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The Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) of the Police is now set to probe into bank accounts of Former Central Bank governor, Ajith Nivard Cabraal. 

The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday granted permission for the FCID to record a statement from former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and to also investigate his bank accounts with regard to the misappropriation of Rs 600 million. 
 
The misappropriation of the funds is alleged to have occurred during the former government’s unsuccessful bid for Sri Lanka to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

From Rs. 25 billion allocated as Samurdhi grants, Rs. 6.5 billion (Rs. 675 million) has gone missing sources say prompting Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe to order the Ministry of Finance to probe if any financial irregularity has taken place. 

Accordingly, the Ministry has commenced an investigation with the Prime Ministers office said to be directly involved in it as well. 

Political sources say this is the first such investigation commenced with the involvement of the Prime Minister's office regarding a possible financial fraud. 

Officials appointed by Former Minister S.B Dissanayake have also been removed from the Ministry with the commencement of the investigation. 

Reports say through the 2018 budget an allocation of Rs. 25 billion was reserved for the Ministry of Social services and social empowerment while Rs. 2.08 billion was allocated per month. However, the Ministry is said to have spent Rs. 13 billion in the first three months alone. 

This was revealed after the Ministry was taken over by the UNP. It was also revealed that Rs. 675 million was also not distributed to Samurdhi grant holders bringing in to question if a financial irregularity had taken place prompting the order by the PM to conduct an investigation in this regard.

Five new Australian parliamentarians have been ousted for holding dual citizenship when they were elected.

Last year, 10 MPs and senators were removed from office for violating a constitutional rule that prohibits federal political candidates from being dual nationals.

On Wednesday, Senator Katy Gallagher was ruled ineligible by a court in what was widely viewed as a fresh test case.

Four other politicians who were under scrutiny resigned after the verdict.

Gallagher and lower house MPs Justine Keay, Josh Wilson and Susan Lamb are members of the opposition Labor party. The fifth MP, Rebekha Sharkie, is part of minor party Centre Alliance.

The dual citizenship saga has destabilised Australian politics since last July, at times threatening Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's majority in the House of Representatives.

Turnbull could increase his majority if he wins any of the vacant lower house seats.

Vote recountThe High Court of Australia ruled that Gallagher's seat would be filled by counting back votes from the 2016 federal election.
The other politicians are expected to be replaced in the same way, or through a by-election.

Gallagher had referred herself to the court last year after questions emerged over whether she had renounced her British citizenship in time to run for office.

"To the people of the [Australian Capital Territory], I'm very sorry that this disruption has occurred to one of your federal representatives," she said on Wednesday.

Labour leader Bill Shorten said three of the ousted MPs would seek re-election.

Shorten said his party had relied on an older interpretation of Section 44(a), a much-debated rule in the constitution.

"The High Court has made the decision - these are the facts we've got to deal with," he said.

Source : BBC

Railway Engine Drivers are to commence an indefinite strike from midnight today based on several demands. They announced their decision after talks with Deputy Transport Minister Ashok Abeysinghe held today morning failed. 

Secretary of the Locomotive Engineering Operators’ Union (LEOU) Indika Dodangoda says the authorities have failed to fulfil their promises on resolving railway workers’ concerns.

Meanwhile, the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) has also decided to resort to trade union action from today.

CEBEU Chairman Saumya Kumarawadu said that they will commence a work-to-rule industrial action this evening.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena today underlined the need to address the concerns of the Tamil minority in a political arrangement, saying though the problem has ended militarily, but no solution has been given for its causes.

Addressing Parliament on the ceremonial opening of a new session, he also called for support from political parties in addressing issues faced by the Tamil minority community in the war-affected North and East districts.

"Although the problem has ended militarily, no solution has been given for its causes," Sirisena said, referring to the 30-year-long civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which left over one lakh people dead.

The LTTE, which led the separatist war for a separate Tamil homeland, was finally crushed by the Lankan military in 2009 with the death of its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Referring to a main concern about land owned by Tamils being held for military purposes in the former conflict regions, the President said, almost 85 per cent of the land had now been released.

Sirisena also urged the parties to put an end to power struggle, both within his own unity government and within the opposition groups.

Highlighting achievements of his three years rule, the Sri Lankan President listed the economic achievements despite facing many natural hardships like drought.

"We have raised income levels while fighting to tackle the debt as high as rupees 10.3 trillion.

We have reduced the crime level by 30 per cent and boosted exports to its highest growth," he said.

In a surprise move last month, Sirisena had suspended Parliament for about a month in the backdrop of the ongoing political turmoil in the country.

The President made the decision to prorogue Parliament by virtue of the powers vested in him by Article 70 of the Constitution.

The unity government of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) was thrown into a crisis after former president Mahinda

Rajapaksa's new party pulled off a stunning victory in February's local elections seen as a referendum on the ruling alliance.

(PTI)

Prior to the reshuffle of the cabinet, Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam is said to have given 460 backdated government employment appointments according to sources from the Ministry of education and Cultural Affairs.  

According to reports, the Minister had issued these appointments to the Central cultural fund and several other agencies operating under the Ministry of Education. 

When questioned an official from the Ministry said these suspicious appointments are being reported in the Central cultural fund and several other agencies coming under the Ministry of Education and therefore till the subjects and roles of the Ministries are gazetted the Ministry has decided to not take a decision regarding the matter. 

He also said an investigation will be launched as to how these appointments were made. 
 
The official went on to say that providing employment is not an issue but there is a due process to do so but if these have not been made accordingly a decision will have to be made.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dačić concluded a two day official visit to Sri Lanka today. 
With a view to increasing two-way tourism, an Air Services Agreement between Sri Lanka and Serbia was signed yesterday (08), by Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić  and the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva.

Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić  and the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva signing the Air Services Agreement. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the visit, Minister Dačić had meetings with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Speaker of the Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Tilak Marapana, and the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dačić with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Discussions with Minister Marapana included a range of bilateral and global issues. The two ministers agreed to convene the second round of bilateral foreign office consultations as early as possible with a view to exploring the way forward, in a structured manner, on opportunities for investment, particularly in the agriculture, food processing and construction sectors in Sri Lanka; increasing cooperation in education, sports, transport and tourism sectors; and easing the visa regime between Serbia and Sri Lanka.

The new parliament session is scheduled to be declared open by President Maithripala Sirisena today (08) at 2.15 pm. 

Accordingly, the President will arrive in parliament with an escort from the triforces, police and cavalry where Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe will usher him in over the red carpet to the house. 

There onwards the Speaker along with Sergeant of the Mace, deputy and assistant sergeant at arms, Secretary of the Parliament and his secretariat staff will usher the President through the main door of the parliament to the main chamber. 

The President will be seated in the Speaker's chair while the Speaker will sit in the seat below. 

Following this, the statements regarding the prorogation and recalling of the parliament will be read by the Secretary of the Parliament, Dhammika Dissanayake while the President is set to read out the government's policy statement. The parliament will then be adjourned till tomorrow (09), 1 pm following which the customary tea party will be held for MP and guests.  

Seats in the opposition prepared for the 16 group 

Also, seats in the opposition for the 16 MPs who left the government has been prepared as they have officially informed they will be sitting in the opposition Parliament sources said.

Strike by the Railways Engine drivers union which was set to commence at midnight today has been halted temporarily. According to the railway unions, the decision to temporarily call off the strike till noon tomorrow came after a request was made by the committee appointed to resolve issues related to the railway.  

They had announced an indefinite strike from midnight today after talks with the Deputy Minister of Railways failed. The unions have been threatening to strike based on several demands including that of salary anomalies.

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the National Budget proposed by him last year offers a package of concessional credit schemes that would empower young entrepreneurs, women, and the differently abled in the country within the theme of “Enterprise Sri Lanka”, with a view to  reawakening Sri Lanka's  entrepreneurial spirit and to regain its rightful place as a vibrant trading hub in the Indian Ocean.

He made these remarks while addressing the Plenary Session of the Asian Development Bank's 51st Annual Meeting in Manila on Saturday (05).

Full text of Statement by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera is as follows;
 
I thank you for giving me the floor at this august gathering today, that celebrates 51 years of yeoman service to the people of Asia and the Pacific region by the Asian Development Bank. Sri Lanka has been working hand in hand with the ADB for over half a century that I can describe as a robust partnership in empowering our people to achieve sustainable development.

