News

SLRC’s new web radio suspended immediately

Published

10 months ago

February 14, 2024

nipuni

Chairman of the state owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) – Dr. Prasad Samarasinghe has pledged to suspend the channel’s new web radio, internal sources say.

He has pledged this as a response to a group of SLRC employees protesting at the SLRC main lobby earlier this morning (Feb. 14).

The new web radio named as ‘Ru Radio’ was set to be launched today, coinciding with the 42th anniversary of the SLRC.

Although the SLRC chairman has denied knowledge of the launch, a test broadcast had commenced via the link https://rupavahini.lk/ru-radio and video advertisements had even been publiciized.

Meanwhile, it is also reported that the Ceylon Electricity Board had disconnected power to the SLRC yesterday over the non-payment of bills but the supply was temporarily reconnected after a portion of it was settled.

It is also said that the power supply to SLRC has been disconnected around 10 times in the recent past due to inability to settle electricity bills and the Finance Manager is said to be evading producers of teledramas that are demanding arrears payments.

According to Trade Unions of the SLRC, the state owned TV is deeply in debt, with the figure exceeding Rs. 3,000 million.

It is reported that the SLRC has not paid the VAT due to the state for several years and has not paid EPF and ETF of its employees for several months as well.

Although around 65 employees have left the SLRC under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme, the institute has been unable to pay their retirement gratuity, EPF and ETF, reports add.

Leveling serious accusations against the Minister of Media – Bandula Gunawardena and against the SLRC chairman over this situation, SLRC employees also allege that the transaction of handing over Channel Eye to Subhashkaran Alirajah is a corrupt one.

They charge that the transaction is a fraudulent one where Alirajah was given the TV frequency of Nethra TV instead, after converting it to Channel Eye. The frequency of Nethra TV had an islandwide coverage, something that the Channel Eye frequency did not.

News

President holds talks with ITAK MPs

Published

9 hours ago

December 4, 2024

editor

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with Parliamentarians from the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) today (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

During the discussion, the ITAK MPs brought to the President’s attention the longstanding challenges faced by the people in the Northern and Eastern regions.

Parliamentarians Sivagnanam Shritharan, Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam, Shanmugam Kugathasan, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, Gnanamuthu Srineshan, Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran, Elayathamby Srinath, and Thurairasa Raviharan also attended the meeting.

(President’s Media Division)

News

Govt. policy statement passed in Parliament sans vote

Published

9 hours ago

December 4, 2024

editor

The resolution on the Statement of the Government Policy presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament on November 21 was passed unanimously in Parliament today (Dec. 04) without a vote.

The debate on the Statement of the Government Policy was held as a two-day debate from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm yesterday (Dec. 03) and from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm today.

BIZ

W.M. Mendis’ liquor manufacturing license to be suspended

Published

10 hours ago

December 4, 2024

editor

The liquor manufacturing license issued to W.M. Mendis & Co. Limited will be suspended from tomorrow (December 5) due to their failure to pay Rs. 5.7 billion in excise taxes and surcharges, the Excise department said.

Accordingly, as per the provisions Excise Ordinance Act, the Commissioner General of Excise has ordered to suspend the liquor manufacturing license issued to W.M. Mendis & Co. Limited effective from tomorrow.

The department further stated that measures have been taken to suspend the liquor manufacturing process from tomorrow (December 5) and to not renew the other licenses issued to the company from December 31 onwards if the company continues non-payment of tax arrears and surcharges.