Category: Breaking News

India has agreed to provide a financial grant of 300 million rupees for Sri Lanka Police to buy vehicles.

“It is planned to use the grant to provide cabs for the duty needs of police stations in the Northern Province,” a cabinet statement said.

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers have approved the proposal to enter into a memorandum of understanding between the two governments to obtain the grant.

The island nation’s Police use Mahindra Scorpio jeeps widely.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has issued a warrant for the arrest of the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Organization, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero and to produce him before the court.

The arrest warrant was issued after Gnanasara Thero, named as a defendant in a case filed for insulting the religion of Islam, failed to appear before the court today (19).

The verdict in the case was originally scheduled to be delivered today. However, Gnanasara Thero was absent when the case was called. His attorney informed the court that his client could not attend proceedings due to an illness.

Taking the presented facts into consideration, Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasena postponed the announcement of the verdict to January 9, 2025, while also ordering the arrest and production of Gnanasara Thero before the court.

President and Finance, Planning and Economic Development Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake, briefing the Parliament yesterday (18) on the consensuses reached between the Government and the International Monetary Fund during the External Fund Facility Third Review, claimed that a Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power (NPP) Government would still be in power by 2028.

He said thus in response to societal views that with Sri Lanka having to repay debt by 2028 following the restructuring of debt amounting to $ 12.55 billion ($ 12,550 million) with $ 1.7 billion ($ 1,700 million) interest to be paid on the said loans – $ 11,550 million which had been, according to him, obtained during the 2016-2019 Government – the country would fall into bankruptcy again.

“Never again will we allow the situation (a reference to the economic crisis) that prevailed during 2022-2023 (the latter year being last year) to recur,” he noted.

He elaborated that the plan is to grow the country’s foreign exchange reserves-based income to $ 15.1 billion by 2028.

President Dissanayake was elected to power in September of this year while the NPP Government was elected to power last month (November), both for five year terms.

In his address, which covered proposals pertaining to the Pay As You Earn Tax, personal income tax, the Value Added Tax, the Service Export Tax (reduced to 15%), the Withholding Tax and a related new Inland Revenue Department division, the reopening of the vehicle import market, the parate law, and the allowances for pensioners, farmers, fishers, and school children from Aswesuma (benefits scheme) and eligible non-Aswesuma families, he said during this special Parliamentary statement that these proposals which would require amendments to several pieces of statutory legislation to give effect to the consensuses thus reached pertaining to the same, would be gazetted and presented to the Parliament next month (January 2025).

Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, has provided an update on the country’s strategic efforts to revitalize its tourism sector, which has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years due to the Easter Sunday attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic crisis.

Speaking at the India Foundation Program, Herath stated, “We too had such a big tourism before the Easter Sunday attack, 2018. We got (the) highest amounts of tourists. And at that time, according to my memory, we earned four billion (dollars).”

Herath pointed out the compounding challenges Sri Lanka faced due to these crises: “After the Easter Sunday attack, there was a COVID-19 situation. After that, the economic crisis was there. Because of those three factors, we faced so many difficulties. The first one was the Easter Sunday attack. The second one was COVID-19. The third one was the economic crisis. Now, all those factors are not there,” he explained, adding that these barriers are no longer present.

Looking forward, the Minister expressed hope for boosting tourism, particularly from India: “We can increase our tourism industry. And we hope to open our hands to India. And we hope the Indian tourists will come.”

A key part of the strategy to boost tourism involves a policy change set for January 2024. Herath revealed, “At the beginning of next January, we will pass some cassette notification in the parliament. In that cassette notification, we will give free visas to 39 countries.”

This move is expected to make it easier for tourists, including those from India, to visit Sri Lanka.

Additionally, Herath made an appeal regarding travel facilities for Sri Lankans to India, stating, “Then the most of the Indians, not only Indians but also so 39 other countries, tourists can visit us easily. And apart from that, I feel from your country, you asked also for that facility. India has not given that facility yet. Therefore, please inform your government to give that facility to Sri Lankans.”

Preparations are underway to warmly welcome President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during his future visit to China, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Qin Boyong said.

She said this during a meeting held with the President at the Parliamentary Complex today, the Presidential Media Division (PMD) said.

The President expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for its support during the debt restructuring as well as in the face of the economic crisis.

He stated that his appreciation extends to China’s assistance in the debt restructuring programme and its provision of loans to Sri Lanka during the economic challenges.

President Dissanayake made these remarks during a meeting with Ms. Qin Boyong, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held today (18) at the Parliamentary Complex.

Ms. Qin Boyong noted that China looks forward to continuing its work with the new government of Sri Lanka, further strengthening the longstanding relationship between the two countries.

The President also expressed his gratitude for China’s assistance during Sri Lanka’s disaster situations and the provision of school uniforms for children. He emphasised the continued need for China’s support in the future.

President Dissanayake highlighted the importance of completing the unfinished sections of the Central Expressway under Chinese management and expressed hopes to expedite the commencement of supply hubs and institutional projects centered around the Colombo Port City and Hambantota District.

Ms. Qin Boyong stated that there are plans to restart maritime research activities, which were temporarily halted for various reasons, along with initiating relevant projects.

Furthermore, she mentioned that Chinese companies intend to establish themselves in the Hambantota investment zone, aiming to provide Sri Lanka with better global access.

The Government accused the former regime of then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of taking actions similar to Adolf Hitler by enforcing forced cremations of Muslims during the Covid pandemic.

Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake told Parliament, Tuesday, that while the forced cremations was not 100 percent equal to the brutal actions taken by Hitler, it was almost similar.

He recalled that Hitler used false data to justify the killing of jews similar to the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime using false data to justify the forced cremations during the Covid pandemic.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that the actions taken at the time was unacceptable.

She said that the current Government will ensure no community is targeted in any way.

The Government was responding to a question raised over the forced cremation of Muslims during the Covid pandemic.