Category: News

Opposition unites to demand LG Polls

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Local Government Elections and the Government’s attempt to prevent it. (The Morning 12-03-2023) Treasury Secy.’s absence at EC meeting criticised, EC asked for fresh date Secy. Siriwardana outlines four issues regarding attending EC’s meeting EC informed by Treasury Secy. that letter on funds passed on to Minister Dolawatte raises privileges issue against SC, Speaker requested to inquire The Election Commission (EC) last week decided on 25 April as the new date to conduct the Local Government (LG) Polls, in keeping with the Supreme Court’s recent and related order following a…

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RW Govt. gears up to finalise IMF deal

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RW Govt. gears up to finalise IMF deal (The Morning 12-03-2023) China’s latest assurance on SL debt restructuring brings IMF deal closer Govt.-India in agreement to extend $ 1 b credit line by a few months As Sri Lanka nears the one-year mark of last year’s Aragalaya people’s power protest campaign, the country’s economic revival seems to be finally on track with the appreciation of the Sri Lankan Rupee and economic activities showing positive signs following news of the proposed International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal likely to be finalised this…

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Trinco Oil Farm- and related issues

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Trinco Oil Farm- and related issues (From The Island 8-03-2023)  New move on Trinco oil tank farm Having participated at the China Bay parade, President Wickremesinghe, accompanied by National Security Advisor and Chief of Presidential Staff, Sagala Ratnayake, and several others, including Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, toured the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm, consisting originally of 100 tanks, situated in 827 acres of land. The tank No. 91, however, was destroyed in Japanese air attacks, launched by ship-borne bombers, and attack aircraft, during World War 11. President Wickremesinghe is…

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Semasinghe’s request on privilege issue raised over SC interim order on LG polls

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Semasinghe’s request on privilege issue raised over SC interim order on LG polls (Adaderana 10-03-2023) State Minister Shehan Semasinghe has requested the Deputy Speaker of Parliament to instruct relevant authorities not to act on the interim order issued by the Supreme Court regarding the 2023 Local Government polls until the inquiry carried out by the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges comes to an end. Furthermore, he also asked the letter sent to the Finance Minister by the Election Commission Chairman, to be referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges. The state…

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IMF chief welcomes Sri Lanka’s progress in taking policy actions, securing creditor assurances

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IMF chief welcomes Sri Lanka’s progress in taking policy actions, securing creditor assurances (Adederana 8- 03-2023) The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has welcomed the progress made by the Sri Lankan authorities in taking decisive policy actions and obtaining financial assurances from all major creditors including China, India and the Paris Club. In a statement, Kristalina Georgieva said she looks forward to presenting the IMG-supported program to the organization’s Executive Board on March 20. “The Extended Fund Facility (EFF) will support the authorities’ program of ambitious reforms,…

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Tamil parties in the North reject HRCSL’s ‘homegrown’ recommendations

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Tamil parties in the North reject HRCSL’s ‘homegrown’ recommendations The Morning (7-03-2023) TMTK’s Wiggy and TNA’s Sumanthiran say HRCSL has portrayed Northern demands inaccurately Responding to the recent recommendations made by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) that the Northern people are agreeable to an internal mechanism provided that the Truth Commission comprises members of competency and integrity, Tamil political parties in the Northern Province stated yesterday (6) that this does not fairly correspond to what the people in the North have been saying and noted that no…

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Indian fishermen issue: Permit talk gathers flak across the board

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Indian fishermen issue: Permit talk gathers flak across the board Move will violate sovereignty and affect all Sri Lankan fishermen: Annarasa Fisherfolk against this move, prepared to protest in the streets: NAFSO  A step back from progress made to resolve issue: Kadirgamar No decision taken to issue permits, only a proposal: Ministry  A proposal by the Government to permit Indian fishermen to fish in Sri Lankan waters has received widespread condemnation from Sri Lanka’s fishing community as well as from civil society groups.  The criticism comes as coastal fishermen, especially…

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Sri Lanka remains open to discussions with UNHRC – Sri Lanka’s UN envoy

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Sri Lanka remains open to discussions with UNHRC – Sri Lanka’s UN envoy Sri Lanka has once again expressed the country’s objection to resolution 51/1 adopted against the island nation by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in October last year. During a recent general meeting at the 52nd session of the UNHRC, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva Himalee Arunathilaka has noted that such resolutions are unhelpful to the people of Sri Lanka and will fail to serve the objective of promoting reconciliation…

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All Opposition parties demand EC hold election by 19 March

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All Opposition parties demand EC hold election by 19 March (The Morning 6-03-2023) NPP, SJB, SLFP, TNA unite in letter to Election Commission Say no need to consult Treasury Secretary after Supreme Court order All main Opposition parties – namely the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), National People’s Power (NPP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), and breakaway factions of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) – jointly wrote to the Election Commission (EC) yesterday (5), demanding that the…

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Local Government elections. What happens next??

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LG Polls funding: Treasury to abide by Court order ( The Morning 5- 03- 2023) Following the interim order issued by the Supreme Court on Friday (3) preventing the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance from withholding the funds allocated through the 2023 Budget for the Local Government (LG) Polls, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said the ministry would respect and act according to the decision. “We should abide by the court decision. It is our responsibility. Therefore, as the Finance Ministry, we respect the decision and will act…

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