News

The distribution of annual gift parcels to children under the care of 336 child development centers throughout the country, in line with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s initiative, will take place across the island tomorrow (13).

Coordinated by the Office of the President, with support from the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff and the Sri Lanka Army, the distribution aims to bring joy to over 10,000 children, alongside the President’s New Year message.

Regardless of their circumstances, these centers across various provinces, including the Central, Eastern, Northern, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, and Western, will ensure that every child feels included and valued, extending a sense of family to them.

CBL proudly sponsors this program, facilitating the delivery of these much-awaited parcels to children nationwide.

Seven suspects, including former Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella, have been remanded in custody until April 22 over the medicine procurement scandal.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Rambukwella on 02 February in connection with the procurement of substandard human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), when he arrived there, complying with a court order. He had been grilled for nearly 10 hours before being arrested.

The arrest came hot on the heels of pressure from civil society activists and health sector trade unionists, who called for the immediate apprehension of the lawmaker.

Prior to the apprehension of Rambukwella, seven arrests had been made in connection with the drug procurement scam. But the fifth accused was later released on bail. As such, the former Health Secretary, the Director of the Health Ministry’s Medical Supplies Division (MSD) and three other officials of the same division, as well as the owner of the company, which is said to have supplied the substandard batch of immunoglobulin vials, now remain in remand custody.

Meanwhile a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition was filed Thursday (29 Feb.) on behalf of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

Rambukwella’s attorneys have filed the relevant petition challenging his arrest by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and demanding a compensation of Rs. 100 million.

The individuals who currently remain under remand custody over the alleged drug scandal include former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta, Additional Secretary of the Health Ministry Dr. Saman Ratnayake, the Director of the Health Ministry’s Medical Supplies Division and three other officials of the same division, as well as the owner of the relevant company which is said to have imported the batch of substandard Immunoglobulin vials by forging documents.

Following customs and traditions, the ‘Nekath Seettuwa’, the table of auspicious times for this year’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year, was presented to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat today (10).

The table of auspicious times, duly prepared by the State Astrologers’ Committee of the Department of Cultural Affairs, was then presented to the President.

Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickremanayake presented the ‘Nekath Seettuwa’ to the President in accordance with traditional customs.

Auspicious periods comprise of various timings such as the New Year’s Eve, Punya Kaalaya or inauspicious time, timings for cooking, working, eating, anointing, setting off for work and more.

Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Mr. Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the President Mr. Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Shasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Mr. Somaratne Vidanapathirana and several others attended this event.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva has been appointed as the Acting Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

The appointment was made during the SLFP’s politburo meeting held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo today.

The special politburo meeting of the SLFP was held under the patronage of the Senior Vice President of the Party Nimal Siripala de Silva.

It was also reported that former President and former SLFP Leader Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had also attended the meeting.

A change in the leadership of the SLFP comes after the Colombo District Court last week issued an interim order preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the Chairman of the SLFP.

The court order was issued based on a complaint filed by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who served as the Leader of the SLFP from 1994 to 2005.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has affirmed his commitment to empowering the people and fortifying the economy by ensuring access to education, land, housing, and business opportunities.

Stressing the importance of broadening economic participation, the Head of State highlighted its role in fostering a resilient national economy.

These remarks were made on Tuesday afternoon (09) during his presence at the national event in Modara. As many as 294 units at ‘Randiya Uyana’ housing complex were thus allocated to those displaced by the massive fire in Kajimawatte in 2010.

Addressing the gathering, President Wickremesinghe said:

As I addressed you today, my heart goes out to the resilient residents of Kajimawatte, who have endured over a decade of unimaginable hardships. It was a poignant moment as we swiftly provided these flats, with Mr. Ravi Karunanayake’s unwavering support.

It’s my earnest request that you handle these houses with care and responsibility. Please refrain from mortgaging or selling them, especially after enduring a decade of hardship. I urge you to safeguard these homes as if they were your own life.

