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SLC denies making alleged salary payments to fmr. IGP Tennakoon

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has denied allegations raised by MP Hesha Withanage over paying former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon a salary of Rs. 150,000 and providing him with other perks.

The allegations were made by the MP during the Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill held yesterday (March 18).

The full statement made by SLC in this regard is as follows :

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to categorically deny and strongly refute the baseless and false allegations made by Hon. MP Hesha Withanage during the Parliamentary debate on the Appropriation Bill held on 18th March 2025.

During the said debate, MP Withanage alleged that Sri Lanka Cricket has paid a sum of Rs. 150,000/= as a salary to Deshabandu Tennakoon, then Inspector General of Police, and further claimed that SLC had provided him with a laptop, mobile phone, and other perks as per an Executive Committee decision. It was also asserted that these actions amounted to bribery and that the officials of Sri Lanka Cricket should be held accountable under the provisions of law for offering a bribe.

Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to firmly state that these allegations are completely false, baseless, and devoid of any factual foundation.

We wish to state that Sri Lanka Cricket is acutely aware of its primary responsibility to ensure the highest level of security for foreign national teams, international tours, players, events, and visiting dignitaries, including state heads. As such, SLC continuously engages with Sri Lanka’s security personnel, including high-ranking army personnel and senior police officers, to maintain the safety and security of all involved.

In this regard, it is a common and essential practice to enlist the support of both active and retired high-ranking officers to ensure comprehensive safety measures during international cricket tours.

During the period when Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon served as the Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Western Province, SLC sought his expertise on security matters related to international tours. This request was made during a time when the country was experiencing a “New Normal’ situation emanating out of the Covid pandemic,’ where SLC had to take extra precautions to implement the “Covid Protocols’ enforced by the health authorities to ensure the safety of the players and officials engaged in playing international and domestic cricket tournaments. It is such measures that helped Sri Lanka Cricket conduct several international and domestic tournaments during the said time without any hindrance.

Following our request, as a mark of professionalism and adherence to official protocols, Mr. Tennakoon conveyed to SLC that he would require prior authorization from higher authorities due to his active duty status. Subsequently, Mr. Tennakoon informed SLC that, as an active police officer, he was not authorized to undertake any special tasks outside his official duties.

Nonetheless, he assured his readiness to provide necessary security assistance as required, considering the national significance of such engagements.

We categorically state that Sri Lanka Cricket has not made any payment, provided any laptop, mobile phone, or other perks to Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon, nor has he been engaged as a consultant or in any other capacity with SLC.

Sri Lanka Cricket strongly condemns the unfounded and misleading statements made by MP Hesha Withanage under the parliamentary privileges and urges responsible conduct when making public statements to avoid causing unnecessary harm to the reputation and integrity of institutions and individuals.

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Let’s build a nation rooted in historical heritage (Pics)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that a society cannot progress without a meaningful connection to its historic heritage and that the nation’s development path must be chosen accordingly.

The President made these remarks while addressing a ceremonial gathering yesterday (July 10) afternoon at the historic Ruhunu Kataragama sacred site.  

Earlier in the day, President Dissanayake visited the sacred grounds of Kataragama, participated in religious observances and later paid a courtesy call on the Venerable Kobawaka Dhamminda Nayaka Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the historic Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya, inquiring about his well-being and engaging in a brief discussion.

The President also attended the final Randoli Maha Perahera (Golden Chariot Grand Procession) of the annual Esala Festival at the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, where he witnessed the ceremonial placement of the sacred relic casket upon the relic bearing tusker.  

Addressing the gathering, President Dissanayake further emphasised that a nation can only move forward by maintaining continuity with its historic heritage. He noted that every developed country in the world has achieved progress by preserving its historical legacy and building upon it, stressing that Sri Lanka, too, must choose a development path anchored in its heritage.

The President highlighted that Buddhism played a pivotal role in transforming our society into a cultured civilisation and that cultural festivals like this help revive and strengthen the moral and social values of a society often preoccupied with material pursuits.  

He pointed out that the Ruhunu Kataragama Perahera has been held continuously for 2,186 years, spanning nearly a hundred generations and that its survival has been possible due to the deep connection between this cultural ceremony and the lives of the people. The President extended his gratitude to all those, including the Chief Incumbent, who contributed to the success of this year’s procession.  

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, R.M. Jayawardena, Governor of the Uva Province, Attorney-at-Law Kapila Jayasekara, Member of Parliament Ruwan Wijeweera, Chairman of the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha, Dharmapala Herath and Monaragala District Secretary Pasan Ratnayake.

(President’s Media Division)

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Charges against Keheliya & others postponed

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The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar has postponed the formal serving of charges against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and 12 others to Sep. 16, citing delays in the printing of annexures required to accompany the chargesheets.

Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, appearing for the prosecution, informed the court that while the chargesheets had already been filed, the annexures had not yet been submitted due to printing delays. She noted that it would cost approximately Rs. 866,565 to print the annexures for each accused and that the documents for all twelve defendants are yet to be prepared.

The Government Printer has indicated that it would take about 21 days to complete the printing. Therefore, the prosecution requested the court to reschedule the case accordingly. The court granted the request and fixed the next hearing for Sep. 16.

The Attorney General has filed 13 charges against the accused, including allegations of conspiring to fraudulently misappropriate Rs. 1.444 billion in public funds by supplying 6,195 vials of human immunoglobulin and non-pharmaceutical substances such as Ritopsimap to the Ministry of Health’s Medical Supplies Division.

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UK’s relaxed trade rules to boost SL exports

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The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries like Sri Lanka after upgrades to the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).

The changes, announced as part of the UK’s wider Trade for Development offer, aim to support economic growth in partner countries, including Sri Lanka, while helping UK businesses and consumers access high-quality, affordable goods.

New measures include simplifying rules of origin, enabling more goods from countries such as Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and the Philippines can enter the UK tariff-free, even when using components from across Asia and Africa.

These changes are expected to be in place by early 2026.

This move strengthens Sri Lanka’s position in its second-largest apparel market, supporting exports, jobs, and economic growth.

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, said: “This is a win for the Sri Lankan garment sector, and for UK consumers. With the UK being the second largest export market and garments making up over 60% of that trade, we know manufacturers here will welcome this announcement.

“We want Sri Lanka to improve the utilisation of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme for a wider range of goods, not just garments. With the Sri Lankan government’s ambition to grow exports, and with the simplification of rules of origin for other sectors too, we strongly encourage more exporters to explore how they can benefit from the preferences offered by the DCTS. The UK remains committed to working towards creating shared prosperity for both our countries.”

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