News
PC Elections Act should be amended to hold PC polls soon – Dinesh
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena says that Parliament approval needs to be sought before holding the Provincial Council election.
Addressing the media in Trincomalee, Minister Gunawardena said that the government was holding discussions on how and when to hold the elections.
“The previous government changed the laws governing the Provincial Council elections. The Supreme Court wanted changes to the proposed laws. We have to address these issues before holding the election.”
The Provincial Council polls could be held safely under strict health guidelines, election monitors yesterday told The Island.
National Coordinator of the Centre for Monitoring Election violence (CMEV), Manjula Gajanayake said that practices like physical distancing and wearing masks had become a part of people’s lives and the manner in which the general election had been held was a good template to follow as regards the future elections.
“We have experience in holding elections amidst COVID-19 pandemic. If proper systems are in place, we should be able to hold provincial council elections in a few months safely,” he said.
Executive Director of the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), Manas Makeen said the public had to be educated on how to behave during an election as a matter of priority.
“At the August 2020 general election, the polling centres adhered to proper guidelines on election day. However, during the campaign there were many instances where there was no physical distancing. But since COVID-19 guidelines are gazetted, PHIs should be able to enforce the health regulations.”
In February, Election Commission Chief, Attorney-at-law Nimal Punchihewa told The Island that the government could easily prepare the ground for the Provincial Council polls by effecting a simple amendment to the Provincial Councils Act.
In response to our query, whether the EC was making preparations for PC polls in the wake of its five members meeting Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Punchihewa said that as the Provincial Council Elections Act had been amended during the previous administration, polls couldn’t be held in the absence of a delimitation process.
Therefore, the polls couldn’t be conducted in terms of the new Act in the foreseeable future, the EC Chairman said. The only feasible strategy was to introduce an amendment to suspend the new Act pending the conclusion of polls in terms of the previous Act, he added.
Asked how fast the EC could move in case they secured the parliamentary approval as suggested by him, Punchihewa said that arrangements could be finalised within 10 to 12 weeks.
News
Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis
There are 17 nursing schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media including the postgraduate primary nursing school.
There are 142 vacancies in the posts of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) as on 31.03.2026 in those schools while 24 officers are to be promoted to the special grade on 31.12.2025 owing to the vacancies existing in the post of Special
Grade Nursing Officer (Education). Therefore, the number of vacancies is to be 166.
In addition, there are 24 vacancies in the post of Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).
Although at present action has been taken to upgrade the nursing schools to nursing colleges and upgrade the nursing diploma course to nursing degree course, no action has been taken so far to carry out recruitment for the training relevant to the appointment for the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to recruit retired nursing instructors and nursing instructors who served in the nursing schools belonging to the three armed forces and are retired or have resigned legitimately from service to the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) on contract basis.
Latest News
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
It has been decided to establish a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility in Sri Lanka by entering into a Host Country Agreement at the second leaders’ summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) held in New Delhi, India, in 2008, with the objective of enhancing regional cooperation.
The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by the member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC summit on 30-03-2022 in Colombo.
The prime objective of this technology transfer facility is to provide technology, capacity building, and management of intellectual property for the micro, small, and medium-scale
enterprises of the BIMSTEC member countries.
According to the cooperation agreement, an agreement should be entered into between Sri Lanka, as the host country, and BIMSTEC Secretariat for formalizing the legal status, privileges, and immunities of the technology transfer facility.
The drafted agreement has received the relevant institutional approval and legal clearance.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign the proposed agreement.
News
The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea
Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 11-12-2023 to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka regarding mutual cooperation
in criminal matters.
However, according to the aforementioned approval, the relevant agreement could not be signed between both parties.
Through this agreement, opportunities will be provided
for mutual assistance to other countries in handing over judicial documents and collecting evidence for the use of criminal case matters.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution provided by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate in criminal matters.
Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis
Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka
The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea
Misbah-ul-Haq resigns as Pakistan selector after Test squad upheaval
Amendment of the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance No. 3 of 1897
Cabinet approves donation of USD One Million to the Government of Nepal
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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