News

The first Committee meeting of the Committee on Public Finance for the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament held under the chairmanship of (Dr.) Harsha de Silva.

In accordance with the Standing Order 121, the Committee of Selection appointed (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, Member of Parliament as the Chairman of the Committee recently.

Accordingly, the Appropriation (Amendment) Bill to amend the Appropriation Act No. 30 of 2021 was considered at the committee and approved.

Furthermore, the Social Security Contribution Levy Bill was also approved.

Regulations under the Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017, Order under the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007 and a Resolution under the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235) also received approval of the Committee on Public Finance.

An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued by the Consumer Affairs Authority declaring the maximum retail price for eggs.

Accordingly, a white egg will be sold at Rs. 43 and a brown egg at Rs. 45.

The price revision came into effect yesterday.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe told public servants yesterday (21) to leave the civil service immediately if they cannot perform their duties properly.

“No one can be fed freely. Some purpose should be served. I, too, cannot eat freely. If I do not develop this county, I too, will have to go. So, let’s start from the village,” he said at a meeting of the district development council in Anuradhapura at Golden Mango reception hall.

Wickremesinghe pointed out that it was the United National Party that taught the lesson in the past to unite everyone for the country’s sake irrespective of party, racial or religious differences and stressed his intention to do so in the future as well.

He said he would not ask anyone to return to the UNP, but would invite all to unite without further delay to build the country, making references to the SJB and the JVP.

The discussion on ongoing and future development plans for Anuradhapura was attended by people’s representatives of the UNP, SLPP and the SLFP as well as public officials.

The president, who paid homage at Atamasthana yesterday, said he received blessings from the Mahanayake Theras at each and every place he had visited.

His intention was to do something more for the area, Wickremesinghe noted, adding that Anuradhapura and Kandy should be transformed into major tourism centres, for which he would appoint a committee to cover every sphere and also bring down advisors from France or some other country if necessary.

He also spoke about a revival of the upper Malwathu Oya project, at least within the next couple of years, a delay possible due to the prevailing economic woes.

The president warned the economy would contract eight per cent more than the past year, while the people are under intense pressure not witnessed ever before.

It should be looked into how these could be reversed, including a success in the Maha cultivation season, he said.

For that aid has already been received to grant fertiliser, which will be subsidized along with the seeds, and the supply of fuel as well.

President Wickremesinghe told local government members and public servants to work together and do their job to bring about an agricultural revolution.

“Let us all work together. When we work together, a new political theory will emerge. The old system cannot continue. Let us go for a new system. We should go on a civilized political journey,” he added.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released a statement regarding their upcoming visit to the crisis-struck Sri Lanka.

An IMF delegation is scheduled to visit Colombo during 24 -31 August to continue discussions with Sri Lankan authorities on economic and financial reforms and policies.

The objective is to make progress towards reaching a staff-level agreement on a prospective IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement in the near term.

“Because Sri Lanka’s public debt is assessed as unsustainable, approval by the IMF Executive Board of the EFF program would require adequate assurances by Sri Lanka’s creditors that debt sustainability will be restored,” the statement reads.

IMF staff would also continue the engagement with other stakeholders during the visit. The team will be led by Peter Breuer and Masahiro Nozaki.

More than 140,000 Sri Lankans have left the island for foreign employment so far this year, said the Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry.

Secretary to the ministry R.P.A. Wimalaweera said the government intended to secure a total of 300,000 new jobs in foreign countries during the year.

Also, attention is being paid to send state sector officers for employment and referral overseas, with the Bureau of Foreign Employment already conducting the relevant registrations.

These came to light at a meeting secretary to the president Saman Ekanayake had with state officials on improving foreign exchange earnings and foreign employment for public servants.

Amending the state administration circular 14/2022 to facilitate the task came under discussion.

It was decided to seek foreign jobs for the registered applicants after identifying the potential employment categories.

Foreign educational scholarships

Furthermore, development officers are to be encouraged to obtain foreign educational scholarships in an extensive manner.

Instructions and a timeframe will be given to heads of institutions for granting leave for the applicants and an online appeal system to deal with delays in approval came under discussion.

Authorities have been told to formulate a mechanism before August 31 for the applicants to obtain membership in a pension scheme and for obtaining bank loans.

Identifying skills development and short-term requirements in catering to job categories in high demand will be done as well.

Regular progress reviews in sending public servants for jobs overseas will be carried out too.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has summoned former parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra and Dulanjalee Premadasa, sister of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to record statements related to the investigations into the burning of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s house.

The CID has recorded a nearly five-hour statement from former parliamentarian this morning.

