News
Now, Diana blames Mark Antony for stabbing Caesar!
By Saman Indrajith
SJB MP Diana Gamage told Parliament yesterday (23) that she had voted with the government, according to her conscience, the previous day when the vote was taken on the 20th Amendment to the constitution because she loved the country over her party affiliations.
Participating in a debate at the time of the adjournment of the House, MP Gamage said: We must love our country over political affiliations. I take an example from history. In ancient Rome Caesar was stabbed. Among those who stabbed Caesar was his close friend Antony. After stabbing Caesar, Antony came to address Romans with the bloodstained knife and told them what happened. Then the Romans questioned him and asked him how he being the close friend of Caesar stabbed the latter. Antony said that he loved Caesar but his love for Rome was much more than that. I did likewise when I voted with the government. I love my party but I love the stability of my country. That was why I voted with the government for the amendment.
“We all are representatives of public. We have a duty by our people. It is the people who met our cost and the expenses of this House. So we must give priority to people and act according to their wishes.
“I have a great respect for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. People gave him a mandate to develop this country. I am sure that he would do that. He cannot do that being shackled by the 19th Amendment. You cannot expect a person whose hands are tied to swim against the current. We must set him free and then hope he would swim. People wanted to do away with the 19th amendment. Therefore I voted to pass the 20th amendment.
“There could be criticisms against me. I do not care and am not afraid of them. I voted according to my conscience and I can sleep without worries.”
The Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development has recommended the establishment of Sri Lankan Standards, i.e. the import testing methodology for imported tires used for passenger cars and pneumatic tires for three-wheelers with the aim of ensuring a fair competitive environment for local
manufactures and ensuring consumer safety and security.
Taking into the said recommendations, “Import and Export (control regulations N0.08 of the 2026)” has been enacted to amend the existing regulations by means of the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2508/27 dated 2026-10-01, prescribing Sri Lanka standard 1212 for the import of passenger types (HS Code 4011.10.90) and Sri Lanka standard 1347 for the import of
pneumatic tires for three – wheeled vehicles (HS Code 4011.90.10).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned regulations to Parliament for approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 02.06.2025 to introduce a new act to promote and providing legal provisions for facilitating the Public Private Joint Enterprises within Sri Lanka as well as the establishment of the National Agency for Public Private Partnership Joint Enterprises.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the relevant draft bill and the Attorney General has given his clearance to the said draft bill.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said
draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Regulation, development and control of indigenous medical sector in Sri Lanka comprised of Ayurvedha, Sidhdha, Unani, Local Therapies are carried out under the provisions of Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Although amendments were made to the act from time to time as per the requirements, the necessity of further amending the Ayurvedha Act has been identified to enable efficiently maintaining all activities of local medical field productively, further formalizing the regulation of the sector, taking actions to providing licenses applicable to export of local medicines, and achieving the progress and sustainable development goals in the local medical sector.
Based on the said factors, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to direct the Legal Draftsman to formulate a draft bill to amend the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026
Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre
State patronage for the cremation ceremony of the late deputy prelate (Anu Nayaka Thero) of the Sri Laka Ramangya Maha Nikaya, Gatambe Rajopawanramadhipatha, Siri Chandawimala Wanshalankara, Chandrakeerthi Sri Amarawansha, Sadhdharmawageeshwara, Shasanashobhanna Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Siriwimalabhidhana Thero
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