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UNP Parliamentary Group has conveyed its refusal to work with SLFP Ministers who voted against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the No confidence motion vote going forward. The issue was taken up at yesterday's meeting between the UNP working committee and the party’s MP’s in parliament.

However the group had expressed their willingness to continue to be art of the consensus government with others in the SLFP who abstained from the crucial legislative vote thereby indirectly supporting the PM.

The UNP MP group is said to have reached agreement on how to move forward as a coalition with the SLFP at the eight hour meeting held at Temple Trees yesterday. The party had also discussed other matters such as internal reforms and the restructuring of the party as promised by Wickramasinghe.

The decision of the UNP came as it was annouced that 16 SLFP Ministers had written to President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday requesting they be permitted to relinquish their ministerial portfolios and function as MPs of the opposition.

Former Chairman of Sathosa, K.Nalin Ruwanjeeva Fernando who was arrested today by the FCID at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has been remanded by the Fort Magistrate’s Court till April 9.

He was arrested while attempting to flee the country Police said.

The charges levelled against him are of misappropriating government funds amounting to Rs.39 million in 2014 to buy Carrom and Checker-boards.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe led a UNP delegation for late night talks with President Sirisena at the latter’s Paget Road residence yesterday, to reach a consensus on how to work together in the aftermath of the divisive no-faith vote last week.

Accompanying the Premier to the meeting were UNP Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Malik Samarawickrema, Vajira Abeywardane and Kabir Hashim. The two leaders decided that a cabinet reshuffle would take place next week.

The talks ended positively with both leaders keen to find a way to work together again to fulfil outstanding promises of their 2015 mandate, highly placed sources said. It was the second meeting between President Sirisena and the Prime Minister on the future of the coalition since last week’s no-confidence vote

Source : Sunday Observer

A meeting between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was held yesterday (05) after the no-confidence motion, 'Ada' the Sinhalese daily newspaper reports.

Senior Ministers of the UNP had also joined the occasion. The meeting had taken place at the President’s official residence in Mahagama Sekara Mawatha, Colombo 7.

The unofficial sources say that the Prime Minister has expressed his ideas about the continuation of the national government during the meeting that had lasted for an hour. He is said to have also requested that SLFP MP’s and Ministers who voted in favour of the no confidence motion should resign from the government.

However sources say the President had not been favourable to this suggestion.

SLFP ministers Susil Premajayantha, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Chandima Weerakkody Thilanga Sumathipala, Dilan Perera, Susantha Punchinilame, B. Ekanayake, Anuradha Jayaratne, Tharanath Basnayake, Lakshman Wasantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, John Seneviratne, Nimal Lansa, S.S. B. Dissanayake, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Sumeda G. Jayasena had voted in support of the no-confidence motion on Tuesday (04).

Veteran Sri Lankan actress Ratnavali Kekunawela, who contributed her voice to the role of "Menike" in 60's popular radio drama Muwan Palassa passed away yesterday at the age of 88.

The immensely popular actress, who entered the silver screen from 'Sath Samudura' movie played numerous roles in all art fields including radio, stage, television and film.

She has worked for over 60 years as an artist winning many awards, including the Sarasavi Awards and Presidential Awards.

Her remains lie at No. 25/1 Wedi Kanda Road, St. Rita’s lane, Ratmalana. The funeral will take place on Monday (09) at 4 pm at the Borella Cemetery.

President Maithripala Sirisena today extended an open invitation to any member of Parliament to join the Government.

Speaking to media heads at a breakfast meeting today, the President said that he wants to strengthen the Government and is prepared to work with anyone in Parliament.

Source : Colombo Gazette

Sirikotha sources say the suggestions have been made to give greater responsibilities to Minister Mangala Samaraweera within the United National Party in the upcoming party reorganization.

Mangala Samaraweera who left the Rajapaksa government in 2006 and challenged the government, joined the UNP at the invitation of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, he has not been given any major responsible title yet.

But due to his support and efforts to defeat the recent no confidence and gain his expertise to uplift the party, suggestions have been made to present the Minister with a higher position within the party during yesterday party reorganization meeting.

The working committee of the UNP and the UNP parliamentary group held a lengthy discussion on the recommendations and proposals of the three committees on the restructuring of the party as a pledged by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

It is also proposed to establish several Deputy Leader posts in the UNP.

The government fertiliser subsidies for the Yala cultivation seasons will be available from midnight today (5). According to Minister of Agriculture Duminda Dissanayake fertiliser for paddy will be provided at Rs 500 per 50kg while fertiliser for other crops will be provided at Rs 1,500.

Cabinet approval was granted recently to revert to the previous fertiliser subsidy scheme as farmers countrywide had objected to the proposed programme to provide an allowance to purchase fertiliser.

Government had previously planned to deposit cash for full market value of fertiliser to the bank accounts of farmers, starting from the next cultivation season.

Under the government subsidies farmers will be provided with Urea, Triple superphosphate (TSP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP) at Rs 500 per 50kg.

Jaffna High Court Judge M.Ilancheliyan had ordered to lower the sound of the loudspeaker of the Nayanmarkandu Kovil in Jaffna.

He admonished the kovil priest in court saying “Gods hear better than humans”. Several citizens of the city had filed a petition three weeks back against the kovil for its high levels of volume which disturbs the day to day activities of nearby citizens.

The petition states that students and patients of the nearby schools and hospitals suffer from the kovil loudspeaker's high volume.

The judge then ordered the Kovil priest to lower the volume and the ‘Grama Sevaka’was advised to produce a report on the outcome.The report stated that the volume hasn’t been lowered as advised by court. Another petition was filed by the citizens and the kovil priest was summoned before the judge.

When inquired, the priest had stated that the Gods prefer loud volumes to which the judge had replied that Gods hear better than humans and to lower the volumes of the loudspeakers.The judge had also warned the priest stating that ‘Pooja’s should be offered without distracting the citizens in their day to day activities.

Source : Daily News

Former Army Intel Chief Ret. Maj.Gen Amal Karunasekara was arrested today by the CID. He has been arrested in connection to the abduction & assault of journalist Keith Noyar during the previous regime.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) congratulates Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for overwhelmingly defeating a parliamentary no-confidence motion against him, held yesterday evening. The Prime Minister defeated the motion by 122 to 76 votes.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has been a longstanding friend of the Maldives, and Sri Lanka remains one of our closest allies.

The manner in which the Prime Minister defeated the no-confidence motion is a great example of how democratic leaders respond to challenges from their political opposition.

President Yameen,who ordered the military to illegally storm the People’s Majlis in order to quash a no-confidence motion against the Speaker has much to learn from true leaders like Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.

Source : Newsinasia

The United National Party will hand over a no-confidence motion against the SLFP Ministers and other MPs who voted for the NCM against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP MP Mujibur Rahuman said today.

Many SLFP heavyweights including W.D.J. Seneviratne, S.B. Dissanayake, Susil Premajayantha, Chandima Weerakkody and Dayasiri Jayasekara voted in favour of the NCM.