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Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera today appointed new heads for three new state media institutions.

Accordingly Film Director, Inoka Sathyangani has been appointed as chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation while Ministry additional secretary Thilaka Jayasundara has been appointed as the Chairman of the Independent Television Network. 

Meanwhile, Uma Rajamanthri has been appointed as chairman of the Selacine Television Institute. 

However, Mohamed Farook will continue to be chairman of the SLBC with no change in the post imminent.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said the savings of Rs. 55.89 billion by the removal of the fuel subsidy throughout the year, will be utilized on a special rural development program titled Gamperaliya to boost the rural economy under the regional development program of the government.

“We would be able to save over Rs. 55 billion from the fuel price revision that was inevitable given the loss incurred by the CPC. We had to increase prices of fuel in line with the global oil prices which as we speak stand at US$ 77 a barrel,” the Minister said while addressing the media on the new pricing structure for fuel approved by the Cabinet last week. The pricing structure of the price of fuel will be revised every two months and the price revision will be announced on the fifth after the lapse of the second month. “The overall price increase is less compared to price increases under the former regime under Mahinda Rajapaksa who jacked up prices when oil prices in the global market were around US$ 48 per barrel. We have not done that but rather made adjustments in a fair manner,” Samaraweera said.

He said the good governance government gave the maximum benefit to people in 2015 by reducing fuel prices considerably compared to 2014 by bringing down Octane 92 from Rs. 157 to Rs. 117 and Octane 95 to Rs. 128 from Rs. 158 under the Rajapaksa regime.

“Our fuel prices are low compared to the prices in many of the regional countries. The price of Octane 92 in India is around Rs. 160 and much higher in Bangladesh and Nepal.

To ease the burden on Samurdhi beneficiaries and low income segments such as the small boat users of the fishery community using kerosene, the old price for kerosene oil will be offered,” the minister said.

“We will have provisions for downward revision as well, when global oil prices come down. As forecasted, we expect global oil prices to come down by the second quarter next year,” the minister said.

Accordingly a litre of petrol (92 Octane) has been increased to Rs. 137, 95 Octane to Rs. 148 and auto diesel Rs.109.

The minister attributed the new situation with regard to sanctions on Iran where Sri Lanka will have to import via another country which will not be Iranian oil.

The price of a barrel of crude oil could go up to US$ 80 due to the situation in Iran.

Source : Sunday Observer

To further the defence cooperation between the 2 countries and discuss issues of bilateral relevance, Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, General Bipin Rawat arrived in Sri Lanka Sunday (13) afternoon on a seven-day long official visit at the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake.

Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army, together with Mrs Chandrika Senanayake, President, Army Seva Vanitha Unit (ASVU) were at the venue to extend a warm welcome to the visiting India’s Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat and his spouse, Mrs Madhulika Rawat.

General Bipin Rawat began his first-day itinerary by saluting memories of fallen Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) War Heroes at the Battaramulla IPKF monument this morning (14).

At the IPKF memorial premises, Major General Ajith Kariyakarawana, Deputy Chief of Staff received the visiting Indian Army Chief as the troops of the Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police, remained vigil to kick off the proceedings after inviting the day’s chief guest to the special dais.
 
Amid honours presented by troops of the Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police, General Bipin Rawat walked to the memorial and solemnly placed a floral wreath and saluted his fellow-Indian soldiers who had laid their lives in Sri Lanka’s fight against terrorism.

Source : Sri Lanka Army

The All Island Private Bus Owners Federation (ALPBOF) has threatened to commence a strike from Wednesday (16) if bus fares are not increased as requested. The ALPBOF is requesting a fare increase of 20 per cent due to the recent increase of fuel prices. According to them the minimum ticket fare should be increased to Rs. 15 up from the current price of Rs. 9.

President Maithripala Sirisena who is on a two day state visit to Iran met with President Hassan Rouhani yesterday (13), in Tehran. During bilateral discussions, Presidents Rouhani and Sirisena reviewed long standing bilateral relations in political, trade, economic and socio-cultural spheres.

President Sirisena expressing his views said that Sri Lanka expects the Iranian government's assistance in the development of Sri Lanka and agreed to enhance mutual cooperation in the fields of oil, tea and tourism.

“Sri Lanka welcomes and supports the presence of Iranian investors,” he said, adding that Tehran and Colombo can boost ties in various fields including energy, tourism, transportation, banking, power transfer and construction of oil refineries. 

Iranian President stated that under the Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation, bilateral trade between the two countries will continue in the future in a stronger manner.

Both leaders also agreed to continue with the agreement signed in 2004 with the objective of further enhancing economic and trade ties.

5 MoUs signed

Following bilateral discussions, President Sirisena and his Iranian counterpart witnessed the signing of five MoUs with a view to enhancing bilateral cooperation.
1. Health, Medical Science, Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment: 
2. Metrology, and Training.
3. Combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs. 
4. Cinema and Television
5. Culture, Science and Technology

The decision on if he would contest in the upcoming Presidential election in 2020 should be made by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, according to former Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

He made these comments to media personnel while attending a religious event held in Godakawela. 

