According to Ministry of Health sources, 350 specialist doctors in government hospitals have left the country recently.

This has been revealed in a self-study by a group of expert doctors.
Citing the economic crisis, these doctors have left the country.

Newswave reported yesterday that there is a shortage of pediatricians and anesthesiologists, and with the publication of the related news, many people were looking into the facts regarding the shortage of doctors.

The absence of an anesthesiologist in Hambantota Hospital has been a matter of discussion for a long time, and after two anesthesiologists who worked as anesthesiologists left abroad without informing, the third one, who was appointed to fill the vacancy, has been reported to have left abroad yesterday.

The Immigration Department says that the implementation of the new visa system and the new online system will start from today (17).

In relation to that, the notification given by that department to the people is given below.

Mr. Kenji Okamura, the Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, has engaged in a discussion with the Government of Sri Lanka yesterday about the next steps to complete the 2nd review of the program of the International Monetary Fund.

That was when the “Mid-Year Spring Conference” of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank was held yesterday (15) in Washington DC, America.

Debt restructuring progress as well as next steps following the staff-level agreement reached last March were discussed there.

Mr. Okamura commended the Government of Sri Lanka on the progress of the economic reform program and the implementation of robust programs.

He has emphasized the need to maintain strong ownership by protecting Sri Lanka’s achievements since the beginning of the International Monetary Fund program.

Here the recent socio-economic developments and the commitment made by Sri Lanka to ensure the integrity and stability of the macroeconomic policies and reforms undertaken under the program were highlighted.

A meeting was also held between Dr. Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Executive Director for India and Sri Lanka and the Minister of State.

A delegation, including the Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe, is participating for this purpose.

Simultaneously, the Minister of State for Finance has joined the discussion with the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) on the stability, growth and investment opportunities of the Sri Lankan economy.

The discussion focused on Sri Lanka’s opportunities for investors and how sustainable economic growth can be achieved through strategic investments in various sectors including education, tourism, renewable energy, agriculture and technology.

The International Monetary Fund’s program and current macro-economic agenda for Sri Lanka is also discussed here, including how recent economic and other reforms have translated into results.

The forum concluded with participants, stakeholders and global partners keen to increase international understanding and cooperation to expand opportunities in the Sri Lankan economy.

In the meantime, the Finance Minister has also discussed with Mr. Parameswaran Iyer, Executive Director of the World Bank for India and Sri Lanka during this visit.

Here the Government of Sri Lanka has been commended for implementing the series of difficult reforms and the discussion ended by informing about the various internal restructurings of the World Bank and how these changes can benefit countries like Sri Lanka and assuring Sri Lanka of its utmost support.

Sri Lanka Purchasing Managers’ Index for Manufacturing (PMI – Manufacturing) recorded an index value of 62.5 in March 2024, indicating an expansion in manufacturing activities. This marks the highest PMI-Manufacturing that was recorded in three years. All the sub-indices expanded on a month-on-month basis contributing to this increase, mainly driven by the seasonal demand.

The increase in New Orders and Production was mainly attributable to the manufacture of food & beverages and textiles & apparel sectors. Most of the manufacturers, especially in food & beverage sector, were optimistic about the upcoming festive season. Moreover, Employment and Stock of Purchases increased during the month in line with the New Orders and Production. Further, a decline in price levels was also evident. Meanwhile, Suppliers’ Delivery Time remained lengthened, yet at a slower rate in March.

The industry expectations for the next three months remain positive. However, most of them expect a natural decrease in production during April following the end of seasonal peak.

Sri Lanka Purchasing Managers’ Index for Services (PMI – Services) indicated a further expansion in services activities in March 2024 as reflected by the Business Activity Index, which recorded an index value of 67.7.

The continued expansion in Business Activities was driven by the improvements observed across most of the sub-sectors. Accordingly, the wholesale and retail trade sub-sector experienced a significant uptick attributed to increased sales ahead of the festive season. Further, business activities in the financial services sub-sector continued to grow supported by the accommodative monetary policy stance. Meanwhile, the accommodation, food and beverage sub-sector continued to grow driven by high tourist arrivals, while transportation, other personal activities and professional services sub-sectors also recorded positive developments during the month.
New Businesses increased in March, particularly with the increases observed in wholesale and retail trade, financial services, insurance, transportation and professional services sub-sectors.

Employment increased due to new recruitments made by several companies in view of the festive season. Meanwhile, Backlogs of Work continued to decline, yet at a slower rate, during March.

It is reported that the car in which State Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake was traveling caught fire early this morning in Bandarawela Halpe area.

Neither the state minister nor the driver was injured in the fire.

It is said that this incident happened at around 12.45 am.

