News

APC gets underway: Prez says won’t seek political advantage; Basil undertakes to present new budget

Published

4 years ago

2022/03/24

By Anura Balasuriya and Erik Gamini Jinapriya

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has assured political parties that his government will not seek any political advantage by calling an All-Party Conference (APC) to address the current economic crisis.

Appreciating the presence of the representatives of the political parties present, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (23) said that those who boycotted the APC would be invited to join the APC process. The President said that their intentions were genuine.

President Rajapaksa chaired the APC held at the President’s House, Colombo. In his brief address, at the commencement of the meeting, the President said that a Prez…

committee comprising members of political parties, could be established to implement useful proposals, after formulating a mechanism to examine all proposals received by the APC. Declaring that he had no intention of making accusations against anyone, the President said he wanted to ascertain the view of other political parties.

President Rajapaksa called the APC following a request made by SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena, MP, during the SLPP-SLFP talks also held at the Presidential Secretariat, on 08 March.

Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all political parties to work together, President Rajapaksa said that both short-and long-term strategies had to be pursued to overcome the crisis.

Among the political parties present were the UNP, the TNA and the MEP. The SJB and the JVP boycotted the APC. Ven. Atureliye Rathana and Prof. Tissa Vithana represented the 11-party SLPP dissident group. Altogether, 17 political parties, and groups, participated at the APC.

Responding to the political party leaders call for urgent relief for the people, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa assured that relief would be provided before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. The Finance Minister said that taking into consideration proposals made by leaders of political parties, he was ready to bring in a new budget, subject to the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Former Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe warned that the country would experience the crisis for a long time. Therefore, relief should be provided to the people, the UNP leader said, while reminding the President and the SLPP that the IMF report on Sri Lanka hadn’t been made available to Parliament yet.

Colombo District MP Wickremesinghe asked FM Rajapaksa to ask the IMF representative here to come to the Presidential Secretariat after the latter claimed the report hadn’t been received yet.

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INS NIREEKSHAK makes port call in Colombo

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

The Indian Navy Ship (INS) NIREEKSHAK arrived in Sri Lanka for Operational Turnaround (OTR) and a training visit on 21 Apr 26.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship at the port of Colombo in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

Commanded by, Commander Sailesh Kumar Tyagi, this Diving Support Vessel is set to conduct a training programme with the diving professionals of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The crew is also scheduled to participate in several activities organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit some tourist attractions within the country.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts

Published

10 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities

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Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake

Published

11 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).

The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.

Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:

01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)

02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)

03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)

04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See

05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan

06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait

Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.