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SJB flays SLPP over appointments to commissions

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/12

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) yesterday (11) questioned the composition of various commissions with the focus on the Police Commission, Public Service Commission and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office, at No 30, Marcus Fernando Mawatha, SJB lawmaker Mujibur Rahman alleged that the commissions had been packed with those near and dear to ‘pohottuwa’ administration.

The Colombo District MP said that the 20th Amendment to the Constitution touted as the panacea for all our ills paved the way for politicization of commissions. Lawmaker Rahman said that the government owed the public an explanation why 80-year-old former Minister Jagath Balasuriya was named the Chairman of the HRCSL.

MP Rahman said that the new HRCSL Chairman’s wife Kumari served as the Governor of the Southern Province during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency and their son, Tharaka is the current State Minister for Regional Cooperation.

Rahman said that a near 2/3 majority received by the SLPP at the parliamentary election last August shouldn’t be abused. It would be a grave mistake on the part of the government to reward henchmen at the expense of the integrity of the commissions.

Referring to various other appointments to the commissions, the MP said that those who backed the SLPP at the 2019 presidential election and the parliamentary poll last August were accommodated much to the disappointment of those who really appreciated the enactment of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 2015.

The SJB member frowned on the appointment of former IGP Chandra Fernando as the Chairman of the Police Commission. Fernando served as a member of the PCoI that recently concluded the probe into political victimizations during the yahapalana regime.

Responding to another The Island query, lawmaker Rahman said that the Muslim community had been deprived of representation in the HRCSL. Recollecting the establishment of HRCSL in 1997 during Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga presidency, lawmaker Rahman said that the body always included a representative from the Muslim community. However, the appointments made in terms of the 20th Amendment deprived the Muslim community their entitlement, the MP asserted.

Rahman said that he raised the issue in parliament recently in the presence of Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC. The former UNPer claimed that Minister Sabry refrained from responding when he urged him to take up HRCSL matter et al with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Lawmaker Rahman pointed out that new HRCSL had been constituted when the one in place was yet to complete the stipulated five year period. If the SLPP administration desired to replace HRCSL or any other commission before they completed the assigned period, a motion should have been moved in parliament to pave the way for new appointments, the MP said.

MP Rahman alleged that the SLPP got rid of the 10-member Constitutional Council to pave the way for five-man Parliamentary Council which was nothing but a rubber seal therein to endorse President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s strategy. The SJB spokesperson also found fault with the SLPP for depriving civil society an opportunity to represent what he claimed was a well-balanced Constitutional Council chaired by the Speaker.

The Constitutional Council included three civil society members.

Former UNP Minister and one-time Chairman of that party Kabir Hashim, MP represents the Muslim community in the recently constituted Parliamentary Council. PC comprises Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Douglas Devananda and Kabir Hashim, who represent Tamil and Muslim communities, respectively.

Asked whether the SJB would request MP Hashim to take up denial of a Muslim representation in the HRCSL with the Parliamentary Council, MP Rahman said that the member did. “We’ll continue to raise this issue. Parliamentary Council cannot turn a blind eye to our just demand,” MP Rahman said.

The MP compared the HRCSL appointed by the Constitutional Council headed by Karu Jaysuriya and the incumbent body. Responding to another query, Rahman acknowledged that by the time he raised the HRCSL issue during debate on justice ministry, the appointments had already been made.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]