Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has reported its highest daily account of Covid-19 cases and infection-related fatalities of 2023 on Saturday (20), with 15 confirmed new infections and 03 deaths registered.
With the new account, the active cases of Covid have risen up to 61, surging the total number of confirmed cases up to 672,357, with 16,864 confirmed Covid-related fatalities total, according to the Epidemiology Unit’s daily situation report.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation reported that Sri Lanka is currently at 80 positions out of 231 countries in terms of the number of cases reported since the pandemic’s inception.
Colombo (LNW): Showery condition is expected to continue over south-western part of the island, and heavy showers above 100mm are likely at some places in Western Province and in Ratnapura, Galle and Matara districts, announced the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology.
Meanwhile, showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Eastern and Uva provinces and in Galle, Matara and Polonnaruwa districts during the evening or night, and showers will occur in Western coastal areas and in Galle and Matara districts during the morning too, the Dept said in its daily weather forecast today (22).
Strong winds about 40 kmph can be expected at times over Northern province and in Anuradhapura and Puttalam districts, it added.
General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain: Several spells of showers will occur in the sea areas off the coast extending from Colombo to Matara via Galle.
Winds: Winds will be south-westerly over sea area around the island and speed will be (20-30) kmph. Wind speed may increase up to (40-50) kmph at times in the sea areasoff the coast extending from Puttalam to Kankasanthurai via Mannar and in the sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Pottuvil.
State of Sea: The sea areasoff the coast extending from Puttalam to Kankasanthurai via Mannar and in the sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Pottuvil will be rough at times. The sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Hambantota via Colombo and Galle will be fairly rough.
Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.
Colombo (LNW): Self-proclaimed ‘Prophet of God’ and a leading advocate for the Glorious Church of Colombo, Sri Lanka, prophet Jerome Fernando apologised to all the Buddhist clergy and Buddhist, Hindus and Muslims over his remarks, against which the pastor is currently facing a travel ban by the Court.
In a livestream, Fernando said he has done nothing wrong, adding that he wants to yet apologise to his Buddhist brothers, Hindu brothers, Muslim brothers and sisters, if his words by any means have hurt them emotionally.
Fernando is currently abroad and is yet to return to Sri Lanka.
The pastor has driven himself into hot water over a comment he had allegedly made during a congregation instigating religious disharmony.
PMD: President Ranil Wickremesinghe called on every Sri Lankan to contribute to creating a glorious & prosperous country free of bankruptcy.
He mentioned this two days ago (20) while declaring open the Kegalle, Aranayaka ‘Asupini Ella water scheme’; the largest water project in the Sabaragamuwa Province.
This water scheme was implemented under the financial allocation of Rs. 3,847 million from the Government of Sri Lanka and the loan support of Rs. 18,650 million from the Government of the Netherlands, providing solutions to the drinking water problem in 135 Grama Seva Divisions belonging to Aranayaka, Mawanella and Rambukkana Divisional secretariats in Kegalle district.
The construction work of the water scheme commenced in 2018 and the work was done under the supervision of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board under the guidance of the Ministry of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development.
A water treatment plant with a capacity of 21,000 cubic meters per day, 07 service reservoirs, a transmission pipe system of 37 km and a distribution pipe system of 120 km have been constructed under this scheme.
Under this project, around 169,000 people covering 52,300 families will have clean and safe drinking water facilities, under which 25,200 new water connections will be provided and 27,100 existing water connections will be improved.
Unveiling the plaque and declaring open the water scheme to the people, the President also declared opened the water system. He then joined an observation tour of the water scheme premises.
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who further commented, said:
In 2018, I came to lay the foundation stone of this water scheme as the Prime Minister. Today, as the President, I consider it a great privilege to come to declare open that water scheme. At that time I came to lay the foundation stone for this water scheme on the request of Mr. Kabir Hashim. I am happy to be able to finish this project.
The program started by Minister Kabir Hashim has been carried forward by the next Government and has been completed during the tenure of Minister Jeevan Thondaman. The drinking water requirement of about 200,000 people will be fulfilled by this water scheme which will be started today. I express my thanks to all the employees who have contributed for this water scheme.
