DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “Solution for the salary matter of the estate workers before the budget” – Samantha Vidyarathna | “The opposition parties’ aim is to disrupt the investigations” – Cabinet spokesperson Thinakaran: “UN Human Rights Report: Government needs two weeks to announce its stance” – Prime Minister | Bail granted to the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Justice | Comfortable homes, healthy lives; housing deeds for hill country people; national event under the President’s leadership; ceremony on Saturday at Bandarawela playground |
Thinakkural: Will Sri Lanka implement the UN recommendations presented at the Human Rights Council?; Prime Minister Harini requests two weeks to respond | “Attempt to disrupt investigation into bribery and corruption” – Cabinet spokesperson | “Sri Lanka’s judiciary is independent; the world will understand the internal investigation” – Cabinet spokesperson Thamilan: “There are 34,765 prisoners in Sri Lankan jails” – Minister of Justice | Forensic capacity must be developed to deliver justice to victims! – United Nations committee recommends to the Sri Lankan government |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Additional secretary banned from reparations office after helping Shasheendra Rajapaksa get (unjustified) compensation Divaina: Former Acting Director General of the reparations office that was arrested for approving compensation for Shasheendra granted bail on strict conditions | Opposition protests power given to IGP to transfer OICs under Police Commission: request made for urgent adjournment debate | New guidelines added for teachers’ protection under penal code amendments Mawbima: This newspaper was unavailable at the time of publishing FrontPage |
Dinamina: A “Government to take over driver’s license card printing: Rs. 166 saving per card” – Minister Bimal Rathnayake | Rs. 700,000 outstanding bills at Rajapaksa’s residence still unpaid | Bail granted for additional secretary of ministry who approved compensation for Shasheendra Rajapaksa | Facilities to pay bus fare through bank cards Aruna: The highest value in world history; a pound of gold increases to Rs. 300,000: an ounce valued at USD 4,031 Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Ministry of Fisheries Website
“The New Villages Development Authority cannot be allowed to be abolished” – Mano declares firmly in Parliament | “The government has no intention of abolishing the Authority” – Chandrasekar
Virakesari, Thamilan, Thinakaran
SJB MP Mano Ganesan thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his letter regarding the New Villages Development Authority and urged the government in parliament not to abolish the body.
He stated that while the government’s move to eliminate or merge unnecessary institutions to save costs is welcome, the inclusion of this authority on the list is problematic.
Ganesan explained that the authority was established with great effort during the previous government to coordinate services from all ministries for the one million people in the Hill Country plantation areas, who, he noted, are the most underdeveloped community in the country.
Thinakaran reports: Responding to MP Mano Ganesan, Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar stated that the government will not abolish the Hill Country Development Authority and that its decision is to expand and continue its operations.
He added that a committee led by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya had only discussed its expansion, and he asserted that the government would protect Hill Country institutions and their people.
Prime Minister requests two weeks to announce the government’s stance on UN Human Rights Report
Thinakkural, Thamilan, Thinakaran Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya requested a two-week period in Parliament to respond to questions about the government’s stance on the recent UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report on Sri Lanka, prompting ITAK MP R. Shanakiyan to accuse the government of evading the issue. The prime minister stated she needed time as the MP’s questions had been changed the previous day, a point supported by Chief Government Whip Nalinda Jayatissa, who assured that the foreign minister would address the matter. Thinakkural and Thamilan highlight: Shanakiyan’s questions sought clarity on the government’s position regarding the report’s recommendations and the call to explore international accountability mechanisms. The MP countered that he altered his questions based on procedural advice and alleged that the government could not respond due to the stance it took in Geneva, calling the evasion an “injustice.” |
Forensic capacity must be developed to deliver justice to victims! – United Nations committee recommends to the Sri Lankan governmentThamilan
The United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) has recommended that the Sri Lankan government take several steps to address enforced disappearances, citing concerns over the high level of impunity and limited progress in investigations. The committee urged the state to strengthen the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) to consolidate a comprehensive register of all cases, search for the disappeared, investigate their cases, and ensure accountability. It also recommended that Sri Lanka incorporate war crimes and crimes against humanity into its laws and expedite the establishment of an independent public prosecutor’s office. Furthermore, the CED called on the government to develop its forensic capacity for the proper investigation of mass graves and to identify, preserve, and respectfully return human remains to their families. |
“Solution for the salary matter of the estate workers before the budget” – Samantha Vidyarathna
Virakesari, Thinakaran
Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Samantha Vidyarathna announced that the national programme to provide housing deeds to 2,056 beneficiaries from nine districts in the Hill Country will be held on November 12 under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
He added that this is an initiative by the National People’s Power (NPP) government to improve the community’s living standards.
