News
5,000 new police recruits on the way to tackle 28,000-cop shortfall
Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala told the Ministerial Consultative Committee this week that urgent steps were underway to recruit 5,000 new personnel to the Police, amidst a shortfall of around 28,000 officers.
Speaking at the Committee meeting held on July 25, chaired by Minister Wijepala and attended by Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law, the Minister confirmed that Cabinet approval had already been obtained for the recruitment to be completed within the year.
He added that 10,000 personnel currently serving in the Civil Security Department would be attached to the police service as part of broader efforts to bolster law enforcement capacity. Recruitment of 1,000 female officers had also commenced, he said.
To enhance professionalism within the force, Minister Wijepala said new training programmes were being introduced to improve the efficiency of serving officers. He said a separate salary structure for the police was in the pipeline, with proposals expected to be submitted in the 2026 Budget.
The Committee also addressed allegations of misconduct at certain police stations and failures to conduct impartial investigations. Minister Wijepala directed the Acting Inspector General of Police to give these matters special attention and take corrective action.
The Acting IGP told the Committee that additional anti-corruption units would be established alongside the existing unit in Welikada. He reminded the public that complaints regarding unlawful activities can be lodged via the 1997 hotline.
Other topics discussed at the meeting included narcotics enforcement, illegal fishing practices, and the need to safeguard the identities of informants.Ministry Secretary D.W.R.B. Seneviratne and other senior officials were also in attendance.
The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.
The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.
News
Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56
Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.
He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.
Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.
He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.
Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.
Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.
In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during
Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.
After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.
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