SL and Australia to strengthen cooperation to counter people smuggling

Sep 06, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka and Australia have re-dedicated themselves to counter people smuggling and discussed in detail avenues for strengthening cooperation to address the recent escalation of the number of people-smuggling ventures from Sri Lanka to Australia since May, 2019. Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha expressed Sri Lanka’s fullest support to Australia in […]

Sri Lanka cabinet grants approval to amend Muslim Marriage & Divorce Act

Aug 21, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to amend the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act. The proposal contains amendments to the Act including the legal age for a Muslim marriage (minimum age 18) and the process that should be followed when registering a marriage. There are also proposals […]

Special hotline 1913 for public complaints on illegal liquor

Aug 18, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Excise Department will launch a special four-digit hotline 1913 from tomorrow to receive public complaints on illegal Liquor. This round the clock 24-hour hotline will receive confidential complaints about illegal manufacturing of liquor in any part of the country. According to Commissioner General of Excise Department, transporting and […]

Sri Lanka imposes ban on selling imported liquor without foolproof sticker

July 30, 2019 (LBO) – Excise Department has banned the sale of all brands of imported liquor without the new foolproof sticker introduced recently by the Department. Accordingly, the possession, transportation, storing and the sale of imported liquor is illegal unless this new sticker is affixed on containers of foreign liquor. The Excise Notice No: […]

Foreign Minister clarifies appointments for UN Special Rapporteur

Special Statement by Tilak Marapana, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Parliament – 25.07.19 It has been brought to my notice that last Tuesday (23 July) and Wednesday (24 July) several Members of the Parliament have brought up the issue of the visit of the Special Rapporteur on the freedom of assembly and of association, Mr. […]

ETL Colombo denies claims as the importer of waste cargo

Jul 25, 2019 (LBO) – ETL Colombo (Pvt) Ltd. outrightly denied any claims that they are the ultimate importer of the 130 containers of “Used Mattresses” imported to Hayleys Free Zone, Katunayake for reprocessing and re-export as legally permitted by the Hub Act. The actual owner and the key stakeholder of the said cargo is […]

YMBA Independent Movement forms national agenda; calls for one law for all Sri Lankans

July 20, 2019 (LBO) – An Independent National Movement led by the Colombo YMBA, after deliberations, have come up with a four-point national agenda capturing all issues presently tearing the country apart. Addressing the Diplomatic Community yesterday, General Secretary of Colombo YMBA, Mahendra Jayasekara detailed the four points. Address to the Diplomatic Community on ‘One […]

EU offers EUR 8.5mn for Sri Lanka to focus on counter-narratives, online radicalisation

July 15, 2019 (LBO) – The European Union (EU) and Sri Lanka held on Monday an informal counterterrorism dialogue, chaired on the EU side by EU Counterterrorism Coordinator Gilles De Kerchove, accompanied by EEAS Head of Division for Counterterrorism John Gatt-Rutter, and on the Sri Lankan side by Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed A. […]

IGP and Former Defence Secy arrested while in hospital

Jul 03, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s top police officer, Pujitha Jayasundara and the former Defence Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Hemasiri Fernando were both arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday terror blasts, yesterday while undergoing treatment in hospital. The Colombo Chief Magistrate, Lanka Jayaratne placed the two officials in remand custody after they […]

Death penalty sends wrong signal to investors: EU

Jun 28, 2019 (LBO) – The European Union has issued a statement opposing the revival of the death penalty, saying it will send wrong signals to investors and violate commitments to the United Nations.   Sri Lanka is actively moving towards resuming executions, which would bring an end to its 43-year moratorium on the death penalty. […]

Sri Lanka relaxes dress code for female public servants

Jun 26, 2019 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to amend a circular on the dress code for public servants allowing female public servants to wear any decent dress without covering their faces. According to the cabinet proposal, the dress code for female public servants, however, should not impede the directives […]

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