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JVP defends Facebook and social media against state muscling

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JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing media yesterday

 

By Saman Indrajith

The JVP yesterday alleged that the government had chosen to muscle Facebook and social media instead of controlling the prices of essential food items.

 JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte said: “The government should be controlling the prices of essential goods in the market. But it has allowed traders to fleece consumers and is busy devising ways and means of throttling social media.

“The government has total control over almost all media. In that context, social media is the only means left to the people to know the truth. A large number of Lankan civil society members, citizens and activists are using social media and people access them because they have lost faith in the mainstream media owing to government control. For example, the issue of Justice Minister Ali Sabry shifting his office to a new premise at a cost of Rs 17 million has been raised by social media. It is thanks to social media that waste of public funds was prevented. Social media has become a headache to the government. That is why Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella is trying to introduce regulations to social media use in this country. We condemn this undemocratic act. We call on people to line up with us against the government’s plans to muscle social media.”

The JVP leader said that Facebook and social media platforms had created a positive space for public conversation that did not exist before in the country. “Social media help share stories and comment on current affairs. It is in this context Minister Rambukwella, announced the registration of social media users in the country. This move is a crackdown on freedom of expression of the citizens.”

 

 



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Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation plague most schools, say Principals

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By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakkone and Chaminda Silva

Around 500 schools across the country lack access to safe drinking water for students, Piyasiri Fernando, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Principals’ Association, has said.

Fernando told The Island that a significant number of schools did not have facilities to store water properly. He said many schools lacked sanitary facilities.

Fernando also noted that in some schools in the Eastern, North Central, Uva, North Western, and Central provinces, as well as in approximately 20% of schools located near coastal areas, there are no proper toilet facilities. Despite the issuance of circulars specifying the number of toilets to be built, based on the number of students, some schools still did not have sanitary facilities as per those guidelines, the Secretary of the Principals’ Association said.

According to the School Census -2023 (2024) conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics there were 3,882,688 schoolchildren, 830,021 in National Schools and 3,052,667 in Provincial Schools.

Out of 10,096 schools, 1,506 have 1-50 students, 1,638 have 51-100 students and 2,128 have 101-200 students. Only 67 schools have 3,001-4,000 students, while only 33 have more than 4,000 students. 3,117 or 30.9 percent schools have fewer than 10 teachers.

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Julie meets Namal at SLPP HQ

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Rajapaksa and Kariyawasam with Ambassador Chung

US Ambassador, Julie Chung, visited the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) office on Friday (14) for discussions with party representatives.

Ambassador Chung arrived at the SLPP Headquarters around 10:00 a.m. and engaged in talks for over an hour and a half. Her visit followed a request by the SLPP to meet her.

During the meeting, she held discussions with SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, former Members of Parliament Sanjeewa Edirimanne, C.B. Ratnayake, and Jayantha Ketagoda, as well as current MP D.V. Chanaka. Milinda Rajapaksha, an advisor to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was also present.

The visit comes amid calls from SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa for an investigation into USAID fund recipients in Sri Lanka.

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Speaker agrees to probe allegations of ‘unethical funding’ by USAID

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Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne

By Saman Indrajith

Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne informed Parliament on Friday (14) that he intended to take necessary action regarding requests made by MPs concerning allegations over USAID funding in Sri Lanka.

He made this statement in response to a question raised by Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, who sought a clarification on the matter.

Jayasekara noted that SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa had sent a letter to the Speaker calling for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate reports about unethical USAID funding in the country. He questioned whether such a committee would be formed and the matter formally examined.

In response, Speaker Wickramaratne confirmed that he was planning to take appropriate action on the issue.

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