In the past, after Sri Lanka was declared a bankrupt country, no investors came to the country. Former investors left the country. In such an environment, foreign investors are not interested in providing aid to Sri Lanka. In such a situation, I have taken charge of the country and gone to the IMF to bring the country’s economy to a stable state.
Because whether they are Sinhalese or Tamil, people do not wish to live as beggars. They wish to live with dignity.
The IMF had imposed tough conditions on us. But we had no other options. Similar conditions were presented earlier in the negotiations with the IMF. There, one previous Government withdrew from transactions with the IMF. But we have gone to the IMF and are taking the program forward with proper management.
By the coming month of September, it is possible to successfully complete the debt restructuring program and bring the economy to a stable level. We have submitted the agreement with the IMF to the Parliament and passed it.
Today, members of the SLPP have expressed their will and given the necessary support to the economic policy of the United National Party. That support is very important if this country is to recover from the economic crisis. We should all work together and work hard to build a prosperous country out of bankruptcy.
Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeevan Thondaman
I would like to thank you all for coming here. And I am grateful to the Dutch Government and also the Turkish Government to seeing this through. I am thankful to the contractors who had actually stayed on just like a few of the contractors of the Water Board and completed this project. So I am grateful to them for that. And moreover, I would like to reiterate the Water Board’s commitment on keeping up with SDG 6, where we would want to provide clean and safe sanitation for everyone.
I would also like to say that Honorable MP Kabir Hashim was instrumental in setting up this project, and we’re glad he’s here. But I would also like to remind him that the President who is on this side is the one who has created the atmosphere to build all of these projects. We have taken the country out of bankruptcy and we have taken this country to a situation where abandoned projects are being restarted.
State Minister of Water Supply Sanath Nishantha
The current President laid the foundation stone for this water scheme in the year 2018 as the Prime Minister. We are happy that he came today to declare open this water scheme.
Although Kegalle district is self-sufficient in water, drinking water has been provided to only 45% of the district. But today, I would like to say that the drinking water needs of about 60% of the people will be fulfilled with the opening of this water project.
Drinking water supply in Trincomalee district is as high as 70% as well as in Ampara. I believe that although the protestors work to demolish Government property, they should struggle to gain such big projects.
State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya
This water scheme will benefit a large number of people. This project started by the previous Government was continuously brought forward by our Government. When such important projects are brought forward, various conspiracies are carried out. Last night, some group set fire to a stock of pipes related to this scheme. It’s worth more than 50 million rupees.
At a time when the country was unstable, the President took charge of the country and directed the country towards a correct economic policy. Your economic reform program is very important. Also, I suggest to the President that a political reform program is also very necessary. I believe that this country will take a new leap through your new economic and political program.
State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath,
This is the first time that the President visited Kegalle district after taking office. It is to nationalize this huge water scheme. This huge water scheme was started when we were in opposition. But it has been continued and the people have got the opportunity to reap its benefits today. There are several tourist attractions in Kegalle district. It is possible to promote the tourist attraction with tourist attractions such as the Elephant Orphanage, Zoo and Kitulgala Rafting.
It should be remembered that with the green economy and the digital economy that the President is constantly talking about, there is the potential to take the economy of this country to a new dimension.
Bonnie Horbach Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka
This project came about by pure sense of co-creation and cooperation and between Sri Lankan expertize, Dutch expertize and Turkish expertize.
And it was the Sri Lankan knowledge of the locals’ situation and the local possibilities that allowed Ballast Nedam to put their engineering qualities in and build this amazing project which will allow a large number of people to get uninterrupted water access. A project that costs 81 million Euros.
This project was very much also about sharing knowledge and allowing others to benefit from the project as well.
And I think co-creation is all about allowing access to equal opportunities. And that is what I think the president is doing at the moment with the reform program, allowing equal opportunities for businesses to come and invest, co-create opportunities to get to co-create solutions for problems that arise in this country. And I’m very proud to see Dutch companies and Dutch investors coming in and to work together with Sri Lankan companies; Sri Lankan expertize and to watch a better future and knowledge exchange and allowing the Sri Lankan people to benefit and prosper and in return.
