song, penned by Asmin—renowned in the Tamil music scene—has gained widespread popularity in both Sri Lanka and India, transcending language barriers and winning the hearts of listeners across borders.
Windy, accompanied by Sanuka and Asmin, was greeted with enthusiastic applause from the Indian audience as they accepted their award.
The recognition highlights the growing cultural exchange between Sri Lanka and India, with music playing a key role in bridging communities through shared creativity.
Being the daughter of Sri Lankan musical giants Rookantha Goonatillake and Chandralekha Perera, Windy’s accolade marks an important milestone in her career, further cementing her position as an influential figure in the South Asian music industry.
The success of ‘Ayyo Sami’ has not only expanded her audience but has also showcased the rich musical heritage and contemporary talent emerging from Sri Lanka.
1993. When President Premadasa was assassinated not long after very senior party leaders had either died or had left the party, Ranil took over as Prime Minister.
1994. When the rank and file of the party urged him to welcome back Gamini Dissanayake to the party and make him the party’s presidential candidate, he agreed.
1994. After the presidential candidate was assassinated and the replacement candidate, Srima Dissanayake, suffered a heavy defeat, He took over the leadership of the party following President D B Wijetunga’s retirement from politics.
1994-1999. He held the party together under the most adverse of circumstances.
1999. He was defeated narrowly by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in an election fraught with violence and malpractices. Many analysts argue that he was the real winner.
2001. He led the UNP to victory at the General Election.
2001-2004. He inherited an economy that was recording negative growth and turned it around and strategically agreed to a ceasefire with the LTTE to give the economy some breathing space, even though the executive president at the time spared no pains to scuttle his every move.
2004. The UNP government were brought to an abrupt halt when the president, using executive powers dissolved parliament.
2005. Again, fighting a presidential election under the most adverse of circumstances He was narrowly defeated, this time clearly because hundreds of thousands of voters in the North and East were prevented from going to the polling booths by the LTTE, on account of a scandalous pact between his opponent’s party and the LTTE.
2010. The rank and file of the party insisted that Sarath Fonseka contest the presidential election on the UNP ticket. He stepped aside and supported his candidature.
2015. The rank and file of the party insisted that Maithripala Sirisena contest the presidential election on the UNP ticket. He stepped aside and supported his candidature.
2015-2019,. Again, having inherited an economy in shambles, he took decisive steps to turn things around in his capacity as the Prime Minister.
2019. The rank and file of the party insisted that Sajith Premadasa be nominated as the UNP’s presidential candidate. He stepped aside and supported his candidature. Despite that he broke away from the UNP and split the UNP.
2020. Unfavorable political conditions and long years out of power, understandably resulted in disappointments which led to many senior party members defecting from the party. He did not stand in their way. Neither did he criticise them.
2022. Unprecedented hardships brought about by gross mismanagement and corruption created an economic crisis unlike any the country has known since Independence. The nation was left without a leader. Those who thundered from political stages and promised heaven on earth overnight fell silent. No one was brave enough to take over and put things right. Ranil did!
2024. We are still not out of the woods yet, but we are going in the right direction. It is Sri Lanka’s moment. He has done his best, but the best he can do will be considerably enhanced if all our people stood with him. Together he can recreate the land of prosperity that is so within our grasp that has been eluding us for years. Ranil is the man for the crisis.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Election Commission has voiced concerns over the government’s recent decision to raise public sector salaries, describing it as a calculated attempt to influence the forthcoming presidential election.
Commissioner General of Elections, Saman Sri Ratnayake, questioned the timing of the move, arguing that the salary increase should not have been introduced so close to the election.
Speaking to media, Ratnayake highlighted that the government’s decision raises questions about its motivation, given that it delayed the announcement until just before the election.
“It is inappropriate to implement such a measure now, considering the electoral process is already in motion,” he noted, implying that the salary hike could be viewed as a means of promoting a particular candidate.
