News

The All Island Private Bus Owners Federation (ALPBOF) has threatened to commence a strike from Wednesday (16) if bus fares are not increased as requested. The ALPBOF is requesting a fare increase of 20 per cent due to the recent increase of fuel prices. According to them the minimum ticket fare should be increased to Rs. 15 up from the current price of Rs. 9.

The High Commission of India facilitated a Youth Exchange Programme for the students of The Lawrence School, Sanawar – India (established in 1847) and The Royal College - Colombo( established in 1835) The delegation from Sanawar, led by Headmaster Vinay Pande, comprising two teachers and four students from Class 12, visited Sri Lanka from 26-30 April 2018.

In Colombo,  the delegation called on the Hon. Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe at Temple Trees. High commissioner of India to Sri Lanka H.E. Taranjit Singh Sandhu was also present during the occasion. The delegation visited the Royal College of Colombo, interacted with students and faculty and had an exposure to the curricular as well as extra-curricular activities of the prestigious institution. The delegation also visited the Richmond College in Galle.

The delegation also visited the historic city of Kandy, paid respects at Dalada Maligawa and participated in the famed Vesak day celebrations of Colombo.   The students interacted with wood craftsmen and local artisans. 

The exchange programme is intended to open new avenues for both the schools and strengthen cultural, educational and people to people ties between two countries. The Lawrence School of Sanawar in Shimla Hills will be hosting students from the Royal College in coming months as part of youth and students exchange as well as participate in sports and other activities.

The decision on if he would contest in the upcoming Presidential election in 2020 should be made by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, according to former Secretary of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

He made these comments to media personnel while attending a religious event held in Godakawela. 

He also stressed that by arresting him no one can hinder his journey. 

2020 decision to be made by Mahinda - Basil

Meanwhile attending another event, Basil Rajapaksa was quoted as saying that MR would be making the decision on the 2020 presidential candidate from their fraction.

He also said that the family would accept his decision and that however his own focus now is on the next provincial council elections and not the presidential election.

The UNP backbenchers say the UNP will field a candidate from the party for the next Presidential election and will not consider supporting a common candidate again.

They were quoted as making the statement by the ‘Mawbima’ newspaper. 

The backbenchers had also stressed they will not support a national government and they will bring the proposal to the UNP MP’s at the next group meeting. 

Speaking anonymously, one MP had claimed a common candidate nor a natinal government is any good for the country.

The Gazette setting out the subjects and functions of the new ministries has been released. 

It has set out the subjects for the Ministries that changed recently as well as for those that didn't.

Gazette

Veteran SLFP politician A.H.M. Fowzie has been sworn in as the State Minister of National Unity and Reconciliation.

He was sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s Official Residence this morning (11), the PMD said.

Fowzie previously held the portfolio of State Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation.

Secretary to the President Austin Fernando was also present on the occasion

Source : Ada Derana

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) recently held discussions to introduce a new Science channel to Sri Lanka. The meeting was attended by Minister of Science, Technology, and Research, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, SLBC Chairman Siddi Farook and its Working Director, M.J.R David.  

The Minister at the meeting stressed its importance to introduce such a channel to the country while requesting a report on the matter should be submitted to him. 

WIth the Minister’s new portfolio being Science and Technology he is currently said to be interested in forming a Science channel that would benefit the country.

The withholding tax on interest earned from children's savings accounts up to the age of 18 will not be levied, Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday. Samaraweera pointed out that under the Rajapaksa regime however, children's savings accounts were taxed at 2.5 percent for interest above LKR 5,000. 

The minister also announced that the author’s royalty fee from publishers below the amount of LKR 50,000 per month or LKR 500,000 per year will be exempted from taxes.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said that the Sri Lankan government looks forward to the consolidation and advancement of the gains made at the Panmunjom Summit when the two leaders of the United States of America and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea meet on 12 June 2018 in Singapore. 

The statement further added that Sri Lanka welcomed the Inter-Korea Summit between the leaders of the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 27 April 2018 and the adoption of the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula.

"(Sri Lanka) looks forward to the implementation of 'verifiable denuclearisation' of the Korean peninsula, while batting for achieving progress through dialogue, diplomacy and trust-building to establish sustainable peace", the statement added.

Anuruddha Polgampola who was appointed as the new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Timber Corporation (STC) by the President just last week after its former Chairman was arrested for a bribery allegation has also been sent home now on the orders of President Maithripala Sirisena. 

According to reports, the decision was made by the President to cancel the appointment as a result of various allegations of past indiscretions of Polgampola resurfacing and being levelled against him after his appointment. 

JVP goes after Anuruddha 

After the shock appointment of Polgampola JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti revealed that the new chairman of the STC had been imprisoned several times for corruption charges while bringing in to question his appointment to an organization like the STC. 

Polgampola was also a former JVP MP who was sacked from the party after violating immigrations where he had attempted to use his parliamentary privileges to smuggle an individual into Japan. He later became an ardent supporter of Mahinda Rajapaksa and then went on to extend his support to President Sirisena at the last local government elections.

President Maithripala Sirisena left for Iran today (12), for a two day state visit at the invitation of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.  Sirisena will hold talks with Rouhani on strengthening cooperation in the energy sector and will also seek Iranian investment, the Presidential Media Division said.

The two leaders are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on "further strengthening the economic and trade ties between the two countries".

The visit comes as world leaders scramble to salvage a key nuclear deal with Iran after President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the accord.

President Sirisena is scheduled to attend a special Investment and Trade Forum organised by the Iranian Chamber of Commerce and will also visit the Iranian Parliament.

The European Union has launched a Rs. 810 million project to support the modernization of Sri Lanka's agriculture sector.

The project "Support to the modernisation of the agriculture sector in Sri Lanka" will be implemented by Ecorys. The technical assistance team will assist the Government in making the agriculture sector more productive, diversified, climate-resilient, market-oriented and equitable through facilitating an agricultural sector reform process. The programme will support the development of an overarching agriculture policy where issues such as gender, climate change, nutrition and youth will be integrated. In addition, it will promote the diversification of high value agricultural production, including a focus on improved export earnings. Climate change and identification of ways in which malnutrition can be eliminated will also be an integral part of the assistance provided.

A workshop held in the context of the project with participants from Government institutions, private sector, civil society and academia focused on a coordinating mechanism for the New Agriculture Policy (NAP), the impact of decentralisation and fragmentation of the agriculture sector. The workshop concluded by agreeing on a common approach on the development of an overarching agricultural policy and its implementation strategy.

H.E. Tung-Lai Margue, the Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, said "This programme has been designed with the needs of the small farmers in mind. Given the large number of institutions involved in the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka, strengthening coordination and developing a joint policy are key to a successful transformation of the sector. We are pleased to partner with the Government of Sri Lanka, civil society and private sector in this regard, a partnership that will make a lasting difference in the lives of the people."

The grant, which is a part of the EU's wider programme in support of rural development in Sri Lanka, will benefit rural communities in the entire country. The programme is expected to be operational for three years (2018-2020).