News
Indian capacity building programme for SL public servants: Second group in Mussoorie for training
A two-week-long capacity building programme for officers of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) at India’s National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) will begin today (13) at Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India. This project is being organized under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India (GoI).
NCGG in partnership with MEA, has imparted training to civil servants of 17 countries, viz. Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Seychelles, Gambia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Eretria, and Cambodia.
The Indian HC in Colombo issued the following statement: “A group of 40 senior civil services officers of the ranks of Director, Senior Deputy Director, Deputy Director, Senior Assistant Secretary, Assistant Secretary, etc., from various GoSL Ministries and Departments, including the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, National Police Commission, Attorney General Department, Sri Lanka Customs, Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization & National Policies and Audit Service Commission, will be attending the programme.
The programme, conducted by NCGG in partnership with MEA, will highlight ways of embracing digital technology for bringing citizens and government closer under the policy maxim of ‘Maximum Governance – Minimum Government’. The primary objective of this programme is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and innovations that have been implemented in India to enhance governance and public service delivery.
The participants will gain exposure to successful initiatives taken in India, including housing to all, leveraging digital technology, disaster management with special reference to coastal regions, health insurance scheme, public private partnerships, GeM: bringing transparency in governance, Making of Aadhar: A tool for good governance, Digital public infrastructure, circular economy and election management. Field visits will also be arranged to enrich the learning experience, offering practical insights into governance and societal dynamics.
Previously, NCGG hosted a capacity building programme for 40 senior civil servants of Sri Lanka from 26 February to 08 March. The NCGG, an autonomous institution under the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India, is committed to action research, studies, and capacity building in public policy and governance at both the national and international levels.”
The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.
The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.
News
Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56
Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.
He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.
Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.
He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.
Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.
Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.
In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during
Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.
After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.
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