The government is considering whether it can utilise money collected in the tills of temples and devales for the development of the country.

The possibility of using till collections for development work was discussed during the inaugural Ministerial Consultative Committee on Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs for the Tenth Parliament, according to parliamentary sources.

Chairman of the Committee, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, informed the meeting that the temporary ‘Basnayaka Nilame’ appointed to the Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya had disclosed that the temple’s income from offerings over the course of a month amounted to Rs. 6.2 million and therefore the possibility of using such funds for the country’s development should be reconsidered.

Bid to smuggle in foreign fags:

Law enforcement authorities at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) yesterday (12) thwarted an attempt made by a Customs officer to smuggle in a stock of cigarettes estimated to be worth Rs 9 mn.

BIA sources said that the Customs officer had tried to help two persons who arrived from Dubai carrying 300 cartons of cigarettes.

The suspects were to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court on charges of illegal importation, smuggling, and possession of the stock of cigarettes, according to Sri Lanka Customs.

Director of the Lithuanian Consulate has warned Sri Lanka digital platforms to take decisive action against fraudulent cryptocurrency advertisements circulating on social media platforms, falsely featuring Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other prominent public figures.

Director of the Lithuanian Consulate Kanchana Kodituwakku alleged that these fraudulent cryptocurrency advertisements were linked to what he described as Lithuanian entities

The following is the text of the statement issued by the Lithuanian Consulate yesterday: “We are deeply concerned over recent reports of fraudulent cryptocurrency advertisements circulating on social media platforms, falsely featuring Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other prominent public figures. These deceptive campaigns, identified by the Prime Minister’s Office of Sri Lanka, are being operated by foreign entities with the intent to mislead Sri Lankan citizens. It has been further reported that these fraudulent advertisements originate from accounts allegedly linked to Lithuania, raising concerns over their transnational nature and the exploitation of digital platforms for financial scams.

In response to these developments, the Lithuanian Consulate to Sri Lanka has taken immediate steps to address the issue: 1. Engaged with the Embassy of Lithuania to officially convey the concerns raised by Sri Lankan authorities and seek their guidance. 2. Requested formal clarification from relevant Lithuanian authorities regarding the alleged connections to fraudulent activities. 3. Communicated with relevant Sri Lankan government agencies to express the Consulate’s readiness to cooperate in any investigations. 4. Called for enhanced international cooperation between Sri Lankan and Lithuanian authorities to identify and mitigate the fraudulent activities. 5. Urged social media platforms, particularly Meta (Facebook’s parent company), to take stronger measures in preventing the spread of fraudulent advertisements.”

The statement quoted Kanchana Kodituwakku as having stated: “The Lithuanian Consulate to Sri Lanka strongly condemns any fraudulent activities that seek to exploit the trust of Sri Lankan citizens. Upon receiving reports of these deceptive cryptocurrency advertisements, we acted swiftly to bring the matter to the attention of the Lithuanian Embassy and relevant authorities. The Consulate remains fully committed to supporting efforts that protect Sri Lankan and Lithuanian interests and will continue to work towards enhanced collaboration between regulatory and enforcement agencies. We also urge digital platforms to take decisive action against fraudulent content to prevent further exploitation of their users.” The Lithuanian Consulate to Sri Lanka will continue to monitor developments and provide necessary updates in coordination with Sri Lankan and Lithuanian authorities.”