Speaking to the media after recording the statement, Premachandra said she was inquired about the torching of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department has recorded a statement from Dulanjali Premadasa for about 4 hours.

The President’s private residence at Fifth Lane in Kollupitiya was set on fire by the mobs during protests on July 09th.

The Criminal Investigation Department has so far identified 20 people involved in the arson and the police have arrested four youths arrested in connection with the incident.

The Yuan Wang 5, China's missile and satellite tracking ship berthed at Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, departed today (22), confirmed the Harbour Master of the Hambantota Port Exclusively to News 1st.

The Yuan Wang 5 is one of China's latest generation survey vessel officially entered Port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka on Tuesday 16th August 2022 replenishment purposes.

Sri Lanka granted permission for the high-tech Chinese tracking vessel Yuan Wang 5 to dock at the Hambantota Port in a backdrop marred with controversy.

Diplomatic clearance for the Chinese vessel to make a port call at the Hambantota port from 11-17 August​,​ 2022 for replenishment purposes was granted by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreing Affairs, however due to concerns raised by various factions including India, the Ministry requested China to defer the visit of the said vessel to the Hambantota port.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide any reason for the request.

When the request to defer the visit of the vessel was made, the Yuan Wang 5 had already set sail to Sri Lanka leaving its port of origin on the 14th of July, and it was already in the Indian Ocean.

The vessel thereafter slowed down and moved over the Ninety East Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge on the Indian Ocean floor named for its near-parallel strike along the 90th meridian at the center of the Eastern Hemisphere.

On 16th August 2022, Sri Lanka's Cabinet Spokesperson & Minister Bandula Gunawardena confirmed that the Chinese ballistic missiles and satellite tracking vessel was requested to delay their visit due to concerns voiced by India.

He said that a request was made from China to defer the arrival until Sri Lanka cleared out the concerns of its neighbor India.

Yuan Wang 5 is a third-generation tracking ship of the Yuan Wang Series. It has top-of-the-line antennas and electronic equipment to track ballistic missiles and satellite.

The Chinese Reasearch Vessel fleet boats of twin vessels identified as Yuan Wang 5 and Yuan Wang 6.

Former star swimmer and social activist Julian Bolling and businessman Jonathan Martenstyn have been summoned to the CID for questioning.

They were due to give statements to the police this morning (17) with regard to the arson attack on the private home of president Ranil Wickremesinghe on July 09.

According to the police, both had been present at the time of the attack, with Martenstyn having tried to force his way into the place.

Bolling is one of the petitioners who have moved the Supreme Court seeking an order for an investigation into persons responsible for making the country and its people bankrupt.

The court has issued an order preventing the former finance ministers Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country without permission.

Rangana Devapriya, the national organizer of the Socialist Students’ Union, has been arrested by Slave Island police. By now, he has been taken to the Fort police station.

He was arrested in this way after the end of the peaceful, silent protest against the repression held in front of Slave Island police station this morning (22nd).

Rangana Devapriya is a student leader who has actively contributed to the Galle Face struggle in recent days and the Socialist Students Union is the student wing of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna.

Former Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will return to the island on August 24, says former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga.

He made this remark while speaking to the media after recording a statement with the Criminal Investigation Department.

Weeratunga arrived at the CID premises this morning to provide a statement on the procurement of four second-hand MiG-27 fighter jets to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) from Ukraine.

He faces money laundering charges over the alleged embezzlement of public funds to the tune of USD 7.833 million in the infamous aircraft deal.

At the time of the aircraft purchase, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was serving as the secretary to the Ministry of Defence. Weeratunga served as Sri Lankan ambassador to Russia from 2006 until former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated in the election in January 2015.

President Ranil Wickramasinghe announced today (20) that steps have been taken to provide the fertilizer required for upcoming Maha season to the farmers without any delay.

The President made these comments during a visit to Chief Sanghanayake of the North Central District, Dr. Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Na Thero.

In a discussion with Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Na Thero, the President said that the Government is focusing on improving the country's economy with emphasis on agriculture.

Moreover he assurred that the construction activities of the Maha Viharaya will be expedited, adding that the temples would become buddhist tourist attractions for tourists from Myanmar and other countries.

Senior Advisor to President, Sagala Rathnayake said that discussions with regard to a fertilizer subsidy has already been initiated with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

He further stated that the Government will facilitate for promotion of crops such as tea, coconut and rubber, and mentioned that provisions will also be made from the interim budget to import seeds.

Laugfs Gas company says that a ship carrying 3,120 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived at the Hambantota Port this morning (16).

The LP gas stocks are currently being discharged to the Laugfs terminal facility and will be released for local consumption as soon as filling operations begin, the company said.