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Vatican Ambassador to Sri Lanka Most Reverend Dr. Brian Udaigwe met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the President's Office today.

During the meeting, the Vatican Ambassador congratulated President Dissanayake on his recent election victory, conveying heartfelt greetings from His Holiness Pope Francis, the Head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State.

Ambassador Udaigwe also extended best wishes for the continued success and prosperity of Sri Lanka under the new President's leadership.

Dr. Udaigwe expressed optimism about Sri Lanka's future, stating that positive developments were forthcoming in line with the people's aspirations.

He commended President Dissanayake's commitment to the welfare of the country and its citizens, offering the Vatican's support in realizing the President's vision for Sri Lanka.

The Vatican Ambassador also lauded the President's initiative to conduct transparent and credible investigations into the tragic Easter Sunday attacks.

Dr. Udaigwe assured the fullest cooperation of the Vatican in supporting the President's ongoing efforts to bring justice and healing to the victims and their families.

According to the PMD, the meeting underscored the strong diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Vatican, with both leaders emphasizing mutual collaboration for the betterment of the nation and its people.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited the headquarters of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya in Wellawatte this morning (05) and received blessings from the Acting Maha Nayaka, Most Venerable Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Murthi Maha Nayaka Thero of Amarapura Nikaya.

The Nayaka Theros of the Secretariat of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya were also present at this occasion, where they invoked blessings for the President.

During the discussion, the Chief Prelate emphasized the need to build a strong state by maximizing the use of the country’s resources. He noted that only then could Sri Lanka rise as an independent nation on the global stage.

The President acknowledged that the current period, with a General Election already announced, is a politically transitional time. He expressed his intention to accelerate progress on key tasks with full Parliamentary power following the election.

The Chief Prelate and the senior Theros also praised the example set by the President and his team, especially during the post-election period, where they ensured no violent incidents or disturbances occurred.

The Maha Sangha further highlighted that, during the last Presidential election, certain groups attempted to organize campaigns against the current President by using religion as a tool, but those accusations have now been proven false. However, the Maha Sangha cautioned the President to remain vigilant as similar smear campaigns may arise in the future.

President Dissanayake remarked that the people, through the results of this Presidential election, have shown the need to change the traditional political system. He also noted that the public has rejected the slander and fears that were created about his team, confirming that these were merely baseless rumours.

During the discussion, the Maha Sangha inquired about the possibility of a new constitution, to which the President responded by stating that he hopes to introduce a new constitution but emphasized that it will only be done following thorough discussions and a referendum. He pointed out that the previous governments implemented constitutional amendments without public consensus. The President also pledged to bring forward a constitutional amendment that meets the expectations of the people, after stabilizing the country to some extent.

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka today announced that the deadline for accepting applications for postal voting in the 2024 General Election, which was scheduled to end at midnight today (8), has been extended until midnight on 10 October 2024.

The Elections Commissioner General said that this decision was made in consideration of the possible postal delays and several requests made by the public to the commission.

Furthermore, the election regulatory body has also advised that it is more appropriate to hand over the postal vote applications completed on October 09 and 10 by hand to the district election office of the district where the office of the certifying officer is located, instead of handing them over to the posts, in order to avoid the possible delays.

The Election Commission also noted that the application deadline will not be extended further under any circumstances.

Imports for public transport vehicles, including buses, started on October 1.

The Ministry of Finance has announced that light vehicles, including cars, will be imported in the first quarter of next year.

Vehicle import process will be implemented in three phases.

Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath says that the fertilizer subsidy of Rs. 25,000 for paddy farmers will commence from Ampara District next Monday (Oct. 14).

He mentioned this during the Cabinet press conference held today (08).

“The Maha season is about to start. We are going to provide this fertilizer subsidy to the people of Ampara district by Monday next week. After that, we will provide the relevant subsidy to the farmers in Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Mahiyanganaya and Mahaweli regions”, he added.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Dhammika Priyantha has been appointed as the new Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS).

This appointment comes following the retirement of former Director of the SIS Major General Suresh Sallay.

The Constitutional Council has approved the appointment of Senior DIG Priyantha Weerasooriya as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The Constitutional Council convened a meeting at the parliamentary complex today (08) under the chairmanship of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to take a final decision on approving the appointment of the Acting IGP.

Under existing regulations, any individual serving as Acting IGP for more than 14 days must receive the formal approval of the Constitutional Council.

Weerasooriya was appointed as Acting IGP by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on September 27, under the constitutional powers vested in the President.

He had received his letter of appointment from the President’s Secretary Dr. Nandika Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on the same day.

Prior to this appointment, Weerasooriya served as the Senior SIG in charge of the North Central Province, a position he held since March 2024.

A law enforcement professional with 36 years of unblemished service, Weerasooriya had served across various ranks, from Police Constable to Senior DIG, with key roles in operational, middle, and strategic management.

Notably, SDIG Priyantha Weerasooriya is the first officer in the 158-year history of the police service to rise from the rank of Police Constable to Inspector General of Police (IGP).

