The CID questioned IGP C. D. Wickramaratne for nearly five hours today.

He was questioned based on a statement issued by the Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon to the CID that the group that came from Temple Trees to attack the Galle Face protesters could not be stopped and were allowed to attack due to an order issued by the IGP and the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Defense.

The CID is currently preparing to question the Secretary to the Ministry of Defense in the next few days.

The IGP had stated before the CID that he had been informed by the intelligence services in advance that such a riot would take place. On the 8th, he instructed the Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province to take the necessary security measures based on that intelligence report.

He has clearly instructed the Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province not to allow people coming from Temple Trees to enter the Galle Face area but has not ordered or instructed him to allow them to come freely.

According to police sources, the IGP has clearly stated before the CID that a lot of undisclosed information regarding the incident including who allowed the protesters to attack, who acted in defiance of duty and remained among the protesters.

According to police sources, the IGP’s statement has now become a piece of strong evidence and many more facts will be revealed after taking the statement from the Secretary of Public Security.

Another stock of 40,000 metric tons of diesel has arrived in Colombo today.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo stated that the oil tanker was sent to Sri Lanka under a loan scheme from India.

An attempt by a group of HND students to march towards the President Palace was dispersed by Police firing tear gas.

Police Media Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa stated that a court order had been issued to prevent them from moving towards the President Palace.

The CID is preparing to obtain a statement from IGP C. D. Wickramaratne today.

Thst is based on a statement made by Western Province Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon to the CID regarding the not stopping those who attacked the Galle Face protesters on the 9th.

Deshabandu Tennakoon has said that the people who had come from Temple Trees were allowed to come freely to Galle Face due to an order issued to them by the IGP and the Secretary Defense. A senior CID official said that Deshabandu Tennakoon’s statements stated that he had not been able to carry out the President’s orders due to orders from the IGP and the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, although the President had clearly instructed him not to allow the group to enter the Galle Face Green.

The official also said that the CID is preparing to uncover a large number of information by questioning the IGP today about whether the Deshabandu Tennakoon was given an order that goes beyond the President’s order? , Are the statements made by Deshabandu Tennakoon correct? Were there any intelligence received about this attack in advance? If so, what is the course of action taken in this regard? What are the orders given to Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon?

He further said that the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security will be questioned in the next few days.

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) in Parliament today recommended Litro Gas to Lanka distribute about 60% of the gas cylinders distributed daily by Litro to the Colombo and Gampaha districts.

Due to the high population density and the limited availability of alternative energy sources in those areas, the recommendation to distribute most of the gas supply to those districts was made when the authorities of the Litro Gas Company were summoned before the COPE Committee today.

The recommendation was made after discussing the appropriate methodology to distribute gas after receiving stocks in the face of the gas shortage crisis in the country.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has announced the electricity demand management schedule from 22nd May to the 1st of June to facilitate the O/L examination. Accordingly, there will be no power cuts on Sundays of 22nd May and 29th May. Also, there will be no power cuts after 6.30 pm on other days from 22nd May to 1st of June.

However, there will be a power cut of 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes for all zones during those days from 12 noon to 6.30 pm, at the times that the examinations are not held except in the Industrial Zone and the Colombo City Commercial Zone. The industrial zones (between 5 am to 8 am) and the Colombo City Commercial Zone (between 6 am to 9 am) will experience a 3-hour power cut during those days. Details of the power cut schedule are available on the website (www.pucsl.lk) and the Facebook page of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (https://www.facebook.com/pucsl) and on the web page of the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Janaka Ratnayake
Chairman
Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission

The unloading of another consignment of diesel and petrol will begin tomorrow, Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said.

“Even though diesel supply to all filling stations islandwide has been disrupted for the past two days, the distribution of diesel will continue this time with these stocks”, he said.

The distribution of 92 Octane and 95 Octane petrol have started this morning.

The Minister said that the distribution of these stocks would continue covering all filling stations.

The Committee on Public Accounts has instructed the Ministry of Environment to conduct public awareness campaigns as the public is still unaware that the national flower of Sri Lanka is not a ‘Nil Mahanel flower’ (Blue Water Lily flower) but a ‘Mahanel flower’ (Water Lily flower).

The Committee has observed that although schools, governmental and non-governmental organizations have been made aware of the National Flower during awareness programs conducted by the Ministry of Environment, it has not been done adequately.

Therefore, the public should be made aware of this through the National Institute of Education, the University Grants Commission, and other relevant institutions as well as through newspaper advertisements.

According to a Cabinet decision in June 2015, the national flower became the Mahanel flower (Water Lily flower).

