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 website of Sri Lanka’s Meteorological Department is currently being restored after a cyber attack disrupted its services early last week, Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) says.
The cyber attack had taken place on Nov. 01, according to Senior Information Officer at SLCERT Charuka Damunopola. “Due to this cyber attack, changes were detected on the Meteorological Department’s official website. Following preliminary investigations, necessary measures are underway to restore the website, with further inquiries ongoing to assess the full impact,” he has said.
Mr. Damunopola further confirms that initial findings indicate no data was accessed or stolen by external parties, however, SLCERT continues to monitor the situation closely to ensure the website’s functionality and security are fully restored.
Two Chinese nationals have been arrested by the Kandy Tourist Police for allegedly engaging in business activities while visiting Sri Lanka on tourist visa.Police have arrested the two women, aged 47 and 48 at the Economic Centre in Kandy after receiving a tip-off.
They have been handed over to the Kandy Police Station for further investigations.