Divers ring in Sinhala and Tamil New Year beneath the waves
In a groundbreaking celebration, the Malima Diving Club of the Sri Lanka Navy Malima Hospitality Services (MHS), in collaboration with the Navy Diving Unit, marked the Sinhala and Tamil New Year with a unique underwater festival at Trincomalee.

This first-of-its-kind event saw divers performing traditional cultural rituals and engaging in folk games beneath the waves, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

The celebration aimed not only to celebrate the rich heritage of Sri Lanka’s Sinhala and Tamil communities but also to highlight the
potential of Sri Lanka’s pristine waters as a premier diving destination.

The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) yesterday extended its appreciation to the government and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for their engagement in addressing the recent announcement of US tariffs.

JAAF in a statement commended the action taken by the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, whose timely negotiations with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and offers made by President AKD in his formal communications with President Donald Trump, have played a critical role in safeguarding the industry.

It said: “Thanks to these efforts, it is likely that Sri Lanka will be included in the 90-day pause, providing much-needed stability and confidence for the export sector. These efforts are a strong indication of the government’s commitment to protecting Sri Lanka’s export industries and would be instrumental in protecting livelihoods and maintaining confidence across the sector.

It is important that the fast and decisive action already initiated is continued so we can finalize a beneficial trade arrangement with the United States that extends beyond the 90 day pause period.”

School administration had been severely affected by the irregular appointment of acting principals under previous governments, Parliament was told on Wednesday.

Responding to questions raised by the Opposition during the ‘Ask the PM’ session, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said the current government had decided to implement a standardised policy and procedure for appointing principals across all schools.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya said the previous government had made the process of appointing school principals chaotic.

“Without a proper procedure, acting principals were appointed. This left the school administration system in disarray. We are now following a proper process in line with existing regulations, to rectify the situation. Principals are appointed to all national schools and vacancies are filled in a proper manner.

The Prime Minister also addressed concerns related to the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Institute of Indigenous Medicine.

“Several issues were identified based on written and verbal complaints received from various parties. An expert committee has been appointed to conduct a formal and analytical investigation. Discussions were held with both academic staff and students, and several key concerns emerged during the initial meetings,” she said, adding that the Gampaha Wickramarachchi Institute of Indigenous Medicine had been upgraded to university status without basic facilities.

“New faculties and degree programmes were introduced without adequate human resources or infrastructure. Moreover, beyond its core focus on indigenous medicine, programs in technology, social sciences, and management were established,” the Prime Minister said.

She said that a formal committee had been appointed to investigate the matter and prepare a report with recommendations for appropriate action.