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Tamil leaders should support President’s efforts to forge national unity – State Minister
State Minister of Trade S. Viyalanderan says Tamil political leaders should cooperate with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and take advantage of his flexible approach to achieve national unity and address the challenges faced by the Tamil population.
Addressing the media at the Presidential Media Centre on Tuesday (17), the Minister said that people experienced economic difficulties in the past few years though the situation was much better now.
The State Minister further elaborated: “The country is gradually emerging from its economic downturn, but the process is not yet complete. We cannot claim that the financial burden on the people has been entirely lifted. However, considerable progress has been made in mitigating the hardships faced by the people during the preceding economic crisis. Further measures are required to alleviate these hardships.
“Relevant ministries, led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, are diligently working towards this objective. The effort must be on-going and highly efficient, requiring collective engagement. As the Minister of State overseeing this matter, it is our responsibility to further reduce the prices of essential commodities in the country.
“The escalation in the cost of essential goods directly impacts the everyday lives of the people. Thus, it is imperative to lower the prices of commodities to meet the public’s expectations.
Recognizing this, the Ministry of Commerce is taking decisive steps to ensure the availability of essential goods at affordable prices.
“Despite price reductions in many essential goods, certain traders have yet to adjust their pricing. Some items continue to be sold at higher rates. Consequently, we have instructed the officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority to initiate legal action against those responsible.
“In addition to economic challenges, we are actively working to find resolutions to the ethnic issues and foster national harmony. In this context, President Wickremesinghe has convened multiple rounds of discussions with members of both the ruling and Opposition parties, both inside and outside Parliament, to deliberate on matters, such as the 13th Amendment and related topics. These discussions are on-going, with diverse opinions being voiced. However, our commitment remains to meet the expectations of the people.
“It is worth noting that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed a Tamil person as the Governor of the Eastern Province for the first time. We express gratitude to the President for this significant step.
“The current President is particularly dedicated to addressing the concerns of the Tamil community and President Wickremesinghe’s flexibility provides an opportunity for Tamil leaders to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve our issues. This should be regarded as their shared responsibility.
“We must actively involve Tamil leaders and civil society activists in discussions concerning our challenges. This process must be expedited.
“It is essential to acknowledge that, within the brief period available, we have initiated numerous projects. Furthermore, we will continue implementing development initiatives, including road construction, bridge projects and improvements in agriculture and fisheries, as well as enhancing the livelihoods of our citizens.
Measures have also been taken to combat unauthorized sand mining in the Eastern Province, with a focus on environmental preservation and resource conservation.”
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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