The Committee has observed that the National Flower of Sri Lanka is still used as the ‘Nil Mahanel flower’ (Water Lily flower) in many instances as the Ministry of Environment has failed to provide adequate publicity to the institutions and other government agencies under its purview.

These facts were contained in the first report of the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament of the COPA Committee, which was tabled in Parliament today (20) by the Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts, Prof. Tissa Vitarana.

This report contains information on the investigations of 7 Government Institutions convened by the Committee on State Accounts and one Special Audit Report during the period from 04.08.2021 to 19.11.2021.

The Minister of Education has decided to temporarily suspend the issuance of letters for the admission of children to national schools from today (20).

It is said that the public will be informed after a policy decision is taken in this regard at the end of the school holidays.

The announcement is below.

The Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) has called on the people of Sri Lanka to restrict energy consumption until the power supply is restored as a solution to the fuel crisis caused by the foreign exchange deficit.

Accordingly, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority has requested that the lighting of signal boards, neon and LED signals, and digital and printed billboards be stopped as they use a considerable amount of electricity from the national grid.

The Sustainable Energy Authority has requested not to use electricity from the national grid for building facade lighting and all other types of lighting except lighting for security purposes.

The Government of Japan is giving essential medicines to Sri Lanka through UNICEF to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable population as the country grapples with shortages due to an economic crisis.

The contribution of US$ 1.5 million will enable UNICEF to procure medicines for over 1.2 million people, among them 53,000 pregnant mothers and nearly 122,000 children in immediate need. The medicines will be distributed to health facilities across Sri Lanka in coordination with the Ministry of Health

Charge d’ Affaires ad interim of Japan to Sri Lanka Mr. KATSUKI Kotaro said, “It is our great honour that Japan will be providing USD 1.5 million emergency grant assistance to the people of Sri Lanka to procure most urgently needed 25 types of medicines within the next two months through UNICEF. We believe that this will help improve access to essential life-saving medical services especially for pregnant women and children, who are most likely to be affected by the economic crisis.”

The economic crisis and the subsequent foreign currency shortage have left Sri Lanka struggling to import essential goods, including fuel, gas for cooking and medicines.

Essential services in the health sector are heavily impacted by the crisis, affecting both patients and health workers. The Ministry of Health has identified a list of essential drugs that will be of out of stock in the next two months, including for children and pregnant women.

“It’s a race against time given the acute need for these life-saving medicines by the most vulnerable, especially children and pregnant women. The swift contribution by the Government of Japan is commendable. UNICEF will use its vast expertise to rapidly procure and deliver the medicines to where they are needed most,” said Christian Skoog, Representative, UNICEF Sri Lanka

The current crisis is aggravating what was already a tough situation for many children in Sri Lanka due to poverty and COVID-19. Contributions from the Government of Japan are crucial to meet the growing needs of children, including in nutrition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), education, and protection services, not only in the immediate but also the long term.

For more information, contact:

Bismarck Swangin, UNICEF Sri Lanka, Email: [email protected]

Japanese Embassy in Sri Lanka contact: [email protected]

The main suspect in the murder of Polonnaruwa District Parliamentarian Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his police sergeant has been arrested by the CID today.

According to the CID, the suspect is a 29-year-old bus driver and a resident of Nittambuwa.

Earlier, the CID had arrested four suspects in connection with the killings. An abducted firearm belonging to the police officer was also found in the possession of one of the suspects. That suspect is a vegetable seller.

Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon is to be appointed as the Coordinating Officer of Public Security Minister Tiran Alles.

The Police Headquarters revealed that a request has already been received in this regard.

Accordingly, it can be believed that most of the contacts between the Minister and the Police in the future will be through Deshabandu Tennakoon, a senior police official said.

Audit Service Association states that the Narahenpita Police Fuel Station should be immediately inspected and audited in connection with the incident where fuel was issued for cheaper prices to Members of Parliament recently.

Secretary of the Association H. U. K. Herath stated that the Auditor General should intervene in this matter.

Photographs of a fuel pump at the Narahenpita Police Fuel Station were circulated on social media in the last few days displaying the price of a liter of petrol as Rs. 121 in their machines when they operate.

The Commissioner-General of Essential Services Ruwan Harischandra states that priority will be given to the officers who have been summoned for GCE Ordinary Level Examination duties to obtain fuel from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm next Sunday.

He further stated that such officers can go to the nearest petrol station and obtain fuel by presenting the examination duty appointment letter and National Identity Card.

The Commissioner-General of Essential Services Ruwan Harischandra further stated that steps have been taken to inform all petrol station managers through the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation in this regard.

The IOC Fuel Company has decided to suspend the supply of fuel for cans and bottles.

The company added that in the future, their filling stations will be refueling the vehicles’ tanks directly.

