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President Maithripala Sirisena has decided to give up his previous adopted stance of staying neutral during the presidential election campaign and is expected to get on a political stage in the next few days, a close confidante of the President told Newstube.

The sources said the President is expected to return to the country on Monday (28) after concluding an official visit to Japan and that he would take a political stand in support of one of the main contenders at the upcoming presidential election after his return.

The President it is learnt has received several surveys on the presidential election campaigns carried out by local and international groups. His support to the relevant presidential candidate will depend on these results.

Therefore, the President is definitely expected to get on a political stage shortly, the President's close confidante further said.

Meanwhile, sources at the Presidential Secretariat said despite previous claims that he would remain neutral during the presidential election, the President has now changed his mind about the matter.

New Democratic Front (DNF) presidential Candidate Sajith Premadasa has challenged Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa to a one-on-one debate.

Premadasa has noted that a “strong candidate need not be afraid to engage with their opponent in an unscripted exchange of ideas.”

Premadasa has issued the challenge to Rajapaksa on his twitter handle.

Rajapaksa has been asked to engage in a presidential debate which will be aired on live TV so voters can watch the two fearlessly pit their policies and visions against each other.

However, SLPP National Organizer Basil Rajapaksa, when asked by reporters if the SLPP candidate would participate in a debate with his opponent, has said the SLPP would like to unveil the candidate’s presidential manifesto first.

The former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa failed to attend the first presidential debate organised by the March 12 Movement earlier this month.

New Democratic Front (NDF) Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has already created awareness on his programme of action, policies and targets among the people making use of his political experience and   widespread socio political vision at mass rallies held across the island, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe noted.

The Premier said that several UNP Ministers and MPs have brought to his notice on the miserable performance of SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa who employs the use of teleprompters to address all his campaign rallies.

while Sajith Premadasa is providing practical solutions to the problems in the country, Gotabaya is making unrealistic economic proposals while uttering the same mantra of ensuring security in the country.

The will of the people should never be taken for granted, and this election may well swing either way – but it is important to consider the intentions of Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is hell-bent on protecting the Rajapaksa family from charges of corruption, fraud and murders.

“What promise do you give to the people via your manifesto that the corruption over thrown in 2015 will not return with you? How are we to believe when you are surrounded by the same crooks?," a civil society activist observed.

Gotabaya should answer this question clearly without going down the 'mulberry bush' chanting the slogan of national security.

Enough is enough, now he should get up from slumber after starting his run up to presidency early to see his main contender already far ahead of him in the final lap.      

Sajith Premadasa has clearly indicated his plan of making the business community as stake holders of national security providing necessary facilities and protection.

He has already unveiled the women’s charter of protecting women’s rights while protecting their dignity.  

He has clearly explained his policy on youth which is aimed at giving the due place for suitable persons and creating more employment opportunities.
Furthermore, Gotabaya is yet to answer the challenge made by Sajith Premadasa with regards to a public debate between the two candidates.

Accordingly, the people of this country have clearly understood the vast differences of attitudes and policies between presidential front runners Sajith and Gotabaya.

The much delayed manifesto of SLPP presidential candidate is scheduled to be unveiled at a ceremony at Nelum Pokuna in Colombo on Friday (25) at the auspicious time of 9.45 am.

The colorful ceremony is expected to last till 11.30 am to avoid the "Rahu Kalaya" which is the time period not suitable for any good work to start, in accordance with astrology, organisers said.

Although Gotabaya has entered the presidential election race early, he has failed to announce his policies properly till the final lap of the race that would conclude on November 16.

Meanwhile, Minister of Power and Energy Ravi Karunanayaka said that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna is grappling to present their presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s manifesto as the party has no policy at all.

He noted that Gotabaya Rajapaksa, while addressing a recent media conference, stated that it is essential at this present juncture to move the country forward by forgetting the past misdeeds of the Rajapksa regime.

"He wants us to remember the past but not all the past, only the approved bits. When journalists questioned him about other nefarious activities, he behaved in a grumpy and evasive manner," Karunanayaka claimed.
 
If Gotabaya emerges victorious in up coming presidential polls, it will be a concern to many liberal Sinhalese who value freedom and enjoy the freedom of expression under Sri Lanka’s ethnocracy, foreign media claimed.

As for the Tamils, a Rajapaksa presidency is fraught with trepidation. Should he be elected, it will be despite the opposition to his presidency by Tamils and given his inclination to be vindictive coupled with his credentials as an ultra Sinhala chauvinist, he can be expected to make the current victor’s peace being endured by Sri Lanka’s Tamils even more difficult, foreign media reported.

Over the past three years, despite many natural calamities and the Easter attack that affected Sri Lanka’s economy, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows remained stable with US$ 2.4 billion in FDI in 2018, up from US$ 970 million the previous year, a senior cabinet minister said.  

Better trade and competitive policies exerted a powerful effect of attracting more and better Foreign Direct Investment into Sri Lanka, Minister of Development Staretgies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrema disclosed.  

The 3-Year Annual Average of FDI has grown by 23% in years of 2016-18 compared to the 2013-15 period. Further, BoI registered companies had created 17,000 new jobs.

