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Karu praises COPF for serving national interest

Published

3 years ago

2023/08/21

The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) led by former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has lauded the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) for recognising the responsibilities of Parliament and acting in the interest of the public.

The NMSJ chief has appreciated the Acting Chairman COPF and all its members.

“We are making this assessment taking into account a decision taken in relation to a number of goods essential for the country’s construction sector, including the commodities that the people need daily.

Recalling their responsibilities and role it is also the duty of the society to encourage all members of those parliamentary committees including their chairmen.Accordingly, the Committee on Public Finance of the Parliament has made a decision to bring to a certain limit the illegal profits being made by the companies that import and distribute materials and goods required for the construction industry from the cement bag.

Also, the COPF has made a decision pointing out that the price of a kilo of bread flour can be maintained at a price of 198 rupees.

“We consider this intervention of the Parliamentary Finance Committee as a good gesture for the people, freed from the fights and useless debates that are often displayed in the Parliament, based on narrow political interests.

“At a time when Sri Lanka, as a country, is suffering from a huge economic crisis, it is the duty of every responsible institution to intervene and investigate the unfair practice that some importers are doing with the aim of making unlimited profits by ignoring the situation at all.

“There, the Parliament, which has been entrusted with the foremost responsibility for the formulation of policies, including the financial control of the country, has been entrusted with a responsibility that cannot be relinquished. Parliamentary committees also have an important role to play. As an organization, we have pointed out that many times. Accordingly, this step taken by the Parliamentary Finance Committee should be appreciated,” it said.

The NMSJ pointed out that it is very important for the Public Finance Committee to focus on the high interest rates that are having a strong impact on the medium-sized business community in this country.

The NMSJ said it is clear that the high interest rates maintained by commercial banks in the country are having a negative impact on the progress of the country.

“Taking into account the orders issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in this regard, we take this opportunity to request the Public Finance Committee of the Parliament to intervene in this regard,” the NMSJ said.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

2 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

2 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

2 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.