A Law graduate from the University of Colombo, he became an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) after being sworn in as a lawyer at the Sri Lanka Law College.

He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management.

Remarkably, 10 IGP commendation letters have been issued in recognition of SDIG Weerasooriya’s thirty-six years of outstanding service in the Police Department.

Having served as the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) overseeing Crime and Traffic, as well as the Director of Police Logistics, SDIG Weerasooriya has participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions in East Timor and Haiti.

At the time of his appointment as Acting IGP, he was serving as the SDIG in charge of the North Central Province.

External Affairs Minister of India Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who was on a one-day official visit to Sri Lanka met with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath for bilateral talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this afternoon (04). Earlier in the day, Minister Dr. Jaishankar was received on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport by Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane.

Dr. Jaishankar was the first high-level foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka after the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office on 22 September. The main objective of the visit of the External Affairs Minister of India was to congratulate the new President and the government and to demonstrate India’s commitment in moving forward with the strong bilateral partnership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The discussions between the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister and the visiting External Affairs Minister of India focused on a range of issues of mutual interest including in the areas of economic and development cooperation, social security, culture, cooperation in the regional and multilateral fora as well as fisheries.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath welcomed the excellent bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and India, and India’s support for the economic progress of Sri Lanka. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar congratulated his Sri Lankan counterpart on the latter’s assumption of office, and expressed India’s continued support towards economic recovery and stability of its close neighbour. Adding that Sri Lanka is at the centre of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, Minister Jaishankar stated that he looks forward to working closely with Foreign Minister Herath, and the new government, the statement added.

Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were associated with the bilateral talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the visiting Indian External Affairs Minister also signed the Guest Book.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Hearth hosted a working lunch for his counterpart and the delegation.

During his visit to Colombo, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar paid courtesy calls on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. On behlaf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister Jaishankar extended an invitation to President Dissanayake to undertake a visit to India at a mutually convenient date.

Minister Jaishankar was accompanied by a delegation of senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the High Commissioner of India in Colombo, Santosh Jha.

The All Ceylon Egg Producers Association claims the price of eggs has increased due to intermediaries creating a shortage by hoarding eggs.

The price of an egg, which was between Rs. 28 and Rs. 30, has recently shot up to Rs. 40 in the local market.

The All Ceylon Egg Producers Association points out the price hike was due to hoarding by intermediaries.

The Association said if the government intervenes by investigating these intermediaries and also reduces the prices of eggs, then an egg can be provided for Rs. 30.

The All Ceylon Egg Producers Association further urged the government to take immediate action to reduce the price of eggs.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake affirmed his commitment to supporting public servants who dedicate themselves to creating an efficient, citizen-focused public service, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

He emphasized that unlike under previous administrations government officials working in the interest of the people will no longer face political retaliation.

The President made these remarks during a meeting with ministry officials after assuming office as the Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock, Irrigation, Fisheries, and Aquatic Resources this morning (03), the release said.

In a comprehensive discussion with ministry secretaries and senior officials, the current state and future plans of the Ministry of Agriculture were thoroughly reviewed. The President highlighted the critical role the ministry plays in eradicating rural poverty, noting that the performance of government officials will be decisive in achieving this goal.

He also acknowledged that in this year’s presidential election, the public placed their trust in a new political direction, rejecting the old political culture. This shift, driven by the economic challenges citizens face and their dissatisfaction with the public service, marks a significant turning point in the country’s governance, the PMD reported.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized his commitment to building an efficient, people-centered public service, stating that he will take all necessary steps to achieve this. He noted that the public believes widespread fraud and corruption have contributed to the country’s economic collapse and that the current mandate is focused on preventing such practices.

The President called on public servants to uphold the trust placed in them by the people and to dedicate themselves to fulfilling their responsibilities with integrity. He stressed that the fight against fraud and corruption in the state depends on the commitment of government officials.

President Dissanayake further underscored the importance of creating an effective and efficient public service that meets the needs of the citizens. He assured that under his leadership, there will be no room for political revenge, unjust transfers, or denial of promotions in the public sector. He urged public servants to work diligently to build a service that earns the confidence and satisfaction of the people.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that the next forty days will be a transitional period, during which public servants must ensure the continuity of the public service without disruption, it said.

He also indicated that new ministers will be appointed to these ministries following the next general election, the PMD reported.

The President reassured public officials that he will not subject them to public questioning by the media, as previous leaders have done. He made it clear that he does not support such media spectacles and is committed to creating a public service that meets the needs of citizens while upholding the dignity of public servants.

-PMD-

The Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations against Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) Kanishka Wijeratne today (07) gave undertaking to the Supreme Court to resign from office.

This was after the court granted leave to proceed with three Fundamental Rights (FR) applications filed challenging his appointment as the Director General of the Bribery Commission.

The Colombo High Court has ordered for the case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and the former Chairman of the State Printing Corporation, to be called for hearing on November 29.

This order was issued when the relevant plaint was called before Colombo High Court Judge Sujeewa Nissanka today (03).

At that time, the accused former minister Keheliya Rambukwella had also appeared before the court.