News
Foreign Minister reaffirms Sri Lanka’s commitment to Commonwealth
Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris last week reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s active commitment to dialogue and engagement with the Commonwealth at a virtual meeting with the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland in New York.
Peiris recalled that Sri Lanka as a founding member of the Commonwealth remains proactive and committed to the values, principles and objectives of the Organization and looks forward to further collaboration with the Commonwealth in a number of areas including commerce, education, vocational training and climate change, a foreing ministry news release said.
Sri Lanka has been successful in Mangrove restoration and has emerged as a Commonwealth Blue Charter leader and recently initiated a “climate and green economy” focusing on food security- centric agricultural production and renewable energy, it said.
The Commonwealth is a celebration of diversity with all of its Member States enjoying a common objective, making it unique and exhilarating. All of its Members have the advantage of a common law background but have followed different avenues of development.
He also briefed Secretary-General Scotland on the steps taken by local institutions in the country with respect to reconciliation. This is an on going process, and the country requires sufficient space for the local institutions to deliver on their mandates. The work done by these institutions cannot be replaced or taken over by external bodies.
Referring to the ad-hoc mechanism that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is trying to establish, he stated that this is not acceptable to Sri Lanka and not in line with the spirit and letters of the UN Charter, the release added.
Secretary-General Scotland warmly recalled her visits to Sri Lanka in 2018 and 2019 and appreciated the close engagement that Sri Lanka has consistently maintained with the Commonwealth. She thanked Sri Lanka for hosting the Commonwealth Law Ministers Conference in 2019 and stated that the Commonwealth appreciates Sri Lanka’s continued collaboration with the Commonwealth in a wide spectrum of areas including trade, sports, youth and countering violent extremism.
As one of the 54 Member States of the Commonwealth SL hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2013.
It was decided at the cabinet meeting held on 18-12-2024 to appoint an officers’ committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary to the Prime Minister for submission of a report after reviewing non-commercial
institutions owned by the government. The appointed committee has already reviewed 160 institutions, and it has been decided to obtain the assistance of a subcommittee comprising the members in the field for reviewing 36 higher education centers, including the universities.
The following recommendations have been submitted by classifying 124 institutions under 09 categories, except this institution.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Prime Minister to implement the aforesaid recommendations.
The Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 03 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, during a special operation conducted in the northern sea area off the Delft Island, Jaffna on the night of 17 Mar 25.
Taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen, the Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing boats, trespassing into island waters.
The seized boat and the three Indian fishermen were brought to the KKS Harbour and they will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mailadi, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings
News
Police under greater pressure to track down IGP on the run as CA rejects bid to stay arrest order
Having dismissed the writ petition filed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon on the run, the Court of Appeal yesterday (17) ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest him and produce him in Court.
The IGP sought an interim injunction to prevent the execution of the arrest order issued by the Matara Magistrate’s Court on February 28 against him in connection with the shooting incident that took place in Weligama, Matara, on Dec, 31, 2023.
The Court of Appeal bench, comprising its Acting President Justice Mohamed Lafar Tahir and Justice Sarath Dissanayake dismissed the petition without a hearing.
The petition filed by Tennakoon before the Court of Appeal was earlier taken up for consideration on March 12 but the decision was put off to March 17.
The IGP’s legal team made a last minute bid to prevent an arrest order by submitting a motion requesting an opportunity to submit additional documents related to the case.
However, in terms of an agreement between the Attorney General (AG) and the counsel of six other policemen implicated in the Weligama shooting, the AG ordered the CID not to arrest the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) and five other policemen implicated in the case.
Cabinet nod to review report on non-commercial institutions owned by the Government
Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in Northern waters
Allen, Seifert and bowlers combine to hand NZ 2-0 lead in rain-shortened contest
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