DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: Minister Ananda Wijepala announces in parliament that investigations have revealed that Sara Jasmine is not dead | A no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Harini Thinakaran: “There is no information to suggest that Sara Jasmine is in India” – Ananda Wijepala | Julie Chung returns home after completing her tenure |
Thinakkural: “Jaffna District may face an impact of unprecedented levels due to the atmospheric depression that has formed at present” – Prof. Pradeeparajah warns; the Department of Meteorology also advises continued vigilance | “The government has committed a fraud of Rs. 10 billion!” – SLPP MP Chanaka Thamilan: “Coal imports: Rs.10 billion financial fraud” – MP Chanaka makes sensational allegation | A no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Harini; opposition parties sign jointly |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: “An advisory board recommendation: The Grade Six lesson with issues, removed: a former secretary to investigate the matter” – PM Harini Amarasuriya | The pensions of 512 former MPs cancelled: The draft bill to parliament Divaina: Approval received to remove the obscene section of the Grade Six English module: “The book has been sealed” – The premier responds to the opposition leader’s question Mawbima: “Sara Jasmine is alive; will issue warrants if necessary” – The minister of public security responds to MP Mujibur Rahman’s question | Signs that rain will intensify today: Refrain from going to sea until further notice
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Dinamina: “Investigations reveal that Sara Jasmine, who is linked to the Easter Sunday attack, may not be dead: Steps will be taken to obtain warrants if necessary” – Minister Ananda Wijepala | The problematic lesson in the Grade Six English module removed: Approval received from the advisory board of the National Institute of Education Aruna: This newspaper was unavailable at the time of publishing FrontPage Anidda: This paper is published only on Fridays |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Tamil Guardian
“Is the government delaying provincial council elections?” – MP Selvam raises suspicions on the select committee
Thinakkural, Thamilan, Virakesari
Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan questioned whether the government is employing tactics to delay provincial council elections by forming a committee to study the electoral system.
Speaking in parliament yesterday (7th), Adaikkalanathan noted that such committees are often used as a strategy to stall progress rather than reach a solution. He urged the government to conduct the elections under the previous system immediately, instead of postponing them through further investigations.
“Convene the donor conference immediately; the Rebuilding Sri Lanka fund could become problematic” – MP Harsha warns
Thamilan, Thinakkural, Virakesari SJB MP Harsha de Silva urged the government to convene an international donor conference immediately to address the damages caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Speaking in parliament yesterday (7th), de Silva noted that while reconstruction is estimated to cost Rs. 1,200 billion, the Rebuilding Sri Lanka fund has received only Rs. 7 billion to date. He further highlighted that the cyclone caused losses worth nearly USD 4 billion and warned that the recovery fund has not yet been legally established. De Silva stressed the need for rapid government action to secure aid before international attention shifts towards other global disasters. |
“It is essential that all plantation workers receive the wage increase” – MP Mano Ganesan emphasises at the Ministry of Labour meetingThinakaran, Virakesari Leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) MP Mano Ganesan stated that the Rs. 400 salary increase for plantation workers, effective this month, must be provided by all government and private sector companies from next month. Speaking at a meeting held at the Ministry of Labour, he urged Minister of Labour Anil Jayantha Fernando and Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe to ensure that companies do not use tea leaf weight quotas as an excuse to withhold full wages. Ganesan noted that the TPA supported the budget based on this wage commitment and called for government monitoring to prevent regional leaf availability from affecting workers’ pay. He emphasised that the increment should reach all workers across three government and 22 private plantation companies, as well as smallholder estates. |
“There will be trouble if Gajendrakumar is nearby; change his seat immediately” – MP Archchuna
Thinakkural, Thamilan
Jaffna District Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna requested that the seat of All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, which is currently located to his right in parliament, be changed. Raising a privilege issue yesterday (7th), he stated that he could not be held responsible for any future incidents if the seating arrangement remained unchanged.
