Sri
Lanka to push constitutional
reforms through rarely used legal formula, Lankans may not even get a glance of draft proposals - by Joseph Thavaraja (19.06.2010 -
Asiantribune.com)
Colombo : Sri Lanka may evade the ordinary
Constitutional reforms process in its forthcoming amendments, news
reports in Colombo said. Instead, the country may rush the proposed
constitutional amendments through a rarely used legal formula buried
among its Constitutional provisions.
The atypical legal provision is the ‘special exercise of urgent bills’,
in Article 122. Also, any draft proposal viewed by the Cabinet of
Ministers as falling under this Article could be passed into law without
public scrutiny.
The difference in the ‘urgent bill’ mechanism in comparison to the
‘ordinary amendment mechanism’ is that the proposed amendments will not
be ‘gazetted.’ ...............................>>
Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao’s briefing on President Rajapaksa visit - from R. Vasudevan - Reporting from New
Delhi (10.06.2010 - Asiantribune.com)
New Delhi :
India’s Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao made the following points at a
Media Briefing on the State Visit of the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda
Rajapaksa, on Wednesday.
1. The President of Sri Lanka H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently in
India on a State Visit. He is accompanied by Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapaksa
and a high-level delegation, including three Cabinet Ministers.
2. This morning, he was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati
Bhavan. External Affairs Minister and the Finance Minister called on
him. The Leader of Opposition and the Chairperson of the UPA are also
calling on him. A delegation of MPs from Tamil Nadu is also meeting him
in the afternoon. .................................>>
Annual Report and Accounts of the
Sri-Lanka savings Bank-2008
The Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by president
Mahinda Rajapasaka as the Minister of Finance and Planning to table in
Parliament, the Annual Report and accounts showing details of the
performance and accounts of Sri-Lanka savings Bank for the year ended on
31st December, 2008.
In relation to the Pre-tax profit of Rs18.8 million earned during the
year 2007, the bank has earned a sum of Rs.149.8 million during the year
2008.
.................................>>
Full
potential of bilateral relations can be realized with end to
terrorism - President of India (10.06.2010 -
news.lk)
With the cessation of hostilities in northern Sri
Lanka, India and Sri Lanka have an opportunity to realize the full
potential of their bilateral relations. I am heartened to note that,
during this visit,we are committing ourselves to substantially enhance
the range and depth of our bilateral engagement, declared Madam Pratibha
Patil, the President of India, addressing the Banquet in honour of
President Mahinda Rajapaksa held in New Delhi yesterday [09 June].
India and Sri Lanka can show the way forward to the region and to the
world as a model of mutually beneficial cooperation, President Patil
emphasized. ..............................>>
By importing 20000 Tons inferior quality petrolCPC sends Rs.
1610 million down the drain! – All Island petrol shortage looms (05.06.2010 10:55 AM
SLT - Lanka-e-News)
Because t he petrol imported from
Singapore by the Ceylon petroleum Corporation (CPC) has is of inferior
quality, its unloading has been suspended. Because of this import the
CPC has suffered a loss of US Dollars ten million forty four lakhs which
converted to SL rupees amounts to Rs. 1610 million 28 lakhs.
What has triggered the suspicion is the payment of vessel charges on the
22nd May and this colossal amount even before the ship has reached the
Colombo Harbor.
This import has been made from a trading Co. ‘Tafigura’ and has been
dispatched via the vessel “Kelas Durans’. The CPC has got down 20,000
M.T. diesel and 20,000 M.T. refined petrol. This ship had reached SL on
the 27th May. The diesel had been unloaded. But the unloading of petrol
has been suspended as it is adulterated with dust, and therefore
inferior in quality. .............................>>
Human problems abounding sans death certificates to end
soon : Minister Gunasekera - by K T Rajasingham (25.05.2010 - Asian
Tribune)
The family members and next of kin of those
civilians and others died during the three-decade long ethnic conflict
are to receive death certificates soon, once the circumstances of the
deaths are clearly established.
The deaths thousands of civilians have not been brought under any
Coroner’s or Judicial Magistrate’s investigations to establish the
circumstances of those deaths and the relevant authorities to issue
death certificates, leading to several human problems. ..............................>>
Recruit
girls for Korean jobs given a
novel type of training by their trainers (24.05.2010 01:20 AM
SLT - Lanka-e-News)
Youths selected by the SL Foreign
Employment Bureau for jobs in Korea are subject to a training prior to
their departure. According to a recruit who underwent training , as
related by him to Lanka e news, these recruits who follow this training
course at National plantation Management training centre at Aturugiriya ,
they are being sexually harassed.
On the 8th May, at about 7.30 p.m. , 160 males and 8 females were
separated for training . The trainer , a Korean National under the
pretext of giving physical training has molested her by handling her
breasts .When the males who were in the group had protested against this
, the Korean trainer has left the premises. Two girls who became
unconscious owing to this sexual molestation , have been admitted to
Hospital and given treatment, sources say. ...............................>>
Urban
Development and Internal
Affairs news through the MCNS (21.05.2010 16:03
SLT - nationalsecurity.lk)
"The subject area of the
Ministry of Defence has been expanded after taking over the
responsibilities of Urban Development and Internal affairs matters and
in the future respective news about them also given to the Media through
the Media Centre for National Security" Media Minister Keheliya
Rambukwella stated at the First Media Conference held in the Media
centre For National Security after assuming duties as the minister of
Media and Communication. Further speaking the Minister added that the
Cabinet decisions and the Principles would be informed to the Media at
the Cabinet Media Conferences. ...................................>>
Sri
Lanka's President to join Parliamentary
sessions under new constitutional amendments (16.05.2010 -
Asiantribune.com)
Colombo : Sri Lanka’s proposed constitutional
amendments will result in the possible change of a key Parliamentary
tradition in the country.
If the amendments are implemented, the President will, for the first
time since the implementation of 1978 constitution, join the
Parliamentary sessions, arguably in the capacity of his Ministerial
portfolios.
The amendments will allow the President to directly take part in
Parliamentary debates once in every two months, according to reports. ............................>>
Legal action is to be filed
against the Urban Development Authority (UDA) over the eviction of
residents in Slave Island yesterday on the ground their houses were
unauthorized structures. Meanwhile investigations are underway over the
assault of two police officers by the residents.
A mob of Slave Island residents clashed with the police yesterday after
authorities began removing unauthorized structures in the area. Many
families were forced out of their homes with their belongings and the
demolition of the structures took place despite the resident's claim to
having documents that prove their structures were legal. .......................>>