Within two years, we’ve managed to cultivate a social atmosphere that feels considerably lighter than it did back in 2022. Those who endured the hardships of waiting in lines for food, gas, and fuel now lead lives of relative normalcy. It’s evident that the people of Colombo bore the brunt of these queues, alongside residents of flats and estates who faced their own challenges. I acknowledge that our tax policies have added to the cost of living, but thanks to your resilience, we’ve been able to bolster government revenues without resorting to borrowing or printing money. This achievement enabled us to raise government employee salaries by Rs. 10,000 starting this year, while also witnessing a strengthening of the rupee.

I perceive the offering of free land deeds and homes to those who have endured hardship as a gesture of gratitude. Looking ahead, we have plans to provide over 50,000 houses to our people in the coming years. Additionally, the 1,996 houses provided by the Chinese government during my tenure as Prime Minister will also be distributed within the next two years.

Historically, land rights and housing rights were not granted without cost. However, we aim to change this narrative by empowering our citizens with the rights to education, land, housing, and business. This strategic approach will enable individuals to directly contribute to our nation’s economy, fostering growth and prosperity for all.

--PMD

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has summoned the party’s politburo on Monday (March 08) to discuss the future course of action of the party, in view of its current internal crisis situation.

The meeting will reportedly be chaired by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

On Thursday (04), the Colombo District Court issued an interim injunction preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the SLFP chairman, following a complaint filed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Nevertheless, Sirisena has reacted, saying that he intends to present facts before the court regarding the matter.

Meanwhile, the Acting General Secretary of SLFP Dushmantha Mithrapala lodged a complaint with the Maradana Police on Friday (05), alleging that several ‘important’ files have gone missing from the party headquarters.

Thus, entering the SLFP headquarters in Darley Road, Colombo 10, has been prohibited for all individuals, due to the ongoing investigation into the relevant complaint.

However, the said politburo meeting will accordingly take place at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

It was reported that all party members excluding former President Maithripala Sirisena, former General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara and MP Shan Vijayalal de Silva have been invited for the relevant meeting.

The Government has declared 15 April (Monday) as a Public holiday, Ministry of Home Affairs announced today.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced the formation of a committee tasked with preserving and maintaining the rich cultural heritage of Kandyan dancing art. This decision was made during a meeting with Kandy traditional dancers at the President’s House in Kandy this morning (07).

The committee will comprise representatives from relevant institutions such as the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the University of Visual and Performing Arts. President Wickremesinghe emphasized the importance of including a representative of traditional Kandyan dancers in this committee to ensure their voices are heard and their interests represented.

Additionally, the President instructed Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, Manusha Nanayakkara, to explore the possibility of providing pensions to traditional Kandyan dancers as a gesture of recognition for their invaluable contribution to the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka.

Acknowledging the popularity of Kandyan dance both locally and internationally, President Wickremesinghe highlighted the need to address issues related to the preservation of traditional practices and rituals associated with this art form. The newly formed committee will be tasked with providing recommendations on how to effectively safeguard and promote Kandyan dance for future generations.

Furthermore, the President underscored the significance of preserving other traditional arts of the country, such as the Sabaragamuwa dance, and instructed officials to address the challenges faced by traditional dancers in Kandy, ensuring they receive the necessary support and recognition.

In expressing their gratitude for President Wickremesinghe’s initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth and creating a better country for all citizens, traditional dancers in Kandy commended the efforts undertaken to preserve and promote Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage.

Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, Senior Adviser to the President on National Security, and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, along with United National Party General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, were also present during this significant occasion.

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for the admission of local students for the MBBS medical degree programme at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University starting from this year.

The admissions will be carried out on payment basis and based on ‘Z’ score at G.C.E. Advanced Level and other specified qualifications, the Cabinet Spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardena said.