It is not known whether Basil Rajapaksa will become the Prime Minister soon. It is not known whether Namal Rajapaksa will become the Leader of the Opposition. If there is such a deal, the Prime Minister should come and tell the country if possible, said TNA MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam in Parliament today (20).

Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam MP also said,

“I saw MPs saying for the last two or three days that “these are hard-built houses, they are not houses built with stolen money”. That’s what it should be. Which MP has been given permission to steal and build houses? They have to build houses with their own money. We do not approve of the act of MPs coming to Parliament claiming that they did not steal.

But we must remember that the attack on the houses of the MPs was not due to stealing. An MP is a representative of the people.

We respect the solidity of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. People know what JVP and TNA said. However, Ranil Wickremesinghe became the Prime Minister without any conditions. As the Prime Minister, he has said loudly that he is telling the truth to the country. This is the truth we have been saying for a year and a half or two.

We thought he would talk to the respective countries as soon as he arrived and stop the gas shortage within three weeks; stop the fuel shortage within a month. We thought he would say that the shortage of medicines will stop within a few months. But, what is being said today is that there is no petrol and ahead are the hardest three months. We already know that.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took this post to save the Rajapaksa family. You, Ranil Wickramasinghe took this post to save the Rajapaksa family which was trapped against the wall.

We hear that Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe was not even invited to the meeting of the ruling party group. He must have taken his group meeting alone because he is the only UNP MP. Is that true? Basil Rajapaksa is here.

There is no personal resentment toward him. But the betrayal of this struggle is the problem I have with him. It is not known whether Basil Rajapaksa will become the Prime Minister soon. I do not know if Namal Rajapaksa will become the Leader of the Opposition. If there is a deal like that, come and tell the country if possible.”

The government has taken steps to appoint a committee to find a solution to the food shortages that will affect the rest of the world in the near future.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed newly sworn-in Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security Nalin Fernando in this regard.

The Prime Minister has pointed out that the necessary plans need to be made as soon as possible to alleviate the food shortage that is likely to occur in the coming month.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has said that the decision of the SLFP MPs to obtain a ministerial post today (20) is against the party’s decision.

Speaking in Parliament, Maithripala Sirisena made this statement while commenting on the SLFP MPs who have been appointed as Cabinet Ministers this morning.

Maithripala Sirisena also said this in Parliament today (20).

“It seems that there are clashes between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the SLPP (Pohottu) MPs. To be clear, our party was decided only to support the government. Obtaining ministerial posts has been done against the party’s decision.

We did not make a decision about taking ministerial posts. It was decided that we would give the necessary support to the government and provide support in Parliament as well. However, we had decided that it was not necessary to take up ministerial posts. Therefore, I should remind you of that as well.”

Technical discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program to alleviate the economic crisis in Sri Lanka are due to end on May 24.

International Monetary Fund spokesman Gary Rice told a news conference that the talks are expected to end by then.

He also said that he is closely monitoring the economic development and political situation in the country and is committed to assisting Sri Lanka in line with the policies of the International Monetary Fund.

Gary Rice added that discussions are underway with stakeholders to resolve the crisis facing the country in a timely manner.

Meanwhile, the financial leaders of the G7, the group of seven with economic powers, said in a draft statement issued at a meeting in Germany yesterday that they would support the efforts of providing debt relief to Sri Lanka.

They have taken this decision at a time when Sri Lanka has defaulted on its sovereign debt.

The G7 countries said in their statement that Sri Lanka is committed to finding long-term solutions and better to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund for a potential loan program.

Meanwhile, Moody’s Investment Services has upgraded Sri Lanka’s credit rating to CA-stable, despite default on sovereign bond payments.

That was after the 30-day grace period for the settlement of sovereign bonds expired on May 18.

Moody’s issues a CA rating when a country’s debt repayment potential is between 35 and 65 percent.

However, Moody’s said they are concerned about the country’s foreign exchange reserves that are currently in a negative level.

A garment factory in the Welewewa, Anamaduwa area has been completely destroyed by a sudden fire.

The fire started at around 7.30 pm on the 19th and continued till around 3.00 am on the 20th.
The garment factory, which was destroyed by fire, has been closed for about seven months.

There is no fire brigade in Anamaduwa or any of the surrounding local government bodies to control an emergency fire. Accordingly, the Nawagattegama Police have attempted to bring in a fire brigade from an outlying area. However, due to the shortage of fuel, they were unable to provide a fire brigade immediately.

The Chilaw Municipal Council fire brigade arrived at around 11.30 pm but by then the police and the residents of the area had taken measures to control the fire.

The cause of the fire has not yet been revealed and the damage has not been assessed, police said.