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Appointment of new IGP: Prez disregards CC’s stand -Udaya

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2 years ago

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by Shamindra Ferdinando

Pivithuru Hala Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday (09) said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe owed an explanation to the public as to why a successor to Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickremeratne couldn’t be named before the end of the incumbent police chief’s second three- month extension. Wickremeratne’s second extension ended yesterday (09).

The former Power and Energy Minister said that in terms of the Constitution, the President should inform the Constitutional Council of his nominee for the post of IGP.

The CC consists of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena (Chairman), Premier Dinesh Gunawardena, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Kabir Hashim, Sagara Kariyawasam, Dr. Prathap Ramanujam, Dr. Anula Wijesundera and Dr. Dinesha Samaratne. Of the 10 member CC, one slot remains vacant due to the failure on the part of political parties not represented by the PM and Opposition Leader to reach consensus on their nominee. The vacancy remains for more than a year.

The Colombo District lawmaker said that the failure on the part of the President’s Office to communicate the nomination of a new IGP should be examined against the backdrop of the CC declaration that another extension wouldn’t be granted under any circumstances.

MP Gammanpila challenged the legality of the extension granted to Wickremaratne nearly two weeks after he retired on March 26, 2023. Wickremaratne received his second service extension on July 09, 2023.

Lawmaker Gammanpila asked whether some external power wanted the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government to retain Wickremaratne, who succeeded Pujith Jayasundera in the wake of 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. The PHU leader said that there hadn’t been a previous instance of such a controversy since the creation of CC with the enactment of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.

Senior DIGs Nilantha Jayawardena and Deshabandu Tennakoon are the two senior most law enforcement officers eligible to be considered for the top post but are named in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report on 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.

The CC is expected to meet today (10) to discuss the latest developments. Well informed sources said that the CC hadn’t received the President’s nominee yet. Sources said that in addition to the IGP’s issue the CC was expected to discuss the recent criticism directed at the body by Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC.

Alleging that the CC and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had failed to do their duty, Minister Rajapakshe declared that the residences of CC members and those of CIABOC should be surrounded by the people instead of the homes of parliamentarians hereafter. The Minister said so after the Opposition Leader pointed out that the CC couldn’t appoint members to the CIABOC due to shortcomings in the Anti-Corruption Act. Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella strongly defended the CC but the Justice Minister insisted that the Speaker and other members should take responsibility for turning a blind eye to the developing crisis.

In spite of the CIABOC having the authority to take tangible measures against those who had parked export proceeds amounting to USD 9 bn overseas nothing was being done in that regard, lawmaker Rajapakshe said. The Minister said that the country could make a rapid recovery if action was taken to investigate those named in Pandora and Panama Papers and the money stolen by them recovered. The Minister alleged that among those who had massive amounts of funds were some Secretaries to Ministers. Declaring they had as much as USD 150 mn, Minister Rajapakshe urged the government to declare an amnesty to bring back their money before going all out to recover stolen funds. The Minister said that CIABOC should be compelled to do its job or face the consequences.


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Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts

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1 hour ago

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2026/03/26

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of  Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 25 March 2026, valid for 26 March 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry
of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

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US dodges question on AKD’s claim SL denied permission for military aircraft to land

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2 hours ago

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2026/03/26

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President

By Shamindra Ferdinando

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Colombo declared that the United States and Sri Lanka maintain a long-standing defence partnership, grounded in transparency, mutual respect, and shared interests.

The official said so in response to The Island query regarding President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent bombshell disclosure, in Parliament, that his government declined to allow the US Air Force to use the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, following the eruption of the latest West Asia war.

We sought views of the US on President Dissanayake’s claim against the backdrop of Sri Lanka being a party to the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) since 2007. Sri Lanka extended the ACSA in 2017, for another 10-year period, and its extension comes up next year.

The President revealed that the US had requested permission to use Mattala, between 04 and 08 March.

Claiming that the request had been made on 26 February, two days before the war began, President Dissanayake said that the US had sought to land two aircraft, carrying eight anti-ship missiles, but that the request had been turned down to maintain Sri Lanka’s neutrality. The President revealed that the aircraft were to come from a US base in Djibouti.

The US embassy pokesperson explained that questions related to operational movements, including ‘Operation Epic Fury’, should be directed to the Department of War (DOW) in Washington.

Camp Lemonnier is the primary base of operations for US Africa Command in the Horn of Africa. China, too, has its only overseas military base in Djibouti in the vicinity.

Military sources said whatever various interested parties said about US-Sri Lanka relations, the former provided significant intelligence support during last phase of the conflict that enabled the Navy to hunt down floating LTTE arsenals in international waters. Of the eight LTTE vessels sunk, the US backed four hits with specific intelligence, sources said.

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No decrease in remittances from workers due to Gulf conflict, but significant drop in tourist arrivals – CB Governor

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2 hours ago

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2026/03/26

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CBSL Governor

Sri Lanka’s worker remittances had not seen a decrease despite the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Central Bank (CBSL) Governor, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said yesterday.

“Based on currently available data, they have not seen a decline in remittances. In fact, according to that we have observed, is a slight increase in remittances in the past few days, ” the Governor said at a media conference held at the Central Bank head office in Colombo.

Governor Weerasinghe also mentioned that he had not seen any reports about Sri Lankans returning to the country from the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict.

The Central Bank Governor, however, acknowledged that there had been a decrease in tourist arrivals. He confirmed that tourist arrivals had decreased by around 17 percent due to the current volatile situation in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has decided to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at the current level of 7.75%, following its latest Monetary Policy Board meeting.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

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