News

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken steps to provide relief to those people who have been affected by the floods, the PM’s Office said in a statement.

Accordingly, a preliminary discussion has been held among the Prime Minister’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and the District Secretaries of Kalutara, Gampaha and Galle.

During the discussions with the Ratnapura District Secretaries, the Prime Minister announced that the Treasury Operations Department has allocated funds to provide relief to the people affected by the floods.

PM Wickremesinghe has also instructed the Treasury to take steps to provide relief funds through District Secretaries.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson pledged to support Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister said that he held a discussion with Prime Minister Boris Johnson today (30), at which he briefed on the situation in Sri Lanka, and the UK Prime Minister then pledged support, especially in the fields of tackling climate change and assisting Sri Lanka in becoming an export oriented open economy.

During a discussion with @BorisJohnson today, I briefed him on the situation in Sri Lanka. He pledged to support us especially in the fields of tackling climate change and assisting Sri Lanka in becoming an export oriented open economy.

During a discussion with @BorisJohnson today, I briefed him on the situation in Sri Lanka. He pledged to support us especially in the fields of tackling climate change and assisting Sri Lanka in becoming an export oriented open economy.

— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) May 30, 2022

MPs Sanath Nishantha, Milan Jayatilleke and 11 others have been further remanded until June 08 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.

These suspects who were arrested in connection with the May 09 attacks on anti-government protesters at outside Temple Trees in Kollupitiya and ‘GotaGoGama’ at Galle Face Geen, were produced before the court today (June 01).

Social activist and YouTuber Rathindu Suramya Senaratne, popularly known as ‘Ratta’ was granted bail a short while ago.

Following his arrest by the Colombo Central Criminal Investigation Division affiliated to the Slave Island Police earlier today (30), ‘Ratta’ was taken to Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage’s official residence, where he was granted bail.

‘Ratta’ was arrested on several charges including illegal assembly, obstructing court proceedings and obstructing the duties of police personnel, in connection with a protest that took place in front of the Fort Magistrate’s Court when those arrested over the attacks on peaceful protesters at Galle Face and Temple Trees on May 09 were produced before the court.

He was arrested when he arrived at the Slave Island Police Station this afternoon to give a statement regarding the incident, and is due to be produced before the Fort Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (31).

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) says that on year-on-year basis, CCPI-based headline inflation continuously increased to 39.1% in May 2022 from 29.8% in April 2022.

Food inflation increased to 57.4%, in May 2022 from 46.6% in April 2022, while Non-Food inflation increased to 30.6% in May 2022 from 22.0% in April 2022.

The monthly change of CCPI was recorded at 8.34% in May 2022 due to price increases observed in items of both Non-Food and Food categories which were 4.87% and 3.47%, respectively.

Accordingly, prices of items in the Non-Food category recorded increases mainly due to price increases observed in the Transport (Petrol, diesel, and bus fare), Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuel (LP gas and Materials for maintenance/reconstruction), Restaurant and Hotels and Miscellaneous Goods and Services (Car insurance) sub-categories.

Further, within the Food category, increases were observed in the prices of vegetables, fresh fish, rice, bread, dried fish, and dhal during the month.

Meanwhile, annual average inflation rose to 14.2% in May 2022 from 11.3% in April 2022.

The core inflation (Y-o-Y), which reflects the underlying inflation in the economy increased to 28.4% in May 2022 from 22.0% in April 2022, while annual average core inflation increased to 10.2% in May 2022 from 8.1% in April 2022.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says a new committee system will be introduced to strengthen the Parliament’s financial powers and a National Committee will be established to make the President and Prime Minister answerable to the Parliament.

He stated this while delivering a special statement on the 21st Amendment to the Constitution and proposed political reforms

The PM said that the country’s main issues today are not limited to the financial sector.

He said that at the same time, in the political sphere there are two major issues with one being the need to do away with the 20th Amendment and the implementation of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution once again.

“With regard to that now, we as the party leaders are currently preparing the 21st Amendment,” he said.

The second is to work towards abolishing the Executive Presidency, he said, adding that the party leaders can decide on that time period and the method.

In addition to this, there is another issue with regard to the Parliament, the premier said.

He stated that because the parliament was weakened by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and because the Executive obtained more powers, the process of the Parliament has been crippled.

“One of the main accusations today is that the Parliament is not working to end this economic crisis. The powers vested with the Parliament will increase through the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, however we cannot be satisfied by that alone.”

He stated that there is also an allegation that under the current Westminster cabinet system, the cabinet ministers controlled everything and due to the ruling party having a majority in the House the affairs of the parliament were neglected.

“We don’t always have to keep questioning what happened in the past. However, there needs to be a system to include the Parliament in the governance of this country,” he said.

“At the same time, we need to have transparency. The MPs of all parties need to convene those committees and work according to the policies and programmes, that is the environment we are creating.”

He stated that the existing laws need to be strengthened if parliament is to be given powers to execute financial powers. He also said that they are preparing to pass a set of new financial regulations after taking a look at the existing laws.

