A Cabinet Sub-Committee report on improving the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) was delivered to President Ranil Wickremesinghe: The report, chaired by Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, recommends, Initiating an Expression of Interest (EOI) process; Creating a takeover plan before the current contract ends; Clearing the system backlog; Using the National Identity Card for tax identification; Integrating RAMIS with other government institutions; Enhancing the user portal; Amending laws for tax policy changes.
Tensions in Parliament rise after Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena affirmed the legitimacy of IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon’s appointment, despite a Supreme Court injunction barring him from serving in the post: The government maintained the appointment’s validity, which the Opposition deemed contempt of court: Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa demanded President Ranil Wickremesinghe appoint an Acting IGP as per the Court’s order, criticising the President for not fulfilling his constitutional duties.
In response to the upcoming Presidential Election on September 21, the National People’s Power (NPP) establishes an Election Monitoring Centre, appointing an eight-member operational committee: This committee includes former ministerial secretaries Ashoka Peiris, Tissa Warnasuriya, K.G. Leelananda, Attorney-at-Law Akalanka Ukwatta, and retired senior police officers SDIG Ravi Seneviratne, SDIG Gamini Navaratne, DIG J.A.K. Mark, and DIG D. Gajasinghe.
The Election Commission announces the deposit window for the 2024 Presidential Election, open from 8:30 am today until 12 noon on 14 August: Recognised political party candidates must deposit Rs. 50,000, while others need Rs. 75,000: Deposits can be made at the Election Commission Office: The election is set for 21 September 2024, with nominations on 15 August.
Political sources claim the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will announce its choice for the 2024 Presidential Election on 29 July: The Election Commission has set the election for 21 September 2024, with nominations starting from 15 August: President’s Counsel Ronald Perera has submitted bonds for President Ranil Wickremesinghe to run as an independent candidate.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) urges the Government to reassess the e-Visa system’s pricing model to better support tourism growth, highlighting ongoing cost and procedure concerns: calls for collaboration between the Government, private sector, and stakeholders to enhance marketing efforts and improve the overall tourism experience.
The All-Ceylon Bakery Owners’ Association has announced that the price of a 450g loaf of bread will be reduced by Rs. 10, effective from midnight tonight (26).
Sri Lanka’s delegation to the Seventh Round of Bilateral Political Consultations with Pakistan, led by Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane, will meet in Islamabad on 30 July 2024: Co-chaired by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, the meeting will review bilateral cooperation across various sectors: Wijewardane will also meet Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar.
The Chief Magistrate of Anuradhapura directs the Assistant Director of Wildlife Conservation to capture and relocate the wild elephant Agbo from Thirappane to a forest reserve: This decision, following a police report, aims to protect both Agbo and local residents from potential harm: Additionally orders charges against an individual who used a drone to photograph the elephant.
Sri Lanka faces Pakistan in the Asia Cup T20 semi-final today at 7 pm, while India will play Bangladesh at 2 pm: Both Sri Lanka and India topped their groups unbeaten: Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, highlights the team’s readiness and strategic adjustments for the semi-final: India’s Shafali Verma and Bangladesh’s Mushida Kautan lead the tournament’s run charts, with top bowlers like Deepthi Sharma and Rabeya Khan also in form.
July 26, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s delegation to the Seventh Round of Bilateral Political Consultations with Pakistan will be led by Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane in Islamabad on 30 July 2024, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting, co-chaired by Wijewardane and Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi, aims to assess the current bilateral relationship and the progress in various areas of cooperation, including economic and trade, defence, education, culture, media, sports, consular matters, agriculture, and technology.
Wijewardane is also scheduled to meet with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Muhammad Ishaq Dar.
The Sri Lankan delegation will include High Commissioner to Pakistan Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne and senior officials from both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Commission in Islamabad.
The previous round of these consultations was held virtually in December 2020.
July 26, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is set to announce its choice for the 2024 Presidential Election on Monday, 29 July, sources within the Party asserted.
The Election Commission of Sri Lanka has also released a Gazette notification detailing the election timeline: the vote is scheduled for 21 September 2024, with nominations accepted from 15 August 2024.
Additionally, President’s Counsel Ronald Perera has submitted bonds for President Ranil Wickremesinghe to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming election.
July 26, Colombo (LNW): Tensions arose in Parliament following the declaration of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena asserting the legitimacy of the appointment of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, against whom an interim injunction order by the Supreme Court is now in rule.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the government went on asserting that the appointment of the IGP is legitimate and therefore, valid, sparking controversy in what the Opposition described as contempt of court.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe to resign if he fails to appoint an Acting IGP as mandated by the Supreme Court.
Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa insisted that the President must honour the Court’s order and fulfil his duty to appoint an Acting IGP.
He criticised the President for attempting to evade this responsibility, asserting that the role of President entails upholding constitutional obligations regardless of candidacy status.
Premadasa argued that if the President is unable to meet this requirement, he should step down to allow the Acting President to assume lawful duties.
July 26, Colombo (LNW): The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has urged the Government to reassess the newly introduced e-Visa system, particularly its pricing model, to better support the tourism industry’s expansion.
In their statement, the Chamber underscored the ongoing discussions about the system’s cost and procedures, emphasising that attention should shift towards marketing and improving the overall tourism experience.
Whilst recognising the need for streamlined processes, the Chamber stressed that these changes must ensure competitiveness with regional counterparts.
They called for collaboration between the Government, private sector, and relevant stakeholders to develop a pricing strategy that would enhance tourism arrivals.
July 26, Colombo (LNW): In response to the announcement of the Presidential Election on September 21, the National People’s Power (NPP) has inaugurated an Election Monitoring Centre.
An eight-member operational committee has been appointed, featuring former ministry secretaries and retired senior police officers.
The operational committee includes:
Former ministerial secretary Ashoka Peiris
Former ministerial secretary Tissa Warnasuriya
Former ministerial secretary K.G. Leelananda
Attorney-at-Law Akalanka Ukwatta
Chief of NPP Police Collective Retired SDIG Ravi Seneviratne
July 26, Colombo (LNW): In a surprising turn of events, tensions have surfaced between Pope Francis and Sri Lanka’s Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith over the issue of same-sex relationships.
This rift highlights the stark differences within the Catholic Church’s leadership on this sensitive matter.
Pope Francis has been known for his more inclusive approach towards the LGBTQIA+ community. He has consistently emphasised compassion and acceptance, famously stating, “Who am I to judge?” regarding homosexual individuals.
The Pope’s papacy has seen a shift towards understanding and integrating queer people into the Church, advocating for their rights and dignity whilst maintaining traditional Catholic doctrine on marriage.
In a recent statement, the Pope reiterated his position, calling for the Church to welcome and accompany all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He emphasised the importance of pastoral care and the need to avoid unjust discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Persons with homosexual tendencies are children of God. God loves them. Condemning a person like this is a sin. Criminalising people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice,” the Pope said, making his point that laws criminalising queer individuals would be unjust.
Contrasting sharply with the Pope’s stance, Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has voiced strong criticism against legislative moves in Sri Lanka that aim to support ‘same-sex marriages’. At a media briefing, Cardinal Ranjith condemned the government’s legislative priorities, accusing them of undermining traditional family values.
“The bill presented by MP Premnath Dolawatta, as well as the government’s proposed bill on women’s rights, both uncover an effort to create a very dangerous situation in Sri Lanka,” Cardinal Ranjith asserted.
“As Catholics, we believe marriages should take place between a man and a woman. Marriage cannot take place between two men or two women.“
Cardinal Ranjith argued that the family is the foundation of society and that legalising same-sex marriage would lead to societal destruction. Whilst acknowledging the need to protect the rights of individuals born with same-sex tendencies, he firmly opposed legalising same-sex marriages, stating, “Incorporating this into law and making it a choice free for any individual to pursue is wrong as we believe.“
However, it should be explicitly mentioned that neither the former bill nor the latter proposes ‘same-sex marriage,’ as the Supreme Court made it clear that Dolawatta’s bill proposing the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex sexual relationships between adults by amending the 365/365A clauses in the Penal Code of Sri Lanka stands in compliance with the Constitution of Sri Lanka, and, therefore, can be passed into law by a simple majority in Parliament, and the clauses of the Women’s Rights bill paving the way for the so called ‘same-sex marriage’ ought to be ruled out owing to the island nation’s traditional values.
With the Pope categorically recognising laws criminalising LGBTQIA+ individuals to be ‘unjust’ and the views of the Archbishop of Colombo categorically defying the perception of legal reforms pertaining to the matter, the public’s divergence in opinions shall not be gone unnoticed.
The Archbishop’s stance contradicting Vatican’s views highlights the broader struggle within the Catholic Church to reconcile traditional doctrines with contemporary human rights issues, one activist told LNW.
The Archbishop’s comments have been perceived by some as a direct challenge to the Pope’s efforts to foster a more inclusive Church, he emphasised.
