News
20 Lankan prisoners repatriated from Kuwait Central Jail
Twenty Sri Lankan prisoners, held in Kuwait’s Central Jail, were repatriated to Colombo yesterday (26) under the Kuwait-Sri Lanka Prisoner Exchange Agreement.
The prisoners arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport on a special Kuwaiti Air Force flight.
The agreement, originally signed in 2007, has facilitated the repatriation of 52 Sri Lankan prisoners in total, with 32 inmates having returned earlier in 2024. This latest transfer marks a significant step in the ongoing arrangement between the two countries.
However, reports indicate that no Kuwaiti prisoners are currently held in Sri Lanka’s custody for exchange under the agreement.
The returnees had been convicted of various offenses in Kuwait, including drug use, trafficking, and smuggling. They were arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to prison terms by Kuwaiti authorities.
Upon arrival, the Prison Department took custody of the prisoners, who were subsequently transferred to the Welikada Magazine Prison in Colombo.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dr. Kristalina Georgieva, at Temple Tress on the 17th of February
Dr. Georgieva, commended the Government’s efforts in stabilizing the country’s economy and in managing recent economic and natural shocks. She noted that Cyclone Ditwah had caused severe impacts, especially on economically vulnerable communities, underscoring the importance of targeted support and resilience-building measures.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the IMF’s continued support to Sri Lanka, particularly in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The PM further emphasized that real economic recovery and development must directly benefit the economically vulnerable groups and ensure inclusive growth, highlighting the need for Sri Lanka to attract quality and sustainable investments, particularly in the tourism sector.
The importance of reforming the education system to focus not only on knowledge acquisition but also on skills development and employability was also discussed
The meeting was attended by the Chief of Staff of the IMF Managing Director Andreas Bauer, Director, Asia and Pacific Department, Dr. Krishna Srinivasan Division Chief (Strategic Communications), Communications Department, Pierre Mejlak Resident Representative for Sri Lanka Dr. Martha Woldemichael, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, and Deputy Governor Dr. C. Amarasekara, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri and Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to relocate the Deniyaya Base Hospital after constructing a new hospital with a capacity of 300 beds at an estimated cost of Rupees 6,000 million.
The Southern Provincial Department of Health has acquired a plot of land in Handford estate which is approximately 03 kilometres away from the town for this purpose.
News
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