He also stressed that by arresting him no one can hinder his journey. 

2020 decision to be made by Mahinda - Basil

Meanwhile attending another event, Basil Rajapaksa was quoted as saying that MR would be making the decision on the 2020 presidential candidate from their fraction.

He also said that the family would accept his decision and that however his own focus now is on the next provincial council elections and not the presidential election.

Chairman of the Rupavahini corporation Ravi Jayawardena has resigned from his post after handing over his letter of resignation to Minister of Mass Media, Mangala Samaraweera.

According to sources he cited personal reasons for the resignation while claiming he felt it was time to resign after holding the post for three years. 

He added that he was able to transform the channel into a profit-making institution and gain popularity among the people once again and therefore is happily resigning from his post at Rupavahini. 

According to political sources, Jayawardene now intends to intensify the activism of the National Movement for a Just Society created by the late Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera in which Jayawardene was actively involved in. 

He had mentioned to his close associates that time is now in the way to achieve the intended aims of the organization and therefore he will work to win these demands to ensure democracy in the next 18 months as if it is not done, it would be unfair on the part of the late Sobitha Thera as well as the People's mandate of January 8, 2015.  
 
ITN Chairman also may follow suit! 
 
Meanwhile, Chairman of ITN Saman Athaudahetti too has been informed of his resignation.
 
According to reports says his resignation letter will be handed over to the heads of government within the next few days. His decision to step down was one made personally sources say.
 
Further reports claim he will now contribute more towards the Prime Ministers political activities.

The Gazette setting out the subjects and functions of the new ministries has been released. 

It has set out the subjects for the Ministries that changed recently as well as for those that didn't.

Gazette

Various hints as to the possible candidates of the main political parties for the 2020 Presidential elections are now making rounds in the political arena.  

Speaking at a event recently in Ratnapura, member of the SLFP 16, W.D.J Seneviratne was quoted as saying that in any upcoming election he would work under the leadership of Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Also attending an event in Godakawela, which was also graced by Former Secretary of Defence, Gotabaya Rajapaksa he said Gotabaya is the only suitable leader for the country’s future.

Meanwhile Minister Lakshman Kiriella, speaking to the media at an event held in Kandy yesterday, said that the United National Party (UNP) has chosen PM Ranil Wickramasinghe as their Presidential candidate for 2020.

Recently Minister Mangala Samaraweera was also quoted as naming Wickramasinghe as the most suitable politician to contest for the position at the next Presidential election.

Meanwhile, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera addressing a function in Beliatta yesterday confirmed that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will field current President Maithripala Sirisena at the next presidential election.

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) recently held discussions to introduce a new Science channel to Sri Lanka. The meeting was attended by Minister of Science, Technology, and Research, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, SLBC Chairman Siddi Farook and its Working Director, M.J.R David.  

The Minister at the meeting stressed its importance to introduce such a channel to the country while requesting a report on the matter should be submitted to him. 

WIth the Minister’s new portfolio being Science and Technology he is currently said to be interested in forming a Science channel that would benefit the country.

Buddhist monk Sigiriya Dhamminda Thera, a member of Udaya Gammanpila’s Pivithuru Hela Urumaya who is currently in remand custody for allegedly sexually abusing a woman who visited the temple with alms is said to have been at the time out on bail for sexually abusing another woman previously after admitting to the fact. 

The incident is said to have happened in 2016 when he had forcefully entered a house in Nagalawewa using his political influence as a supporter of Mahinda Rajapaksa and sexually abused the woman. 

Sources say the monk then had repeatedly visited the house to abuse the woman while also threatening her husband. 

In fear of his political abilities : 

The family suffering from acute poverty had refrained from complaining due to the abuser being a Buddhist monk and also in fear of his political influence. However unable to take the continuous abuse, the victim had then complained to the Sigiriya Police in this regard. 

Apparently, they had merely requested the Police to kindly ask the monk to refrain from harassing them further. 

On further questioning, the Police were able to find out details regarding the continuous abuse there after going on to arrest him and present him to the Dambulla magistrates court. 

While he had admitted his fault at the time, the court had released him on bail after a severe admonishment.

It was during such a circumstance that he had yet again sexually abused a 46-year-old woman who visited the temple to present the monk with alms. 

He was once again arrested by the Police based on a complaint by the woman and considering his previous wrongs was remanded till May 16. 
(lankatruth)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said that the Sri Lankan government looks forward to the consolidation and advancement of the gains made at the Panmunjom Summit when the two leaders of the United States of America and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea meet on 12 June 2018 in Singapore. 

The statement further added that Sri Lanka welcomed the Inter-Korea Summit between the leaders of the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 27 April 2018 and the adoption of the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula.

"(Sri Lanka) looks forward to the implementation of 'verifiable denuclearisation' of the Korean peninsula, while batting for achieving progress through dialogue, diplomacy and trust-building to establish sustainable peace", the statement added.