Wickremesinghe stated that are three committees related to the state’s financial affairs and that the Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena has presented several proposals to strengthen these committees and further empower them.

He said that in addition to that they are also putting forward a proposal to establish two more finance-related committees, which include a ‘Committee on Ways and Means’ and a ‘Committee on Banking and Financial Services’.

He stated that these five finance committees and ten oversight committees will be chaired by backbencher MPs and not ministers.

He said they also need to pay attention to a crucial point. “What the youths are saying is that the existing system needs to be changed and they need to be aware of the current issues.”

Therefore he proposes that four youth representatives are appointed each of these fifteen committees with one of them from the Youth Parliament while the other three selected from the protesting groups and youth groups as decided by them.

He said in addition to this they also expect to get specialist with experts knowledge involved in this and that this will provide the youth with an opportunity to become aware of the issues and to present their solutions.

The Prime Minister also proposed to establish a National Council comprised of the Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and the leaders of the major parties.

Speaking on the importance of this National Council, he said that it can discuss the country’s policies and the decisions of the Cabinet as well as discuss the reforms of the Parliament. He said it will be a political council with the authority to summon the Cabinet and the committee chairs.

“If there are any young representatives for this, those appointed separately, we can also consider that,” he said.

Wickremesinghe said that under this new system the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, committees and the National Council need to be answerable to the Parliament and thereby complete power will be vested in the House.

He said that several organisations have presented similar proposals. “Let’s consider those proposals as well and come to an agreement how the Parliament’s powers are implemented in the future.”

The Supreme Court today decided to suspend the Presidential pardon granted to former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva.

Court also ordered a travel ban on Silva and called for his passport to be confiscated. Furthermore, the Court has also ordered the CID to arrest the former parliamentarian.

The order was issued after hearing two petitions that had been filed by former MP Hirunika Premachandra and her mother Swarna Premachandra challenging the presidential pardon granted to Silva.

The Colombo High Court sentenced Silva to life imprisonment in 2016, over the murder of former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, the father of former MP Hirunika Premachandra.

Although Silva filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the decision, the Court upheld the verdict on the murder conviction by the High Court.

However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa later granted a special Presidential pardon to Silva on 24 June 2021.

Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ajith Rohana and several senior police officers have been transferred.

Accordingly, Senior DIG Ajith Rohana, the DIG in charge of Crimes and Traffic has been transferred to the Southern Province.

Senior DIG M. D. R. S. Daminda has received a transfer to Eastern Province.

Meanwhile, Acting DIG L. K. W. K. Silva has been transferred from the post of Senior DIG in charge of the Eastern Province to the post of Senior DIG in charge of the Crime and Traffic Division.

Sri Lanka Police said that all transfers have been made based on service requirements and approved by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security and the Public Service Commission.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification on institutions, scopes, and functions of Ministries.

42 state institutions including those connected to the Ministry of Defence will come under the purview of the President.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will oversee 57 bodies that come under the Ministries of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies.

The Treasury, Inland Revenue Department and Sri Lanka Customs are among the state bodies that are under the purview of the Premier.

The U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung called on the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today (27) at the Parliament Premises.

The U.S. Ambassador said that she hopes the government, including the new Prime Minister, would be able to bring about political stability and overcome the current economic crisis.

The Ambassador also emphasized the need to carry out the political reforms desired by the people and to safeguard democracy in the country.

Julie Chung further said that she hopes to enhance relations between the two countries through the Sri Lanka-USA Parliamentary Friendship Association.

She appreciated the role played by the Women Parliamentarians Caucus and discussed the need to increase the representation of women.

The Speaker also expressed his gratitude to the United States of America for its continued support to strengthening democracy in Sri Lanka.

This is the first meeting between Julie Chung and the Speaker Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena since her appointment as US Ambassador to Sri Lanka.

The wife of former Minister Wimal Weerawansa, Shashi Weerawansa, who was handed a two-year prison sentence for producing forged documents to obtain a diplomatic passport, has been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.

On 27 May, she was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment after she was found guilty of obtaining a passport by submitting forged documents to the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

She was also imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000.

Subsequently, her attorneys filed an appeal challenging the prison sentence. They also submitted a bail application requesting the court to release their client on bail until the conclusion of the hearing of the appeal.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had filed the aforementioned lawsuit against Shashi Weerawansa in 2015.

The attorneys representing the wife of MP Wimal Weerawansa have filed an appeal challenging the two-year prison sentence handed down to their client earlier today.

The appeal was lodged before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, to be forwarded to the High Court.

Taking up Weerawansa’s appeal, Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawala said it would be called for consideration on the 30th of May.

Shashi Weerawansa was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment this morning after she was found guilty of producing forged documents to obtain a diplomatic passport. She was also imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had filed the lawsuit against Shashi Weerawansa during the administration of the Yahapalana Government, charging her with submission of falsified documents to secure a diplomatic passport.