News
PAFFREL accuses government of vote buying
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Election monitoring body People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Friday said that the government was misusing state property at a time when a crucial election is only a few months away.
PAFFREL executive director, Rohana Hettiarachchi said that the government has launched a number of initiatives aimed at the coming presidential election. These initiatives, including the distribution of rice to the poor, is costing billions on tax payer rupees, he said.
“The government has allocated 10 million rupees for each local government area for development activities. The funds will be used at the discretion of the governor of the province. The governor is the direct
representative of the president and it is obvious that this is an endeavour aimed at the election,” he said.Hettiarachchi added earlier that the president has ordered officials to finish all government projects by July 31.
“The presidential election will be declared in August. This is why the government wants to finish projects by July 31. It spends billions of tax rupees as well as enormous physical and human resources of the state for its election activities. We are writing a letter to the Elections Commission to put an end to this,” he said.
The PAFFREL executive director said that the country is facing colossal economic crisis and that the government used this to postpone local government elections indefinitely. However, the government has enough money in its coffers to bribe the people ion view of the election, he said.
Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, officially visited the Russian House in Colombo to attend the Sri Lanka–Russia Medical Forum, where members of the Sri Lanka Russia Business Council and graduates from the Association of Sri Lankan Graduates from Socialist countries (ASLGSC) attended.
This historic gathering was graced by rectors and representatives from several world-class Russian medical institutions, including Kursk State Medical University, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, and Tver State Medical University, among others.
The forum commenced with an address by Minister Murashko, during which Russian medical graduates in attendance raised pertinent questions regarding medical and pharmaceutical sector opportunities in Sri Lanka.
Levan Dzhagaryan, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, together with Madam Maria L. Popova, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka & the Maldives and Director of the Russian House in Colombo, graced the occasion. Both officials expressed strong support for continued collaboration and future initiatives between the two nations.
The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.
The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:
Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage
The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.
The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.
Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).
Minister of Health of the Russian Federation attends the Sri Lanka–Russia Medical Forum
Members of Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Officially Appointed
Three prison guards arrested following the death of an inmate
Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island after 1.00 pm.
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