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Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe has given directions to the Vice-Chancellors of all Universities to upgrade the quality of higher education instead of prioritizing the construction of university buildings.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the international status gained by local universities has dropped at present, and it is the duty of all Vice Chancellors to ensure that education in universities is raised once more to international standards.

Wickremesinghe made these observations at a meeting held at Temple Trees attended by Minister of Higher Education and Highways Lakshman Kiriella and Vice Chancellors of universities last morning. (14)

The PM also said that immediate steps should be taken to put an end to ragging in the university system and to create a healthy atmosphere for students to engage in academics successfully without any hindrance.

He said that in order to achieve that an additional staff will have to be recruited.

 Source: Dailynews

The Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara fixed January 18 to deliver its order in respect of preliminary objections raised by former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others regarding five corruption cases, today.

The Bribery Commission has filed five corruption cases against former Minister Johnston Fernando and two others for allegedly causing a loss of Rs.40 million to the government at the time by employing 153 employees of the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) for election work during the period 2010 to 2014.

Former Cooperative and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando, former CWE (Lak Sathosa) Chairman Eraj Fernando and former Minister’s Private Secretary Raj Mohideen Mohammad Sakeer were present before Colombo Additional Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala.

Source : dailynews.lk

The leader of the Bodu Bala Sena Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero and Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith met yesterday (14) at the Cardinals official residence. This meeting is said to have been facilitated by parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake as reported to ISIS news.

According to the office of the Cardinal, this is said to be the second round of talks between the two. With Gnanasara Thero claiming he intends to speak to all parties involved regarding national and religious conflicts in the country accordingly Karunanayake is said to have arranged for the meetings.

Karunanayake is reported to have also made attempts to build a rapport between the Bodu Bala Sena and Muslim religious leaders sources claim.

Sinhala Buddhist Identity

During this discussion, Gnanasara Thero thanked the Cardinal for speaking up against the ongoing family planning program in Sri Lanka and the holding of tuition classes on Sundays. He also presented the Cardinal with the proposals made by them in 2012 to the Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa along with proof and information of family planning propaganda of NGOs within the country.

 While the Cardinal explained that it is important to protect the Sinhala Buddhist identity he also went on to say that our values should be protected at all times. The meeting was attended by Chief Executive of the Bodu Bala Sena, Dilantha Withanage along with several other Buddhist monks representing the organization.

The Committee of Ministry Secretaries headed by the Secretary to the Treasury, Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga will hand over their report pertaining to the re-structuring of the National Carrier SriLankan Airlines at the end of this month, sources have revealed.

The committee appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe was also tasked with the selection of a suitable strategic partner and investor to operate the national carrier.

Sri Lanka and Norway held Foreign Office Consultations in Oslo this past Monday. Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam met with the Secretary General of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, Mr. Wegger Strømmen.

They reviewed bilateral relations and ongoing projects in Sri Lanka assisted by Norway. The two Secretaries also discussed ways and means of broadening and deepening the relations between the two countries.

PIC: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SL)

The money laundering case against Hambantota MP Namal Rajapaksa and five others was fixed trial by the Colombo High Court today (14). Accordingly, the case will be taken up on February 16, 2018.

Namal along with the other accused are suspected of laundering around Rs. 30 Million through the company Gowers Corporate (Pvt) Ltd. owned by the MP.

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd witnesses were issued notices to appear before the courts on the said date.

The Attorney General has filed the action against the suspects on 11 counts of charges.

Law & Order and Southern Development Minister, Sagala Ratnayaka said the United National Party would be fully committed to ensuring a free and fair election.

"One should not forget the situation in the country before January 08, 2015. We have now ushered in a new political culture. That is why we should come forward to protect the rights of the voters and ensure a free and fair election," Ratnayaka said while speaking to media in Matara today (14), after depositing money for the Local Government polls in the Matara District.

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana were also present at the occasion.

"We are in the process of strengthening the country's economy and rebuilding the nation. Therefore, we want the Local Government bodies to work in line with our national agenda. That is the intention which we launch our election campaign," the Minister added.

He said the people in the Matara district gave strength and momentum to the formation of the national unity government.

"We need to move forward with the same vigour and strength, at this election as well," the Minister added.

"Some have now forgotten the track record of the defeated political elements. They have also forgotten how their cronies made money through government contracts. We request them not to forget the past. Also, we invite them to join hands with us, and embark on this victorious journey," Ratnayake said.

