News

COPE chair criticizes Mahaweli Authority

Published

12 months ago

May 25, 2023

editor

The Committee on Public Enterprise evaluates the current performance of the Mahaweli Authority following the Auditor General’s Report of 2020 & 2021.

Professor Ranjith Bandara, Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprise took exception at the outdated ‘Vision’ statement and Key Performance Indicators of the Authority following consistent failure to deliver its services with integrity and quality.
The Chairman began proceedings with a stern look at the inability of the body to ‘raise the living standards of the citizens’ – a mantra clearly highlighted in the body’s vision statement. He directed the Director-General of the Mahaweli Authority to examine its policy and practices and re-invent the fundamentals of the body itself to reflect the modern world better. On this note, the Committee further queried the lack of digital infrastructure in the land reservation process and directed the Authority to take measures to strengthen it.

Regarding the conveyance of lands, the Committee directed the Authority to submit the following:
• Report on existing land conveyance procedure to be submitted within 02 weeks.
• Report on how lands conveyed for investment purposes was completed including details of the investor, purpose of investments, etc. to be submitted within 02 weeks.
• Report on illegal constructions taking place within the purview of the body to be submitted within 01 month.

Following an incongruence between the annual report submitted to parliament and the data sought out by the Auditor General’s office, an urgent report of all lands released in 2022 was requested. This comes on the heels of the President’s directive where a stay order was made on the issuance of lands.

The Recruitment Process Management was scrutinized, and it was found that there were vacancies that had not been filled up owing to suspected reservations for promotions to the existing staff internally. The Chairman of COPE immediately directed that the vacancies be filled within the next 60 days.
The Committee directed that all issues be revisited for review and accountability on 21-07-2023.

(Prof.) Ranjith Bandara, M.P., (Chair), Hon. Jagath Pushpakumara, Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura M.P., M.P, Hon. Shantha Bandara, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage M.P., Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekera M.P., Hon. Eran Wickremaratne M.P., Hon. Jayantha Samaraweera M.P., Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna M.P., Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumithraarachchi, M.P., Hon. (Major) Sudarshana Denipitiya, M.P., Hon. Premnath Dolawatte, Attorney-at-Law M.P., Hon. M Rameshwaran, M.P., Hon. (Mrs.) Rajika Wickramasinghe, M.P., Hon. Madhura Withanage, M.P., Prof. Charitha Herath M.P. were present

News

Senior diplomat to oversee Sri Lankan embassy in Russia

Published

6 hours ago

May 19, 2024

nipuni

It is reported that the government has planned to send a senior officer of the foreign service to the Sri Lankan embassy in Russia until a new ambassador is appointed due to the lack of an ambassador.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Taraka Balasuriya has told the media that the absence of an ambassador is just a gap in the work procedure, and based on the current situation in Russia, a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be directed to supervise its affairs.

He emphasized that a retired foreign service senior is being sent and the lack of an ambassador is not a major problem.

The Minister further stated that there is already a senior Foreign Service officer there, and given the urgent need, a very senior Foreign Service officer is being sent not because the officer currently in Russia is inadequate.

Mr. Balasuriya has stressed that this is being done to strengthen the operation and that the work will be done according to the normal protocol.

However, even though an ambassador has been appointed to Russia, Mr. Balasuriya has made arrangements not to reveal who it is to the media.

The former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Prof. Janitha A. Liyanage, was given three extensions, and she ended her service at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow on April 29.

At present, Counsellor Ruvini K. Munidasa serves as the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy.

News

Colombo air show and CADE 2024 exhibition postponed to next year

Published

17 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

The Colombo Air Show and Defence Exhibition (CADE 2024), initially set to take place from May 29 to June 2 at Galle Face and Colombo Port City, has been postponed to next year, according to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).

The SLAF stated that the decision to reschedule the event was made in response to multiple requests from international partners, defence industry stakeholders, and foreign Air Forces. This postponement aims to enhance participation and provide a more diverse experience for spectators.

The rescheduled event will now be held from February 26 to March 2, 2025, coinciding with the 74th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

News

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrives in Sri Lanka

Published

17 hours ago

May 18, 2024

editor

The Global Peace Ambassador and Spiritual Leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrived in Sri Lanka this afternoon (18) for a three-day visit. He was welcomed at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake by State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon and Eastern Province Governor Senthil Thondaman.

During his stay from May 18 to 20, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will participate in an event titled ‘Ekamuthuva: An Evening of Music, Meditation and Wisdom,’ which will be held at Taj Samudra on May 19. Renowned for his global humanitarian efforts and as a peace envoy, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is also an Indian yoga guru and the founder of ‘Transcendental Meditation’.