This happened while the state minister was coming from the Mahianganaya area to the Ella area.

Bandarawela Municipality’s fire department, Ella Police, and local residents worked together to put out the fire.

The police headquarters states that more than 4500 New Year festivals, music shows, carnivals, and other events are being held all over the island for this New Year.

The Police Media Spokesperson’s Office stated that 14,000 police officers, 500 police special task forces, 400 armed forces and 15,806 civil defense committee members will be deployed for the security of each of these places where people mostly gather.

In this regard, Inspector General of Police Deshbandu Tennakoon has drawn special attention to the Senior Deputy Inspectors of Police in charge of the provinces; the Police Media Publication Office also mentioned.

Mr. Nimal Bandara, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Israel, says that they are getting information about the Sri Lankans who were on a plane to Israel that was diverted in the face of the barrage of missiles and drone attacks by Iran last night (13).

Flight FZ1625, belonging to Fly Dubai, was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv last night at 20.10. When the information about the airstrikes was revealed, the flight was diverted and flew to Dubai.

He said that there were Sri Lankans who were going to visit Israel and that information about them is being disclosed.

The Ambassador also said that Israel’s Iron Dome system was able to destroy all of them in the air even though Iran had targeted Israel with more than 500 shells and missiles last night (13).

The ambassador’s statement said that apart from an injury to a little girl, no one in Israel has been reported to have suffered an accident.

In view of the current situation, the time taken for the related journeys and the ticket fees have increased due to the fact that the flights that take place through Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, etc. countries bypass the region and travel to European countries through other routes.

Therefore, Mr. Nimal Bandara informs the people who have obtained air tickets to travel to the Middle East region and European countries to check their air tickets again.

He points out that there are delays in flights arriving and departing from Israel.

The Ambassador also recalled that on April 13, 2024, the Bakmaha festival was successfully held at the Ganshakar Stadium in Jerusalem with the participation of about two thousand Sri Lankans.

The ambassador further informs that all the Sri Lankans who came there had left for their residences after the Bakmaha celebration and that the Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel is constantly paying attention to the safety of the Sri Lankans here and not to create any unnecessary fear about their safety.

Meanwhile, the country’s news reports indicate that the Israeli army announced that Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel in this unprecedented attack on Israel yesterday.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that 99% of these missile and shell launches were intercepted and destroyed.

170 drones and 30 cruise missiles were shot down before reaching Israel, and some of the 110 ballistic missiles were intercepted. However, the reports also indicate that 12 people were injured.

The forces had also said that this was a major escalation of the long-running secret war between the regional enemies.

The Iranian president had stressed that any new aggression against Iran would be met with a heavy-handed response.

President Joe Biden has stated that America will not join any Israeli attack against Iran.

The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has started an investigation into the distortion of a Sinhala New Year song and its circulation on social media.

A theme song prepared for the New Year Festival held by Independent Television in 2014 has been distorted in this way, by substituting other words.

This investigation has been started on the instructions of the Minister of Cultural Affairs Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Mr. Somaratne Vidanapathirana stated that the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission was instructed to find out about the people who released the distorted song on social media and give a report.

Accordingly, the Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs said that legal action will be taken against the people who distorted the song in question.

As mentioned above, the song ‘Thun Hele Hada’ was sung by Mr. Rohana Beddage, composed by Mr. Sahan Ranwala, written by Mr. Geeth Tharanga and composed by Mr. Sadeeptha Gunawardena with the contribution of the Ranwala Force.

The original song ‘Thun Hele Hada..’ is shown below.

The progression of nations, countries and the global community is propelled by the perpetual cycle of renewal, where innovative ideas are nurtured and novel creations come to fruition.

Embracing renewal in accordance with the traditional New Year, the calendar year, or the changing seasons, individuals across the globe find themselves revitalized, endowed with fresh opportunities for growth and advancement. Beneath the surface of these myriad renewals lies a fundamental truth; the paramount importance of social relationships and collective unity.

During the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, we engage in a profound renewal of self, centering our focus on nurturing bonds and fostering a sense of gregariousness. This emphasis on interpersonal bonds is the cornerstone of traditional New Year rituals observed across diverse cultures worldwide.

It is important to emphasize the significance of this pivotal point, particularly during the New Year festivities, as it serves as a poignant reminder of the essence of human connection and communal solidarity.

In the dawn of the New Year, social relations and solidarity emerge as fundamental pillars essential for steering our nation forward along the path of progress and prosperity. With this understanding in mind, I extend my heartfelt wishes for a joyous and fulfilling Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Ranil Wickremesinghe,
President,
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

The Department of Meteorology has warned 15 districts of the risk of thunderstorms and lightning from this afternoon (12) to night.

