News

Sabry’s resignation over Ven. Gnanasara’s appointment ‘in limbo’

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

PTF meets at monk’s temple, Prez defends his decision

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, yesterday (7) said that he had offered to give up his portfolio over the appointment of Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera as the head of Presidential Task Force (PTF) to study the “One Country, One Law’ concept.

Minister Sabry said so when The Island asked him whether he had informed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of his decision to quit the ministerial position over the controversial appointment. The SLPP National List lawmaker met President Rajapaksa last Friday (6), the day after his return from Glasgow, Scotland.

Responding to another query, Minister Sabry said that President Rajapaksa had declined to accept his resignation. The Minister said that the President had explained the circumstances under which the PTF had been appointed to advise him and not meant to formulate laws. “The matter is in sort of limbo,” Sabry said.

Acknowledging the President’s right to constitute the PTF on ‘One Country, One Law,’ in terms of the Article 33 of the Constitution, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) stated the relevant body didn’t represent several ethnic and religious groups. Pointing out the absence of female representation, the BASL raised serious doubts over the qualifications, expertise, and suitability of the Chairperson of the Task Force and of many of its members to engage in the functions described in the relevant gazette. BASL President Saliya Pieris, PC, said that the PTF would assume the functions of many institutions established under the Constitution and the law, including Parliament and the Ministry of Justice.

Minister Sabry said that like so many people he, too, was really concerned about the PTF, especially the appointment of its head as well as the work undertaken by his ministry. Quite important work done since the last general election in August 2020 could be in jeopardy, MP Sabry said.

President Rajapaksa issued the relevant gazette on Oct 26, 2021 on the appointment of the 13-member PTF. The PTF had its first meeting on Oct 31 Sunday at Ven. Gnanasara’s Sri Saddhamma Rajika temple on the Nawala-Rajagiriya main road. Sources said that the PTF would issue a statement once a month regarding the work undertaken by the group.

Addressing a public gathering at the Mandaduwa Public Stadium in Weeraketiya on Saturday (6) President Rajapaksa said that he asked Ven. Gnanasara to head the PTF as the monk was propagating ‘One Country, One Law’ concept for five years. President Rajapaksa said that once Ven, Gnanasara completed the assignment as scheduled it would be presented to the Justice Minister to rectify shortcomings, if any and then submitted to the Parliament.

The President questioned the rationale in objecting his decision to ask for Ven. Ganasara’s advice as he was continuously speaking on ‘One Country, One Law’ concept.

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Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ arrives in Colombo

Published

5 hours ago

2026/09/9

Priyan

The Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ arrived in Sri Lanka today, 9 September 2026, on a replenishment visit.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in accordance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.

‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ is a 180m long Landing Helicopter Aircraft Vessel commanded by Captain Marco GUERRIERO.

During the ship’s stay in Sri Lanka, the Commanding Officer of ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ is scheduled to call on the Commander Western Naval Area.

News

Bangladesh bank on bowlers in bid to bring India down

Published

9 hours ago

2026/09/9

Priyan

Bangladesh will look to curb Shafali Verma's aggression [cRICINFO]

If Bangladesh take the route of seeking inspiration from the past to bring down heavyweights India on Thursday, they will have to squint their eyes and go back to pre-Covid times for their last victory against them in the Women’s Asia Cup. India have had the better of their neighbours over their last eight meetings, and last lost to Bangladesh in a T20I three years ago, when a very similar-looking Indian batting line-up was kept to 102 for 9.

Before that, Bangladesh had shocked India with back-to-back wins that culminated in their maiden Asia Cup title, by again stifling India to an underwhelming 112 for 9.

The Bangladesh team of today – as their recent fights have shown over the last two World Cups – is a version far improved from the ones of 2018 and 2023. They have scared teams like Australia and England (ODI World Cup) and India (T20 World Cup) in the last 12 months and they recently beat the higher ranked Pakistan in the UK by keeping them to 100 for 8.

It is this bowling strength that Bangladesh must bank on to try and bring down India, whose batting has stuttered every now and then, including a collapse of 8 for 46 against Thailand earlier in the tournament. India have had middle-order issues for a while now – it’s one of the things that kept them from a knockout berth in the last T20 World Cup – and Bangladesh will be itching to strike while the iron is hot.

They have laid the foundations in the last 10 days by routing Indonesia for 58, making Sri Lanka sweat in a chase of 115, and suffocating UAE’s batters to 69 for 9 with semi-finals qualification on the line.

Pratika Rawal, India’s No. 3 for this tournament in place of the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, hasn’t quite shown the promise in this format that she has in ODIs. Her 36 runs in three innings have come at a strike rate of just 109.09, against some of the lower-ranked teams in the world. Now into the knockouts, the time is ripe for Rawal to step up against one of the stronger bowling attacks of the tournament, especially if one of the openers doesn’t get going.

Swing bowler Marufa Akter is doing Marufa Akter things at this Asia Cup. She has struck in her opening spell in each of her three games so far – including the big scalp of Chamari Athapathuthu for 1. She has made the ball talk with her prodigious swing, and is the top wicket-taker in this Asia Cup among pace bowlers, with an economy rate of 3.27. She will hold the key for Bangladesh as they come up against a top order comprising Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Rawal.

Team news

After constant chopping and changing during the T20 World Cup in the UK, India have gone unchanged in the three games of this tournament. They will be expected to field the same XI again.

India (probable): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma.

Bangladesh have used 14 players, in comparison, including a debut for 17-year-old allrounder Farjana Easmin. They may not make too many changes this time as the two players who came into the XI on Tuesday – Rabeya Khan and Sharmin Akter – played starring roles in beating UAE.

Bangladesh (probable): Juairiya Ferdous, Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), Sobhana Mostary, Dilara Akter, Shorna Akter, Rabeya Khan, Sharmin Akter, Nahida Akter, Sultana Khatun, Marufa Akter, Fahima Khatun.

[Cricinfo]

News

Establishment of National Trade Negotiation Committee (NTFC) and Trade Policy Consultation Committee.

Published

11 hours ago

2026/09/9

Priyan

Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 24-08-2026 to implement the recommendations submitted by the committee appointed to review Sri Lanka’s current Free Trade Agreements and future course of Free Trade Agreements in Sri Lanka.

Taking into account these recommendations, it has been
recognized the necessity of establishing a National Trade Negotiation Committee and Trade Policy Consultation Committee enabling Sri Lanka to follow a more targeted, sequential, and evidence-based approach in conducting negotiations for Sri Lanka’s future Free Trade Agreements and to ensure a sustainable and meaningful stakeholder consultation process.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commercial, Food Security, and Cooperative Development to act as follows.

• Establishment of a National Trade Negotiation Committee to guide trade discussions conducted with potential bilateral or regional trade partners
• Appointment of the Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development as the Chairman of the National Trade Negotiation Committee and
the Chief National Trade Negotiator.
• Establishment of 12 subject specific sub- committees with the required technical working groups under the National Trade Negotiation Committee
• Appointment of Trade Policy Consultative Committee comprising of trade experts, researchers engaged in research relevant to trade field, business community, unions, civil societies and relevant public officers to instruct the National Trade Negotiation Committee on active and technical sectors, to submit the policy recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the matters relevant to the trade agreements, to inquire sustainable ideas regarding the Free Trade Agreements, and to ensure the communication mechanism.
• The Minister in charge of the Subject international trade and the Minister in charge of the subject of Industry to serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Trade Policy Advisory Committee.