News

Director of Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), SSP Janak Nandana was transferred with immediate effect, the police spokesman said today.

Accordingly, SSP Nandana has been appointed as the Personal Assistant to Senior DIG of Police Medical Services & Welfare Division, Ranmal Kodituwakku.

The National Transport Commission (NTC) has released the list of revised bus fares that will come into effect from January 05, 2022.

The bus fares have been increased by a percentage of 17.44%, except for the minimum fare which has been increased by Rs. 03, (from Rs. 14 to Rs. 17).

Accordingly, the revised fares for travel on Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and private passenger buses operating under route permits are as follows:

Former State Minister Susil Premajayantha was dismissed from his ministerial portfolio based on intelligence received to the President, said Ruling Party MP Thisakutti Arachchi, speaking to media today (05).

The decision was taken upon information reported to the President by the State Intelligence Service, the MP claimed.

Thisakutti Arachchi denied the claim that Premajayantha was dismissed due to a comment he had made at the Delkanda Market 24 hours prior to the dismissal, saying that neither the President nor the Government has fallen into an intolerance against criticism.

Former parliamentarian Niroshan Premaratne has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Independent Television Network (ITN).

The former Matara District UPFA MP has been appointed to the position with effect from today (03).

A former TV presenter with the state-owned ITN, Mr. Premaratne had contested and won the 2015 parliamentary election from the Matara District. However he had failed to get re-elected in 2020.

The United Nations commended Sri Lanka’s green agriculture programme at a meeting held between UN Assistant Secretary-General Kanni Wignaraja and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (04).

Wignaraja serves as the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.

Wignaraja said Sri Lanka was ranked 87th out of 165 countries in the 2021 Sustainable Development Report, moving seven points ahead from the previous year’s ranking. The possibility of attracting foreign investors to the green agriculture programme by further developing these conditions was also discussed.

The President pointed out the steps being taken by Sri Lanka to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals while seeking solutions to the socio-economic impacts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The President said that a comprehensive mechanism has been set up for this purpose, including the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation and the Presidential Task Force on Creating a Green Sri Lanka and Sustainable Solutions to climate change.

UNDP Resident Representative Robert Juhkam, Deputy Resident Representative Malin Herwig, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga were also present.

The implementation of making vaccine cards mandatory for the general public when entering public places has been delayed due to concerns raised by several parties.

The decision was to be enforced with effect from January 1, 2022.

According to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, it will take at least another couple of weeks to finalise everything with regards to the implementation.

“Though legal concerns have been sorted out with the Attorney General’s approval, other factors such as whether it is necessary to carry the vaccine card or the introduction of QR code, still need to be finalised,” he explained.

“We are of the opinion that introducing a QR code would be convenient for the people rather carrying a vaccine card. Therefore, necessary arrangements are being made in collaboration with the Ministry of Technology to introduce the QR code,” the Minister added.

However, he stressed that the necessary formalities would definitely be finalised before end of this month.

DM

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 18 more coronavirus-related deaths for December 30, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 15,055.

According to the figures released by the Government Information Department, the deaths reported today include 10 males and 08 females.

Five of the patients are between the ages of 30-59 years. Ten others are in the age group of 60 years and the remaining 03 are aged below 30 years.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 16 more coronavirus-related deaths for December 31, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,995.

According to the figures released by the Government Information Department, the deaths reported today include 11 males and 05 females.

Two of the patients are between the ages of 30-59 years. The remaining 14 are in the age group of 60 years.

Former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said that the answer to solving the issues in Sri Lanka, is not sacking Susil Premajayantha.

“On Saturday Susil Premajayantha visited the market, something he does every week. A media person asked him about the government. Premajayantha responded and spoke critical of the government,” said Sirisena, adding that 24 hours later, the President had sacked Premajayantha from his portfolio.

The Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Sirisena told a party meeting on Tuesday (4) that the government will not be able to prevent the forthcoming events of 2020, by simply sacking one Minister.

“If the government corrects itself and starts doing the right thing and solves the people’s issue, it can prevent implosions,” said Sirisena.

He said that even during the period of the colonizers, the farmers never endure the pain that they are experiencing now.

He reprimanded the state for failing to institute action against the incidents of gas explosions reported from households across the country.

“They did not even tell the Chairman and Board of Litro Gas to resign in the wake of these events,” said the former President.

“Susil was sacked for being critical at the market. But, Nimal Lanza was even more critical of the state several days ago. But, no charge sheet was presented against Lanza and I am aware of the reason why they won’t lay a hand on Lanza, because he knows everything” he added.

Local cement companies have decided to increase the price of cement with effect from today (January 01).

Thereby, the price of local cement will go up by Rs. 100.00 per 50kg bag.

Following the price revision, a 50kg bag of will be sold at Rs.1,375.00.

Susil Premajantha says his removal from the state ministerial portfolio was not unexpected, and that it will be a blessing for his political future.

Speaking to the media after the president stripped him of his position as state minister of education reforms, open universities and distance learning promotion this morning (04), Premajayantha said he would now return to his legal practice.

He said he got to know about his removal only through the media, adding the executive president has the powers to appoint or remove anyone without giving reasons.

The MP referred to the criticism he made of the policy failures of the agriculture minister two days ago, and said it could have been raised at the cabinet meeting on the following day.

Hinting that he knew what was going to happen, Premajayantha said it would have been quite surprising had he not been removed.

“Going by the country’s present path and how the economic affairs are managed, it is apparent to where we are leading. Our talking about such things is in fact talking on behalf of the people. A government cannot be corrected if a voice is not raised from the side of the public.”

The MP added that rather than the decision it had taken with regard to him, the government should be concerned more about the other decisions it was taking.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 18 new coronavirus-related deaths for December 29, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus pandemic to 14,962.

According to the figures released by the Government Information Department, the deaths reported today include 09 males and 09 females.

Six of the patients are aged between 30-59 years. The remaining 12 are in the age group of 60 years and above.