A Bodhi Pooja ceremony to invoke blessings on veteran actor and artiste Jackson Anthony was held at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo under the patronage of the Maha Sangha and with the participation of Highways and Transport and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardane yesterday.

This was organized by the Mass Media Ministry under the guidance of Minister Gunawardane.

Jackson Anthony is currently receiving treatment at the ICU of the National Hospital in Colombo following a major accident that took place in Thalawa recently.

Deputy Incumbent of the Gangaramaya Temple, Ven.Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera on this occasion said that Jackson Anthony is an instrumental character for the country and the future of the art and media sectors.

His knowledge and experience in multiple sectors are invaluable and such characters are very rare and unique in the country, he said.

Jackson Anthony has won the applause of the Sri Lankans for his talent on the stage, television and cinema. Anthony has won the award for the Best Actor for a record sixteen times.

Ven. Dr. Assaji Thera also recalled how Anthony visited the temple and associated with the Maha Sangha whenever necessary. According to the Thera, Jackson Anthony is well-known by the Sri Lankans in and out of the country as an actor, director, producer, singer, screenwriter, television host, novelist, columnist, lyricist, historian and traveler.

Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and the Chairman of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited Anusha Pelpita, Director General of the Department of Government Information Mohan Samaranayake, heads of state media institutions, artistes, journalists and several others participated on this occasion.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena visited the historic Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy and paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic, today (31). The Prime Minister placed floral tribute to the Sacred Tooth Relic and engaged in religious observances. The Prime Minister also received the blessings of the Maha Sangha.

while speaking to the media after paying homage to Dalada Maligawa in Kandy Prime Minister Gunawardena said, that the Government will not allow any room for activities and attempts to destabilize the economic process of the country.

He added that although some are trying to portray that the government is taking a hard-line approach the government was only taking measures to ensure the country’s security, people’s well-being and a conducive atmosphere for the economy to develop.

He said that it is essential to maintain law and order in the country and it is important not only for the government but also for the private sector as well as the entrepreneurs.

He stressed that everyone has to join hands to overcome the challenges faced by the country and that protecting the citizens is the primary aim of the government.

The Prime Minister stressed that the President has called for an All-Party Government several times and he also made a statement in the Parliament in this regard and said that a statement in this regard will be made at the new parliamentary session on August 3.

He said that the President and the Ministers will work with foreign countries with great friendship and mutual trust.

He declared that law and order are implemented for the benefit of all the people of the country and foreign countries have the ability to understand it.

He said that the government always respects the independence of the judiciary and the government has bowed its head and accepted the decisions given by the judiciary in the past.

He said that the work of the President and Prime Minister offices has now started again and the Temple Tree will also be restored to its former status very soon.

The Prime Minister was received by the Kandy Mayor Kesara Senanayaka, Governor Lalith U.Gamage, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, MPs Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Dilum Amunugama, Sisira Jayakody, Udayana Kirindigoda,Wasantha Yapa Bandara, Lak Vanitha Peramuna Chairman Shanthini Kongahage too were present among others.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe visited the historic Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy and paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic, today (30). The President placed floral tribute to the Sacred Tooth Relic and engaged in religious observances. The President also received the blessings of the Maha Sangha.

The senior officer of the Sri Lanka administrative service W.B Ganegala has been appointed as the chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini (TV) Corporation.

Senior lawyer Sudarshana Gunawardana appointed as the new chairman of the Independent Television Network (ITN) assumed duty today. (28)

He has served as the Director General of the Govt. information department and also as the chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation prior to this portfolio.

Professor Sunanda Madduma Bandara and Kshenuka Senewiratne have been appointed as Senior Advisors to the President.

Prof. Madduma Bandara is President’s Senior Advisor (Media) and Senewiratne will be President’s Senior Advisor on International Media. Prof. Madduma Bandara, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Kelaniya University was the Head of the Department of  Economics and Social Sciences Faculty Dean at the Kelaniya University.

He has also served as the Secretary of the State Ministry of Media and also as the Director General of Information. He was also the Director General of the Economic Development Ministry. Senewiratne is a former senior Diplomat of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service and former Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary. She has served as the High Commissioner to the UK, Ambassador to Thailand and the Permanent Representative to the United Nations in both Geneva and New York.

Member of Parliament Hon.Dr.Bandula Gunawardane assumed duty as Minister of Mass Media today (25).

He took over his appointment letter from President Ranil Wickremesinghe on last Friday (22).  Dr.Gunawardane has held the same portfolio previously. He has also been appointed as the Minister of Transport and Highways in addition to the post of Minister of Mass Media.

