Category: Politics
PM to head committee on UNHRC recommendations
June 22, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will head a special committee to oversee implementation of United Nations Human Rights Council recommendations agreed on in 2015. “Cabinet approved to appoint a committee of ministers chaired by the Prime Minister Wickremesinghe together with officials to assist the main committee in this regard,” […]
Those relegated to dustbin of history exploiting extremism: UNP
June 19, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s main ruling party, the United National Party, says political forces relegated to the dustbin of history are the ones who are attempting to exploit extremism and extremists in the hope of returning to power. Welcoming the decision of the cabinet to use full force of law against those […]
Sri Lanka Prime Minister off to US for medical treatment: Minister
May 30, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has left the country for medical treatment in the United States, Health Minister Rajitha Senarathne revealed. Minister Senarathne, speaking at a press conference held Tuesday at the Disaster Management Center, said that Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had postponed this medical examination over the past 18 […]
Ravi Karunanayake wants more under his purview: reports
May 24, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake wants to bring the Securities and Exchange Commission under his purview along with several other institutions, media reports said. The Daily Mirror reported that the move to place SEC under him comes in the wake of a controversial liquor company making plans […]
Implications for Office on Missing Persons from Presidential powers: Verite
Apr 21, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s nineteenth amendment (19A) to the constitution which placed limitations on the powers of the President have implications on the operation of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), a research report showed. Research conducted by the head of legal at Verité Research, Sabrina Esufally, argues that the constitution and […]
PM reveals progress of Presidential Commission of Inquiry
Mar 09, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Presidential Commission of Inquiry has carried out in-depth investigations into 400 complaints to date and investigations into 49 complaints have been finalized, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed. The special commission was appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena on March 3rd, 2015 to investigate and inquire into serious acts of […]
MR outlines issues of proposed Hambantota port deal
Since the future of the Hambantota port is now under discussion, I wish to explain to the public, my position on this matter. The loans taken for the construction of this harbour were 450 million USD for the first phase, 70 million USD for the bunkering facility and 802 million USD for the second phase […]
2017 will be decisive for Sri Lanka: Mahinda Rajapaksa
2017 will be the year in which the future of Sri Lanka will be decided. The government’s devolution package to divide the country into what they call ‘distinct spheres of authority’, the ETCA with India to open up Sri Lanka to Indian service providers and workers, the privatisation of the Hambantota harbour and other government […]
‘s Mahinda Rajapaksa opposes land for Chinese investment
Dec 29, 2016 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday criticised a government plan to grant 15,000 acres for Chinese investment in his constituency, saying it will deprive people of agricultural land. Rajapaksa, chided by the West and India for his close relations with China during his rule, is now agitating against […]
Southern & Sabaragamuwa PCs defeat controversial bill of development
Dec 27, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Southern Provincial Council and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council today morning defeated the Development Special Provisions Draft Bill. 33 Provincial Council members voted against the bill while only 14 voted in favor in the Southern Provincial Council, while 20 voted against and 13 voted in favor in the Sabaragamuwa Provincial […]
JVP leader Anura Kumara tops most active MP rankings: Manthri.lk
Dec 21, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Marxist JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake has topped the most active Parliamentarians ranking of the year, a list compiled by manthri.lk website showed. The website launched in 2013 by Verité Research tracks and ranks parliament representatives in order of their performance. As per the data analyzed using the […]
Clinton pressured IMF to not give loans to Sri Lanka: Min Amunugama
Dec 07, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama today revealed that Hillary Clinton forced IMF not to approve a loan facility to Sri Lanka when she was working as the US secretary of state. Minister Amunugama told Parliament today that the defeat of Hillary Clinton at the recent Presidential Election should […]