News

Postal workers’ leave, cancelled ; N’Eliya post office to Taj Samudra?

Published

6 months ago

November 7, 2023

editor

The Department of Posts has taken steps to cancel all the leave of its employees, ahead of a planned strike by postal workers.

Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara stated that the leave of all postal staff will be cancelled on November 08, 09 and 10 with immediate effect.

It was earlier reported that postal workers had decided to resort to a 48-hour strike, as a mark of protest against the government’s decision to convert the Nuwara Eliya Post Office into a hotel.

N’Eliya post office to Taj Samudra?

Speaking at the weekly cabinet briefing held earlier today (07), Cabinet spokesman – Minister Bandula Gunawardena stated that as the subject minister, he completely agreed with the President over the conversion of the building.

The Minister pointed out that the Nuwara Eliya post office was in a very dilapidated state and the Government is unable to afford renovations or maintenance and a proposal has been handed over to the President to convert this ‘underutilized asset’ to a more effective one.

If you go now to visit the Nuwara Eliya post office, buckets have been placed in places where water leaks in, the minister said.

Mentioning the Taj Samudra Hotel chain, the minister said that a proposal in this regard had been submitted to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Especially Indians are drawn to the area through ‘Sita Eliya’ and by constructing one of their hotels, it could elevate the living conditions of the resident locals while increasing their income and job opportunities, the minister said.

Therefore, as the subject minister, I fully agree to move the post office elsewhere and provide the location to this project, he added.

Related News :

Postal workers to go on 48-hr. strike

News

Veteran journalist A.D. Ranjith Kumara no more

Published

23 hours ago

May 10, 2024

editor

Veteran journalist, artist and author A.D. Ranjith Kumara passed away today (May 10).

He passed away at the age of 77.

His remains will be laid at the Mahinda funeral parlour in Mt. Lavinia from 8.00am tomorrow (May 11) before being handed over to the Kotelawala Medical Faculty as per his final wishes.

News

CID tells Maithripala’s statements contradict each other

Published

23 hours ago

May 10, 2024

editor

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) conducting investigations into the controversial revelation made by former President Maithripala Sirisena regarding the Easter Sunday bomb attacks, informed court that his two statements given to the CID and evidence gathered from CCTV footage contradict each other.

Counsel Rajitha Lakmal, appearing for Parliamentarian Kavinda Jayawardena, moved the court to issue an order for the former President’s arrest if he has provided false statements by concealing the truth. Considering the facts, Maligakanda Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrema directed the CID to take necessary action regarding former President Sirisena if he has committed something with criminal liability. The progress of the investigation was ordered to be reported to the court on July 26.

The CID had filed a facts report before Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court regarding the statement the former President had made recently. Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles had instructed the Inspector General of Police to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the statement made by the former President in Kandy that he knew the people involved in the Easter Sunday bomb attacks on 21 April 2019.

(dailymirror.lk)

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

News

Supreme Court moves another petition by Diana Gamage

Published

1 day ago

May 10, 2024

nipuni

The Supreme Court has ordered that the petition filed by former State Minister Diana Gamage challenging a decision taken by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to cancel her party membership, be called on May 28.

This petition was taken up before the three-member Supreme Court bench consisting of Justices Gamini Amarasekara, Kumuduni Wickremesinghe and Mahinda Samayawardhena today (10).

At the time, President’s Counsel Faiszer Musthapha who appeared for the petitioner Diana Gamage, requested for a date to inform the court of the decision to be taken regarding this petition.

Accordingly, the judge bench ordered that the relevant petition be called on May 28 and that the decision regarding the maintaining of this petition be announced on the relevant date.

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, General Secretary of the SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara and several others have been named as respondents in this petition.

The SJB had earlier decided to expel Diana Gamage from the party citing that she had failed to comply with the unanimous decision taken by the party to vote against the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, by voting in favour. The SJB had also highlighted that this was a serious violation of party discipline, and that the Opposition Leader and the SJB’s leader Sajith Premadasa decided to suspend her party membership for the reputation or well-being and prosperity of the party.(adaderana.lk)

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