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National Freedom Front (NFF) says they will work towards defeating the 20th amendment to the constitution. According to them the true purpose of JVP bringing the 20th Amendment under the guise of abolishing the Executive Presidency is to fully enforce the 13th Amendment.
 
Deputy Leader of NFF Jayantha Samaraweera stated this while attending a press conference held yesterday in Colombo.
 
He says to bring a 20th amendment if possible but NFF will defeat it by sacrificing lives, should it come to that.
 
As the first step of defeating the 20th amendment, they will commence a leaflet distribution campaign around the country from the May 3, Samaraweera further stated.
 
Earlier this week leader of the JVP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the 20th amendment to the constitution will be brought forward by the party as the Private member's bill during the month of May. 
 
Dissanayake also claimed the JVP will seek support from members of civil society, religious leaders, other parties as well as the public to bring about this much needed reform despite the criticisms being levelled against it.

The recently appointed 12 member United National Party (UNP) Politburo, today elected several new office bearers for the party under its new restructuring plans. 

Accordingly Minister of Housing, Sajith Premadasa has been appointed as the Deputy leader of the party while MP Ravi Karunanayake was appointed as its Assistant leader. 

Minister of Education, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was elected to the post of General Secretary vacated by Minister Kabir Hashim, who has now been presented with the position of party chairman by the Politburo. 

Meanwhile Minister of Plantations, Navin Dissanayake was announced as the party’s national organizer. 

According to party sources, other appointments are to be announced tomorrow. 

The United National Party elected a 12-member politburo to finalise internal reforms and restructure and recommend new party office-bearers on April 7. 

The politburo comprises of 12 parliamentarians, 10 of whom were elected by secret ballot by the UNP Working Committee and Parliamentary Group. 

The two UNP deputy leaders Ravi Karunanayake and Sajith Premadasa were appointed to the 12-member committee as ex officio members.
 
UNP MPs Mangala Samaraweera, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Eran Wickremaratne, Harin Fernando, Nalin Bandara, Navin Dissanayake, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, J.C. Alawatuluwa, Ruwan Wijewardene and Ajith Perera are the other members of the politburo.

The sixty-eighth Annual Report of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) was presented to the Minister of Finance and Mass Media, Mangala Samaraweera by the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy yesterday. 

The reports highlights that the stabilisation policy measures taken by the Central Bank and the government in the past two years resulted in a number of notable improvements, although real economic growth faltered and recorded a multi year low during 2017. 

The monetary policy stance of the Central Bank that was gradually tightened since end 2015, was tightened further in March 2017 by raising the key policy interest rates of the Central Bank by 25 basis points. “Increasing market interest rates were allowed to stabilise at high levels,” it said.
 
In the external current account, although earnings from exports increased to the highest levels recorded, the increase in imports, mainly arising from drought related imports of petroleum and rice as well as increased importation of gold, caused a wider trade deficit. 
 
Although inflows on account of services exports including tourism, and workers’ remittances continued to cushion the impact of the widened trade deficit to some extent, the current account recorded a deficit of 2.6 per cent of GDP during the year. 
 
The Sri Lankan rupee depreciated against the US dollar by 2.0 per cent during the year, while the real effective exchange rate indices also depreciated, raising the competitiveness of the currency. 
 
“Such a fairly-valued currency in real terms, is expected to enable a gradual adjustment of the current account deficit of the BOP in the period ahead,” the report says.
 
Adverse weather conditions and their spillover effects continued to affect real economic activity, and the economy surprised to the downside by recording a growth of 3.1 per cent in real terms.
 
This was significantly below projections of the Sri Lankan authorities as well as international agencies, the Central Bank said. 
 
In spite of the low real GDP growth, the economy created sufficient employment opportunities that induced a further reduction in the unemployment rate to 4.2 per cent during the year, the report added.
 
Source : Ada Derana

David Hartman, Director General for South Asia at Global Affairs Canada, together with David McKinnon, High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka, met with the Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera, at the Treasury, today (25).

The discussion focused on deeper participation of Canadian Government and Canadian businesses in Sri Lanka's development, investment and reconciliation process.

David Hartman was accompanied by Jen Hart, Political Counsellor, William Brown - Vice President, Export Development Canada (EDC),  Yvonne Chin - Director Asia, Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) and  Avanti Coonghe - Trade Commissioner, High Commission of Canada.

