News

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his power as the Minister of Finance, delivered the second reading of the 2021 Appropriation (Amendment) Bill in Parliament today (30).

He announced an increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) from 12% to 15% and noted that the retirement age of government and semi-government sector employees will reduce to 60 years.

The Head of State also proposed to issue 20% stake of state-owned banks (Bank of Ceylon & People’s Bank) to its employees and depositors.

Meanwhile, expectant women will be awarded Rs.2,500 in addition to the Rs.20,000 that is currently being granted and allowances given to Samurdhi beneficiaries, the elderly and disabled persons will also be increased by Rs.5,000 to Rs.7,500.

Further, a total of 61,000 low-income families will be given Rs. 10,000 monthly for a period of 4 months and loans obtained from state banks by small-scale farmers will be waived off (excluding interest). The Treasury will pay Rs.680 million owed to the banks in stages.

A staggering sum of Rs. 200 million will also be allocated to improve the local dairy industry.

President Wickremesinghe also said that a National Food Security programme is to be introduced.

In an additional move to develop the country, the President proposed to only purchase electric vehicles for the use of state services. Furthermore, tenders will be called from investors to develop the Kelani Valley Train Line.

Education, health, digitalization, public sector, and social security will be given priority under capital expenditure.

A proposal has been put forward to establish a branch of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in Kurunegala.

Further, the government has been advised to amend regulations to encourage foreign universities to open branches in Sri Lanka.

Former State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake who is serving time for contempt of court apologized to the court via an affidavit on Thursday (25).

The affidavit produced to the court on Thursday (25) notes that Ranjan Ramanayake apologizes to the court with regard to both contempt of court cases filed against him.

It added that Ranjan Ramanayake accepts that his statement was wrong, and it caused disrespect to the Chief Justice and the Legal Fraternity.

Ranjan Ramanayake's affidavit also says that his statements were untrue, and he would withdraw those comments, and would not make such comments in the future

A Sri Lankan lawyer has filed a petition with the Court of Appeal seeking a punishment on Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Parliamentarian Sanath Nishantha for contempt of court.

The petition was filed by Attorney-at-Law Priyalala Sirisena.

SLPP MP Sanath Nishantha, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, and the Attorney General of Sri Lanka have been named as respondents.

The petitioner is also seeking an order to prevent the MP from traveling overseas.

Attorney-at-Law Priyalala Sirisena in the petition states that MP Sanath Nishantha is named as a suspect in the case filed by the Criminal Investigations Department on the attack on the GotaGoGama protest site on the 9th of May 2022.

The visiting delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called on Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe this evening (Aug 24) to discuss the current situation of the economic crisis the nation is grappling with at present.

The meeting with the Head of State came after the delegates of the global lender kicked off discussions with Governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe this morning, to finalize a staff-level agreement for a possible USD 3 billion bailout package, including restructuring debt of about USD 29 billion.

IMF’s Resident Representative for Sri Lanka, Tubagus Feridhanusetyawan and Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana also participated in the talks at the Central Bank premises.

The IM delegation will be in Colombo from August 24 to 31. Another round of discussion is scheduled to take place on August 26.

During the meeting with President Wickremesinghe, the IMF delegates decided to hold further discussions with the Central Bank officials on technical issues, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

Chief of the Debt Capital Markets Division of IMF’s Monetary and Capital Market Department Mr. Peter Breuer, Secretary to President Saman Ekanayake, President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake and Central Bank Governor Dr. Nanadalal Weerasinghealso joined the discussion.

Public security minister Tiran Alles is the person, other than president Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is presently opposed most by protestors involved in the struggle, an observation of social media shows.

Since the president cannot be taken to court against the police operation to expel the protestors from the Galle Face protest site and the subsequent manhunt for the protestors, some political activists have publicly declared that it is Alles who should face legal action over these incidents.

Furthermore, Alles is at the receiving end of criticism by human rights activists over the orders given to the police to crackdown on the underworld.

A member of the Wimal Weerawansa-led parties who became independent, he was appointed the subject minister by the then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 20 May, and it is 100 days since he was made in charge of the police.

Alles continued to hold that portfolio in the government of president Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Despite mounting criticism over the conduct of the police, he is yet to make any statement, in parliament or to the media.

One of his predecessors has told his allies that he spoiled everything by speaking out, while Tiran carries on without uttering a word.

The media coordinator in Alles’ personal staff responded to our questions by sending us a detailed email containing what he has done in 100 days.

1. Restoring law and order by the police that had ceased to exist during the recent socio-political activities.

2. An increase in the batta payment to police personnel.

3. Setting up of a legal aid fund for police personnel which has received cabinet approval.

4. Provision of vehicles to officers over the rank of assistant superintendent of police.

5. Filling the staff vacancies at the Police Hospital.

6. Introduction of a proper mechanism, in place of political recommendation, in the appointment of OICs of police stations.

7. Modernizing police stations.

8. Introduction of a new website for the Police Department that will be launched on September 0

9. Mediation in the provision of equipment for the media and IT units of the police.

10. Empowerment of female police personnel.

11. Advising the police to curb the underworld and to carry out drug raids.

12. Instructing the police to safeguard the identities of children and women who are either victims or witnesses to crimes.

Activist Dan Priyasad and MPs Sanath Nishantha and Milan Jayatilleke have been ordered to hand over their mobile phones to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigations on the violent incidents that took place on 9 May.