During the period between 2016 to September 2019, approvals were granted and investment agreements were signed for over 360 projects (over 200 new projects and 157 expansions of existing projects).
"This year itself, the BoI has approved FDI projects worth over $20 billion. There is one project which has just been approved by the Cabinet, amounting to $15 billion," Samarawickrema said.

These projects will generate a FDI value of around US$ 9.5 billion whilst providing additional employment opportunities to over 60,000 Sri Lankans when they are realized over the next 2-4 years.

Out of these, 253 projects are at the implementation stage and over 100 are in the commercial operation stage.

Minister Samarawickrema noted that the total FDI that flowed into Sri Lanka between 1978 to 2015 was US$ 12 billion.

During 2016 to 2019 alone, there has been total FDI Inflow of US $ 5,4 billion, he said adding that  45% of the FDI during the last 37 years, was realized in last 4 years.

The National Election Commission has yesterday (22) met representatives of political parties and independent candidates contesting the upcoming presidential election and discussed issues and concerns on private media reporting ahead of the polls.

It is learnt that concerns were raised at the meeting on the coverage provided by certain private media institutions.

Furthermore, there had also been calls to take legal action against some media institutions.

Airtime allocated by private media institutions on Oct 05 and Oct 06 respectively are found below.

Senior Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) member, MP Kumara Welgama says that a victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at the upcoming presidential election would result in the dissolution of the SLFP founded by the late S.W.R.D. Banadaranaike.

He has told media that it was the duty of the SLFP members to protect the party without letting it be destroyed.

Welgama further noted that he would neither support SLPP presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa nor United National Front (UNF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa.
"The decision to support the SLPP itself is a betrayal of the SLFP," he has said.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Bimal Ratnayake has objected in parliament to the appointment of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Thilanga Sumathilapa to the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) in place of Chandrasiri Gajadeera, who passed away recently.

Ratnayake has said it was immoral to appoint Sumathipala as a COPE member as there was an ongoing inquiry against him at the COPE.

The JVP MP has raised objections when Deputy Speaker Kumarasiri has announced that Sumathipala had been appointed to the COPE by the Speaker to fill the vacancy left following the demise of Chandrasiri Gajadeera

However, the Deputy Speaker has said in response to the objections raised by the JVP MP that he would refer the matter to the Speaker.

Sumathipala has responded to the objections raised against him saying allegations had not been proved by the COPE and added that he had all qualifications to hold the position as a COPE member and there was no legal barrier to his appointment.

President’s Secretary Udaya R. Senaviratne says that certain state institutions and officials had misused a circular issued by him on April 23, 2019 following the Easter Sunday attack to mislead the public on an imminent security threat.

Issuing a statement, Seneviratne has stated that he had received information that the circular bearing PS/SP/SB/C/14/2019 and several follow up letters sent to state institutions advising them to take precautionary measures on security arrangements after the Easter Sunday attacks had been misinterpreted to create an impression that there is an imminent security threat at present.

According to the President’s Secretary, security forces had confirmed that there was no security threat at present.

He has added that they had taken steps to ensure security at state institutions, places of national interest and the general public and has requested the people not to be misled by such rumours.

The government has decided to abolish the carbon tax that was enacted under the Finance Act No. 35 of 2018 from 1st December 2019.

The carbon tax was imposed on motor vehicles based on engine capacity with rates depending on age and fuel type.

Furthermore, the Finance Ministry also said that Mobile Phone Telecommunication Towers will also be exempt from tax.

Maker Fair 2019 drew more than 7,000 people to Colombo’s Trace Expert City and showcased aspiring inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across Sri Lanka,.  The event, hosted by the U.S. Embassy and the American Center, featured more than 60 exhibitors and presenters, 50 corporate and 11 university partners, and more than 150 youth volunteers.  It also featured over 130 robotics teams who competed in Sri Lanka’s largest-ever robot battle.

U.S. Embassy Chargé d'affaires (CDA) Martin Kelly described his visit to the Maker Fair as inspiring.  Delivering a keynote address at the award ceremony, CDA Kelly noted that “innovation and entrepreneurship are driving forces behind economic prosperity.”  He urged participants to continue their efforts to “make ideas happen, make innovation the norm, and make solutions for real world problems.”

CDA Kelly reminded Maker Fair attendees that Embassy-sponsored American Spaces in Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, and Matara offer free STEM programs, entrepreneurship classes, and other resources for youth who want to be part of Sri Lanka’s growing maker-culture.  “The United States takes pride in our culture of innovation – a culture rooted in free market principles and the idea that anyone with persistence and imagination can succeed as an entrepreneur.” Through its American Spaces, the U.S. Embassy seeks to encourage and cultivate innovation as a vital tool in the pursuit of sustainable, inclusive economic development.

The American Center in Colombo conducts free programs on 3D printing, coding, and web development in addition to classes on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics).  These programs enhance skills and inspire the next generation of makers and innovators in Sri Lanka. 

All programs are open for all Sri Lankans. The American Center is located at 44 Galle Road, Colombo 03 and it is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  and people can connect and follow the American Center via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AmCenterSL/and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amcentersl/ to learn about upcoming programs and events.