News

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, The Princess Royal of the United Kingdom will visit Sri Lanka next year.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Ministry said that Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, The Princess Royal of the United Kingdom will visit Sri Lanka from 10 -13 January 2024.

She will be accompanied by her spouse Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Her Royal Highness has been invited by the Government of Sri Lanka to participate in events connected with the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the UK.

Parliamentarian Vadivel Suresh has been appointed as the Co-Chairman of the Divisional Coordination Committees in the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Passara and Lunugala in the Badulla District.

Accordingly, the MP has been tasked with monitoring all development activities implemented by the Government in Passara and Lunugala D/S divisions, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

The relevant appointment has been made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Earlier this month, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Badulla District MP was appointed as an Advisor to President Wickremesinghe on the full integration of up-country Tamils into Sri Lankan society.

That role will centre around overseeing the comprehensive integration of Hill Country Tamils, particularly focusing on the districts of Badulla, Nuwara Eliya and Rathnapura.

Mayor of the Kurunegala Municipal Council Thushara Sanjeewa has been sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment.

Thushara Sanjeewa has been sentenced for demolishing the 13th Century King’s Court of King Bhuvanaikabahu II, dating back to the Kurunegala / Yapahuwa Kingdom Era, for a road development project.

The Kurunegala High Court today (Dec 14) sentenced the Former Mayor of the Kurunegala Municipal Council along with four others.

The former Mayor of Kurunegala together with officials from the Urban Development Authority (UDA) demolished the building in July 2020 for a road development project.

The Department of Archaeology had filed a complaint with the Kurunegala Police at the time, claiming that Thushara Sanjeewa had demolished a 13th-century King’s Court that was under its supervision.

Businesswoman Thilini Priyamali, who is accused of large-scale financial fraud, has been acquitted and released from the case in which she was accused of allegedly issuing a cheque from a bank account with insufficient funds to purchase a vehicle worth Rs. 8 million.

Accordingly, Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige issued the relevant order when the case was taken up today (11 Dec.).

The relevant case was filed by the Attorney General, accusing Priyamali of committing criminal breach of trust by allegedly issuing a cheque from a bank account with no funds to purchase a vehicle worth Rs. 8 million from an individual.

The 2024 Appropriation Bill (Budget) was passed in Parliament with a majority of 41 votes a short while ago.

Accordingly, the 2024 Budget was passed in Parliament with 122 votes in favour of the Bill, while 81 MPS had voted against it and MP C. V. Vigneswaran abstained from voting.

Incidentally, former Minister and SLPP MP Roshan Ranasinghe was amongst those who voted against the Bill.

The vote for the Third Reading of the 2024 Appropriation Bill was held at 06:40 p.m. today.

After the vote on the Third Reading of the Budget concluded, Parliament was adjourned until 09 January 2024 by the Speaker.

The division on the Third Reading of the 2024 Appropriation Bill was held this evening (13 Dec.) following the concluding of the Committee Stage debate.

On 13 November, President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, presented 2024 Budget, the country’s 78th Budget Speech, to parliament as part of the broader economic plan.

Subsequently, the debate on the second reading of the Appropriation Bill commenced the following day and continued for seven days.

It was passed by a majority of 45 votes with 122 parliamentarians in total voting in favour and 77 voted against it.

Following the Committee Stage debate of Appropriation Bill for the year 2024 which was held for 19 days from November 22nd excluding Sundays, the Third Reading vote was held today.

According to the Appropriation Bill of 2024, the total government expenditure has been set at a record Rs. 6,978 billion, an increase of nearly 33% compared to 2023.

Meanwhile, the budget deficit for the fiscal year 2024 is estimated at Rs. 2,851 billion or 9.1 as a percentage of the GDP.

This is higher than the revised 8.5% of GDP in the current year. The original target for 2023 was 7.9%.

(adaderana.lk)

The third reading of the Value-Added Tax (Amendment) Bill was passed with amendments in Parliament today.

Accordingly, 100 Parliamentarians voted in favour of the bill, while 55 MPs voted against it.

Earlier this evening, the second reading of the Value-Added Tax (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament with a majority of 57 votes.

