News
SJB irked by Rajapaksas’ allocations
By Saman Indrajith
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya on Thursday (27) told Parliament that 38 per cent of total allocations made in the Vote on Account presented to the House yesterday had been allocated for ministries coming under four members of the Rajapaksa family.
SJB Gampaha District MP Harshana Rajakaruna participating in the debate said that 38 percent of Vote on Account monies had been allocated to ministerial portfolios held by four persons.
Rajakaruna asked why the government had mentioned that it would borrow another Rs. 750 billion in addition to earlier requested Rs. 1,300 billion worth of debt.
“This is a huge amount of debt which we never saw in the past. I hope that the government would make a clarification regarding why it is going to borrow Rs. 750 billion,” he added.
Rajakaruna asked the government whether it would give some kind of compensation to the people who had lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak many factories had to be shut down and many people lost their jobs. The government should take care of them too. It is a timely need. The businessmen should be given relief while protecting the bank system in the country at the same time,” Rajakaruna said.
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years
ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit
PM meets Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Tennessee execution called off after failed lethal injection
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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