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Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana has been removed as mayor of the Kurunegala Municipal Council effective from December 31, 2022.

Northwestern province governor Wasantha Karannagoda has issued a gazette notification to this effect after the 2023 budget of the Kurunegala MC was defeated.

Now, the position of its mayor is deemed vacant, according to the notification.

Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardane and Permanent Under Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom Sir Philip Barton have held discussions at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Ministry mentioned that constructive bilateral engagement has taken place in the 75th year of UK-SL diplomatic relations.

Foreign Secretary Wijewardane has briefed the UK Permanent Under-Secretary on current developments in the country and the Government’s plans for 2023 as a year of socio-economic stabilization, reconciliation and recovery. Sir Philip Barton encouraged Sri Lanka’s efforts and reiterated the support of the UK in this regard, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

In view of the priority placed by Sri Lanka on economic recovery and growth, Foreign Secretary highlighted the significance of Sri Lanka’s economic partnership with the UK, under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) which provides duty-free access to the UK market, as well as in other sectors such as enhancing UK’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s tourism and skilled labour migration.

Thus, the two sides have appreciated the potential to further expand trade and investment ties, including reaction to climate change objectives, and in achieving Sri Lanka’s target of achieving 70% renewable energy by 2030.

Meanwhile, both sides reiterated their mutual interest to initiate a Sri Lanka – UK Dialogue in the first quarter of 2023, with a view to elevating the existing multifaceted engagement and working towards achieving tangible results through a result-oriented approach on several areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, the relevant ministry said further.

Foreign Secretary Wijewardane and the Permanent Under Secretary of the FCDO have also appreciated the vibrant people-to-people ties emanating from the significant community of Sri Lankan heritage in the UK. Foreign Secretary Wijewardane apprised the Permanent Under Secretary on the Government’s intent to further engage with the overseas Sri Lankan community to better harness their synergies for mutual benefit.

It has been agreed to commemorate the 75th anniversary of UK-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations this year in a manner reflective of the long-standing relations in a forward-looking and result-oriented manner, it added.

In an exchange of views on regional and international developments, Foreign Secretary Wijewardena briefed the Permanent Under Secretary on Sri Lanka’s policy priorities in Indian Ocean engagement, as well as the country’s assumption of the Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) this year.

During the visit, the Permanent Under Secretary Sir Barton called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, the State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe and the Chief of Staff to the President Sagala Ratnayaka, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Sir Philip Barton was accompanied by the British High Commissioner Sarah Hulton and officials of the British High Commission and the UK FCDO. Senior officials of the Foreign Ministry also participated in the meeting, it said.

The upcoming Local Government (LG) election will be held on 09 March 2023.

This was announced by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka today (21 Jan.).

The accepting of nominations for the upcoming election commenced at 08:30 a.m. on 18 January, and closed at 12 noon today.

The acceptance of cash deposits for the election also closed yesterday (20 Jan.), after it began on 18 Jan.

Meanwhile, the Regulation of Election Expenditure Bill was also passed in Parliament on Thursday (19 Jan.), with a majority of 61 votes.

The Bill was passed in Parliament with 97 votes in favour, while 36 MPs voted against the Bill.

Several political parties in the opposition including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), however, expressed their discontent about scheduling the debate for today, citing the government’s attempts to pass the bill hastily in a bid to postpone the local government election, while various election monitoring organisations too, have raised concerns pertaining to the Bill, deeming the law inadequate.

A heated argument ensued in Parliament today between former President Maithripala Sirisena and Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka.

MP Fonseka pointed out that attempts were underway by the former President to collect money from the public to settle the Rs. 100 million compensation to be paid to the victims of the 2019 Easter attacks as ordered by the Supreme Court.

MP Fonseka further said that the country will have to face several issues if people like this who are collecting funds via tills in Pettah are elected as the President of the country.

Responding to him, former President Maithripala Sirisena said that a person who could not safeguard the Army headquarters from a bomb attack does not have the right to make any comments about him.

Maithripala Sirisena said that if money is being collected to assist him to pay the compensation, he will accept such collections.

Sirisena further reminded MP Sarath Fonseka, that he was the reason Fonseka was released from prison and reappointed as Field Marshall.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has decided not to impose power outages after 07:00 p.m. during the period in which the 2022 G.C.E Advanced Level Examination is scheduled to take place.

The decision was taken following a request made by the Department of Examinations, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayaka explained, adding that the decision was also made in accordance with the requirements of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

The 2022 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination is scheduled to be held from 23 January to17 February at 2,200 centres across the island.

