News

President to make Special Statement on 13A next week

Published

1 year ago

August 2, 2023

editor

President Ranil Wickremesinghe will present the Government proposals related to the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to Parliament next week, it was reported.

The President will do so while making a Special Statement where he will explain in detail, the proposals to Parliament except seperate police powers.

An All-Party Conference was held under the patronage of the President on July 26 to inform the party leaders representing Parliament about the programme of the Government in relation to national reconciliation.

It was said that President Wickremesinghe would also explain about introducing laws and regulations to strengthen the 13th Amendment.

The Party leaders during the discussion presented their views and suggestions. After the completion of the preliminary work on the devolution of powers, Bills are to be submitted to the Parliament regarding the conduct of affairs at the Provincial Councils.

Under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, when transferring powers to the Provincial Councils, the power to make decisions regarding certain subjects is vested with the Central Government and these subjects must be legally announced.

Earlier, the President said that he will present the best proposals related to solving the problems of the people of the North and East and added that the leaders of the Tamil parties should decide whether to take them forward or not.

The President stressed that there were no plans to merge the Northern and Eastern Provinces and that the aim of this programme is not to seek political mileage but to solve the problems of the Tamil people in the North and East.

The President has decided to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution only if all the party leaders representing Parliament agree to a full devolution of powers, the Daily News reported.

The President is of the opinion that the consent of all the party leaders representing Parliament is necessary for granting the Police Powers mentioned in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and for that a two third majority in the Parliament is required.

The President during a recent discussion held with the members of Parliament representing North and East on July 18 said the draft of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) has been referred to the Attorney General to determine whether it is compatible with the Constitution and will soon be presented to Parliament and the National Action Plan on Reconciliation drafted by the ONUR will also be presented to the Cabinet soon.

Source – Daily News

News

5 Acting Ministers appointed

Published

6 hours ago

January 13, 2025

editor

With President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s departure from the country for a State Visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, five acting ministers have been appointed to oversee key ministries under the president’s purview.

Acting ministers have been appointed for three ministries under the President’s purview: the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. Additionally, acting ministers have been assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, as well as the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation.

The acting ministers are as follows :

Acting Minister of Digital Economy – Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne
Acting Minister of Defence – Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekera
Acting Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development -Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism – Deputy Minister of Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra
Acting Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation – Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Kumara Gunasena

(President’s Media Division)

News

Tsunami warning after huge earthquake in Japan

Published

7 hours ago

January 13, 2025

editor

Japan was hit by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake on Monday causing two small tsunamis to form.

The quake was at a depth of 23 miles and mainly hit the southwestern Kyushu region, said the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

The quake struck at 9.19 pm local time, according to the agency.

Tsunami warnings were issued shortly after for Miyazaki Prefecture, where the temblor was centred, in the southwestern island of Kyushu.

A warning was also issued for the nearby Kochi Prefecture.

Masamasa Sato, chief of the crisis management department of Takanabe Town Hall in Miyazaki Prefecture, said: “The shaking was so strong that it was difficult to stand for about 20 to 30 seconds.”

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned of possible tsunami waves of up to one metre (three feet) and urged the public to stay away from coastal waters.

“Tsunami can strike repeatedly. Please do not enter the sea or go near coastal areas,” the JMA said on X.

Two small tsunamis of around 20 centimetres were detected at two ports in the region, the weather agency said.

Local media reported no immediate injuries, with live television feeds from the region on public broadcaster NHK showing no visible damage as well as calm seas, vessels operating and traffic running normally.

(heraldsun.com.au)

News

Teachers – Principals to be among highest paid professionals

Published

7 hours ago

January 13, 2025

editor

The government is taking significant steps to address salary disparities in the education sector and elevate five key education services, including teachers and principals, to be among the 10 highest-paid professions in the country, Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe said.
Speaking at an event held in Maharagama, the Deputy Minister outlined the government’s commitment to improving remuneration and addressing long-standing salary issues in the education sector.

“We will present the first budget next month, and there will be an increase in the salaries of public servants in that budget. Do not have any doubts about that,” said Jayasinghe, emphasizing the government’s efforts to prioritize public sector wage reforms.

He also acknowledged the persistent concerns about salary disparities in the education sector. “Many people are asking about the two-thirds salary disparity for teachers. We are already conducting the necessary preliminary discussions to resolve this issue,” he added.

Highlighting the government’s plans for educators, the Deputy Minister noted that five services—teachers, principals, educational administrators, teacher educators, and teacher advisors—are being considered for inclusion among the top 10 salary scales.

“Discussions are currently underway to not only address the salary scales but also to improve the quality of these services. Our goal is to enhance the standards of education through appropriate salary adjustments,” he stated.

(adaderana.lk)

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