News Room : Prince William and Trump meet after Notre-Dame reopening
The Prince of Wales met US President-elect Donald Trump while visiting France for the ceremonial reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral. Prince William joined other world leaders in Paris to mark the restoration of the world-famous landmark, which was devastated by a fire five years ago. After shaking hands at the ceremony, the pair also met afterwards, with the president-elect describing the prince...
News Room : United States Commits Steadfast Support for Sri Lanka’s Anti-Corruption Efforts
64 The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Mr. Donald Lu has expressed the United States government’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s on-going anti-corruption initiatives as needed during a meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariaton 07th. Mr. Lu stated that the US is prepared to provide financial and technical assistance to strengthen...
News Room : President Introduces Maximum Wholesale and Retail Prices for Rice
1 Following discussions with rice traders, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced new price ceilings for various types of rice, as outlined by the President’s Media Division (PMD). The President instructed rice traders to set the wholesale price of Nadu rice at Rs. 225 per kilogram and the retail price at Rs. 230 per kilogram. Additionally, the President directed the Consumer Affairs...
News Room : Taxpayer friendly Inland Revenue Dept. urgent need – The Island
Many compliant taxpayers have expressed their frustration with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) for insisting that the Return of Income for the year of assessment 2023/2024 be filed as an electronic return (e-return). It is perplexing why such a requirement is being enforced in a country such as ours where computer skills are woefully lacking. In many other countries...
News Room : Now is the time to rethink trade – The Island
by Prof. Chanaka Jayawardhena,Professor of Marketing, University of Surrey, UK.Chanaka.j@gmail.com Sri Lanka finds itself at a crossroads. The devastation caused by Cyclone Fengal, which displaced over half a million people, destroyed critical infrastructure, and claimed numerous lives, highlights the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters. At the same time, the nation is tentatively emerging from its first-ever sovereign debt default, buoyed...
News Room : 55 vulnerable Sri Lankans evacuated from Lebanon – The Island
By Shamindra Ferdinando The newly elected National People’s Power (NPP) government intends to restructure the existing Sectoral Oversight Committees (SOCs) meant to examine Bills except those defined in Article 152 of the Constitution, treaties and reports, including annual and performance reports pertaining to institutions coming under their purview. Parliament and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would examine the government’s proposal...
News Room : Mafia behind coconut shortage – Trade Minister
111 Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said in Parliament yesterday that there is a mafia behind the prevailing coconut shortage in the local market. He said that it is just an artificial shortage and there is no real shortage of coconuts in the country. He was responding to a question by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Hambantota District Parliamentarian D. V. Chanaka. Minister Samarasinghe said...
News Room : Vote on Account allocates monies for four months
97 The Government’s Interim Vote on Account seeking Parliament’s approval to spend Rs. 1,403 billion from January 1, 2025 to April 30, 2025 for maintaining state affairs and continuing ongoing projects was presented to Parliament yesterday by the Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Ratnayake. This Interim Vote on Account, which is intended to continue Government operations and debt servicing for...
News Room : President’s and former President Ranil’s allocations same – MP Kabir
155 Kegalle District SJB MP Kabir Hashim yesterday accused the Government citing that the budget of Presidents Ranil Wickremesinghe and Anura Kumara Dissanayake are the same. Hashim said the Interim Vote on Account presented yesterday allocated the same amount to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the first four months of 2025 as was allocated to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the...
News Room : People have volunteered to pay their taxes – Minister Sunil Handunnetti
107 Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunnetti said in Parliament yesterday that the people of this country have volunteered to pay their taxes. He said that the people of this country which includes industrialists and entrepreneurs were not refusing to pay their taxes. The only issue was that they were not fully aware of what was happening to their tax money....