News

The retail prices of fuel have been reduced by Rs.2 with effect from midnight yesterday based on the fuel pricing formula, the Finance Ministry said.

Accordingly, the prices of fuel were decreased as follows:

Petrol (Octane 92) per litre will be decreased by Rs.1 and the revised price is Rs.137, Petrol (Octane 95) will be sold at Rs.161, decreased by Rs.2 per litre. One litre of Super Diesel will be lowered by Rs.2 and the new price will be Rs.132.

There was no price revision on Auto Diesel which remains at Rs.104.

Furthermore, the price of Lanka Kerosene and Auto Diesel will remain at Rs. 70 and Rs.104 per litre.   

The eight Ministers are: Sajith Premadasa, Ravi Karunanayake, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Navin Dissanayake, Harin Fernando, Mano Ganesan, M.H.A. Haleem and Gayantha Karunathilaka.

The TISL issuing a statement said the complaint was made based on information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

“The information showed that eight Cabinet ministers had not submitted their declarations of assets and liabilities for 2018/19, as of August 20, 2019. Cabinet ministers are required to submit their declarations to the Presidential Secretariat under section 4 (a)(ii) of the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law. However, according to the Presidential Secretariat’s response to an RTI application filed by TISL on 28 August 2019, eight Cabinet ministers had not submitted their asset declaration as at 20 August 2019,” it said.

The TISL said that the non-declaration of assets and liabilities amounts to an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding Rs.1000 and/or a prison term of up to one year.

Following the filing of the complaint, TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere said, “Whilst several members of parliament have already gone beyond legal requirements to publicly disclose their asset declarations (available at www.tisrilanka.org/MPassets), it is important that those who have neglected their responsibility are held to account”.

Obeyesekere added, “TISL has also requested the same information from the Presidential Secretariat and the Office of the Speaker, to identify non-Cabinet, state and deputy ministers and members of parliament who have not submitted their asset declarations and we will be taking appropriate action when such information is received.”

TISL has requested the Bribery Commission to exercise its powers to ensure that this complaint is investigated and that prosecutions are undertaken where necessary

He also said that the UNP is a democratic party and not the fiefdom of any individual or family.

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan has taken a swipe at former Defence Secretary and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential hopeful Gotabaya Rajapaksa claiming that the next President of Sri Lankan must be an experienced politician.

Muarlitharan has made this observation at the Viyathmaga Annual Convention held at the Shangri – La Hotel in Colombo yesterday (8), which was a pro-Rajapaksa event.

The Sri Lanka cricket legend has noted that cricketers and other professionals cannot lead the country.

Muralitharan has said that some people in Sri Lanka have placed their faith in businessmen and others but a President can only be someone who has experience in politics to take political decisions.

The former cricketer has called on the public to vote for a President who had already made a mark in Sri Lanka and who will protect the people as well as lead by example.

He has further stated that a true leader must lead by setting an example and not lead just by words.

Muralitharan has said while some leaders say they will die for the country, there is no point if they die as what is required is for them to rule the country.

Referring to the war and the sacrifices made has said the LTTE had a choice when peace talks took place but instead they killed innocent people.

According to Muralitharan, the greatest day in his life was in 2009 when the LTTE was defeated and the war ended.

Viyathmaga was launched by professionals under Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s patronage. The forum was initially used as a political launch pad by Rajapaksa.

Election affairs are to be headed by Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Jagath Abeysirigunawardena

The appointment was made with immediate effect with the approval of the National Police Commission (NPC).

Election affairs have been handed over to Senior DIG Abeysirigunawardena who is also in charge of the Western Province and Traffic Directions.

Abeysirigunawardena is taking over election duties from the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) C. D. Wickremaratne.

The SLRC is assigned under the Ministry of Defence with effect from midnight yesterday (9).

The move comes as the Elections Commission prepares to call for Presidential elections.

The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation was earlier under the Ministry of Mass Media which is under the purview of Non Cabinet Minister Ruwan Wijewardene. However, it is now under the purview of the President, who is also the Defence Minister.

There has been a continuous controversy over the post of SLRC Chairman with Minister Wijewardene attempting to appoint a new Chairman to the institution while incumbent Chairman Enoka Sathyangani has refused to vacate office.

The UPFA has nominated H. M. D. B. Herath to fill the vacant UPFA parliamentary seat in the Kurunegala District.

Herath’s name has been gazetted as the new parliamentarian to fill the vacant seat.

Controversy surrounded the filling of the vacant seat with the next in line from the Kurunegala list being Shantha Bandara, who was appointed to parliament through the National List.

However, following Dissanayake’s demise, Bandara resigned from the National List slot to fill the vacancy created by Dissanayake. The argument then was that Bandara could not be nominated through the Kurunegala District list since he was already in parliament as a National List MP.

The controversy has now ended with Herath’s appointment.

The issue of the symbol of the proposed alliance has stalled the talks being held between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on forming a political alliance.

The SLFP team stands firm that the party cannot contest under the SLPP’s “flower bud” symbol while the SLPP maintains that the proposed alliance should retain the “flower bud” symbol as it is a well-known political symbol.

The eighth round of talks between the SLFP and SLPP was held last Friday (6) at the Opposition Leader’s office.

The SLFP however maintains it will give priority to forming an alliance with the SLPP over fielding its own presidential candidate at the upcoming presidential polls.

United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) General Secretary and SLFP Senior Deputy Leader MP Mahinda Amaraweera says the party was prioritising the alliance with the SLPP.

“We held talks on Friday as well with the SLPP group. Forming an alliance with them is our main objective right now. Fielding our own candidate is secondary,” Amaraweera said.

Meanwhile, on Thursday (5), SLFP General Secretary MP Dayasiri Jayasekara announced that the party would be fielding its own candidate to contest the upcoming election.

The SLFP team at the talks was led by party General Secretary Jayasekara and included UPFA General Secretary Amaraweera and SLFP Treasurer MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna.

The SLPP team was led by party National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa and included party Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris and MP Dullas Alahapperuma.