News

One person was killed and four sustained injuries during a shooting incident reported near Attanagalla temple last night (21) the Police Media Office said.
 
An unidentified gunman has opened fire on the crowd during a musical show held following an Avurudu Uthsawaya in Attanagalla, Nittambuwa police reported.
 
The victim was identified as a 37-year-old businessman residing in Heiyanthuduwa, Devamiththa area. He had taken part in lighting the oil lamp at the opening ceremony of the musical show, reports claim.
 
The injured including a woman have been admitted to Wathupitiwala Hospital. The reason for the shooting is yet to be ascertained.
 
Nittambuwa Police is conducting investigations to apprehend the suspect
 
Source : Ada Derana

The public and bank holiday which had been assigned to May 1, 2018 has been cancelled while May 7 (Monday) has been declared a public and bank holiday instead.

The Government Information Department, issuing a statement today, said that the public and bank holiday which was designated for May 1 (Tuesday) to mark International Workers’ Day was cancelled in view of the National Vesak Week from April 26 to May 2.

The relevant Gazette notification was issued by Minister of Home Affairs Vajira Abeywardena on April 6.

The gazette states that by virtue of the powers vested in him by Sections 10(1)(B) and 11(1)(B) of the Holidays Act, No. 29 of 1971, the Minister of Home Affairs, do by this Order, declare that, the Public and Bank Holiday fallen on Tuesday, the 1st of May 2018 for International Labour Day is cancelled due to the Vesak Week scheduled from 26th April 2018 to 02nd May 2018 and Monday, 07th of May shall be a Public and Bank Holiday to celebrate International Labour Day.

The Road Development Authority (RDA) has taken steps to temporarily close the road which goes through the famous Kadugannawa tunnel as cracks have appeared on the surface of the tunnel, Chairman of the RDA, Nihal Sooriyarachchi told the Sunday Observer. “Following several reports we have sent a team to inspect the tunnel. Upon preliminary inspection we have decided to temporarily close the route and rectify the situation,” Sooriyarachchi said.
 
The tunnel will be anchored to ensure that cracks will not continue and also to ensure the safety of the passengers who take the route. 
source : sunday observer

The final decision whether or not to increase the fuel prices will be taken by the President and the Prime Ministers together, says Minister of Petroleum Resources Development, Arjuna Ranatunga.

He stated this while attending the Sinhala & Tamil New Year celebrations at Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals (CPSTL) of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO), yesterday.

He said that so far no government has yet decided whether to operate CEYPETCO and CPSTL as profit-making institutions or as institutions that provide public service. However, that decision should be taken soon as a government, Ranatunga said.

While we are holding discussions regarding the fuel prices with the Finance Ministry and officials, the final decision will be taken by the government, the minister emphasized.

Source : Ada Derana

UNP Assistant Leader and former Minister Ravi Karunanayake said today he could build up the economy in 100 days if he was given the responsibility.

Addressing a meeting held at UNP office in Thotalanga, MP Karunanayake said state officials who go behind politicians do not change with the change of government.

“It is they who mess up the country's economy. The action of a few people attached to the government had put the economy in a mess,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said it is a common fact that the tusker with sacred relics usually walks in front of a perahera.

“However, those who walk in front of the government are political henchmen and stilt walkers. It is they who sabotage the efforts of the President and the Prime Minister to build the economy. Both leaders are aware of this situation,” he said.

Referring to the new tax on gold imports, he said the tax was not necessary.

Source : Daily Mirror

Project Management, Youth Affairs and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka instructed all owners and hotel operators in Mirissa to strictly adhere to the registration processes of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

The Minister gave these instructions while participating at a meeting in Mirissa yesterday to ensure the safety of tourists visiting the area after the recent assault on a group of Dutch tourists.

The Minister instructed the hotel owners to operate within the Excise Department regulations and prevent sound pollution and he instructed them to obtain SLTDA registration.

