In the wake of Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s presidential election victory, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardane has officially tendered his resignation.

Gunawardane, who has served as the country’s prime minister since 2022, submitted his resignation letter to the newly elected president as a customary move following a regime change. (Newswire)

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A new political alliance has been launched by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs who have extended their support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the 2024 Presidential Election.

The newly launched ‘Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna’ is headed by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, with Minister Ramesh Pathirane as the Secretary of the Party.

The new political alliance was unveiled at an event held in Colombo today during which a common agreement was signed by the MPs. (Newswire)

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Visiting Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval states there is immense potential for India and Sri Lanka to further strengthen economic cooperation and it is for mutual benefit considering the aspect of complementarity in bilateral ties.

He further said India wanted to further expand cooperation with Sri Lanka and sought Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s views on priority requirements.

Ajit Doval said in the long run, Sri Lanka could generate more power than its domestic requirement, sell excess power to India and gain huge financial benefits.

He pointed out that Bhutan is selling large amounts of hydropower-generated electricity to India and it is the largest revenue of that country.

According to the PM’s Office, Ajit Doval made the statement when he called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunwardena at the Prime Minister’s Office in Colombo yesterday.

During the meeting, PM Dinesh Gunawardena thanked India for supporting large-scale and small-scale alternative energy projects.

He said that the government has taken steps to amend the Ceylon Electricity Board regulations to facilitate private sector participation in electricity generation and distribution, and Indian investments could be increased in solar and wind power projects.

PM Gunawardena said Sri Lanka’s Theravada economic policy is based on the economic practices in India 25 centuries ago during the time of Gautama Buddha and it would be complementary for economic growth.

He further thanked India for providing training for armed forces members and public servants to enhance their skills and efficiency. (Newswire)

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Leading South Korean entrepreneur Yong-Jo Mun has expressed willingness to invest in Sri Lanka’s energy and agriculture sectors.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the South Korean entrepreneur had shared his views during a meeting with PM Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees in Colombo on Thursday (Aug 22).

During the meeting, Yong-Jo Mun said the entrepreneurs attached to the International Interchange Development Association, of which he is the President, would like to invest in several solar energy projects as well as in the cultivation of fruits in Sri Lanka for export to Korea and other countries.

PM Dinesh Gunawardena said that Sri Lanka welcomes investments in these sectors and explained that the government plans to increase the share of alternative energy sources to cut down the dependence on crude oil.

They also discussed possible investments in fisheries, health, and construction sectors, especially new technology to upgrade production in these sectors.

Ven Wedande Jinarathana Thera accompanied the Korean delegation headed by Mr Yong-Jo Mun, Ms Moony Enjio, Mr Lakpriya Athukorala and Ms Sudharma Kulatunga. MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Additional Secretary Mahinda Gunaratne, and Advisor Sugeeswara Senadhira also took part in the discussion. (Newswire)

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The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) led by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has announced its support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the 2024 Presidential Election.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s party is the latest political party to pledge its support for President Wickremesinghe. 

Ninety-two Members of Parliament have already extended their support for the President in the upcoming presidential election. The MPs had pledged their support after meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe this week. 

Prominent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members, such as Bandula Gunawardena, Kanchana Wijesekera, Prasanna Ranatunga, Kanaka Herath, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, and S.M. Chandrasena are also among the current Parliamentarians who have pledged their support for the President.

Former MP Vajira Abeywardana and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) faction led by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva also announced their decision to extend support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming Presidential Election.

Earlier yesterday, a group of 116 former Provincial Council members from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP) also pledged their support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

The Presidential Election is scheduled for September 21 this year, while Nominations will be accepted on 15th August. (Newswire)

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A decision has been taken to continue to anchor Citra Lab, Sri Lanka’s first Social Innovation Lab, at the Prime Minister’s Office and operationalize Citra 3.0, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka said. 

Further to the findings of an independent review conducted in 2023, during the next five years of a transitional period towards the public sector innovation lab, it was agreed upon that Citra will continue to be anchored at the PM’s Office as a joint initiative with UNDP Sri Lanka to leverage its global expertise and knowledge base.

Citra Lab, a joint initiative between the Government and UNDP Sri Lanka, will operate closely with four lead ministries – the Ministries of Education, Finance and Planning, Public Administration, and Technology. 

