March 28, 2024
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    Media Releases

    Media Releases (122)

    Voters can vote for a single candidate and, if they wish, they can cast their second and third preferences to two more candidates, National Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said, explaining the voting procedure for the November 16 presidential poll.“We advice people to cast their vote by marking number 1 in the box in front of the candidate of their choice and then mark 2 and 3 in the boxes of two other candidates, if they prefer multiple candidates,” he said.

    Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday said that it had made compulsory for any voter to have any valid document to prove his or her identity during the Presidential election which will be held on November 16.He requested people to bring the National Identity Card (NIC) or documents approved by the Election Commission such as the valid passport, valid driving license, senior citizens identity card, government pensioners’ identity card, identity card issued to clergy, temporary identity card issued by the Election Commission through Grama Niladhari. Also, it was advisable to carry the official poll card which would be convenient to the voter as well as the poll staff.

    Motorists are advised to use alternate routes tonight as the Perahera of the Kadawara Devalaya at the Boralesgamuwa Pillawa Bo Samidu Viharaya is due to parade the streets. The perahera which commences from the temple at 8:00 pm today (September 21) will return to the Divulapitiya junction via the Horana-Colombo main road and return to the temple.Therefore police request the public to use alternative routes to avoid the inconvenience caused.

     

    The Health Ministry warned of a possible dengue outbreak with on going monsoon rains.Dengue has killed 70 people this year by yesterday. A total of 46,896 dengue cases had been reported from all parts of the country by yesterday, Health Ministry sources said.

    The President’s Media Division issued folowing me3dia release yesterday:

    The Lotus Tower was vested with the public in the wake of saving a staggering amount of public funds which would otherwise have been gone in the drains due to the controversial nature of the project agreement.The total estimated cost of the Lotus Tower project was Rs. 19 billion and the Export Import Bank of China (Exim Bank) had agreed to finance the project through a loan. Accordingly, a tripartite agreement was signed on 03.01.2012 between China National Electronics Importers and Exporters Corporation (CEIEC) and Aerospace Long March International Trade Co. Ltd, (ALIT) of China and Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).

    Investigations carried out in 2015 revealed that no information was found on ALIT Company. Under the instructions of His Excellency the President this was informed to the Chinese government through the Sri Lankan mission in Beijing. Investigations could not find any such company either in China or elsewhere. Even the address given in the agreement with regard to this company appears to be fake.

    The initial deposit of Rs. 2 billion paid to this company by the Sri Lanka Government is also unaccounted for and no one knows what happened to it. Thereafter, in November 2017 this company was removed from the tri-party agreement and as a result the Chinese EXIM Bank had suspended the loan facility due to be given to Sri Lanka.

    Thereafter, the Rs. 16 billion that was scheduled to be granted to Sri Lanka by the EXIM Bank was reduced to Rs. 12 billion. However, by then Sri Lanka was already been paying Rs. 2400 million loan installment annually. Sri Lanka had paid the loan installment of Rs. 2400 million for 2018 and will have to continue paying this sum annually for the next 10 years. The payment for the first half of 2019 amounting to Rs. 1200 million has already been paid.

    In this context the TRC invested Rs. 4 billion to the Lotus Tower project saving the country a huge amount funds.

    The base circumference of the tower is 45 meters with a height of 356 meters. The main feature of this tower is the transmission tower and the antenna coverage length is around 90 meters. The digital antenna covers a distance of 60 km to the North, 60 km to the South and 50 km to the East and 15 km to the West. This will provide transmission facilities to 20 television stations and 50 FM channels.

    The initial design for the Lotus Tower was done in 2008, while construction commenced in 2012. The University of Moratuwa provided the main consultancy services. More than 70 Sri Lankan experts and engineers representing engineering science, structural engineering, concrete technology, high-rise vibration and electrical engineering made their contributions for the the construction. The project provided the opportunity for hundreds of students studying engineering in public and private universities to receive field training.

     

     

    A landslide warning for several districts has been issued Disaster Management Center in the context of the continued heavy rains.According to the warning, Kiriella, Kalawana, Ratnapura, Eheliyagoda divisional secretariat divisions and surrounding areas in Ratnapura District, Ambagamuwa divisional secretariat division and surrounding areas in Nuwaraeliya District, Warakapola and Dehiowita divisional secretariat divisions and surrounding areas in Kegalle District are prone to landslides.

    Four schools would be completely closed from September 15 to October 1 for scrutiny of GCE (A/L) answer scripts, Department of Examinations said.Those schools would be reopened on October 2.The schools that are completely closed for scrutiny of GCE (A/L) answer scripts are as follows:Ananda College, Colombo, Vidyartha College, Kandy, Mahanama Maha Vidyalaya, Matara and Lakdasa De Mel College - Kurunegala.

     

    The Elections Department today requested the people to ensure that their names were in the 2019 electoral register.It said the people could also check the inclusion of their names with the respective Grama Niladhari or by visiting the Elections Department website.In case of any discrepancy, people should contact the department on or before September 19

    The National Election Commission points out that spending excessive public money on various propaganda campaigns on projects or other developments and to promote the image of politicians, will be treated as a misuse of public funds.This was highlighted in a letter signed by the Chairman of the Commission, Mahinda Deshapriya, to all Secretaries, Heads of State Institutions and the Chairmen of Statutory Boards.

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