DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
|
Virakesari: Only four days of work with holidays on Wednesdays; government events cancelled until further notice: government announcement | Public facing great difficulty in QR registration; long queues continue Thinakaran: Announcement of every Wednesday as a government holiday | Mojtaba Khamenei rushes to Russia for special treatment | Special fuel distribution for doctors’ needs – Deputy Minister of Health Hansaka Wijemuni |
Thinakkural: Government employees to work only 4 days with holidays every Wednesday; effective from tomorrow; request also made to the private sector – government announcement | “Daily power cuts from next month; the situation is like that,” says MP Marikkar | “End the war immediately” – China urges again | “We will hunt down and kill Netanyahu! Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps vows Thamilan: Wednesday holiday for government employees! government’s solution for the fuel issue comes into effect from tomorrow; all government events cancelled; request also made to the private sector | “The fuel ship has arrived in the country; people need not panic” – Petroleum Resources Corporation announces | Changes in the prices of essential goods will come – Minister Wasantha informs |
Sinhala Headlines
|
Lankadeepa: The fuel crisis escalates: Wednesdays declared a public holiday; government-organised events [temporarily] halted; health [sector]-ports-water supply services-customs to continue their duties; the private sector also requests a holiday Divaina: Two boats carrying Rs. 5 billion worth of drugs seized from Dondra and Beruwala, along with 11 suspects
|
Dinamina: A holiday for schools, universities, courts and [government] offices every Wednesday: A step taken to manage the crisis; all government-organised events temporarily halted; four committees for essential services; no [Wednesday] holiday for health [sector]-the ports-water supply services Aruna: Wednesdays declared as a public holiday due to the fuel crisis; schools and universities to also close on Wednesdays; essential services to continue their duties; government-organised events [temporarily] halted Anidda: This paper is published only on Fridays |
[paywall layout_id=”1906″ service_tags=”TMA,FP” preview=”true]
TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Jaffna Monitor
“Middle East situation could burden the public if not handled properly” – Namal Rajapaksa
Thinakaran, Thinakkural
SLPP member Namal Rajapaksa claimed that Sri Lanka could face a severe economic and energy crisis once again due to the intensifying war in the Middle East.
Writing on his X (formerly Twitter) account, he noted that if the current government fails to handle this situation correctly, the resulting burden will be placed on the citizens.
“Fuel stocks are available until May” – announcement from Minister Chandrasekar
Virakesari, Thinakkural Minister of Fisheries Ramalingam Chandrasekar urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel and use existing fuel stocks economically. Speaking to the media following a discussion on fuel distribution at the Jaffna District Secretariat on Sunday (15th), he noted that while current stocks of fuel and gas are sufficient until May, the country lacks adequate storage facilities. The minister further explained that Sri Lanka is currently unable to store fuel for more than 36 days due to these infrastructure constraints. |
Anura-Mano Ganesan telephone conversation; invitation for a meeting next weekVirakesari
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held a telephone conversation yesterday with Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader Mano Ganesan and invited a TPA delegation for a discussion next week. This conversation followed a public statement made by Ganesan a day earlier, where he claimed that the president was not responding to his phone calls. During the call, the president accepted Ganesan’s request to discuss urgent issues facing the Tamil people and scheduled the upcoming meeting. |
“Daily power cuts from next month; the situation is like that,” says MP Marikkar
Thinakkural, Virakesari
SJB MP S.M. Marikkar warned that daily power cuts could be implemented from next month due to the current situation at the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Station.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday (16th), he stated that although 40% of the country’s electricity is generated by this plant, the coal received from nine recent shipments is of inferior quality, reducing output from 300 MW to 130 MW.
Marikkar emphasised that 25 shipments of high-quality coal must arrive before 22 April to ensure an uninterrupted power supply and avoid electricity tariff hikes.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Daily News
The Rajya Nekath Seettuwa (the state’s auspicious times’ schedule) to be presented to the mahanayake theras today: All parties reach consensus
Aruna, Dinamina, Divaina
Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Hiniduma Sunil Senevi announced yesterday (16th) that the two main groups of astrologers have reached an agreement to present a unified nekath seettuwa (the schedule of auspicious times) for the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
This agreement follows four rounds of discussions aimed at resolving a disagreement mainly among two groups of astrologers regarding the auspicious times for the traditional New Year.
