News
NCC marks its 145th anniversary
The National Cadet Corps (NCC) commemorated its 145th anniversary with a series of religious observances and ceremonial events held on April 28 and 29, invoking blessings for the institution and paying tribute to cadets and officers who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
The commemorative events commenced at the NCC Headquarters on April 28 with a Pirith Chanting Ceremony organized to seek the blessings of the Triple Gem for the continued progress and prosperity of the Corps. The Maha Sangha was ceremonially escorted in a vibrant procession featuring traditional dance troupes representing the 3rd, 9th, and 26th battalions.
Religious rites were conducted under the guidance of the Chief Incumbent of Sri Sudarshanaramaya Temple, Kalubowila. During the ceremony, merits were transferred to all NCC officers and cadets who made the supreme sacrifice in safeguarding the sovereignty of the motherland.
Following the overnight Pirith chanting, an almsgiving ceremony for the Maha Sangha was held at the Headquarters Administrative Complex in the early hours of April 29.
The Chief Incumbent commended the organizers for the successful arrangements and highlighted the importance of preserving religious and cultural traditions within national institutions. Cadets, commanding officers of all 30 battalions, executive and training officers, Tri-Forces permanent staff members, and civilian employees of the Corps also participated in the religious observances.
Meanwhile, the NCC’s annual flag blessing ceremony was held with solemnity and grandeur at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo on April 29.
Accompanied by traditional Hewisi drummers, Corps flags were carried in procession into the temple premises, where Pirith chanting and religious blessings were conducted for the National Cadet Corps flag, training centre flags, provincial headquarters flags, and all battalion flags representing the Corps’ 30 battalions.
The ceremony brought together Cadet Regimental Sergeant Majors (Cadet RSMs), commanding officers, executive officers, provincial deputy directors, training officers, and commandants of NCC training centres representing all battalions countrywide.
Senior NCC officials, including Brigadier (Administration and Quartering), the Corps Secretary, Colonel (Training), and the Head of Procurement, joined the Director of the NCC, Major General A.P.C.R. Premathilaka, in the religious observances.
In a swift search and rescue (SAR) operation, the Sri Lanka Navy on 22 Jun 2026 rendered assistance to a one-day fishing trawler that had failed to return to its intended destination.
Reportedly, the fishing trawler and its 02 crew members ran into trouble due to adverse weather conditions off the north coast of the island. The rescue mission was launched
immediately following an alert from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources regarding the overdue trawler.
Responding to the distress call, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo, coordinated the deployment of naval craft for the SAR operation.
During the operation, naval personnel located the distressed trawler and its 02 fishermen in the seas off the Analaitivu Island and they were brought to safety.
Maintaining a round-the-clock vigil, the Sri Lanka Navy, through the coordination of MRCC Colombo, remains constantly prepared to deploy assets and extend vital lifesaving assistance to the naval and fishing communities facing perils within the Sri
Lankan Search and Rescue Region.
The NPP government has not taken a final decision regarding filling of the vacancies in the judiciary.
A group of Opposition MPs, led by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, on 12 June, requested Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremeratne to take up the issue of judicial vacancies with President Dissanayake. Opposition sources said that there were four vacancies, each in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and the inordinate delay had adversely affected the judiciary.
Government sources indicated that there was no change in the status quo as regards filling of vacancies. Referring to the government proposal to extend the retirement age of judges, authoritative sources said that no final decision had been taken yet.
SJB lawmaker Dayasiri Jayasekera told The Island that they would raise the issue in Parliament this week.
He said that the deliberate delay in making appointments to superior courts and the move to extend the retirement age couldn’t be taken separately.
The MP noted that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the Lawyers’ Collective, the Colombo High Court Lawyers’ Association, Colombo Magistrate’s Court Lawyers’ Association and the Bar Association of Badulla had opposed the government move.
There hadn’t been any public statements in support of the government move, MP Jayasekera said, urging the government to end uncertainty in the judiciary.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
SJB leader Sajith Premadasa has invited the UNP and other political parties to join his party. Premadasa, who is also the leader of the Opposition, has emphasised that the UNP and the SJB could reach a consensus on policies but his party wouldn’t, under any circumstances, accept whatever formula to share positions. Premadasa said so, speaking to the media over the weekend, after meeting the Mahanayaka Thera of the Malwatta Chapter of the Siyam Nikaya Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera.
A statement issued by the Opposition Leader’s Office quoted MP Premadasa as having extended an invitation to all political parties to give up extremist policies and join the SJB.
The SJB leader alleged that the NPP government feared facing elections and that was the reason for the inordinate delay in holding Provincial Council polls. PC polls were last held in 2012, 2013 and 2014, on a staggered basis. Premadasa said that if PC polls were held his party would definitely win the majority of PCs.Premadasa also urged the government to reduce electricity tariffs and fuel prices.
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