News
Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill presented to Parliament
Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill to Parliament yesterday (7), seeking to revoke the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, No. 4 of 1986, and abolish special benefits granted to former Presidents, their widows, and retired Members of Parliament.
The proposed legislation, published in the Gazette dated July 31, 2025, would end entitlements including official residences, monthly allowances, secretarial support, transport facilities, and pensions for former Presidents and their widows.
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara raising a point of order pointed out that a procedural concern regarding the constitutionally mandated seven-day period between a bill’s gazetting and its inclusion on Parliament’s Order Paper.
“We have no opposition to this bill, but what you do must be done correctly to set the right precedent,” Jayasekara said.
According to Article 78 of the Constitution, a bill must be published in the Gazette at least seven days prior to its First Reading to allow for public scrutiny and potential legal objections.
Minister Nanayakkara and Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake stated that the Gazette was issued on or before July 30, confirming that the requirement had been met. They said there was no procedural barrier to proceeding with the bill’s introduction.
By Saman Indrajith ✍️
Based on the prevailing disaster situation and the upcoming festive season, arrangements have been made to provide a nutrition allowance worth Rs. 5,000 to pregnant mothers.
This allowance, which will be provided only once, will be given to pregnant mothers who were registered at maternal clinics on or before 30 November 2025.
The distribution will take place through the Divisional Secretariat offices from 16 December, as a program of the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.
The Situation Report released by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) at 6:00 AM today (13th December 2025) confirms that 640 persons have died and another 211 persons are missing due to flooding and landslides that took place in Sri Lanka within the past two weeks.
A meeting between representatives of UNICEF and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya was held on the 10th of December at the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the discussion, an initial review of the new digitalization policy draft was conducted, and it was emphasized that the new digital policy must be formulated to align with the ongoing education reforms.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the digital policy should be developed in a way that supports all five core pillars of the current education reforms, including curriculum reform, infrastructure development, and administrative restructuring.
It was further noted that the current draft is primarily focused on curriculum-related matters, and the digital policy should be structured to influence the overall education reform process.
Extensive discussions were also held on the importance of digital literacy, NEMIS, the provision of digital infrastructure, and minimizing the existing digital divide.
Attention was also drawn to the gaps in the current teacher training mechanisms , and the Prime Minister stressed the need to reduce paper usage.
The meeting was attended by the UNICEF representatives Dr. Emma Brigham and Deborah Wyburn, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary A.B.M. Ashraff, and several other officials.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Pregnant Mothers to receive Rs 5000 Nutrition Allowance in December
640 deaths, 211 missing as at 6:00AM today (13)
New Digitalization Policy draft reviewed
The government is taking steps to streamline trade facilitation, customs processes, investment approvals, and improving export facilities – Prime Minister
Showers will occur in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva, Central and North-Western provinces.
Big fossil fuel companies are responsible for climate crisis but poor countries like Sri Lanka are battered by it – Greenpeace South Asia
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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