Indo-Sri Lanka cooperation vital for sustained growth – Indian Finance Minister

India’s Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday delivered a keynote address at the inauguration of the 20th Edition of Sri Lanka Economic Summit (SLES) 2020 in virtual format.

The SLES annually organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) is the premier forum in Sri Lanka for discussion on economic and business issues. The theme for this year’s event is “Roadmap for Take-off: Driving a People –Centric Economic Revival”. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the Chief Guest at the Inaugural Session.

The Finance Minister highlighted the measures taken by India to address the challenges related to pandemic. Talking on the economic take-off for Sri Lanka leveraging on the key policy levers, she said that India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ and the vision of ‘Self Reliant Sri Lanka’, are synergistic and complementary and could be used to further consolidate the economic rejuvenation efforts by both countries

Hospitality standoff to end with UK, European tourists

In a ground breaking initiative to boost both the Sri Lankan tourism and aviation sectors battered by twin tragedies, Easter Sunday attack and second wave of covid-19, the Ministry of Tourism is planning to open the country for UK and European tourists.

This is when the UK, one of the first countries in the world to initiate the COVID vaccination process making them non carriers of the COVID-19 virus. Europe is to follow this process.

Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga stated at the the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Tourism that Sri Lanka should consider opening the airport for UK tourism when the process begins. He was responding to a request made by MP Premitha Bandara Tennakoon who brought before the committee the news that the UK has been declared as the first country to approve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine soon to be followed by Europe and the US.

Five Independent Commissions get new members

The Parliamentary Council has approved nominations made by the President for five Independent Commissions.

Chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the Parliamentary Council was convened at the Parliament yesterday evening (03).

The President’s nominees for the Election Commission, Public Services Commission, National Police Commission, Finance Commission and Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) were approved by the Parliamentary Council.

Accordingly, Nimal Punchihewa has been appointed as the new Chairman of the National Election Commission. The Parliamentary Council approved the appointment of Punchihewa on the recommendation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Punchihewa served as the Director (Legal) of the Election Commission prior to his appointment