The General Sir John Kotalawala Defense University (KDU) was declared a University by the General Sir John Kotalawala State Defense Training Institute (Amendment) Act No. 27 of 1988.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Medicine of the university was established in the year 2011 to train cadet officers as medical professionals and award degrees in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) as per the service requirements of the Armed Services.

Accordingly, the university currently grants the opportunity to pursue medical degrees for local students who join the armed forces or police as a cadet and qualified foreign students only, on a payment basis.

The proposal to allow the admission of local students selected through a set of criteria, for the MBBS medical degree programme at the university under a payment basis, was presented to the Cabinet of Ministers by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

(adaderana.lk)

A loan scheme for cinema artistes will be introduced for their welfare, said presidential advisor on economic affairs Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga.

At a meeting with cinema artistes on 02 April, he requested them to submit their proposals to the government for the upliftment of local cinema.

Samaratunga said the matter of a pension for artistes would be raised as well, since the one introduced in 1993 has been disappointing.

Presidential director general on trade union affairs Saman Ratnapriya said at the meeting that a medical insurance scheme for artistes would be introduced by Sri Lanka Insurance.

Among those present were Film Corporation chairman Deepal Chandraratne and artistes Sugath Samarakoon, Padmasiri Kodikara, Raj Ranasinghe, Arjuna Kamalanath, Wasantha Kumarawila and Nadeeka Gunasekara.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugurated the flyover spanning the railway line linking Kompagngna Veediya with Justice Akbar Mawatha and Uttarankanda Mawatha, today (08).

The rest of the construction work of this project is planned to be completed by the month of September, and the estimated amount for the entire project is Rs. 5,278,081,272.43.

It has been observed that nearly 3 hours of time is wasted daily due to the railway crossing located in Kompagngna Veediya area, which is a very busy commercial city with various institutions including government offices, hospitals, religious places, restaurants and movie theatres.

In order to avoid the delay, the construction work of this project, which is implemented by the Road Development Authority, is being carried out by Maga Engineering Company.

Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeevan Thondaman has been recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

This marks him as the first Sri Lankan Minister to achieve such recognition, spotlighting his leadership and efforts towards societal development in Sri Lanka.

The Young Global Leaders programme identifies promising leaders under 40 who are shaping the future. Past inductees include prominent figures like French President Emmanuel Macron, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Ali Baba founder and technology entrepreneur Jack Ma and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Minister Thondaman’s inclusion in this group comes as recognition for his commitment to public service, focusing on improving living standards and advancing rights for marginalised communities in Sri Lanka.

The Ministry and the World Economic Forum announced Minister Thondaman's selection yesterday (04), highlighting his role in improving access to clean water and advocating for social justice.

Minister Thondaman is currently leading major reforms in the water sector and has commenced new development and policy initiatives aimed at improving life quality for plantation communities. This includes new housing schemes and a land rights programme pursuing economic inclusion for all 1 million members of the plantation community.

In a statement, Minister Thondaman thanked the World Economic Forum and outlined his plans to use the platform for fostering international collaboration and promoting entrepreneurship, particularly among Sri Lanka’s youth.

"This recognition is not just a reflection of my journey, but it stands as a testament to the resilience and spirit of the people of Sri Lanka. I am committed to leveraging this platform to foster greater international collaboration and drive forward our shared goals for sustainable development and equality," he said.

Minister Thondaman's selection as a Young Global Leader is seen as a significant milestone for Sri Lanka, demonstrating the country's leadership on the international stage. It comes at a time when Sri Lanka is navigating economic challenges, positioning Thondaman’s recognition as a positive note for the country’s global image and its potential for future development.

This recognition is not just a personal achievement for Minister Thondaman but also highlights Sri Lanka's growing influence and the importance of its leaders in the global arena, affirming its place in the global community of innovative and forward-thinking leaders.

It is also a major recognition for members of the marginalised plantation community of Sri Lanka that has suffered decades of statelessness, forced repatriation and an indentured form of labour.