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Kiriella asks for his share of credit for Central Highway project
By Saman Indrajith
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella on Tuesday (18) said that the government should be ashamed of taking the credit for the construction of the 41-km long second phase of the Central Expressway by building only a four-kilometre stretch of it.
Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo, MP Kiriella said that the yahapalana government had completed 37 out of 41 km stretch of the Central Expressway from Mirigama to Kurunegala. “It is shameful that the government was showing off it as their work. They did not even mention that we almost completed the construction except for four kilometres,” he said.
Kiriella said that when the yahapalana government came to power in 2015 not even an inch of land had been surveyed to construct the stretch from Kadawatha to Galagedara. “After we came to power we planned the expressway from Kadawatha to Galagedara in three phases. We had 20,000 plots of lands surveyed, acquired them and also paid compensation to their owners. Thereafter when the construction began. It was I who spoke for the need to give the contract to local contractors. In that manner, for the first time in expressway constructing history, we gave the contract for the section from Mirigama to Kurunegala to a local contractor. We could have completed the work if not for the constitutional coup that lasted 52 days in 2018.
“We had finished 37 km of the 41 km long expressway. The present government took two and a half years to complete the remaining four kilometres. It is shameful that they did not even thank the yahaplana government for constructing 37 kilometres. The government has nothing to show today. Last Sunday, it opened several projects in Kandy that had been completed by our government. It was on my request that a recreation park was constructed by the former minister Champika Ranawaka near the Dalada Mailgawa. Last Sunday, the government ministers declared it open as if they had done it.
“In 2014, the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa laid foundation stones at several places to construct the Central Expressway but did nothing more than that. Not even an inch of land had been surveyed. It was the yahapalana government that had to pay compensations for that,” said the former Highways Minister Kiriella.
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Landslide early warnings issued to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya extended till 8AM on Sunday (21)
The Landslide Early Warning Centre of the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has extended the Landslide Early Warning issued to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya till 08:00AM on Sunday (21st December 2025)
The LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secetaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Medadumbara, Doluwa, Ududumbara and Minipe in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna, Hanguranketha, Mathurata and
Walapane have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have also been issued to the Divisional Secetaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Passara, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Lunugala and Kandeketiya in the Badulla district, Thumpane, Harispattuwa, Udapalatha, Kundasale, Akurana, Poojapitiya, Udunuwara, Pathadumbara, Pasbage Korale, Gangawata Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Yatinuwara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Panvila, Pathahewaheta and Deltota in the Kandy district, Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, Ukuwela, Naula, Matale, Ambanganga Korale, Rattota, Pallepola, Wilgamuwa, Yatawatta and Laggala Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara-Eliya in the Nuwara-Eliya district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secetaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Haputhale, Haldummulla, Ella and
Bandarawela in the Badulla district, Alawwa, Mallawapitiya,
Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kurunegala district, and Kothmale East, Ambagamuwa Korale, Kothmale West, Thalawakele and Norwood in the Nuwara-Eliya district.
News
PM says govt. will introduce a new Constitution to abolish executive presidency
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya yesterday sad that the Executive Presidency would be abolished, in line with the NPP’s election manifesto.
Speaking in Parliament, in response to a question raised under Standing Order 27/2 by Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, the Prime Minister said the abolition would take place through a proposed new Constitution.
She added that preliminary work on drafting the new Constitution had already begun, with previous committee reports and other proposals being studied to guide the process.
“A concept paper on the draft will be presented to the Cabinet,” Amarasuriya said, noting that a formal study has been initiated on abolishing the Executive Presidency.
She said that the move cannot be implemented without introducing a new Constitution.
News
Opposition Leader rises in defence of Dr. Bellana
Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday that the suspension of duties imposed on Dr. Rukshan Bellana, Deputy Director of the National Hospital, amounted to a violation of his fundamental rights.
Raising the issue during parliamentary proceedings, Premadasa, who is also the SJB Leader, questioned the decision to suspend the senior medical officer for issuing a statement to the media, particularly on matters relating to children’s medicines.
He said health was a fundamental right and noted that two children had reportedly died, stressing that the focus should be on accountability over the incident rather than penalising a medical professional for speaking out.
Premadasa criticised the authorities for suspending Dr. Bellana solely for communicating with the media, asking whether such action constituted justice for families who had lost their children.The Opposition Leader said silencing officials, who raise concerns, undermines fundamental rights and does not address the underlying issues related to patient safety and public health.
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