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Sajith deserves Tamil votes – GL

Published

9 months ago

2024/06/17

Thilina Walpola

Prof. G. L. Peiris

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Dissident SLPP MP and former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has said in Jaffna that SJB leader Sajith Premadasa does not make promises he cannot keep.Prof. Peiris emphasized that the SJB leader made pledges only after careful consideration. He was in Jaffna to promote Premadasa’s candidature at the forthcoming Presidential Poll expected to be conducted in Sept/Oct this year.

Premadasa recently declared in Kilinochchi that he would fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Subsequently, Premadasa also held talks with a top TNA delegation and reiterated his assurance. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, too, have made similar promises.

Premadasa won all polling divisions in the North at the last presidential election conducted in Nov. 2019, though he lost the election by a substantial margin to SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Declaring that Premadasa was the candidate who could address the grievances of the Northerners and grant them their aspirations, Prof. Peiris said that in addition to credibility, the electorate should pay attention to his assurance to tackle waste, corruption and mismanagement and two major initiatives-Sakwala (in aid of schools) and Husma (in support of hospitals) conducted for the benefit of the masses.

Prof. Peiris said that the SJB leader was determined to hold the Provincial Council elections as soon as possible. He reiterated Premadasa’s commitment to conduct the PC polls within six months following the presidential election.

Prof. Peiris said: “Sajith Premadasa has been very pragmatic, very practical in identifying his priorities. He regards the whole country as one. And diversity in ethnicity, religion, in culture to him is a great source of strength. It adds to the vitality of our nation. It is not a source of weakness. It is not a source of problems. But it is a resource to be exploited in full in carrying our country forward at a challenging time.”

Underscoring the responsibility on the part of the government, PCs and Local Government institutions all act in unison for the benefit of the people, Prof. Peiris said that approximately 40% of the funds that had been allocated to PCs weren’t utilised and returned to the Treasury due to the failure on the part of PCs to use those allocations for the benefit of people. “The money was allocated. Money was physically there. But the PCs didn’t have the capability and the capacity to spend those resources for the wellbeing of the people. So, there is a dire need to strengthen these structures. And this will be one of our priority objectives of the Sajith Premadasa administration.”

Recollecting his role in the late Ranasinghe Premadasa’s Presidential Commission on Youth, Prof. Peiris said that the new administration would address the issue of unemployment earnestly.

The former minister also dealt with the agricultural sector and Sajith Premadasa’s plans to give it a mega boost.

Prof. Peiris said that the Opposition had submitted to the Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera a comprehensive piece of legislation to combat corruption and bring back Sri Lanka’s stolen assets stashed away oveseas.

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Our government has reaffirmed its commitment to breaking barriers that limit women’s full participation in the economy, recognizing their vital role in national development. – Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

Published

3 hours ago

2025/03/15

Priyan

“Women play a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s economic and social development. Yet, despite their immense contribution, structural barriers continue to limit their full participation in the economy. Our government is committed to breaking these barriers by fostering an inclusive economic environment where women can thrive as business leaders, entrepreneurs, and exporters.” Said Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya

The Prime Minister made this statement while addressing the launching the She Trades Sri Lanka Hub funded by the UK’s She Trades Commonwealth+ Program held at Galle face Hotel in Colombo on March 14 organized by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).

While addressing the audience, the Prime minister stated, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to breaking barriers that limit women’s full participation in the economy, recognizing their vital role in national development. Emphasizing gender-inclusive policies, financial inclusion, and access to global markets, authorities are prioritizing support for women-led businesses in key sectors such as ICT, agribusiness, and engineering.

A new initiative will establish 200 women-led cooperatives, fostering supportive environments for female entrepreneurs. Additionally, efforts to strengthen childcare, elderly care, and disability services aim to reduce the burdens that limit women’s economic participation.

A dedicated platform has been launched to provide women entrepreneurs with knowledge, networking, and international trade opportunities. Strengthening public-private partnerships and expanding global market access are key strategies to create an inclusive and sustainable trade ecosystem.

By equipping women with the necessary skills, financial resources, and digital trade access, the government aims to ensure that women entrepreneurs become key drivers of economic growth, aligning with broader policies for inclusive and sustainable development.

The event was attended by Ms. Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Center, His Excellency Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Officials from the International Trade Center and the British High Commission in Sri Lanka, Chairman of the Export Development Board Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe and Officials from Export Development Board and International Trade Centre and woman Entrepreneurs.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Batalanda Commission report tabled … finally

Published

8 hours ago

2025/03/15

Thilina Walpola

by Saman Indrajith

TheBatalanda Presidential Co-mission report was tabled in Parliament yesterday (14) by the Leader of the House and Transport Minister, Bimal Ratnayake.

Minister Ratnayake announced that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for legal advice. Additionally, a Presidential Committee will be appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on how to proceed with the findings of the report.

Ratnayake said that the Cabinet-of-Ministers, along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a policy decision to take necessary action in response to the report. He reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure that such a dark chapter in the country’s history is never repeated.

Minister Ratnayake said that a two-day debate on the Batalanda Commission report will be scheduled in Parliament at an appropriate time, allowing for a detailed discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations.

The report, which will be printed in all three official languages—Sinhala, Tamil, and English—will be made available to the public in the near future. Ratnayake confirmed that printed copies would be provided to Members of Parliament, as well as the general public, for review.

The Leader of the House revealed that there are 28 evidence volumes associated with the Commission’s work, which will be submitted to Parliament at a later date for further scrutiny.

Ratnayake said that as the entire country is concerned about the findings of the Batalanda Commission, the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised, and preventing future atrocities, stands clear. The next steps, including legal action and policy recommendations, will be shaped by expert advice and informed parliamentary discussions, he said.

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COPE finds fake documents submitted for emergency procurement of drugs

Published

8 hours ago

2025/03/15

Thilina Walpola

The Parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that there were fake documents regarding the importing of medicines under the emergency procurement system in 2022 and 2023.

This was revealed during a COPE meeting held at Parliament probing the transactions of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA).

NMRA CEO Saveen Semage told the Committee that several fake documents have been found due to the lack of registration of medicines.

Stating that six such fake documents were found last year alone, Saveen Semage said he had recorded statements regarding each of the documents with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division.

He revealed that, however, no investigations have been conducted yet into the incidents.

“We have documents with confessions from a woman accepting that fake documents had been made. However, a statement has not even been recorded from that woman yet,” he said.

Meanwhile, COPE member MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana also revealed that the highest number of waive-off registrations (WOR) for medicines had been obtained in 2022 and 2023.

He said 656 waive-off registrations (WOR) had been obtained in 2022 and 261 in 2023, adding that this proves that discrepancies have taken place during the emergency procurement of medicines during these periods.

Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. G. Wijesuriya, said discussions are underway on allowing the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to directly import essential medicines.He pointed out that it was essential to take a policy decision in this regard as a solution to mitigate such discrepancies.