News

Sri Lankan Dev Kawsala Samarajeewa’s entry has won the ‘women in aviation multimedia engagement contest’ organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Samarajeewa overcame challenges by 11 other finalists from France, Philippines, Argentina, USA, Turkey, Slovenia, Ireland, Serbia, Kenya, Canada and Seychelles in an online selection process.

His entry secured 28,000 likes, while entries from Argentina with 4,800 likes and Turkey won the second and third places respectively.

Samarajeewa will receive an invitation and financial support to attend the Global Aviation Gender Summit scheduled to take place from 5 to 7 July, as well as a certificate of acknowledgement.

His entry secured 28,000 likes, while entries from Argentina with 4,800 likes and Turkey won the second and third places respectively. Samarajeewa will receive an invitation and financial support to attend the Global Aviation Gender Summit scheduled to take place from 5 to 7 July, as well as a certificate of acknowledgement.

The Attorney General today informed the Court of Appeal that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is conducting investigations against Pastor Jerome Fernando under the Money Laundering Act.

Senior State Counsel Shaminda Wickrama, who appeared on behalf of the Attorney General, informed the court of this when the writ petition filed by Fernando, requesting the issuance of an order to prevent his arrest, was taken up for consideration today (15).

The writ petition was taken up today before the Appellate Court bench consisting of Justices Sobitha Rajakaruna and A. Marikkar.

The Senior State Counsel who appeared on behalf of the Attorney General, raised these preliminary objections and requested that the relevant petition be dismissed without being taken up for hearing.

The senior state counsel charged that through this petition, the petitioner has concealed facts from the court as well as presented facts that mislead the court.

He said that the petitioner has stated in the petition that there are preparations to arrest him based on media reports and also that his accusation is entirely based on media reports.

The senior state counsel informed the court that the petitioner had filed a fundamental rights petition with this request before the Supreme Court, but that fact has been concealed in this petition.

The senior state counsel providing further information said that an investigation will be conducted regarding this petitioner under the Money Laundering Act.

Senior state counsel Mr. Shaminda Wickrama alleged that the malicious actions of the petitioner are revealed through this petition and therefore requested the court to dismiss it without issuing a notice for hearing.

However, the further consideration of the petition was adjourned until June 19 while President’s Counsel Jagath Wickramanayake is scheduled to present the facts on behalf of the petitioner on that day.

On Monday (12), the Court of Appeal had granted time for the Attorney General to file objections in relation to the writ petition filed by Pastor Jerome Fernando.

Senior State Counsel Shaminda Wickrema, appearing on behalf of the AG, had strongly objected to Pastor Jerome’s request, when the petition was taken up for consideration on June 12.

Accordingly, the court granted time until June 14 for the AG’s Department to submit the relevant objections, and ordered the case to be recalled today (June 15).

Pastor Fernando, in his petition filed through his attorneys, alleges that the CID is preparing to arrest him, accusing him of having committed an offence under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) through a statement he made during a religious sermon.

Thus, he had filed this writ petition seeking an order to prevent his arrest.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (June 16) called for the expedition of the repair work on the stretch of road between Orugudawatta and Ambatale, also known as the Low-Level Road, and complete it within three months.

He gave necessary directives to respective departments during a progress review discussion at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.

The Head of State has emphasized the need for a thorough examination of the issues causing delays in the project and urged the authorities to promptly address these problems, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Implemented by the Road Development Authority (RDA) with foreign aid, the entire stretch of road spans over 7.7km. As of May 2023, the physical progress of the first phase of construction was at 85%, while the second phase stood at 80%.

The project, which commenced in January 2016, was originally scheduled for completion in 2020. However, due to challenges faced by the contractor company, issues related to compensating residents for relocation, complications arising from water pipes along the road, and various other general problems, the project experienced significant delays, the PMD explained.

Thus, the President decided to engage in an extensive discussion regarding the inability to meet the stipulated deadline.

