January 18, Colombo (LNW): The residents of Horton Place have voiced their opposition to the Colombo Municipal Council’s (CMC) proposal to rename the road as “Ponnambalam Arunachalam Mawatha”, Daily Mirror reported citing residents.

Former Mayor of Colombo, Omar Kamil, raised concerns about the proposed renaming, highlighting that residents in the area received notices calling for objections to the change.

Kamil questioned the rationale behind passing a motion for renaming when the council has reportedly ceased to function for the past year.

The distributed notice informed residents about the motion passed by the CMC, outlining the proposed new name for the road. The specified stretch falls within the administration limits of the CMC, starting from assessment number 75 of C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha and assessment number 75 of Horton Place, terminating between assessment numbers 11 and 120 of Horton Place.

Kamil also questioned the necessity of renaming the road, especially when there is already an avenue named Ponnambalam Arunachalam Avenue in close proximity, just off Horton Place, according to Daily Mirror report.

Former CMC Member Shermila Gonawala, commenting on the matter, indicated that no such motion had been presented during the council’s active days.

Gonawala conveyed that concerned residents, particularly women residing along Horton Place, had reached out to her, expressing their apprehensions about the proposed change.

They highlighted the potential inconvenience of altering various official documents if the renaming were to proceed.

The proposed renaming has sparked discussions and objections from residents, prompting a closer examination of the decision-making process and its impact on the local community, the report added.

January 18, Colombo (LNW): In the initial 15 days of 2024, Sri Lanka has welcomed 102,000 tourists, marking a comparable figure to the entirety of the first month of the preceding year, Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Priyantha Fernando disclosed.

The parallel figure between the early days of 2024 and the entirety of January in the previous year reflects the ongoing trends in tourist arrivals.

It provides an early insight into the tourism sector’s performance, hinting at a potential continuation of patterns observed in 2023.

Notably, Sri Lanka registered a total of 1,482,000 tourist arrivals in 2023. This figure, while indicating a substantial influx of visitors, also underscores the challenges and opportunities facing the country’s tourism industry.

The consistent flow of tourists, even in the early days of 2024, signals both the appeal of Sri Lanka as a destination and the resilience of the tourism sector despite global uncertainties.

However, it remains essential to closely monitor how these trends evolve over the course of the year, taking into account various factors that influence global travel patterns.

January 18, Colombo (LNW): Former MP Duminda Silva, who is subject to a reinstated murder conviction, is currently receiving medical care at Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital under prison security following the suspension of the presidential pardon granted to him by the Supreme Court in 2022, the Prisons Department disclosed.

The department has communicated Silva’s medical treatment status at Jayewardenepura Hospital to relevant authorities, including the court, Prisons Spokesperson Gamini B Dissanayake confirmed.

The Prisons Department has requested the transfer of Silva to the Prisons Hospital, yet the treating specialist has advised continuing treatment at the current facility, despite the department’s preference.

Notably, the Prisons Department lacks a specialist doctor to override the recommendations of Silva’s treating physicians.

Following the suspension of the presidential pardon by the Supreme Court, Silva was apprehended by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) while undergoing medical treatment at Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital on June 1, 2022.

The former MP’s sudden adherence to medical care highly reflects his motive of evading the restored conviction over the assassination of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra in 2011, critics argued.

Silva was granted presidential pardon by ex President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, reversing his murder conviction declared by the Supreme Court in 2016.

Rajapaksa’s decision was challenged before the Supreme Court by filing fundamental rights (FR) petitions by former MP Hirunika Premachandra, her mother Sumana Premachandra, and former Human Rights Commissioner Ghazali Hussain.

The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices P. Padman Surasena, Gamini Amarasekara, and Arjuna Obeysekara unanimously concluded that the pardon granted to Duminda Silva by Gotabaya Rajapaksa was flawed and therefore, unlawful.

January 18, Colombo (LNW): 50 wild elephants fell victim to electrocution over the past year, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Deputy General Manager (Business & Operational Strategy) and media spokesman Eng. K.A. Noel Priyantha disclosed.

This tragic outcome resulted from the illegal connection of CEB power lines to fences protecting farmlands, he asserted.

Priyantha highlighted that a total of 474 wild elephants lost their lives due to various human activities during the same period.

The CEB has initiated legal proceedings against individuals engaging in the unauthorised use of electricity to harm elephants.

In a bid to combat this issue and protect the elephant population in the country, the CEB is seeking public support. To facilitate immediate reporting of incidents related to the illicit connection of power lines to cultivation fences, the CEB has introduced an emergency hotline with the number 1987.

By: Isuru Parakrama

January 18, Colombo (LNW): Several spells of showers will occur in North-Central, Eastern and Uva provinces and in Mullaitivu district, with a few showers being expected in Central, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Southern provinces, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (18).

Mainly fair weather will prevail elsewhere in the island, the statement added.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the morning.

Marine Weather:

January 17, Colombo (LNW): The Police today (17) utilised water cannons and tear gas to disperse a protest organised by the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) near the University of Sri Jayawardenapura.

The demonstration aimed at highlighting and seeking solutions to the challenges confronting the state university system.

As the protest march approached Wijerama from the university’s front, law enforcement deployed tear gas and water cannons on five separate occasions.

The confrontations resulted in heated situations between the police and the participating students.

