News

Import of duty-free vehicles: No concessions for diplomats

Published

1 month ago

August 20, 2023

editor

The Department of Trade and Investment Policy under the Finance Ministry has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the suspension of the import of vehicles for public sector employees on concessionary terms is still effective and therefore would apply to the diplomatic service as well.

The Department officials said they had sent out the communication following a Foreign Ministry circular issued in June on the grounds that it may create a misconception that vehicles could be imported by those in the diplomatic service overseas.

The Department informed the Ministry to refrain from granting authorisation to ship or import motor vehicles under the particular circular as the Ministry of Finance or the Customs would not give clearance.

However, the Foreign Ministry’s Overseas Administration Director General Prasanna Gamage told the Sunday Times that he believed there had been a misconception about the circular issued by the Ministry. He said it had been misread and had been issued with the concurrence of the Treasury.

Mr. Gamage said the Ministry was only trying to issue a single circular which would be applicable to the diplomatic staff and the other public sector employees, as there were two different circulars earlier.

The Government has currently suspended the import of vehicles for public sector employees on concessionary terms.

(sundaytimes.lk)

News

Fmr. SDIG gets 5-yr. jail term

Published

2 hours ago

September 25, 2023

editor

The Ratnapura High Court has sentenced former Senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe for five-year imprisonment for intimidating Kahawatte OIC not to arrest MP Premalal Jayasekera over a shooting incident.

Ratnapura High Court also ordered the convict to pay a fine of Rs. 20,000.

The shooting incident took place during the 2015 Presidential election campaign.

News

Notice on issuing revenue licenses in WP

Published

5 hours ago

September 25, 2023

editor

The Department of Motor Traffic has decided to temporarily suspend the issuing of revenue licenses in the Western Province due to a system update.

According to the department, the services will be unavailable from this Wednesday (September 27) to next Monday (October 02).

The Motor Traffic Department said in a statement that vehicles of which revenue licenses are expiring from Tuesday, September 26 can be renewed until October 10, without fines.

Meanwhile, the online service for revenue licenses was temporarily suspended from midnight yesterday (September 24) and will remain so until Friday, October 06.

The department added that the temporary service suspension was due to an update on the system maintained by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka.

News

CID ordered to hand over Schaffter’s remains to family

Published

6 hours ago

September 25, 2023

editor

The Colombo Additional Magistrate has ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to hand over the remains of late businessman Dinesh Schaffter to his family as postmortem examinations have been concluded.

The specialist doctors’ committee appointed to compile a report on Schaffter’s death had informed the courts that the relevant investigation activities have been concluded, and that the remains of the late businessman can be released.

Furthermore, Additional Magistrate Rajindra Jayasuriya, also pointed out that the five-member expert committee headed by Prof. Asela Mendis, which was appointed by the court to compile a report on Schaffter’s death has informed the court that their judicial investigations have been completed.

Accordingly, the Additional Magistrate, who stated that the expert committee has requested the court to issue an order for the release of Schaffter’s remains, ordered the CID to hand over the body to his family under the supervision of Prof. Clifford Perera and Judicial Medical Officer P.R. Ruwanpura.

Later, the case was also ordered to be recalled on October 09, 2023.

(Source : adaderana.lk)