Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

Tha Mahasangha recited pirith to invoke blessings on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on his 74th birthday at Temple Trees this morning.

The Prime Minister gave food and gifts to students of St Paul’s School, Milagiriya today. Later he offered Dana to the Mahasangha at Thapovanaya in Rajagiriya and provided lunch to Helpage old age home at Rathmalana and Thisarana old age home at Kottawa.

He visited Dharmayathanaya on Bauddhaloka Mawatha and obtained blessings from Ven. Elle Gunawansha Nayake Thera. MORE >>

The Temple of the Tooth –Relic which was built near the Palace of King Parakramabahu VI in the kingdom of Kotte, had been ruined due to foreign invasions, relocation of the Relics and thus the administration to Kandy.

Reconstruction of the Temple of the Tooth Relic Kotte has been commenced with the patronage of Kotte Raja Maha Viharadhipati Ven. Aluthnuwara Anuruddha Thera.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena visited Kotte Rajamaha Vihara today (02) to observe the plans of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic to be estorted.

Yadamini Gunawardena MP, Isura Devapriya former Chief Minister of Western Province, Upali Kodikara and Salochana Gamage former municipamo council members and a large gatherin MORE >>

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Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Dewi Gustina Tobing said her country would like to finalise a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Sri Lanka to facilitate bilateral trade between the two countries. The Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Tuesday (28) to discuss issues including enhancing cooperation between the two countries in trade, investment, and tourism.

The Ambassador said Exim Bank Indonesia has agreed to grant credit facilities for bilateral trade and the Asian Development Bank has guaranteed 85% of the credit and remaining portion will have to be guaranteed by Sri Lanka. Several pharmaceutical companies are willing to export essential medicines to Sri Lanka under that c MORE >>

Commader of the Pakistan Navy Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees on February 27.

During the discussions, the Prime Minister thanked Pakistan for the support extended to Sri Lanka during the armed conflict as well as at the international forums. He also emphasized on enhancing maritime regional cooperation between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, alongside exploring opportunities for the further expansion of maritime activities between the two nations.

The Prime Minister briefed him on Sri Lanka’s interest in maritime peace and security, being a maritime hub located in close proximity to international sea lanes. Pakistani Navy Commander said his country e MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that administrative reforms are important not only to promote productivity or to combat corruption, but more importantly to eliminate waste, idling and duplication which has been the bane of our country. He said this while delivering the keynote address at the Inaugural Launch of Sri Lanka Innovators’ Forum at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall on Friday (24).

This inaugural launch of Sri Lanka Innovators’ Forum was organized by the Gamani Corea Foundation (GCF) which was established using the personal wealth of Gamani Corea to support the country’s policy making and management system, through objective research and capacity building.

In his speech t MORE >>

Furthermore there has not been any request or pressure from any quarters for the Prime Minister to resign.

These false reports are aimed at causing difficulties to the government plans and programmes.

Lalith Rohana Liyanage
Prime Minister Media Secretary MORE >>

A group of leading members of the Bohra community of Sri Lanka called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to express gratitude for the cooperation extended to Bohra centers and international conventions.

They briefed the Prime Minister about the religious and welfare activities of their centers. They also said the Bohra spiritual leader and 53rd Da’i al-Mutlaq, Mufaddal Saifuddin wish to meet the Prime Minister during the visit to Sri Lanka in March 2023.

Yadamini Gunawardena MP joined the Prime Minister at the occasion and the group included Yusuf Huzein, Abdeali Khuzema, Fakhrudeen and Mustafa Yusufally. MORE >>

A special ceremony was organized by the students of Royal College Colombo to felicitate President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena –the old Royalists on 22.02.2023.

Ministers Vidura Wickramanayake, Kanchana Wijesekera, State Ministers Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Anuradha Jayaratne, Members of Parliament Rauf Hakeem, Gevidu Kumaratunga, Priyankara Jayaratne, Duminda Dissanayake, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Dilan Perera, Yadamini Gunawardena, Kavinda Jayawardana , Nipuna Ranawaka were among those present at the occasion. MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that we would have to pay back the loan most painfully if we do not invest them properly. Addressing the gathering at the inauguration of "Ran Palassa" solid waste recycling center together with a renewable electricity project at Kaduwela Municipal Council on 21.02.2023, he added that overcoming a challenge requires planning and confidence. Similarly, one should have the strength to dedicate himself towards the achievement of that goal. The need of renewable electricity is immensely felt by the whole world including our country. We have been talking about this for a long time and that transformation should take place in no time.

