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President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that the opposition aimed to halt the initiative designed to advance the country by providing relief to the people. Despite this, the government has focused on easing the burden on people‟s lives over the past two years.

By 2025/2026, the President assured, the government will have created better living conditions for all citizens.

The President urged all Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims to unite in working towards this goal.

He emphasized that ensuring the well-being of the people is not a violation of fundamental rights and affirmed his readiness to make any necessary decisions for their benefit.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made this statement while addressing the “Puluwan Sri Lanka” victory rally at the Kallady Shivananda National School Stadium in Batticaloa today (24).

A notable presence at the event was Mr. Sivalingam, a teacher from Royal College who had taught President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

During his address, the President recalled a lesson from his teacher, attributing his success to a lesson from the Royal College regarding the Emperors of Athens, “We will not bring disgrace to our city, by any act of cowardice or desert our suffering comrades in the ranks” The President highlighted how he overcame the challenge of leading the country and advancing the economy when others were unwilling to take on the task.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe further remarked:

“Mr. Sivalingam, who taught me at Royal College, is on the stage today. He is not only my teacher but also that of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. Therefore, he deserves part of the credit for helping recover the country from the economic crisis.

He also taught Mr. Anura Bandaranaike and Mr. Malik Samarawickrama. At Royal College, we had the privilege of learning about the oath of the youth Athenian Empires.

“We will not bring disgrace to our city, by any act of cowardice or desert our suffering comrades in the ranks”, this inspiration guided me in 2022 when I took on the challenge of leading the country, a responsibility that no one else was willing to accept, and worked to advance the nation’s economy. I embraced the challenge of building a better future for the youth by advocating for the people and providing relief. This is why we confidently say, “Puluwan Sri Lanka.”

I took on this challenge during a difficult period. At that time, the opposition leader who had no such guiding teacher fled. Although the opposition Leader was the alternative Prime Minister, he abandoned the people in their time of need. Similarly, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was also missing.

Despite these challenges, we proceeded with our program in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We faced tough decisions, as printing money or taking loans from local banks was not an option. We reduced costs and increased VAT to generate revenue, which ultimately strengthened the rupee.

We also launched the Aswesuma‟ program, increasing allowances for kidney patients and disabled persons by 50%. We provided extensive relief, including a Rs.10,000 allowance for government employees. Currently, we are implementing measures based on the Udaya Seneviratne Committee report.

Starting from 2025, it has been proposed to provide a monthly living expense allowance of Rs. 25,000 rupees to government employees, which we accept. Following this, the starting monthly salary will be Rs. 55,000, inclusive of living expenses. Additionally, an interim pension allowance of Rs. 3,000 has been granted. The interest rate for senior citizen fixed deposits below 1 million has been increased from 8.5% to 10%. The allowance for pre-school teachers has been raised to Rs. 5,000.

Under the “Urumaya” program, we are granting free land rights to 2 million people. Furthermore, 250,000 individuals residing in government flats in Colombo have been fulfilling my responsibilities as President by addressing their needs, advancing the country, and securing a better future for generations to come.

Let us all move forward together. Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims must unite to propel the country ahead. By 2025, 2026, I aim to build a prosperous future for the people of this nation. On September 21, vote for the gas cylinder to safeguard your future and contribute to the nation’s development.

Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and three (03) others, who were implicated in the alleged importation of substandard Immune Globulin vaccines, have been further remanded.

The Maligakanda Magistrates Court today further remanded the suspects, including the former Health Minister, until August 29.

Former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella is currently under remand custody after being implicated in the alleged importation of substandard Immune Globulin vaccines.

Several Health Ministry officials, including Keheliya Rambukwella, were arrested and remanded after the Criminal Investigations Department launched an investigation into allegations that a pharmaceutical company had imported 22,500 vials of substandard Immune Globulin vaccines by creating forged documents with the assistance of the two senior state officials.

