The provisions of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution that will be debated in parliament today will enhance the people’s franchise, by the specific provision of removing the ceiling on the number of terms an elected President could hold office, and giving the people a  wider choice in the election of a President, is the view of leading many prominent legal analysts, especially leading lawyers who specialize in Constitutional Law.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is of the view that problems could be minimized to a considerable extent by working according to a plan and he said that the Government’s objectives is to continue the development effort uninterrupted and leave no room for instability and also to make the people happy and Government will ensure that every family has a house.

Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa  this after noon announced that the Supreme Court has given its ruling that the provisions of the Constitutional amendment proposals are not inconsistent with the Constitution. Accordingly the Parliament will debate the proposals full day and the vote will be taken in the evening.

The Upper Kotmale Hydro Power Project has given a great impetus to raise the life standards and the social status of the people in the Talawakelle area.  Development of infrastructure and housing in and around the Talawakele town are the most glaring monuments depicting the government’s effort to raise the life standards and social status of the people. 

With the objective providing increased and efficient service to the consumers, the Ceylon  Electricity Boar’s Consumer Services Centre at Lindula has invented several equipment that would help workers engaged in fixing the power lines.  Patent Rights have also been received for these items designed and invented by the Electrical Superintendant of the Lindula Consumer Services Centre, Mr. Nimal Samarakoon. The items invented include iron rod footwear and a safety belt locker used to climb trees, poles and concrete poles.  A wrench manufactured with steel rods and pipes which can be used to turn the wooden poles or concrete poles by a single person

The Speaker of Parliament will announce the Supreme Court determinations on the Constitutional Amendment proposals when the Parliament meets today. This proposals which includes inter alia the removal of restriction on the term of presidency was approved by the Cabinet of ministers on 2nd and was immediately refereed to Supreme Court as an Urgent Bill for its determination.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the present Constitutional Council will better ensure supremacy of Parliament as it will comprise only of Members of Parliament. He said there will not be a Presidential representative in the proposed Council unlike the 10-member Council stipulated in the 17th Amendment.

"Human smuggling is a despicable crime and any attempts to abuse Canada's generosity for financial gain are utterly  unacceptable," Christopher McCluskey, a spokesperson for the Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, told CTV of Canada in a recent email. "We will toughen our laws to ensure that we are able to maintain our borders and defeat human smuggling."

The Indian Army Chief, General V. K. Singh has met President Mahinda Rajapaksa  at the Temple Trees this morning

President Mahinda Rajapaksa declares open another Ranaviru Housing Scheme launched under the Api Wenuwen Api programme. This  is the second stage launched under the programme of building 700 houses at the regional level. 27 houses was handed over to the war heroes yesterday.

The President has stressed that all pledges made in the Mahinda Chintana policy will be realized fulfilling the people’s aspirations.

At a meeting with the Maha Sangha in Badulla, the President said that the Government is prepared to win the challenges of  development. The President said that the Government has to work earnestly as otherwise it would be meaningless for the people who voted for the party.

Most Venerable Mahanayake Thera of Asgiriya Udugama Siri Buddharakkitha Thera hails the Government’s move to amend the constitution and said he found nothing wrong with the proposed amendments to the Constitution.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa Saturday urged the teachers in the Uva Region to work for the betterment of the student population. He further said that since he assumed office of Presidency the students –teacher ratio has come down to 15 to 01 in the Uva region as more teachers have been appointed to schools.

 Sri Lanka is to allow setting up of private universities in the country in order to provide more opportunities for higher studies. Minister of Higher Education S.B. Dissanayake has said that eight international universities are to be set up in the country as an initial step.

The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry will launch a new pension scheme for the fishing community with a monthly payment of  Rs 7,000.  Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne said action would be taken soon to make this effort a success.

The 20th annual FACETS Sri Lanka 2010, the International Gem and Jewelry Exhibition commenced at the Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre in Colombo. The show will be held till September 5th. The Exhibition was first held in 1991.

Three parliamentarians of the main opposition United National Party today announced their support to the proposed constitutional amendments. UNP Badulla District Parliamentarian Lakshman Seneviratne, Polonnaruwa District MP Earl Gunasekara and the Galle District MP Manusha Nanayakkara stated that they would vote with the government when the Constitution amendment Bill is taken for vote on September 8 in Parliament.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the government has brought before the people, a new constitution, which is a people-centric constitution. “This constitution is for the development of the country. This is not to extend my Presidential term. That is wrong. It is an opportunity to contest an election,” he said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the government officials to move away from the traditional procedures followed in budget formulation and implementation and instead to put forward their proposals in a manner that would ensure the completion of ongoing mega development projects initiated throughout the country at present.

 

Decline pointed to improved conditions in Sri Lanka

The number of asylum seekers arriving from Sri Lanka has slowed dramatically in the five months since the Australian government said it would stop processing claims from that country, the Sydney Morning Herald reported yesterday (1 Sep).