Srilanka

Army Commander Lt. General Shavendra Silva, during his first visit to the Security Force Headquarters - Kilinochchi (SFHQ-KLN) last morning (18), attended a brief ceremony to release 150.15 acres, belonging to the State and private owners. The Kilinochchi land release, perhaps, being one of the major gestures in the most recent past was effected without compromising National Security interests, to be in line with the Presidential Secretariatpolicy of releasing land that does not belong to the Army in the North and East since durable peace has dawned.

The Attorney General yesterday submitted to the Supreme Court that the Presidentdecision to bring the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) under the purview of the Defence Ministry is constitutional.Additional Solicitor General Indika Demuni de Silva appearing on behalf of the Attorney General made this submission when two Fundamental Rights petitions filed against the bringing of the SLRC under the Defence Ministry were taken up for support.

The government will abolish the carbon tax from end of this month, Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday. Speaking at a special press conference at the Ministry he said that the proposal in this regard would be submitted to parliament for approval on November 23. The carbon tax was introduced at the last budget and the Minister however said that payments already made to it cannot be returned.

President Maithripala Sirisena says that the National Policy on Preschool Education compiled by the National Education Commission will be presented to the Cabinet next week.A national policy on preschool education has not been formulated and for the first time the national policy was formulated under the guidance of President Sirisena to promote the formalization of pre-school education This was disclosed at a meeting held between President Sirisena and the Governors and the Chief Secretaries of Provincial Councils at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.