News
Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meets fmr. NZ PMs
Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus of Sri Lanka who are on a study visit to New Zealand, met the former Prime Ministers of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern and Helen Clark, recently (27).
Empowering women leadership in politics and promoting gender diversity were discussed at length with the Prime Ministers. Jacinda Ardern, who held the position of Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023, shared her experience of leading her country in the face of the economic and political crises as well as the Covid-19 pandemic during her tenure. Especially the attention of women Parliamentarians was drawn to matters such as the policies created to provide opportunities for women who gave up work to take care of children to enter the job market again, measures taken to create wage equality, paid parental leave in case of childbirth, reducing child poverty etc.
Also, Helen Clark, the first female Prime Minister of New Zealand, spoke about her political experience to the Caucus. She expressed her views on the measures taken during her tenure to empower women, including civil marriage reforms and encouraging women to save money for retirement.
A cultural event was also organized here representing the ‘Maori’ community in New Zealand to welcome the Sri Lankan Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Dr. Seetha Arambepola, Rohini Kumari Wijeratne, Pavithradevi Vanniarachchi, Geetha Samanmalee Kumarasinghe, Thalatha Athukorala, Kokila Gunawardena, Mudita Prishanthi, Rajika Wickramasinghe, Manjula Dissanayake, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as well as the Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, Assistant Director (Administration) Indira Dissanayake and Media Manager of Parliament Nimmi Hathiyaldeniya were present on this occasion.
This study visit was organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with the aim of strengthening the measures taken by the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus for the advancement of Sri Lankan women, including the empowerment of women’s leadership in the country’s politics and securing gender equality.
News
Solar power tariffs revised
News
Army denies social media claims fraudulent officer removals
News
A/L top achievers in North, felicitated (Pics)
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.
(President’s Media Division)
Solar power tariffs revised
Army denies social media claims fraudulent officer removals