Magistrate Thilina Gamage ordered the suspects to be held in custody of the court until their mobile phones are handed over to the CID.

The trio have been identified as key figures of the attack on peaceful anti-government protesters at the Galle Face Green in Colombo in May.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has approved power cut of 3 hours for 29th August as follows;

Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW

1 hour and 40 minutes during daytime 1 hour and 20 minutes during night.

Group CC

2 hours and 30 minutes from 6.00 AM to 8.30 AM

Groups MNOXYZ

3 hours from 5.30 AM to 8.30 AM

Tomorrow (24) marks one year since the nation lost Mangala Samaraweera.

A religious activity to invoke blessings on him will take place at his Bolgoda home, followed by an alms giving for Buddhist monks on the next day.

On August 26, a function will be held at the Olanda Dutch Market Hall (Nupe), Matara to remember Mangala, where a discussion attended by Prof. Rohan Samarajiva and Shehan Malaka Gamage, and moderated by Randhula de Silva, is due to take place.

In addition, an event featuring popular YouTube personality Anushka Udana (Wasthi Productions) has also been organised.

Former Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador to promote Sri Lankan migrant worker welfare globally.

The appointment was made by Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara.

I just offered @RamanayakeR a position as a goodwill ambassador to promote Sri Lankan migrant worker welfare globally upon his release and he gladly accepted. This is a voluntary position to make use of his tacit knowledges in the area of foreign employment pic.twitter.com/Zqz7BqcNMz

— Manusha Nanayakkara (@nanayakkara77) August 26, 2022

The first Committee meeting of the Committee on Public Finance for the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament held under the chairmanship of (Dr.) Harsha de Silva.

In accordance with the Standing Order 121, the Committee of Selection appointed (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, Member of Parliament as the Chairman of the Committee recently.

Accordingly, the Appropriation (Amendment) Bill to amend the Appropriation Act No. 30 of 2021 was considered at the committee and approved.

Furthermore, the Social Security Contribution Levy Bill was also approved.

Regulations under the Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017, Order under the Special Commodity Levy Act, No. 48 of 2007 and a Resolution under the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235) also received approval of the Committee on Public Finance.

Former parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake, who was incarcerated over contempt of court, was released from the Welikada Prison this afternoon (Aug 26) after he was granted a conditional presidential pardon.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe had signed the document pertaining to Ramanayake’s release this morning.

The document was subsequently handed over to prison officials by Secretary to Justice Ministry, Wasantha Perera, who was tasked with making the necessary arrangements for Ramanayake’s release.

In an announcement, the President’s Media Division (PMD) stated that Ramanayake was granted presidential pardon on the condition that he would refrain from making any comments in contempt of the judiciary in the future.

On January 12, 2021, the Supreme Court sentenced Ramanayake to 04 years of rigorous imprisonment over a case filed against a derogatory comment he had made with regard to the judiciary, outside the Temple Trees on August 21, 2017.

He was later handed a sentence of two years rigorous imprisonment suspended for a period of five years over another contempt of court case filed against him.

Submitting an affidavit to the court yesterday (Aug 25), Ramanayake made an official apology for the comments he had made. Deeply reflecting on the statement made by him outside the Temple Trees in August 2017, Ramanayake admitted that his comment was utterly contemptuous of the Chief Justice and the entire judiciary.

In his affidavit, Ramanayake profoundly apologized and sought the forgiveness of the entire judiciary.

Further, Ramanayake also sought forgiveness for the derogatory statement he made outside the Supreme Court premises claiming that he would not withdraw the statement he made on August 21, 2017.

He also gave an assurance that he would never again, in his entire lifetime, make any statement critical or derogatory of the entire judiciary, the PMD said further.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe told public servants yesterday (21) to leave the civil service immediately if they cannot perform their duties properly.

“No one can be fed freely. Some purpose should be served. I, too, cannot eat freely. If I do not develop this county, I too, will have to go. So, let’s start from the village,” he said at a meeting of the district development council in Anuradhapura at Golden Mango reception hall.

Wickremesinghe pointed out that it was the United National Party that taught the lesson in the past to unite everyone for the country’s sake irrespective of party, racial or religious differences and stressed his intention to do so in the future as well.

He said he would not ask anyone to return to the UNP, but would invite all to unite without further delay to build the country, making references to the SJB and the JVP.

The discussion on ongoing and future development plans for Anuradhapura was attended by people’s representatives of the UNP, SLPP and the SLFP as well as public officials.

The president, who paid homage at Atamasthana yesterday, said he received blessings from the Mahanayake Theras at each and every place he had visited.

His intention was to do something more for the area, Wickremesinghe noted, adding that Anuradhapura and Kandy should be transformed into major tourism centres, for which he would appoint a committee to cover every sphere and also bring down advisors from France or some other country if necessary.

He also spoke about a revival of the upper Malwathu Oya project, at least within the next couple of years, a delay possible due to the prevailing economic woes.

The president warned the economy would contract eight per cent more than the past year, while the people are under intense pressure not witnessed ever before.

It should be looked into how these could be reversed, including a success in the Maha cultivation season, he said.

For that aid has already been received to grant fertiliser, which will be subsidized along with the seeds, and the supply of fuel as well.

President Wickremesinghe told local government members and public servants to work together and do their job to bring about an agricultural revolution.

“Let us all work together. When we work together, a new political theory will emerge. The old system cannot continue. Let us go for a new system. We should go on a civilized political journey,” he added.