Photo Courtesy: Ajith Senevirathne

To view full photos, visit READPHOTOS.

January 17, Colombo (LNW): The Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on International Relations recently convened to address matters concerning the National Oceanic Affairs Committee Secretariat, an entity affiliated with the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Under the chairmanship of MP Akila Ellawala, the committee discussed the current role, challenges faced, and future plans of the National Oceanic Affairs Committee Secretariat.

Dr. N. P. Vijayananda, the current Chairman of the Secretariat, highlighted the potential utilization of a sea area extending 250 nautical miles beyond the exclusive economic zone, which is 200 nautical miles from the country’s land. Dr. Vijayananda emphasized that, according to the United Nations Charter on the Law of the Sea, agreements with regional countries, including ongoing negotiations with India, are necessary for such activities. The discussed oceanic region holds significance for Sri Lanka in terms of fuel exploration and biodiversity.

In response to these discussions, the Committee Chair stressed the importance of expediting these activities in coordination with the Defence Ministry. He expressed the intention to formally request the Minister in charge of the subject to facilitate the necessary actions.

The meeting, attended by Committee members and MPs Madhura Withanage, S. M. M. Mushaaraff, as well as officials representing the Foreign Affairs Ministry, emphasized the strategic importance of leveraging oceanic resources for economic activities in Sri Lanka.

January 17, Colombo (LNW): In a significant diplomatic encounter, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the United Kingdom, Rohitha Bogollagama, recently paid a courtesy call on the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, at the historic Lambeth Palace in London. The meeting began with Anglican clergy, led by the Archbishop, offering prayers at the St-Mary-at-Lambeth Church for the well-being and salvation of Sri Lanka.

During their discussions, both the High Commissioner and the Archbishop delved into the rich history of the Church of Ceylon, established in 1845 as an extra-provincial jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury. They exchanged views on proposed reforms for the Church of Sri Lanka, highlighting the enduring connection between the two ecclesiastical bodies.

Recalling his visit to Sri Lanka in 2019, Archbishop Justin Welby shared memories of his experience at the Temple of the Tooth Relic. The High Commissioner, in turn, provided insights into Sri Lanka’s Buddhist heritage and the evolution of Buddhist institutions in the country. The conversation between the two dignitaries expanded to cover a range of topics relevant to Sri Lanka, including the nation’s current economic and political situation, its international relations, and the United Kingdom’s economic ties with Sri Lanka.

Of particular note was the extensive dialogue on the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka. The Archbishop expressed his opinion that an effective reconciliation process must originate from within the relevant community to ensure its success.

Archbishop Justin Welby, serving as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013, holds the position of Primate of All England and serves as the symbolic head primus inter pares of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

January 17, Colombo (LNW): In a decisive move, Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera declared a substantial reduction in the prices of key fertilizers for tea cultivation, namely T 750, T 709, and T 200, by Rs. 2,000. This announcement translates to a 50% reduction in the market price of these fertilizers, which currently exceeds Rs. 13,000 per bundle.

Minister Amaraweera directed Dr. Jagath Perera, Chairman of the Government-owned Colombo Commercial Fertilizers and Ceylon Fertilizer Company, to take immediate steps to implement the price reduction. As per the minister’s instructions, the price of a bundle of T 750 and T 709 tea fertilizers is set to be reduced to Rs. 7,735, while the price of a bundle of T 200 fertilizer will be lowered to Rs. 5,500.

This fertilizer concession is aimed at benefiting small- and medium-scale tea growers, offering them significant relief. Large-scale tea growing companies will also enjoy reduced prices, securing these fertilizers at Rs. 9,735.

During a meeting at the Plantation Industries Ministry, Minister Amaraweera engaged in discussions with representatives from tea growers’ associations across the eight tea-growing districts. The meeting, attended by officials responsible for tea cultivation in the ministry, highlighted the unanimous endorsement of the quality of special fertilizers for tea cultivation produced by government-owned fertilizer companies.

In addition to the Rs. 2,000 fertilizer concession, it was revealed that the Tea Board would bear the cost of Rs. 1,200 million, further emphasizing the government’s commitment to supporting the tea industry through this significant subsidy.

January 17, Colombo (LNW): President Ranil Wickremesinghe, speaking at the Green Technology Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Monday, revealed a heightened commitment to integrating wind and solar power generation into Sri Lanka’s national grid. The President declared that his government is expediting this initiative, aiming to ensure that 70% of the country’s electricity needs are met through renewable energy sources by 2030.

Highlighting Sri Lanka’s historical commitment to renewable energy, President Wickremesinghe pointed out the nation’s extensive hydropower network, which commenced with the commissioning of its first major hydro-power plant in 1950. Hydropower played a significant role in meeting the country’s energy needs until the 1990s, with it still contributing around 40% to Sri Lanka’s installed electricity generation capacity today.

The President emphasized the urgency of the transition to renewable energy during his address at the forum, which was coordinated by the Swiss-Asian Chamber of Commerce. Acknowledging the need for substantial investment, estimated at up to US$ 11.5 billion, President Wickremesinghe noted that, until recently, the framework for private investment in the renewable energy sector had not been very conducive. The government’s intensified efforts seek to create an environment conducive to private investment, facilitating the ambitious shift toward sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources.