President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this afternoon (09) inspected the land belonging to the Millewa Estate in Horana, where the prison complex in Borella is to be relocated.
The need to relocate the prison has long existed due to dilapidated old buildings, overcrowding and other external factors.
The prison complex and its current status was shown in a video presentation, and Prison Management & Prisoners' Rehabilitation State Minister Lohan Ratwatte briefed the President on the developments.
A 200-acre tract of land from the Millewa Estate belonging to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) has been allocated to construct the new prison complex. The Welikada Prison, Colombo Remand Prison, New Magazine Prison, Prison Hospital, Training School, Prison Intelligence Unit and the Department of Community Based Correctional Centers are to be constructed within the proposed premises. It is noteworthy that the project titled “Sipiri Suwaseth Udana,” the Millewa Detention and Correctional Center, had not been funded by the Treasury.
State Minister of Urban Development Nalaka Godahewa pointed out that special attention has been paid to the welfare of prisoners in the proposed prison complex project.
The President thereafter inspected the proposed sites for the construction of the Prison Complex, Prison Hospital, Training School and the Intelligence Unit.
The President met with the residents in the Estate and inquired into their well-being during the inspection. He instructed the officials to take immediate action to provide compensation including houses for loss of properties due to constructions.
Ministers Ali Sabry, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, State Ministers Vidura Wickramanayaka, Jayantha Samaraweera, Piyal Nishantha, Parliamentarians Lalith Ellawala, Sanjeewa Edirimanna, Anupa Pasqual, Secretaries to the Ministries and Government Officials were also present.

Two State Ministry Portfolios were reshuffled and accordingly, two State Ministers were sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this afternoon (08).

Mr. Shasheendra Rajapaksa was sworn in as the State Minister of Organic Fertilizer Production, Supply and Regulation and the Paddy and Grains, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chillies, Onion and Potato Cultivation Promotion, Seed Production and Advanced Technology for Agriculture.

With the reshuffle of the ministerial portfolios, Mr. Mohan De Silva was sworn in as the State Minister of Coast Conservation and Low-Lying Lands Development.

Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera was also present at the occasion.

The 1,000 rupee commemorative coin issued to mark the 65th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Government of Sri Lanka and the People’s Republic of China, and the 100th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China was presented to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Central Bank Governor Professor W. D. Lakshman at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (06).

This commemorative coin was issued as a special tribute to the long standing friendship and strong ties between the two countries.

On the center of one side of the coin is the front view of the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre with the national flags of Sri Lanka and China. The ‘2022’ is shown in large numbers below the Theatre. The coin reads “65 years for Sri Lanka – China” in English, Sinhala and Tamil.

The other side of the coin says ‘1,000 rupees’ and “Chinese Communist Party” in three languages.

The Central Bank has issued 500 gold and 2,000 silver commemorative coins.

An automated hand disinfection machine manufactured by the Army Research Analysis, Projection and Development Branch was introduced to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, today (06).
By storing four litres of disinfectant liquid, the machine is capable of sterilizing the hands of 600 people and operating automatically for forty-eight hours after charging.
This machine can be manufactured locally at a lower cost compared to importing. Therefore, the Army Research Unit is ready to manufacture machines for the orders they receive and willing to exchange the knowledge in this regard to the interested parties.
Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Additional Secretary to the President Major General (Retd.) K.B. Egodawela and Brigadier Sudath Udayasena were also present at the occasion.

The 1,000 rupee commemorative coin issued to mark the 65th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Government of Sri Lanka and the People's Republic of China, and the 100th Anniversary of the Communist Party of China was presented to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Central Bank Governor Professor W. D. Lakshman at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (06).
This commemorative coin was issued as a special tribute to the long standing friendship and strong ties between the two countries.
On the center of one side of the coin is the front view of the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre with the national flags of Sri Lanka and China. The '2022' is shown in large numbers below the Theatre. The coin reads "65 years for Sri Lanka - China" in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
The other side of the coin says '1,000 rupees' and "Chinese Communist Party" in three languages.
The Central Bank has issued 500 gold and 2,000 silver commemorative coins.

The Government has spent Rs.262 billion for controlling the Covid-19 pandemic so far since 2020, said Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (30). He made this observation during a Finance Ministry Progress Review Meeting held at the Temple Trees presided by the Premier.

As the Finance Minister, the Premier focused his attention on the present situation of all institutions belonging to the Ministry and about solving prevailing problems at the presentation of the progress and future vision of the Ministry under the theme of “towards the path of prosperity through challenges” by Secretary to the Treasury S. R. Attygalle.

Attygalle said the Government successfully controlled the first and second waves of COVID-19 pandemic, and added that the Government is successfully facing the third wave of the pandemic which began in April this year. According to data of the Ministry of Finance the Government had spent a sum of Rs. 117 billion on COVID-19 control in 2020 and up to now in 2021 another Rs. 53 billion has been spent. Attygalle said further that during the relevant period, Rs. 92 billion had been spent on vaccinations and other expenditure.

