News
President: People will decide whether he contests next presidential election or not

People of the country would decide whether he would contest the next presidential election, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said, on Saturday, addressing a Gama Samaga Pilisandara programme at Walapone, Nuwara-Eliya.
“Before thinking of the next term, I must think about what I have to do now. There is still a long way to go.”
The people had appointed him for 60 months and only 14 months had elapsed, the President said. He was planning to develop rural areas during the rest of his tenure, he added. “We can’t only think about developing the urban centres. I have never destroyed the environment. When I was the Defence Secretary I established parks, built tanks, protected the wetlands; this is how I protected the environment.”
President Rajapaksa said that under him Vihara Maha Devi Park had been given a facelift and recently, a group of youth had tried to place a large billboard there and damage the environment.
“I stopped posters and billboards being put up in Colombo, he said.
The President added that a number of media institutions had been attacking the government unfairly. While he had not taken any action against such institutions, he had the capacity and laws to do so, he said.
“Media freedom is not what media owners want to do. We can’t let media owners rule the country. I haven’t done anything so far but if push comes to shove, I know what to do. Between 2015 and 2019 also around 1,000 acres of forests were destroyed but no one said anything abouy the forest destruction.”
News
Cabinet gives green light to develop Sigiriya as a sustainable tourism destination

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the combined proposal presented by the Minister of Tourism and Lands and the Minister of Buddhasashana, Cultural and Religious Affairs to prepare a Master Plan to develop Sigiriya as a sustainable tourist destination with the contribution of all relevant parties.
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Cabinet approves incorporation of the Sri Lanka Institute of Agriculture

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture to incorporate the Sri Lanka Institute of Agriculture, which currently has more than 1000 agricultural professionals as members, and to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare the bill for the same, so that the quality of service and ethics of the agricultural professionals can be widely, efficiently and effectively ensured.
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Vesak week from 2nd to 8th May 2023

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs to declare the Vesak week from 02.05.2023 to 08.05.2023 and to implement various religious and social programmes during the period
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