News
Campaign launched to push for abolition of PCs
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief Organiser of Lankalokaya and former Southern Provincial Council member Pasanda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday (19) urged major political parties/alliances to consider the abolition of the costly Provincial Council system as a priority.
Abeywardena asked them to take a clear stand on PCs introduced in terms of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that was enacted in the wake of the Indo-Lanka accord of July 29, 1987. The young politician, who is the current Chairman of Sathosa, said that a bankrupt country couldn’t continue to squander public funds on a system that didn’t benefit the people.
The incumbent Governor of the North Western Province Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena’s son, Pasanda, received the top job at Sathosa in early Aug 2022, within weeks after Ranil Wickremesinghe’s election by Parliament as the President.
Pasanda, who served as a member of the last Southern PC, said so addressing the media at Nippon Hotel. Former UNP lawmaker R.A.D. Sirisena and Attorney-at-Law Kanishka Basnayaka, too, explained why major political parties/alliances should publicly declare their intention to do away with PCs in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary polls scheduled for later this year and early next, respectively.
Referring to a statement issued by Milinda Moragoda, Sri Lanka’s former High Commissioner to India, recently, The Island asked them whether they had consulted the ex-minister regarding the issue before the media briefing. Pasanda Yapa said that they conversed with Moragoda and they were on the same page.
Pasanda Yapa quoted Moragoda as having told them that India wanted to address the north-east issue but didn’t pressure Sri Lanka over the continuation of PCs.
When The Island pointed out that India had repeatedly pressed Sri Lanka for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution even at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council over the years, Pasanda Yapa declined to comment claiming that it was a diplomatic matter.
At the onset of the briefing, Pasanda Yapa said that since the establishment of PCs in 1988, successive governments had allocated a staggering Rs. 7,000 bn for them. Of that amount approximately Rs. 5,000 bn or 71 percent had been recurrent expenditure, namely salaries, payments, etc., he said, adding that the government could divert available funds to meet vital needs by doing away with PCs.
Lankalokaya emphasised that Pradeshiya Sabhas could be strengthened and various other alternatives discussed to address the grievances of the people at the periphery.
They pointed out PCs were introduced at a time when the then JRJ government was under pressure to address the concerns of Tamil speaking people.
The media was told that they intended to address selected issues in the run-up to national elections. According to them, the campaign against PCs would be the launch of Lankalokaya initiative that would be discussed with various interested parties.
They compared the ongoing discussion on the abolition of the executive presidency with the push for doing away with PCs. Ex-Minister Sirisena, who had represented the first PC in the late 80s, said that it was a very heavy and unbearable burden on the people struggling to make ends meet.
Nationalist groups say that the executive presidency shouldn’t be abolished as long as PCs remain.
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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 28 April 2026, valid for 29 April 2026.
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle,
Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time.
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.
New controversy erupts over missing USD 2.5 mn:
Public interest activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has sought citizenship details of Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma from the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.
According to a letter dated 28 April, addressed to the relevant department, Solicitor England and Wales Kodituwakku sought the required information in terms of Section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act No 3 of 1982 of Australia. Suriyapperuma is also the Secretary to the Treasury.
The former Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Suriyapperuma (from November 2024 to June 2025) is embroiled in a deepening controversy over the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.
The leader of the Vinivida Foundation said that he intended to move court against Suriyapperuma for entering Parliament through the NPP National List in violation of the country’s Constitution (Article 91(1)(d)(xiiii).
Kodituwakku said: “This is clearly an accountability and integrity issue and violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka and also this act contravenes the law of a member in the Commonwealth.”
USD 2.5 mn paid to a third party was meant to be an instalment of a loan taken from Australia. Suriyapperuma neither responded to an SMS nor answered his hand phone.
Geetha Kumarasinghe (UPFA/Galle District) and Diana Gamage (SJB National List) lost their seats in 2017 and 2024, respectively, over citizenship issues.
Meanwhile, public interest group ‘Free Lawyers’ that exposed the theft of Treasury funds questioned the failure on the part of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chairman of Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), to pressure President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to temporarily remove Suriyapperuma to facilitate unhindered investigations.
On behalf of ‘Free Lawyers’, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday expressed concern over the way the CoPF, under SJBer de Silva’s leadership, handled the issue at hand. Issuing an open letter, Tennakoon, urged the CoPF chief to explain his stand on a spate of vital issues which needed to be addressed without any further delay.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
News
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara (Sue Tue Nhan) at the conclusion of the 161 km ‘International Peace Walk’ in Colombo yesterday. The Bo-sapling will be taken to the US by the spiritual leader. Pic by Sujata Jayaratne
Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 pm
Treasury chief’s citizenship details sought from Australia
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara
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