Category: Local News

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says the government did not receive a mandate to repeal the existing Constitution. He has opposed some of the key proposals made by the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly.

It was revealed yesterday before the Treasury Bond Commission that former Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal, while holding office, had several of his close relatives appointed to top posts in banks coming under the purview of the Central Bank.

UPFA Parliamentarians Namal Rajapaksa, DV Chanaka, Provincial Councilor Sampath Atukorala and five other arrested in connection with the protest in Hambantota have been granted bail.

Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister John Seneviratne, who is a senior member of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), said yesterday that it was sad that some party organizers who had served the party for a long time had been expelled even without giving them reasons for their dismissal.

Farmers in the North had toiled with enthusiasm and dedication to make the country self sufficient in food in the past. A special programme will be launched to resolve the problem of Northern farmers and uplift them as an economically strong farmer entity once again, President Maithripala Sirisena said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is ready to give evidence before the presidential commission of Inquiry probing the Treasury bond scandal if the commission wants him to do so, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office yesterday.

Sri Lanka would soon introduce legislation for the Immigration Controller to act as the sole authority to expedite bringing in foreign experts to be employed in the ICT sector in Sri Lanka, said State Minister for Finance, Eran Wickramaratne.

“If you stage protests against me and I am weakened, the devil will get an opportunity,” President Maithripala Sirisena told a gathering in Jaffna yesterday.

India is in advanced talks with Sri Lanka to operate an airport on the southern tip of the island, where China has invested heavily as part of its Belt and Road initiative, a Sri Lankan minister said.

State Minister of Finance Eran Wickramaratne, addressing a forum in Colombo yesterday (12), said that what the Government wants from the private sector is not only complaints, but possible solutions to those problems.

Minister of Finance and Media, Mangala Samaraweera, met Fatema Z. Sumar, the Regional Deputy Vice President for Europe, Asia, Pacific and Latin America in the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) on the sidelines of the WB/IMF Annual Meeting

UPFA MPs Kumara Welgama and Mahindananda Aluthgamage have been removed from their respective organiser posts by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

A Taiwanese bank official and two investigators arrived last night (11), to assist in the Taiwan money transfer probe.

The sudden train strike last evening resulted in a tense situation at the Colombo Fort and Maradana Railway stations. All trains starting from Colombo Fort and Maradana, were cancelled due to trade union action staged by the engine drivers and railway guards yesterday.

The Sri Lankan rupee ended weaker on Wednesday as banks bought dollars on behalf of state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corp, which stocked up crude ahead of an expected fuel price hike, dealers said.

Ministers Kabir Hashim and Malik Samarawickrama, testifying before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the bond scams, yesterday said that to make payments to the contractors engaged in road development projects and to continue with the ongoing projects the government had needed funds to the tune of Rs.15 billion.