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Parliament faces old challenges in fresh bid to revive ‘Open Government Partnership’
Parliament is making a fresh attempt to revive Sri Lanka’s ‘Open Government Partnership’ (OGP) against the backdrop of the OGP Steering Committee declaring the country as an inactive member. The OGP Steering Committee announced the designation in a resolution passed on May 10, 2024.
Sri Lanka joined the OGP in 2015 at the onset of the turbulent Yahapalana administration. Political sources said that Sri Lanka’s participation in the OGP process was in limbo as a result of successive governments’ failure to submit a National Action Plan for three consecutive years (2021 to 2023).
The 10th Parliament in early January announced the appointment of Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena (NPP) and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam (ITAK) as co-chairs of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament meant to revive Sri Lanka’s OGP.
Other members named to this Caucus were Jagath Manuwarna, Chamindrani Kiriella, Chandana Sooriyarachchi, S.M. Marrikar and Thushari Jayasinghe.
So far Sri Lanka has submitted two such action plans but weren’t able to properly implement them. Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, too, made an attempt to reach consensus on a third action plan in early last year, sources said. That bid collapsed due to the failure on the part of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government to reach consensus with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) also working on the proposed third action plan.
Civil society organisations, including Transparency International and Sarvodaya, quit the process in February 2024 over growing differences regarding the enactment of the Online Safety Act and the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill. The CSOs informed President Wickremesinghe, in writing, of their decision to withdraw from the process.
Sources said that the whole process collapsed after the government decided that it couldn’t adhere to the conditions laid down by the OGP process. The new government, too, would face the same dilemma, sources said, pointing out that one of the key issues at hand was the move to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with new anti-terrorism law.
Justice and National Integration Minister Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara recently declared that the new anti-terrorism law was a necessity though the government accepted the need to do away with the PTA.
The Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament recently decided to seek the expertise of Transparency International and Sarvodaya, co-conveners of the CSOs in the OGP process in Sri Lanka, in a bid to get an overall idea of the initiative.
The OGP is an international initiative dedicated to enhancing government transparency, facilitating citizen participation in public affairs, and reinforcing mechanisms for public accountability. With over 70-member countries, an increasing number of local governments, and thousands of civil society organisations participating, the OGP operates as a multi-stakeholder platform.
Political sources said that the NPP was very much unlikely to repeal the Online Safety Act, enacted during Wickremesinghe’s presidency.
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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
USD 625,000 meant for US Postal Service goes missing
End of the road for Shammi Silva
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