Ramanthan alleged that Ponnambalam used derogatory and foul language against him during a Jaffna District Development Committee meeting held on December 26. He also asserted that Ponnambalam is unfit to serve on the Committee on Ethics and Privileges and called for his removal from the committee.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: The website of the President’s Media Division
“Compensation to be paid from tomorrow onwards for houses damaged by the cyclone” – The president
Mawbima
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the programme to provide compensation for damaged houses and the programme to rebuild houses will commence from Anuradhapura and Kurunegala from tomorrow (9th) onwards.
The president further highlighted that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Development have been directed to accelerate compensation disbursements by utilising precise data and validated statistical records.
President Dissanayake made these remarks while attending the second session of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development of the 10th Parliament yesterday (7th).
The UNP decides to meet Sajith PremadasaDivaina The working committee of the UNP has decided that the leader of the UNP and the leader of the SJB must meet after an agreement has been reached between the two parties, following their current ongoing discussions. Accordingly, the UNP working committee states that a meeting between the leader of the UNP and former President Ranil Wickremssighe, and the leader of the SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa will be held, followed by a meeting between the working committees of the two parties. |
“The Port City must be developed, and an opportunity must be provided for investments” – MP Ravi KarunanayakeDinamina New Democratic Front (NDF) MP Ravi Karunanayake stated in parliament yesterday (7th) that the Port City must be developed, and investors must be provided the opportunity to invest in it. Karunanayake emphasised the importance of maintaining favourable economic conditions, and added that the country must listen patiently to what the IMF says when taking future measures. He further noted that although attracting investors is difficult, various strategies must be utilised for this purpose. |
Stop the smear campaigns against the PM immediately – Academics request
Dinamina
Academics are calling for an end to the malicious, defamatory and hateful attacks against Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Harini Amarasuriya. The request was made in a statement issued with the signatures of 58 academics, including professors and doctors.
The statement notes that the academics express deep concern and shock regarding the attacks, which exceed the limits of civility and decency in a democratic society. It further emphasises that some of the attacks are based on misogynistic jealousy, hatred and hostility, as Amarasuriya is a female political leader who is respected both locally and internationally.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Daily FT
The NCM against Harini to be handed over to the speaker tomorrow
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The no-confidence motion (NCM) prepared by the opposition against Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Harini Amarasuriya was signed at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition yesterday (7th).
The motion alleges that the government’s education reforms have introduced content deemed inappropriate for children and contains numerous factual errors, while accusing Amarasuriya of failing to take proper corrective action.
Premadasa was the first to sign the motion, followed by other opposition members. The newspapers also report that the NCM will be handed over to the speaker tomorrow (9th), following the collection of the signatures required.
“An advisory board recommendation: The Grade Six lesson with issues, removed: a former secretary to investigate the matter” – PM Harini Amarasuriya
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakkural
Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Harini Amarasuriya stated in parliament yesterday (7th) that the academic advisory board of the National Institute of Education (NIE) has granted approval to remove the lesson containing an inappropriate website in the controversial Grade Six English module.
The PM made the statement while responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, and also added that the NIE governing board has appointed former Secretary Ranjith Ariyaratne to conduct a preliminary investigation into the matter.
Amarasuriya also mentioned that the book in question, which has not been distributed to children, was sealed as soon as the incident was reported, and steps have been taken to remove the problematic lesson from it.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. “Rainfall expected in all nine provinces from today” – The Department of Meteorology | “Jaffna District may face an impact of unprecedented levels due to the atmospheric depression that has formed at present” – Prof. Pradeeparajah warns | Landslide warnings issued to several areas | Avoid fishing activities until further notice – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
2. “Investigations reveal that Sara Jasmine, who is linked to the Easter Sunday attack, may not be dead: Steps will be taken to obtain warrants if necessary” – Minister Ananda Wijepala – Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
3. The pensions of 512 former MPs cancelled: The draft bill to parliament – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran
4. A seaplane crashes into Gregory Lake: The lives of the two pilots on board, saved – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran
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