News

Govt to discuss with banks and leasing companies extending grace period

Published

6 years ago

2020/10/9

By Saman Indrajith

Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardane told Parliament yesterday that the government would discuss with the leasing companies and banks the need to extend the grace period for repayments in view of the pandemic.

He said that Sri Lanka as well as the entire world had been affected in an unprecedented manner by the COVID-19 pandemic. The government would grant more relief to people through the upcoming Budget.

He said that the government would not allow middlemen to control the prices of commodities unlike in the past.

Responding to a question by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Minister Gunawardane said that he would agree with the latter that the country’s economy was in bad shape. The economy of the country had been below USD 20 billion each year since Independence until Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected President in 2005. After the terrorism was defeated, the economy had developed and reached USD 79.3 billion when the reins of government were handed over to the UNP in 2015. The economic growth rate was at seven percent at that time.

Minister Gunawardane said that the economic growth rate dropped to 2.3 percent gradually during the last five years under the yahapalana regime.

He said that as the imports were allowed without any restrictions during that period, the rupee had dropped drastically against the US dollar from Rs 131.00 to Rs 180.00. The incumbent government had been compelled to restrict imports to protect the local producers.

Gunawardane said a government could not protect producers, consumers and the middlemen at the same time. He said that the government could ensure the protection of the producers and let the consumers access the products at a reasonable rate. “If the cost of a coconut is Rs 30, the government cannot sell it at Rs 150 unlike during the UNP regime,” Minister Gunawardane said. “The government cannot allow the middlemen to control the price of commodities at their whims and fancies earning exorbitant profits like during UNP government tenure by controlling the judiciary. It is at this point where the UNP went wrong and that was why none of the UNP candidates had got elected to Parliament.”

Minister Gunawardena said that a standard facemask was Rs 50 or 60. However, the same standard face mask by a local producer was sold at Rs 20 at the Cooperative shops and Sathosa. He added that in such a manner the government controlled prices to provide relief to the consumers.

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Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis

Published

1 hour ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

There are 17 nursing schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media including the postgraduate primary nursing school.

There are 142 vacancies in the posts of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) as on 31.03.2026 in those schools while 24 officers are to be promoted to the special grade on 31.12.2025 owing to the vacancies existing in the post of Special
Grade Nursing Officer (Education). Therefore, the number of vacancies is to be 166.

In addition, there are 24 vacancies in the post of Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).

Although at present action has been taken to upgrade the nursing schools to nursing colleges and upgrade the nursing diploma course to nursing degree course, no action has been taken so far to carry out recruitment for the training relevant to the appointment for the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to recruit retired nursing instructors and nursing instructors who served in the nursing schools belonging to the three armed forces and are retired or have resigned legitimately from service to the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) on contract basis.

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Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka

Published

2 hours ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

It has been decided to establish a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility in Sri Lanka by entering into a Host Country Agreement at the second leaders’ summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) held in New Delhi, India, in 2008, with the objective of enhancing regional cooperation.

The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by the member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC summit on 30-03-2022 in Colombo.
The prime objective of this technology transfer facility is to provide technology, capacity building, and management of intellectual property for the micro, small, and medium-scale
enterprises of the BIMSTEC member countries.

According to the cooperation agreement, an agreement should be entered into between Sri Lanka, as the host country, and BIMSTEC Secretariat for formalizing the legal status, privileges, and immunities of the technology transfer facility.

The drafted agreement has received the relevant institutional approval and legal clearance.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign the proposed agreement.

News

The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea

Published

2 hours ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 11-12-2023 to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka regarding mutual cooperation
in criminal matters.

However, according to the aforementioned approval, the relevant agreement could not be signed between both parties.

Through this agreement, opportunities will be provided
for mutual assistance to other countries in handing over judicial documents and collecting evidence for the use of criminal case matters.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution provided by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate in criminal matters.