News

SLPP rebels issue warning over labour reforms, question motives of Prez

Published

3 years ago

2023/08/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Prof. G.L.

‘Who takes responsibility for denying two million persons welfare assistance in July?’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The rebel SLPP group yesterday (31) issued a dire warning over government plans to repeal or significantly amend 12 Acts which dealt with both public and private sector workers.

Addressing the media at the Freedom People’s Congress office at Nawala, SLPP National List MP Prof. G. L. Peiris explained how new labour laws could throw both public and private sectors into a turmoil. The former External Affairs Minister said that repealing or making significant amendments to what he called crucial protective legislation -Termination of Employees Act and Shop and Office Employees Act – could be quite devastating.

Prof. Peiris alleged that the proposed labour laws would cause uncertainty among the workers at a time of growing concerns among the vast majority of people over the direction the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government was taking the country.

Prof. Peiris said a primary objective of the labour law reforms was to facilitate the termination of workers.

Alleging the government was doing its best to appease employers at the expense of workers at all levels, the former Minister discussed how the developing crisis in the health sector, disruptions to the provision of Samurdhi benefits caused by the unplanned introduction of Aswesuma social welfare scheme, utterly unfair implementation of domestic debt-restructuring process and new far reaching labour laws affected the entire population.

The former Cabinet colleague of Wickremesinghe accused him of pursuing a heartless strategy regardless of the consequences as he went out of his way to address the concerns of the investors. Referring to a recent declaration by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena, MP, that President Ranil Wickremesinghe should receive 12 more years in the same capacity in appreciation of the miracle he performed, Prof. Peiris claimed that the economy was in a pathetic state. The much-touted Wickremesinghe’s miracle was nothing but a myth, the lawmaker said that the ruination of the health sector was quite sufficient to send the UNP leader home.

The ex-Minister referred to a spate of unfortunate cases reported from government hospitals over the past several months to underscore the failure on the part of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa administration to sustain public sector health services. In spite of the deterioration of health services at an alarming rate, the public and private sector corruption seemed to be continuing unabated. Commenting on the Auditor General initiating investigations into procurement, Prof. Peiris mentioned several high profile corruption cases to highlight brazen acts of misappropriation of public funds.

Prod Peiris asked whether the government expected to suppress the health sector imbroglio by directing the Health Secretary, Director General of Health Services and selected medical administrators to issue statements. The government owed an explanation how it intended to procure life-saving drugs required at government hospitals. The ex-Minister alleged that those at the helm of the health sector resorted to emergency purchases to take advantage at the expense of the government and the people.

Those responsible for the disastrous bid to replace Samurdhi with Aswasuma should resign forthwith, Prof. Peiris said, demanding an explanation regarding two million people being deprived of welfare funds in July. Who would accept responsibility for this crime? the SLPP rebel heavyweight asked. Contrary to various declarations of President Wickremesinghe’s prowess in managing the economy under extremely difficult situations, the country was in a dire situation.

Referring to the recently concluded All-Party Conference (APC), chaired by President Wickremesinghe, close on the heels of his return from New Delhi, Prof. Peiris questioned the rationale in the offer to discuss devolution of power against the backdrop of the UNP leader’s refusal to conduct both Provincial Councils and Local Government polls. Such deliberations were irrelevant in a country where the President interfered with the election calendar.

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News

Amendment to the regulations for registration of Subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) and reregistration of subscriber information related to the SIM cards obtained before 02-08-2019

Published

39 mins ago

2026/02/11

Priyan

As per the provisions of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act No. 25 of 1991, the regulations for registration of subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) No. 01 of 2019 have
been declared on 02-08-2019 and the aforementioned regulations are only applicable for the SIM cards issued after that date.

Therefore, the information on certain subscribers who registered before 02-08-2019 is not available with the telephone operating companies, which has led to problematic situations in certain law investigation activities.

Further, it has been recognized the necessity of amending the regulations appropriate to the current requirements, including the new provisions relevant to the registration of subscribers between the ages of 16 and 17 and the issuance of SIM
cards for foreigners who come to Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Digital Economy, to introduce new regulations providing the provisions for reregistration of the information of the subscribers who have obtained the SIM cards before 02-08-2019 and amending the currently implemented regulations for registration of Subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) No. 01 of 2019.

