President Appointed Ministry Secretaries

President Mahinda Rajapaksha yesterday appointed secretaries to the 53 Ministries including Secretaries of the President and the Prime Minister.

The Judge Panel Of White Flag Case Ordered A Pvt T.V Channal To Produced An Original Video Of Gen.Fonseka's Speech

The three member judge panel who are conducting the White Flag case filed against Imprisoned Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka today(24) ordered a local Private T.V Ch annal who recorded General Fonseka's speech regarding the White Flag Case in a rally to produced the original video of that rally to the next court proceedings.

The case is held regarding a statement said to be made by General Fonseka as a presidential candidate during last January's Presidential Campaign rally stating that he learned from a third party that the Defense Secretary had ordered to kill LTTE Leaders who came with white flags to surrender to Armed Forces during the final phase of the war.

The three member judge panel ordered the original video footage after  the Attorney of  the Defendant requested to do so.

The next court proceeding on the case is due to held in 29th of November.

Chandima Weerakkody Appointed As New Dep.Speeker

The Government MP for  Galle District(Southern Province) Chandima Weerakkody was appointed as the new Deputy Speaker unanimously today during Parliamentary Proceedings.

Ministry Of Health To Expand Local Drug Production

The Ministry Of Health is planned to increase the manufacturing of Medicinal Drugs up to 3500 million tablets annually  from the present annual production of 1200 million tablets to meet the local demand.Under this plan Ministry aims to increased the annual Drug Production of  State Pharmaceuticals Corporation(SPMC) to meet 75 percent of  local demand according to Ministry sources.

In view of this SPMC yesterday opened a new Drug manufacturing Unit to increase it's production.At present the SPMC produced 63 varieties of Drugs and released to the market under the generic name.

Meanwhile the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation which imported the Drugs for Government Hospitals expand their Distribution Services with opening new Drug Stores in five cities with the cost of Rs.150 million.

Main Opposition UNP To Vote Against The Budget

The Secretary of the main opposition  United National Party(UNP) Tissa Attanayake said today that his party decided to vote against the Government's 2011 Budget Proposals as it failed to met people's expectations.Government totally failed to deliver goods to the people as promised he stressed.

Addressing a media briefing in Colombo today UNP Secretary said that although Government failed to give concessions to the people it spent millions of rupees to maintain a jumbo Cabinet.Sri Lanka's Cabinet is the largest Cabinet in the world he further added.

The Debate On Second Reading Of The Budget Began Today

The debate on the second reading of Government's 2011 Budget is began today and will continue till 29th of November.The voting for the second reading will  be held in eve of 29th of November.

The Committee level Budget Debate will begin in 30th of November and continue till 10th of December.The Final voting for the Budget will take place in Parliament in eve of 10th of December.

President Wants Newly Appointed Cabinet Ministers To Stop Criticizing Their Predecessors

After  Newly Appointed Cabinet Members took their oaths this morning President Mahinda Rajapaksha had advised the Cabinet Ministers avoid criticizing their predecessors and work to end corruption in their ministries.He also praised the two deputy ministers who turned down the offered Ministerial Posts to them and remained as Deputy Ministers.