Appropriation Bill For Year 2011 Presented To The Parliament

Prime Minister D.M Jayaratne presented the Appropriation Bill for the year 2011 to the Parliament this noon with a projected expenditure of Rs.75.2 billion.Defense and Health are projected higher expenditures as Defense expenditure projected as Rs.9.7 billion while Health expenditure projected as Rs.62.2 billion.

Under the bill Presidents expenditure projected as Rs.2.2 billion and Parliamentary expenditure Rs.1.5 billion.

Court Of Appeal Seek Attorney General's Stand On Vacating The Parliamentary Seat Based On Court Martial Decision

Court of Appal today directed the Government Lawyer of the General Sarath Fonseka's petition case on vacating his Parliamentary seat to get Attorney General's stand on whether a Court Martial decision can consider to vacate a Parliamentary Seat.The petition filed by imprisoned former Army Commander General Fonseka challanging the decision taken to vacate his Parliamentary Seat was taken for debate today at the Court Of Appeal this morning.

During the debate president's Councel Romesh de silva who represented behalf of Generla Fonseka has said that since Court Martial is not a recognized court under the Sri Lankan Constitution it cannot vacate a Parliamentary Seat .The vacating of the Parliamentary Seat of General Fonseka considering Court Martial decision is unconstitutional he further added.

The debate on the petition will resume tomorrow.

Health Minister Stressed The Need For Combating Illegal Drug Trade

"Local Drug Market and most of the Government Hospitals are filled with low quality and illegal Drugs and time is come for Sri Lanka and other Developing Countries to combat this illegal Drug trade" Health Minister Maithrepala Sirisena has said.Minister also said that this illegal Drug Trade is harmful and posed great threat to the public.

 Health Minister made these remarks at the Seminar On Illegal Drug Trade held in Colombo yesterday.

"80 Percent Of Rice Varities In Local Market Are Not Suitsble For Human Consumption" New Study Revealed

According to a latest health survey 80 percent of the Rice varities available in the  local market are not suitable for human consumption as they are without the nutrients.The Non Communicable Diseases Unit of the Ministry of Health stated that the nutirent part of these Rice varities are removed when paddy seeds turned in to Rice by using laser tecnique.

During this process of Paddy seeds turning to Rice the nutrient part is completley removed and it has learnt that when 22 killos of Paddy process to Rice two and half killos of the nutrient part which contains the vital Vitamins,Minerals and Fibre removed and that part is used as food for cattle and pigs.

Due to eating non nutritious Rice varities people are at risk of getting diseases Hig Blood Preassure and Diabetese doctors warned.

According to the Health Experts most of the people who settled in Mahaweli River based villages are consuming the rice varity "Samba" and they are suffering from diseases like High Blood Preassure and Diabetese due to the starch and suger contain in the Rice Varity.

Health Minister To Punish Government Officials Involved In Illegal Drug Trade

Health Minister  Maithrepala Sirisena has said today that Some of the Government Officers who were appointed to the Four Committees to Investigating Illegal Drug Imports to Sri Lanka were involved in Importing Unregistered Drugs to the Country while they are serving as Committee Members.

Addressing a Seminar On Illegal Drug Importation held in Colombo today the Minister said that he will take legal action against those Government Officials who are violating Government laws by involved in Illegal Drug Importation to the Country.United States State Department and United States Embassy in Colombo sponsored the event.

Government Medical Officers Association Says No Need For Male And Female Nurses To Serve In Labor Rooms

Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) today said that it has proven that the service of the Male Nursing Officers as well as Female Nurses not needed for Government Hospital Labor Rooms.Health Ministry should have pay attention in this matter as a method for reducing Health Cost GMOA Further added.

The Docs Union also said that Female Patients should decide whether to allow Male Nursing Officers to enter Female Wards and the Labor Rooms and not the authorities pointing that GMOA is talking behalf of the rights of these female patients.GMOA revealed this as a response to the incident occured in Kurunagala Teaching Hospital in North Western Province last week when a group of Male Nursing Students were allowed to enter Labor Rooms for Maternity Training.Association said this is the first time in the world that Male nurses are allowed to enter a Labor Room and the Pregnant Mothers there were scared due to this development.

Meanwhile responding to the Allegations made by GMOA the Nurses Union says that if the Male Nurses are not suitable For entering Labor Rooms then Male Docs too not suitable for that.

Opposition Leader To Leave Europe Today

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinha is scheduled to leave for an European Tour where he is to meet the Officials of Commonwealth Parliamentary Union in London to discuss on issues related to  Imprisonment of  Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka.Opposition Leader is also scheduled to meet British Premier David Cameron and the Norwegian Minister of International Affairs and Environment Eric Solheim during his stay in Europe.