The Lab will focus on three workstreams – namely, systems transformation, public sector innovation and policy coherence – and will operate through four key enablers – digital, data, innovation, and service design.

The decision on Citra Lab was taken during a meeting convened under the patronage of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday.

The meeting was attended by co-chairs of the Citra Social Innovation Lab Governance Board, Mr. Anura Dissanayake, Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka, together with Shehan Semasinghe, State Minister of Finance, Kanaka Herath, State Minister of Technology, Dr. Dharmasri Kumaratunga, Secretary, Ministry of Technology, Mr. M. L. Gammampila, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, and representatives from the Ministries of Education, Finance and Planning, Public Administration, and Technology. 

Staying agile, relevant and fit-for-purpose is essential for the successful operation of any innovation facility, and the Citra Social Innovation Lab, South Asia and Sri Lanka’s first social innovation lab, has already reinvented itself twice in its five years of operation, and is currently undergoing its third iteration, intending to become a transformational public sector innovation lab.

Citra Lab was established in 2018 through a Cabinet memo. In 2022, following a review, through a further Cabinet memo, the Lab was anchored under the Prime Minister’s Office. Citra is a part of UNDP-supported global innovation facilities, working closely with diverse innovation facilities across the world. (Newswire)

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The newly constructed Seethawaka Museum was vested with the public under the patronage of Prime Minister Dinesh Guanwardena on July 21.

The Seethawaka Museum was built in a building owned by the Department of Railway in Avissawella for Rs. 50 million by the Central Cultural Fund, with the labour of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Addressing the event, PM Dinesh Gunawardena said this museum was a place where information on natural history is handed down to future generations. 

“The Kings Rajasinghe and Mayadunne of Seethawaka who defeated the Western imperialist armies that had the strength to invade the world, were the Sri Lankan leaders who challenged the world. The Dutch came to our country first. Although some of their names and surnames were taken, their language was not learnt. After that, when the Portuguese came, the language spread a bit and a few names and surnames were taken, but the language was not learnt in depth, therefore their language disappeared from Sri Lanka.

“We are proud to have defeated the first Emperor of the world. The English government came later. The Portuguese came first. Even when white people came to this country, we were a developed nation in every way. We are a developed nation even if we later surrendered. Our ancient people had taken steps to trade the country’s natural resources with the people of the world through rivers and ferries. These two war hero statesmen successfully fought for our freedom, thwarting the efforts of those who came to find them and acquired even more. Not only war heroism, but the process that entered into various fields of strategy and governance, which has not been studied yet. We did not want to do such a deep study at that time.

“Seethawaka is one of the periods that we can be proud of, in our country’s history. This museum is part of that pride. The pride of that history is now to Seethawaka Urban Council. These Professors have brought that gem of pride to you,” he added. (Newswire)

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Visiting Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has engaged in discussions with high-level Sri Lankan Government officials, reviewing the progress of ongoing development projects between the two nations.

This visit marks the first diplomatic exchange between India and Sri Lanka following the inauguration of the new Indian government.

Soon after his arrival, Minister Jaishankar called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the President’s House in Colombo this morning.

During the meeting, the Indian Minister and Sri Lankan President jointly unveiled a digital plaque commemorating the inauguration of 106 houses constructed under the Indian Housing Project in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Matale districts. Additionally, they handed over 24 houses from model villages in Colombo and Trincomalee to their respective beneficiaries.

The highlight of the event was the formal commissioning of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), comprising a main centre at the Colombo Naval Headquarters, a sub-centre in Hambantota, and unmanned installations in strategic locations across Sri Lanka’s coastline. This initiative underscores the deepening maritime security cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

Minister Jaishankar later called on his Sri Lankan counterpart, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry for bilateral talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The bilateral discussions at the Foreign Ministry centred on a range of issues of mutual interest including in the areas of economic and development cooperation, cooperation in regional and multilateral fora as well as cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries among others. 

Following bilateral talks, the visiting Indian External Affairs Minister signed the Guest Book at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The Indian Minister, who is on a one-day visit, also paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. 