Investigations revealed that financial fraud of Rs. 130 million had occurred via the imports of the said substandard medicine, under the tenure of Keheliya Rambukwella as Health Minister.

Former Chairman of the United National Party, Rukman Senanayake, passed away today at the age of 76.

Grandson of Sri Lanka's first Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake, UNP stalwart and former Cabinet Minister Rukman Senanayake entered politics in 1973, from the Dedigama electorate.

He re-entered Parliament in 1994, and won a Parliamentary seat in 2004 election, representing the Kegalle district.

Rukman Senanayake served as the Cabinet Minister of Environment and Natural Resources from 2002 to 2004.

He was then appointed as the Chairman of the United National Party in 2007.

His family told News 1st that details of his final rites will be announced soon.

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ruled that the President, as the Minister of Finance, and then members of the Election Commission have violated the fundamental rights of the people through the postponement of the 2023 Local Government Elections.

Accordingly, the court has ordered the Election Commission to take measures to hold the Local Government Elections as immediately as possible.

The Supreme Court issued this verdict today (22) after concluding the hearing of the Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed against the postponement of the 2023 Local Government elections.

The relevant FR petitions were filed against the postponement of the 2023 Local Government elections, which was initially scheduled to be held on March 09, 2023.

Several groups including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), and People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), had filed the petitions, seeking an order declaring that the fundamental human rights of the people have been violated by the failure to hold the 2023 LG elections, as previously scheduled by the Election Commissions.

(adaderana.lk)

Chairman of the Expert Committee on Public Service Salary Disparities, Udaya R. Seneviratne said that the basic salary of public service employees will be increased by a minimum of 24% for primary-level service categories. For all government officials, salaries will gradually increase from an average of 24% to 50%, depending on current fiscal feasibility.

Mr. Seneviratne further said in light of prevailing inflation and economic conditions, a cost of living allowance of Rs. 25,000 will remain unchanged for three years and will be provided to all government employees for three consecutive years, starting from January 2025, with 2025 being considered the base year.

Mr. Udaya R. Seneviratne emphasized that regardless of which government is in power, there is a pressing need to increase the salaries of public servants. These proposals were made to address and eliminate salary disparities, taking into account past trade union protests within the public service. Accordingly, the proposals have received approval from both the Cabinet and the Treasury.

Chairman of the Expert Committee on Public Service Salary Disparities, Udaya R. Seneviratne shared these views during a press conference titled “Collective Path to a Stable Country” held today (22) at the Presidential Media Centre.

Mr. Seneviratne stated that the basic salary for the primary-level service category employees will be Rs. 30,000.00, with the total salary, including the cost of living allowance, amounting to Rs. 55,000.00.

Public service plays a vital role in the development of Sri Lanka and is also the driving force of development. The restructuring efforts are prioritized to address the current challenges in the public sector. The Presidential Expert Committee on Public Service Salary Disparities has presented a comprehensive program aimed at creating a satisfying work environment for public servants, delivering excellent service to the people, and positioning the public service as a key driver of economic development.

He also said that action will be taken to provide the cost of living allowance of Rs. 12,500 each for the pensioners from January 2025 and measures will also be taken to award the claimed salary increment for the government officials who retired prior to the year 2020 and revise their pension accordingly.

Further, action will be taken to provide benefit through the Budget 2025 in step wise based on the current fiscal viability.

To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Service and provide exceptional service to the public, a scientific work study will be conducted in 2025. This study will inform a comprehensive program to restructure the Public Service as needed. A thorough assessment of the required number of employees will also be carried out based on this evaluation.

Appropriate performance indicators (KPIs) will be introduced for government employees, and a system for granting annual salary increments based on performance progress will be developed. Additionally, methods for providing incentives and other non-financial benefits based on performance will be implemented.