Senior Advisor to the Minister of Finance and Media, Mano Tittawella and the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Media Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga also participated in the discussion.

Global Affairs Canada manages Canada's diplomatic and consular relations, promotes the country's international trade and leads Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance.

Foreign media reports show that crude oil prices in the world market have been increasing rapidly due to growing tensions between the United States and certain Middle-Eastern countries.

Crude prices rose on Monday along with the U.S. stock market on forecasts for robust oil demand growth and concerns that output from OPEC producers would grow at a much slower pace in coming years, Reuters reported.

Accordingly, the price of a barrel of crude oil has risen to USD 75. The last instance when such a price was recorded was in March of 2015.

Analysts pointed out that even though global oil prices were relatively low at the beginning of 2018, it has now risen rapidly showing an increase of around 20% compared to the oil prices at the beginning of the year.

The Presidential Commission on SriLankan Airlines is set to begin recording evidence in two weeks, President Maithripala Sirisena said today.The Presidential Commission on SriLankan Airlines is set to begin recording evidence in two weeks, President Maithripala Sirisena said today.

In February a gazette notification was issued signed by President Sirisena thereby appointing a Presidential Commission to investigate allegations involving SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka.

Retired Supreme Court Judge Anil Gunaratne, Court of Appeal Judge Gamini Rohan Amarasekara, Retired High Court Judge Piyasena Ranasinghe, Retired Deputy Auditor General Mallawa Arachchige Don  Anthony Harald, the Director General of the Sri Lanka Accounting and Auditing Standards Monitoring Board Wasantha Jayaseeli Kapugama had been appointed as the members of the Commission.

The Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy handed over the annual report for year 2017 today, at the Treasury.

Secretary to the Treasury Dr.R.H.S. Samaratunga and Senior Deputy Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe were present at the occasion.

Petroleum Resources Development Minister Arjuna Ranatunga has said that his Ministry has no intention to raise fuel prices.Petroleum Resources Development Minister Arjuna Ranatunga has said that his Ministry has no intention to raise fuel prices.

Minister Arjuna Ranatunga had made this remark responding to a query by a several ministers regarding the increase of fuel prices at the cabinet meeting held yesterday (24).

The Minister is reported to have also said that although the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation incurs losses, the fuel prices will not be increased at this time burdening the people.

After the fuel price increase by the Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC), the CPC is said to be currently incurring a loss of Rs. 38 million per day.

The Working Committee of the United National Party which met today has appointed Minister Harin Fernando as the party's new secretary of communications. 

Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera was appointed as UNP's trade union secretary.

“Building a better and secure future for all is a shared call that we can shirk only at our own peril”, stated Ambassador A.L.A.Azeez, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, addressing the Second Preparatory Committee Meeting of State Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) yesterday (24). “Building a better and secure future for all is a shared call that we can shirk only at our own peril”, stated Ambassador A.L.A.Azeez, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, addressing the Second Preparatory Committee Meeting of State Parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) yesterday (24).  

Ambassador Azeez highlighted the importance of the NPT as the global regime for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament that called for a balanced and non-discriminatory approach to building international peace and security. 

He stressed that the non-proliferation treaty regime should be taken forward, while promoting and safe guarding the economic development prospects for all, through equal access to the technology advancing peaceful uses of nuclear energy. 

Ambassaddor Azeez also called upon the State Parties to seriously address the prevalent dichotomy between the lack of progress in disarmament and increasing emphasis and efforts on non-proliferation, urging them to “manifest their support for, and investment in, disarmament training and education provided by the UN and other organizations”.

Mother of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Politburo member and former parliamentarian, K.D Lalkantha has passed away. 
 
Her remains lie at her residence in Matale junction, Kurundankulama on the Anuradhapura - Kandy road. Last rites will be held tomorrow in Anuradhapura. 
 
Former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa had also reportedly visited the residence today to pay his last respects.

The proposed 20th amendment to the constitution in order to abolish the executive Presidency will be brought as a private member’s bill, leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. 
 
Addressing a media briefing today at the party’s headquarters in Pelawatta, Dissanayake said the bill will be brought to parliament before the end of May. “Despite promises by various parties throughout the years to abolish the Presidency this has not happened” he said adding that therefore the JVP feels they have the right to bring about such a bill to ensure it is followed through. 
 
Speaking further Dissanayake also said that they will seek support from members of civil society, religious leaders, other parties as well as the public to bring about this much needed reform.