News

“Online Safety Bill sends negative signal in SL’s path towards reform & recovery”

Published

1 year ago

January 31, 2024

editor

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka – Julie Chung has said that while it is important for the government of Sri Lanka to carry out reforms, it is ‘also important to explain those reforms to the people in a clear manner.’

She has further elaborated the matter taking the recently passed Online Safety Bill (OSB) as an example.

“The Centre for Policy Alternatives reported from a poll earlier this month that more than 70 percent of Sri Lankans were unaware of the bill before its passage. When major global tech companies characterize the bill as “unworkable” and stifling innovation and democracy, instead of actually addressing online crimes, frankly this sends a negative signal in Sri Lanka’s path towards reform and recovery. Previous bills, such as the Personal Data Protection Act, took much longer to craft, but did a better job of taking stakeholder feedback into account. To work on legislation and reforms that will be durable, enforceable, and wise, the Sri Lankan government will need to do better in the future. This will be key to improving the business climate,” she said.

The ambassador was speaking at the Amcham XO Forum “75 years and Beyond: U.S. – Sri Lankan Business Relations in 2024”.

News

“Reports of Wijepala – Nissanka meeting, fake”

Published

9 hours ago

April 18, 2025

editor

The Public Security Ministry has denied media reports claiming that the Public Security minister – Ananda Wijepala had met Nissanka Senadhipathi.

The Minister’s media secretary had clarified this in a letter to Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya.
Adding that the neither the Minister or a representative had ever met Senadhipathi as claimed, the letter calls for proper investigations into the fake news and legal action against those responsible.

News

Special allowance for policemen on duty at ‘Siri Dalada Vandanawa’

Published

13 hours ago

April 18, 2025

editor

A special transport allowance and a combined allowance will be provided to police personnel assigned to ensure the safety of devotees attending the exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Siri Dalada Vandanawa) in Kandy, the police said.

The measure has been taken over the instructions of the Acting IGP, in consideration of the fact that these police personnel will be on continuous day and night duty for over 10 days, away from their regular stations and incurring additional personal expenses.

News

Ravi K’s Bill to repeal Online Safety Act, gazetted

Published

13 hours ago

April 18, 2025

editor

The Bill to repeal the Online Safety Act, No. 9 of 2024, and other regulations concerning the Act, has been gazetted.

The Online Safety Bill was passed by a majority vote in Parliament on Jan. 24, 2024.

The Bill that has been gazetted was submitted by opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake.

On Feb. 28, 2025, MP Karunanayake submitted a private member’s Bill to the Parliament Secretary-General, aiming to repeal the controversial Online Safety Act.