A Cabinet-appointed committee that looked into reforming state-owned non-commercial institutions has recommended a string of restructuring measures, including winding up some state institutions, ending state intervention with several other institutions and amalgamation of some.

The liquidation of 12 non-commercial state entities coming under six ministries has been recommended by the committee along with the winding up of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority and the Cashew Corporation. Others for which liquidation is recommended include the Galle Heritage Foundation, the National Ocean Affairs Committee Secretariat and the Information and Communication Technology Agency.

The committee has also recommended that the three state-owned media institutions, namely the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, the Rupavahini Corporation and the Independent Television Network, be placed under a single management so as to improve efficiency and make them commercially viable.

The committee said these media institutions needed significant investment for their survival, and hence its recommendation for single management.

Other institutes recommended for amalgamation are the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority, as well as the Coconut Cultivation Board, Coconut Development Authority and the Palmyra Development Board.

The committee headed by the Prime Minister’s Secretary, Pradeep Saputantri, was appointed in December last year to review all non-commercial state statutory institutions in the country, with a view to strengthening public service delivery and addressing inherent inefficiencies. It assessed 160 institutions coming under 24 ministries.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya submitted the committee report to Cabinet on Monday, and approval was given to implement its proposals.

The committee found that some state institutions were running efficiently and should be managed in the same manner while recommending private-public partnerships to run others. The report said that the Sri Lanka Film Corporation, for example, could be run efficiently if it partnered with a private partner so that its dependency on the Treasury could be minimised.

The committee also recommended the amalgamation of the Office of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol and the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board.

With regard to the Sir John Kotalawala Hospital, the committee said that the institution does not make any profits and has become a burden to the treasury and, therefore, recommends that a committee be appointed to study how it can be turned into a financially viable institution.

On the Sri Lanka Press Council, the committee recommends that it be continued with a change in name to Sri Lake Media Council to widen its reach.

The committee also noted that large extents of land that belong to different state institutions are lying idle and recommended that steps be taken to manage these in a manner for the benefit of the public.

(sundaytimes.lk)
(This story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

The Matara Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the four suspects arrested in connection with the Devinuwara shooting incident be detained for questioning until March 29, Ada Derana reporter said.

Four people, including a woman, have been arrested on suspicion of the double murder. 

Accordingly, the permission for their detention has been granted when they were produced before the Acting Magistrate of Matara.

On March 21, two individuals were killed in a shooting incident on Sinhasana Road, in front of the southern entrance of the Devinuwara Sri Vishnu Devalaya, at around 11.45 p.m., according to the police.

Furthermore, police have uncovered more details regarding the double murder, with investigations pointing to notorious criminal Shehan Sathsara, infamously known as “Bale Malli,” as the prime suspect behind the crime.

According to the police, the shootings were allegedly carried out due to a dispute between the two victims, identified as Pasindu Tharaka (29) and Yomesh Nadeeshan, and ‘Bale Malli.’ The suspect is reported to be currently hiding in Dubai.

The victims, both residents of the area, were returning home from a birthday party in Kapugampura when they were ambushed by a group of attackers traveling in a van. The assailants rammed the motorcycle on which Tharaka and Nadeeshan were riding before opening fire with a T-56 rifle and a pistol.

The attackers immediately fled the scene after the shooting, leaving the victims dead on the spot.

Police later recovered 39 T-56 bullet casings and two 9mm bullet casings from the site of the crime. The van used by the shooters was later discovered 800 meters away from the scene, abandoned and set on fire.

(adaderana.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

Former Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, currently remanded at Dumbara Prison in Pallekele, has been granted permission to consume home-cooked food. 

The Department of Prisons approved his request, citing his specific needs.

Prisons Spokesperson Gamini B. Dissanayake also confirmed that Tennakoon has been relocated to a secure area within the prison following his request for enhanced security. 

The Matara Magistrate’s Court recently ordered his remand until April 3 in connection with the Weligama W15 Hotel shooting incident.