To enhance the quality of public service and ensure a distinctive government service for taxpayers under the current tax policy, a competitive recruitment system will be established. This system will be based on the Sri Lanka Qualification Framework (SLQF) and National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). This approach aims to ensure that qualified individuals are placed in appropriate roles, creating a more effective and efficient public service.

The government’s capital investment program for E-Governance will prioritize the digitization and automation of the Public Service, with a focus on incorporating technology in every possible aspect over the next three years, starting in 2025.

Special attention will be given to implementing E-Governance across government ministries and institutions, beginning with Grama Niladhari offices. This initiative aims to enhance the performance of revenue-generating institutions and those providing public services.

Over the next three years, efforts will be made to restructure identified public institutions from their traditional departmental model—dependent on the General Treasury for many years—into an innovative enterprise model.

These institutions will be transformed into Public Quoted Companies with a democratic governance structure, where ownership is divided as 30% government shares, 30% investor shares, 30% public shares through stock market listing, and 10% employee shares.

Government officials who are eligible for pensions and are assigned to these new institutions will have their pensions deferred until they reach age 60. They will receive other benefits during their service in these institutions.

Measures will be introduced to optimize the delivery of certain government services by outsourcing these services to external providers. This approach aims to reduce government expenditures and encourage private sector involvement. It will help avoid unnecessary recruitment in the Public Service and enable private providers to offer more effective services. As a result, economic services will be expanded.

To ease the financial burden on government employees, the Agrahara Medical Insurance Scheme will be restructured to lower their health expenses. The plan is to maximize benefits through the scheme, with each government employee, including pensioners, contributing Rs. 1,000 per month.

Additionally, the National Insurance Trust Fund, which administers the Agrahara scheme, will enhance medical services for government employees. This will involve modernizing the national hospital system and gradually upgrading selected government hospitals with special amenities for employees.

Due to the high demand for Sri Lankans abroad, many are migrating for employment and higher education, drawn by the country’s reputation for free education and skilled human resources. As a result, Sri Lanka loses valuable talent and significant foreign exchange is spent on overseas education. A large number of eligible students miss out on opportunities to study at state universities due to limitations in free higher education, forcing parents to cover high costs for private institutions and international universities. The trend of university students leaving the country is increasing due to insufficient economic benefits.

To address these issues, it is proposed to secure free higher education, grant legal and administrative independence to universities, and offer affordable courses by effectively utilizing physical and human resources. This will develop additional revenue streams and benefit all stakeholders. By improving this system and integrating with foreign universities and training institutions, Sri Lanka could become a Centre for Knowledge, expanding opportunities for international students to complete their education in Sri Lanka and becoming a leading sector for foreign exchange earnings.

Sri Lanka has achieved a notable position in health indicators due to its establishment of free health services, leading to increased international recognition for its healthcare services and professionals. However, the migration of health professionals is rising due to international demand. To address this, there is potential to transform Sri Lanka into a centre for internationally recognized health services by elevating the quality of free healthcare provided.

Strategies will be developed to deliver healthcare to both local and foreign communities efficiently and economically. This includes managing free healthcare facilities securely and introducing healthcare innovations that leverage existing physical and human resources.

Similarly, Ayurvedic medical services can be enhanced to generate economic benefits. It is proposed to capitalize on Sri Lanka’s potential to become a leading centre in healthcare-based tourism.

The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to allow visa-free entry to Sri Lanka for citizens of 35 countries, including the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Canada, Germany, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China, India, Russia, South Korea, and Japan.

This new visa-free policy will be in effect from October 01, 2024, and will remain in effect for a period of six months.

List of countries to be offered visa-free access to Sri Lanka:

1. United Kingdom
2. Germany
3. Netherlands
4. Belgium
5. Spain
6. Australia
7. Denmark
8. Poland
9. Kazakhstan
10. Saudi Arabia
11. UAE
12. Nepal
13. China
14. India
15. Indonesia
16. Russia
17. Thailand
18. Malaysia
19. Japan
20. France
21. United States
22. Canada
23. Czech Republic
24. Italy
25. Switzerland
26. Austria
27. Israel
28. Belarus
29. Iran
30. Sweden
31. South Korea
32. Qatar
33. Oman
34. Bahrain
35. New Zealand

The issuance of train tickets online has been effective since yesterday (22).

