News

Finance Committee: Monetary Board insulted Parliament; SBJ calls for action against ‘culprits’

Published

4 years ago

2022/03/25

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Amidst A deepening financial crisis that prompted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to summon an All Party Conference (APC) on Wednesday (23) to discuss ways and means of addressing the issues at hand, the Monetary Board has skipped a meeting called by the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) yesterday (24) to inquire into current developments.

The CoPF alleged that the meeting previously scheduled to be held last Monday (21) had been re-fixed for Thursday (24) on a request made by the Central Bank.

However, at the last moment, the Central Bank had informed the CoPF that the entire Monetary Board couldn’t attend the meeting as board member S. R. Attygalle, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance was to hold discussions with the World Bank.

The Monetary Board consists of Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal (ex-officio), Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle (ex-officio) , President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena, Dr. Rani Jayamaha and Samantha Kumarasinghe.

CoPF Chairman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa , MP, has said that this should be brought to the notice of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. The Chairman has said so after several members of the watchdog committee alleged the Monetary Board insulted Parliament. The members present on the occasion included State Ministers, Indika Anuruddha and Kanchana Wijesekera and MPs, Vijitha Herath, Prof. Ranjith Bandara, Nalin Fernando, Dr. Harsha de Silva and Mujibur Rahuman.

The CoPF declared that the Monetary Board would be called again on April 01.

Recently, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dr. W.A. Wijewardena in a brief interview with The Island asserted that the country wouldn’t have in the current predicament if the Central Bank floated the Rupee in April 2021 during the tenure of Prof W.D. Lakshman as the Governor of the Central Bank.

Dr. Harsha de Silva questioned the circumstances the Monetary Board skipped yesterday’s meet summoned by the CoPF. Lawmaker de Silva said that the Parliament was informed by fax at 10.45 am informing their inability to come. The former UNP State Minister said that as the financial crisis could only be dealt in Parliament there was no purpose in having conferences. The lawmaker was referring to the APC held at the Janadhipathi Mandiraya on Wednesday. Declaring that the President has no power to formulate law, MP de Silva said that the members of the Monetary Board disrespected Parliament. They do not have a right to do so. If they do not heed summons from Parliament what is the purpose in having a Parliament at all, the SJB MP said.

The SJB boycotted Wednesday’s APC chaired by President Rajapaksa. Declaring that the Parliament couldn’t allow this to happen, MP de Silva pointed out that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, too, didn’t attend the Parliament. The FM missed parliament for three months, the MP said. A State Bank has defaulted today. The government should inquire into this. The MP lambasted that government policy that has endangered the entire banking system. The MP lambasted the Governor and top officials for the rapidly crisis. The former State Minister dismissed APC talks asserting that there was no purpose in the whole exercising.

The Monetary Board couldn’t be allowed to act contrary to the Constitution.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]