The SLTDA announced that the controversial ‘Water Creatures Beach Guest Restaurant and Surf Bar’ in Mirissa, where a group of Dutch tourists were allegedly assaulted did not have a valid licence. Therefore, the SLTDA ordered immediate closure of the restaurant.

Minister Ratnayake as a long term solution to prevent issues faced by the tourism industry, advised to form a stakeholders’ committee with the participation of state and non-state parties He said the associations representing hotel operators in the area must have a strong representation in these Stakeholder Committees, along with state officials and other relevant bodies.

The Minister said the Southern Development Board would initiate the Stakeholder Committees and the first meeting would be held in Weligama on April 26.The Minister also stated he would update the Tourism Development Minister and the Law and Order Minister on the progress of the meeting in Mirissa.

Source : Daily News

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe commissioned the second Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel of Sri Lanka Navy at the Colombo Port on Thursday. This vessel built at the Goa Shipyard Limited will be manned by 18 officers and 100 sailors. The Prime Minister being briefed on the advanced technological instruments of the vessel by a Naval officer. Ministers Duminda Dissanayake and Mahinda Amaraweera,State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe and senior defence officials were present.

Source : Daily News

The 10 SLFP Deputy Ministers and State Ministers who voted in favour of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Prime Minister will sit as an independent group of the SLFP when Parliament convenes after May 8.

Speaking to the Daily News, former State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena stated that the ten SLFPers resigned from their positions to become independent.

“We do not have an issue with the SLFP or the UPFA. Therefore, there is no need to quit the party and pick sides,” Abeywardena stated when inquired about the possibility of switching sides to the Joint Opposition. The 10 SLFPers who resigned are Dilan Perera, Sumedha G.Jayasena, Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Thilanga Sumathipala, Chandima Weerakodi,Susantha Punchinilame, Anuradha Jayaratne and Tharanath Basnayake.

Source : Daily News

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani, called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, yesterday (19), at the Temple Trees.

While noting the warm and cordial relationship between the two countries, Larijani stated that Iran should look into increasing the bilateral trade relations.

Speaker Larijani, accompanied by a 36 member delegation, is on an official visit to Sri Lanka in response to an invitation extended by the Speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament,Karu Jayasuriya.

The Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Dominica decided to establish Diplomatic Relations between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and Mrs. Loreen Ruth Bannis-Roberts, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Dominica to the United Nations signed the agreement on 17 April 2018 in New York.

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the establishment of diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and Dominica would enhance the existing friendly relations and cooperation in the political, socio-economic and cultural fields for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

The Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health will be launched in London, today (20), with President Maithripala Sirisena attending as a special guest, the President's Media Division said.

The launch will be a part of a special side event to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018, on ‘Global Health Security and the Digital Health Society 2030 – Innovation and Investment for One Planetary Health & Universal Health Coverage’.

The Centre was proposed by Prof. Vajira Dissanayake of the University of Colombo in 2016 and incorporated into a Commonwealth Policy Brief on Digital Systems for One health approved by the Commonwealth Health Ministers in Geneva in May 2017. The keynote speaker at the event is Dr. Christopher Fearne, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister of Malta.

Issuing a special message on the occasion, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated “As you know, Universal Health Coverage is WHO’s top priority. Our aim is a world in which all people receive the high-quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship.”

An import levy of 15 percent on its value has been imposed on gold imports with effect from midnight April 17 the Finance Ministry said.

The import levy has been implemented to curb surging imports that have impacted the trade deficit and put pressure on the exchange rate, officials said. The finance ministry said the tax was reintroduced after a five-year hiatus as authorities detected a rapid spike in duty-free gold imports in recent months.

According to officials, the steep increase had not translated to a boon in jewellery manufacturing which has sparked suspicions that it was being smuggled to neighbouring India, the world's largest consumer of gold.

Sri Lanka's central bank warned in February that the sharp spike in gold imports was worsening the island nation's yawning trade deficit. The outflow of foreign exchange required to import gold at these volumes was also hurting Sri Lanka's foreign reserves, and in turn, depressing the currency.