Duminda Silva to leave for Singapore

The Housing Development Authority Chairman, Duminda Silva has arrived at Katunayake Airport to depart for Singapore. He is scheduled to depart for Singapore at 12.50 am tomorrow (7) from Katunayake Airport on Singapore Airlines flight SQ-469. Sources at the airport said that Duminda Silva had boarded the plane at the moment.

Siyambalapitiya as deputy speaker has resigned again

MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, who was re-elected as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament yesterday, has decided to once again resign from the position.

It is reported that he is expected to officially tender his resignation to the President shortly.

The SLPP parliamentarian was re-elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament yesterday (May 05) in a secret ballot held in Parliament.

Bangladesh sends medical supplies to Sri Lanka

Bangladesh has confirmed a donation of essential medicines worth USD 2.3 million (Rs. 830 million) consisting 56 types of essential medicines to Sri Lanka as the island nation faces one of the worst economic crises in its history.

Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana stated that the token handover ceremony for the emergency medical supplies was held in Dhaka.

President’s security increased

Two high ranking Police Officers have been appointed to provide increased personal security to the President with effect from yesterday (5), following instructions from the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security.

Accordingly, DIG R.M.N.G.O. Perera has been appointed in charge of the President’s Security Division. DIG Perera had been the DIG in charge of the Puttalam Division prior to his new appointment.

Airport VIP lounge will halt from tonight

The Sri Lanka Department of Immigration and Emigration Officers' Association has decided to suspend the duties attached to passenger clearance at the VIP Terminals (VIPs) such as the Silk Route (CIP) for special-care passengers and passenger clearance duties at airport terminals at the BIA and other airports in the country from tonight.

They said the decision was taken until the current rulers formulate a national program and provide a definite solution to the crisis in the country.

Ranjith Siyambalapitiya re-elected as Deputy Speaker

SLFP MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was today re-elected Deputy Speaker by a majority of 83 votes in a secret ballot. A total of 148 members voted for Mr. Siyambalapitiya and SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar obtained 65 votes. 

Three votes were rejected. SLFP MP Nimal Siripala De Silva proposed Mr. Siyambalapitiya's name while SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella proposed Bakeer Markar's name. Minister G.L. Peiris said the government would also support Mr. Siyambalapitiya. Deputy Speaker's post fell vacant after Ranjith Siyambalapitiya resigned as the Deputy Speaker recently.

More than 2,000 trade unions to join hartal tomorrow

Several trade unions, including health, transportation, railways, electricity, and education sectors, have decided to join with the trade union action in solidarity with the nationwide hartal on Friday (6), the trade union coordination center claimed.

If the hartal on Friday and the island-wide joint strike are not answered, the trade union coordination center says that the continuous strike and continuous hartal will continue from May 11 until the government goes home.

Sri Lanka’s foreign liquidity reserves critically low

Finance Minister Ali Sabry yesterday told Parliament that the country’s economy is at a critical level and warned that painful reforms lie ahead irrespective of who is in power.

In a detailed statement to the House on the present fiscal situation in the country as well as the way forward, Sabry admitted that wrong policies of the current administration had contributed to the present plight of the country, saying the tax cuts given in late 2019 after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took office is a historic mistake.