Commenting on the meeting, Minister Jaishankar said he reiterated India’s strong support through development and connectivity initiatives. 

“Confident that our development assistance and capacity building programs will keep delivering for the aspirations of people of Sri Lanka,” he added in a post on ‘X’. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has discussed the need to protect the state-owned Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), urging officials to work towards its development.

The PM said that the SLTB has always played an extremely important role in the economy as it is a huge facility for the daily transportation of people and light goods.

He added that it was necessary to protect this institution in particular as most of the public still travel by bus. 

PM Dinesh Gunawardena made the statement at an induction program held on Sunday (June 09) at the Temple Trees introducing the approved recruitment and promotion procedure for Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) staff.

Also attending the event, Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardena announced that a fixed system of promotions has been introduced in the history of the SLTB. 

“We all know that when a government changes, the first thing that happens after the election results is that the losers are kicked out and the winners take over the seats. That system will disappear after today,” he added. 

PM Dinesh Gunawardena’s full statement at the event: 

“In 1957, Hon. Philip Gunawardena established the government under the leadership of Hon. Bandaranaike to nationalize private bus companies to establish the CTB and Mr. Philip Gunawardena presented that bill to the Parliament. At that time, there was a big debate in the parliament that we should take it piece by piece. However, Mr. Philip Gunawardena insisted that under the theme they should be taken in a single day. The depot employees throughout Sri Lanka occupied the bus depots throughout the night until the early hours of the morning.

The first bus that Hon. Bandaranaike nationalized is still available. SLTB has always played an extremely important role in the economy as it is a huge facility for the daily transportation of people in distant villages and the transportation of light goods. We have given priority to transporting school children. That day Minister Bandula and I went to court when they were trying to cancel the scholarship season ticket. The Supreme Court decided to protect this as it is something that belongs to the people. Therefore, the season ticket was protected for lakhs of our children.

We believe that now there will be a great life that will transform the development of SLTB. Now we have ended some areas where we had various frustrations and our hearts, our strengths and our unity have been formed and we can give the best that we can give to the people, especially to the children of the country. I was also the Minister in charge of SLTB a long time ago. At that time too, there were many such demands and battles. We were able to discuss and resolve them one by one with each trade union. In particular, I think that the reward is a unique situation enjoyed by the people of the SLTB.

Therefore, we need to protect this institution in particular. Most of the public travel by bus. The backbone is the road that the common people of our country travel daily. No matter how much we talk about development and progress, most of the people still travel by buses. This is the reality. If this backbone is protected, the buses in the distant villages will continue to run. Therefore, this should be protected.”

Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardena’s full statement:

“Today is a turning point in the 67-year history of our country’s Sri Lanka Transport Board. It is a historic day when the Sri Lanka Transport Board has been appointed to a fixed system of promotions in a certain way in the history of the Ceylon Transport Board.

We all know that when a government changes, the first thing that happens after the election results is that the losers are kicked out and the winners take over the seats. That system will disappear after today.

Langama, SLTB was born as a child in 1956 and existed in the world at that time. There were two ways in the world to solve the basic problems of a social system. One is the market system among the people of countries like the United States of America, France and Germany, and the other is solving the problems of the people under the decentralized planning system.

The prime minister’s father, Mr. Philip Gunawardena, was the pioneer in establishing CTB through the South Weston bus strike. Mr. Philip Gunawardena is the only political leader who was jailed for the work he did for public transport service.”

State Ministers Dilum Amunugama, Sisira Jayakodi, Members of Parliament Gamini Lokage, Yadamini Gunawardena, SLTB officials including President Lalith De Alwis, Secretary of Sri Lanka Public Transport Employees’ Society Nuraj Singh and many appointees participated in this event. (Newswire)

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The government has announced plans to establish 10 botanical gardens in Sri Lanka.

Addressing Parliament today, Prime Minister Gunawardena said Sri Lanka currently has five botanical gardens, which are located in Peradeniya, Nuwara Eliya, Gampaha, Avissawela, and Hambantota. 

Revealing details of the new initiative, the Prime Minister said that 10 more botanical gardens will be established based on the climate zones in the country.

“The botanical gardens will be established in various parts of Sri Lanka, including Galle, Vavuniya, Ampara, Polonnaruwa, and Deniyaya.

