News

Sirisena, other SLFP MPs asked to leave Govt.

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

SLPP heavyweight says Govt. can do without them

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) heavyweight and Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has asked the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to leave the government as the SLPP could do without its support.

Addressing the media on Saturday (27), Minister Ranatunga asked former President and SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena, MP, and members of his parliamentary group to quit the government.

Minister Ranatunga recalled how he urged the electorate in the run-up to the last parliamentary election in August 2020 not to vote for anyone connected with Maithripala Sirisena.

The SLPP Gampaha District leader emphasized that the SLFP contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket. Of the 14 lawmakers in Parliament, 13, including one on the National List (Dr. Suren Raghavan) represent the SLPP. The remaining MP entered Parliament from Jaffna on the SLFP ticket.

Responding to a media query, Minister Ranatunga pointed out that a 2/3 was not required to sustain the government though there were instances the ruling party couldn’t do without such a majority such as introduction of a constitutional amendment.

Minister Ranatunga urged the SLFP to stop making pronouncements pertaining to the government’s position in Parliament. The Minister said that anyone could leave the government.

Last week, Minister Ranatunga called for legal action against MP Sirisena on the basis of the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. Minister Ranatunga declared that even if all those causing issues quit, the government could go ahead.

Political sources said that the relationship between the SLPP and the SLFP has further deteriorated against the backdrop of the latter throwing its weight behind a high profile campaign launched by a dissident group within the government against the Treasury entering into a controversial agreement with New Fortress Energy. The SLFP and several other smaller groups including the National Freedom Front (NFF) with six lawmakers in the current Parliament have pledged to oppose the US energy deal whatever the consequences. The rebel group consists of over 25 MPs.

Meanwhile, the crisis within the ruling parliamentary group was mentioned as one of the major issues undermining the incumbent government at a workshop conducted for Media Secretaries of ministers and State Ministers conducted at Sri Lanka Foundation on Saturday (27).

The meeting was told how continuing internal strife within the government parliamentary group as well as constituents weakened the administration. Media Secretaries questioned the failure on the part of the government at least to brief them properly of contentious matters as various groups pulled in different directions.

Political sources pointed out that the Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena last week assured Parliament that there was absolutely no issue between the government and the SLPP. The MEP leader made the declaration in the wake of heavy exchanges between the SLFP and Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage over the latter’s criticism of Maithripala Sirisena during the budget debate on presidential expenditure.

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Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ arrives in Colombo

Published

7 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

12 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

14 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.