State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Members of Parliament Kabir Hashim, Rajika Wickramasinghe, Sujith Sanjaya Perera, Udayakantha Gunathilaka, public representatives of Kegalle district and The Ambassador of Turkey to Sri Lanka, Demet Sekercioglu were also present on this occasion.
SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) — With Sri Lanka mired in a severe food crisis, support from South Korea is “crucial,” the South Asian country’s representative for the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has said.
In an interview at WFP’s Seoul office Thursday, Abdur Rahim Siddiqui thanked South Korea and noted WFP’s “meaningful partnership” with the country through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
“Sri Lanka has been the recipient of considerable investment from Korea, with US$81 million provided in 2022-2023 to date,” Siddiqui said. “WFP, too, has engaged in a meaningful partnership with Korea since 2019, and has received US$11 million, through KOICA, towards its programs to enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change. This support has been instrumental in promoting self-reliance among climate-vulnerable farming communities while shielding them from the full effects of the country’s economic crisis.”
Siddiqui said nearly 3 in 10 households were noted as food insecure at the height of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis in 2022. The food crisis has come on the heels of an already vulnerable economy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Global food and energy price increases also led to inflation in Sri Lanka, Siddiqui added.
This photo provided by the World Food Programme’s Seoul office on May 21, 2023, shows Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, Sri Lankan representative for WFP. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
He also said significant increases in food and fuel prices over the past year are forcing more than half of Sri Lankan households to adopt negative coping strategies, such as buying cheaper food to deal with reduced incomes.
“The support of partners like Korea is crucial to Sri Lanka’s recovery,” Siddiqui said. “By providing humanitarian actors with adequate resources, Korea can be instrumental in building sustainable solutions, strengthen food systems and help lift people out of the vicious cycle of poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition.”
This photo provided by the World Food Programme’s Seoul office on May 21, 2023, shows Abdur Rahim Siddiqui (L), Sri Lankan representative for WFP, after reaching an agreement with the Korea Financial Industry Foundation on a contribution to the WFP Sri Lanka Home Grown School Feeding project. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
Siddiqui was in South Korea to sign an agreement with the Korea Financial Industry Foundation, which will contribute 1 billion won (US$754,600) over the next 30 months to the WFP Sri Lanka Home Grown School Feeding project.
“Through this, WFP supports school meal caterers to grow, produce and rear poultry for eggs in their own home gardens,” Siddiqui said. “This helps caterers overcome the challenge of rising food prices, while ensuring that children receive fresh, nutritious and diverse meals in school.”
The project began in March 2020 in two vulnerable regions, Monaragala in southern Sri Lanka and Matale in central Sri Lanka. It has since expanded to six other districts.
01. Public Security Minister Tiran Alles instructs IGP C.D. Wickremeratne to tighten security near the universities of Colombo, Sri Jayawardenapura and Kelaniya, and to increase night patrolling, following requests by the respective Vice-Chancellors due to rising thefts in the premises.
02. President Ranil Wickremesinghe says “members of the SLPP have expressed their will and given the necessary support to the economic policy of the UNP”; adds support is very important if this country is to recover from the economic crisis; urges all should work together and work hard to build a prosperous country out of bankruptcy.
03. The Education Ministry says it does not issue letters to admit children to intermediate grades of National schools; adds the application must be directly sent to the relevant school via registered post.
04. Self-proclaimed ‘Prophet of God’ Pastor Jerome Fernando apologises to all the Buddhist clergy and Buddhist, Hindus and Muslims if his words by any means hurt their feelings: Fernando, who is under a travel ban over his controversial remarks at a congregation, is currently abroad and yet to return.
05. Sri Lanka registers the highest daily tally of Covid-19 patients and infection-related fatalities on Saturday, with 15 confirmed new infections and 03 deaths: Active cases up to 61; total cases 672,357; death toll 16,864: WHO reports Sri Lanka currently stands at 80 positions out of 231 countries in terms of the number of cases reported since the pandemic’s inception.