“Plans are underway for a Mangrove Botanic Garden at Akmeemana in Galle. Botanic gardens are planned in Vavuniya, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Deniyaya,” he added. 

The Prime Minister emphasized that the botanical gardens will benefit people across the country, especially school children.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s announcement coincides with World Environment Day, marked today (June 05). (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena says that the Presidential Election will take place as per the constitution of Sri Lanka.

He assured that the election will be held on the date announced by the National Election Commission.

The Prime Minister added that there was no room within democratic governance to create issues in the country by making baseless statements.

Earlier in May, the National Election Commission announced that the Presidential Election would be held between September and October this year.

Issuing a statement, the Commission said the elections will be held between September 17 and October 16, 2024.

The Commission also revealed that steps for electing the President will be taken according to provisions in the Constitution. (Newswire)

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The National oil anointing ceremony of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival was held today (Apr 15) under the patronage of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

According to the PM’s Office, the event, organized by the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine, was held at the Wattala Hendala Purana Rajamaha Vihara at the auspicious time of 10.17 am.

PM Dinesh Gunawardena was anointed by Ven Higgoda Chandima Nayaka Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the Wattala Hendala Rajamaha Viharaya.

Meanwhile, the Maha Sangha anointed the people who attended the state ceremony.

PM Dinesh Gunawardena presented a high-nutrition, high-medicinal value Moringa plant to the Handala Purana Rajamaha Vihara Dayaka Sabha for planting on the auspicious time for tree planting that falls on April 18.

The PM also offered his best wishes to the people for their good health, as expected from the oil anointing ceremony.

The Ministry of Indigenous Medicine also took steps to provide the Sinhala New Year Almanac and Nanu required for the oil anointing ceremony to Indigenous Medical Practitioners and all the temples. (Newswire)

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Chairman of Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Ban Ki-moon has expressed appreciation for the close partnership with Sri Lanka and assured efforts to reinforce the longstanding amicable relations between Sri Lanka and GGGI and to explore opportunities to fortify bilateral ties across various sectors.  

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Ban Ki-moon expressed these views during a discussion held with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in Seoul, South Korea. 

“The Government of Sri Lanka is in the process of transitioning to a greener, inclusive, and more resilient economy through interventions on renewable energy, sustainable transport, and creating our cities greener,” Prime Minister Gunawardena said in his talks with the former Secretary General of the United Nations in Seoul last week (Apr 04).

He further said that as an island country, Sri Lanka is extremely vulnerable to climate impacts and has to take urgent actions to protect its people and ecosystems from those impacts.

“I am pleased that we have established a strong partnership with GGGI to support these green growth efforts by the government,” he said.   

GGGI Chairman Ban Ki-moon said that he sincerely appreciates the close partnership GGGI enjoys working with the Government of Sri Lanka, including the Ministry of Environment and the common drive to a green and sustainable future.

“As a passionate advocate for the climate agenda, I am pleased that our collaborative efforts will help build resilience and strengthen adaptation in the face of climate change, at both the national and local levels,” he added.  

The PM’s Office added that the discussion between the two officials has taken place during PM Gunawardena’s recent visit to South Korea. 

Currently, GGGI is supporting the Government of Sri Lanka in building resilience to climate change by updating its national adaptation plan and developing Sri Lanka’s first full set of provincial adaptation plans with embedded investment plans in key sectors. GGGI is also supporting Sri Lanka in accessing and mobilizing innovative climate financing, adopting sustainable public transport services for low-carbon development, strengthening the sustainability of the tea industry, and exploring utility-scale solar energy projects.

The GGGI added that future collaborations to accelerate Sri Lanka’s green growth transition will be a good way forward. The Government of Sri Lanka will expand its green projects to infrastructure sectors and is also considering the possibility of issuing green bonds.  

Sri Lanka joined GGGI as a Member in 2019. Sri Lanka was elected as Vice President of the Assembly and Vice Chair of the Council of GGGI in October 2022. GGGI is hosted by the Ministry of Environment at the Climate Change Secretariat and Policy Planning Division. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has engaged in a tour of SK Biotech Research Institute, a global institutional partner in vaccination and biotech research in South Korea. 

