News

Stops business class travel for top officials

Published

2 years ago

February 19, 2023

editor

The Presidential Secretariat will shortly issue a circular restricting senior state officials, including the President’s and the Prime Minister’s Secretaries from using business class travel on overseas official trips.

Accordingly, several officials who enjoyed the facility so far will have to travel on economy class.

Among those who were entitled to the facility were judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, secretaries to ministries, the Cabinet Secretary, the Central Bank Governor and the Attorney General.

The decision comes after revelations that a delegation from the Foreign Ministry due to attend Human Rights sessions in Geneva next week had been booked on business class with each of the tickets costing Rs 800,000.

Further inquiries had revealed several other state officials had been travelling on business class despite the adverse financial situation in the country.

A senior official said some of the officials had been willing to travel on economy class, but due to previous practices they had travelled on business class.

The circular will also impose restrictions on hotel accommodation during during foreign visits of officials.

The official said the circular would be issued in keeping with the government’s policy of cutting down on expenses.

However, no changes will be made regarding minister’s travel practices.

(The Sunday Times)

News

Kandy-Peradeniya train service restored

Published

4 hours ago

June 12, 2025

editor

The section of railway between Kandy and Peradeniya affected by ground subsidence has been repaired and services restored, the Railway Department announced.

The Podi Menike train from Colombo Fort to Badulla was operated at 5.55 a.m. today (June 12) to assess safety, successfully passing the repaired section around 9 a.m. and reaching Kandy without issue.

However, the authorities stated that trains will continue to run at reduced speeds in the affected area.

This subsidence was attributed to recent heavy rainfall in Kandy.

News

Heavy rains expected in several areas today

Published

7 hours ago

June 12, 2025

editor

The Department of Meteorology says that showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and North-western provinces.

Heavy rains above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts.

Several spells of showers may occur in the Northern Province and in Anuradhapura district.

Strong winds of about 50-60 kmph can be expected at times over Western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central, Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

News

President meets German FM

Published

7 hours ago

June 12, 2025

editor

As part of the official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, President Anura Kumara Disanayake met with German Foreign Minister Dr. Johann Wadephul yesterday evening (June 11) at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin.

The discussion focused on identifying new avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, the digital economy, investment and vocational training, in line with the priorities of the Sri Lankan government.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany, Ms. Varuni Muthukumarana, Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka Arjuna Herath, Director General for Europe and North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Trade Sugeeshwara Gunaratna and other officials.

(President’s Media Division)