Meanwhile, power will be interrupted for 02 hours and 20 minutes, one hour during the daytime and one hour 20 minutes during night, for all groups today (21 Jan.) and tomorrow (22 Jan.).

January 16 marked 150 days since IUSF convener Wasantha Mudalige was arrested and sent behind bars under the PTA.

The IUSF and several other groups protested in Colombo yesterday to demand his release.

A protest march by them came under water cannon and teargas fire.

Meanwhile, seven international human rights groups urged the government to immediately end Mudalige’s arbitrary incarceration.

The groups are Amnesty International, Forum Asia, CIVICUS, Frontline Defenders, Human Rights Watch, International Working Group on Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice.

In a statement, they said the government should immediately end the arbitrary detention of Mudalige.

“The abuse of counterterrorism legislation to arbitrarily detain a student activist involved in nonviolent protest has a chilling effect on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called anti-government protesters “terrorists” and “fascists,” and threatened to renew a state of emergency and redeploy the military if fresh protests emerge amid the ongoing economic crisis.

The authorities have continued to pursue other activists alleged to have participated in the 2022 protests, the seven groups said.

“The Sri Lankan authorities should immediately impose a moratorium on the use of the PTA, and promptly repeal it,” they said.

They also said that the government should fully respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Not afraid of Govt. repression - IUBF convenor

Meanwhile, IUBF convener Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera said they did not fear the government repression against student activists and protestors.

Acting convener of the IUSF Terrance Rodrigo questioned the basis for Mudalige’s detention for five months by terming protests as an act of terrorism.

Campaigns are continuing to demand Mudalige’s freedom, with the signing of 1,000 affidavits taking place at Galle Face green.

Mudalige and 18 others were arrested by the police during a protest by the IUSF in Colombo on August 18, and 15 of them were given bail.

Another was freed 50 days later, but Mudalige and Ven. Siridhamma Thera remained in detention for 90 days on a presidential order.

The Thera was ordered released 108 days later.

Sri Lanka and India have reached an agreement to implement a joint programme between the two nations, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

According to the PMD, the agreement was reached during a meeting between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and visiting Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe warmly welcomed the Indian External Affairs Minister at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20) where the duo engaged in cordial discussions. Prior to the official meeting, President Wickremesinghe hosted the visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar for breakfast and tea at his official residence at Paget Road, Colombo.

In addition, in the official meeting held between the President and Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, many political, economic and social issues as well as investment matters between the two countries were discussed at length.

During this discussion, special attention was paid to the debt-restructuring program in Sri Lanka which had received a positive response from the Indian government.

The Indian External Affairs Minister recalled that in 1991, during the tenure of former Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, India had to face an economic crisis similar to what Sri Lanka is currently facing. He added that the Indian Government overcame the crisis by pledging the government’s gold reserves.

Therefore, Dr Jaishankar said that India has a good understanding of the situation Sri Lanka is currently facing and said that the Indian government will provide all possible support to solve the current economic problems faced by Sri Lanka.

The bilateral agreement related to raising the limit of the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) implemented in Sri Lanka with the support of the Government of India was also signed during the meeting.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mahinda Siriwardena, signed the agreement on behalf of Sri Lanka and the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay signed on behalf of India.

This agreement guides many community development projects in Sri Lanka with the support of the Government of India. This agreement related to community development projects in Sri Lanka was signed in May 2005. Its individual project limit was Rs. 300 million, which will now be doubled to Rs. 600 million by the agreement signed today.

Meanwhile, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka in 2017, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of an Academy for Kandyan dancing as a gift given to Sri Lanka by the Indian Government and its people. The Indian Foreign Minister also virtually declared open the academy, which was built in close proximity to the historical Dalada Maligawa in Kandy.

The President and the Indian External Affairs Minister, also virtually handed over of 300 completed houses in Galle, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya – (100 houses each) under the housing project implemented in Sri Lanka with the support of the Indian Government.

In this project of 60,000 houses, 50,000 houses have already been completed. The third phase of the project of 400 houses for the people of the upcountry estate sector is currently underway and over 3,300 houses built under it have already been completed and are ready to be handed over to the beneficiaries.

The handing over of houses built in Anuradhapura and Badulla districts under the “Model Village Housing Program” implemented with the support of the Government of India for low-income families in Sri Lanka, were also symbolically handed over to the beneficiaries.

Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Presidential Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and other officials and a special Indian delegation attended the discussion.

