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TNA says Emergency spells great danger to country

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has raised concerns over President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s decision to declare a State of Emergency.
“This spells a great danger to the country,” TNA MP M. A Sumanthiran said, making a statement in a video clip released to the media.
He said that the move is an “unwarranted act” and could lead to a state of repression in the country. There had to be a separate law for public health emergency, he added.
The government had chosen to use the Public Security Ordinance instead of passing a Bill in Parliament for the relevant purpose, Sumanthiran said.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday enforced emergency regulations on five essential items.
The President’s Office said that under the powers vested in terms of the section II of the Public Security Ordinance, President Rajapaksa had declared emergency regulations formulated as per section V on essential food supply, with effect from midnight Monday, by enforcing directives under section II of the Ordinance.
Sumanthiran said: “This is an unwarranted act and this could lead to greater repression in the country. This is the reason why we have been saying that we must have a separate law for public health emergency. Although Parliament has been in existence for over a year, this has not been done by the government.
Even when a private member bill was introduced, although recently they said that they will pass it, the government has chosen to go for Public Security Ordinance rules. This spells great danger to the country, because after this it would be the President’s rules by himself making, regulations under the Public Security Ordinance, emergency regulations and that will surpass the considerations of health or even food supplies to the community. In any case there was no danger of essential food supplies being disrupted to the community as at present.”
News
Cabinet nod for new Commercial High Court

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to establish a new Commercial High Court to ensure expeditious disposal of the existing backlog of commercial matters.
The new Commercial High Court will be established at No.80, Justice Avenue, Colombo 12
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219.72 Hectares of land in Siyambalanduwa to be acquired and leased to Sustainable Energy Authority

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Power and Energy on the recommendation of the Ministry of Tourism and Lands, to acquire 219.72 hectares of land in Siyambalanduwa Divisional Secretariat Division of Monaragala District and lease the relevant extent of land on a long-term lease basis for a period of 25 years to the Sustainable Energy Authority, with relevant provisions to enable sub-leasing to a selected renewable energy developer.
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Chemicals to be regulated to prevent misuse

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Defense to make arrangements to regulate chemicals that could be misused, and to transfer the said regulatory role to the National Authority for the Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Among the large number of different chemicals that are used in the country for peaceful purposes such as industrial, agricultural, medical and research activities it has been observed that among those chemicals, chemicals like Nitric acid, Chlorine, Hydrogen Peroxide, Potassium Cyanide, sodium cyanide, Nitro Methane and Sodium Azide are of dual use nature which can be used in many different industries such as milk, beverages, oil-related industries, water purification etc. can be used for harmful activities that threaten national security.
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