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Expect post-election tax shocks if SLPP wins, warns JVP leader

Published

6 years ago

2020/08/4

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake flanked by NPP National List candidate Tuan K. Azoor and Kalutara District candidate Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe addressing a press conference held at the party headquarters on Sunday

By Saman Indrajith

The government is doing exactly the very obverse of what it had promised to win the presidential election, therefore people should not take the SLPP’s promises seriously, says the JVP.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, on Sunday: “The SLPP came to power promising one law for all, but some persons are above the law. The SLPP has on its platform some characters who have Interpol red alerts against their names. They broke the quarantine laws at many places including the funeral of Minister Arumugam Thondaman. The law was bent to save the person who demolished an ancient royal pavilion at Kurunegala. That is how they maintain the rule of law.”

Dissanayake said that 6.9 million people had voted for the SLPP candidate at the last presidential polls, believing that he would not divest national assets. “There is still no clear statement that it would do away with the Millennium Challenge Corporation compact with the US. People did not vote for the SLPP to sell off the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port. Trade Unions had to resort to strikes to obtain a promise from the Prime Minister but the problem is far from resolved. There has been a Cabinet paper to demarcate a 10-acre area covering land belonging to the Examinations Department at Malay Street, Police land in the Slave Island

and Air Force premises in adjacent area and to get it under the purview of the Urban Development Authority. We believe that their plan is to sell the entire land off in the near future.”

Dissanayake asked people to brace for massive tax hikes after Aug 5 elections because the SLPP would increase the prices of essential items to raise funds to keep the economy going. “There will be unprecedented price hikes. There will be tax increases. There is a need for a force that could fight against those moves. Only the JVP-led NPP is equal to that task. We’ll have to fight in and outside parliament. We therefore ask the people to cast their votes for the NPP and send as many as NPP members possible to the next parliament.”

NPP National List candidate Tuan K. Azoor and Kalutara District candidate Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe also addressed the press.

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Members of the National Student Parliament meet PM

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/3

Priyan

Members of the National Student Parliament met Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Monday [02nd of February] at Temple Trees.

The representatives of the National Student Parliament, representing schools from across the island, visited the Temple Trees following their visit to the Presidential Secretariat and the Parliament.

Expressing her views on the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated,

“The new education reforms were recently initiated starting from Grade One. Discussions are currently underway to include students entering Grade Six this year into the new education reform process in the future. The education reforms will not be halted, and the government is committed to implementing them in a systematic manner without shortcomings”.

She further noted that the reforms are being carried out under five main pillars, with the government’s key objective being to reduce disparities and provide children with quality education, while also nurturing a socially responsible community enriched with human values such as compassion, love for the environment, and a strong sense of civic responsibility.

The occasion was attended by the Deputy Director of Education Kasun Gunarathne, along with officials from the Ministry of Education and representatives of the National Student Parliament.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Mrs. I.J. Aberathne appointed Director General of the Department of Trade and Investment Policy

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/3

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, to appoint Mrs. I.J. Aberathne to the post of Director General of the Department of Trade and Investment Policy with immediate effect.

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Cabinet gives green light to provide equipment for the promotion of Aesthetic Education in schools

Published

9 hours ago

2026/02/3

Priyan

Although the teaching of art subjects such as music, dance, art, and drama under aesthetic education continues in the Sri Lankan school system, it has been observed that there is a severe shortage of equipment required for this purpose in many schools. Furthermore, a situation concerning the lack of modern equipment suitable for the needs of the children has also arisen, and it has been reported that most equipment available at present is outdated and dilapidated. It has been observed that this condition has an adverse effect on the quality of the aesthetic education and overall personality development of the children.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education to implement a project for supplying aesthetic equipment for the promotion of aesthetic education in schools under an estimated cost of Rs. 1,215 million during the period of 2026 to 2028.