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20 A: Decision on PM’s committee recommendations awaited

Published

5 years ago

2020/09/23

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The government should decide whether to accommodate recommendations made by a committee that studied the 20th Amendment to the Constitution presented by Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, to parliament yesterday (22), SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris told a media briefing at the Battaramulla party office.

Prof. Peiris, who is also the Education Minister, said that the opportunity to express different opinions on the proposed 20th Amendment underscored the importance of following what the former law Professor called the democratic process.

Prof. Peiris said so when the media asked whether recommendations in respect of the 20th Amendment made by a 9 member committee appointed by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa would be accommodated by the government. The committee handed its recommendations and observations to the Premier on Sept. 15.

The committee headed by Prof. Peiris, consisted of Ministers Ali Sabry, Udaya Gammanpila, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Wimal Weerawansa, State Ministers, Susil Premjayantha and S. Viyalendran and MPs Dilan Perera and Premanath C. Dolawatta.

The SLPP Chairman acknowledged that acceptance of their recommendations was subject to government decision.

Minister Peiris said that rescinding the relevant gazette issued on Sept 12 to pave the way for a new gazette hadn’t been an option under any circumstances. Whatever the alterations acceptable to the government could be moved at the Committee Stage, the minister said.

SLPP National List lawmaker Gevindu Cumaratunga on Sept.13 told a media briefing at the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya, Thunmulla, that the gazette would be rescinded to pave the way for a new draft. The claim was made close on the heels of Cumaratunga along with Manohara de Silva, PC, making representations to the President in respect of the 20th Amendment.

At the commencement of the briefing, Prof. Peiris said that the SLPP throughout its parliamentary poll campaign declared that the 19th Amendment would be largely abolished leaving those sections that needed approval at a referendum intact. Prof. Peiris emphasized that the SLPP retained those sections as the government didn’t want another countrywide referendum in the wake of presidential and parliamentary polls in Nov 2019 and August 2020, respectively.

Pointing out that 113 seats would have been sufficient to govern the country, Prof. Peiris explained the SLPP pushed a for two-thirds majority as the party knew what it was aiming at.

Reiterating the SLPP’s commitment to fulfill pledges given at both presidential and parliamentary elections, Prof. Peiris said that as long as the 19th Amendment remained President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wouldn’t be able to go ahead with his plans.

Prof. Peiris said that those opposed to the proposed 20th Amendment could move the Supreme Court within a week from the day the government presented it in parliament.

Minister Sabry presented it in parliament yesterday.

Prof. Peiris said that the Supreme Court, in terms of the Constitution, would have to rule on the 20th Amendment within three weeks. The SC’s decision would be made known to the President and the Speaker, Prof Peiris said, pointing out that the apex court’s responsibility in that regard was limited to the examination of the 20th Amendment’s constitutionality. The minister explained the SC would examine whether the 20th Amendment contained sections that required approval at a referendum.

Prof. Peiris said that the 20th Amendment was the responsibility of the entire government.

Commenting on diverse views on the proposed piece of legislation, Prof. Peiris said that the alterations could be made at the Committee Stage.

When the media pointed out that the proposed law would deliver a deadly blow to independent commissions due to the abolishing of the 10-member Constitutional Council, Prof. Peiris said that the appointing authority was to be replaced by a five-member Parliamentary Council. Prof. Peiris said that the move was meant to empower the President to make necessary appointments, in consultation with the Parliamentary Council, if necessary, to ensure that the commissions represented the true interests of the public.

Referring to the inclusion of civil society members in the Constitutional Council, Prof. Peiris questioned the absurdity in allowing those who hadn’t been elected to exercise powers of the President. One-time External Affairs Minister alleged that external elements, too, had been engaged in local exercises to undermine the Sri Lankan State.

The Minister dismissed the assertion that abolishing the 19th Amendment meant re-activation of the 18th Amendment. How could that be when the 20th included three key provisions, restriction of presidency to two terms and both president’s and the parliament term 5 years in line with the 19th Amendment.

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Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

5 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.

The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.

News

CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

7 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.

According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.

Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.

The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.

In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.

The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.

The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.

By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️

News

Health Minister sends letter of demand for one billion rupees in damages

Published

7 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

Ondansetron controversy

Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa has sent a letter of demand for Rs. 1 billion in damages from YouTube content creator Dharmasri Kariyawasam, accusing him of disseminating false and defamatory material linking the Minister to the importation of Ondansetron and inciting public unrest.

The notice, sent through the Minister’s lawyers, states that investigations are currently under way into 10 medicines, including Ondansetron Injection, manufactured by India-based Maan Pharmaceutical Limited.

Ondansetron Injection was among nine injectable drugs recently suspended by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) following reports of patients administered with the drug suffering adverse complications.

Despite the ongoing investigations, Kariyawasam allegedly aired a widely viewed programme on his YouTube channel titled “The hidden story of the Indian drug that claimed lives, Mayor Balthazaar’s relative, and Minister Nalinda’s cover-up.”

According to the letter of demand, the programme falsely portrayed Minister Jayatissa as being directly responsible for importing the drug, colluding with the supplier, and attempting to conceal the issue, while depicting him as indifferent to public suffering.

The Minister’s lawyers maintain that these allegations are entirely false and defamatory, citing passages in which Kariyawasam allegedly accused Jayatissa of lying about the supplier, concealing facts related to PTC Medicals (Pvt) Ltd., the actual importer, and showing a lack of concern over deaths purportedly linked to the drug.

The programme also claimed links between the directors of PTC Medicals and family members of Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, implying political favouritism.