The government has decided to delay the salaries of certain state sector employees by a few days due to the current financial situation in Sri Lanka.

The Cabinet has granted approval to pay the salaries of non-executive state sector employees on time.

However, the Cabinet has approved to delay the salaries of executive-grade staff by a few days.

The government said its new income plan for the year 2023 has been implemented and that it will require a certain period of time to accumulate the expected income.

Thereby, the government will manage its expenses starting from January up to the next few months based on the income generated.

Thereby, a proposal put forward by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Minister of Finance to manage the government’s expenditure in accordance with the plans of the Treasury has received Cabinet approval.

The government said, therefore, the salaries of non-executive state sector employees will be paid on time, while the salaries of executive-grade staff will be delayed by a few days.

Samagi Jana Balavegaya Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahuman has decided to resign from Parliament.

Making a shock announcement in Parliament, the Parliamentarian said he will be contesting for the post of Mayor at the Colombo Muncipal Council at the upcoming Local Government Election.

In his comments to the house he urged the government to refrain from making any attempt to delay the Local Government Election.

The Nawa Lanka Freedom Party led by MP Kumara Welgama and the 43 Brigade led by MP Patali Ranawaka has entered into an agreement to contest the upcoming Local Government Election together.

Accordingly, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to the agreement was signed today (16).

Speaking to the media, MP Patali Ranawaka said that although they didn’t form the 43 Brigade as a political party or aiming at elections, they decided to transition into a new political party after the country announced bankruptcy last year, adding that they hope to join forces with like-minded people, especially all professionals in the country, to tread on a common path following the LG polls.

Rishad to contest under Peacock symbol in Trinco-Ampara

Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) led by SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen has decided to contest the local government bodies in the districts of Trincomalee and Ampara under the party's 'peacock' symbol "peacock", a representative of the ACMC said.

He added that the rest of the ACMC's candidates will contest all other districts under the SJB's 'telephone' symbol.

Veteran Sri Lankan filmmaker Sumitra Peries passed away on Thursday (19).

Sumitra Peries (born 24 March 1934) was the first qualified Sri Lankan woman filmmaker and was known by all as the "Poetess of Sinhala Cinema".

Sumitra was married to the late, great Lester James Peries who was Considered as the father of Sri Lankan cinema.

With over 10 films to her name, and having worked as screenwriter, director, producer and even editor of documentaries, Sumitra has emerged as one of the country’s foremost cultural icons.

Sumitra also served as Sri Lanka's ambassador to France and Spain in 1996–1999 and was also appointed as the ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United Nations by then- President Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumaratunge.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena says that he will have to pay the compensation ordered by the Supreme Court in relation to the Easter Sunday attacks, by collecting funds with the help of his close friends.

Joining an event held in the Nittambuwa areas today (Jan. 15), the former president expressed that he is not a person who is rich enough to pay an amount of Rs. 100 million in compensation.

Spiking out for the first time with regard to the verdict of the Supreme Court, he said: “… the first thing is to respect the law. I am a person who bows my head to the court’s decisions,” he said.

Former President Sirisena mentioned that he was abroad and receiving treatment at a hospital in Singapore, at the time of the Easter Sunday attacks, adding that none of the officials of the security forces notified him regarding the matter, despite receiving intelligence information in advance.

“Nearly 85 pages of this judgment include that although the officials had received information, the president had not been informed in any way regarding the matter”, Mr. Sirisena claimed.

The compensation was ordered to be paid with regard to a violation of fundamental human rights, he said, pointing out that the Supreme Court’s judgment has mentioned that if the officials appointed by the President committed any mistake, the President should also take responsibility for the mistakes committed by the said officials.

“The IGP is appointed by the President and the Defense Secretary is appointed by the President, but the Director of Intelligence Service is appointed by the IGP, not the President.”

“However, I have also been ordered to pay Rs. 100 million compensation, that I was also responsible for the non-fulfilment of the responsibilities by them.”

“I am not a person who has an economy to pay a compensation of Rs. 100 million. Me and my friends have decided that we will collect money from our close friends. At the time, I asked them if I should go beg under the Bodi tree in Colombo Fort.”

The Former President, who alleged that he has no income, also highlighted that he has submitted his assets declaration to Parliament each year, within the five years of his presidency.

“So, anyone can see my assets declaration under the Right to Information Act and if you need, you can check what I own.”

“Therefore, as one of my friends has decided, I hope to get the necessary support from my friends in this matter.”

“I personally say that for me, no matter what kind of challenges come my way, I don’t get hurt. I face any challenge with a smile.”