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Stops business class travel for top officials

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The Presidential Secretariat will shortly issue a circular restricting senior state officials, including the President’s and the Prime Minister’s Secretaries from using business class travel on overseas official trips.

Accordingly, several officials who enjoyed the facility so far will have to travel on economy class.

Among those who were entitled to the facility were judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, secretaries to ministries,  the Cabinet Secretary, the Central Bank Governor and the Attorney General.

The decision comes after revelations that a delegation from the Foreign Ministry due to attend Human Rights sessions in Geneva next week had been booked on business class with each of the tickets costing Rs 800,000.

Further inquiries had revealed several other state officials had been travelling on business class despite the adverse financial situation in the country.

A senior official said some of the officials had been willing to travel on economy class, but due to previous practices they had travelled on business class.

The circular will also impose restrictions on hotel accommodation during during foreign visits of officials.

The official said the circular would be issued in keeping with the government’s policy of cutting down on expenses.

However, no changes will be made regarding minister’s travel practices.

(The Sunday Times)

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Uddika Premarathna returns to SL

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Former MP and actor – Uddika Premarathna has returned to the island, reports say.

According to reports, he has arrived in Sri Lanka today (28) morning with his family on an Emirates flight.

Mr. Premarathna’s sudden resignation from parliament and his subsequent departure had raised speculations of him applying for political asylum. However, he had rejected these claims. Speaking to a local YouTube channel that he had not sought political asylum in Canada as reported and that he was expecting a work visa.

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Gnanasara Thero sentenced to 4 years RI

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Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero has been sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment over hate speech made against Islam 08 years ago.

Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige delivered the verdict today (March 28) while imposing a fine of Rs. 100,000 on the monk.

The Attorney General had filed the case against the Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary on charges of causing religious and racial disunity in Sri Lanka over remarks made by him on Kuragala Temple during a media briefing held on March 30, 2016.

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Special commodity levy on imported onions & rice, slashed

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The special commodity levy on imported onions and rice has been reduced with effect from yesterday (March 27).

Thereby, the Special Commodity Levy of Rs. 65 per 1kg of rice has been dropped to Rs. 1 until April 03, 2024.

In addition, the tax levied from imported Rose Onions have been slashed to Rs. 10 per kilogram until April 30, 2024.

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