Unusuma Media, Author at උණුසුම් පුවත් - unusuma.lk

17 Jan

Government Launches Relief Package to Support Struggling SMEs.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 17, 2025 @ 11:46 am (LK time)

The government has designed a relief package to provide relief to local SMEs who are facing difficulties in repaying loans.

This relief package has been prepared with a long-term vision to provide relief to the businesses of affected SMEs while ensuring the stability of the banking sector, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Banks Association, representatives of the SME sector, and other relevant government institutions.

Accordingly, if the SMEs that have obtained a loan facility from a licensed bank and are classified under the Stage 3 (non-performing loans) category on or after 2019.04.01, along with all the necessary documents, initiate discussions with the relevant concessional banking unit on or before 2025.03.31, those SMEs will be eligible for inclusion in the proposed concessional package.

During the period from 2019.04.01 to 2024.09.30, banks have classified about 494,000 loans worth about Rs. 886 billion under the Stage 3 loan category (non-performing loans), and 99% of them have been classified as less than Rs. 25 million loans.

Taking all these factors into consideration, the government has planned a relief package to provide relief to small and medium-sized enterprises that have faced difficulties in repaying loans due to the adverse effects experienced in the past.

16 Jan

A Workshop on ‘Parliamentary Logic’ by Sajith Premadasa.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 16, 2025 @ 9:06 am (LK time)

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says that if a prosperous country is to be built, correct policies must be created and for this, a policy formulation methodology that takes the ideas, proposals, thoughts and philosophies of the people flowing from the bottom up should be adopted and the role for a better country should be formalized through a number of aspects such as policy formulation, implementation and follow-up.

He further says that to achieve that goal, active participation, dedication, responsible data-based facts and proposals are required and that it can ensure public acceptance and credibility and that it should not be a program that is politicized based on false information and data.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said this while informing the Parliamentarians and trade union members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya on how to proceed during the upcoming budget debate week.

He said that the policy process should be strengthened by actively contributing and participating in the debates of the Parliament, which meets for 4 days every month, and that we should become pioneers in participatory policy formulation.

The Opposition Leader said that all arguments should be presented based on data and information, that what the government is saying should be analyzed logically, and that a huge voice should be raised on behalf of the people. He said that the voices of people working in the public sector as well as those working in the private sector should also be represented.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa further said that the opposition should make the necessary contribution to bring prosperity to the country by presenting better proposals and ideas through the participatory process.

16 Jan

Ceasefire Ends 15-Month Gaza War.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 16, 2025 @ 8:53 am (LK time)

Foreign media reports that the two sides have reached a ceasefire agreement, ending the 15-month war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.

Accordingly, an agreement has been reached to release hostages in stages from both countries, and this war began when Hamas attacked southern Israel in 2023.

As a result, about 1,200 Israelis were killed and another 251 were taken hostage by Hamas to Gaza.

Israel has continued to launch massive attacks on the Gaza Strip, and more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed there in the past 15 months.

This ceasefire agreement comes into effect after months of negotiations.

It is said that the State of Qatar will act as a key mediator here.

16 Jan

Medicine Prices Slashed: Monopoly Broken, Rs. 7,000 Drug Now Rs. 370.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 16, 2025 @ 8:34 am (LK time)

Deputy Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni says that the price of medicines has been reduced by about 200 times due to the breaking of the monopoly maintained by certain pharmaceutical companies over the past period.

As a result, the price of a medicine purchased by the Ministry of Health for Rs. 7,000 has dropped to Rs. 370; he further emphasized during an observation visit at the Kandy District Media Unit.

The Deputy Minister also emphasized that the government’s expectation is to further break the pharmaceutical monopoly by granting the opportunity to import medicines to several companies and significantly reduce the prices of a number of medicines in the future.

15 Jan

Tax Relief Granted on Magampura Black Stones.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 15, 2025 @ 9:15 pm (LK time)

The proposal to reduce the tax imposed on the export of black stone that arose during the construction of the Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port has been approved by the Committee on Public Finance.