Attending the discussion were Ministers Bandula Gunawardena, Jeevan Thondaman, and Member of Parliament S.M. Marikkar, as well as President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, President’s Senior Adviser on Economic Affairs Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga, Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Highways Priyantha Mayadunna, Secretary of the Ministry of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development R.M.W.S. Samaradivakara, heads of relevant line agencies, and representatives from the contracting company involved in the project.

Fifty-one divisional secretariats across the island will start issuing passports via online tomorrow (15), said public security minister Tiran Alles.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration is introducing the facility to enable applicants to obtain passports at their hometowns without visiting Colombo.

The Department said the launch of this facility will take place in the presence of president Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The finalized passports will be sent by courier to the homes of the applicants within three days, said Alles.

The Department will continue to accept applications that will be handed over to its offices.

Online applicants can submit their fingerprint marks at sub-offices of the Department of Registration of Persons at 51 divisional secretariats.

They are:

Ampara district - Samanthurai, Pottuvil

Anuradhapura district - Nuwaragam Palatha Central, Kekirawa, Horowpothana

Badulla district - Mahiyangana, Haputale

Batticaloa district – Valachchena, Kathankudy

Colombo district – Seethawaka, Homagama

Galle district – Karandeniya, Akmeemana, Neluwa

Gampaha district – Negombo, Mirigama, Gampaha

Hambantota district – Tangalle, Tissamaharama

Jaffna district – Chavakachcheri, Point Pedro

Kalutara district - Ingiriya, Matugama, Panadura

Kandy district – Gampola, Kundasale, Pujapitiya

Kegalle district – Galigamuwa, Ruwanwella

Kilinochchi district – Karachchi

Kurunegala district – Kuliyapitiya, Nikaweratiya, northwestern province office of the Department of Registration of Persons

Mannar district – Manthai West

Matale district – Naula

Matara district – Athuraliya, Devinuwara

Moneragala district – Buttala

Mullaitivu district – Mullaitivu

Nuwara Eliya district – Ambagamuwa, Walapane

Polonnaruwa district – Elehera, Dimbulagala, Hingurakgoda

Puttalam district – Puttalam, Chilaw

Ratnapura district – Balangoda, Kuruwita, Embilipitiya

Trincomalee district – Kinniya

Vavuniya district - Velangasettikulam

An extraordinary gazette was issued informing the closure of liquidation of the Department of Telecommunication and Internal Trade Department.

The gazette was issued by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies.

A team of doctors of the Sri Lanka Army surgically removed what is considered to be the largest and heaviest kidney stone from a patient on June 01.

At the Army Hospital in Colombo, they removed the calculus that is 13.372 cm long and weighs 801 g.

The previous record for the largest (13 cm) kidney stone was held by India and the heaviest (620 g) by Pakistan.

Head of the hospital’s genitourinary unit Lt. Col. Dr. K. Sutharshan led the surgery, assisted by Capt. Dr. W.P.S.C. Pathiratne, Dr. Thamansha Prematilake, and two colonels, Dr. U.A.L.D. Perera and Dr. C.L. Abeysinghe, as anesthetists.

Later, army chief Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage was shown the kidney stone that has now entered the Guinness World Records.

An online passport system soothing applicants to apply online for their passports is now operational covering the 25 districts of the island.

The new online application system is operational at the Divisional Secretariat level, with 50 Divisional Secretariats islandwide.

Having the new system operational, it is no longer necessary to visit the Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Battaramulla, Colombo, and applicants can submit their passport applications, fingerprints and photographs at the sub-offices of the Department of Registration of Persons located in their respective districts.

The initiative will be declared official this (15) afternoon at the Homagama Divisional Secretariat under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Public Security Minister Tiran Alles.

Below is the list of Divisional Secretariat Offices where the sub-offices of the Department of Registration of Persons are established covering the 25 districts of Sri Lanka.

Former Minister Navin Dissanayake was appointed the new Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province today (June 13).

