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Parliament tells SLC bigwigs to go home

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By Saman Indrajith

Parliament yesterday unanimously resolved to oust the incumbent office -bearers Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).At the end of the debate on a motion moved and seconded by both sides of the House, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena inquired whether it should be put to a vote.

However, since the MPs of both sides were in favour of the motion, there was no need for a vote to be taken.

The JVP-led NPP MPs were not present in the Chamber at the time. Its MP Vijitha Herath earlier in the day endorsed action taken by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe to sack the incumbent officials of SLC.

Only 142 out of 225 MPs were present in the House. Of the 142 MPs, 83 were from the government ranks while 59 were from the opposition.

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday that (SLC) had placed itself above the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.

Moving a motion for a resolution seeking the expulsion of incumbent SLC administrators, Premadasa said that all 225 MPs must take the lead in a campaign to save the game of cricket from corrupt officials. “Time has come to stop the underworld, drug kingpins and cronies of politicians calling the shots at the SLC. We must establish a caucus of MPs in parliament only for cricket,” Premadasa said.

The resolution said: “That this Parliament resolves that the current officials including the Chairman of the corrupt Sri Lanka Cricket should resign forthwith, and that a new legislation should be passed as an Act of Parliament in view of maintaining a corruption-free and transparent cricket administration.”

Seconding the motion Ports and Aviation Services Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the officials of the SLC should step down as it was the public opinion. “Whether they are right or wrong, they should resign if the public opinion demands so. The SLC officials should understand that time has come for them to step down without further complicating the prevailing crisis,” the Minister said.

Chief Government Whip Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the debate would set an example for both government and the opposition to work together to find solutions to national problems. “In the same manner we could come together and work for the benefit of this country. We thank the Leader of the Opposition for moving this motion in a manner that we all could join in this effort,” the minister said.

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the Cabinet Subcommittee was ready to work in cooperation with the Sports minister to cleanse Sri Lanka cricket. The Cabinet subcommittee is not there for the purposes of selecting the coaches or players.



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Landslide RED warnings issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya extended up to 1600 hrs today [07]

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The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued  landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Matara, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 16:00 hrs on 06.12.2025 to 16:00 hrs on 07.12.2025.

Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED  warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pathadumbara, Kundasale, Pathahewaheta, Panvila, Medadumbara, Doluwa, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kandy district, Thumpane, Udunuwara, Deltota, Ganga Ihala Korale, Pasbage Korale, Yatinuwara, Hatharaliyadda, Ududumbara, Minipe, Udapalatha, Gangawata Korale, Akurana, Poojapitiya and Harispattuwa in the Kegalle district, Alawwa, Rideegama, Polgahawela, Mallawapitiya and Mawathagama inthe Kurunegala district, Ukuwela, Naula, Yatawatta, Laggala Pallegama, Pallepola, Matale, Rattota, Ambanganga Korale and Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Hanguranketha, Mathurata, Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district

LEVEL II AMBER warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Ella, Welimada, Haputhale, Lunugala, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale West, Norwood, Ambagamuwa Korale, Thalawakele, Kothmale East and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Godakawela, Kahawaththa and Kolonna  in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I YELLOW warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of  Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colonbo district, Elpitiya and Yakkalamulla in the Galle district, Mirigama, Divulapitiya and Attanagalla  in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya, Bulathsinhala and Horana in the Kalutara district, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, Bibile and Medagama in the Monaragala district, and Kuruwita, Balangoda, Eheliyagoda, Pelmadulla, Kaltota, Kalawana, Openayake, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Elapatha, Ratnapura and Kiriella in the Ratnapura district.

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618 dead, 209 missing as at 2000hrs on Saturday [06]

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The Situation Report issued by the Disaster Management Center [DMC] at 2000hrs on Saturday [06] confirms that 607 persons have died due to the recent flooding and landslides while another 209 persons were missing.

The death toll in the Kandy district which one of the most affected districts has risen to 232, and 1800 houses have  been fully damaged.The number of missing persons reported is 81

100,124 persons belonging to 29,874 families were being housed at  990 safety centers established by the government.

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Opposition blames govt. inaction for severity of disaster impact

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The government’s failure to act on expert warnings, including advance forecasts on Cyclone Ditwah, had led to the worsening of disaster impact, Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, said at a press conference in Colombo yesterday.

Gammanpila accused the NPP government of ignoring 14 key preventive measures, despite alerts from the Meteorology Department, foreign experts, and the media.

Gammanpila said the government had failed to lower the water levels in reservoirs, dredge estuaries, and deploy the armed forces for canal maintenance. Local government bodies were reportedly sidelined, and that led to a delay in cleaning of drains. He said the government had also failed to evacuate people in a timely manner from seven districts identified by the National Building Research Organisation as landslide-prone. It had delayed declaring emergencies or curfews and the deployment of tri-forces to evacuate people in such areas.

Gammanpila said an experienced public official should have been appointed as Secretary to the President to mobilise the state machinery swiftly during the disaster. He said the government had not convened the National Disaster Council.

“These failures worsened the disaster, causing immense hardship, disruption, and loss of life and property to the people,” Gammanpila said.

The government has denied the Opposition’s claims.

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