A Sri Lanka Telecom Trade Union had revealed that the unpaid telephone bill of the United National Party headquarters – Sirikotha, stands at a staggering Rs. 446,000.
During a press conference held yesterday (21) at the Guru Madura Hall in Colombo, President of the TU representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) – Hemantha Neththikumara said that the unpaid internet and phone bills of Sirikotha is Rs. 355,000 and Rs. 91,000 respectively.
It was also revealed during the press conference that the bills had been outstanding since 2016 and were not paid despite being notified to do so on several occasions.
Neththikumara had sarcastically remarked that it would be very good if President Wickremesinghe pays the telephone bills of his party headquarters before selling the SLT.
This is the first media briefing of an SLPP affiliated Trade Union since the return of SLPP founder and national founder – Basil Rajapaksa’s return to the island on Sunday.
The Cabinet has approved a revision of tariffs for newly contracted solar energy systems in Sri Lanka, effective from June 16, 2025.
According to a letter issued by the Ministry of Energy dated June 20, the updated rates are as follows:
Rs. 20.90 per unit for systems up to 5 kilowatts (kW)
Rs. 19.61 per unit for systems between 5 kW and 20 kW
Rs. 17.46 per unit for systems between 20 kW and 100 kW
These revised rates will apply to all applicants who pay the system clearance fees on or after June 16, 2025. The new tariffs will also be valid for extension requests submitted on or after that date.
(dailynews.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
The Sri Lanka Army has dismissed recent social media claims suggesting a group of officers is being fraudulently removed using forged documents.
In a statement, the Army said the allegations are completely false stating that such assertions stem from a fundamental lack of understanding regarding military administrative protocols.
The allegations are aimed at damaging the institution’s reputation in the eyes of the public.
While confirming that no removals have taken place without proper procedures or the approval of the President, the statement asserts that the Army is committed to transparency while safeguarding national security.
Three hundred students from the Northern Province who excelled in all subject streams of the 2023 G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) Examination will each receive a grant of Rs. 100,000 from the President’s Fund.
As part of a newly launched initiative to honour high-performing students at the district level for the 2023/2024 G.C.E. A/L Examination, the President’s Fund hosted an award ceremony this morning (22) at the Iranamadu Nelum Piyasa Auditorium in the Northern Province.
During the event, 300 students from the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya, specifically 60 students per district, with the top 10 students from each subject stream, were recognised and presented with financial awards for their outstanding academic performance. The President’s Fund has allocated a total of Rs. 30 million for this initiative, which is expected to be extended to all districts in the future.
Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, addressed the gathering and noted that following the formation of the new government, the President’s Fund has been restructured and expanded under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka. He emphasised that the Fund now operates with increased transparency, correcting past irregularities to ensure benefits are directed to the truly deserving. Dr. Kumanayake also mentioned ongoing efforts to digitise the Fund and decentralise its services to improve accessibility and efficiency.
He further highlighted that education is the key to a successful life and urged the students to take full advantage of the support provided, pursue academic excellence, become responsible citizens and contribute positively to the country’s development. Also addressing the event were Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne and Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Ramalingam Chandrasekar.
A vote of thanks was delivered by Abhishek, a student from Jaffna Hindu College, who expressed heartfelt appreciation to the President and the President’s Fund. He described the programme as a valuable opportunity for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education and achieve their goals.
In attendance at the ceremony were Northern Province Governor Nagalingam Vethanayahan, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development Upali Samarasinghe, Members of Parliament K. Ilankumaran, Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy and M. Jagadeeswaran, along with other public representatives. Also present were Mr. Roshan Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary of the President’s Fund, senior officials from the Fund, government officers, heads of security forces, parents and students.