National Policy to regulate tuk- tuks

A National Policy to regulate the tuk-tuk service is on the way, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

He said this at a discussion at the Transport Ministry Auditorium in Sethsiripaya yesterday. The objectives of the special discussion was to educate the three wheeler drivers about the national policy and to receive their proposals and ideas for policy making. Members of Three Wheeler Drivers’ Associations presented several proposals to the policy.

One main request was to increase the three wheeler speed limit from 40kmph to 50kmph. The absence of laws and regulations on three wheelers operating passenger transport services since 1980s will be filled by this National Policy, Minister de Silva said.

“Sri Lanka has 1.2 million three wheelers. It is advisable to limit the three wheeler importation in the coming years.

Three wheeler driving licences will be issued only for persons above 35 years. We will bring forth rules and regulations to Parliament and later to the Department of Legal Draftsman,” de Silva said.

He said this national policy is to standardise passenger transport service and safeguard the professional three wheeler drivers in Sri Lanka.

Minister de Silva also said he will make the Finance Minister aware of the financial issues faced by the three wheeler drivers.

“The Transport Ministry does not have provisions to intervene in the price controlling. Three wheeler drivers and the passengers should cooperate to implement this policy,” Minister de Silva added. The Motor Traffic Department, Police, the Attorney-General’s Department and the Transport Ministry have launched a joint task in formulating this national policy.

Transport Ministry Secretary Nihal Somaweera, Motor Traffic Department Commissioner A.H.K. Jagath Chandrasiri, representatives from the Sri Lanka Police and Three Wheeler Drivers and Owners Association were present at the discussion.

Postal strike until December 21

The postal strike launched from midnight yesterday will continue until December 21.

The trade union action is due to the delay in remedying certain lapses and requirements brought to light by Sri Lanka Post workers in June.

“A strike was launched in June and the Prime Minister’s secretary promised to look into the issues in six weeks.

However, even after a lapse of six months, no solution was provided to the issues,” Postal Service Joint Trade Union Front co-convener H.K.Kariyawasam said.

The strike is to win demands including the revision of recruitment schemes, vacancies and promotions, salary disparities, allowance revisions, relocation and restoration of the Sri Lanka Post Headoffice and providing infrastructure facilities.

A memorandum is to be handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena on the last day of the strike while a demonstration is also planned on the same day opposite the Central Mail Exchange.

Meanwhile, Post Master General D.L.P.R Abayaratne yesterday said that leave of all postal workers island wide has been cancelled, with effect from last night.

He said that leave of all postal workers has been cancelled till December 21 to ensure that essential services are not crippled due to the trade union action by the postal workers.

Youth killed in Peliyagoda accident (CCTV)

A youth was killed  in an accident on Sunday night.

The accident occurred in Peliyagoda along the Colombo – Negombo main road at about 9.30 p.m.. The motorcyclist had lost control of the vehicle while attempting to evade a pedestrian crossing. The deceased is a 19-year-old named Dilan Sadaruwan.

According to our correspondent,  the victim had succumbed to his injures while he was being taken to hospital. He was a resident of Mabole, Wattala. His remains are currently lying at the Colombo National Hospital.

Christmas Carols of Lyceum Kurunegala

“ Candles and Carols “  An Evening of Christmas Carols – The students and the parents of Lyceum International School, Kurunegala  delighted the audience with their beautiful  performances of Christmas Carols recently at the Lyceum Adventure  Park, Kurunegala.

Lyceum Kurunegala Christmas carols was organized by the academic and non – academic staff, under the guidance of the principal / Director Mr. Nikitha Grero. It was a truly wonderful  evening which brought the Christmas spirit to the school community.

PSD Chief’s driver stabbed to death

Police Sergent Thalawannegedara Wijenayake of the Presidential Security Division was stabbed to death with a sharp instrument by an unidentified person. Wijenayake was the official driver of the Chief of the Presidential Security Division. A father of two, he was a resident in Dimbulankadawala, Medirigiriya.

He had arrived in Polonnaruwa from Colombo on December 16 afternoon and taken a motorcycle from the President's office in Polonnaruwa to go to the PSD Chief's (DIG) home in Polonnaruwa New town.
Since he had not returned till 9 pm, an officer attached to the President's office who left for the DIG's office in search of him had found him dead.

Polonnaruwa Acting Magistrate Siripala Ranatunge ordered the police to refer the body for a postmortem.

Wijenayake's motorcycle was taken out from the Minneriya tank.

Ranjan rejects increased allowances

Social Empowerment and Welfare Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake has written to the Speaker rejecting the recently increased allowances approved by Parliament.

Parliament on December 10 passed a Resolution to pay all Parliamentarians a monthly allowance of Rs. 100,000 to cover the expenses of maintaining an office and also to increase the allowance of Rs. 500 for attending Parliament sittings up to Rs 2,500. All Parliamentarians are entitled to the increased allowances from January 1, 2017. Ramanayake sending two letters to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on Friday rejected accepting the increased allowances.

“At a time the ordinary public is supporting the government to get out of the country’s debt trap by making significant sacrifices on their part, it is my personal belief that I being a public representative should make similar sacrifices. Therefore I humbly request you not to make those payments to me” Ramanayake stated in his letters.

Copies of the letters have been sent to the Parliament Secretary-General.

The copies of the letters posted on Minister Ramanayake's Twitter account are reproduced below:

State Minister’s son granted bail in accident case

A son of a prominent State Minister was released on Police bail after being taken into custody in connection with a motor accident, in which one person was injured, Police sources said.

According to Police sources, a luxury jeep which was driven by the State Minister’s son had knocked against a motorcyclist near the Viharamahadevi Park on Saturday night.

The State Minister’s son who had reported to the Police station yesterday was released on police bail. Further investigations into the incident are carried out by the Cinnamon Gardens Police.

Import tax on books lifted

Import tax on books was lifted with the Budget 2017 to provide more room for young generation to access to better books, Education Minister Akila Wiraj Kariyawasam said.

Prices of imported books would go down significantly with the removal of the tax. It will definitely help young generation improve their reading habit and gain the latest knowledge of the international arena, the Minister said.

He said young children should be motivated to read books. Reading culture can be created among children through more creative ways and methods. Lifting tax on imported books is a preliminary measure taken in this regard, he said. The minister made these remarks addressing the award ceremony held to mark the National Reading Month under the theme “Reading Country – Knowledgeable Future” at the National Library and Documentation Board recently.