The Sri Lanka Police says action has been taken to mitigate the misuse of and false complaints being made through the Police Emergency Hotline 119.

The Police Department said the police emergency hotline was introduced in 2004 to immediately deploy police officers in case of any disaster faced by the public, or in case of an immediate need for assistance from police officers.

However, observing the recent calls received via the hotline shows that there are instances where this service is being misused by making false complaints and also making complaints which should be referred to other institutions.

The Police said the public often makes certain complaints through this hotline, which can be fulfilled through other services, such as complaints related to customer service, complaints related to bribery, complaints related to irregularities by government institutions, and complaints related to cases where the police assistance is not immediately required, such as land disputes and financial disputes.

The Police point out that the accessibility to the Police Hotline 119 in an emergency situation is minimised due to such complaints, and as a result of allocating time to unnecessary complaints, people are made to wait in a queue for a long time to submit an urgent complaint that requires immediate police assistance.

As such, the Police Department said in connection with the lodging of such false complaints, steps have been initiated to take legal action against the relevant persons by reporting the facts to the Court.

In cases where this service has been misused, measures have been taken to temporarily terminate calls from such phone numbers to the 119 Hotline Centre, it added.

The Police Department has further requested the public to act with due understanding by identifying situations where police assistance should be sought immediately when using this service in order to receive services efficiently and effectively. (Newswire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has unveiled plans to provide concessions to those who engage in the gem and jewellery sector. 

This initiative comes in response to the challenges faced by the industry, with the President emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues to support those involved in the field. 

By offering solutions to the problems within the industry, relief will be extended to its stakeholders, ensuring their continued growth and prosperity.

The President clarified that immediate changes to the tax policy are not feasible, however, efforts will be made to devise an effective system to enhance the gem and jewellery industry. 

The President also directed officials to develop a viable system aimed at bolstering the gem and jewellery industry. 

He instructed them to collaborate with both the public and private sectors to draft a proposal addressing these issues within two weeks.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made these remarks during a discussion held on Friday (Mar 15) at the Presidential Secretariat with stakeholders from the gems and jewellery industry.

Extensive discussions were held regarding the challenges arising from the government’s new tax policies, which have had repercussions on the gem and jewellery industry, along with other pertinent issues concerning the sector.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe further emphasized the need to focus on boosting exports within the gem industry in Sri Lanka, along with enhancing value-added processes.

Additionally, the President highlighted plans to initiate mining operations in the Sabaragamuwa province and Nuwara Eliya district in the future. Consequently, Sri Lankan gem businessmen will have ample opportunities to venture into mining activities in these regions.

The President also announced that a survey will be conducted to explore the feasibility of establishing gem and mining enterprises in other regions of Sri Lanka. (NewsWire)

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