News
Ranil’s demand leads to heated exchange between govt. and Opposition
by Saman Indrajith
A heated argument ensued in Parliament yesterday following a demand by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe that the government table the Yugadanavi agreement and the report of the Glasgow Summit attended by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The UNP leader said Sinhala and Tamil translations of the documents should be made available.
“Several parties have not yet seen the Yugadanavi agreement and we want to study it prior to making our observations,” he said.
Leader of the House and Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena: “The COP20 summit held in Glasgow is a very important event and the President not only participated in it but also carried out part of the responsibility as the co-lead. However, as it was issued in English, we will first table the English document in Parliament and thereafter the two translations.”
Minister Gunawardena said that the relevant minister would table the Yugadanavi agreement in Parliament in the near future.
Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the subject minister had given an incomplete answer. “In fact, it was said in public by several ministers that the Yugadanavi agreement had not been presented to the Cabinet. A government minister himself has said so.”
Minister Gunawardena said that as the subject minister had given a response, there was no need to drag the matter further as 50 questions remained to be answered.
UNP leader Wickremesinghe said that as several parties needed to make decisions based on the contents of those reports, they had to be tabled in Parliament.
Minister Gunawardena: “If these documents were required urgently, a meeting of the Consultative Committee could be summoned and the Speaker could then issue an order under standing orders to make them available to you within 48 hours.”
News
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
The book “Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” ,authored by Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mahinda Siriwardana, was officially launched this morning (08) at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, with the participation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
The first copy of the publication was formally presented to President Disanayake by Mr. Siriwardana during the event.
It has been reported that former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pilleyan’ has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
A meeting between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and senior officials of SriLankan Airlines was held this afternoon (April 8) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The discussions mainly focused on proposals to transform SriLankan Airlines into a more profitable state-owned enterprise. Special attention was also given to possible short-term and long-term solutions for the airline’s debt management.
The talks further explored new investment opportunities for the airline. The President instructed the officials to take all necessary steps to transform SriLankan Airlines into a profit-making entity.
Although the airline has recorded operational profits, due to past mismanagement and poor decision-making, it remains one of the leading loss-making state enterprises. The current government has decided to reverse the previous administration’s decision to privatize the airline. Instead, it plans to continue operating it as the national carrier while introducing a new management structure to ensure its profitability moving forward.
Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, President’s Senior Advisor Duminda Hulangamuwa, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Sarath Ganegoda along with several senior officials of SriLankan Airlines, were present at the meeting.
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
Former state minister arrested by CID
President meets with senior officials of SriLankan Airlines
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