RataWata News | Provincial News Around the Sri Lanka

New Secretaries have been appointed to 35 State Ministries. The appointments were approved by the Cabinet on the 19th. The gazette notification regarding those appointments has been issued by now. Accordingly, he has been appointed as the Secretary to the State Ministry of Finance, Capital Markets and Public Enterprise Reforms. M. It is said that Mr. Ratnayake has been appointed.

A two day workshop for the Members of Parliament elected to the 9th Parliament will be held today and tomorrow. The inauguration ceremony will be held under the patronage of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. It is said that all the Members of Parliament who have been elected to Parliament this time have been invited for this two day workshop. Members of Parliament will be briefed on Parliamentary business, parliamentary traditions, parliamentary system and Standing Orders of Parliament.

A person who was transferring mangrove poles on a dinghy was apprehended by the Navy in the Mandathivu lagoon area, on 16 February 2020. Sri Lanka Navy which is well concerned of the conservation of marine ecosystem, apprehended this suspect during a search operation conducted in Madathivu lagoon area. Mangrove poles cut by him, the dinghy and OBM used for transportation were taken into naval custody. The suspect is a 41 years old resident of Gurunagar area and he along with mangrove poles,dinghy and OBM were handed over to Forest Range Office-Jaffna for onward action. This mangrove eco system which is an authentic resource activate against the soil erosion, is destroyed only by very few people and SL Navy keeps a watchful eye on such groups to foil their attempts and to enforce the law against them. Further, Sri Lanka Navy has launched several projects successfully to replant the mangrove around the lagoon areas of the island. The prime objective of these project...

Once more extension of  beach clean-up drive of the Sri Lanka Navy, mooted in view of conservation of beaches around the island, was successfully carried out at several beaches in the Eastern, Southern, North Central and South Eastern Naval Areas, on 10th, 15th and 16th February 2020. As part of the programme, Sandy Bay beach in Eastern Naval  Command, Piyargama beach in Thalaimannar in the North Central Naval Command, Pothuvil Ulla beach in South Eastern Naval Command were cleaned by the Navy. In the same vein, the Navy also cleaned-up the beach area extended to Devata, Paravi wella beach in Tangalle, beach area from Boosa to Rathgama and Idivinna beach belonging to the South Coast. The untiring effort of the naval personnel assisted by the school students and civilians resulted in restoring the previous charm of the beaches which had been severely polluted due to human activities and natural reasons. Under the directives of Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Piy...

A meeting between Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former President Maithripala Sirisena is scheduled to take place tomorrow. That was to discuss the proposed new alliance between the SLFP and the SLFP. It is said that a final agreement will be reached regarding the alliance for the next general election.

The Navy recovered a locally made gun, during a search conducted at  Palichchaweli area in Jaffna, on 16th February 2020. While conducting a search in the general area of Palichchaweli, Aiyanath Kovilladi in Jaffna, the Navy has recovered this locally made small size gun which was hidden near a bush. Further investigation on the recovered gun, is conducted by the Navy.

The Election Commission states that 33 candidates have placed their bail in the presidential election. The Commission states that 12 other candidates have placed their bail in the Presidential Election yesterday. UNP MP Sajith Premadasa was placed on bail yesterday while former Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa was placed on bail. Also, MP Kumara Welgama as an independent candidate, Mahesh Senanayake representing the National People's Party and Duminda Nagamuwa representing the Frontline Socialist Party filed deposits yesterday. Meanwhile the acceptance of postal voting applications ended at midnight last night. It is also stated that all the candidates who are contesting the Presidential Election will be called to the Election Commission tomorrow. Meanwhile, President of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya states that election laws will be strictly implemented during the presidential election. He made this statement at a media briefing hel...

A crucial central committee meeting of the SLFP is being held today. The party is headed by President Maithripala Sirisena. The meeting will be held at the official residence of the President. The central committee of the party is to make a final decision on whether it will join the SLFP at the presidential election. Meanwhile, a meeting of all SLFP organizers was held in Colombo yesterday. It is reported that discussions have been held regarding the alliance with the People's Alliance.

Relentless torrential rain has caused floods in several regions of the country as of now. Accordingly, the Navy has already deployed a number of emergency response teams to provide relief to the flood victims in those areas. Incidentally, 24 relief teams with 13 dinghies have been sent out to Southern and Western provinces to rescue people displaced by flash floods. These teams are currently engaged to help community slashed by inclement weather in Walallavita and Bulathsinhala in the Kalutara district, Nagoda, Thawalama, Imaduwa, Udugama and Poddala in the Galle district, Kamburupitiya, Thihagoda, Malimbada and Akuressa in the Matara district and Kotikawatta in the Colombo district. Further, a tree fallen across the Polathumodara River in Delgahatota, Galle had blocked the free flow of water, posing a flood risk in the area. Responding promptly to the situation, a team of naval personnel cleared the blockage, helping the swift downstream of water. Meanwhile, the Na...

