The newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today at the Wijerama Residence, stated the Prime Minister’s office.

The 4th National Security Adviser (NSA) Level Trilateral Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation was hosted by Sri Lanka in Colombo on Saturday with the participation of India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the Minister of Defence of the Maldives Ms. Mariya Didi and Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne.

Mauritius and Seychelles were represented virtually at the Senior Officials’ level.

In view of COVID-19, the dialogue was conducted adhering to strict health guidelines using the ‘Air Bubble’ concept for the visiting delegations.

Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives launched the Trilateral NSA level meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation in 2011 and three meetings had been held so far. The last meeting was held in March 2014 in New Delhi. The past deliberations and outcomes have helped the three countries in improving close coordination in maritime security of the region. These were supplemented by Deputy NSA level meetings for sustained engagements and the implementation of the discussions at the NSA level meetings.

Recognizing the significance of the forum for promoting meaningful cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region on common issues pertaining to maritime security, the three countries took stock of the current maritime security environment in the region and discussed mutual cooperation in the areas of Maritime Domain Awareness, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Joint Exercises, Capacity Building, Maritime Security and Threats, Marine Pollution, and Maritime Underwater Heritage.

They agreed to further strengthen cooperation in dealing with these challenges, to ensure peace and security in the region for common benefit.

The three countries also exchanged views on common security threats and agreed to broad base cooperation by expanding the scope to improve intelligence sharing and include issues like terrorism, radicalization, extremism, drugs, arms and human trafficking, money laundering, cyber security and the effect of climate change on maritime environment. The Heads of Delegations agreed to meet regularly to share, discuss and ensure timely implementation of decisions taken at the meeting. They also decided to hold Deputy NSA level working group meetings biannually for cooperation at operational level.

Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi called on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday.

Defence Minister Didi arrived in Sri Lanka for the 4th Trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation Dialogue in Colombo.

The meeting took place on yesterday, with the participation of Vice Chief of Defence Force of the Maldives Brigadier General Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef, Maldivian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Omar Abdul Razzak, Defence Attaché for the Maldives in Sri Lanka Lieutenant Colonel Ismail Naseer, State Minister Ajith Nivard Kabraal and Secretary to Prime Minister Gamini Senarath, stated the Prime Minister’s office in a statement.

The newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickramaratne called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, today (27).

Mr. Wickramaratne assumed duties as the 35th Inspector General of Police.

Joining the service as an apprentice Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1986, he is a graduate from the University of Colombo and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.

In addition, he holds a Post-Graduate Diploma from the University of Bradford, and a Diploma from Harvard University.

President Rajapaksa congratulated the new IGP and presented a memento to him.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called on the newly appointed Chief Prelate of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya, Most Ven. Makulewe Wimala Nayaka Thera.

The President who visited the Vidyawasa Pirivena in Minioluwa, Mirigama where the Nayaka Thera resides, today (27) extended his best wishes to the newly appointed Prelate.

Appreciating the unparalleled service rendered by the Ramanna Maha Nikaya for the Sambuddha Sasanay and to the nation, President Rajapaksa said that he and the Government would extend their fullest support to continue this endevour.

The President also wished the prelate good health and a long life and signed the guest book with a special note. The Nayake Thero chanting Seth Pirith invoked blessings on President Rajapaksa.

The Anu Nayake of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya, Most Venerable Nedagamuwe Vijaya Maithri Thero, and several other members of the Maha Sangha and Member of Parliament Kokila Gunawardena were present at the occasion.

E

Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday stated that the government is committed to continue education even during the pandemic since it is a basic right of the children.

“There is uncertainty surrounding almost every aspect of the COVID-19 crisis. But taking it as a challenge, the Education Ministry in collaboration with relevant other authorities including health and transport has taken measures to ensure a safe education background for the children,” he said.

The Minister made this observation at a special media briefing held online at the Government Information Department.

