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According to a leading survey, Sri Lanka showed significant improvement in press freedom last year ranking 10 notches higher than last year in the World Press Freedom Index 2018.

The annual World Press Freedom Index for 2018 compiled by Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Sri Lanka 131st out of 180 countries climbing 10 notches from 141st in 2017. The overall global score improved to 41.37 this year from 44.34 in 2017 on a 0-100 scale with 100 being the worst.

The Index ranks 180 countries according to the level of freedom available to journalists. It is a snapshot of the media freedom situation based on an evaluation of pluralism, independence of the media, quality of legislative framework and safety of journalists in each country.The RSF, questioning whether impunity will ever end in the country in its country specific statement on Sri Lanka, noted that President Maithripala Sirisena after being sworn in as president in January 2015 said he wanted to reopen all the investigations into murders of journalists.

While some progress has been made in the investigation into Lasantha Wickrematunga's murder, almost all the others are still unpunished, the RSF observed.

"The new government also said that journalists no longer had anything to fear because of their political views or their coverage of sensitive subjects such as corruption and human rights violations by the military. But attacks on journalist Freddy Gamage in June 2016 and in early 2018 fueled the doubts of both the public and media freedom defenders," it said.

According to the media watchdog, the Tamil media, often the target of attacks and censorship both during the civil war and after its official end in 2009, are still on their guard.

In March 2016, the ministry of parliamentary reform and mass media ordered all news websites to register with the government or become illegal.

"This vague and disproportionate directive immediately reminded the media and citizen journalists of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s censorship methods," the statement said.

The media watchdog said the 2018 Index reflects growing animosity towards journalists. "Hostility towards the media, openly encouraged by political leaders, and the efforts of authoritarian regimes to export their vision of journalism, pose a threat to any democracy," the index report said.

In this years Index, Norway is first for the second year running, followed by Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland and Switzerland in that order. At the other end of the Index, North Korea is still last at 180th. Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China preceded North Korea in the index.
In the South Asian region, Bhutan at 94th, Nepal at 106th, Afghanistan at 118th and Maldives at 120th performed better than Sri Lanka while India was ranked 138, Pakistan 139 and Bangladesh 146.

Source : Colombo Page

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.

Attorney at Law, Nagananda  Kodituwakku has issued a challenge to the Bar Association to a debate on corruption within the court system. In a social media post on his Facebook account, the lawyer makes this challenge while asking the association to refrain from levelling baseless accusation against him following the recent program against corruption in the legal and court system and instead to face him in a debate. 
 
During this recent program, various devious and corrupt practices of the courts and lawyers were revealed by Nagananda as well as several other lawyers. 
 
He also claimed preparations have been made to hold the debate on May 4, 2018 at 4.00pm. The lawyer also claims he will arrive in Sri Lanka for the debate from the United Kingdom. 
 
Please find the announcement made by him below :

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.

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.