Heavy Traffic Jam Occured In Town Hall -Colombo Due To The Opposition Protest Campaign

A heavy Traffic Jam was occurred this evening at the Heart of the Colombo City "Town Halll" due to the Protest campaign conducted by Main Opposition United National Party(UNP) by  demanding the unconditional release of  former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

As large number of opposition supporters gathered in  Hyde Park situated in Town Hall for the protest campaign since this noon, Police Officers have seen trying to control the traffic jam occurred in many sub routes to Town Hall and minimize the difficulties faced by Commuters.Several Opposition MP's along with  Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinha were attended the Protest Campaign which lasted for several hours.

CID Informs Colombo Magistrate Court That MP Silva Will Be Arrested After Returns To The Country

The Criminal Investigations Department(CID) informs the Colombo Magistrate Court today(28) that as the MP Duminda Silva is in abroad for seeking Medical Treatment he will be arrested on his arrival to the country as per the order of court.

The Colombo Magistrate Court has ordered the CID to arrest MP Silva on 15th of November  in connection to the killing of former Government MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra during the Mulleriyawa shooting incident occurred last month.

Speaker Has Suspended Deputy Minsiter Of Petroleum By Attending Parliament

The Speaker Chamal Rajapaksha has today (28) suspended Deputy Minister of Petroleum MP Sarana Gunawardena  from attending Parliamentary Sessions for a period of one week after found guilty for his misbehavior during the Budget Speech made by President Mahinda Rajapaksha last week.

Following the order of  Speaker  the leader of the house Nimal Siripala De Silva has proposed a motion preventing the Deputy Minister from  attending Parliament for one week and afterwards the speaker himself imposed the suspension.

Several Opposition MP's attached to the Main Opposition United National Party were attacked by a group of Government Parliamentarians on 21st of November during President's Budget Speech as the UNP MP's were holding  a placards condemning the Budget Proposals and the court decision to imprisoned former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.

Meanwhile UNP MP John Amarathunge made a comment in Parliament  regarding the speakers decision to suspend one Government MP has said that they wants an independent probe on the assaulting of opposition MP's during the Budget Speech.

Southern Expressway Was Innaugurated Today

The first ever Express High Way in Sri Lanka The Southern Expressway was inaugurated by President Mahinda Rajapaksha this morning(27).The President was opened the access road to the Expressway from Pinnaduwa Inter Change in City of Galle of Southern Province.
 

The Southern Expressway is opened to Public since 6 a.m this morning and a fee for a Car to make a complete journey is Rs.400.The Expressway which has 95  K.M runs from Kottawa in Colombo District to Pinnaduwa in Galle District.The Southern Expressway was constructed at an estimated Rs.70 Billion


President Rajapaksha was drove a Car to Dodangoda from Katandeniya through the Expressway as a mark of  opening the expressway..

Under the second phase of the Southern Expressway it will extended to Matara and it will be connected to Colombo-Katunayake Expressway by the year 2013.

9 People Died And 30 Fishermen Missing Due To The Adverse Weather Conditions Prevails In Most Parts Of The Country

Nine people including fishermen have died due to the adverse weather conditions prevailed in the country with strong winds,rain and rough seas since yesterday(25th) according to Disaster Management Center .Around 30 fishermen who went out to the sea with strong winds and rain are reported as missing the Center has said.

Seven Deaths were reported from Matara District (Southern Province) alone yesterday as three persons died in the district due to fallen trees and four fishermen drowned with their boats due to  rough seas.One death each has been  reported from Monaragala and Galle Districts.

Strong winds with  heavy showers damaged 1061  houses in the area as 106 houses damaged and 955 houses partially damaged.Several School Buildings in  Matara District too got damaged  according to  Disaster Management Center.Trees have been fallen and power failures were reported from  Galle District too (Southern Province) while several houses got damaged due to the weather.Injuries were also reported from Anuradhapura District .Up to now around 1200 families have been affected due to the Adverse Weather Conditions.


Meanwhile the Meteorology Department has aid that the showers or thunder showers will continue over most parts of the country today(26) as well.Seas will be rough warned by the Department.

Sri Lanka Welcomes 750,000th Tourist This Year

Sri Lanka welcomes it's 750,000 th Tourist this year (2011)  few hours ago at Bandaranaike International Air Port in Katunayake.According to  Sri Lanka Tourism this number  is the highest number of Tourist Arrivals ever recorded in  history so far.

Chamber Of Pharmaceutical Drugs In Sri Lanka To Support Drug Policy While Opposing The Drug Price Control Mechanism

The Chamber of Pharmaceutical Drugs In Sri Lanka stated today that they have been opposing the proposed Drug Price Control Mechanism of the Government as it will become a burden to the patients.The President of the Chamber Mr.Vish Govinda Swamy said today that they will supporting the proposed National Drugs Policy if the authorities are willing to implement that soon but not the price control mechanism which has proved as a useless system in other fields too.

Addressing a press briefing held in Colombo this eve Mr.Govinda Swamy has stressed that to tackle the rising drug prices in private pharmacies the chamber of pharmaceutical industry in Sri Lanka will introduce a price marking system of every drug that sold in those pharmacies and have already advised the pharmacy owners to marked  the prices of drugs on  the labels of every drug .

"We still think the only way to tackle the problems related to medicinal drugs of sri lanka including the quality and the price problem is non other then implementing the proposed National Drugs Policy made by late professor senaka bibile".But without trying to implement that policy soon wonder why the authorities are trying to introduced a drug price control mechanism in a hurry  " he has questioned.