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Ex-SLAF officer elected Mayor of a Welsh town

Published

2 years ago

2023/07/2

Thilina Walpola

Pontypridd Town Mayor, Councilor Desmond Paul and Mayor’s Consort,, Mrs. Anoma Paul

By Sujeeva Nivunhella
reporting from London

Councilor Desmond Paul of Sri Lankan origin was elected Pontypridd Town Mayor recently at the Annual General Meeting of Pontypridd Town Council. Desmond represents the Treforest Ward and is a member of the Welsh Labour group.

Former Flight Lieutenant in the Air Force in Sri Lanka, Commanding Officer in charge of re-establishing the Sri Lankan Air Force operational division in Koggala moved to London in 1985 and worked as a chief security officer for British Airways. After two years, he moved to Wales at the request of his sister who was living there at the time. He started his own business in Treforest – Desmond’s Newsagents, which he ran for 35 years.

Talking to Sunday Island, the Mayor of Pontypridd, South Wales, Desmond Paul said, “I want to do something significant to help the community. I’m supporting three charities as Mayor. First, I want to do something to help end homelessness in the area, to help all those who are vulnerable, young and old to have a better life. So I’m supporting the homelessness charity The Wallich.

“I’m also supporting the MND Association, a charity that helps people with motor neuron disease. I particularly want to support this charity as my cousin, Ramesh Vethanayagam, has recently been diagnosed, He is only 60-years old and is now in a wheelchair. So raising as much as possible and being able to donate something to that charity is a priority.

“My third charity is Cerebral Palsy Cymru, and that is in support of my grandson Isaac Paul. My son has twins who were born prematurely, and Isaac has had a lot of complications. He’s been helped a lot by this charity, who have helped to improve his health.

“Also, as I’m a veteran of the Air Force, I will be supporting the Armed Forces veterans. I’m an active member of Valley Veterans RCT and the Royal Welsh Veterans, Caerphilly branch and I will do whatever I can to support veterans as well as my main charities.

“I’m going to do whatever I can to leave a legacy from my time as Mayor. I’m so proud to be the first Sri Lankan Mayor of Pontypridd.”

He said that he was happy that his wife, Anoma Paul, has agreed to become Mayor Consort.

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Our government has reaffirmed its commitment to breaking barriers that limit women’s full participation in the economy, recognizing their vital role in national development. – Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

Published

14 hours ago

2025/03/15

Priyan

“Women play a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s economic and social development. Yet, despite their immense contribution, structural barriers continue to limit their full participation in the economy. Our government is committed to breaking these barriers by fostering an inclusive economic environment where women can thrive as business leaders, entrepreneurs, and exporters.” Said Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

The Prime Minister made this statement while addressing the launching the She Trades Sri Lanka Hub funded by the UK’s She Trades Commonwealth+ Program held at Galle face Hotel in Colombo on March 14 organized by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

While addressing the audience, the Prime minister stated, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to breaking barriers that limit women’s full participation in the economy, recognizing their vital role in national development. Emphasizing gender-inclusive policies, financial inclusion, and access to global markets, authorities are prioritizing support for women-led businesses in key sectors such as ICT, agribusiness, and engineering.

A new initiative will establish 200 women-led cooperatives, fostering supportive environments for female entrepreneurs. Additionally, efforts to strengthen childcare, elderly care, and disability services aim to reduce the burdens that limit women’s economic participation.

A dedicated platform has been launched to provide women entrepreneurs with knowledge, networking, and international trade opportunities. Strengthening public-private partnerships and expanding global market access are key strategies to create an inclusive and sustainable trade ecosystem.

By equipping women with the necessary skills, financial resources, and digital trade access, the government aims to ensure that women entrepreneurs become key drivers of economic growth, aligning with broader policies for inclusive and sustainable development.

The event was attended by Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Center, His Excellency Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Officials from the International Trade Center and the British High Commission in Sri Lanka, Chairman of the Export Development Board Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe and Officials from Export Development Board and International Trade Centre and woman Entrepreneurs.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Batalanda Commission report tabled … finally

Published

20 hours ago

2025/03/15

Thilina Walpola

by Saman Indrajith

TheBatalanda Presidential Co-mission report was tabled in Parliament yesterday (14) by the Leader of the House and Transport Minister, Bimal Ratnayake.

Minister Ratnayake announced that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for legal advice. Additionally, a Presidential Committee will be appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on how to proceed with the findings of the report.

Ratnayake said that the Cabinet-of-Ministers, along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a policy decision to take necessary action in response to the report. He reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure that such a dark chapter in the country’s history is never repeated.

Minister Ratnayake said that a two-day debate on the Batalanda Commission report will be scheduled in Parliament at an appropriate time, allowing for a detailed discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations.

The report, which will be printed in all three official languages—Sinhala, Tamil, and English—will be made available to the public in the near future. Ratnayake confirmed that printed copies would be provided to Members of Parliament, as well as the general public, for review.

The Leader of the House revealed that there are 28 evidence volumes associated with the Commission’s work, which will be submitted to Parliament at a later date for further scrutiny.

Ratnayake said that as the entire country is concerned about the findings of the Batalanda Commission, the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised, and preventing future atrocities, stands clear. The next steps, including legal action and policy recommendations, will be shaped by expert advice and informed parliamentary discussions, he said.

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COPE finds fake documents submitted for emergency procurement of drugs

Published

20 hours ago

2025/03/15

Thilina Walpola

The Parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that there were fake documents regarding the importing of medicines under the emergency procurement system in 2022 and 2023.

This was revealed during a COPE meeting held at Parliament probing the transactions of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA).

NMRA CEO Saveen Semage told the Committee that several fake documents have been found due to the lack of registration of medicines.

Stating that six such fake documents were found last year alone, Saveen Semage said he had recorded statements regarding each of the documents with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division.

He revealed that, however, no investigations have been conducted yet into the incidents.

“We have documents with confessions from a woman accepting that fake documents had been made. However, a statement has not even been recorded from that woman yet,” he said.

Meanwhile, COPE member MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana also revealed that the highest number of waive-off registrations (WOR) for medicines had been obtained in 2022 and 2023.

He said 656 waive-off registrations (WOR) had been obtained in 2022 and 261 in 2023, adding that this proves that discrepancies have taken place during the emergency procurement of medicines during these periods.

Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. G. Wijesuriya, said discussions are underway on allowing the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to directly import essential medicines.He pointed out that it was essential to take a policy decision in this regard as a solution to mitigate such discrepancies.