News
Ranil stays put as UNP leader
Vajira new Chairman, Ravi, Naveen not among new office-bearers
No decision yet on NL slot
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The UNP Working Committee yesterday (13) unanimously appointed former Galle District lawmaker Vajira Abeywardena the party Chairman.
The WC met at Sirikotha under the leadership of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. The meeting lasted for about one hour.
Abeywardena succeeded Kabir Hashim, who switched his allegiance to the then UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa in the run-up to the last parliamentary polls in August 2020, which they contested from the new party they formed, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya.
Premadasa now leads the breakaway UNP faction SJB, which was immediately recognised by the Election Commission.
Among other key appointments WC reached consensus on were Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, General Secretary Range Bandara, Assistant Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Treasurer attorney-at-law Misbah??, Senior Deputy Chairman former minister D.M. Swaminathan and three Deputy Chairpersons, former ministers Sagala Ratnayake, Daya Gamage and Sunethra Ranasinghe.
However, defeated Colombo District candidate at the last parliamentary election Ranil Wickremesinghe retained the leadership, while the party still refrained from naming its solitary National List MP though some sections of the media speculated that former Gampaha District MP and former State Defence Minister Wijewardena would receive it. Ironically the newly formed breakaway rival SJB won 54 seats, including seven National List slots.
Sagala Ratnayake did not contest the last general election.
Interestingly former MP Navin Dissanayake, who served as the National Organizer of the party is not among those who received appointments yesterday. Former Assistant Leader Ravi Karunanayake, too, had been left out, political sources said, pointing out that former minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne was also not among the recipients of positions in the party.
Other appointments were Deputy General Secretary Nalaka Kolonne, Assistant Secretary former lawmaker Anoma Gamage, Chairman policy and research former Minister and ex-Ambassador in China Karunasena Kodituwakku, Legal Secretary Nissanka Nanayakkara, PC, international affairs and Local Government former MP Sandith Samarasinghe and head of Finance Committee former lawmaker Ananda Kularatna.
Abeywardena, the first UNPer from the South to receive the Chairmanship entered parliament in 1994 after having served three terms as a Southern provincial Councillor since 1988. Abeywardena retained his parliamentary seat till his defeat at the last general election in which the party failed to win a single seat. The UNP is yet to reach consensus on its single National List slot.
Political sources said that the post of the National Organizer remained vacant and there was likelihood of the party reaching an understanding with the former minister Navin Dissanayake????. Sources said that in spite of some disagreements, efforts to re-build the party were continuing.
Nestle has issued a global recall of some baby formula products over concerns they contain a toxin which can cause food poisoning.
The food and drink giant said specific batches of its SMA infant formula and follow-on formula were not safe to be fed to babies.
The batches were sold across the world, Nestle said, and they potentially contain cereulide, which can trigger nausea and vomiting when consumed.
The company said there had been no confirmed reports of illness associated with the products, but was recalling them “out of an abundance of caution”.
“The safety and wellbeing of babies is our absolute priority,” Nestle said. “We sincerely apologise for any concern or inconvenience caused to parents, caregivers, and customers.”
The company confirmed to the BBC that the recall was global. Affected products were sold in several European countries, including France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Sweden.
It stressed that all other Nestle products and batches of the same products that have not been recalled are safe to consume.
Nestle promised refunds for customers and said the problem was caused by an ingredient provided by one of its suppliers.
Nestle France said it was carrying out a “preventive and voluntary recall” of certain batches of its Guigoz and Nidal infant formulas.
In Germany, the formula products are called Beba and Alfamino.
Batch numbers of the affected products in the UK can be found on Nestle’s UK website, or through food.gov.uk.
Customers are advised to look for the corresponding code on the base of the tin or box for powdered formulas or the base of the outer box and on the side or top of the container for ready-to-feed formulas.
Cereulide is a toxin produced by some strains of the Bacillus cereus bacteria that can cause food poisoning symptoms, which can be quick to develop and include vomiting and stomach cramps.
It is unlikely to be deactivated or destroyed by cooking, using boiling water or when making the infant milk, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) warned.
The FSA’s head of incidents, Jane Rawling, said parents, guardians and caregivers should not feed infants or young children the affected products.
She added: “I want to reassure parents, guardians and caregivers that we are taking urgent action, helping to ensure all of the affected product is removed from sale as a precaution.
“If you have fed this product to a baby and have any concerns about potential health impact, you should seek advice from healthcare professionals by contacting your GP or calling NHS 111.”
[BBC]
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to award the contract for printing and supplying vehicle number plates for the Department of Motor Traffic for a period of five (5) years to M/s South Asian Technologies based on the recommendations of the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board.
The National Lotteries board has been established subject to the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963. Having identified the requirement of amending that act which was imposed around 62 years to cater the current requirements of the lottery market, the Cabinet of Mnisters at their meeting held on 14.02.2017 granted approval to draft a new bill for the purpose.
Accordingly, the National Lotteries Board has recognized further amendments to be performed to the fundamental draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the
resolution furnished by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to direct the Legal Draftsmen to finalize the formulation of the draft bill for the National Lotteries Board as soon as possible including the proposed new amendments as well.
Selfies and smiles: South Korea seeks ‘new phase’ in ties with China
Nestle issues global recall of some baby formula products over toxin fears
M/s South Asian Technologies awarded contract to supply vehicle number plates
A new act for National Lotteries Board to be introduced
Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 to be amended
Mrs. P. K. L. S. Panduwawala appointed to the post of Surveyor General
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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