“Although we have been steadily moving forward in the pro MORE >>

Sinhala and Tamil alphabet books compiled by the Official Languages Department were presented to President Ranil Wickremesinghe by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on 21.02.2023 in Parliament on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.

All Members of Parliament have been given these books. State Minister Sivaneshathurai Chandrakanthan also took part in this event. MORE >>

International Mother Language Day organized by the High Commission of Bangladesh in Sri Lanka was held at Independence Square, Colombo today (21) under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

International Mother Language Day is celebrated on February 21st every year, with the aim of establishing peace, promoting multilingualism and protecting mother languages around the world.

This year’s national celebration was jointly organized by the High Commission of Bangladesh in Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Education, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Scout Association.

Ambassadors and High Commissioners of many countries including Bangladesh High C MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA) to recommence all the ongoing projects that are temporarily halted due to fiscal issues.
He made this request when JAICA Director General for South Asia, Ito Teruyuki called on him on Monday (20). Mr Teruyuki assured the Prime Minister that JAICA projects would be resumed no sooner the debt restructuring programme is finalized by the International Monetary Fund.

US$ 2.5 billion worth 12 JAICA projects have been temporarily halted due to the fiscal crisis. JAICA delegation expressed satisfaction over the progress in debt restructuring plans, in which Japan also played a major role.

The Prime Minister thanked JAICA D MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said it is essential to purchase paddy at a reasonable price from the farmers in order to implement the program for providing subsidies to the lower-income families in the country.

He said this at a discussion held at the Prime Minister’s Office on purchase of paddy and distribution of rice. The issues pertaining to paddy purchase, its present position, the needs for reforms in the social security data system, production of agricultural crops were discussed at the meeting. It was revealed that harvesting has been completed in many districts and purchase of paddy would be commenced by next week.

It was decided to solve the problems with regard to restructuring of the social pr MORE >>

Anunayake of Matwathu Chapter, Ven Niyangoda Wijithasiri Nayake Thera, Anunayake of Asgiri Chapter Ven Anamaduwe Dhammasiddhi Thera, Mahanayake of Kotte Sangha Sabhawa, Ven Itthapane Dhammalankara Thera, Minister of Buddhasasana and Culture, Vidura Wickremenayake, Yadamini Gunawardena MP, Prime Minister’s Secretary Anura Dissanayake, Chief Custodian Nilanga Dela and Ambassadors and High Commissioners were among the dignitaries who were at the launching. MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said the people of Sri Lanka will always be grateful to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation, its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to keep us free to defend our values and protect our way of life. He said this after unveiling a War Memorial at the Kotalawala Defence University on February 17.

Sri Lanka, nurtured by the teachings of the Gautama Buddha believes in peace, compassion and tranquility. It is not in our nature to seek out wars and conflicts, he said and added that but whenever they have come, when adversaries have left us no alternative, our brave armed forces have stood ready to take the risks and pay the ultimate price.

The Prime  MORE >>

Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Atle Hoie, General Secretary 0f IndustriALL Global Union, Praveen Rao, Coordinator, South Asia Regional Office of IndustriALL Global Union, Leslie Devendra, General Secretary, Sri Lanka NIdahas Sevaka Sangamaya, Anton Marcus, General Secretary, FTZ&GSEU, Dilakson, Admin Coordinator, FTZ&GSEU, Palitha Athukorala, President, NUSS, Ranjan Perera, NUSS, Swasthika Arulingam, UFL and Sujeewa Amarasinghe, UF took part in the discussion. MORE >>

The Prime Minister declared that any damage or tampering to Article 9 of the Constitution would not be allowed and that right should be protected for the purpose of preserving Buddhism. He said this at the conferment ceremony of the twelfth Srimath Maha Nayake Eknaligoda Vihara sect of Sri Lanka Amarapura Chapter to Most Venerable Karannagoda Senananda Nayaka Thera held at Siddharthodaya Piriwen Vihara, Karangoda, Ratnapura on 14.02.2023.

He further said that “the order to throw down the flag of the British Emperor could be given because of the power of the Buddhist monks as displayed in the freedom struggle. Venerable Wariyapola Thera had done that because the colonial rulers broke their own promise. I would like to recall MORE >>