News

A circular has been issued to extend the retirement age of public sector employees to 62 years.

The communiqué published by the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, S. R. Attygalle will accordingly come into effect from January 01, 2022.

The current retirement age of public sector employees is 57 years. However, if any individual wishes to serve beyond the age of 57, he or she will be allowed to serve until the age of 62 years, without requesting an extension of service.

As per the circular, any officer can retire between the ages of 57 - 62 at their discretion, by giving a three-month notice to the appointing officer.

If the appointing officer decides not to grant an extension of service to any officer with unsatisfactory performance or efficiency, the appointing officer is authorized to send the employee in question to retirement with prior notice of six months, giving him or her the opportunity to appeal against the decision.

Accordingly, the previously issued Circular 01/2013 dated January 15, 2013, pertaining to the retirement age of public sector employees, is rescinded by the new communiqué, the finance secretary said further.

Sri Lanka’s first cable car project is to come up in Nuwara Eliya with a 55 million US dollar investment to help drive the tourism industry and the economy.

The project will cover a four km stretch between Nuwara Eliya and Nanu Oya to cater to tourists, the Urban Development Ministry said.

Planned to be completed within the next 18 months in an environmentally-friendly manner, the project will be undertaken with Swedish aid by Outdoor Engineers AG Investment, a constructor from that country.

The related memorandum of understanding has been signed.

The National People’s Power (NPP) comprising a number of progressive forces including political parties and civil society organisations will hold its national convention on 20 December at 9.00 am at the Monarch Imperial Conference Hall in Sri Jayewardenepura.

This year's convention will be held under the theme "Solution to revive the fallen motherland."

A national executive council will also be appointed at the convention with a view to addressing the plethora of crises before the country and a set of proposals aimed at rebuilding the economy centred on social justice, economic democracy and the optimum utilisation of resources is also scheduled to be presented.

These proposals will cover all sectors including debt repayment, economic empowerment, human resource development, measures to reduce fraud and corruption, arts and entertainment, education, health, transportation and political reforms.

The national convention will be held in accordance with the Covid-19 health regulations.

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 19 coronavirus related deaths for December 11, increasing the death toll in the country due to the pandemic to 14,614.

The deaths confirmed today include 13 males and 06 females while three of the victims are between the ages 30-59 years.

The remaining sixteen patients are in the age group of 60 years and above.

The Puttalam High Court today (15) ordered the release on bail of Ahanaf Jasim, a young poet who had been detained and remanded for 19 months on the allegation of spreading extremism through a poem book.

Accordingly, Jasim was released on three sureties of Rs. 300,000 each and ordered to appear before the Puttalam Office of the Terrorism Investigation Division on the first and last Sunday of every month, adhered to the bail conditions. A foreign travel ban was also imposed against the young poet.

Jasim was arrested on May 16, 2020 on the allegation of spreading extremism through his poetry, based on a self-penned poem book recovered in a spot in Puttalam owned by ‘Save the Pearl,’ the company which held affiliations with Hejaaz Hisbullah, the lawyer who was arrested in alleged connection with the Easter Sunday Carnage.

When the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed on Jasim’s behalf in the Supreme Court was taken up, the Attorney General’s Office had informed the Court that it held no objection to granting him bail.

The young poet was granted bail by the Puttalam High Court, but was not allowed to return home as he was taken back to prison by the prison officials around 4.15 pm today on the justification that Jasim is still considered remanded in connection with the pending trial in the Colombo Magistrate Court.

Despite the lawyers’ efforts in explaining to the prison officials that the indictment was filed in the Puttalam High Court involving the same case pending in the Colombo Magistrate Court and that bail was granted in the same case, Jasim was taken back to prison denying the interpretation, sources disclosed.

LNW

The largest single natural corundum as a single crystal (Blue Sapphire) in the world has been found in Sri Lanka.

With a weight of around 310 kilograms (1.550,000 carats), it has been named as the “Queen of Asia”.

The National Gem and Jewellery Authority says that the gemstone had been discovered in the Batugedara area and that it belongs to the Gemological Institute and Research Private Limited.

The “Queen of Asia” is currently located in Horana and was displayed to the media for the first time today (12).

President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka – Saliya Pieris and Deputy President Anura B. Meddegoda filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka over the issue of conversion of foreign currency earnings into Sri Lankan Rupees.

The BASL has named Finance Minister – Basil Rajapaksa, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka – Ajith Nivard Cabraal and the Monetary Board of the Central Bank as respondents in the petition.

