News
Foreign Minister thanks outgoing Seychelles HC
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena complemented outgoing High Commissioner of Seychelles in Colombo, Conrad Vincent Mederic, for his outstanding and significant contributions towards enhancing Sri Lanka- Seychelles relations during his tenure, including the Presidential visits in 2017 and 2018, as the first High Commissioner of Seychelles to Sri Lanka.
While acknowledging the staunch support extended by Seychelles to Sri Lanka in the realm of multilateral and international fora, Foreign Minister Gunawardena reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhance close collaboration in areas of trade, agriculture, medical tourism, blue economy, hospitality, financial sector and information technology.
Outgoing High Commissioner Mederic called on Foreign Minister Gunawardena at the Foreign Ministry last week.
While offering New Year greetings to the people of Sri Lanka from the President and the Foreign Minister of Seychelles, High Commissioner Mederic underlined the importance of fruitful cooperation between Sri Lanka and Seychelles which has a huge potential to reach new heights in the post-Covid world.
The High Commissioner also apprised the opportunities open for Sri Lankan professionals and skilled workers in Seychelles in numerous fields such as in education, health, financial and tourism sectors.
The High Commissioner also commended on the state of the art service rendered by hospitality and health industries of Sri Lanka by which several people of Seychelles benefit annually.
Foreign Minister Gunawardena assured the envoy the early resumption of medical tourism for the Seychelles people. The Foreign Minister and the High Commissioner also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest including the Covid-19 pandemic, maritime security, human trafficking, drug smuggling and transnational crimes.
Despite the closure of the High Commission of Seychelles in Colombo due to economic constraints posed by the Covid crisis, the High Commissioner handed over a letter to the Foreign Minister seeking permission to appoint a Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka.
As Indian Ocean nations, both parties agreed to consolidate the existing relations embracing new areas of cooperation in the years ahead.
Accepting deposits from political parties and independent groups who intend to contest the forthcoming Local Authorities Election ended at 12noon today [19].
Deposits were accepted at respective District Secretariats from 3rd March 2025.
The Elections Commission has announced that the deadline for the accepting of nominations for the LA poll is set to conclude at 12:00 noon tomorrow (20).
It has been reported that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19),
The former IGP had been evading arrest after the Matara Magistrate’s court had ordered his arrest regarding a shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel Pelena, Weligama, Matara, in 2023.
The government has begun recovering funds obtained by former Lands and Land Development, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister SM Chandrasena for the Janatha Lanka Chilli Marketing Limited (JLCML), which he headed, Parliament was informed yesterday.
Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation Minister Namal Karunaratne said that as the Chairman of JLCML, Chandrasena had obtained a loan of Rs. 1,275,000 from the Mihintale Govijana Seva Bank in 2001.
The principal of the loan had not been repaid until the end of last year. “After we came to power, we demanded that the loan be settled. Then, we discovered that the interest on the loan had not been paid for the past 24 years, and attempts had been made to have the loan written off. We stopped that and are now in the process of recovering the interest of Rs. 1,975,233 on the loan,” Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne added that JLCML was registered as a company with the Registrar of Companies on March 21, 2001. As Chairman of the company, Chandrasena requested a loan of Rs. 10 million on April 19, 2001, for the purpose of purchasing chillies from farmers in 12 farmer colonies in the Mihintale Agrarian Service area.
The request was approved by the Mihintale Agrarian Service Committee on the same day and referred to the Anuradhapura District Agrarian Operations Committee, which approved it on April 23, 2001. However, the Agriculture Development Commissioner General recommended that a loan of Rs. 1.2 million would suffice for this purpose. JLCML took the loan and failed to repay it until the end of last year. When the matter was raised, the principal was paid, and we are now in the process of recovering the interest that was not paid for the past 24 years,” Karunaratne added.
By Saman Indrajith
Accepting deposits for Local Authorities Election concludes
At least 12 dead in Honduras plane crash
Putin agrees in Trump call to pause Ukraine energy attacks but no full ceasefire
-
Foreign News4 days agoSearch continues in Dominican Republic for missing student Sudiksha Konanki
-
Features7 days agoRichard de Zoysa at 67
-
Features4 days agoThe Royal-Thomian and its Timeless Charm
-
News5 days agoDPMC unveils brand-new Bajaj three-wheeler
-
Features4 days ago‘Thomia’: Richard Simon’s Masterpiece
-
Features7 days agoSL Navy helping save kidneys
-
Sports2 days agoSri Lanka to compete against USA, Jamaica in relay finals
-
Features6 days agoWomen’s struggles and men’s unions