News
Amaraweera: SL won’t succumb to Indian pressure
By Ifham Nizam
India had no authority to dictate terms to a sovereign nation like Sri Lanka, said Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday.
Speaking to journalists, Amaraweera expressed concern regarding a statement made by an Indian Minister that a government would be formed in Sri Lanka under the leadership of the Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP).
“Sri Lanka is a free and independent country. Therefore, no one can interfere when it comes to our country’s matters,” he stressed.
Amaraweera said he did not know whether the news item was true or false, but that any country that did not wish external interventions would oppose it as the present government.
Journalists asked the Minister if the Indians had said so as the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port was not handed over to an Indian company, Amaraweera said that he was always opposed to handing over state assets to foreigners.
The Minister said that perhaps such an opinion was expressed by an Indian politician because the ECT was not given to the Indian company.
He said that the country’s government had been elected by the people of Sri Lanka and not by the people of India and that the people of the country appointed a government to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
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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