During the vote, 98 Parliamentarians had voted in favour of the Bill, while 41 MPs had voted against it.

MP Roshan Ranasinghe who was recently sacked from his ministerial portfolio voted against the Value-Added Tax (Amendment) Bill.

The debate on the Value-Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, which was adjourned yesterday due to a lack of quorum, was held this evening.

The government in its Budget for the fiscal year 2024 has proposed to increase VAT to 18% effective from January.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged all to confine their greed for political power to election periods only.

He was speaking in parliament today (13) on the final day of the debate on budget 2024.

The president also asked the people to be cautious of fairytales being said by politicians with an eye for power that will take the country back to bankruptcy.

He said he was addressing the House with great happiness because the IMF officially approved the second tranche of a bailout loan for Sri Lanka.

The IMF has admitted the country was now at a decisive juncture to come out of its branding as a failed state, he said.

Wickremesinghe said he was modestly happy to have given the leadership in that journey after accepting a bankrupt country a year ago.

Heroes who speak in parliament today had no courage then to come forward, but I accepted that challenge with determination and planning, he said.

The president admitted that the people tolerated with difficulties the certain difficult decisions he had taken.

All of them are the sharers of that proud journey that took us less time than most other countries to come out of bankruptcy, he added.

The IGP is to be handed over investigations into the alleged sexual harassment of female parliamentary housekeeping staffers by their superiors.

After inspecting the relevant files, the attorney general had advised that there was adequate evidence that permitted a probe.

A spokesman for parliament said all those files would be handed over to the police chief in a matter of days.

Complaints by more than 20 staffers

The assistant housekeeper and another officer have been suspended following complaints by more than 20 female staffers that they were sexually harassed.

An internal inquiry took place first and several other officers have been mentioned as suspects.

Sports Minister Harin Fernando says he has signed a Gazette notification revoking the earlier decision to appoint an interim committee for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

Taking to ‘X’, Minister Fernando said the Gazette was signed today with an aim to lift the ban imposed on Sri Lanka Cricket by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The Sports Minister further revealed that he has also written to the ICC, seeking their observations on the Auditor General’s report on Sri Lanka Cricket.

Minister Fernando added that the advice of the Attorney General’s Department has also been sought for future actions.

An escalating spat between former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and the current SLC administration resulted in the ICC imposing a ban on Sri Lanka Cricket, citing political interference.

The former Sports Minister had appointed an interim committee headed by former cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga, claiming that the Auditor General’s report has confirmed financial malpractice related to the SLC.

Following the appointment of the interim committee, the SLC wrote to the ICC on the matter, while a Parliament vote was also held suspending the office bearers of the SLC.

Taking into consideration the developments, the ICC imposed a ban on Sri Lanka Cricket citing political interference.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe also stepped in sacking Roshan Ranasinghe from all his ministerial portfolios, including Sports, to which he appointed Minister Harin Fernando.

The postal workers have decided to resort to a 48-hour token strike from 04.00 p.m. today (Dec. 10), the United Postal Trade Unions’ Front says.

The Co-convener of the association Chinthaka Bandara said that more than 27,000 postal workers will join the relevant strike.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has conveyed his sincere appreciation for the positive outcomes resulting from the productive discussions held with President Ranil Wickremesinghe in August.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the Singaporean Prime Minister conveyed his appreciation in a cordial letter addressed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

PM Lee Hsien Loong expressed his dedication to enhancing ties between Singapore and Sri Lanka across political, economic, and people-to-people dimensions.

The assurance of strengthened collaboration signifies a shared commitment to deepening the bilateral relationship for mutual benefit.

In extending his well wishes, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong conveyed hopes for President Wickremesinghe’s good health and continued success in steering the nation’s progress.

The Singaporean Prime Minister also expressed anticipation and eagerness towards visiting Sri Lanka in the near future, further solidifying the commitment to sustaining and advancing the diplomatic ties between the two countries.

A massive signboard collapsed on Bauddhaloka Mawatha near BMICH in Colombo today, causing traffic disruptions in both directions.

As a result, traffic congestion is reported in the area as the vehicular movement in both directions of Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07 is disrupted.