According to the said amendment, the tax levied on one cubic meter when exporting one million metric tons of black stone has been reduced to one thousand rupees.

This decision was taken at the Committee on Public Finance that met recently under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva.

15 Jan

Sri Lanka Police Take a Step Back on Modified Accessory Regulations.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 15, 2025 @ 9:05 pm (LK time)

The Police have decided not to remove parts legally installed on three-wheelers in accordance with the legal framework and limitations on the installation of accessories on three-wheelers issued by Gazette No. 22/40/37 of 2021.

This decision was reached during a discussion held today (15) between members of the All Ceylon Three-Wheeler Accessory Manufacturers and Dealers Association and the Inspector General of Police at the Police Headquarters.

However, it has been informed that the Police will continue to take action against parts installed in a dangerous manner that does not comply with the law.

The Inspector General of Police has emphasized that the Sri Lanka Police will never take action to deprive three-wheeler accessory manufacturers and dealers of their jobs.

Senior DIG Mahinda Gunaratne, in charge of the Western Province, DIG Ruwan Gunasekara, DIG Indika Hapugoda, in charge of the Traffic and Road Safety Directorate, Senior Superintendent of Police Manjula Mahagirilla, in charge of the Police Transport Division, and a group of high-ranking officers including Police Media Spokesperson SSP Buddhika Manathunga participated in this discussion.

15 Jan

SJB Backs Government.. 118 MPs Sign Impeachment Motion.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 15, 2025 @ 8:50 pm (LK time)

An impeachment resolution against Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne, the current President of the Court of Appeal, has been signed by 118 Members of Parliament (MPs), according to Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala, Deputy Minister of Public Security.

Additionally, it has been reported that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party has promised to support the proposal.

This proposal comes after Justice Karunaratne’s case in a fundamental rights case was heard by the Supreme Court on December 12.

Judge Karunaratne was previously nominated under Ranil Wickremesinghe for the position of Supreme Court Judge. However, citing the majority vote of its members, the Constitutional Council denied the application.

15 Jan

Cess Tax Reduction on Cement: Bag Prices to Drop by Rs. 100.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 15, 2025 @ 4:34 pm (LK time)

The Committee on Public Finance has reportedly approved a proposal to reduce the current cess tax on cement.

According to Finance Ministry officials, this tax revision is expected to lower the price of a bag of cement by approximately Rs. 100.

The decision was made during a Committee meeting held in Parliament on January 8, chaired by Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva.

15 Jan

Dolawatta Issues Stern Warning to NPP Government Over Stadium Name Change.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 15, 2025 @ 1:40 pm (LK time)

Former parliamentarian Premnath C. Dolawatta had a special media briefing today and expressed his displeasure over the steps taken by the government to remove the name of Mahinda Rajapaksa from the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium.

He says that a group that has destroyed the country’s resources and killed humanity for many years has come to power in the country again and is destroying the development projects carried out by the previous government.

Premnath C. Dolawatta made this statement in response to a statement made by the current sports minister, Sunil Kumara Gamage, that the name of the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium will have to be changed in the future.

The sports minister had presented that he hopes to work with private sector investors for the future development of the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium, but no investor will receive financial investment to maintain a sports complex in the name of Mahinda Rajapaksa. He will also take steps to remove that name in the future.

15 Jan

Sri Lanka’s Heroin King Convicted: High Court Closes a Chapter.!

By unusuma.lk on Jan 15, 2025 @ 12:10 pm (LK time)

The Colombo High Court has jailed Gampola Vidhanalage Samantha Kumara, alias Welesuda, his wife, and another woman to eight years in prison with rigorous imprisonment.

This was after they were found guilty of charges brought under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act regarding property worth crores of rupees acquired through heroin trafficking.

Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendi gave this verdict after a lengthy hearing in the case.

In addition, the court ordered a fine and the confiscation of the illegally obtained property, money, and gold items.