Connect with us

News

COPE chair criticizes Mahaweli Authority

Published

on

The Committee on Public Enterprise evaluates the current performance of the Mahaweli Authority following the Auditor General’s Report of 2020 & 2021.

Professor Ranjith Bandara, Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprise took exception at the outdated ‘Vision’ statement and Key Performance Indicators of the Authority following consistent failure to deliver its services with integrity and quality.
The Chairman began proceedings with a stern look at the inability of the body to ‘raise the living standards of the citizens’ – a mantra clearly highlighted in the body’s vision statement. He directed the Director-General of the Mahaweli Authority to examine its policy and practices and re-invent the fundamentals of the body itself to reflect the modern world better. On this note, the Committee further queried the lack of digital infrastructure in the land reservation process and directed the Authority to take measures to strengthen it.

Regarding the conveyance of lands, the Committee directed the Authority to submit the following:
• Report on existing land conveyance procedure to be submitted within 02 weeks.
• Report on how lands conveyed for investment purposes was completed including details of the investor, purpose of investments, etc. to be submitted within 02 weeks.
• Report on illegal constructions taking place within the purview of the body to be submitted within 01 month.

Following an incongruence between the annual report submitted to parliament and the data sought out by the Auditor General’s office, an urgent report of all lands released in 2022 was requested. This comes on the heels of the President’s directive where a stay order was made on the issuance of lands.

The Recruitment Process Management was scrutinized, and it was found that there were vacancies that had not been filled up owing to suspected reservations for promotions to the existing staff internally. The Chairman of COPE immediately directed that the vacancies be filled within the next 60 days.
The Committee directed that all issues be revisited for review and accountability on 21-07-2023.

(Prof.) Ranjith Bandara, M.P., (Chair), Hon. Jagath Pushpakumara, Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura M.P., M.P, Hon. Shantha Bandara, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage M.P., Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekera M.P., Hon. Eran Wickremaratne M.P., Hon. Jayantha Samaraweera M.P., Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna M.P., Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumithraarachchi, M.P., Hon. (Major) Sudarshana Denipitiya, M.P., Hon. Premnath Dolawatte, Attorney-at-Law M.P., Hon. M Rameshwaran, M.P., Hon. (Mrs.) Rajika Wickramasinghe, M.P., Hon. Madhura Withanage, M.P., Prof. Charitha Herath M.P. were present

BIZ

Standard egg prices to be announced daily via SMS

Published

on

By

Chairman of the All-Ceylon Egg Producers’ Association, R.M. Sarath Rathnayake has said new measures to announce daily standardized egg prices will be introduced from next Monday (June 23) to ensure fair pricing for consumers.

The prices covering wholesale, retail, and intermediary rates will be communicated daily at 5.00am via SMS to small, medium, and large-scale egg producers, as well as bakery owners, food manufacturers, and hotels through the number 070-7030700.

He warned of recent practices where eggs were bought at Rs.15-18 and stockpiled, stating such actions will no longer be tolerated.

He also criticized groups posing as “egg associations” without actual farming experience.

The cost of producing an egg is around Rs.28 for large farms, Rs.29-30 for medium range farms, and Rs.32 for small-scale producers, he further said.

Continue Reading

News

Speaker endorses certificate on NTC (Amendment) Bill

Published

on

By

Speaker of Parliament – Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne endorsed the certificate on the National Transport Commission (Amendment) Bill) yesterday (June 19).

This Bill was presented in Parliament on 08th May 2025 to amend several provisions of the National Transport Commission Act, No. 37 of 1991, to update and adapt them to the current needs in order to provide solutions to several practical issues identified in the transport sector and to regulate several transport sectors that are currently not regulated. Accordingly, this Bill was passed after the Second Reading debate in Parliament on 05th June 2025.

Expressing his views on the bill, the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation – Bimal Ratnayake, said that before the amendment of this bill, the National Transport Commission was only able to regulate interprovincial private bus services.

However, the Minister stated that this bill has been amended in a way that allows the National Transport Commission to regulate school vans, office vans, three-wheelers and other vehicles including goods transport institutions and to establish new institutions required for that purpose.

The Minister further stated that the Amendment Bill will remove the legal obstacle currently preventing the buyer from obtaining ownership when purchasing a bus with a road permit.

Accordingly, this Bill shall come into force as the National Transport Commission (Amendment) Act, No. 8 of 2025.  

Continue Reading

News

Nearly 2,000 deaths so far due to road accidents in 2025

Published

on

By

Police report that nearly 2,000 individuals have lost their lives in fatal road accidents during the first 06 months of 2025.

He pointed out that January 01 – June 15, 2025, a total of 1,133 fatal accidents were reported, resulting in the deaths of nearly 2,000 individuals.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Department of Government Information, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for Traffic Control and Road Safety, Indika Hapugoda has stated that the primary causes of these accidents are unroadworthy vehicles and reckless driving.

He added that 7,152 people suffered serious injuries from road accidents last year, in addition to the fatalities.

DIG Hapugoda further noted that starting July 01, 2025, authorities will begin removing unauthorized and unnecessary vehicle modifications and spare parts, which contribute to traffic hazards.

He further announced that, starting July 1, 2025, authorities will begin removing unauthorized and unnecessary vehicle modifications and spare parts, which contribute to traffic hazards.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Sri Lanka Mirror. All Rights Reserved