06. March 2023 private sector credit records de-growth of Rs.107.6bn, almost doubling from the Rs.57.6bn contraction in February: March quarter financial reports of banks also mirrored dismal private credit conditions: Loans to government from banking system up by Rs.97.2bn; credit to public corporations down by Rs. 118.9bn.
07. South Asian country representative for UN’s WFP Abdur Rahim Siddiqui says South Korea’s support is ‘crucial’ with Sri Lanka mired in a severe food crisis; thanks South Korea and notes WFP’s ‘meaningful partnership’ with the country through the Korea International Cooperation Agency; adds nearly 03 in 10 households in Sri Lanka were recognised as food insecure at the height of the economic crisis since 2022.
08. Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says vouchers to the value of Rs. 20,000 per hectare will be given to paddy farmers from today for the cultivation of the ‘Yala’ season: GOSL allocated Rs. 10 billion in the form of subsidy vouchers to 650,000 farmers for the purchase of chemical or organic fertiliser: Move comes in for the slashing of production costs of farmers.
09. “The Voice Sri Lanka,” the Sri Lankan limb of the global singing franchise “The Voice,” declares Rameesh Sashinka aka “Ramiya” as the champion of “The Voice Sri Lanka 2023” at its grand finale.
10. Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe makes first communication with World Rugby through a letter dated May 11; says the Sports Ministry is the governing body of sports in SL, and “all sports federations should be registered and recognised under the law of the country”; stresses the National Olympic Committee has no power to issue a letter regarding “a determination made by an international organisation namely Asia Rugby”: The letter backfires and SL Rugby kicked out of World Rugby membership.
Colombo (LNW): The motorists using the expressways have been informed to limit their vehicle speed to 60 kilometres per hour, due to inclement weather conditions in the island, the Expressway Traffic Police Division informed.
The drivers have been informed to maintain proper distance between the vehicles while driving and to keep the front and rear lights on until their respective destinations are reached, due to the low light conditions.
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka‘s tile and sanitary ware business is heading for “rock bottom”, following the repeated delay in the lifting of import restrictions for almost four years since mid-March 2019, several leading importers and traders said.
This prolonged import ban with the promises of government authorities to suspend restrictions for importers and others connected to the business has triggered the near closure of most of the 300 entities affecting over 100,000 direct and indirect employees, A.M.J.M Jawfer, President of Tile and Sanitary ware Importers Association said.
It supports over 2000 distributors maintaining sales centres in the supply chain and around 30,000 direct employees in the import and sales and marketing who have already been experiencing the impending loss of their livelihood, he told the Business Times.
The present administration has removed the import control on 159 items including industrial machinery, a series of building materials, machine parts, tools, ball bearings, agricultural implements, and toilet paper in a gazette notification issued under Sri Lanka’s import control law effective September 9, 2022.
But the suspension on tile and sanitary ware imports still persists and the buyers of those items are kept in the dark due to non-availability of such items and the high prices of locally manufactured products, several traders alleged.
Representatives of tile and sanitary ware business spearheaded by their association have made submissions and appeals repeatedly but official authorities kept their files under the carpet while three leading manufacturers monopolised the market, Mr. Jawfer disclosed.
According to official data around 45 per cent of the tiles are made in Sri Lanka and the balance 55 per cent imported at a high tax of around 100 per cent which was imposed to protect the local industry.
As a result of import ban to save dollars, a severe shortage hit the local market while middle and low income earners were deprived of purchasing tiles with their limited budget as the major local manufactures do not have tiles for lower price apart from B and C grade which they do have permission to sell with various defects, industry sources alleged.
Local importers were always been able to provide A grade tiles at a competitive price to suit such category of consumer’s budget but now they have very limited choices in terms of designs available in showrooms of local manufacturers, these sources claimed.
Most of the high-end projects are halted as they are not able to purchase high quality tiles and sanitary ware as the local manufactures don’t meet the product standards and has very outdated models for sanitary ware, several construction sector heads told the Business Times.