News

Police open fire on speeding van in Jaffna: 17-year-old driver killed

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

The van shot by the police

Police are investigating the circumstances under which its men, manning a checkpoint, opened fire on a vehicle, killing a 17-year-old boy in Jaffna, in the early hours of yesterday (10).

Police said that they opened fire at a van that ignored orders to stop at the checkpoint. The dead youth was identified as Albino Arul Bias, a resident of Vaddukoddai. Bias was identified as the driver of the vehicle.

Sources said that the incident happened at a checkpoint at the Alaipiddy junction, along the Jaffna–Urkavalthurai road.

After the vehicle was brought to a stop, the teenage boy, who had been inside, was found to have sustained critical gunshot injuries. He was subsequently transported to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital for emergency treatment. Despite medical intervention, he later succumbed to his injuries.

Two other individuals, who were inside the vehicle, have been taken into custody by police. Authorities have stated that one of those arrested is from the Vaddukoddai area, while the other is from Nallur.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Attorney-at-Law, F. U. Wootler said that the men had no option but to open fire as they were suspicious of the vehicle. “The incident happened around 1 am in the morning and their failure to heed the police order couldn’t be justified under any circumstances,” the spokesman said (SF)

News

HRCSL employee protests demanding justice, takes swipe at Presidential Secretariat

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Ayanthini Shiromini protests opposite HRCSL main office at R.A. de Mel Mawatha yesterday (10) pic by Nishan S. Priyantha

‘There is no basis for her accusations’- HRCSL

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Permanent employee of Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Ayanthini Shiromini yesterday (10) protested outside its main office at No 14, R.A. de Mel Mawatha, formerly Duplication road, in a bid to draw the attention of the Presidential Secretariat to her plight.

At the protest site, Shiromini told The Island that she had been relentlessly targeted since 2018 and the situation took a turn for worse in 2023 over her protest against the appointment of a particular member to an internal interview board and an incident pertaining to a complaint lodged against the then IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon.

Responding to a query regarding the 2018 developments, Shiromini said that she met with a near fatal accident in 2014 while engaged in official duty and depended on crutches for eight years and was recommended by a medical board to grant the opportunity for suitable work. Mother of two and post graduate social science in Kelaniya University and human rights at the Colombo University alleged that the HRCSL changed her status regardless of the recommendation made by the medical board.

Having failed to convince the top HRCSL administration to treat her fairly, Shiromi said that she sought the intervention of the Presidential Secretariat in late July 2025 to rectify the problems experienced by her.

She alleged that the Presidential Secretariat sided with the HRCSL and did absolutely nothing. “Instead of taking remedial measures, the Presidential Secretariat sent the file submitted by me against the HRCSL top management back to them. They shouldn’t have done that,” Shiromini said.

Shiromini staged a protest opposite HRCSL main office on the world human rights day on Dec 10, last year to highlight what she called injustice done to her by the HRCSL and the Presidential Secretariat. Shiromi said that she called off the protest after receiving an assurance from the Presidential Secretariat that two committees would be appointed to inquire into issues raised by her. “I had no option but to protest again as the Presidential Secretariat did nothing to address her grievances.”

A top spokesperson for HRCSL said that her allegations didn’t hold legal weight. The Parliamentary Ombudsman inquired into her accusations and the HRCSL fully explained the developments since the 2014 accident that took place in the Balangoda area.

The official said that after the accident she was granted the opportunity to work from home and other relief. “But we couldn’t have continued with the same indefinitely and she reacted angrily after a decision was made to treat her like a normal employee after the recovery,” the official said.

Shiromini has served the HRCSL since 2005. The official strongly denied allegations that Shiromini had been mistreated and harassed by a section of the HRCSL staff. “Of course, there had been a series of clashes with other employees and incidents provoked by the disgruntled worker but the HRCSL tried to address the issues in a systematic way,” the official said.

The official alleged that Shiromini exploited the post-Aragalaya situation for her advantage.

Shiromini said that she intended to continue the protest until the Presidential Secretariat ordered an investigation into the conduct of HRCSL top management. In a lengthy letter addressed to members of parliament, Shiromini named the Presidential Secretariat personnel who mishandled her case.

The HRCSL official said that in spite of her being a long-standing employee of the institution she seemed to be unaware that the President couldn’t appoint a committee to inquire into the HRCSL. “We do not have anything to hide,” the official said, calling the lone protester a quarrelsome employee.