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The public is now able to make payments using credit and debit cards at all Divisional Secretariat Offices in the Colombo District.

The new facility was officially launched yesterday (July 02) at the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who ceremonially inaugurated POS machines at the Registrar’s Division and the Vehicle Revenue Licence Division.

The Prime Minister also symbolically witnessed the issuance of birth certificates and vehicle revenue licences using the new payment system.

Implemented under the guidance of the Colombo District Secretariat with the financial and technical support of the Bank of Ceylon (BOC), the project covers all 13 Divisional Secretariat Offices in the Colombo District. It enables members of the public to make secure payments using credit and debit cards for services requiring payments.

Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya sta

The Court of Appeal (CoA) today (July 03) dismissed the revision petition filed by Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In his petition, Rajapaksa had sought a ruling that the charge of “conspiracy” in the money laundering case filed against him by the Attorney General under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act cannot be legally maintained.

The petition, which challenged the specific charge, was taken up for consideration and the ruling was delivered by the Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Amal Ranaraja and Sumudu Premachandra.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has recorded a statement from Eastern Province Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Varuna Jayasundara for more than 02 hours yesterday (July 02).

Jayasundara had been summoned to the CID as part of an ongoing investigation into his alleged links to suspected organised crime figure ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’.

According to the CID, an analysis of data retrieved from a mobile phone recovered from ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’ revealed that he had engaged in telephone conversations with Jayasundara.

The CID noted that after identifying more than 100 such telephone conversations, the SDIG was summoned and a statement was recorded from him.

Forty inmates at the Negombo Prison have been diagnosed with dengue, the Chief Public Health Inspector (PHI) of Negombo has revealed.

He made this disclosure during the Negombo District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (July 02).

The PHI said several of the infected inmates are currently receiving treatment, with 02 patients being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

He pointed out that water has accumulated in abandoned boat parts along the Negombo Lagoon near the prison, as well as in items kept as court exhibits within the Negombo Court Complex, creating mosquito breeding grounds.

He also alleged that although court officials had been informed of the issue, no adequate remedial measures had been taken.

Meanwhile, hospital sources said more than 100 dengue patients are currently receiving treatment at the Negombo Hospital, while 02 patients admitted with the disease have succumbed.

Police have announced temporary traffic restrictions on the Ratnapura-Embilipitiya main road due to the annual Mihindu Perahera of the historic Kahawatta Purana Rajamaha Viharaya, which is scheduled to take place tonight (July 03).

According to the Police Media Division, the procession will proceed along the Ratnapura-Embilipitiya main road from 8.00 p.m. until midnight before turning at Lihiniya Junction onto Kotakethana Road and returning to the Kahawatta Purana Rajamaha Viharaya.

During this period, one lane of the main road will remain open only to light vehicles, while drivers of heavy vehicles have been advised to use alternative routes.

Heavy vehicles travelling from Embilipitiya towards Ratnapura and Colombo should turn left at the Kahawatta-Yayinna Junction and proceed via Manandola, Nivithigala and Thiriwanaketiya to access the Ratnapura-Colombo main road.

Heavy vehicles travelling from Ratnapura towards Embilipitiya have been advis

An Extraordinary Gazette Notification has been issued amending the regulations on colour-coded labelling for sugar-containing liquid food products.

The amendments, issued by Health and Mass Media Minister – Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa under Section 32 of the Food Act No. 26 of 1980, were published in the Extraordinary Gazette dated June 23.

According to the new regulations, updated guidelines have been introduced amending the design and display of red, amber and green colour codes that must appear on the packaging of sugary drinks.

The new gazette, which shows details of the amendments, is as follows : 

Three individuals including Rakhitha Rajapaksa – the son of former Justice Minister – Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe have been brought to the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today (July 03).

The other 2 persons are Charith Abeysinghe – former organiser for the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in the Horana electorate and Aruna Warunahandige, a former director of the Civil Aviation Authority.

They were remanded until today after being produced before the court following their arrest on June 25 by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

They were arrested in connection with allegations of accepting a bribe of Rs. 120 million to facilitate the transfer of organised crime suspect Nadun Chinthaka alias ‘Harak Kata’ from his place of detention to a regular prison.

The Magistrate has also ordered CIABOC to submit a progress report on the investigation today.

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