Late Dr. C R Panabokke made an invaluable service to agriculture in Sri Lanka in particular and to the world in general. His contribution to Agricultural Sciences has left an indelible record. His work covered the fields of Genetics (principally in the stupendous mileposts in Rice Research), Dry Zone farming, Plant Protection, Breeding and Research Management. His contributions towards Soil Science and Irrigation Technology were set against a deep understanding of the traditional and historical achievements of forebears, in irrigated cropping.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawarena paid his last respects to the departed eminent scientist last week and conveyed his deep condolences to the family members of Dr Panabokke. MORE >>

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Dutch State Secretary for Culture and Media Gunay Uslu said Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have a shared past and it will help to build together a common future with close cooperation in the fields of museums, collection management, research and exchange of knowledge and expertise.

She said this when she called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple trees today (Aug 29). On august 28, the visiting Dutch Minister and Cultural Minister Vidura Wickremanayake signed a Transfer Acknowledge Agreement to transfer valuable artefacts taken from Sri Lanka during the Dutch rule two and a half centuries ago. The objects include the famous cannon of freedom fighter Lewke Disawe, two gold kastanes (ceremonial sword), Sinhalese k MORE >>

Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand Sarun Charoensuwan said there is vast potential to increase economic cooperation with Sri Lanka and expressed confidence that Thai investments will enter new areas such as agriculture, energy, mines and minerals and information technology.

He said this when he called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees today (Aug 28) with senior foreign ministry officials and a trade and investment delegation.

He said Sri Lanka has made a remarkable recovery from the economic crisis within a short span of one year. He discussed with the Prime minister about bilateral relations, ongoing cooperation, trade & investment, culture and tourism.

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The Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena instructed officials to Solve the administrative problems of Samurdhi officials before the upcoming budget .He said that on 28.08.2023, at a meeting held at the Temple Trees to discuss the unresolved issues of Samurdhi officials.

The trade unions stated that there is a delay in the implementation of the decisions taken during the discussions regarding these issues that arose with the absorption of the Samurdhi Authority into a department.

The trade unions further stated that the decision to charge an additional 4 percent interest fee in the payment of the 60 percent provident Fund contribution owed to the government by the officers who expressed their preference under Secti MORE >>

අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා මේ බව ප්‍රකාශ කළේ මහින්ද ආරියවංශ විසින් රචිත “අවංක දේශපාලනයේ රන් සලකුණ ජනහිතකාමී අනිල් මුණසිංහ” ග්‍රන්ථය ජනගත කිරීමේ මතුගම ප්‍රාදේශීය සභා ශ්‍රවණාගාරයේ පැවැති 2023.08.27 උත්සවයේදීය.

එහිදී අදහස් දැක්වූ අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරයා

“ජාතික ප්‍රවාහන ප්‍රතිත්තියක්, දුම්� MORE >>

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන මහතා නාගරික සංවර්ධන හා පුජාභූමි සංවර්ධන අමාත්‍යවරයා ව සිටිය දී ජාතික භෞතික සැලසුම් දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව මගින් කතරගම අංගසම්පූර්ණ විශ්‍රාම ශාලාවක් ඉදි කොට ඒ කටයුතු පවත්වාගෙන යාම කිරිවෙහෙර රජමහා විහාරයට භාර කළේය.

එවකට කිරිවෙහෙර රජමහා විහාරාධිපතිව වැ� MORE >>

“Dinesh Gunawrdena being the Prime Minister is a strength for the Mahasangha” - Ven. Kobawaka Dhammadinna Thera, Kirivehera Chief Prelate.

“It is fortunate for the country that Premiership was accepted amid challenges” - Ven. Kapugama Saranatissa Thera, Abhinavaramadhipati of Kataragama.

With the aim of preserving the unitary state and the Motherland, Sathyakriya and Adhishtana Pooja was held for the 29th year, with the patronage of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), together with several national organizations, under the leadership of the MEP Leader, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, on 26.08.2023, at Kataragama historical Kirivehera Chaithya. It was held in front of the King.

The Prim MORE >>

The Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena stated that the nation is proud of sportsmen and women who courageously display to the world that a nation faced with financial challenges can rise again. He said this on 24.08.2023 at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo at the opening ceremony of the 47th National Sports Games.

This year, 262 gold medals, 262 silver medals and 360 bronze medals will be awarded in the national sports tournament organized jointly by the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Department of Sports Development. In this tournament, 916 athletes (464 male and 452 female) are going to compete representing all the nine provinces.

Speaking on this occasion the Prime Minister stated that –
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British Deputy High Commissioner Lisa Whanstall called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena together with a delegation from Fleming Fund of UK Department of Health and Social Care to discuss commencement of the 2nd phase of UK aid programme to Sri Lanka at the Temple Trees in Colombo on August 23.

