News

The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Ali Larijani, called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, yesterday (19), at the Temple Trees.

While noting the warm and cordial relationship between the two countries, Larijani stated that Iran should look into increasing the bilateral trade relations.

Speaker Larijani, accompanied by a 36 member delegation, is on an official visit to Sri Lanka in response to an invitation extended by the Speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament,Karu Jayasuriya.

The Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Dominica decided to establish Diplomatic Relations between the two countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and Mrs. Loreen Ruth Bannis-Roberts, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Dominica to the United Nations signed the agreement on 17 April 2018 in New York.

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that the establishment of diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and Dominica would enhance the existing friendly relations and cooperation in the political, socio-economic and cultural fields for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

The Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health will be launched in London, today (20), with President Maithripala Sirisena attending as a special guest, the President's Media Division said.

The launch will be a part of a special side event to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018, on ‘Global Health Security and the Digital Health Society 2030 – Innovation and Investment for One Planetary Health & Universal Health Coverage’.

The Centre was proposed by Prof. Vajira Dissanayake of the University of Colombo in 2016 and incorporated into a Commonwealth Policy Brief on Digital Systems for One health approved by the Commonwealth Health Ministers in Geneva in May 2017. The keynote speaker at the event is Dr. Christopher Fearne, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister of Malta.

Issuing a special message on the occasion, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated “As you know, Universal Health Coverage is WHO’s top priority. Our aim is a world in which all people receive the high-quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship.”

An import levy of 15 percent on its value has been imposed on gold imports with effect from midnight April 17 the Finance Ministry said.

The import levy has been implemented to curb surging imports that have impacted the trade deficit and put pressure on the exchange rate, officials said. The finance ministry said the tax was reintroduced after a five-year hiatus as authorities detected a rapid spike in duty-free gold imports in recent months.

According to officials, the steep increase had not translated to a boon in jewellery manufacturing which has sparked suspicions that it was being smuggled to neighbouring India, the world's largest consumer of gold.

Sri Lanka's central bank warned in February that the sharp spike in gold imports was worsening the island nation's yawning trade deficit. The outflow of foreign exchange required to import gold at these volumes was also hurting Sri Lanka's foreign reserves, and in turn, depressing the currency.

The public and bank holiday which had been assigned to May 1, 2018 has been cancelled while May 7 (Monday) has been declared a public and bank holiday instead.

The Government Information Department, issuing a statement today, said that the public and bank holiday which was designated for May 1 (Tuesday) to mark International Workers’ Day was cancelled in view of the National Vesak Week from April 26 to May 2.

The relevant Gazette notification was issued by Minister of Home Affairs Vajira Abeywardena on April 6.

The gazette states that by virtue of the powers vested in him by Sections 10(1)(B) and 11(1)(B) of the Holidays Act, No. 29 of 1971, the Minister of Home Affairs, do by this Order, declare that, the Public and Bank Holiday fallen on Tuesday, the 1st of May 2018 for International Labour Day is cancelled due to the Vesak Week scheduled from 26th April 2018 to 02nd May 2018 and Monday, 07th of May shall be a Public and Bank Holiday to celebrate International Labour Day.

Former Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan accused politicians of destroying cricket in Sri Lanka.

Murali told the Economic Times that Sri Lankan cricket is currently in a mess.

“From the days of Sanath Jayasuriya, Kaluwitharana, Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga to today, it has undergone a sea change. Don’t go so far back. In 2014, we won the World T20 beating India in the final in Dhaka and in 2011 we made the final of the 50-over World Cup in India. So what we are seeing today is a very recent development. To tell you the truth Sri Lankan cricket is currently in a mess,” he said.

Muralitharan said that politicians have taken over the running of the game and with little or no knowledge of the game they are destroying the institution with every passing day.

“Cricket is all about confidence. Giving the players the confidence to perform. Making them feel great when they wear Sri Lankan colours. I did not become a champion bowler in one day. For 4-5 years, Arjuna kept giving me the confidence. That’s how I became who I am. Now every time a batsman goes out to bat he is told you have to score or else we will bench you. The same is true for bowlers. In the last one year Sri Lanka has fielded some 60 players across all formats. 60 players in one year! This is irrational and tells you there is no vision how the game should be run. Such frequent chopping and changing will only end up destroying the game further,” he added.

Source : Colombo Gazette

The final decision whether or not to increase the fuel prices will be taken by the President and the Prime Ministers together, says Minister of Petroleum Resources Development, Arjuna Ranatunga.

He stated this while attending the Sinhala & Tamil New Year celebrations at Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals (CPSTL) of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO), yesterday.

He said that so far no government has yet decided whether to operate CEYPETCO and CPSTL as profit-making institutions or as institutions that provide public service. However, that decision should be taken soon as a government, Ranatunga said.

While we are holding discussions regarding the fuel prices with the Finance Ministry and officials, the final decision will be taken by the government, the minister emphasized.

