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People can no longer be fooled with false promise– Cardinal

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Easter Sunday carnage probe:

By Norman Palihawadane

Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says the rulers can no longer fool people with false promises about the Easter Sunday investigations.

 “The rulers cannot fool us with fake claims that those responsible for the Easter Sunday attacks would be brought before justice,” the Cardinal said, commenting on President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal to complete the investigation, into the terror attacks, with the assistance of international investigation teams.

Addressing a ceremony for the blessing and consecration of the newly built St Francis of Assisi Church, Udugampola, of the Burulpitiya Parish, last week, the Cardinal said that the government was continuing to avoid the implementation of the recommendations made by the final report of Presidential Commission, appointed to investigate the truth about the Easter Sunday attack.

“Although requests were made to get the remaining volumes of the report that were only presented to Parliament, the authorities are acting to suppress the truth by rejecting our pleas,” the Cardinal said, adding that this country had a legal system and efficient officials capable of carrying out an impartial investigation and bring the perpetrators before the law. By politicising the law enforcement agencies and the Attorney General’s Department, and not allowing them to function independently, and thereafter seeking the assistance of international investigating bodies, was just another government truce,” Cardinal Ranjith said.

The Cardinal said that all rulers who held the executive presidency used it to ruin the country, to become rich and ensure a comfortable future for their own families and henchmen.

The construction work of the new church building commenced in 2012 under the direction of Rev Fr Subash Chaminda Fernando OFM, the then Parish Priest. The construction work continued during the tenure of Rev Fr Dudley Saparamadhu OFM and was finally completed by Rev Fr Prasad Indika, incumbent Parish Priest.



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Heat index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, North-central and Eastern provinces and Monaragala and Hambantota districts

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 4.00 p.m. 08 May 2025, valid for 09 May 2025

The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern, North-central and Eastern provinces and Monaragala and Hambantota districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

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EC asks winners to name heads of majority-controlled LG institutions; bargaining continues in hung councils

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R. M. A. L. Ratnayake

Chairman of the Election (EC) Commission R. M. A. L. Ratnayake said yesterday that the EC would direct the political parties and independent groups that have secured absolute majorities in local government bodies to name the heads of those institutions.

The ruling NPP and the Opposition parties are vying for control of the hung local councils including the Colombo MC. Both the NPP and the SJB have offered to coalesce with independent groups to muster majorities.

Ratnayake said that notifications would be sent to the General Secretaries of parties and independent groups that have won local government bodies with a majority of more than 50% of the vote.

The results of the 2025 Local Government election held on Tuesday (6) were released on Wednesday (7).

The NPP won 266 out of 339 local government institutions. The SJB and the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi won 13 and 37 councils respectively. Independent groups and regional Tamil political parties won the other councils.

However, the winners have failed to secure more than 50% of seats in a majority of the local government institutions.Ratnayake said that the members elected to local government institutions at the ward level would be officially gazetted in the coming days.

The heads of the non-majority councils will be elected by their members. The government and the Opposition are accusing each other of using financial inducements to make some councilors switch their allegiance ahead of the election of the heads of the hung local councils.

The NPP has said it is confident of forming stable administrations in 134 local councils, but the Opposition is of the view that the NPP will not be able to do so in about 186 councils.

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SC rejects Ranawaka’s appeal for dismissal of case against him

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The Supreme Court yesterday (8) turned down an appeal filed by former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, seeking the dismissal of a case against him and three others by the Attorney General over a road accident that took place in Rajagiriya in 2016.

 This decision was announced by Supreme Court Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, with the concurrence of Chief Justice Murdu Fernando and Justice Gamini Amarasekera.

 They ruled that the appeal lacked merit and directed the High Court to proceed with the trial.

 The Attorney General filed the indictment on charges including concealing evidence regarding the alleged hit-and-run incident where the vehicle the former Minister was travelling in collided with a motorcycle in Rajagiriya, causing life-threatening injuries to its rider, and the alleged fabrication of evidence related to the accident.

The Supreme Court ordered the Colombo High Court to take up the indictment filed against the defendants for examination.

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