In the Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, North and North-Western provinces and Monaragala district, there is a high possibility of strong lightning with isolated thundershowers during the evening or night.

Temporarily gusty winds may occur in those areas during thunderstorms.

People are kindly requested to take necessary measures to reduce the accidents caused by lightning.

Meteorologists advise people to follow the following instructions during thunderstorms.

During the trip to several schools in the Chilaw area, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa met with the Catholic pastors of the Chillaw area, including Rev. Dr. Wimalasiri Jayasundara, the archbishop of Chilaw, for three phases of the Sakwala program to provide smart classrooms. The meeting was held in the archbishop’s official residence.

There, there was a lengthy exchange of views between opposition leader Mr. Sajith Premadasa and Chilaw Archbishop Rev. Dr. Wimalasiri Jayasundara regarding the current situation in the country.

There, the opposition leader Mr. Sajith Premadasa promised before the Archbishop of Chillw that in order to do justice to the entire Sri Lankan people, including the Catholic people affected by the Easter attack, an impartial and independent investigation would be conducted under a Samagi Jana Balawega government and according to the law of the country, all parties responsible would be punished regardless of rank.

Also, opposition leader Mr. Sajith Premadasa further emphasized here that in order to conduct investigations in this regard, a more diverse and fair investigation will be conducted with the support of local and foreign security agencies.

There, Chilaw Archbishop Dr. Wimalasiri Jayasundara blessed opposition leader Mr. Sajith Premadasa for the success of his future political activities as well as his social mission.

On the occasion of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the Commander of the Army Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage visited the Abimansala III Veterans’ Wellness Center in Pangolla to inquire about the well-being of the heroic war heroes who were rescued during the humanitarian operation for the unity of the motherland and are receiving residential treatment and rehabilitation.

The Army Commander visited the wards of the veterans undergoing residential treatment along with the officers and fellow officers to inquire about their well-being and presented them with special New Year gift parcels.

Simultaneously, the senior officers of the army came together to inquire about the well-being of the war heroes who are represented in all the war heroes’ wellness centers all over the island.

SriLankan Airlines, the exclusive ground operator at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), has initiated a phased upgrade of airport ground support equipment to accommodate the rising influx of flights and travellers transiting through the airport. Recently, the airline acquired three state-of-the-art passenger apron coaches, ensuring optimal comfort for passengers during transfers between the terminal and remote stands.

With airport traffic steadily increasing and nearing pre-pandemic levels, acquiring modern ground support equipment has become an urgent priority for SriLankan Airlines. This investment aims to ensure a seamless end-to-end travel experience for customers.

“It is an exciting time for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry; the number of visitors has doubled over the past year. We are delighted to introduce these modern apron coaches, along with other new ground support equipment, to our services at Colombo airport during this pivotal point. Our commitment to providing our passengers and the passengers of our customer airlines with a reliable and effortless travel experience remains steadfast, as does our dedication to supporting the national tourism strategy. With these incremental advancements, we anticipate substantial transformation in our operations,” stated Senior Manager Airport and Ground Services of SriLankan Airlines, Deepal Pallegangoda.

The passenger apron coaches, and ground support equipment were procured following a comprehensive and transparent competitive bidding procedure, consistent with all procurement exercises of the airline. The coaches, sourced from China International Marine Containers, represent the latest in comfort and technology. These operational enhancements will empower SriLankan Airlines to elevate both the standard of ground support services and the comfort of passengers at the airport.

Next Monday i.e. April 15th will be declared as a public holiday by the government.

This decision has been taken as the national hair oiling ritual of the Sinhala Tamil New Year falls on that day.

Rainy condition is expected to temporarily enhance over the island from tomorrow (11).

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Eastern and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. Showers or thundershowers will occur most places elsewhere over the island after 1.00 p.m.

Heavy showers about 100 mm are likely at some places in Western, Central, Sabaragamuwa and southern provinces.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka during 05th to 15th of April in this year. The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead tomorrow (11^th) are Baththalangunduwa, Medawachchiya, Horowpotana and Trincomalee at about 12:11 noon.

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says that if the country’s economy improves by next year, we can have optimistic hopes regarding the import of vehicles.

The reason for this is that the economy is moving in a good direction, the minister said while attending the opening of the Dematagoda outlet of the State Plantation Corporation (on the 9th).

Meanwhile, he also said that the program of providing 10 kilos of rice to 27 lakh families each for the months of April and May will start on the 21st.

Mr. Siyambalapitiya also said that more than half of the total number of families in Sri Lanka will receive this subsidy.

He said that an additional 13 billion rupees has been paid for the increase in government employee salaries, and accordingly, 107 billion rupees have been paid for government employee salaries for the month of April.