Colombo (LNW): Future Life Investment, one of the leading microfinance institutions is set to provide financial strength and the right guidance for our own Sri Lankans who are striving to win in life, through their extensive relationships in the field of small and medium-scale businesses and gain the trust of the Sri Lankan people in a very short time.
FLi was also awarded as the best microfinance institution of the year under the large category in 2022, subject to a wide range of evaluations such as tremendous projects, community care services, employee welfare organisational methods, diversification business sectors, etc.
Going beyond that, the Diri Abhimani 2024 Entrepreneur Pranama Awards organised by Future Life Investments Limited, one of Sri Lanka’s leading institutions in the field of microfinance, will be held in a grand manner on 20 January 2024, at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, to encourage Sri Lankan small and medium scale, entrepreneurs.
FLi customers who receive financial support from the microfinance sector, who work courageously to win in life, who have created more professional opportunities for social progress, and who have contributed socially in various ways to social development will be awarded in the Diri Abhimani 2024 award ceremony through the following categories,
They are .Rhe most innovative business of the year, The most improved business of the year,the life builder of the year.the iron lady of the Year, Silver Dream Award, Gold Dream Award and Platinum Dream Award.
With the participation of an independent panel of experts experienced in the field, after many rounds of scientific, formal performances and evaluations, award-winning entrepreneurs and talented children will be selected, for which there will be no intervention of Future Life Investments.
All the entrepreneurs and their children who want to compete in the above-mentioned sectors can get the necessary applications from 35 FLI branches spread across the country, and details can be obtained through Diri Abhimani Facebook, YouTube & TikTok. Also through the phone number 0705 – 410 659, you have the opportunity to get more information.
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is exploring ways and means of further enhancing cooperation with India in the power and renewable energy sector.
The Indian Government has agreed to promote and strengthen renewable energy sector cooperation between both countries.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka and India with regard to energy sector cooperation.Accordingly, Public and Private Entities in both India and Sri Lanka will work on this project.
The Cabinet had granted approval for the Solar Power, Wind Power, and Bio Fuel projects to be implemented under the agreement.
India and Sri Lanka have agreed to jointly build in two stages a 135-megawatt solar power plant in the island nation’s eastern port district of Trincomalee to promote renewable energy.
Sri Lankan Cabinet has given approval for the project as the country aims to generate 70 per cent of its electricity requirement by 2030 from renewable energy sources.
“The National Thermal Power Corporation of India and the Ceylon Electricity Board have entered into an agreement to jointly implement a solar power project in two stages,” said a note from the Cabinet meeting held this week.
“As the first stage of this project, it is expected to implement a solar power project of 50 megawatts with a total estimated investment of USD 42.5 million and to construct a 220 kilowatts transmission line with 40-km length from Sampoor to Kappalthure spending USD 23.6 million, it said. It is expected to complete this stage in two years from 2024 to 2025,” it said.
A solar power generation plant with an additional 85 megawatts is expected to be constructed under a total investment of USD 72 million at the second stage of this project, the note said.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda met India’s Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, Shri Raj Kumar Singh in New Delhi on Thursday (May 18) to discuss ways and means of further enhancing cooperation with India in the power and renewable energy sector.
The duo discussed a range of issues pertaining to bilateral cooperation in the power and renewable energy sector, including the grid connectivity between Sri Lanka and India.
The discussion particularly focused on the ways and means to deepen and broaden the long-term strategic cooperation in the sector.
Minister Singh was a senior officer of the Indian Administrative Service before joining politics, and served as the Home Secretary of India from 2011 to 2013. He has served as a Member of Indian Parliament since 2014.
The same day, Moragoda met with the newly appointed US Ambassador to India Eric M. Garcetti at the US Embassy in New Delhi.
The Sri Lankan envoy congratulated Garcetti on his recent appointment as the Ambassador of the United States to India, and they had a productive exchange of views on a range of matters pertaining to Sri Lanka-US relations, including possible trilateral economic cooperation with the involvement of India.
