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President AKD meets with visiting dy. Prime Minister of NZ

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A meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Winston Peters and President Anura Kumara Disanayake took place this afternoon (26) at the Presidential Secretariat during Mr. Peters’ official visit to Sri Lanka.

Conveying greetings on behalf of the Government and the people of New Zealand, Mr. Peters congratulated President Disanayake on his victory in both the Presidential and General Elections. He reaffirmed the longstanding friendship between the two nations and acknowledged the recent re-establishment of diplomatic relations.

Deputy Prime Minister Peters expressed the Government of New Zealand’s strong appreciation for the positive developments taking place in Sri Lanka following the recent presidential and general election victories. He acknowledged the significant steps taken by the new administration towards political stability, economic recovery, and social progress, and commended the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayake in steering the country in the right direction. Mr. Peters further emphasized that New Zealand recognizes Sri Lanka’s current trajectory as a promising foundation for sustainable growth and long-term development. In this context, he announced that the New Zealand government remains committed to deepening its financial support in the future.

President Disanayake noted that Deputy Prime Minister Peters’ visit marks the beginning of a new chapter in Sri Lanka–New Zealand relations. The President briefed Mr. Peters on Sri Lanka’s progress in economic, social and political stabilization following the recent elections. He emphasized the government’s commitment to further strengthen these areas to ensure long-term national development.

The President also highlighted the importance of reconciliation, noting that long-standing divisions among the people had led to prolonged conflict. He stated that his government is prioritizing peace-building and national unity as key pillars of the reconciliation process.

Discussions also explored opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation in key sectors such as agriculture, education and tourism. Both parties expressed their commitment to working closely to advance these areas of mutual interest.

Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando along with Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, were also present at the meeting.

(President’s Media Division)

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Programme to improve attitudes of tourist three-wheeler drivers

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The Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat has launched a new initiative aimed at improving the attitudes, ethics, and service standards of three-wheeler drivers operating within the tourism sector.An initial discussion regarding the implementation of the program was held yesterday morning (June 18) at the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat. It was revealed that the initiative will train 10,000 three-wheeler taxi drivers engaged in the tourism sector, covering all nine provinces of the island within this year. The program, which aims to enhance the drivers’ attitudes and ethical conduct, is estimated to cost Rs. 25 million. Ten training sessions are scheduled to be conducted in each province as part of the island-wide initiative.

The program aims to provide three-wheeler drivers with comprehensive knowledge of traffic regulations, promote a sense of responsibility, and guide them on the appropriate steps to deliver quality transport services. It also seeks to improve their ability to meet the expectations of tourists by raising service quality. As part of the initiative, a specialized software application will be introduced for drivers serving the tourism sector. Through these measures, the program aims to elevate the overall standards and professionalism of services within the tourism industry.

Additionally, the initiative aims to encourage three-wheeler drivers to adopt better attitudes, improve their personal hygiene and professionalism, and increase their familiarity with the areas they operate in, thereby ensuring friendly and quality service for customers.

Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Mr. S.P.C. Sugeeshwara, along with officials representing the Ministry of Finance, Tourism Bureau Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Northern Provincial Council, Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council, Tourism Police, Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management, and representatives from the All Ceylon Three Wheeler Drivers’ Trade Union, Western Provincial Three Wheeler Drivers and Owners’ Cooperative Society, National Taxi App Professional Drivers’ Union, Online Taxi Service Drivers’ Association, and Federation of App-based Transport Workers also participated in the event.

(President’s Media Division)

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Over 26,000 Dengue cases so far in 2025

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A mosquito control week will be carried out in 16 districts from June 30 – July 05, the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) announced.

Community Specialist Dr. Priscilla Samaraweera stated at a media briefing in Colombo that 26,775 dengue cases and 14 deaths, including one child, have been reported islandwide so far this year, with 45% of cases reported from the Western Province.

She noted that the program is being launched in response to rising mosquito density due to the southwest monsoon rains, and will cover 111 MOH divisions.

High-risk areas will be inspected, breeding sites will be identified and removed, followed by issuing red notices and taking legal action where necessary, she added.

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SC orders Rs 02 mn. compensation for police torture victim

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The Supreme Court yesterday (June 18) ordered two policemen to compensate a youth who was arrested and tortured in 2019 over an alleged gold theft from a company he had worked in.

The court ruled that the then OIC of Uragasmanhandiya Police and the then OIC of its Crime Branch had violated the fundamental rights of the young man – P.A.S. Madhushan by unlawfully arresting, assaulting, and torturing him to extract a confession over the incident.

Both police officers – identified as OIC Harith and OIC Hiran were ordered to personally pay Rs.01 million each in compensation as well as legal costs to the youth within 06 months.

The bench, comprising Justices Shiran Gunaratne, S. Thurai Raja, and A.H.M.D. Nawaz, also instructed that copies of the judgment be sent to the National Police Commission for further necessary action against the officers.

The FR case filed by the youth stated that he had voluntarily gone to the police with a lawyer upon learning that he was being sought over the theft. There, he was handcuffed and dragged along the floor into a room before being beaten and tortured until unconscious.

He said that the first respondent had compelled him to pay Rs.300,000 to the company owner to arrive at a settlement before being released on police bail. He had later been hospitalized for 12 days due to injuries inflicted on him.

Despite denials by the respondents, the SC bench found no lawful basis for the arrest and unanimously ruled that based on forensic medical reports, the petitioner had indeed been subjected to severe torture, confirming the violation of his rights.

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