Election monitors have echoed similar sentiments, with organisations like PAFFREL (People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections) expressing dissatisfaction over the timing of the decision.
In a letter addressed to the Election Commission Chairman, PAFFREL accused the government of manipulating the situation to gain electoral advantage. The group pointed out that the government had ignored previous demands from public sector employees for a Rs. 10,000 pay increase, a request that had been overlooked in the past months.
PAFFREL’s letter stressed that while they are not opposed to raising public sector wages, their main concern is the timing of the announcement.
“The announcement comes just one day before postal voting begins,” the group highlighted, indicating that this could undermine the fairness of the election process.
The Election Commission and monitoring groups continue to monitor the situation closely, urging the government to refrain from actions that could be seen as politically motivated during this critical election period.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): Amid ongoing discussions about the potential abolition of Sri Lanka’s executive presidency, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has signalled that the matter will be deferred to the next Parliament.
His priority, he stressed, lies in reviving the country’s struggling economy, which he views as more urgent than immediate governance reforms.
Speaking at a public “Ask Me Anything” session held at a prominent Colombo hotel, Wickremesinghe noted that the debate over abolishing the executive presidency has been ongoing for decades, but during that time, the economy had been overlooked.
In his address, Wickremesinghe remarked, “The executive presidency has been debated for 20-30 years, but the real focus should have been on the economy. For me, the economy comes first, governance second.”
The President expressed satisfaction in observing that the current presidential election has been centred on economic issues rather than divisive factors such as race, religion, or caste.
“For once, we are seeing an election that unites us over the shared challenge of economic hardship. Everyone’s pockets have been affected equally,” he said.
Wickremesinghe also outlined the government’s efforts to address social disparities, citing new measures aimed at improving protections for women and children.
“We have introduced women’s and children’s desks at every police station to address issues like domestic violence, but there is still much more to be done,” he added.
Whilst economic recovery takes precedence, Wickremesinghe acknowledged that several key reforms, including the Economic Transition Bill and the Public Finance Management Bill, remain unfinished, despite their repeated inclusion in prior government and IMF programmes.
Addressing the ongoing negotiations with International Sovereign Bond (ISB) holders, the President dispelled rumours of an impending ultimatum, clarifying that discussions would only continue after the presidential election scheduled for 21 September.
“There is no mid-September deadline. Talks with bondholders will resume once the election is concluded,” he stated, without revealing further details.
On the topic of passport issuance delays, Wickremesinghe admitted that the current crisis is the government’s responsibility. He affirmed that the move towards implementing e-passports was a key part of the strategy to modernise the system and reduce the ongoing backlog, offering a glimpse of the future of Sri Lanka’s public services amidst its broader economic reforms.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): As the 21st September Presidential Election approaches, social media has emerged as a dominant tool for campaigning and criticising candidates.
In response, the Sri Lankan Police Headquarters has instructed all stations to follow new guidelines for managing election-related complaints and content on digital platforms, aiming to curb illegal activities and maintain order during the election period.
A recent circular issued by the Police Headquarters outlines specific procedures to address online election propaganda violations.
The guidelines emphasise cooperation between local police stations and the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) Computer Crimes Investigations Division, as well as the divisional Police Technology Divisions.
This strategy aims to ensure that any harmful or unlawful content circulating on social media platforms is promptly addressed.
The authorities will focus on removing problematic posts, investigating violations, and taking legal action where necessary.
A senior police officer involved in the operations stated that these guidelines provide a structured approach to combat the spread of prohibited election content online.
He noted that the efforts would include identifying those responsible for such violations. The officer also explained that stations across the island have been briefed on how to respond to complaints about social media issues during the election.
Post removals, investigations into illegal propaganda, and legal action against offenders are key components of this operation.
Top officials from the Police Legal Division, the CID’s Digital Forensics Unit, the IT Division, and the Computer Crimes Investigation Division are playing a pivotal role in overseeing these efforts.