He was sworn in before President Ranil Wickremesinghe, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

Speaking on his new appointment, Dissanayake vowed to bring his “20 years of experience to improve the public delivery systems in the province and bring much-needed reforms in the education sector” in his capacity as the governor.

The PMD said Disanayake also expressed his commitment to contributing significantly to the realization of President Wickremesinghe’s projects and government policies aimed at the country’s development.

Further, he has acknowledged the challenging situations the country has faced in the past, however, went on to highlight the positive transformation taking place today, owing to the President’s effective initiatives.

The new provincial governor, who spoke of giving special attention to enhancing the children’s education in the Sabaragamuwa Province, also emphasized his intention to collaborate with political party leaders, seeking their insights and recommendations, to successfully implement government programs.

Dissanayake’s appointment comes after Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, who served as the Sabaragamuwa provincial governor since November 2019, resigned from the post with effect from June 10, 2023.

The Department of Examinations announced that the Grade 5 Scholarship examination will take place on the 15th of October 2023.

The Commissioner General of Examinations, Amith Jayasundara, said that applications will be accepted from 15th June to 6th July.

The Department of Examinations said that the deadline for accepting nominations will NOT be extended under any circumstance.

Applications can be submitted online before the 6th of July 2023.

The Director General of the Department of Archeology Prof. Anura Manatunga has tendered his letter of resignation from his post to the Ministry Secretary, the Minister for Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Vidura Wickramanayaka said.

Prof. Manatuga had been appointed as the Director General of the Department of Archaeology with effect from the 1st of January 2021, in the wake of former Director General Dr. Senarath Dissanayake retiring from the service.

Professor Manatunga previously served as the Director at the Centre for Heritage Studies of the University of Kelaniya and was the former Head of the Department.

He also served as the Archaeological Director of the Polonnaruwa Project of the Central Cultural Fund during 1999-2013.

He was the General Secretary of the International Association for Asian Heritage (IAAH) and a Fellow of the Sri Lanka Council of Archaeologists, and a former Joint Secretary and Vice President of the Council.

He has been a member of the Advisory Committee of the Department of Archaeology for several decades. His areas of expertise are History of Archaeology, Archaeology Theory and Methods, Indian Pre and Proto History, and Archaeology Law and Ethics.

Most of his important discoveries at Sigiriya and other sites are pioneering work in Sri Lankan archaeology.

The Supreme Court today (June 15) refused to grant leave to proceed with two fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed against the restructuring of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) PLC.

The petitions had been filed by Sri Lanka All Telecommunication Employees’ Union president J.B. Gurusinghe, its secretary H.K. Hettiarachchi and the president of SLT Samagi Sewaka Sangamaya president Indika Priyadarshana.

Following a lengthy trial, the Supreme Court’s three-judge bench comprising, Justices Murdu Fernando, Kumudini Wickamasinghe and Priyantha Fernando, decided to dismiss the two petitions.

The SLT trade union leaders, in their petitions, had deemed the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to divest the government-owned shares in the SLT a violation of fundamental rights.

When the petitions were called before Supreme Court today, Deputy Solicitor General Rajeeva Gunathilake told the judge bench that the Cabinet of Ministers, in March 2023, gave its approval to go ahead with the restructuring of SLT, adding that the proposal was also green-lighted in the budget speech delivered by the President in his capacity as the Finance Minister.

He also deemed the concerns raised by the petitioners, about the potential threats to the national security posed by privatization of SLT, baseless.

The Deputy Solicitor General went on to note that the move would not be prejudicial to the shareholders nor the subscribers of SLT, as mentioned in the petitions, and requested the judge bench to refuse to grant leave to proceed with the two FR petitions.

Later, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva presented submissions on behalf of Sri Lanka Telecom.

Former minister Navin Dissanayake is due to be sworn-in as governor of the Sabaragamuwa province in the coming week.

He will succeed Tikiri Kobbekaduwa, who resigned yesterday (10).

Presidential advisor Ruwan Wijewardena, speaking to journalists in Gampaha, said Dissanayake’s appointment will most likely take place on Tuesday.