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Gunawardena is on a two-day official visit to South Korea, for which he departed yesterday (Apr 03). 

The PM’s delegation includes State Ministers Piyal Nishantha and Anupa Pasqual, MPs Yadamini Gunawardena, Rajika Wickramasinghe, Muditha de Soysa, and Jagath Kumara, and Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake. (NewsWire)

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An agreement has been made to establish a strong relationship between Shanghai in China, which is ranked first among the world’s port cities, and the cities of Colombo and Hambantota in Sri Lanka, which have been planned to be developed as a maritime hub in the East and West shipping routes in the future.

The agreement was made during Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s discussion with the Mayor of Shanghai, Gong Seng in Shanghai, China today (Mar 29).

According to the PM’s Office, Prime Minister Gunawardena pointed out that a long time has passed since the Sister City Agreement between Colombo and Shanghai was signed.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that further work can be carried out under this agreement, which was signed when his brother Prasanna Gunawardena was holding the post of Mayor.

It was emphasised that the city of Shanghai, which has handled 49.5 million containers in terms of cargo transportation, last year ranked first in cargo transportation in the world and there are many lessons that can be learnt by Sri Lanka in the said sector.

The Mayor of Shanghai assured that the city of Shanghai, which has an annual production income of 4.72 trillion Yuan and is also a first-class business centre and a centre for financial transactions in the world, will share their experiences with Sri Lanka. 

PM Gunawardena pointed out that huge lessons can also be learnt by Sri Lanka from the progress made in the planned urban development of the city of Shanghai, which has a population of 25 million people.

The Mayor of Shanghai expressed his agreement to support Sri Lanka in each of those fields and invited the officials of those fields to visit Shanghai and study the said fields.

The interest of the Chinese people to travel in Sri Lanka, which has many UNESCO heritage sites, has increased, and it was also agreed to explore the possibility of increasing the flights between Colombo and Shanghai.

A group including State Ministers Shehan Samesinhe, Ashoka Priyantha, and Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake participated in the discussion. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who is currently on an official visit to China, called on Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall in Beijing today (Mar 27).

According to the PM’s Office, both countries agreed to continue to act under the friendship, peace, mutual respect and fivefold principle in international affairs that do not interfere in the internal affairs of a country. 

It was emphasized that bilateral relations should be based on mutual respect and mutual productivity between the countries, and acting according to that policy would set a good example for both countries.

The Chinese President also assured that China will support the schemes necessary for the development of Sri Lanka as soon as they are presented.

President Xi Jinping assured continuous support of China to Sri Lanka’s efforts for political and socioeconomic progress. He further said that China will always stand for safeguarding the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

During the discussion which lasted for almost an hour, the Chinese President also thanked the Prime Minister’s father’s ancestry for their support to China. He stated that the party representing the Prime Minister and other parties in Sri Lanka hope to further increase cooperation with the Chinese Communist Party.

Responding, the Prime Minister thanked the Chinese President for the assistance provided during the unprecedented economic crisis and for extending debt restructuring facilities. He explained the progress in the implementation of decisions taken during the visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to China. 

PM Gunawardena further thanked President Xi Jinping for the support extended to sectors such as school education, agriculture, health, technology, culture and religion.

State Ministers Shehan Semasinghe and Ashoka Priyantha, MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake and senior officials also participated in the discussion. (NewsWire)

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Free laptops provided by the Japanese IT University were handed over to software engineering students by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at a function held at the Temple Trees on Thursday (Feb 29).

The Japanese IT University provided free laptops to software engineering students of the newly-established Lanka Nippon BizTech Institute (LNBTI), with the contribution of funds from Japan.

The Prime Minister attended the ceremony and handed over laptops to several students marking the importance of this significant gesture to bridge the digital gap and LNBTI’s unwavering commitment to enhancing student access to technology, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. 

Acting Japanese Ambassador, Katsuki Kotaro and the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake handed over laptops to another group of students. 

The Acting Japanese Ambassador said Japan is committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s digital development and urged the students to make the best use of state-of-the-art technology available to them to successfully navigate their future careers.