This year’s meeting theme “Linking People and Economies for Inclusive Development” resolves to strengthen the ADB’s founding vision to create a poverty free Asia and the Pacific. In fact, Mr. Chairman, my own government has been unequivocally promoting an inclusive growth trajectory for Sri Lanka in a knowledge based, highly competitive social market economy with a vision to become a rich country by 2025.

We are living at a time that you can call unparalleled to any age in human history, because of the rapid technological advances that enable innovative solutions for many development challenges. Asia’s moment of economic growth, buttressed by fast improving health and educational opportunities allow the millennium generation to connect to each other by overcoming cultural, language and other feigned barriers which regressed our progress for centuries. This unique opportunity should be seized with much optimism for a new era of prosperity in the 21 Century.

Our concerted efforts at this regional forum would no doubt bring about changes to the millions of lives at a rapid phase. My government’s National Budget proposed this year offered a package of concessional credit schemes empowering young entrepreneurs, women, and the differently abled in the country within the theme of “Enterprise Sri Lanka”. We wish to reawaken our nation’s entrepreneurial spirit and to regain its rightful place as a vibrant trading hub in the Indian Ocean. Your theme here at the ADB today stands a matching tribute to those domestic policies embedded in our core values ranging from inclusive growth, good governance, and empowering the private sector as the engine of growth.

Despite the brunt of extreme weather conditions and other adverse external factors, Sri Lanka’s economy demonstrated time tested resilience in 2017. We recorded our highest ever FDI inflows and our highest ever export performance. These led to meaningful job creation as the unemployment rate also declined to 4.2%. We expect the economy to accelerate growth driven by private enterprise and exports. 

We have introduced some key reforms including the new Inland Revenue Act, which came to force last month that could be called the most progressive tax reform in Sri Lanka in several decades. This is part of a broader agenda of introducing transparent rules based legislative and governance frameworks.  Our Active Liability Management Act was made effective with a view to improve domestic and foreign debt management. The rules based and transparent auction mechanism for government securities was introduced in the same vein. We are at the doorstep of becoming an upper-middle income country and your continued support to accommodate the desired transition without any hindrance to our national development agenda would be immensely appreciated.

With an ever active ADB resident mission established in 1997, over US $ 8.5 billion project and policy based active loans, grants and technical assistance since 1968, reaching over 500 projects, Sri Lanka’s ADB portfolio remains robust and active. Our interactions span mainly from the Transport Sector, Energy to Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development. I fervently hope that our national priorities and expectations have an attentive hearing in this august assembly that evolves for greater mutual benefit.

As a founding Member and a strong partner, let me Mr. Chairman, reiterate Sri Lanka’s steadfast commitment to a long-lasting engagement with this entity in time to come for the immense benefit of our own countrymen and millions of others in the Asian Pacific region. I thank you until we meet again in Fiji next year.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M. A. Sumanthiran has refuted reports alleging that he made a statement calling to halt building Buddhist temples in the North and East. 
 
According to the MP, a news report which was published in a Sinhalese weekend newspaper recently is completely incorrect. He says he feels it was an attempt to anger the Buddhists community by distorting a statement he made at an interview.
 
The MP says, he will instigate legal action against the newspaper for creating conflict among the people by publishing misleading information.

Source : Ada Derana

Sri Lanka is aiming towards rapid industrialisation throughout the country under the aegis of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
While addressing an inaugural event of a new auditorium at Millaniya Divisional Secretariat on Friday (04), Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said Millaniya can be identified as a centre for rapid industrialisation, as reported by the Columbo Page on Sunday.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who opened the new building complex at the Millaniya Divisional Secretariat built by the Home Affairs Ministry at a cost of Rs.50 million, is seen presenting bags to Field Officers. 

He informed that the government is engaged in the process of land acquisition and shall pay compensation to the people in lieu of land.

Further, the work for the industrial zone is all set start in June or July post the signing of agreements with Thai Rochana Company.

The government has targeted to set up 100 factories in the industrial zone spreading across 450 acres in the next ten years. Further 50 large factories are set to be constructed around the place.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe further said that industrialisation will result in urbanisation.