Source : Ada Derana

Speaker of the Iran Parliament Ali Larijani and a delegation arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday on a two-day official visit.

Ali Larijani along with 36 Iranian diplomats arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) yesterday on a special Iranian flight.

 State Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation A. H. M. Fowzie welcomed the delegation at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

Larijani is scheduled to stay in the country until April 20, and the delegation is expected to meet government officials including Prime Minister and Speaker of the House during the visit. The Iranian Speaker expected to hold discussions with regard to the ongoing conflict in Syria, according to reports.

Larijani, was in Vietnam with the parliamentary delegation to boost bilateral parliamentary cooperation prior to arriving in Colombo.

He held talks with Vietnamese prime minister, parliament speaker as well as head of joint trade council of Vietnam and Iran and participated in a trade gathering of both countries' businessmen.

Project Management, Youth Affairs and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka instructed all owners and hotel operators in Mirissa to strictly adhere to the registration processes of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

The Minister gave these instructions while participating at a meeting in Mirissa yesterday to ensure the safety of tourists visiting the area after the recent assault on a group of Dutch tourists.

The Minister instructed the hotel owners to operate within the Excise Department regulations and prevent sound pollution and he instructed them to obtain SLTDA registration.

The SLTDA announced that the controversial ‘Water Creatures Beach Guest Restaurant and Surf Bar’ in Mirissa, where a group of Dutch tourists were allegedly assaulted did not have a valid licence. Therefore, the SLTDA ordered immediate closure of the restaurant.

Minister Ratnayake as a long term solution to prevent issues faced by the tourism industry, advised to form a stakeholders’ committee with the participation of state and non-state parties He said the associations representing hotel operators in the area must have a strong representation in these Stakeholder Committees, along with state officials and other relevant bodies.

The Minister said the Southern Development Board would initiate the Stakeholder Committees and the first meeting would be held in Weligama on April 26.The Minister also stated he would update the Tourism Development Minister and the Law and Order Minister on the progress of the meeting in Mirissa.

Source : Daily News

It is reported that a senior from the United National Party (UNP) is set to be appointed to the Deputy Speaker post vacated by MP Thilanga Sumathipala recently.

It has been decided to give the post to the UNP as a majority of the SLFP MP’s have decided to sit in the opposition while the remaining MP’s are all members of the Cabinet.

According to political sources in recent times Sumathipala has worked in a manner bringing disrepute to the post of Deputy Speaker and therefore a senior will be appointed to the post instead to set an example for junior MP’s.

The 10 SLFP Deputy Ministers and State Ministers who voted in favour of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the Prime Minister will sit as an independent group of the SLFP when Parliament convenes after May 8.

Speaking to the Daily News, former State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena stated that the ten SLFPers resigned from their positions to become independent.

“We do not have an issue with the SLFP or the UPFA. Therefore, there is no need to quit the party and pick sides,” Abeywardena stated when inquired about the possibility of switching sides to the Joint Opposition. The 10 SLFPers who resigned are Dilan Perera, Sumedha G.Jayasena, Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Thilanga Sumathipala, Chandima Weerakodi,Susantha Punchinilame, Anuradha Jayaratne and Tharanath Basnayake.

Source : Daily News

President Maithripala Sirisena says that 75% of the news items in Sri Lanka's online publications are free of the truth.

The president who visited the UK to attend the Commonwealth Heads of State summit Tuesday (April 17) made this statement while speaking to a group of Sri Lankans living in London.

According to the President the recent Sinhala Muslim clashes that took taken place in Kandy were also based on false propaganda spread through the internet.

President Maithripala Sirisena also pointed out that social media sites has even become a serious issue for the United States and that the decision of the lankan government to shut down the social media during the clashes averted a great deal of destruction that could have taken place.

 President Maithripala Sirisena also said that the attempts made by some to hide the truth and promote falsehood are a hindrance to the forward march of the country.

Therefore, the President invited the Sri Lankan community living in London to assist the journey of building the country with a proper understanding of the real situation of the Motherland.

Members of academics, businessmen, university students and many others representing various fields were present at the meeting and President Maithripala Sirisena was warmly welcomed by them.

Expressing his views, the President further explained that the real information on the propagandas followed by the government to develop the country by establishing freedom and democracy do not flow to the people.

A major reason for that is certain media and social media platforms attempt on highlighting falsehoods and suppressing the truth to gain narrow political advantage and commercial benefits, he said and further stated that they have not truly understood the value of the freedom given to everybody by the present government.

The President, who emphasized that the government has taken steps with great dedication to fulfil the duties on behalf of the dear Motherland during the last three years, said that one of the priorities of it is to establish coexistence and reconciliation and to make the peace gained by the country a permanent one.

Thus, the President said that the economic plans made towards monitoring the country towards development and building the economy of the people of the country has often succeeded while the victories gained internationally through the past three years getting close to the international community, which was earlier against the Motherland, also takes a special place.