Electoral changes at this juncture: Stabbing with a golden knife-By M.S.M AYUB Source:Dailymirror The claims and doubts of the current Opposition parties that the SLPP led government under President Ranil Wickremesinghe was planning to delay the elections for the local councils that are scheduled to be held early next year are not unfounded. In fact, there are sufficient grounds to believe that government fears elections, what so ever, in light of the hardships faced by the people due to the current economic meltdown President Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 9 made several suggestions to the country’s electoral system during a meeting with a group of professionals at the Presidential Secretariat.    He stated that the number of members in local government bodies should be brought down from the current 8700 to 4000, a referendum should be held to decide the Parliamentary electoral system unless the Parliamentary select committee which is to ...

Read More →

Harsha: Will RW use Emergency to steamroller his economic reforms?-By Saman Indrajith Source:Island SJB MP Harsha de Silva yesterday asked President Ranil Wickremesinghe whether the latter was planning to use Emergency powers to suppress the people who might oppose his economic reform agenda. “It is being asked why the government wants to continue the State of Emergency. The anti-government protesters have gone home. There is no unrest. There are those who say that the President wants to keep the Emergency laws to carry out economic reforms. Does that mean the President will use these laws to scare people into submission if they do not accept his economic reforms? I don’t think people can be intimidated. I want the President to answer this question,” he said. MP de Silva said that the government did not have public support and that it was obvious that the spectre of the Rajapaksas was haunting ...

Read More →

Economic Stability, First Task for New President-by Sugeeswara Senadhira Wednesday’s election of a new President by Parliament marked an important step towards stability as the 50 vote majority received by Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who polled 134 votes in the 225-member House, demonstrated the fullest backing of the legislature. The first task of President Ranil Wickremesinghe is to arrest economic tailspin, which spiraled into political instability and a protest movement since April this year. The new President made a welcome appeal for consensual politics at this crucial hour and it was positively reciprocated by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa as well as the main contender Dullas Alahapperuma. In his recent media interviews, President Ranil Wickremesinghe urged the political parties to put aside their differences and form an All-Party Government which would allow the country to recover from the economic crisis. In an interview earlier this week with CNN, he assured the ...

Read More →

Sri Lanka opposition leader quits presidential run in bid to stymie Wickremesinghe – By Hannah Ellis Sajith Premadasa instead pledges support for splinter faction of ruling party that could upset PM’s bid to become president Source: theguardian.com Sri Lanka’s main opposition leader, Sajith Premadasa, has withdrawn from the presidential race and thrown his support behind a rival candidate, presenting a significant challenge to prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s bid for the executive role. In an announcement made on Tuesday morning, Premadasa said that “for the greater good of my country that I love and the people I cherish, I hereby withdraw my candidacy for the position of president”. Premadasa instead pledged his support for Dullas Alahapperuma, the candidate from a breakaway group of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party (SLPP). The decision to withdraw from the presidential race is believed to be driven in part by the tough political future that ...

Read More →

Cabinet approves to appoint Susanthika as senior adviser to Sports Ministry Source:Dailynews The Cabinet has approved a proposal by Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa to appoint Olympic Medalist Susanthika Jayasinghe as a senior adviser to the Sports Ministry. Speaking at the Cabinet press briefing today, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said the Cabinet granted approval to the proposal. She served as a senior adviser to the Sports Ministry under the previous regime. ...

Read More →

First Floating Solar Power System will be established near Diyawanna Lake Source:Dailynews Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said in Parliament yesterday that steps will be taken to establish the first Floating Solar Power System near Diyawanna Lake. He was responding to Parliamentarian Chaminda Wijesiri. The Minister said that solar panels would be installed on roofs of Government Offices to generate electricity. Minister Alahapperuma also said that a project worth USD 100 million is being implemented under the Indian Loan Scheme and 80 per cent of it will be allocated for the Project. The Minister said that solutions should be found to the problems through renewable energy and that the Government led by the President has paid special attention in this regard. Update: India funds Sri Lanka’s first floating solar plant to power Parliament A floating solar power plant with a capacity of 1.5 MW is to be built in Diyawanna Oya ...

Read More →

India funds Sri Lanka’s first floating solar plant to power Parliament Source:Adaderana Sri Lanka’s first floating solar power plant is planned to be built in Diyawanna Lake with the assistance of a loan from the Government of India. The floating solar power plant, which is proposed to be constructed to meet the daily electricity requirement of the Parliament premises, has a capacity of 1.5 MW. Minister of Power Dullas Alahapperuma stated that a preliminary feasibility study is currently underway. The Minister further stated that the construction of the power plant will be expedited and the Parliament will set a precedent for the entire country regarding the concept of floating solar power plants. ...

Read More →

WFP and Australia provide funds for 80,000 kids to receive take-home food rations WFP Country Director Brenda Barton handing the letter confirming funds to supply take-home ration packages for school children to Education Minister Dullas Alahapperuma SOURCE:FT The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are providing $ 400,000 (Rs. 74 million) to the Ministry of Education (MoEd) towards the National School Meal Programme.  Under this measure 80,000 primary school children will receive one month’s worth of food rations to help them and their families cope with the school closures due to COVID-19. ...

Read More →