He pointed out further that on the instructions of the Prime Minister, even during this difficult period of time, provisions were allocated through the Ministry of Finance on behalf of people including small and medium scale businesspersons who deserved it.

He also said that while reducing interest rates and providing loan concessions it was possible to maintain a rate of 4-6 percent inflation and that it had increased during the past month of May to either 6.1 or 6.2 percent. He mentioned that arrangements are being made by the Ministry of Finance to decrease that figure.

He Pointed out that 11,000 development projects had been approved by the Government from the Decentralized Fund. It was also revealed that all groups who were being given allowances under the Samurdhi Development Department had been paid the stipend of Rs. 5,000 on four occasions.

Steps will be taken in near future to create 500 production villages under the instructions of Premier Rajapaksa. During the meeting attention was drawn to the possibility of reducing the interest rates and providing debt relief by holding discussions with both local and foreign banks in order to revive the businesses which collapsed in the face of COVID-19.

The discussion also revealed that the Government is holding discussions with institutions in the field of finance in order to attract foreign investments to the country and a National Securities Institution will be established within the country by January 2022. Plans are afoot to add list 500 companies more to the Share Market from 2021 to 2024.

Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Prof. W. D. Lakshman emphasized that whatever opinions are being presented by the Opposition, it was possible to pay back foreign debts without delay. The Prime Minister instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury S. R. Attygalle to look into setting up all institutions of the Ministry which are now scattered all over, in the same building, for the convenience of the public.

He recalled that a clean budget was presented last time in the year 2019 while paying off outstanding bills of Rs. 423 billion.

Veteran Journalist Hudson Samarasingha has been appointed as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation.

He was appointed as the chairman of the Corporation several previous occasions.

Mr. Samarasingha held several posts including the post of Director General in the SLBC in the past. (SLBC)

It was decided at the Women Parliamentarian's Caucus to submit a proposal in writing to the Parliamentary Select Committee on election law reforms in order to ensure 30% -70% representation of women at the Parliamentary and Provincial levels within the existing electoral structure of the country.

In addition, it was also decided to propose to ensure that the 25% quota of votes at the local government level remains unchanged and to add to the electoral rules that all political parties allocate 50% of the national list to women.

These suggestions were proposed at the meeting held by the Women Parliamentarian's Caucus chaired by hon. State Minister (Dr) Sudarshini Fernandopulle on the 22 nd of June 2021.
The Women Parliamentarian's Caucus also discussed proposals to increase the representation of women in all commissions and boards, as well as to provide leadership positions, committee positions, executive positions and committee membership within the hierarchy of the main party structure.

Enactment of adequate legislation to reduce election violence, the imperativeness of all female Parliamentarians declaring their assets and liabilities annually, providing women with a definite number of nominations if they wish to change the old preference system were also discussed in detail at this meeting.

It was decided to further discuss with regards to the proposals made by the female Parliamentarians and referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee on election law reforms chaired by Hon. Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Hon. State Minister (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle Hon. Members of Parliament Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Geetha Kumarasinghe, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Manjula Dissanayake, Muditha Prashanthi, were present at this meeting held.

The Committee on High Posts approved the appointments of 02 Ambassadors, 03 Secretaries to Ministries and a Chairman, the Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake said.

The Committee on High Posts chaired by the Hon. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena held on the 23 rd of June 2021 approved the aforesaid appointments.

Hon. Minister of Foreign and Leader of the House of Parliament Dinesh Gunawardena, Hon. Minister of Highways and Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando, Hon. Minister of Labour Nimal Siripala de Silva, Hon. (Dr.) Ramesh Pathirana, Hon. State Minister (Dr.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Hon. State Minister Vidura Wickramanayaka and Hon. Parliamentarians W.D.J Seneviratne and Anura Priyadharshana Yapa were present at the meeting.

Furthermore, the Secretary General stated that approval was also given to the New Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Federative Republic of Brazil Brazil Mr. D.M.S.P Dassanayake and Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Islamic Republic of Iran Mr. G.M. V Wishwanath Aponsu who was called before the Committee.

The Committee also approved the appointments of Mr. M. N. Ranasinghe as the Secretary to the State Ministry of Production and Supply of Fertilizer and Regulation of Chemical Fertilizer and Insecticide Use, Mr. Vidanapathirana as the Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife & Forest Conservation and Mr. S.M.D.L.K De Alwis as the Secretary to the State Ministry of Vehicle Regulation, Bus transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry. Approval was also given to Mr. V.P.K Anusha Palpita as the Chairman to the Development Lotteries Board Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake said.