These cutting-edge devices, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, are poised to empower LNBTI students pursuing their Software Engineering Degree Program. LNBTI, a collaboration between “hSenid Ventures” of Sri Lanka and “Metatechno Inc.” of Japan, stands as the first and only Japanese higher education institute with degree-awarding status in South Asia.

The Director of LNBTI said several free laptops are available for students from rural areas who wish to join the Institute.

The event culminated with the Prime Minister encouraging LNBTI students to harness the power of technology for innovation, education, and socio-economic development. 

This ceremony stands as a beacon of progress, epitomizing LNBTI’s commitment to unleashing the potential of technology to uplift forthcoming graduates and serving as an inspiration for future initiatives dedicated to bringing the two nations closer through the contribution of professionals in the IT industry, the PM’s Office added. 

LNBTI Directors Saman Kumara and Ravinder Perera, academic staff, students and parents attended this function. (NewsWire)

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An exhibition of Sri Lanka trade, investment opportunities and culture will be held in Baoji City in Xian Province in China in March 2024. 

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, more than 40 Sri Lankan stalls will be set up to display Sri Lankan products with the participation of more than 100 entrepreneurs and traders.

A team of Chinese and Sri Lankan organizers of this exhibition called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees this week (Jan 23) to brief him on the proposed Sri Lankan exposition in Xinjiang. 

They said the exhibition will promote Sri Lankan trade, investment and tourism sectors too.

The Chinese entrepreneur team included Mr Liang Yong, Mr. Guo Fan, Mr. Li Xiangyang, Mr.Li Fei and Mr. Zhao Xiquan.

MP Yadamini Gunawardena and Sri Lankan organizers former Deputy Mayor of Matale, Hilmy Mohamed, Herbi Silva, Mohamed Rashib, Ganesh Mahendran and Chalana Fernando were also present on this occasion. (NewsWire)

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Steps will be taken to resolve the land ownership issues of all the people residing in the North within the next two months, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena announced. 

The Prime Minister gave the assurance while replying to the issue raised in Parliament today (Jan 10) by MP Charles Nirmalanathan. 

MP Nirmalanathan questioned whether necessary steps can be taken to provide deeds of lands and government welfare schemes to permanent residents under the Middle-Class Land Program.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the government has already started discussions in this regard.

Stating that District Coordinating Committee Chairmen are working on the issue, he further said that they will identify the illegal residents, find out the possibility of permitting them to live in those lands, and issue certificates of occupancy on the lands to them.

It was possible to reach an agreement between the squatters and the original owners of some lands, but in places where such an agreement could not be reached, the granting of land rights was delayed, he explained.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the government has taken steps to speed up the program to confirm the land rights of the people of the North by giving priority to the land deed program announced by the President in the budget, and the people who are engaged in farming or residing will not be evicted based on illegal occupation.

Prime Minister Gunawardena also said that the government is obliged to provide the necessary welfare or assistance to all the residents, whether legal occupants or not.

He added that all those engaged in farming, fishing or other fields will be given the subsidies and welfare services they deserve and if there are any deficiencies in the program, they can submit complaints to the district coordination committees. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka has offered to provide assistance for coconut cultivation in Cuba, during a meeting between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Cuban Ambassador Andres Marcelo Gonzales Garrido at the Temple Trees in Colombo on Thursday (Dec 14).

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Gunawardena thanked Cuba for the consistent support extended to Sri Lanka at the United Nations and other international forums. 

He also referred to the assistance given to Sri Lanka to combat the Dengue pandemic and stressed the need for continuous cooperation in the field of medicine. The Ambassador agreed to share Cuban expertise in mosquito eradication with Sri Lankan health authorities.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to exchange new scientific and technological innovations in the agricultural sector between the two countries.

The Ambassador said that he was happy with the successful experiments carried out by the Sri Lankan Coconut Research Center and mentioned that he is working to get coconut saplings for cultivation in his country. 

The Prime Minister assured the Ambassador that a donation of 200 coconut seeds will be made to Cuba shortly. The Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka will also provide expertise to Cuba to develop its coconut industry.

The ambassador further stated that there is scope to develop cooperation in food production, farming and animal husbandry sectors in Sri Lanka.

MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake, and First Secretary of the Cuban Embassy, Maribel Duarte Gonzalez also participated in the discussion. (NewsWire)

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