FROM CAT OF THE DAY SITE

Former President Mahinda Rajapakshe Has Said That He Will Contest In The Forthcoming Election

The former president Mahinda Rajapakshe has today (01) said that he will contest in the forthcoming Parliamentary Election and contribute to form a new government,Addressing at his house in Madamulana (Hambanthota District in Southern Province) to a crowd mostly brought by some of the previous parliamentarians from Colombo  to support him ,the former president has said that he cannot turned down the requests made to him by  so many people to contest in the forthcoming election.

The Economic Progress that has been stalled will be rebuild Former President Rajapakshe has stressed.

Meanwhile the President Maithripala Sirisene has  earlier said that former president will not be named as the prime ministerial candidate of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA) which chaired by him but he will contest under the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Ticket for the election.

President Sirisene Did Not Want To Name Former President Rajapakshe As Prime Ministerial Candidate-Presidnet's Media Unit

Former President Rajapakshe

Although agreeing to give nomination for the former President Mahinda Rajapakshe to contest under  United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket for the forthcoming parliamentary election  ,President did not want to name the former president as Sri Lanka Freedom  Party's (Which is the largest  party belonging to the UPFA chaired by president sisrisene)Prime Ministerial Candidate according to the President's Media Unit.

The Media Unit has announced that President Sirisene had still not found a suitable candidate to be declared as the  Prime Ministerial Candidate of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party for the forthcoming election  amongs t  any of the applicants   who were already applied to contest under the Sri Lanka Freedom Party ticket including former president .

The former president was informed on  President's decision regarding the naming of prime ministerial candidate by opposition leader Nimal Siripala De Silva yesterday(30) .

Meanwhile president's decision to offer nomination for the former president to contest forthcoming parliamentary election under the UPFA Ticket is a clear decision to avoid breaking of both UPFA and the largest party of the UPFA the Sri Lanka Freedom Party according to the Political Analysts.

The Former President is due to announce his decision on contesting for the forthcoming election by today (01) at a press briefing to be held at his House in Madamulana,Hamnathota( Southern Province).

National Drug Regulatory Authority Policy Act To Be Implemented With Effect From Today(01)

The much awaited National Drug Regulatory  Authority Policy Act which was passed in Parliament on 19th of  March will be implemented with effect from today (01) according to the Health Sources.The Gazette Notification regarding the forming  of  National Drug Regulatory Authority under the Act   was issued yesterday(30) the sources have added.

The proposed  National Drug Regulatory Authority will be controlled by a Board headed by Professor Lal Jayakody and comprising of 13 intellectuals  including doctors and professors .

Under the National Drug Regulatory Authority Policy Act the right of patients on  purchasing safe and  good quality  drugs under generic name for reasonable prices  will be assured according to Government Pharmacists Union which was actively involved in making amendments to the National Drug Regulatory Authority Act.

The Act was first approved by the Cabinet on 2005 but the recent governments failed to implement it due to the influence of Multi National Drug Companies.

The founder of National Drug Policy was a Sri Lankan Professor Senaka Bibile who was also the founding chairman of State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation (SPMC).Sri Lanka  needs around 80 essential drugs which should be available in state run hospitals  according  to the Pharmacists Union.

President Agreed To Give Nominations To Former President From UPFA-Opposition Leader

The opposition Leader Nimal Siripala De Silva has today (30) informed  former President Mahinda Rajapakshe that the  President Mauthripala Sirisene has agreed to give nominations for the former president from  United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA)to contest forthcoming parliamentary election .

However the President not agreed to name former president as prime ministerial candidate sources said. 

During a meeting held between the opposition leader and  former president in Kandy this noon,the opposition leader Nimal Siripala De Silva has brief the President's decision regarding giving nominations for former president.The President is due to  inform  the UPFA Leaders on decisions taken at the meeting between opposition leader and former president this evening.

Earlier President Sirisene has confirmed that the former president will not receive nominations from UPFA   to contest forthcoming parliamentary election .President Sirisene is the current chairman of
UPFA.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Sri Lankan Male Was Arrested With Rs.16.9 Million Worth Foreign Currency Notes At The Air Port

Sri Lanka Custom Officers have arrested a Sri Lankan Male last morning at the Katunayake ,Bandaranaike International Air Port for attempting to smuggle Rs.16.9 million worth foreign currency out of the country.The Foreign Currency Notes were concealed inside suspect's luggage according to the custom officers.

The suspect who is resident in Colombo Suburbs was arrested while he was at the Air Port's Departure Lounge  to board the flight to Kuala Lampur in Malaysia.