In this occasion secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media Anusha Palpita, Additional secretary to the Ministry (Administration) S.R.W.M.R.P Sathkumara, Additional secretary E.M.S.B Jayasundara, Director General of the Department of Government Information Mohan Samaranayake and other senior officials of the Ministry also participated.

Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media Anusha Palpita assumed duties today (22) at the Ministry of Mass Media.

Mr. Anusha Palpita is a senior administrative officer, who has held the same portfolio previously and experience in several fields in the state sector. 

The swearing-in of the new Cabinet of Ministers of the interim government under President Ranil Wickremesinghe took place at the Temple Trees this morning (22).

The ceremony was held after MP Dinesh Gunawardena took oath as the new Prime Minister this morning.

The Cabinet of Ministers of the new interim government is as follows:

1. PM Dinesh Gunawardena – Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils & Local Government

2. Douglas Devananda – Minister of Fisheries

3. Susil Premajayantha – Minister of Education

4. Bandula Gunawardena – Minister of Transport, Highways & Media

5. Keheliya Rambukwella – Minister of Health & Water Supply

6. Mahinda Amaraweera – Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife & Forest Conservation

7. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe – Minister of Justice, Prisons & Constitutional Reforms

8. Harin Fernando – Minister of Tourism & Lands

9. Ramesh Pathirana – Minister of Industries & Plantation Industries

10. Prasanna Ranatunga – Minister of Urban Development & Housing

11. Ali Sabry, PC – Minister of Foreign Affairs

12. Vidura Wickramanayake – Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs

13. Kanchana Wijesekara – Minister of Power & Energy

14. Ahamed Nazeer – Minister of Environment

15. Roshan Ranasinghe – Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs & Irrigation

16. Manusha Nanayakkara – Minister of Labour & Foreign Employment

17. Tiran Alles – Minister of Public Security

18. Nalin Fernando – Minister of Trade, Commerce & Food Security

Sri Lanka Administrative Service officer D.M Anura Dissanayake has been appointed as Secretary to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, this morning (22). He received his appointment letter from the new Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Prime Minister's office, today.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has reaffirmed the commitment to upholding the rights of peaceful, non-violent assembly.

He expressed this stance to the Colombo based diplomats at a meeting held today (22) to update them on the removal of the protesters who had been illegally occupying the Presidential Secretariat. According to his media office, President Wickremesinghe stated that both Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article 14 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, which governs the rights of peaceful assembly, would be upheld by the Government.

The President further explained that the instructions given by the American Civil Liberties Union stated that protesters were not permitted to block Government buildings and interfere with other purposes the property was designed for.

The diplomats were also briefed on the measures being taken to ensure that non-violent protests were allowed to proceed within the city without endangering property or lives. Facilities within Colombo, such as the Open-Air theatre at Viharamahadevi Park, New Town Hall, Hyde Park and Campbell Park were all being made available for non-violent protests.

Addressing concerns regarding the GotaGoGama protest site, it was explained that it had not been removed by security forces, contrary to erroneous social media reports. Furthermore, the participants were also briefed by the Attorney General on the legal avenues being pursued, including producing all those arrested by the Police before the Colombo Magistrate Court, the President Media added.

Parliamentarian Dinesh Gunawardena was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister this morning (22). Gunawardena took oath before President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Several Members of Parliament were present at the occasion. During the tenure of the previous government, Prime Minister Gunawardena served as the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.

The new Prime Minister was also part of several Parliamentary Committees with the most recent being the Select Committee of Parliament to identify appropriate reforms of the election laws and the electoral system and to recommend necessary amendments.

Prime Minister Gunawardena is the son of Philip Gunawardena, nicknamed the Lion of Boralugoda, who is the father of Socialism in this country and Kusuma Gunawardena. Born on March 2, 1949, Dinesh Gunawardena has been the leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna since 1973 after the death of Philip Gunawardena.

Dinesh Gunawardena received his education at Royal College, Colombo. Later, he earned Associate Degrees in business administration, management and international transportation from the Netherlands Business University and the University of Oregon.

He entered Parliament for the first time at the 1983 by-election, marking a historic victory as the Maharagama MP.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, is a labour leader and national leader, engaged in a continuous political journey committed to the welfare and unity of the country and to serve the common man.

He has represented Parliament as the Minister of Transport, Transport and Environment, Urban Development and Water Supply, Higher Education (Deputy), Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, Water Supply and Drainage, Municipalities and Western Development, Foreign Affairs and Skill Development and Employment and Labour.

He also held the positions of the Chief Whip of the ruling party in Parliament, the leader of the Parliament Committee and the Chairman of three Parliamentary Special Committees to amend the voting system. His son, Yadamini Gunawardena is also a Member of Parliament.