A Joint Opposition MP hailing from Ratnapura is said to be making arrangements to join the Sri Lanka Freedom Party today, sources at the Presidential Secretariat revealed.

The MP in question has met with President Maithripala Sirisena on the 12th of December and agreed to extend his support to the SLFP.

Nominations submitted by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna for a number of local governments for the upcoming elections have been rejected today. Contesting under the 'flower bud' symbol the party has said it will seek judicial action in this regard.

Accordingly, nominations of the party to the Weligama, Panadura, Mahiyangana, Badulla and Agalawatta urban councils were rejected today.

The nominations for the Mahragama Urban Council by the party were rejected as well. According to the Returning officer the rejection as due to lack of women participation from the party for the Maharagama local government area.

Submission of nominations for 93 local government institutions ended at 12 pm today. (14)

Colombo, Sri Lanka –The world has experienced continued and steep democratic progress, however this progress has slowed down over the past decade. Challenges and threats have emerged in specific countries and regions, according to the first edition of The Global State of Democracy publication from The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA). Now, democracy is at a crossroads and continuous actions must be taken to safeguard and protect it.

A regional launch of The Global State of Democracy: Exploring Democracy’s Resilience will be held at the Asia-Pacific Conference on Resilience of Democracy: “21st Century Solutions for 21st Century Challenges to Democracy”, organised at Mövenpick Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka on 13-14 December 2017.

The conference brings together policymakers, experts, academics, civil society groups and young professionals from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss innovative, actionable solutions to the challenges of democracy as identified in the Global State of Democracy publication.

The conference will focus on three themes: 1) democracy’s resilience to backsliding, 2) influence of money in politics, corruption, and 3) inclusive peace building in conflict-affected states. A special panel session composed of high-level officials and experts highlights the second day of the conference bringing state of democracy in Sri Lanka on focus as well.

The regional launch is organized by International IDEA, the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA),and Democracy Reporting International (DRI).

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Sri Lanka has become the 163rd nation to accede to the anti-personnel mine ban convention, fulfilling the pledge it made last year to join the international community in supporting the ongoing landmine clearance programme, the foreign ministry said here today.

Sri Lanka's Permanent Mission to the UN Rohan Perera deposited the Instrument of Accession to the Convention of the Prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction, it said.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, commonly referred to as the Mine Ban Treaty or Ottawa Treaty, was adopted on September 18, 1997, at the Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Land Mines at Oslo, Norway.

The treaty, which came into force on March 1, 1999, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of antipersonnel mines.

By joining the Convention each state undertakes to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines it owns or that are under its jurisdiction or control, not later than four years after the acceding to this treaty.

"As a full state party, we look forward to taking our place in the promotion of this Convention, including through capacity-building and mine clearance," Perera said at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Ottawa Convention, titled 'A World Free of Landmines'.

Sri Lanka, in March last year, had pledged that it will be acceding to the convention to become the 163rd state of the Convention. But the island nation had faced some criticism for the delay in acceding to the convention.

In view of its battle with the LTTE in the island's north and east provinces, the Sri Lankan Army had defended itself that the use of mines by the military is strictly limited and restricted to defence purposes only, to demarcate and defend military installations.

According to the report by Nobel Prize-winning International Campaign to Ban Landmines, last year 8,605 mine or explosive remnants of war casualties were reported, in which at least 2,089 people were killed.

Source : Press Trust India

SLFP is set to rescind the party memberships of those who support the Joint Opposition indirectly or directly in the upcoming polls while also expelling them from their MP positions. The decision has been taken by the Central Committee of the party.

UPFA Secretary Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is said to have informed the Central Committee to look into the party members next in line that should be appointed as MPs once the expulsion of the JO supporters from the party takes place.

According to the preferential votes list the next in line to become parliamentarians in the Colombo district appears to be Dhanasiri Amaratunga, Jagath Kumara, Kanthi Kodikara, Mahesh Almeida, Janaka Weliwatta, Prasanna Solangaarachchi and Chandana Kathriarachchi.

Meanwhile, according to the Gampaha list, the names that have cropped up are of Kokila Gunawardena, Upul Rajapaksha, Gunasiri Jayanath, Ruwan Ranatunga, Felix Perera, Pandu Bandaranaike, Sarath Kumara GUnaratne, and Thilak Waragoda.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna of which Basil Rajapaksa is the National Organizer is set to contest the upcoming polls from the ‘flower bud’ symbol under the party mane of ‘Ekabadda Podujana Peramuna’.

 The letter sent by Minister Amaraweera is as follows :