News
Parliament to convene for two days next week
Ten-hour debate on Port City Economic Commission Bill
The Committee on Parliamentary Business, chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, yesterday, decided to limit next week’s Parliament sittings to two days (4th and 5th May).
The debate on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill will take place on the 5 May from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm without adjournment for lunch, said the Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake.
Dasanayake also said that an adjournment debate on the current COVID-19 situation in the country will be held on 4th May from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm.
The Secretary General said that there would be no time for oral questions on both sitting days.
The party leaders agreed to pass an order under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, four notifications under the Excise Ordinance, the Value Added Tax (VAT) (Amendment) Bill and the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill on 4th May after debating them from 10.00 am to 11.00 am.
Thereafter, the adjournment debate on the current situation in the country will be held from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm without adjournment for lunch.
Leader of the House and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Chief Government Whip and Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, Cabinet Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva and Prof. GL Peiris, Dallas Alahapperuma, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Prasanna Ranatunga, MPs Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Gayantha Karunatilake, Dilan Perera and Mano Ganesan were present at the meeting.
The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dr. Harini Amarasuriya is on an official visit to Paris, France to participate in the high-level segment of the International Expert Conference on ’An Integrated and Sustainable Approach to Safeguarding the World Heritage Property of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka and Associated Living Heritage’ which was to be held at UNESCO Headquarters today [Tuesday 1 April], with the participation of the Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay.
The Conference, organized by UNESCO in partnership with Sri Lanka, brings together leading international experts to discuss sustainable strategies for the conservation of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of immense cultural and historical significance.
On the sidelines of the Conference, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet senior interlocutors of the French Government to discuss bilateral cooperation and areas of mutual interest.
The Delegation of the Prime Minister includes the Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) BUNGO and ETAJIMA arrived at the port of Colombo on a goodwill visit this morning (01 Apr 25).
The visiting ships were welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.
The 141m long JMSDF BUNGO is an Uraga-Class Minesweeper Tender commanded by Commander TANAKA Koji and the ship is manned by a crew of 125.
Meanwhile, JMSDF Etajima, a 65-meter-long Minesweeper, is under the command of Commander Oda Takayuki and operates with a crew of 54 personnel.
During the stay in the island, crew members of the ships will explore some tourist attractions within the city of Colombo. The ships are scheduled to set sail from Colombo on 04 Apr.
“You and your families will be eliminated”
By Norman Palihawadane and Hemantha Randun
A full-scale investigation has been launched to track down an underworld character, ‘Navy Dinesh,’ a key accomplice of Ganemulle Sanjeewa, for issuing death threats over the phone to three police officers, including the Gampaha HQI, Crime Branch OIC, of the same police station, and others.
Navy Dinesh is believed to have fled the country.
According to police sources, threats were issued following the arrest of Navy Dinesh’s father and brother in connection with a drug trafficking case.
Phone analysis reports have confirmed that the calls originated from Dubai and France.
Following the murder of Ganemulle Sanjeewa, Navy Dinesh assumed leadership of the underworld gang he had previously been involved with.
Navy Dinesh contacted the Gampaha HQI, the OIC of the Crime Branch, and the investigating police constable, and threatened to kill them and their family members. “You and your families will be eliminated,” he said.
A special police team had been assigned to investigate the matter, and a report has been submitted to the courts, police sources said.
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