News

PMD clarifies on reports to establish DDCs

Published

1 year ago

November 30, 2022

editor

Media reports claiming the President is planning to establish District Development Committees (DDC) instead of Provincial Councils are false, the President Media Unit states.

The PMD statement further says :

Recent media reports attributing a quote to the President stating that the Provincial Councils will be replaced with the District Development Committees is incorrect. President Ranil Wickremesingheís response in Parliament yesterday (29) has been reported by several media in such a way that the meaning is distorted.

During the ongoing Parliamentary budget debate responding to a statement by MP Maithripala Sirisena the President stated that the District Development Committees (DDCs) will be established within the Provincial Councils. The DDCs will provide a platform for coordination between the Government, the Provincial Councils and the Local Governments for all executive decisions. This will ensure the process is not duplicated and will reduce financial wastage.

Apart from that, the president has not made any statement about the dissolution of provincial councils.

News

This week’s Cabinet decisions

Published

4 hours ago

April 26, 2024

editor

A number of decisions have been taken at the Cabinet meeting held yesterday (April 25).

The decisions taken by the Cabinet of Ministers are as follows :

CabinetDecision_E24_04_25 Download

News

Salley, leading figure behind Zahran – Fonseka (Video)

Published

5 hours ago

April 26, 2024

editor

Former Army commander Sarath Fonseka told Parliament today (April 26) that the person who had groomed the main Easter Sunday suicide bomber – Zahran Hashim, is the current head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Maj Gen (Rtd.) Suresh Salley.

Although Salley is currently trying to wash his hands off the matter, he cannot escape this, MP Fonseka said.

‘When I was there, I had removed Salley from the SIS. But he was made SIS head by Gotabaya after my departure. Then, Boniface Perera, who was Salley’s right hand man, was made the Eastern Commander. If he starts to slander me again, I will release this file to social media, which will portray what kind of man he truly is. Such people were in contact with Zahran and made him a hero,’ he said.

MP Fonseka also said that Salley had recently said that he wasn’t in the country when the attacks took place. He cannot escape the responsibility by saying he wasn’t in the country, not with the present technology available, the MP added.

He has also said that the process of identifying and nabbing a terrorist cannot be done through commissions and committees and it is the officers Intelligence services and the CID who have the relevant capacity and experience in such matters.

MP Fonseka further said that strict punishments should be given to those who were responsible for the Easter Sunday bombings and who evaded responsibility.

If we secure power, I am confident that the perpetrators can be brought to justice within a year, he further said.

Today is the final day of the three-day adjournment debate on the 2019 Easter attacks.

(Video : VoiceTube)

BIZ

2 companies from Russia & India to take over MRIA management

Published

5 hours ago

April 26, 2024

editor

Accordingly, the Cabinet approval has been granted to hand over the management of MRIA to Shaurya Aeronautics Pvt. Ltd of India and Airports of Regions Management Company of Russia or an affiliated company thereof for a period of 30 years.

Earlier during a Cabinet meeting held on Jan. 09, 2023, approval was granted to invite EOIs from interested parties for utilizing the facilities of the MRIA.

EOIs have been called, for which 05 institutions have submitted offers for the purpose.