1. Issuance of long term residence VISA for foreign investors.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 07 th March 2021 for introducing a new methodology instead of previously existed VISA issuance methodology for long – term residence VISA issuance. The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the proposals furnished by His Excellency the President as the Minister of Defense in relation to the issuance of long – term VISA subject to that methodology mentioned as follows.
Depending on the amount of investment of United States Dollars, issuance of long – term residence VISA from 5 to 10 years for foreigners and directors, their spouses and their dependents of foreign companies who invest at least United States Dollars 75,000 or more than that in condominium properties.
Implementation of a programme named “Golden Paradise VISA Programme” that enable issuance of residence VISA for 10 years for the foreigners who deposit at lease United States Dollars 100,000 in a commercial bank recognized by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
2. Awarding of research grants to General Sir John Kothalawala Defense University by Eurasia Foundation of Japan.
Steps have been taken by the Eurasia Foundation of Japan to grant United States Dollars 42,000 as a research grant to General Sir John Kothalawala Defense University for conducting a course under the theme “Cultural Relationships for an Asian Ideology”. The Cabinet of Ministers decided to grant concurrence to the proposal submitted by His Excellency the President as the Minister of Defense to conduct the said course recruiting 200 students under the said grant.
3. Establishment of a mechanism for evaluation of proposals related to furnish foreign exchange and energy supplied /contributed by various parties.
Certain friendly states, international suppliers and local private sector forward various sorts of bi – lateral concessionary loans, energy supplies and energy sector related resolutions as remedies to the foreign exchange crisis prevailing within the country. Although some of those proposals are apparent to be productive / effective proposals against the foreign exchange crisis encountered by the government, there are no precise provisions to take further actions regarding them within the existing methodologies. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by Hon. Prime Minister to appoint a committee headed by the Secretary to the Prime Minister and comprising four (04) Secretaries to the Ministries to submit recommendation on the actions to be taken in regard to those proposals considering and analyzing the contemporary importance of those proposals.
4. Preparation of the twenty first constitutional amendment bill based on nineteenth and twentieth constitutional amendments.
A number of parties representing the political, professional and various strata of the society emphasize that it is appropriate to introduce suitable reforms to the Constitution in order to create political, economic and social stability for finding solutions to the economic crisis at present as a result of the prevailing situation within the country. Considering the
aforementioned circumstances, the cabinet of Ministers reached into following decisions a
regarding proposal submitted by the Hon. Prime Minister.
Appointment of a cabinet sub – committee for guiding the Legal Draftsman as necessary for the preparation of a fundamental draft bill with immediate effect in order to introduce the twenty first constitutional reform that entrusts more powers to the Parliament by further strengthening the democracy based on the effective particulars appeared in both nineteenth and twentieth constitutional amendments.
Entrusting the power to the Hon. Prime Minister to furnish a resolution to the Parliament proposing it to appoint a Parliamentary Selection Committee for the preparation of a draft bill with a unanimity by considering the draft bill so formulated as above and the constitutional reforms resolutions already been submitted in the Parliament.
5. Introducing amendments to Sri Lanka Electricity Act NO.20 of 2009
The clearance of Attorney General has been received with regard to the bill prepared by the legal draftsman for the amendment of Sri Lanka Electricity Act No.20 of 2009 as amended by the Electricity (Amendment) Act NO.31 of 2013. Accordingly Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Electricity to publish the said bill in the Government Gazette and thereafter present the same in Parliament for approval.
6. Free of charge visa extension for Russian and Ukrainian tourists in Sri Lanka.
Cabinet approval has been granted on 28.02.2022 to extend the tourist visa issued to Russian and Ukrainian tourists in Sri Lanka for a period of two months free of charge due to the Russia - Ukraine crisis. Since the crisis between the two countries has not yet subsided, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Tourism to extend the visa period of Ukrainian and Russian tourists staying in Sri Lanka so that they can remain further in Sri Lanka .
7. Amendment of Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act, No. 33 of 2002
Fuel is essential for all economic activities in the country. Therefore, it has been identified that it is appropriate to issue licenses to selected specific sectors of the economy to import and use the fuel they require individually. Therefore the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Energy to advise legal draftsman to draft bill to amend the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act, No. 33 of 2002, making provisions to issuelicense to properly identified parties.
8. Making the public aware of the current political, economic and social problems
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Mass Media to implement a program through the Department of Government Information with the participation of the relevant Ministries to make the public aware of the current political, economic and social problems that have arisen in the country.
