News
AJBP eyes NL slot for Ven. Gnanasara
…20 ex-lawmakers seek entry uncontested
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya (AJBP) conducted a unique campaign at yesterday’s general election to win a National List slot for one of its co-leaders, Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara.
The party urged the electorate to help Ven. Gnanasara enter parliament to save the nation from what it called extremist invasion, a reference to those behind the Easter Sunday carnage.
Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya contested the general election under the flag symbol.
Party spokesperson Dr. Saranga Alahapperuma told The Island yesterday (5) that the initiative was launched in the wake of unfortunate rejection of four of their nomination lists for Colombo, Moneragala, Kalutara and Kurunegala on technical grounds. Ven. Gnanasara was on their rejected Kurunegala list.
Former President Maithripala Sirisena paved the way for Ven. Gnanasara to team up with former UNP National List MP Ven. Athureliya Rathana to contest on Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya by granting him a presidential pardon in early last year. At the time of the presidential intervention, the Ven thera was serving a jail term for contempt of court.
Ven. Rathana is in the fray in the Gampaha district.
Dr. Alahapperuma said that altogether they had fielded about 30 monks.
Dr. Alahapperuma acknowledged that their original plans weren’t realistic.
Of the 225 lawmakers, 29 are appointed through the National List. In the last parliament, the UNP had 13 NL slots, the UPFA 12 and the JVP and the TNA two each.
Ven. Rathana as a Jathika Hela Urumaraya nominee received a UNP NL slot.
President Sirisena accommodated ten defeated candidates through the UPFA National List.
According to the NLs submitted by the SLPP, SJB, UNP and the JVP-led Jathika Jana Balavegaya to the EC, there are 20 former lawmakers seeking re-entry. Interestingly all four lists are led by former lawmakers Prof. G.L. Peiris (SLPP Chairman), John Amaratunga (UNP), Bimal Ratnayake (JJB) and Tissa Attanayake (SJB).
SLPP NL included former national cricketer Tilakaratne Dilshan as well as Wimal Giganage, who handed over his registered political party re-named as SLPP to enable it to contest the 2018 Local Government polls, field Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the presidential candidate and then contest the general election.
The SJB NL included nominees of the SLMC, JHU and ACMC. SJB nominees included Mayantha Dissanayake, younger brother of Navin Dissanayake, who contested Nuwara Eliya on the UNP ticket. Mayantha entered parliament on the UNP ticket from Mahanuwara at the last general election though he switched his allegiance to Sajith Premadasa.
Of the 20 ex-lawmakers, the SJB accommodated seven in its NL (Tissa Attanayake, Harin Fernando, Imthiaz Bakeer Marker, Mayantha Dissanayake, Earl Gunasekera, Eran Wickramaratne and its General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara).
The Sri Lanka Navy rendered assistance to bring ashore an ill fisherman, who was aboard a local multi day fishing trawler on the high seas south-west of Sri Lanka, about 881 nautical miles (1631km) off Dondra. Initially, the fisherman was taken aboard a Merchant Vessel in the sea area, on being coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo. After being brought ashore today (15th October 2024), he was rushed to the National Hospital of Colombo, for medical attention.
The local multi day fishing trawler “Sun City 02” (Reg No. IMUL-A- 1671 MTR) was reported to have left the Dikkowita Fisheries Harbour with 06 fishermen on 29th August 2024 on a fishing voyage. Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) alerted MRCC Colombo established in the Navy Headquarters that a crew member onboard the fishing trawler has developed an abdominal illness, and requested Navy’s assistance to transfer him ashore for treatment.
In the meantime, a nearby Merchant Vessel named ‘MV – CCNI Andes’ was directed to the trawler’s location to provide assistance, through the coordination of MRCC Colombo.
With the assistance of MRCC Colombo, the Merchant Vessel managed to retrieve the fisherman and he was brought to the Colombo Offshore Patrol Limit (OPL) by this morning, while administering first aid.
Following this, the Sri Lanka Navy dispatched a Fast Attack Craft (FAC), attached to the Western Naval Command, to the Colombo Offshore Patrol Limit (OPL), where they took on board the ill fisherman and brought him ashore.
The Sri Lanka Navy in coordination with MRCC Colombo continues to exemplify its dedication and unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives within Sri Lanka’s search and rescue jurisdiction, serving as a beacon of hope and security for seafarers and the fishing community.
Although, approval had been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 21-08-2024 to make remedial measures for the unfavorable effects to the fishing industry due to the considerable increase of the price of fuel, the said decision has not been implemented so far.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Agriculture, Land, Livestock , Irrigation, Fisheries and Water Resources to provide following concessions for a period of six (6) months with effect from 01-10-2024 with the objective of uplifting the economic condition of the fisheries community.
• To grant an allowance of Rs.25 per liter of diesel, subject to the maximum of rupees 300,000 per month for fishing vessel owners who utilise diesel.
• To provide “fishing industry recovery allowance” of Rs 25/- per liter of kerosene for vessel owners who obtain kerosene as a fuel, subject to a maximum of 15 liters of kerosene per day and 25 days per month.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the President to reestablish the Food Policy Committee comprising of the following officers.
• Secretary to the President
• Secretary to the Prime Minister
• Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Policy Compilation, Planning and Tourism
• Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy
• Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Land, livestock, Irrigation, Fishery and Water Resources
• Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Council, Local Government and Labour
• Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Commercial, Food Protection\, Cooperative
Development, Industry and Entrepreneurship, Development
• Ministry of Health
• Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation
• Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife, Forest Resources, Water Supply, Plantation and Community Infrastructure Facilities
The food policy committee had been established as per the cabinet decision dated 03-10- 2022.
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