News
Stalin claims police being used to intimidate principals
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin yesterday asked the police to stop calling principals asking whether they would turn up at schools on 21 October, because principals and teachers would return to school only on 25 October.Stalin said that the government had attempted to undermine their strike from day one, but all attempts had failed miserably.”Initially, they tried to pit the people against the principals and teachers. Then they carried out a systematic mudslinging campaign against the union leaders. Then they unleashed B Grade politicians to intimidate us. All its attempts having failed, now the government is using the police to intimidate us.”During the past few days policemen had been calling principals and teachers asking whether they would report for work on Thursday, Stalin said. Some henchmen of politicians, too, had started calling principals and teachers.”We would like to tell them not to waste their time. We are coming back only on 25 Oct. The law and order situation is deteriorating every day, shouldn’t the police worry about that?” he asked. Meanwhile, Vice President of the Graduate Principals’ Association, Pradeep Jayasinghe, said that some government politicians were playing good cop – bad cop. “Senior ministers, like Dullas Alahapperuma, strike a conciliatory note while MPs like S.B. DIssanayaka and Janaka Tissakuttiarachchi are threatening teachers’ ‘, he said.”We have shown that we are not afraid of threats,” he said.The representatives of the Principals’ and Teachers’ unions met the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Prof. Kapila Perera, yesterday, and handed over letter to him with a road map. The unions said that the schools should reopen in a systematic manner, and politicians should stop threatening teachers.
News
President Anura Kumara Disanayake holds discussions with Secretary of the Communist Party of China for Sichuan Province
President Anura Kumara Disanayake, who was on a four-day state visit to China, met with Wang Xiaohui, Secretary of the Communist Party of China for Sichuan Province, this morning (17).
Chengdu, one of the happiest cities in China, is the capital of Sichuan Province and a leading city where the blend of cultural heritage and development harmoniously flourishes, offering its residents a high quality of life.
During the discussions, both sides explored the potential to elevate economic, trade, cultural, tourism, and intergovernmental relations between Sichuan and Sri Lanka to new heights. Sichuan’s significant achievements in various sectors, including energy, were acknowledged, and the President invited the Secretary of the Sichuan province to share their expertise and success stories with Sri Lanka.
President Disanayake emphasized that Sri Lanka is currently on a path to economic stabilization under a transparent and investor-friendly administration. He noted that the country is at a critical political turning point, with the current government empowered by a two-thirds majority granted by a united population from the north, east, west, and south. The government is fully committed to meeting the expectations placed upon it by its citizens.
Additionally, the President underscored Sri Lanka’s attractiveness as a destination for Chinese tourists and extended a warm invitation to the people of Sichuan to visit the island and experience its exceptional hospitality.
Joining the discussions were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath and Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake.
[PMD]
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL)’s Director of Communications Jayanath Herath announced that the PUCL has decided to reduce electricity tariffs by an average amount of 20% overall for a six month period with effect from midnight today (17)
Accordingly, tariffs have been reduced by 29% for consumers who consume less than 30 units of electricity in the domestic sector.
The consumers who consume between 31 – 60 units of electricity in the domestic sector will receive a 28% reduction of the tariff.
The consumers who consume between 61 – 90 units of electricity in the domestic sector will receive a 19% reduction of the tariff
The consumers who consume between 91 – 180 units of electricity in the domestic sector will receive a 18% reduction of the tariff
The tariff reduction for Government Institution is 11%, Religious Institutions is 21% , factories is 30% and for hotels is 31%
News
Chief observer of the Election Observation Mission of the European Union (EU) Meets Prime Minister
José Ignacio Sánchez Amor, Chief Observer of the Election Observation Mission of the European Union (EU) and Member of the European Parliament, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday [16th January].
Carmen Moreno, Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka, and the Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka, accompanied Mr. Sánchez Amor. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office also participated in the meeting.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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