Furthermore, Cardinal Ranjith’s remarks about the international influence on Sri Lanka’s legislative efforts underscore the complex interplay between local cultural values and global human rights movements. No historical evidence either documented or available via oral passage to date suggest that ‘same-sex marriage’ is culturally ‘inappropriate’ in Sri Lanka.
In fact, same-sex unions were quite prevalent throughout certain areas of Sri Lanka, including Bilinwatta, Kotahena, Moratuwa, Murawatta, Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia, Kandana, Kadirana, Negombo, where the indigenous ‘Nachchi’ community once lived in harmony with the heterosexual majority, whilst sharing a domestic partnership with another male partner as ‘man and woman,’ another activist stressed.
“The term ‘Nachchi’ is originated from the Nauch Girls (dancing people for pleasure) in India. They identify themselves outside the binary gender norm of man and woman, despite being assigned male at birth and not subject to castration as the ‘Hijra’ community in India. Certain groups resided in the Ceylon during the late 18th century and have been living with their partners as ‘man and woman’ ever since. Despite the lacking documentation of the existence of such unions, they lived and continue to live in the lifestyle they prefer. So this is not exactly ‘culturally inappropriate’” she pointed out.
She further emphasised that Sri Lanka has a rich diversity of culture, only to be coerced into change in the era that gave birth to post-colonial fabric in law.
“What is culture? Culture is when you see the way of life of a people, including their attitudes, values, beliefs, arts, sciences, modes of perception, and habits of thought and activity for a considerable period of time, until you find it no longer uncommon. If such unions lived in Sri Lanka for centuries, how can it be ‘culturally inappropriate’?” another activist told LNW. “We were subjected to divergence by colonial rules imposed by the British. Sri Lanka is now an independent state and is obliged to protect its citizens. That is why we have a Constitution. We bow down to the Supreme Court ruling. But the theory of cultural inappropriateness needs further review.“
The Cardinal’s comparison of the government’s priorities to Marie Antoinette’s infamous “let them eat cake” remark during the French Revolution underscores his frustration with the government’s focus amidst the country’s economic struggles.
As the Catholic Church continues to navigate these contentious issues, the divide between Pope Francis’ inclusive vision and Cardinal Ranjith’s traditionalist stance raises critical questions about the future direction of the Church.
Will the Church be able to find common ground, or will such differences lead to further divisions?
July 26, Colombo (LNW): Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has asserted to Parliament that the appointment of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was correct, lawful, constitutional, and conducted in good faith.
He further clarified that the issue concerning the IGP cannot be resolved by the President and must be addressed in court if required.
July 26, Colombo (LNW): A report from the Cabinet Sub-Committee on enhancing the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS) has been delivered to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the President’s Office.
In his capacity as Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies, the President had previously issued a memorandum on acquiring maintenance services for RAMIS.
Following a Cabinet decision, a Sub-Committee was formed, chaired by Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and including Ministers Tiran Alles and Nalin Fernando.
The report, which includes seven key recommendations, emphasises the need for efficient utilisation of the Income Administration Management Information System.
The primary recommendations are:
Expression of Interest (EOI): Start the EOI process to find suitable partners for managing RAMIS.
Takeover Plan: Develop and implement a comprehensive plan before the current maintenance contract with Singapore Corporation Enterprises (SCE) ends.
System Backlog: Prioritise clearing the backlog from the assessment year 2019/2020 onwards, with monthly progress reports to the Council of Ministers.
Tax Identification: Use the National Identity Card, or a future alternative, exclusively for tax collection identification.
Government Integration: Connect RAMIS with a framework linking various government institutions.
User-Friendly Portal: Simplify tax collection with an improved, user-friendly portal.
Legal Amendments: Amend laws and regulations to implement the recommended tax policy changes.
July 26, Colombo (LNW): The Chief Magistrate of Anuradhapura has directed the Assistant Director of Wildlife Conservation to capture and relocate the wild elephant known as Agbo, who has been wandering in the Thirappane area for over a year, to a forest reserve.
This decision by Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Nalaka Sanjeewa Jayasuriya followed a report by OIC Thirappane police CI Ranjith Kumarasinghe, based on instructions from DIG Priyantha Weerasuriya.
The report was presented during a hearing involving a private TV channel employee accused of using a drone to photograph the elephant.
The police informed the court that Agbo, who requires protection, faces significant risk if allowed to continue roaming through villages, potentially causing damage to crops and property.
The police requested the court to instruct the Wildlife Conservation Department to move the elephant to a forest reserve to ensure its safety and that of the local residents.
The judge also ordered the police to press charges against the individual who used a drone camera to photograph Agbo.
