News
Indian Ambassador’s visit to Kandy underscores expanse of relations, says High Commission
High Commissioner of India, Santosh Jha visited Kandy on Thursday (18) and sought blessings of the Mahanayake Theras of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters, Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thera and Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera, respectively.
High Commissioner Jha underlined that Buddhism was central to the age-old connection between the people of India and Sri Lanka and briefed the Mahanayake Theras on various initiatives undertaken by the Government of India (GoI) to strengthen bilateral Buddhist ties. He specifically mentioned that measures are being carried out expeditiously to roll out solar electrification of Temples across the country, through the GoI assistance.
He offered prayers at the sacred Dalada Maligawa for prosperity and wellbeing of the people of the two countries and also a stronger and deeper connection between them.
He also prayed for closer bilateral relations through further diversification in both scale and scope at the Kataragama Dewalaya.
He visited Hanthana Estate and took stock of the Indian Housing Project. While the GoI has already built 50 houses in the Estate, under the third phase, more housing units are being constructed in the next phase of the Project. Overall, the GoI has committed to 14,000 new houses for plantation workers, in the two phases of the project.
The High Commissioner also inaugurated an Ayurveda camp, aimed at the physical wellbeing of the plantation workers. He also distributed study materials and umbrellas to schoolchildren in the Estate. He remarked that these are keeping in line with the GoI’s firm commitment to the overall upliftment of the plantation workers and the Indian origin Tamil community, in particular.
It may be recalled that a multi-sectoral grant package to the tune of SLR 3 billion was announced by the GoI during the visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to India in July 2023.
It has been reported that the former Superintendent of the Boossa Prison S Dhammika has been shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Akmeemana.
The Search and Rescue Communication Exercise (SARCOMEX-25) was successfully conducted on 11 Mar 25 between the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Chennai, India, and MRCC Colombo, Sri Lanka. The exercise aimed to further strengthen regional search and rescue (SAR) services and enhance coordination during maritime emergencies.
The exercise simulated two challenging maritime scenarios; a flooding emergency on board and a man overboard situation within the Sri Lankan and Indian Search and Rescue Regions.
These scenarios were designed to evaluate real-time communication, inter-agency cooperation, and the operational efficiency of both MRCCs.
The exercise provided a valuable platform to identify gaps in SAR plans and improve overall response mechanisms of both MRCCs.
The Prime Minister’s Office strongly condemns the fraudulent cryptocurrency scam advertisements currently being promoted on Facebook and Instagram, falsely featuring Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other prominent Sri Lankan figures. These deceptive ads, operated by foreign entities, aim to mislead the public and exploit the trust associated with well-known personalities.
It has come to our attention that these scam campaigns, originating from fraudulent accounts based in Lithuania, are actively targeting Facebook users in Sri Lanka.
Similar ads have recently featured Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Minister of Science and Technology MP Chrishantha Abeysena, and well-known journalists Amantha Perera and Sunanda Deshapriya, as well as other Sri Lankan public figures in previous instances.
Public Advisory
We urge citizens to exercise extreme caution when encountering online advertisements promoting cryptocurrency investments, particularly those falsely claiming endorsements from government officials and public figures. No government official or ministry has endorsed any cryptocurrency investment scheme.
Additionally, despite reports and removal requests, variations of these scams continue to appear on social media platforms, highlighting serious concerns about the inability of Facebook to curb fraudulent advertising effectively. We call upon Meta (Facebook’s parent company) to take immediate and stronger action to prevent the spread of these deceptive campaigns and safeguard Sri Lankan users from financial fraud.
How to Protect Yourself:
• Do not engage with or click on suspicious ads claiming endorsements from public figures.
• Report fraudulent advertisements directly on Facebook and Instagram.
• Verify all financial opportunities through legitimate sources before investing.
The Prime Minister’s Office remains committed to protecting the public from online fraud and will continue working with relevant authorities to address this growing issue. We urge media organizations and digital platforms to act responsibly in curbing the spread of misinformation and scams.
For official government updates, please refer to the Prime Minister’s Office’s official website and social media channels.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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