Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara announced yesterday that measures taken to deploy armed security personnel inside Court premises under special circumstances in response to the recent shooting incident at the Hulftsdorp Court complex.
Responding to a question by SLPP Kalutara District MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena said the Minister acknowledged that current regulations prohibit armed guards from entering Courtrooms.
However, he emphasised that the Government is taking necessary measures to enhance security, particularly when high-risk accused individuals are brought before the Courts. Nanayakkara stated that discussions will be held with the Judicial Services Commission, Police and the Prisons Department to finalise the new security protocols.
He assured that these steps are being taken to ensure the safety of all stakeholders in the judicial system while maintaining the integrity of legal proceedings.
Nanayakkara also said that an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure will be brought to allow special category prisoners to give evidence through video conferencing from within the prisons they are in. This amendment has been prepared and submitted to the Cabinet.
“This technology can improve access to justice and reduce the need for prisoner transport,”he added.
Speaking further, Minister Nanayakkara stated that after the adoption of these amendments, it will be possible to obtain evidence even from a person in a foreign country. The Minister said that incidents like that occurred in the Aluthkade court premises can be prevented only under such a programme.
He also said as some underworld activities pose a threat to the lives of prison officers, full attention has been paid to ensuring their safety.
(dailynews.lk) (This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
The government is currently prioritizing the development of a country-specific Food Security Index, with the goal of completing the initiative within the next three months.
This tailored index is expected to better reflect Sri Lanka’s unique food security landscape, addressing the limitations of global indices such as the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), which have been criticized for failing to capture the nuances of the local context. Policymakers have also noted that existing data is often insufficient or imprecise, making it challenging to develop effective strategies.
The proposed index aims to identify key national priorities and guide food security policy over the next five years.
As a first step in this effort, a workshop titled “Identifying a Suitable Food Security Index for Sri Lanka and Formulating a Strategic Plan” was held today (17) at the Colombo City Center. Organized by the Food Security Expert Committee in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the event brought together experts and stakeholders from across the sector.
Delivering the opening remarks, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Gunaratne emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating that the development of a precise, country-specific index is a vital step toward ensuring both economic stability and national food security. The workshop focused on the four key dimensions of food security; availability, accessibility, utilization and stability and explored how these can be incorporated into a comprehensive and practical national index.
Participants included members of the Food Security Expert Committee, such as Senior Professors Buddhi Marambe and Jeevika Weerahewa, along with representatives from various government agencies, academic institutions, the FAO, the WFP and the private sector.
Several opposition members of Parliament have walked out of the Parliament chamber today (June 17.) in protest over the actions of the Speaker of House, according to Chief Opposition Whip Member of Parliament Gayantha Karunathilleka.
MP Karunathilleka noted that several MPs including those from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), walked out of Parliament after the Speaker refused to allocate time to discuss the on-going Iran-Israel conflict.
Sri Lanka and France signed a bilateral agreement yesterday (June 16) in Colombo, marking a major milestone in Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, the Ministry of Finance announced.
The bilateral agreement was signed by Mahinda Siriwardana, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, on behalf of the government and William Roos, Assistant Secretary, Multilateral Affairs, Trade and Development Policies Department, Directorate-general of the Treasury, on behalf of the government of France.
The statement by the Finance Ministry added that the government of France played a pivotal role in spearheading Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, co-chairing the Official Creditor Committee alongside Japan and India.
The Ministry noted that the agreement would further strengthen the longstanding bilateral relationships between the two nations.