For the first time in Sri Lanka, children in 10 selected districts will elect their representatives for shadow local bodies formed by The Social Architects (TSA), in line with Sri Lankan’s Pradeshiya Sabha Act.
They will establish the first-ever Children’s Shadow Pradeshiya Sabhas (CSPS) in Sri Lanka.
TSA is a Charitable Trust working to promote participatory governance in Sri Lanka after witnessing the need to popularize the present Sri Lankan Local Governance Structure to the preteens and teens in 10 districts of Ampara, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Rathnapura, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Matara, Mullaitivu, Nuwara Eliya and Polonnaruwa.
To participate, practice and enjoy democracy at a young age, children between ages 11-15, with the consent of their parents/guardians, will be casting their votes today (16) for 19 CSPS across the 10 districts. They will follow the process parallel to the Local Authorities Elections conducted under the mixed proportional system.
The children have submitted eight names for each party (Children for Earth; Children for Sustainable Development; Children for Fair Resource Allocation) for every CSPS and, in total, 24 names for each CSPS, i.e. 456 candidates. They also ensured female representation.
The National Transport Commission (NTC) has said that an investigation into the recent incident where a student fell from the footboard of a ‘Sisu Sariya’ school bus, has revealed that the accident had resulted from the careless and negligent behaviour of both the driver and the conductor.
Issuing a statement, the NTC noted that, based on the preliminary findings, the Road Passenger Transport Authority of the North Western Province has taken steps to temporarily suspend the services of the driver and conductor involved.
Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation – K.D. Lal Kantha has announced that the government has decided to import 300,000 MT of maize.
Speaking to the media after attending a District Development Committee meeting at the Kandy District Secretariat yesterday (July 03), the Minister explained that this decision was taken to prevent traders from artificially inflating maize prices.
He stated that certain large and medium-scale businesses dealing with animal feed have been hoarding maize, buying it from farmers at fair prices and reselling it at much higher rates.
According to the Minister, these traders were trying to push maize prices up to Rs.190-200 per kilogram, which would have driven up the cost of eggs to Rs.200 each and increased meat prices significantly.
The Minister emphasized that while businesses are entitled to make a profit, the government will not allow unfair price manipulation. He also noted that, in the past, even ministers profited from animal products, but those days have ended and racketeers will not be allowed to control the market.
To prevent excessive price drops that could hurt farmers, the Food Security Committee has proposed imposing a tax on imported maize, he said.