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Local and expatriate Lankan experts should enter Parliament: PMG
By Ifham Nizam
Post Master General Ranjith Ariyaratne said yesterday that local and overseas based Sri Lankan scholars should be given the opportunity to enter Parliament and that a pragmatic Monetary Board, consisting of those experts, should be appointed.
The Post Master General, who is also the Acting President of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association said so attending a special media briefing organised by the Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association in Colombo. He was accompanied by Vice Presidents of the Association Chandraratne Pallegama, Dhammika Muthugala, Secretary Pradeep Lakshantha and Member of the Executive Committee A.P. Nishantha.
Ariyaratne said that the failure of individuals appointed to high posts in the government including members of the security forces and retirees had become evident.
He said the failure was due to the fact that many people who were given posts outside the civil service were not aware of the subject and that public servants who risked their lives during the war as well as during natural disasters such as the tsunami had been overlooked.
The government had ignored the Administrative Service Union’s opposition to raising the retirement age of public servants to 65 years and had implemented it, Ariyaratne said, adding that politicians as well as public servants had a responsibility to help rebuild the country.
The collapse of the present government, which was formed with more than a two-thirds majority, was due to natural disasters as well as weaknesses in the economic and social policies implemented throughout history, added the Post Master General.
Although there are legal provisions for the right to publish, technical planning, right of patent, trademarks and enterprises etc, in the Intellectual Property Act No. 36 of 2003, there are no provisions for securing the rights of plant species (relevant to breeders, researchers and farmers).
In addition, no patents can be issued for flora and fauna according to the provisions of the intellectual rights act. Therefore, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 22.05.2024 to introduce a new act for securing the rights of plant species.
Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has pointed out that policy approval of the new Cabinet of Ministers should be taken to complete the drafting of the new flora species rights securing act.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposals submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation for the preparation of the said draft bill.
Latest News
National minimum monthly salary for private sector employees raised to Rs. 27,000/-, minimum daily wage to Rs. 1080/-
Parallel to salary hike of public sector officers by the budget proposals 2025, it has been proposed to increase the salaries of private sector employees as well.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Labour to revise the national minimum monthly salary and national minimum daily wage and follow other legal actions as follows:
• To raise the minimum national monthly salary by rupees 9,500/- from rupees 17,500/- to rupees 27,000/- with effect from 01.04.2025
• To raise the minimum national daily salary by rupees 380/- from rupees 700/- to rupees 1,080/- with effect from 01.04.2025
• To raise the minimum national monthly salary by rupees 3,000/- from rupees 27,000/- to rupees 30,000/- with effect from 01.01.2026
• To raise the minimum national daily salary by rupees 120/- from rupees 1,080 /- to rupees 1,200/- with effect from 01.01.2026
News
Draft bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals – Sri Lanka to be completed
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to grant policy approval of the current Cabinet of Ministers for completion of formulating the draft bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals – Sri Lanka
Establishment of the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka has been recognized in order to accomplish the requirement of a training institute for carrying out relevant studies with the objective of presenting media intellects fortified with skills for the uplifting quality and standards of media society of this country while creating chartered professional journalists.
Cabinet approval to prepare new Act for securing the rights of plant species
National minimum monthly salary for private sector employees raised to Rs. 27,000/-, minimum daily wage to Rs. 1080/-
Draft bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals – Sri Lanka to be completed
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