U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka – Julie Chung, met with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka – Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, at the Parliamentary premises on January 24.
Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, was also present on the occasion.
The ambassador expressed her warm congratulations to the Speaker, who in return, extended his felicitations to the newly elected President of the United States.
She also welcomed the revival of the Sri Lanka – United States of America Parliamentary Friendship Association in the Tenth Parliament, emphasizing its importance in strengthening bilateral ties.
During the discussion, Dr. Wickramaratne expressed his deep appreciation for the United States’ steadfast support during critical times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Sri Lanka’s recent economic challenges. He acknowledged the U.S. government’s continued assistance to the Parliament and highlighted the importance of furthering cooperation between the two nations.
Ambassador Chung emphasized the shared democratic values between the United States and Sri Lanka. She noted the potential for deeper collaboration through initiatives such as the Open Government Partnership, which fosters transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in governance. The Ambassador also commended the notable increase in women representation within the Parliament of Sri Lanka and reiterated U.S. support for the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
Further discussions focused on topics such as deepen parliamentary collaboration, enhance institutional capacities, and exchange best practices to strengthen democratic governance.
The Commissioner General of Examinations – A.K.S. Indika Kumari has announced that the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination is scheduled to be held from Nov. 10 – Dec. 05, 2025.
Meanwhile, the 2025 G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination is scheduled to be held in February 2026.
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts today (July 11), the Department of Meteorology said.
A few showers may occur in the North-western province as well.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in the Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the afternoon or night.
Fairly strong winds of about 30-40 kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills and in North-western, North-central and Southern provinces.
The general public has also been requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.