News

Employees of Litro have been given leave from Wednesday (13) until next Monday due to the Sinhala & Tamil New Year.

Accordingly, the Keralawalapitiya Gas Distribution Center was deserted on Wednesday (13).

However, people can still be seen waiting in line at several places across the country to purchase cooking gas to light a stove on New Year’s Eve.

People in Nagoda, Galle were waiting in line despite heavy rain, as they await to welcome the new year on Thursday (14).

Heated exchanges were also reported from some distribution centers as people lost patience due to delays.

People also protested in Galle, Kandy, and several other locations due to the delay in cooking gas distribution.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association stated that the health sector will face several issues in the next few weeks due to the shortage of medicine.

North Western Province Coordinator of the Government Medical Officers Association, Dr. Indika Ratnayake said that with the present situation in the country and negative financial system allocations to the health sector have been reduced.

Further, he said that the main reason they could not import medicine was because of the shortage of dollars.

According to the situation arising in the country importing medicine will be difficult and there will be a high demand for medicines, he said.

The Asia Rugby Executive Committee (EXCO) has discussed at length the contrary positions of the Sri Lanka Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Sri Lanka National Olympic Committee in relation to the suspension of the Sri Lanka Rugby.

Sri Lanka Rugby was suspended by the Sri Lankan Minister of Youth and Sports as announced via an official Government Gazette dated 1 April 2022 whilst the National Olympic Committee via an official letter signed by the Secretary-General recognizes the Sri Lanka Rugby as the sole representative of the sport of rugby in Sri Lanka.

The Executive Committee concluded that, in accordance with Asia Rugby Regulation 3, the membership of the Sri Lanka Rugby will be temporarily suspended from the Regional Association with immediate effect until further notice on the basis that the Sri Lanka Rugby may no longer be considered as fully responsible for the organisation of rugby-related matters in its jurisdiction; or it is no longer in a position to perform its constitutional and regulatory duties in an appropriate manner.

The Executive Committee further concluded that a visiting delegation from the Regional Association together with the Olympic Council of Asia will travel to Sri Lanka on 20 April to meet with the relevant stakeholders in a committed and transparent efforts to attain an ideal resolution to the affair in the best interest of the Sri Lankan rugby athletes.

(Source: Asia Rugby)

Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe has been appointed as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).

Weerasinghe served as a Deputy Governor for the CBSL and will be serving as the new Governor upon the stepping down of predecessor Ajith Nivard Cabraal.

He will assume office on April 07.

MP Shantha Bandara, who was sworn in as the State Minister of Agriculture yesterday (11), has been removed from all positions he had been holding in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Bandara accepting a State Ministerial portfolio at a time when the party decided not to accept any portfolios in the present administration is a betrayal to the party, the SLFP said.

General Secretary of the SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said steps will also be taken to expel the State Minister from the SLFP Central Committee and from the Party.

Bandara was sworn in yesterday as the State Minister of Organic Fertilizer Production, Promotion and Supply Regulation and Promotion of Paddy and Cereals, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chilies, Salt and Potato Cultivation, Seed Production and High Tech Agriculture following the resignation of Shasheendra Rajapaksa.

He said that he had accepted the post at the request of the President.

Newly-appointed Finance Minister Ali Sabry has stepped down from his position a day after his appointment.

His appointment as the Finance Minister came after the entire Cabinet of Ministers resigned from their respective portfolios on Sunday (April 03).

In his letter of resignation sent to the President, Sabry said it was not his intention to take up any post after he tendered his resignation from the post of Justice Minister on April 03.

“However, in order to maintain parliamentary democracy and the stability of the system and constitutional governance, in light of the multitude of requests made by the business community, professionals and some of my cabinet colleagues, I decided to accept the post of the Minister of Finance only as an interim measure until a suitable, full-time sustainable solution could be found.”

Sabry says, after much reflection and deliberation, and taking into account the present situation, he is of the view that fresh, proactive and unconventional steps need to be taken, including the appointment of a new Finance Minister, to make suitable arrangement to navigate the ongoing crisis.

“In order to facilitate such an appointment, I hereby tender my resignation from the post of the Minister of Finance with immediate effect,” he added.

He also expressed his willingness to step down his parliamentary seat, if the President wishes to appoint a person suitable to handle the situation outside the current parliament.

Prior to his resignation today, Sabry, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, presented the International Monetary Fund’s report on Sri Lanka to the parliament this morning.

After the Cabinet of Ministers tendered their letters of resignation, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed four ministers to maintain the affairs of the Parliament and other functions of the country legitimately and stably until a full Cabinet is appointed.

Accordingly, Prof. G.L. Peiris was sworn in as the Foreign Minister, Ali Sabry as the Finance Minister, Johnston Fernando as the Minister of Highways and Dinesh Gunawardena as the Education Minister.

These ministers were appointed as there is a need to appoint a Leader of the House and a Chief Government Whip for the functioning of the Parliament and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Finance, the PMD explained in a statement.

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) requested power cuts were approved by the PUCSL for next week.

The schedule is as follows;

4 hours on 11th and 12th April No power cuts from 13th to 15th of April 2 hours and 15 minutes on 16th & 17th of April

On 11th and 12th

Groups ABCDEFGHIJKL

2 hours and 15 minutes from 8:30am to 5:30pm 1 hour and 45 minutes from 5:30pm to 10:45pm

Groups PQRSTUVW

2 hours and 15 minutes from 10:45am to 5:30pm 1 hour and 45 minutes from 5:30pm to 10:45pm

On 16th to 17th

Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW

2 hours and 15 minutes from 9am to 6pm.

State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle has resigned from her post.

Speaking to Ceylon Today, Fernandopulle stated that she had submitted her resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Colombo Magistrate’s Court issued an order preventing Ex-Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal from traveling overseas.

Ajith Nivard Cabraal was also issued summons to appear in Court on the 18th of April.

The order was issued by Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunuwela upon considering an application filed by former governor Keerthi Tennakooon.

The application charged Cabraal for abusing public funds during his tenure as the governor of the central bank.

President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne and Attorney-at-Law Gunaratne Wanninayake appeared on behalf of the plaintiff.

The additional magistrate has also ordered Ajith Nivard Cabraal to appear in court on the 18th of this month.

Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Ajith Nivard Cabraal has handed over his resignation.

Taking to Twitter, Cabraal stated that he has submitted his resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

His resignation comes hours after the entire Cabinet handed in their resignations to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, following a Cabinet meeting held last night.

"In the context of all Cabinet Ministers resigning, I have today submitted my resignation as Governor, @CBSL to HE President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. @GotabayaR #SriLanka #GoSL", Cabraal tweeted.

The Ministry of Education has decided to extend school hours by an hour from the next term, commencing 18 April.

Secretary to the Ministry of Education Prof. Kapila Perera said the decision was taken owing to the limited time available to complete this year’s syllabus and to cover missed lessons.

Minister of Sports, Youth and Technology, Namal Rajapaksa says he has resigned from his Ministerial portfolios today (03).