She said the health care grants programme, which was halted for the last couple of years due to Covid pandemic, will be resumed in January 2024. Under this grant assistance will be provided to support to generate, share and use antimicrobial resistance data to reduce drug resistance. It will support public health surveillance to help improve patient health, inform national health policies and warn emerging threats.

Th MORE >>

The Nallur Kandaswamy Temple Chariot Festival is one of the most important cultural events of the multi-religious Sri Lankan society. It comprises of vibrant chariot processions, drumming, dancing and acts of self-mortification, held in honour of the God Skanda, venerated by the Hindus.

Our multi-religious, multi-cultural society is enriched with such religious festivities propagating the message of harmony, tolerance and compassion and I am confident that these festive occasions further enhance peace and harmony among different communities.

I am glad to note that a substantial number of devotees from abroad have come to witness the sacred festival this year in addition to the local devotees.

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Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena returned to Sri Lanka last night (Aug 19) after concluding his visit to China where he was the Guest of Honour at the 7th China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, Yunnan province. He was received at the BIA by State Minister Ashok Priyantha and senior officials.

When he left Kunming Airport last night, a group of high officials headed by Yunnan CPC Secretary Zhao Jinuring bid good bye. There were crowds waiving flags of China and Sri Lanka.

During the visit he held bilateral discussions with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is a senior member of the powerful Central Committee Politburo of the Communist Party of China, top leaders of Yunnan Provincial Government, Wang Ning CPC Secretary o MORE >>

Concluding his brief but productive visit to Yunnan capital Kunming to attend the 7th China-South Asia Expo, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena paid respects to China’s Sanghanayake, Chong Hua Mahathera at the Three- Pagoda Chongsheng Temple built 700 years ago in Dali in Yunnan Province. He invited the Sanghanayake Thera to increase exchange of Buddhist scholars and students monks to enhance cultural bonds.

The Chongsheng Temple situated in a vast area and it’s famous for three tower-like Pagodas. One of the towers Pagoda leaned to a side over the years, but the experts believe there is no danger of collapsing this unique heritage pagoda.

Most Venerable Chong Hua recalled his earlier meeting with Prime Mini MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena visited the Yunnan Xiaguan Tuocha (Group) Co., Ltd., China’s premier tea enterprise integrating research and development, production and sales of tea in Dali in Yunnan Province on August 18. He held detailed discussions with the Chief Executive and top tea researchers about the possibilities of further strengthening the cooperation between tea research in Sri Lanka and Xiaguan Tuocha, which is known for its large production scale, excellent quality and technology, good brand reputation, complete sales network, and international reputation.

The Xiaguan Tuocha brand was created in 1902 and has a history over 110 years. The company’s predecessor was the Kangzang Tea Factory founded i MORE >>

After a brief but productive visit to Yunnan capital Kunming to attend the 7th China-South Asia Expo, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena reached the ancient capital of the province, Dali City, known for agriculture research in addition to being a major tourist attraction.

He first visited the Science and Technology Campus on backyard of Gusheng village, on the banks of Dali Lake where the most successful hybrid varieties of rice has been developed after years of research. The latest paddy variety developed at the Institute gives four times the yield given by the normal rice paddy.

Vice Chancellor of the research campus, Prof Zhoo Jin explained that the new paddy seeds require only a small quantity of water and i MORE >>

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, (and Foreign Minister) vowed that China will help Sri Lanka effectively address the challenges of financial debt on Wednesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a meeting with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the sidelines of the seventh China-South Asian Expo in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

China is always Sri Lanka’s reliable strategic partner and appreciates that Sri Lanka has always been friendly to China and has stood by China on issues related to its core interests, he said.
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Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena held a meeting with Vietnam Vice President Tran Luu Quang on the sidelines of the 7th China – South Asia Expo in Kunming, Yunnan Province in China on August 16.

The Vietnamese Vice President acceded to the request made by the Prime Minister to explore possibility of new areas of trade and investments in addition to the current joint ventures in the public and private sectors.

He said Vietnam has undertaken massive development projects and there would be employment opportunities for professionals and skilled Sri Lankan workers.

The Prime Minister discussed with the Vietnamese Vice President about expanding cooperation in agriculture with special focus on rubber, MORE >>

China has made a remarkable change in the international economic pattern to transfer China’s achievements to the global South for the betterment of mankind…

The Prime Minister stated this today (2023.08.16) in Kunming, China, while participating as the chief guest at the 7th China-South Asia Exhibition jointly organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Yunnan State Government.

60 countries are participating in this huge trade exhibition, including all South and Southeast Asian countries as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation (RCEP) member countries.

The exhibition includes 15 exhibition halls, including a biomedical and healthcare pavilion, a resource econom MORE >>