Whilst the police are actively monitoring online spaces, their current priority is responding to complaints, largely due to limited resources and the sheer volume of content being generated during the election cycle.
Numerous complaints related to threats and defamatory remarks against presidential candidates are already under investigation. However, authorities have acknowledged the difficulties posed by the global nature of social media platforms, many of which are headquartered abroad.
This, coupled with outdated legal frameworks, has hindered the speed of investigations. The delay in passing the Online Safety Bill has further compounded these challenges, leaving authorities reliant on existing legislation such as the Computer Crimes Act to address violations.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): The Supreme Court has ruled that the Registrar General’s Department violated the fundamental human rights of several assistant registrars by indefinitely delaying their promotion examination.
The government has been ordered to pay a total of Rs. 3.3 million in compensation to the aggrieved petitioners.
The court’s decision stems from a fundamental rights petition filed by D. M. S. Dissanayake, Secretary of the All Ceylon Assistant Registrars Association, along with 132 assistant registrars.
The petitioners had been appointed to Grade III assistant registrar positions on 11th July 2005, and were due for promotion to the second grade through an examination scheduled for 2nd February 2013.
However, the Registrar General indefinitely postponed the examination based on an anonymous letter, without conducting a proper investigation.
The petitioners contended that this action unjustly obstructed their professional advancement, constituting a violation of their basic human rights.
The Supreme Court bench, led by Justice Janak De Silva and supported by Judges Gamini Amarasekara and Shiran Gunaratne, found that the Registrar General’s decision was arbitrary and unlawful.
The ruling highlighted how the government’s inaction in addressing such issues could severely impact individuals’ lives and undermine the efficiency of the public sector.
In its verdict, the court stressed the need for government authorities to act decisively and fairly in administrative matters, especially when such decisions have direct implications on citizens’ professional and personal lives.
The bench concluded that the Registrar General’s failure to address the anonymous complaint in a timely and thorough manner led to unnecessary delays, frustrating the legitimate expectations of the petitioners.
As compensation, the court ordered the government to pay Rs. 25,000 to each of the 132 assistant registrars affected by the postponement.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lankan police have detained 22 individuals connected to illegal activities related to the forthcoming presidential election, according to Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday (05), Thalduwa revealed that authorities have also impounded four vehicles believed to be involved in these violations.
The police have received a total of 173 election-related complaints, categorised into acts of violence and breaches of election laws. Of these, 119 complaints are linked to violations of election laws, while 54 concern acts of violence.
Thalduwa confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with law enforcement taking swift action to address any infractions.
The arrests reflect a robust response by the police to maintain order and ensure compliance with election regulations as the presidential race intensifies.
Thalduwa emphasised that the authorities remain vigilant in monitoring both violent acts and any breaches of electoral conduct as the election draws closer.
This firm approach aims to safeguard the integrity of the election process, ensuring it remains free from undue interference or illegal activity.
September 05, Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (05).
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Batticaloa and Ampara districts during the evening or night.
Strong winds about (40-45) kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills, Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Hambantota and Trincomalee districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka during 28th of August to 06th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion. The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (05) are Ahungalla, Neluwa and Yala about 12.08 noon.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Showers or thundershowers may occur at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the eastern sea areas during the afternoon or night.
Winds:
Winds will be south-westerly in direction and wind speed will be (30-40) kmph. Wind speed can increase up to (55-60) kmph at times in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Mannar to Chilaw via Puttalam and from Galle to Pottuvil via Matara and Hambantota. Wind speed can increase up to50 kmph at times in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Kankasanthurai to Mannar and from Chilaw to Galle via Colombo.
State of Sea:
The sea areas off the coasts extending from Mannar to Chilaw via Puttalam and from Galle to Pottuvil via Matara and Hambantota will be rough at times. The sea areas off the coasts extending from Kankasanthurai to Mannar and from Chilaw to Galle via Colombo may be fairly rough at times. Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.