Deputy Director General of Health Services, Consultant Community Physician Dr.Susie Perera yesterday stated that the preparations made to follow the health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus in schools are at a very satisfactory level.

Dr. Perera further stated that the risk of developing COVID clusters linked to schools is very low. She also said that and that there is a system in place at the school level to monitor the health facilities installed at schools.

She said parents should act responsibly in not sending a quarantined child to school and also desist from sending children to school if they have symptoms like flu, the common cold or a cough. She stressed the strong need to continue education and urged everyone to extend their support to control the COVID situation of the country.

A new Cabinet Minister and State Minister were sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the presidential secretariat today. Accordingly the President’s Media Division stated Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara was sworn in as the Cabinet Minister for Public Security, in addition to his
current portfolio as State Minister of Provincial Councils & Local Government.
Meanwhile Chamal Rajapaksa was sworn in as State Minister of Defence, Home Affairs & Disaster Management, in addition to his Cabinet Ministry Portfolios.

Secretary to the media ministry Jagath P Wijeweera says that the necessary measures have been taken to prepare policies to create better culture in the media field in accordance to the government Saubagye Dekma programme. He said that the digitalize method will be introduced to the media sector with the support of Japan in future.

Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella charged that some trade unions in the education sector were engaged in scare mongering and were fishing in troubled waters.

He said the people should condemn attempts made by such trade unions to scuttle the move to re-open schools for those from Grade 6 to 13. He was speaking at the special media conference held online yesterday at the Government Information Department.

He said the decision taken by the Government to re-open schools islandwide apart from those in the Western Province and isolated areas, was to assist students to continue learning providing solutions for all the issues that have arisen due to the pandemic situation.

Education Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera said that according to Education Ministry statistics, 35% of the students and 85% of the teachers in the North Western Province had attended school on Monday (23).

Around 15% of the students and 80 percent of the teachers in the Southern Province, around 55% of the students and 86% of teachers in Sabaragamuwa Province had attended school.

When only 305 students from the North Central Province came to school, 80 percent of the teachers had attended school. Around 40 percent of students and 80 percent of teachers in the Central Province, 47 percent of students and 75 percent of teachers in the Northern Province and 28 percent of students and 80 percent of teachers in the Eastern Province, 30 percent of students and 80 percent of teachers in the Uva Province had attended school.

Accordingly, 96 percent was the highest and 80 percent was the lowest participation.

Following all the health guidelines that these schools commenced.We hope to rectify all the shortcomings and move forward Rs. 480 million was allocated by the government to 10,165 schools during the first wave to equip the schools with necessary healthcare facilities and this time the government has also allocated Rs. 105 million for 5,233 schools just to upgrade those facilities.

All healthcare facilities including sickrooms and hand washing equipment have already been installed in the schools.

“Our objective was to give equal rights to children who do not have access to the internet or television. Due to the Easter attacks, we only held schools for 90 days last year. This time the school has been held for only 80 days. Education has been provided online.We will work in a manner that does not cause injustice to scholarship, GCE Ordinary Level and Advanced Level students. If there is risk of creating a COVID cluster in the vicinity of a school or a village, the principal and parents can make immediate decisions. Therefore, at this juncture, I urge everyone to work together responsibly and dedicate themselves to the education of their children.” he added.

University Grant Commision Chairman Dr. Sampath Amaratunga said the university system is not closed and since the initial wave of the pandemic, the university system continued to provide online education. Therefore, we had been able to hold examinations by June and July.

“When the second wave came, we started online education again. We now carry out online education in all areas of the field of higher education. Online education was zero in our country. But now more and more students are turning to online education. 3.6 million children are accessing higher education online. By now, universities have delivered nearly 70,000 lectures online.Therefore, universities are not closed. Today we are on a successful journey by providing all internet facilities for free.” he said.

This time we have taken measures to make the highest of university admissions in the post independence Sri Lanka. Accordingly measures have been taken to recruit 41,500 students from today onwards.