In the event where payment of professional fees are made in foreign currency for the services provided by its members within or outside Sri Lanka, the BASL details that such foreign currency is remitted to and deposited in Personal Resident Foreign Currency Accounts, Special Deposit Accounts or other permitted accounts in Licensed Commercial Banks in Sri Lanka, in such currency without conversion into Sri Lankan Rupees.

The Petitioners state that such draconian measures of forcefully converting or threatening to convert the foreign currency of Attorneys at Law who are members of the BASL amounts to a form of expropriation of private property which is both unconstitutional and wholly illegal and which cannot be sanctioned in law.

The petition stated that such a conversion of privately owned property against the wishes and without the consent of the owner is ultra vires the powers of the Foreign Exchange Act and the Monetary Law Act as well.

It says that it is illegal and unlawful for the 1st and 2nd Respondent under the Monetary Law Act to engage in any activity which purports to usurp powers under the Foreign Exchange Act.

It also points out that the relationship between a Bank and a Customer is governed by the law relating to banking in Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, the Court has been requested to Grant and Issue a mandate in the nature of a Writ of Certiorari, quashing the decision of the 1st Respondent and/or 2nd Respondent to issue Gazette Extraordinary 2251/42 of 28th October 2021 marked “P3” in terms of the Monetary Law Act No. 58 of 1949.

Further, the petitioners seek for a declaration to be granted that Gazette Extraordinary 2251/42 of 28th October 2021 marked made under Section 10(c) read with Section 68 of the Monetary Law Act No. 58 of 1949 marked “P3” is null and void and of no force or effect in law.

The new rules of the Central Bank require exporters to convert, the residual into Sri Lanka Rupees, on or before the seventh (7th) day of the succeeding month, upon meeting following authorised payments.

News 1st

A meeting between the leader of the Bohra community, His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Saheb, and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took place at the President’s private residence in Mirihana this morning (December 11).

Nearly one million members of the Bohra community live in a number of countries including India, Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sri Lanka and Australia.

His Holiness Saifuddin said he was pleased to visit Sri Lanka which is one of the countries he loves and added that he would continue to visit Sri Lanka along with his followers.

He praised the government’s Covid-19 control programme and said that he looks forward to the development of Sri Lanka.

President Rajapaksa thanked the Bohra Community Leader for his contribution made to the ‘Itukama’ Covid-19 Fund and appreciated the contribution made by the Bohra community to the Sri Lankan economy through investment and trade.

Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga and several leading members of the Bohra community were also present at the meeting.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed Raja Edirisuriya as the new Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka.

The entire director board of the BOI including its Chairman recently stepped down from their positions.

Three Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) and three Acting DIGs of Police have been transferred with immediate effect.

Accordingly, DIGs E.M.U.V Gunaratne, V.G.D.A Karunaratne, S.W.M Senaratne and Acting DIGs J.S Weerasekara, S.P Ranasinghe and H. Samudrajeewa were transferred with the approval of the Minister of Public Security and the Public Service Commission.

Accordingly, DIG in charge of Nuwara-Eliya Division, V. G. D. A. Karunaratne has been appointed as the DIG in charge of the Crimes Division.

DIG E. M. U. V. Gunaratne has been transferred to the post of DIG in charge of Community Police and Environmental Protection Division in addition to the post of DIG in charge of the Naval and Tourism Division.

Meanwhile, DIG S. W. M. Senaratne has been transferred from the post of DIG Naval and Tourism Division to the post of DIG in charge of the Matara and Hambantota Divisions.

Further, Acting DIG in charge of the Kilinochchi District J. S. Weerasekera has received a transfer as the DIG in charge of the Ratnapura Division while Acing DIG S. P. Ranasinghe was appointed as the DIG in charge of the Nuwara-Eliya District from the Police Headquarters.

Acting DIG in charge of the Crime Division, H. Samudrajeewa was meanwhile transferred to the post of DIG in charge of the Kilinochchi District.

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 27 coronavirus related deaths for December 12, pushing the country’s death toll due to the virus to 14,641.

The deaths confirmed today includes one person below the age of 30 years while 13 are between the ages 30-59.

The remaining 13 victims are in the age group of 60 years and above.

Short-term disruptions to the electricity supply are experienced in several areas in the country, says the Ministry of Power.

According to the ministry, the situation is caused by a breakdown of the second generator at the Lakvijaya Power Station in Norochcholai.

The spokesman of the ministry, Mr. Sulakshana Jayawardena said the second generator was removed from the system for repairs due to a water leak in the boiler.

Thereby, the power supply for parts of the island will be suspended for nearly 30 minutes, he said further.