News
MEP seeks guarantee over essential items to low-income groups
It would be a challenge for the government to solve the post-Covid economic problems practically, going beyond the textbook theories, MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena said on Sunday.
Addressing the MEP Seethavaka ‘Balamandalaya’, party leader and Minister of Education Dinesh Gunawardena said that the challenge for the government would be to solve the post-Covid economic problems practically, going beyond the textbook theories.
The leader of the MEP said that the opinion of the party is that a guarantee should be provided to the low-income groups in the country regarding the provision of essential food items and that a letter in that regard had been submitted to the government authorities. He stated that an operation consisting of good management principles was essential to solve the problems faced by other communities.
Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the MEP expected the process of drafting a new constitution to begin in 2022 and that the MEP was committed to protecting the mandate given to the government by the people. He said that the MEP expected all those who were committed to the people’s mandate to give priority to the same.
“We should not forget how the President, without rejecting any foreign country, acted to save the lives of people during the Covid crisis”. He also said that all efforts should be channelled to practically implement the vision presented by the Minister of Finance through the Budget.
Minister Gunawardena said that directing the unemployed school leavers to practical vocational careers would be an additional challenge in 2022 and that practical measures should be adopted moving away from traditional theories. He stressed that all efforts should be made to empower these youth as they are the future of the country and that the Pradeshiya Sabhas should also be utilised for this purpose. Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that in order to build the post covid-economy, meet the rural demand and increase production from the local level upwards there is a need to work pragmatically without getting lost in textbook theories.
Deputy Secretary of the MEP, MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Chairman of the Seethavaka MEP Balamandalaya and Chairman of the Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha, Jayantha Rohana were also present at the meeting held on Sunday 26 December 2021 at the Hanwella Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha, function hall.
Former Provincial Councilor Lionel Kariyawasam, Seethawaka Pradeshiya Sabha members Samantha Gamage (Secretary of the MEP ‘Balamandalaya’), Nanda Kumara, Chinthaka Devendra, S.A. Premaratne as well as Seethawaka Municipal Councillor Sisira Jayasinghe, former Members of the Pradeshiya Sabha Gamini Welikala and Ranjani Iddagoda were also present at the meeting.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relating to the project to provide technological solutions to prevent wild elephants from being hit by trains was signed yesterday (01) afternoon at the President’s Media Centre, under the patronage of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Coordinated through the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, the project is being implemented as a public-private partnership, with the Railway Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Forest Conservation Department working together, with full financial support from People’s Bank.
The system consists of three-beam detection, passive infrared (PIR) sensors, automatic temperature sensors and a tamper alarm system to detect animals weighing more than 20 kilogrammes and unauthorised interference. Signal lights (red/yellow/green) installed on either side of the railway tracks, together with a special screen installed inside the locomotive cab, will alert the driver in advance to the exact location of an elephant.
A demonstration test of the system was successfully conducted at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage premises in the presence of the relevant officials, following which a report on the system was prepared.
The system will be implemented as a pilot project from next month at 13 locations where wild elephant accidents are frequent. A newly developed website is also scheduled to be launched to enable the progress of the project to be viewed live.
Additional General Manager of Railways P.D.S.B. Chandrasena, Director General of Wildlife Conservation M.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe, Conservator General of Forests S.C. Palamakuumbura and Chairman of People’s Bank Chandana Guniyangoda signed the relevant MoU. Officials from the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat, including Presidential Additional Secretary (Clean Sri Lanka) Engineer S.P.C. Sugeeshwara, as well as senior officials from the Railway Department, Department of Wildlife Conservation, Forest Conservation Department and People’s Bank, were also present.
[President’s Media Division]
The Commissioner General of Examinations has announced that the results of the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination have been released online, and can be viewed on the department’s official website: www.doenets.lk
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed Sri Lanka on Monday, 31 August, to undertake an official visit to Bhutan to participate in the Global Conscious Food Systems Summit, scheduled to be held in Bhutan.
During her visit, Prime Minister Dr Amarasuriya participated in the opening plenary of the Summit on 1 September, where she delivered a keynote address under the theme “Rising to the Moment: Igniting Consciousness to Address the Polycrisis.”
The Prime Minister will also engage in discussions with international leaders and representatives on strengthening cooperation towards sustainable food systems, food security and resilient communities.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
MoU signed for technology to prevent wild elephant-train collisions
Grade 5 scholarship exam results released
Prime Minister participates in Global Conscious Food Systems Summit in Bhutan
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Muneeba, Pakistan’s spinners knock Thailand out of Asia Cup
Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
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