Madhava Kulasooriya - Vavuniya :  A fire broke out at the People's Bank branch in Velvetithurai, Jaffna, police said. According to police, the fire had occurred in the room where the generator of the bank branch was located. After the fire broke out in the room where the generator was located, residents and bank security officers alerted the police about the incident. According to the police, the fire had spread to the Jaffna Municipal Council Fire Station and the fire had not spread to the bank's premises. No casualties have been reported. The Velvetithurai police are conducting further investigations.

A Visit Board Search & Seizure (VBSS) course for the boarding teams of Indonesian, Malaysian and Philippine Coast Guards commenced at the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) Headquarters in Trincomalee today (16th September 2019). The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) partners with the Sri Lanka Navy in conducting this training programme. Under the directives of Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva the programme is conducted at the Training School of SBS and the opening address of the course was held with the participation of Commander Hemakumara Herath, Training Commander Special Boat Squadron Training School, Maritime Law Enforcement mentors from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime programme and a group of naval personnel. The two week-long course organized for the fifth time for maritime law enforcement agencies of member states is being held at the SBS Headquarters and it is participated by 08 Coast Guard personnel each from Indonesia a...

Sri Lanka Navy ships patrolling in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) had spotted 04 Sri Lankan multiday fishing vessels named ‘Danuji’, ‘Suba Pathum 4’, ‘Lakpriya Dehi’ and ‘Nalin 10’ engaging in fishing activities in waters belonging to the Maldives. Accordingly, the Navy held those fishing vessels along with 27 persons onboard and escorted them to the harbours of Colombo and Galle for further investigation today (16th September 2019). During further search, the Navy managed to find a small quantity of drugs (ice) in one fishing vessel. Investigations are currently underway to determine if these vessels have a connection to drug trafficking. Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries will take onward action with regard to the stock of fish found in the vessels.

A request to extradite former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran to Sri Lanka has been handed over to the Singapore government. The Attorney General's Coordinator, State Counsel Nisara Jayaratne stated that the request for extradition has been made by the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore. The Foreign Ministry had forwarded this request to the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore.

500 projects to cover all districts have been opened from today.  It was chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Steps have been taken to open a number of constructions including school buildings constructed at a cost of Rs. 10,000 million. The inauguration ceremony of Kahathuduwa Weniwelkola Sisuyodana Educational Institute will be declared open by the Prime Minister. 360 million was spent for this purpose. The total cost of the project is Rs. 65 million.

Former President of the Sri Lanka Medical Council Prof. Carlo Fonseka has passed away. Carlo Fonseka was born on March 4, 1933 at the age of 86. He was appointed as the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Council in 2012 and resigned in 2017.

A man with a firearm and two swords have been arrested in Kuliyagoda, Ambalangoda. According to information received by the Ambalangoda police. Police have seized a locally manufactured 12-bore firearm, two ammunition and two swords in the possession of a man who was riding a motorcycle. The suspect is a 30 year old resident of Kuleegoda.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe left for Maldives today on a three-day official visit. This is according to an official invitation extended by the President of the country, Ibrahim Mohammed Solly. SriLankan Airlines UL's return at 7.30 am The Prime Minister and his delegation left for Maldives on board 101, Airport reporter said. The official visit will focus on enhancing bilateral relations between the two countries as well as the global affairs of the two countries. Four MoUs to be signed between the two countries are also scheduled This includes enhancing the support of the two countries in the areas of visa granting, social security, vocational training and youth development and higher education.

An Army soldier and an Army civil servant have been arrested in Kurunegala for possessing two T-56 rifles, 10 live ammunition magazines and accessories. The Police Media Spokesman's Office stated that the suspects have been arrested at the Kurunegala-Goa Fort junction. The suspect was a 46 year old Army soldier attached to the Buttala Army Camp in Dahigamuwa, Kurunegala. Police also searched the homes of the suspects after deploying an official dog, and found another T-56 rifle, a T-56 rifle cleaning kit, an Italian-made air rifle, and parts of the equipment.

The Navy, during a search carried out on the Iranativu island, has found a large stock of beedi leaves on 01st September 2019. Accordingly, two suspicious packages washed to the Iranativu shores were recovered during a foot patrol conducted by the North Central Naval Command and found 100kg of beedi leaves in them. The seized haul of beedi leaves will be handed over to the Jaffna Customs for onward investigation. As a result of continuous naval operations, the smugglers find it difficult to sneak into the country and the Navy will continue to tighten its grip on such cativities taking place in island’s waters.

Sri Lanka Navy has rescued an Indian trawler and four fishermen who were injured in the sea off the coast of Jaffna this morning (September 1). Accordingly, the Northern Naval Command has deployed a patrol vessel for the purpose of monitoring the trawler floating on the sea. The Navy also provided refreshments to the fishermen who were tired of the rough seas. The four Indian fishermen, aged 37 to 60 years, were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector for further action in Jaffna. Further, the Navy is constantly working to provide the necessary relief to the fishermen and the fishing community who are suffering in the sea.