News
Women worst affected by economic downturn due to govt. bungling – JVP women’s front
by Saman Indrajith
Women are undergoing untold hardships due to the economic downturn while the ruling party politicians were helping themselves to public funds, says the JVP women wing.
Addressing the media at the JVP headquarters in Pelawatte, Secretary of the JVP-led Women for Rights Municipal Council Member Samanmalee Gunasinghe said: “The government is further aggravating the situation with its short-sighted solutions. It has no solutions to the burning problems the people are beset with. Many essentials are in short supply. There are protests against the shortage of fertiliser, cement, milk powder, cooking gas, and imported raw materials for local industries.
“The Trade Minister promised to make rice freely available at Rs 100 a kilo. Thereafter the government promised to bring rice from abroad. They vowed to control the rice mafia. Now, a kilo of rice sells at Rs 170-180. There is no price control, and traders and millers are exploiting the public. The rice shortage is due to the government’s botched fertiliser experiment. The government promised organic food and is importing food items produced with agrochemicals.
“Housewives suffer because of erratic power cuts. There is no gas and those who use electricity for cooking purposes are in trouble due to power outages. One minister says that he could import fuel if there are dollars. The other minister says that he could give electricity if he gets fuel.
“The President vows to import electric vehicles while the country is facing power cuts. Children cannot do their studies and factory workers are out of jobs during the hours of power cuts. The government should consider that the GCE advanced level exam is drawing closer and stop power cuts enabling the children to continue their studies.
President of WFR, Sarojini Savithri Paul Raj said: Acute shortage of food, medicine and essential commodities are experienced all over the country. Shops are without flour and other food items, hospitals do not have medicine, even private pharmacies do not have some types of medicine for elderly as well as infants. Freight containers carrying essentials are held up at the Colombo Port due to the dollar shortage. At this rate is it only wishful thinking that we will be able to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
WFR Ex-Co member Subhashini Wickremasinghe also addressed the press.
A budget provision of Rs. 14,400 million has been allocated to the Sri Lanka Transport Board for the purchase of 600 new standard buses with 49-54 seats under the Government Investment program in the year 2026.
After allocation of said provisions, ‘the Road Safety Plan -2025-2026’ has been introduced.
Under the aforementioned plan, the buses used for passenger transport have been identified as safe vehicles. Accordingly, the minimum specifications of the buses suitable for intercity and long-distance services have been identified. According to these specifications, Delux model (air-conditioned) buses should be used for the intercity and long-distance services.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Acting Minister of Transport,
Highways, and Urban Development to take further steps to purchase more comfortable Deluxe model (air-conditioned) buses rather than the standard model new 600 buses for which provisions have already been allocated.
News
Protection of Historical, Cultural, and Traditional Intellectual Property related to the Kandy Esala Perahera
The Committee on Development and Intellectual Property of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has initiated a project called “Promotion of Festival Tourism Development
through Intellectual Property.” The objective of this project is to increase the capacity of cultural festival organizers in the beneficiary countries to use intellectual property rights for the development of festival tourism while respecting local traditions and cultural heritage.
It has been identified the appropriateness to submit a project proposal for the protection of historical, cultural, and traditional property rights related to the Kandy Esala Perahera, comprising traditional art models and knowledge that have been passed down through the centuries.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution submitted by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development to appoint a committee comprising all relevant parties under the co-partnership of the
Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development and the Minister of Buddhism, Religious Affairs, and Cultural Affairs to prepare and submit the relevant project proposal aimed at protecting intellectual property rights of the historical, cultural, and traditional identity and values of Kandy Esala Perahera, with special attention toward ‘Protection of Publication Rights’ and ‘Trademarks and Brand Names.
The Road Development Authority is responsible for the construction, rehabilitation, improvement, maintenance, and management of the national highway systems, which include A and B grade roads, expressways, and related bridges.
Requests have been made by District Coordination Committees and other institutions to take necessary steps to take over the roads that are not under the management of the Road Development Authority and other authorities, that require urgent rehabilitation by the Road Development Authority.
60 roads that are under the Provincial Councils and other Local Government Institutions have been identified.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to appoint a committee of officials comprising representatives from the following institutions to forward the recommendations relevant to the rehabilitation of the aforementioned roads.
• Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development
• Ministry of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development
• Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Council, and Local Government
• Finance Commission
• A Chief Secretary to a Provincial Council
• Department of Management Services
• Road Development Authority
• A General Manager of a Provincial Road Development Authority
Purchase of 600 buses for intercity / long distance services of the Sri Lanka Transport Board
Protection of Historical, Cultural, and Traditional Intellectual Property related to the Kandy Esala Perahera
Development of roads which are not under the Road Development Authority
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