Sri Lanka is addressing issues raised in recent travel advisories to maintain a secure and welcoming environment for all tourists, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said during a meeting with two foreign envoys yesterday. During a meeting with the Ambassador of Myanmar, Malar Than Htaik at the Presidential Secretariat, he reiterated the government’s commitment to ongoing improvements in safety to protect the well-being of both international visi
The first poll after National People’s Power (NPP) swept into power will be held today when the people of Elpitiya will go to polling stations to elect members for the Pradeshiya Sabha in their area. Some 28 members will be elected to the Pradeshiya Sabha according to the Election Commission. A total number of 55, 663 voters will cast their votes in 48 polling stations.
The latest financial disclosures from the Election Commission reveal that Sajith Premadasa and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), lead in campaign spending for the 2024 Presidential Election, with a total expenditure of Rs. 1.13 billion.
It has been revealed that the value of 271 gemstones in the Department’s Geology division, which have been securely deposited at the Metropolitan Branch of the Bank of Ceylon since September 18, 1964, remains unassessed, the National Audit report in 2023 revealed.
In response to a question as to how it will help Sri Lanka in curbing the threat, a U. S. Embassy spokesperson said the mission is closely cooperating with the Sri Lankan authorities but refrained from making any additional comment.
Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe today dismissed allegations made by Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith that the motives behind the committees to probe the action of intelligence units in lead up to the Easter Sunday attacks was to politically victimize officers Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekera.
In the wake of the United States (U.S.) Embassy’s travel restriction to Arugam Bay effective immediately and until further notice, the Sri Lankan authorities have sprung into action on multiple fronts to take additional security measures and to ensure that the country is safe for tourist arrivals.
Ruling out any special instructions regarding the US Travel Advisory, the Department of Immigration and Emigration yesterday said Israelis top the highest arrivals of tourists in Arugam Bay in all times, though it was seen much reduced this season.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his recent electoral meeting in Katunayake, said the need of the hour is a strong, powerful government but not an opposition and therefore urged people to take steps to fill Parliament with his NPP (National People’s Power) representatives at the November 14 General Election.
Claiming that a committee appointed by a President does not have any jurisdiction just as in the case of Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI), Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath said yesterday that the government would not accept the report of the Committee appointed by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe just before the Presidential election as it is politically motivated.
The LGBTQIA+ community working in the Free Trade Zones (FTZ) complained yesterday that the garment factories that employ them through random manpower agencies would exploit their labour as men and pay wages designated for the weaker sex.
Further controversy swirls around the Easter Sunday attack- the series of bomb blasts that rocked Sri Lanka on April 19, 2019, killing nearly 300 people including 46 foreign nationals - after Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader former MP Udaya Gammanpila put in public domain one report on the incident, which recommends prosecution of current secretary to the Public Security Ministry Ravi Seneviratne for his alleged negligence of duty as a senior
The Catholic Church is to officially reject the accusations that have been made against two government officials in the Presidential Commission report on Easter Sunday attacks, which was revealed by former Minister Udaya Gammanpila yesterday.
Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader, former MP Udaya Gammanpila has called for the immediate removal of Ravi Seneviratne from the post as the Public Security Ministry Secretary, as he has been named as a main accused in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks investigations by a Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report.
Ending prolonged delays and hassle to the public the Department of Immigration and Emigration yesterday commenced issuing the newly imported ‘P’ series passport packed with novel security features and refined look.
Following a request from security chiefs for the removal of Fundamental Rights cases and arrest orders against officers tackling the rising underworld, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed the Attorney General to immediately intervene to address these allegations against such members of the law enforcement authorities.
In response to a remark made by incumbent President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that his predecessor Ranil Wickremesinghe has asked for extensive privileges, Advisor to the former President Sagala Ratnayake yesterday said it is the security unit of Mr. Wickremesinghe which has asked for privileges.
The Kandy Division Criminal Investigation Bureau has confiscated a BMW and a Prado jeep, valued at approximately Rs. 60 million, from the residence of former Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena’s son-in-law in Aniwatta, Kandy.
The government is expecting to increase salaries of public servants, provide an additional allowance for schoolchildren and increase allowance for low-income families in the budget for 2025 which is to be presented before March next year, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday.
Claiming that those who were in a state of coma for the last five years about the Easter Sunday attacks had now started to question the reports of the Presidential Commission, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday those reports were not secret reports and that some people were perturbed after the government initiated a proper investigation into the Easter attacks.
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