The minister expressed his gratitude to both parties, which included prominent almanac publishers and an alternative group of astrologers, for reaching a consensus on a unified schedule to prevent public uncertainty.
The schedule prepared will be officially designated as the Rajya Nekath Seettuwa (the state’s auspicious times’ schedule).
The Department of Cultural Affairs is tasked with printing the document, which the minister expects to present to the mahanayake theras today (17th) before its formal release to the public.
This intervention was intended to ensure that citizens who base their lives on religious and cultural traditions can observe the festival without confusion.
|
The Rajagiriya road accident: The CCD questions Patali for five hours | “The government’s illegal practices, such as the coal scam, cannot be covered up by dragging us to court” – Patali Champika Ranawaka Aruna, Dinamina, Divaina Dinamina reports that the investigation pertains to allegations of influencing a witness in the 2016 Rajagiriya road accident case. Aruna and Divaina report that while at the CCD premises, Ranawaka addressed the media, alleging that the government is attempting to suppress his “scientific disclosures” regarding a coal fraud and significant financial losses within the power sector. Aruna and Divaina further highlight the former MP as stating that on Saturday (14th), the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) lost 135 MW of power due to the use of sub-standard coal at the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs. 190 million. |
Indictments filed against Sajin de Vass for Mihin Lanka transactionDinamina, Divaina, Lankadeepa The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) filed indictments against former MP and former Mihin Lanka CEO Sajin de Vass Gunawardena in the Colombo High Court yesterday (16th). The case involves four counts of corruption related to the leasing of an aircraft from Best Airlines in 2007, bypassing mandatory government tender procedures. Gunawardena is accused of causing a loss to the government by entering into an agreement to pay USD 267,100 as daily allowances for crew meals and additional expenses for the leased aircraft |
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Ada Derana
A holiday for schools, universities, courts and [government] offices every Wednesday: A step taken to manage the crisis | Wednesdays declared as a public holiday due to the fuel crisis
Aruna, Dinamina, Lankadeepa, Divaina, Virakesari, Thamilan, Thinakkural, Thinakaran
The government has declared every Wednesday a public holiday for state offices, schools, universities and the judiciary as a precautionary measure against potential fuel shortages caused by the Middle East conflict.
Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi stated that while current reserves are sufficient, this move aims to minimise energy consumption and preserve stocks for essential services.
The holiday does not apply to essential sectors such as health, ports, water supply, and customs, nor to critical resettlement activities.
Additionally, all government-organised events have been temporarily suspended, and the private sector has been requested to adopt similar measures.
To ensure administrative continuity, four special committees led by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and other ministers have been appointed to manage state services, energy, the distribution of essential supplies and welfare activities.
“On March 31, will announce the identity of the mastermind of the Easter Sunday attacks, which the government is not disclosing” – Udaya Gammanpila
Divaina, Thamilan, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thinakaran
Sspeaking at a media briefing in Colombo yesterday (16th), Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila announced that he will reveal the identity of the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks on March 31.
Gammanpila further stated that this is information that the government has failed to disclose to the public.
The former MP noted that he has authored a book titled ‘The search for the mastermind of the Easter Sunday attacks’ following an 18-month study, which is scheduled to be launched on March 31 at 3:00 p.m. at the Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Mandira.
Gammanpila further claimed the tragedy has been exploited for seven years to form and topple governments while unjustly harassing war heroes, asserting that the time has come to end what he described as a “deception” regarding the investigation.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Common priorities: Additional stories
1. A 38-tonne oil tanker arrives at the Colombo Port: Unloading operations commenced yesterday itself – Lankadeepa, Dinamina, Thinakkural, Thamilan
2. Continued ballistic missile attacks from Iran on Israel; a drone attack on the Dubai Airport as well – Thinakkural, Thinakaran, Thamilan
3. QR code not required to issue fuel for farmers– Dinamina, Divaina, Thamilan
4. Unable to download the QR code; 1919 [hotline] is also unresponsive – Lankadeepa, Virakesari, Thinakkural
[/paywall]