Virakesari highlights him, saying that negotiations on the plantation workers’ salary issue are expected to conclude before the budget, affirming the government’s commitment to securing the promised daily wage of Rs. 1,700.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Newswire
The highest value in world history; a pound of gold increases to Rs. 300,000: an ounce valued at USD 4,031
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina, Aruna
For the first time in history, the price of a gold ounce in the world market hit USD 4,031 yesterday (8th).
This surge in global gold prices directly caused the price of gold within Sri Lanka to climb by approximately Rs. 6,000.
Following these increases, the price of a 24-carat gold sovereign in the local market rose to Rs. 320,000, and the price of a 22-carat gold sovereign concurrently increased to Rs. 314,000 yesterday (8th).
A wildlife office for the Mattala Airport
Dinamina, Aruna The Cabinet has approved the opening of a dedicated Wildlife Department office within the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) complex in Hambantota. This action is a direct response to the escalating crisis where wild elephants and other animals are regularly invading the airport property and crossing access roads. According to the government, these frequent wildlife incursions are posing a serious danger to passengers, airport personnel, and critical infrastructure. Furthermore, these incidents have repeatedly complicated airport operations, leading to substantial expenditure on repairs for the management company, Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Pvt) Ltd. |
“Government to take over driver’s license card printing: Rs. 166 saving per card” – Minister Bimal RathnayakeDinamina The printing of driver’s license cards, which had been outsourced to the private sector for the past 28 years, will be taken over by the government starting October 18. Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament, Bimal Rathnayake, announced in parliament yesterday (8th) that this change will save the government Rs. 166 per card. |
Rs. 700,000 outstanding bills at Rajapaksa’s residence still unpaid
Dinamina
Officials had reportedly been prepared to disconnect the water and electricity supplies to the Colombo 7, Wijerama Mawatha residence where former President (Mahinda) Rajapaksa previously resided, due to outstanding utility bills on Tuesday (7th).
Officers from the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) arrived to disconnect the water service, while the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) came ready to sever the power connection over an outstanding electricity bill of Rs. 100,000.
However, according to sources, both groups returned without action after finding that only security personnel were currently present at the premises.
In response to an inquiry from Dinamina regarding this matter, Chairperson of the NWSDB, Chandana Bandara, confirmed that the house has an outstanding water bill totaling Rs. 600,000.
Bandara stated that, following the standard procedure for dealing with such unpaid bills, employees of the NWSDB went to the Wijerama Mawatha residence on Tuesday (7th) for the purpose of cutting off the water supply.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Ceylon Today
Bail granted for Additional Secretary of Ministry who approved compensation for Shasheendra Rajapaksa
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina, Aruna, Thamilan
The Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Sepalika Samankumari, has been released on strict bail conditions by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The official, who previously served as the Acting Director General of the Office for Reparations, had been arrested yesterday (8th).
The arrest was carried out by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) officers on charges of corruption and criminal misappropriation of funds.
Samankumari is accused of aiding and abetting the criminal misuse of state money in connection with approving compensation for former State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa.
The court issued the bail order following her appearance before the Chief Magistrate.
“Who released Arjuna Mahendran’s passport in 2017?” – Chamara Sampath questions in parliament
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Aruna, Thinakkural
New Democratic Front (NDF) MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake questioned who authorised the release of Arjuna Mahendran’s passport in 2017, during the parliamentary session held yesterday (8th).
Dassanayake proceeded to state that the current Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Ranga Dissanayake, had (allegedly) released the passport of former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran while Dissanayake served as the Fort Magistrate, despite Mahendran being responsible for “the biggest theft.”
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Permission granted to take up HR petition concerning Shani and three others of the CID for hearing – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Virakesari
2. “165,512 vehicle number plates have not been issued” – Bimal Rathnayake – Divaina, Thinakaran
3. Official foreign reserves increase by USD 65 million – Dinamina, Thinakaran
4. “The CEB is being restructured in order to reduce the electricity bill” – Nalinda Jayatissa – Dinamina, Thinakkural
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