News
Ketagoda who resigned for BR to re-enter House as Cabraal’s successor
Resigned in July… back in Sept
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former actor Jayantha Katagoda will be the first lawmaker to re-enter the same Parliament on the National List after having quit the same.
The ruling SLPP has decided to re-appoint Ketagoda to Parliament on its NL to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Ajith Nivard Cabraal. Sources say it’ll be the first such re-entry since the creation of the National List in 1989.
Ketagoda quit his seat in early July to pave the way for Basil Rajapaksa’s entry into Parliament. Sources say Ketagoda’s re-appointment received the immediate blessings of SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa.
Of the total of 29 NL slots, the SLPP secured 17 and the remaining slots were shared among several political parties. The main Opposition SJB obtained 7.
Political sources say that of the 17 NL slots won by the SLPP, civil society grouping Viyathmaga received two. Cabraal who served as the Governor of the Central Bank (2006-2014) filled one slot whereas Dr. Seetha Arambepola secured the other, sources say.
Altogether Viyathmaga group in parliament comprises nine members – two NL slots and seven elected members.
They say Basil Rajapaksa, too, entered Parliament under controversial circumstances as he hadn’t been on the SLPP NL submitted to the Election Commission (EC) in the run-up to the last parliamentary election in August 2000. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC (2004), Dullas Alahapperuma (2005), Basil Rajapaksa (2007) and Saman Ratnapriya (2020) entered Parliament in spite of them not being nominees in the original NL or failed candidates at the relevant general election, sources say.
One-time UNPer Jayantha Ketagoda first entered Parliament in 2010 to fill the vacancy created by the then Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka’s dismissal on a ruling given by a Military Tribunal.
Ketagoda received the parliamentary seat after the JVP’s Lakshman Nipunaarachchi turned down the opportunity.
Sources say it is not clear who’ll receive portfolios –State Minister of Finance, Capital Markets, State Enterprise and Reforms held by Cabraal.
Meanwhile, the former Governor of Uva, Central and Southern Provinces during Maithripala Sirisena’s presidency, Keerthi Tennakoon questioned Cabraal’s re-appointment on the basis him being named in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report that dealt with the issuance of Treasury bonds.
Civil society activist Tennakoon said that the SLPP parliamentary group should make its position clear whether the appointment of a person who functioned as the State Finance Minister to the post of Central Bank Governor, was acceptable to the party. Tennakoon compared the latest appointment with that of Arjuna Mahendran’s appointment as CB Governor, a Singaporean national in 2015 in spite of strong objections by the then Joint Opposition.
Tennakoon rather frivolously asked how Cabraal could take over the CBSL Governorship immediately after giving up his parliamentary seat.
The former Executive Director of polls monitoring NGO outfit CaFFE said that the SLPP obviously had failed to learn from what he called yahapalana leaders’ strategic mistakes. The national economy was in such bad shape the government should quickly work towards ending continuing any uncertainty, Tennakoon said.
Responding to questions regarding the deepening financial turmoil, Tennakoon said that the government couldn’t afford to delay taking tangible measures to stop the rot.
He emphasised that the crisis today was certainly not political. “The SLPP should know that its near two-thirds majority is irrelevant and doesn’t in any way help address the deteriorating national economy,” Tennakoon said, adding that making big plans for the 2022 budget was nothing but a joke.
Tennakoon asked whether Cabraal received CBSL because he represented Viyathmaga that campaigned for Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the 2019 presidential poll. Tennakoon alleged that the SLPP had lost direction and was simply struggling to cope up with the extremely difficult situation caused by the raging Covid-19 epidemic.
Latest News
Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.
News
“We cannot allow flooding to become a part of the daily lives of the people in the Colombo District” – PM
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that unauthorized constructions within the Colombo District, nor any form of residential developments that endanger the public carried out under the guise of development agenda will not be allowed.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the media at the conclusion of the Colombo District Disaster Management Committee meeting held on Tuesday [December 09] at the Colombo District Secretariat.
Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated:
“The Colombo District has become vulnerable to this extent due to the constructions carried out without any proper planning or understanding of regulations, along with personal and politically motivated decisions that have placed both the district and its people at risk.
Compared to the districts that suffered severe loss of life and property due to the recent cyclone, the damage to the Colombo District has been relatively lower. However, special intervention is being carried out together with the relevant institutions to manage the potential future flood risks in the district.
This matter was also given special attention during today’s District Disaster Management Committee meeting. We cannot allow the flooding to become a regular part of the lives of the people in Colombo. All relevant institutions will come together to put forward a common plan for flood control in the district.”
The Prime Minister further stated that discussions are already underway to provide sustainable solutions for the people living in high-risk areas within the Colombo District.
The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyaratne, and Colombo District Members of Parliament Aruna Panagoda and Chandana Suriyarachchi.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Latest News
Russia gifts 35 tonnes of Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka
The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at Katunayake today (10th December)
The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).
Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”
The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station, Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)
The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.

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