News
Vasu on the importance of holding PC polls soon
By Sirimantha Ratnasekera
Water Supplies Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara says that the government has decided to hold the elections to the provincial councils as soon as possible to elect representatives who are responsible to the people.
Speaking to the media after an inspection tour of the Ratmalana Main Store and Workshop of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board on Tuesday, the Minister said people in the country expect governance in three strata. “The first tier of government is the Executive and the legislature. The second tire is provincial councils and the third is the local government bodies.
He said that the former government had suffered from an election phobia and kept postponing elections to the provincial councils. “The provincial councils do not function because they do not have elected members. We intend to remedy this situation by holding elections and allowing people to decide whom they should need to rule them at the provincial level. We cannot let this further delay.”
When it was pointed out by a journalist that several ministers in the present government had pointed out that the provincial councils were a white elephant and they should be abolished, Minister Nanayakkara said: “Each has his or her own opinion. Provincial councils are not a white elephant. There could be some shortcomings. We are planning to strengthen the auditing process in the provincial councils and bring in new laws to make them strong bodies of governance.”
Chairman of the NWSDB D.J. Samaraisnghe, General Manager P.R.R. Karunaratne, Director H.M.R. Kiriella and water board officials were also present on the occasion
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will undertake a four-day state visit to Vietnam on 03 May, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said. Since the presidential election, President Dissanayake has so far visited India, China and the UAE.
The 5th annual Sri Lanka-Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue commenced on Monday (April 28) in Islamabad, Pakistan, marking a continued commitment to strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations.
The MoD statement: “The Sri Lankan delegation is led by Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha accompanied by Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and Additional Secretary (Defence) of the Ministry of Defence Jayantha Edirisinghe. The Pakistani delegation is headed by Lieutenant General (retd.) Muhammad Ali, Secretary Defence of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
In conjunction with the on-going defence dialogue, Defence Secretary Thuyacontha held a side-line meeting yesterday (April 29) with Defence Minister of Pakistan, Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
These high-level engagements aim to enhance bilateral cooperation, foster mutual understanding on regional security dynamics and explore opportunities for defence collaboration. Both nations share a longstanding relationship rooted in mutual respect and strategic cooperation. The dialogue reflects the growing importance of partnerships in maintaining stability and promoting peace in the South Asian region.
The three-day dialogue, which concludes today (April 30), is expected to reinforce bilateral defence ties and contribute to broader regional security objectives.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), conducted a two day seminar on disarmament for Sri Lanka Foreign Service Officers on 25 and 26 April, 2025 at the Ministry. The text of the FM statement: “Over 40 officers, based in Colombo, attended the workshop physically while over 60 officers, attached to Sri Lanka Missions abroad, followed the Seminar virtually.
Director of UNIDIR, Dr. Robin Geiss, Senior Researcher at the UNIDIR Security and Technology Programme, Dr. Dongyoun Cho, and Associate of Political Affairs, Ms. Fanny Sebban of UNIDIR, conducted the Seminar as resource personnel. They shared their expertise and perspectives on the global disarmament landscape and evolving threats to international peace and security, etc.
Director of UNIDIR, Dr. Robin Geiss, called on Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and discussed closer cooperation between the Ministry and UNIDIR.
The Human Resource Development, Research & Training Division and the United Nations and Human Rights Division of the Ministry organised the Seminar initiated by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva.”
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