News
Sajith asked to explain how he lost 2.5 mn votes within 8 months
Deshapremi Eksath Jathika Pakshaya has urged UNPers to rally around President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa in the wake of debilitating defeat suffered by the UNP and its breakaway faction, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB).
General Secretary of the party Sugath Hewapathirana yesterday told The Island that the result of the Aug 5 general election proved beyond doubt both parties had been rejected.
Hewapathirana pointed out that under Wickremesinghe’s leadership the UNP polled about 250,000 (2 per cent of the total vote) in the country. Although an attempt was being made to blame it solely on Wickremesinghe, both parties should take the responsibility for the unprecedented humiliation caused at the Aug 5 poll close on the heels of heavy defeat at the presidential election.
Pointing out that Premadasa polled a respectable 5.5 mn votes, Hewapathirana said that under his leadership the SJB managed to obtain a paltry 2.7 mn votes in the follow up poll last week.
Premadasa owed an explanation how he lost 2.5 mn votes within a short period of eight months, since the last presidential poll.
Hewapathirana pledged to work with the new administration for the betterment of the country. (SF)
The Paddy Marketing Board has approximately 115,000 metric tonnes of paddy stocks purchased from farmers, which are currently stored in the Board’s warehouses, and it has been planned to retain a sufficient buffer stock from these reserves and sell the remaining quantity in order to provide the necessary storage space and financial resources for the purchase of paddy from farmers during the upcoming Yala season.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to sell the aforementioned paddy stocks
following a formal tender procedure.
The Promotion of Export Agriculture Act, No. 46 of 1992 provides the legal provisions for regulating and promoting the export agriculture sector in this country.
Taking into consideration administrative changes and sectoral developments that have taken place over time, approval was granted at the Cabinet Meetings held on 2023-09-04 and 2025-08-11 to amend the said Act, which has not been updated for over 30 years.
The proposed amendments are intended to amend the designations of the Head of the Department of Export Agriculture and other officials, and to provide a clearer definition of the term “the export agricultural crop.”
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to publish in the Government Gazette the Draft Export Agriculture Promotion (Amendment) Bill, prepared in all three languages by the Legal Draftsman to amend the Export Agriculture Promotion Act, No. 46 of 1992, and thereafter submit the same to Parliament for its concurrence
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Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, appointed as Director General of the Department of Management Services
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