Sri Lanka will in near future sign an agreement with China to lease 15,000 acres of land for a Special Economic Zone, State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said today.

Speaking at a press conference at the Finance Ministry today, Abeywardena said that the land will be in the Southern Province.

The State Minister also said that the government was attempting to increase state income in export and industrial sectors. He said that the state income should increase by 16 to 17 percent over the next few years. Otherwise the economy will 

It was reported in July that China requested 15,000 acres of land in southern Sri Lanka for the creation of a special economic zone that will reputedly create one million jobs. The land requested is n Hambantota District, the media reported then.

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera today informed the Parliament that there was no question of Sri Lanka pulling out of the SAARC summit in Islamabad, as the summit could not be held without unanimity.

Since several countries had already informed that they will not attend the summit, the summit could not be held, he said.

"As the Members of this House are aware, the General Provisions of the Charter of SAARC prescribes that “decisions at all levels shall be taken on the basis of unanimity”. Therefore, the moment one country says that they are unable to attend a SAARC Summit, a Summit cannot be held. There was, therefore, no question of Sri Lanka pulling out of SAARC, or Sri Lanka saying that we will not attend the Summit as there was no Summit to attend" Samaraweera said.

"Sri Lanka issued a statement after several countries had informed the current Chair of SAARC, Nepal, formally, that they are unable to attend the Summit, and after the Chair, that is Nepal, issued a Statement as well" he added.

"In our statement, we expressed regret that the prevailing environment in the region, with several countries having stated their inability to attend the Summit, is not conducive for holding the Summit on the 9th and 10th of November, and we expressed hope that the steps required to ensuring our region’s peace and security will be taken to create an environment that is conducive for the pursuit of regional cooperation" Samaraweera said further.

He said that Sri Lanka will attend the 19th SAARC Summit whenever it is held.

Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne today slammed investigators and the Attorney General's Department for the delays on probes into corruption under the former government and lack of action on large scale corruptions.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet press briefing, he said that he also had the question as to why the investigations are not being carried out on large scale corruptions.

The cases that have gone to the courts are relatively minor cases of corruption allegations, he added.

Senaratne acknowledged that the Attorney General's Department was slow in responding in these cases, adding that he was also suspicious about its delays. The government took a decision to refer everything to the AG's Department and some delay is understandable. However, too much delays raise suspicions, he maintained.

Mobile phone users cannot say that they are unable to bear the cost of living, State Finance Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

He made this observation at a meeting in Matara yesterday, in an attempt to justify the imposition of VAT on telecommunications services.

"A mobile phone is not a commodity. If someone can buy a mobile phone he cannot say that the cost of living is high" he claimed.

Co-Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senaratne also justified the imposition of VAT last week.

"Sri Lanka has a population of 20 million and 21 million mobile phones. So, the tax is not unjust" he said.

A journalist pointed out that if there were 21 million mobile phones in the country, it could be considered a commodity, and therefore the tax on mobile services is unjust. Senaratne chose to avoid the number games, saying that "no tax is fair."

UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardena announced his resignation as Homagama Sri Lanka Freedom Party Chief Organizer.

He made this announcement in a public meeting in Pitipana today.

This comes two days after a controversial speech by President Maithripala Sirisena threatening the 'Joint Opposition' which backs former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and a few days after some SLFP organizers were sacked by Sirisena.

Gunawardena publicly denounced Sirisena's speech yesterday.

UPFA MP Dullas Alahapperuma also resigned as the SLFP District Leader in Matara on August 19.

Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake sought to file preliminary objections against the case filed by former Southern Provincial Minister D.V. Upul's demand for damages.

Ramanayake's lawyers made this request from Colombo District Court today, on several grounds. Ramanayake argues that the jurisdiction in the case does not fall to Colombo District Court.

Also he said that the said incident does not warrant the payment of damages.

The District Court gave Ramanayake until November 25 to file objections.

D.V. Upul filed the civil suit last April, seeking damages of Rs.500 million from Ranjan Ramanayake, claiming the deputy minister had defamed him at a media briefing held in February.

Upul argued that Ramanayake made accusations of using political power to obtain a loan of 76 billion, and then defrauding that money.

The SLFP Central Committee yesterday decided to initiate disciplinary action against a set of former local councilors who publicly destroyed letters sent to them by the party and pledged their support to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The decision to suspend their party membership pending inquiries was taken at the Central Committee meeting headed by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday.

The set of local councilors destroyed letters calling them for interviews for the selection of candidates for the next Local Government election. They announced that they will only contest an election under the leadership of former President Rajapaksa.

This incident occurred on August 3. A group of former local councilors from the district held a press conference yesterday to counter this action.

Meanwhile, the SLFP Central Committee decided to report on the MPs who took part in the recent 'Jana Satana Paada Yathraa" to the party disciplinary committee.

The Central Committee also decided to initiate disciplinary action against MP Sanath Nishantha for publicly criticizing party leadership.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the Jana Satana Paada Yathra from Kandy to Colombo was just a rehearsal and the next time they will come to take everything away.

Speaking at the conclusion of the Paada Yatra last evening, he claimed that the government, which is incompetent, seek refuge were the CID, FCID and the Bribery Commission.

He also said that the protest march was the largest in history and the government was facing a defeat after a very short time in office.

Meanwhile, UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila claimed that the protest march was a world record since a large number of people had marched against the government only after a year in power.

UPFA MP Dallas Alahapperuma said that the 'Joint Opposition' wants to see one million people on the streets of Colombo on August 1, taking part in the 'Jana Satana Pada Yatra' rally.

{module NLB}

Speaking at an awareness meeting in Polonnaruwa yesterday, he said that the government has a two thirds majority in Parliament, which makes it difficult for the opposition to oppose it inside the Parliament.

Therefore, the struggle against the government must come out of the confines of the Parliament on to the streets, he added.

The Pada Yatra or the protest march will begin on July 28 in Kandy and arrive in Colombo on August 1, culminating with a rally.

A Sergeant of the Sri Lanka Army, attached to the intelligence unit, was arrested over the murder of former Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickrematunge, police said.

{module NLB}

This arrest came months after police sought public assistance in tracking down suspects in the murder. Police recently repeated their appeal to the public.

Wickrematunge was murdered in Attidiya on January 8, 2009, on his way to work.

The investigation in to the murder was reopened after President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in January 2015.