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Govt. refuses to answer question on special treatment for Udayanga

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/9

By Saman Indrajith

The Opposition yesterday asked the government whether it would provide all diplomats with the same facilities as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Ukraine Udayanga Weeratunga. The latter refused to answer the question.

SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri said that Weeratunga had now been given accommodation at Temple Trees after his services to the country. Weeratunga’s present address is No 3, Temple Trees, Kollupitiya. Will a career diplomat such as Ravinatha Aryasinha be given the same benefits and facilities? Aryasinha is known as a diplomat who served the country.” MP Wijesiri raised this as a supplementary question to a query he had raised about Aryasinha’s career records.

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that Aryasinha had joined the Foreign Service on Oct 03, 1988. Since then Aryasinha had worked as Assistant Director of the Foreign Ministry, Third Secretary at the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi, Assistant Director (South Asia) at Foreign Ministry, National Information Officer at UN Information Centre, Director (Political Affairs) Foreign Ministry, Ministerial Advisor and then as the Deputy Head of Delegation at Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, Director General (Public Communication) Foreign Ministry, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Belgium, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative at Geneva, Additional Secretary (Economic Affairs) Foreign Ministry, Secretary to the Foreign Ministry and now is in service as Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US in Washington.

MP Wijesiri: Minister’s response shows that Aryasinha had rendered an exemplary service to this country. Will such diplomats such as him be given the same benefits now enjoyed by Weeratunga, who was a diplomat once?

Minister Guanwardena: This question has no relevance. His original question is about Ravinatha Aryasinha. He cannot raise a supplementary question on another person.

MP Wijesiri: There is a concern that positions in the Foreign Service are given on political affiliations and to friends and relatives of political leaders. The positions in the Foreign Service were given only for qualifications and examinations. We hear that system has been changed.

Minister Gunawardena said that there no appointments had been made in the Foreign Service on political relationships. The Foreign Ministry followed the recruitment procedure and the appointments made to the Foreign Service had to get the approval of a Parliamentary ommittee headed by the Speaker of Parliament.

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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya

Published

8 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours commencing at 1200hrs today [08]

Accordingly
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Wilgamuwa in the Matale District, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya District.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Meegahakiwula, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Lunugala, Badulla, Passara, Uva Paranagama and Hali_Ela in the Badulla District, Ambanganga Korale in the Matale District, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya District.

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Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area

Published

14 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

Deep depression Track. [Source: RSMC]

Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area.
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, Department of Meteorology at 10.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 for the period until 10.30 a.m. 09 January 2026

The depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka has intensified into a deep depression and is centered near latitude 5.4°N and longitude 85.3°E, about 420 km southeast of Pottuvil at 05.30 a.m. today (08th). The above system is currently (10:00 a.m.) located about 300 km southeast of Pottuvil.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards across the southwest Bay of Bengal and cross the Sri Lanka coast between Hambantota and Kalmunai between 5.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday [9th January 2026].

Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, NorthCentral, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance from today (08th).

For the Land area:

DAMAGE EXPECTED:
• Damage to huts, temporary shelters and light structures
• Destroy the roof tops/ sheets etc.
• Damage to power and communication lines.
• Breaking of tree branches and uprooting of large avenue trees.
• Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards.
• Damage to harbor yachts
• Flash flood
• Sea water inundation in low lying areas in the near coast.

Action suggested for the Land area:
• Coastal hutment dwellers are advised to move to safer places. Other people in the affected areas to remain indoors.
• People living in hilly areas (particularly landslide prone areas) and low lying areas in river basins are requested to be vigilant.
• Drivers and people using roads in the hilly areas are requested to be vigilant.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• General public is requested to be vigilant regarding impending extreme weather situation.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
• Requested to be attentive about future advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard.

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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas

Published

20 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 08 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The depression over the Bay of Bengal, located to the southeast of Sri Lanka, was centered near latitude 5.3°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 490 km southeast of Pottuvil, at 11:30 p.m. yesterday (07). It is expected to move west-northwestwards and towards the eastern coast of the island during next 24 hours. This system is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours.

Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva, Central and Southern provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the Island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces. Fairly Heavy showers about (50 – 75) mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island.

Strong winds about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over the Eastern slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo and Monaragala districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.