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PC polls further delayed; new draft Constitution likely before June

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By Shamindra Ferdinando

SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (5) indicated that the much-delayed Provincial Council polls couldn’t be conduct in a hurry.

Prof. Peiris, who also holds the education portfolio, told the weekly SLPP briefing at Battaramulla that a consensus among those political parties represented in Parliament regarding PC polls could be finalized perhaps in five to six months.

The declaration was made in the wake of a group of influential monks demanding that the PC polls be put off until the Parliament agreed on a new Constitution as promised in the run-up to the last presidential and parliamentary polls in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Referring to a Supreme Court ruling that PC polls couldn’t be conducted until enactment of a new law in that regard, one-time External Affairs Minister explained how the process could take up to six months.

At the onset of the briefing Minister Peiris said that the government wanted to review election laws pertaining to presidential, parliamentary, PC and LG polls. The minister said that later in the day House Leader and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was to introduce a motion for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for the purpose. Such a PSC, comprising 15 government and opposition members, would examine relevant election laws, the academic said.

Prof. Peiris said that a nine-member expert committee headed by Romesh de Silva, PC, was busy working on the proposed new draft Constitution. The Minister said that the government expected to receive it before June. Earlier, the expert committee asserted it could finalize the draft before Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Minister Peiris said that a consensus to do away with the preferential voting system could be reached soon as the vast majority considered the system inimical to parliamentary democracy. Prof. Peiris asserted that the PR system caused quite a serious internal strife among candidates of one party, resulted in corruption and deprived voters of an MP responsible for their electorate.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the first week of March called for early PC polls whereas India underscored the pivotal importance of conducting early PC polls at the recently concluded 46th session of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council.

Prof. Peiris faulted the previous administration for creating a situation that made it impossible for holding of PC polls. PC polls have been delayed by several years due to failure on the part of the parliament to agree on a new electoral system following the abolition of the previous one.



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Navy seize about 11kg and 300g of gold being smuggled via sea

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A special search operation conducted by the Navy in the sea area off the Baththalangunduwa Island, Kalpitiya on 04th January 2025, led to the interception of a dinghy with 03 suspects who were smuggling about 11kg and 300g of gold.

The Navy carries out regular search operations and patrols in the coastal and sea areas around the island, with a view to preventing an assortment of nefarious activities stemming via sea routes.

As an extension of these efforts, a team of Special Boat Squadron attached to SLNS Vijaya was pressed into action, on receipt of information by the Northwestern Naval Command of a gold smuggling racket. Accordingly, naval personnel intercepted the suspicious dinghy off the Baththalangunduwa Island and recovered about 11kg and 300g of gold being smuggled from the country, concealed in the dinghy. The operation also led to the apprehension of 03 suspects in connection to the racket.

The suspects held in this operation were identified as residents of Kalpitiya. Meanwhile, the suspects along with gold will be handed over to the Customs Preventive Office, Katunayake for onward legal action.

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Trump to be sentenced over hush money case but judge signals no jail time

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A judge has ordered that Donald Trump will be sentenced on 10 January in his hush-money case in New York – less than two weeks before he is set to be sworn in as president.

New York Justice Juan Merchan signalled he would not sentence Trump to jail time, probation or a fine, but instead give him an “unconditional discharge”, and wrote in his order that the president-elect could appear in person or virtually for the hearing.

Trump had attempted to use his presidential election victory to have the case against him dismissed.

The president-elect has posted on social media  dismissing the judge’s order as an “illegitimate political attack” and calling the case “nothing but a rigged charade”.

Trump was convicted in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels.

The charges related to attempts to cover up reimbursements to his ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, who in the final days of the 2016 election campaign paid off the adult-film star to remain silent about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.

The president-elect has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty, arguing the case was an attempt to harm his 2024 presidential campaign.

In the post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday Trump said the judge’s sentencing order “goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it”.

Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung earlier called the order part of a “witch hunt”.

“President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the witch hunts,” Cheung said.

“There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”

In his latest motion against the case, Trump had argued the case would hang over him during his presidency and impede his ability to govern.

Justice Merchan said he had been advised of several measures he could employ that could assuage Trump’s concerns about being distracted by a criminal case while serving as president that fell short of the “extreme remedy” of overturning the jury’s verdict.

His options included delaying the sentencing until Trump, 78, leaves the White House in 2029, or guaranteeing a sentence that would not involve prison time.

Trump had initially, and unsuccessfully, argued the case against him ran afoul of a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

In July, the country’s top court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for “official actions” they take while in office.

However, last month Justice Merchan ruled Trump’s hush money conviction was valid.

Trump is currently set to be the first convicted felon to serve in the White House.

He may attempt to appeal against the conviction after the sentencing.

While falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison in the US, there is no minimum sentence and incarceration is not required.

Even before his election victory, legal experts thought it was unlikely Trump would face jail time given his age and his legal record.

Trump has also  been charged in three other state and federal criminal cases,  one involving classified documents and two relating to his alleged efforts to overturn his loss in the election of 2020.

The president-elect was initially scheduled to be sentenced on 26 November, but Justice Merchan pushed the date back after Trump won the presidential election.

[Cricinfo]

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PM highlights need for common education system

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Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is also the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, emphasized the importance of establishing a unified education system for all children in the country under a common examination framework. She stated that education is a priority for the government and plays an important role in driving the nation’s progress.

Speaking at a meeting with provincial education heads at Temple Trees on January 2, the Prime Minister outlined the government’s vision for a transformative era.

She remarked:

“Education is a very sensitive topic. When implementing such a transformation, we must act with agreement and understanding to avoid potential crises. While there may be diverse needs across provinces, we believe that there cannot be significant contradictions in policies. Decisions at the policy level must align with national-level objectives.”

The Prime Minister stressed that education is central to shaping the human resources necessary for the country’s renaissance. She also called for a comprehensive approach to address challenges in the sector, including the need for professional teacher training programs, addressing staff shortages in the Educational Administrative Service, and enhancing nutrition programs for children.

Key stakeholders present at the meeting included Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madura Seneviratne, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthree, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa, Provincial Chief Secretaries, Provincial Education Secretaries, Provincial Education Directors, and other officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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