News

If situation in the Middle East intensifies, steps are being taken to address it

Published

10 months ago

August 1, 2024

editor

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry PC said today (01) that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s decision to set up three special committees as a proactive measure to address potential crises in the Middle East is highly timely.

The Minister highlighted that while international events are uncontrollable; waiting for a country to collapse is not an option. He assured that steps have been taken to handle any emerging situation.

Minister Ali Sabry made these remarks at a press conference today (01) at the Presidential Media Center, themed ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’.
He underscored that President Wickremesinghe’s forward-thinking decisions have ensured Sri Lanka’s economic stability, preventing it from becoming another Venezuela. He urged everyone to set aside party politics and support the President’s efforts to rebuild the country.

Mr. Ali Sabry further stated;

Over the past two years, our country has faced numerous international challenges. The initial challenge was securing the support of our creditor nations, including the Paris Club, for joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. Coordinating with various countries proved to be a complex task, but we successfully garnered their support for debt restructuring—a significant achievement in our foreign policy. This success is largely due to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s expertise in managing international relations.

Recent visits to Japan, Singapore, Romania, and Poland have also been highly successful. These trips addressed many longstanding issues and facilitated the resumption of 13 suspended projects by Japan, worth $1.1 billion. Additionally, discussions with Singapore focused on investments, while talks with Romania aimed at creating new job opportunities. We also engaged in discussions with Poland regarding the establishment of an embassy.
These accomplishments are a testament to President Wickremesinghe’s visionary leadership. His ability to navigate both Eastern and Western nations effectively has been instrumental in achieving these outcomes.

Foreignpolicy.com, a prestigious magazine on international diplomacy, has praised Sri Lanka for its effective management of foreign policy. This endorsement confirms that our strategic approach has led to significant successes for the country.
In response to potential crises in the Middle East, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed three special committees as a proactive measure. One committee focuses on national security, another on the economic situation and ensuring the availability of essential goods, and a third, chaired by the President and Prime Minister, oversees the work of the other two.

The fuel crisis of 2022, exacerbated by the Russian-Ukrainian war, led to sharp increases in fuel, coal, and wheat prices, which the country struggled to manage. In light of these challenges, the President’s decision to establish these committees represents a timely and prudent step to prevent a recurrence of such crises.
We convened to develop a programme aimed at stabilising the country’s energy sector and ensuring an uninterrupted supply of essential goods. While some situations are within a country’s control, international events are not. However, we should not wait for external factors to cause a collapse.

Over the past two years, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has demonstrated his capability to stabilise Sri Lanka without allowing it to become another Venezuela. We are therefore gratified by our decision in 2022 to support President Wickremesinghe in navigating the country through its crisis.

Although we have moved from a dire situation to a level of stability, we are still at a precarious stage. Even a small misstep could lead us back into severe difficulties. The opposition must decide whether to further destabilise the country or contribute to its recovery. It is crucial for everyone to set aside party politics and support President Wickremesinghe’s economic programme to build a robust economy.

(President’s Media Division)

News

Cabinet approval to allow salt imports

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2025

editor

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the decision to allow the importation of salt for industrial and consumer use until June 10, 2025.

The Ministry of Trade has said that the decision was reached at the Cabinet meeting held today (May 15).

News

Key issues faced by disability community, discussed

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2025

editor

The Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities held a discussion with representatives of groups with disabilities regarding the key issues affecting the community with disability.

This discussion took place recently (8th) in Parliament under the Chairmanship of Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva.

The representatives informed the Caucus of their issues following a request made by the Caucus. The Chair of the Caucus stated that all the proposals and ideas presented would be received with great respect and that appropriate action would be taken by the Committee in this regard.

During the discussion, the attending representatives proposed that a specific quota be reserved for the community with disabilities in all elections. They also proposed the creation of a dedicated web page containing all necessary data related to the community with disabilities, which should be accessible via mobile phones.

Furthermore, attention was drawn to the need for increased facilities for children receiving education through Braille media. They also brought to the attention of the Caucus the proposal previously submitted to the Ninth Parliament regarding the introduction of new legislation for the community with disability and requested that further action be taken on it.

In addition, the Caucus was informed about the shortage of teachers affecting the education of the hearing-impaired community, and proposals were also presented regarding the creation of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in both the public and private sectors.

State Minister Dr. Upali Pannilage and Hon. Members of Parliament – Dr. Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, Chandima Hettiarachchi, and Susantha Kumara Nawarathna also participated in this Parliamentary Caucus.

News

Over Rs. 200 mn. revenue generated in vehicle auction – PMD (Update)

Published

10 hours ago

May 15, 2025

editor

2nd phase of luxury vehicle auction by the Presidential Secretariat Concludes Successfully

The second phase of the auction to sell luxury and decommissioned vehicles owned by the Presidential Secretariat was successfully concluded today (15 May), with over Rs. 200 million in revenue generated, the President’s Media Division says.

A total of 26 vehicles, previously allocated by former Ministers and the former President, to their advisors and staff appointed under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during their tenure, were listed for sale. Out of these, 17 vehicles were successfully sold today with

The auctioned vehicles included:

1 BMW car
2 Ford Everest SUVs
1 Hyundai Terracan SUV
2 Land Rover SUVs
1 Mitsubishi Montero
3 Nissan Patrol vehicles
2 Nissan brand cars
1 Porsche Cayenne
5 SsangYong Rexton SUVs
1 Toyota Land Cruiser Sahara
6 V8 vehicles

1 Mitsubishi Rosa air-conditioned bus

With the aim of reducing government expenditure and promoting fiscal responsibility, a decision was taken to auction the vehicles belonging to the Presidential Secretariat.

The decision to auction these vehicles were taken with the aim of reducing government expenditure and promoting fiscal responsibility, the PMD adds.

(Previous News on 15^th May 2025 at 8:57am)

2nd phase of luxury vehicles auction, today

As part of the second phase of the luxury vehicle auction conducted by the Presidential Secretariat, 26 vehicles including luxury and decommissioned models are scheduled to be auctioned today (May 15).

All vehicles set to be auctioned were manufactured within the last ten years. The deadline for submitting bids for these vehicles concluded today (May 14).

Among the vehicles to be auctioned are 01 BMW car, 02 Ford Everest Jeeps, 01 Hyundai Terracan Jeep, 02 Land Rover Jeep 02, 01 Mitsubishi Montero, 03 Nissan Patrol vehicles, 02 Nissan cars, 01 Porsche Cayenne, 05 SsangYong Rexton Jeeps, 01 Toyota Land Cruiser Sahara, 06 V08 vehicles and 01 Mitsubishi Rosa air-conditioned bus.

Previously, under the first phase of this auction, 14 luxury vehicles, six decommissioned vehicles, and various spare parts were sold.

This initiative is part of the government’s effort to reduce expenditure and promote financial responsibility. In the first phase, 15 vehicles, including nine Defender jeeps, were successfully auctioned.

The vehicles being auctioned tomorrow are not part of the official vehicle fleet assigned to the regular staff of the Presidential Secretariat. Instead, they were used by advisors and staff appointed by the former President under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during his term in office.

(President’s Media Division)