News

Canada welcomes reinstatement of Shirani as CJ

Canadian Government said it welcomed the reinstatement of Shirani Bandaranayake as Chief Justice of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court.

“Canada welcomes the reinstatement of Shirani Bandaranayake as Chief Justice of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court. In January 2013, at the time of the Chief Justice’s impeachment, I expressed deep concern about the opaque and politicized nature of her impeachment, an action that severely undermined the legitimacy of the rule of law in Sri Lanka,” Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said.

British Foreign Office Minister Swire meets Minister Samaraweera

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera held talks with visiting British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Hugo Swire at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today. Minister Swire stated that the purpose of his visit was to convey the UK Government’s desire to work closely with the newly elected government of President Maithripala Sirisena and to convey a special message from Prime Minister David Cameron.

Shirani’s swansong

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CJ 43 says her fight was battle for judicial independence, integrity

On her final day on the bench of the Supreme Court, 24 hours after her reinstatement as lawful Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake speaks out for the first time on the ‘turmoil and peril’ of the past two years since her impeachment. She told the ceremonial chamber that was packed to capacity that over the past 746 days since the impeachment watching the downfall of the Supreme Court had been as painful of the personal impact of her unlawful sacking.

Former Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake resigned from her post yesterday – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

Foreign Minister Samaraweera visits Brussels

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Foreign Minister Samaraweera with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Didier Reynders

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, concluded a two day official visit to Brussels today.

Foreign Minister Samaraweera met Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Didier Reynders and members of the European Parliament. He also held talks with the European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs & Fisheries, Mr. Karmenu Vella, and the European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Mr. Neven Mimica.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister leaves for Europe

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera will start an official tour in Europe today. Accordingly, he will first reach Brussels in Belgium. He expects to meet members of the European Union and to discuss the export of fish from Sri Lanka to Europe.

The European commission has temporarily suspended importing fish from Sri Lanka under the charges of Sri Lanka being engaged in illegal fishing disregarding international conditions. The European commission has influenced Sri Lanka to take measures to stop illegal fishing in the Sri Lankan waters. Sri Lanka was the second major supplier of tuna and sword fish to European region.

Source: www.news.lk

Presidential term limited to five years - President

President Maithripala Sirisena said that the term of office of the President of Sri Lanka will be reduced to five years from the original six.

“I had insisted that the terms of the Presidency be reduced to four years though the Committee of Constitutional Experts and political leaders did not agree with my demand,” the President said addressing public officials of the Polonnaruwa district at the Thopawewa school grounds on Sunday.

“They said that holding a Presidential Election every four years was not good for the country,” he said.

The President added that they later came to the consensus that the term of the Presidency should be confined to five years due to his strong insistence.

US President sees new hope in Lanka

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The President of the United States, Barack Obama, notes that there is new hope for democracy in Sri Lanka and that India can help countries like Sri Lanka forge a better future.

In a transcript posted on the White House website of a speech Obama made at the Siri Fort Auditorium in India, the US President is quoted as saying that India can help other countries with their elections by using the experience India has with its elections.

UK Minister Hugo Swire to visit Sri Lanka

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The UK Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire is paying a second visit to Sri Lanka from 28-30 January, shortly after the formation of a new government, the UK High Commission in Colombo said in a release today.

As part of a broad visit Mr. Swire will call on senior ministers including Prime Minister Wickremesinghe to discuss the new government's reform programme and areas of potential co-operation.

Six new Governors sworn in

Six new Governors were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat today (27).They were:

Mr. H. M. G. S. Palihakkara – Governor of the Northern Province

Mr. Austin Fernando – Governor of the Eastern Province

Mr. Marshall Perera – Governor of the Sabaragamuwa Province

Ms. Surangani Eallawala – Governor of the Central Province

Mr. P. B. Dissanayake – Governor of the North Central Province

Mr. M. P. Jayasinghe – Governor of the Uva Province

Earlier, Mr K.C. Yogeswaran, Mrs. Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake and Mr. Hemakumara Nanayakkara were sworn in as Governors of Western, North Western and Southern Provinces respectively.

Source: www.priu.gov.lk