Passengers can now purchase digital train tickets through the website www.pravesha.lk eliminating the need to wait in queue. Tickets will still be available at counters for those who prefer to purchase them in person.

“We plan to introduce this online system for season tickets before the end of this year. Additionally, new methods for train seat reservations and goods transportation will be rolled out over the next three months,” the Transport Ministry Secretary said.

Parliamentarians Vadivel Suresh and Ali Zahir Moulana were sworn in as ministers before President Ranil Wickremesinghe today.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Badulla District MP Vadivel Suresh was sworn in as the State Minister of Labour.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Batticaloa district MP Ali Zahir Moulana was sworn in as a Non-Cabinet Minister of Development Projects.

In December 2023, MP Vadivel Suresh was removed as the SJB’s Passara organizer and was later appointed as a Senior Advisor to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. MP Vadivel Suresh has pledged his support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the 2024 Presidential Polls.

Last week, MP Ali Zahir Moulana pledged his support for the President in the upcoming polls. His support for the President comes despite the SLMC led by MP Rauff Hakeem having announced plans to conditionally support Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.

Sri Lanka’s Nandalal Weerasinghe is among the Central Bankers earning an A grade in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2024, according to gfmag.com.

The others are: Brazil’s Roberto Campos Neto, Chile’s Rosanna Costa, Mauritius’ Harvesh Kumar Seegolam, Morocco’s Abdellatif Jouahri, South Africa’s Lesetja Kganyago and Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Hong.

They earned the highest grades, “A+”, “A” or “A-”.

The Central Banker Report Cards grade the central bank governors of nearly 100 key countries, territories and districts, as well as the European Union, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Bank of Central African States and the Central Bank of West African States.

Grades are based on an “A+” to “F” scale for success in areas such as inflation control, economic growth goals, currency stability and interest rate management. (“A” represents an excellent performance, down through “F” for outright failure.) “Central bankers have waged war against inflation over the past few years, wielding their primary weapon: higher interest rates. Now, countries around the world are witnessing the tangible results of these efforts, as inflation has dropped significantly,” said Global Finance founder and editorial director Joseph Giarraputo.

“Global Finance’s annual Central Banker Report Cards honor those bank leaders whose strategies outperformed their peers through originality, creativity and tenacity.”

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Thalatha Atukorale addressing Parliament said that she will be resigning as a Member of Parliament today, citing various differences of opinion within the party.

Atukorale said that members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna who were previously branded as corrupt politicians, have now joined the SJB, prompting her decision.

The MP announced this decision delivering a special statement in Parliament today.

“If Sajith Premadasa remained patient for another five years for the sake of his own political future, we would not have faced this challenge. I tell Sajith Premadasa, that those pushing you towards this abyss, only want to enter Parliament next time, they don’t want to make you President,” Atukorale said.

The NPP Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake, said that a new development bank will be established and new businessmen and entrepreneurs will be given collateral-free loans to develop their industries.

“We are starting a new development bank. Any youth aspiring to start a business should give a business plan. After considering the project report, if it is a viable project, the government will give a guarantee to the bank. Then the young person will get a collateral-free loan,” he said addressing a NPP rally in Akurana.

He said the business plan will be perused by the project officer of the relevant district secretariat and also will follow its initiation and progress.

He said this is the concept of National People’s Power to bring new entrepreneurs to the fore.

Former Western Provincial Council member Jayantha De Silva has passed away.

Jayantha De Silva was 78 years old at the time of his demise.

At the time of his passing, he was working as the co-organizer of Borella for the Samagi Jana Balawega (SJB).