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Pass 22A unanimously appeals Karu Jayasuriya
The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) says that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution is a step forward for the future benefit of the country and it is the responsibility of the people’s representatives to pass it unanimously.
“We highly appreciate the submission of 22A to Parliament by revoking the 20A which had paved the way for a dictatorial government by seriously distorting democratic governance traditions of Sri Lanka. We consider 22A as a positive step taken for the realization of the objectives of 19A,” Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the NMSJ said in a media release.
He said that it also must be noted that the step should be taken on Sept. 6 (when 22A comes up in the legislature) by all who value democracy to do away with the attempts to retain a number of crucial powers of the executive presidency as included in the previous draft.
“We highly appreciate the submission of 22A to Parliament revoking 20A which paved the way for a dictatorial government by severely distorting the democratic governance traditions of Sri Lanka,” he said.
“As the National Movement for Social Justice, we express our gratitude to the President, the Minister of Justice and the Government for standing up for such democratic reforms. It is our expectation that when 22A is debated in Parliament on September 6, all MPs will stand on the side of the people. We also hope that the amendment can be adopted unanimously after the debate.
“The foremost responsibility of the people’s representatives is to create a country where future generations can live happily by working to ensure democracy and the betterment of the people.
“In order to fulfil that responsibility, we must focus our attention on the political and economic reforms that must be carried out. This is why we had to fight against 20A brought by the previous government and struggle to have it withdrawn. That is why we continue to advocate social and political transformations including economic reforms that should be carried out for the good of the country.
“At the same time, the other important point that we emphasise is that although the government is working towards admirable political changes such as the introduction of 22A, which is praised by not only Sri Lankans respecting democratic values but also the civilised world, we as an organisation do not agree with certain measures taken by the government through the use of Emergency powers.
“We do not under any circumstances condone the harassment of trade union leaders and activists of the peaceful struggle who have made great sacrifices for democracy. We are greatly saddened by these incidents. We are also deeply concerned about reports of what could be considered abductions. Such events have both national and internationally negative effects on the country.
“We therefore believe that the president must pay personal attention to these matters.”
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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