Colombo (LNW): Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Victor Perera has died at the age of 75.
His death was confirmed this afternoon (16th) while being treated at the Colombo National Hospital, according to family sources.
Perera was appointed as the 30th Inspector General of Sri Lanka Police on 12 October 2006 and retired on 03 June 2008.
He also held the position of the first Governor of the Northern Province, making him the first ex-police chief to be appointed as a Provincial Governor.
Colombo (LNW): Instead of shutting down schools, educational authorities should prioritise their protection and preservation, said Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, addressing the opening of the new Matika Mata Uphara building at Wellawatta Vaishaka Vidyalaya, associated with Lindsey Girls’ College in Colombo this (16) afternoon.
Vaishaka College, established in 1935 through the generosity of philanthropist E.S. Fernando, faced potential closure in 2016. However, with the intervention of the current “Dasasil Mata, Matika Mata”, previously known as Sri Devi de Silva, the school was rejuvenated and linked with Lindsey Girls’ College in Bambalapitiya.
Full Statement by the Prime Minister:
“All those officials holding positions in the education sector in Sri Lanka should think deeply about the issue of school closures. We never got more schools from the government. It is the schools that our people built with great difficulty that have brought this country to the highest place in the field of education. We must not forget that.
Under the program to integrate all schools for a national education programme, our country has reached the pinnacle in the field of education. We have to move forward in the world by overcoming challenges.
E. S. Fernando family is a most respected family in Wellawatta. One can recollect the great service rendered by Mr E. S. Fernando by establishing Vaishaka College, which originated with such a profound name and produced a large number of students who have succeeded in an array of paths.
Wellawatta is a place of literature and culture. The world famous Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda was drawn to Wellawatta because Wellawatta is a literary haven. It is very important for us to preserve the identity of Wellawatte as a nation.
We have been taught two factors, responsibilities and duties. Our duty is the position we hold. Responsibilities are the obligations we have to fulfil on behalf of human society. These children are the future generation of our country. The role of teachers is to fulfil the duty and the responsibility should be to perform more duties to make our children good citizens.
As responsible citizens is there any possibility to see the closure of this successful school for a trivial reason? This is a good eye opener for education officials. As the Prime Minister, it is my duty to recall these. Eight hundred schools built by our elites and given to us in distant regions have been closed. This is the statistics. We cannot start all those schools again for the villagers.
If any resource is received for education, if it is donated for education, let’s add it creatively to the school. If you can produce children equipped with all three languages, you are beginning another chapter for their future. We believe that when they leave the fifth grade, they will be interested in adding information technology knowledge for the betterment of their future.”
Most Ven. Thricunamale Ananda Thera of Bambalapitiya Siri Vajiraramadhipati Aggamaha Pandita, along with the Mahasangha, Desashakthi, Deshakeerthi, Diriya Mata, Mathika Mata Bhikshuni, the former Speaker Deshmanya Karu Jayasuriya, MP Yadamini Gunawardena, as well as teachers, parents, and students participated in this event.
Colombo (LNW): ‘Youth For Change’ today (16) staged a protest in front of the Bo Tree of Colombo Fort making several demands.
Their demands included immediate action against influence by the US, India and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Sri Lanka, the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill and the Online Safety Bill, and the threat on energy autonomy.
The demonstrators called on the government to immediately drop all state-sponsored matters and safeguard individual liberties and independence.
They further demanded that free Palestine be recognised.
Photo Courtesy: Ajith Senevirathne
To view full photos, visit READPHOTOS
Colombo (LNW): The Sour (Ambul) Banana and TEJC Mango Cultivation Projects in Jaffna initiated under the Agriculture Sector Modernisation Project by the Agriculture Ministry has reportedly reached success.
Currently, Sour bananas cover 200 acres, and TEJC mangoes span 500 acres, both cultivated for export. Collaborating with the Rajanganaya Sour Banana Project, weekly exports of 10,000 kg of sour bananas to Dubai are underway.
On Sunday (15), Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera together with MP Angajan Ramanathan assessed the progress of these ventures.
The TEJC Mango Project occupies 500 acres in the Elutumattuwal area of Chavakachcheri, while 200 acres are dedicated to sour banana farming in Jaffna’s agricultural zone, which also houses a sour banana processing centre in the Nilavarei area.
Amaraweera expressed satisfaction at the projects’ outcomes and highlighted plans to expand them using high-density cultivation to maximise yield.
Noting Jaffna’s low paddy yield, he emphasised the ministry’s commitment to offering farmers the necessary technology, cultivation methods, and facilities to shift to more lucrative crops.
Both the mango and banana initiatives have turned into significant foreign currency earners for Sri Lanka, with an emphasis on maintaining high-quality standards.
Sour banana farming in Jaffna will grow by another 400 acres, and while the TEJC mango project is adequately sized for the imminent large harvest, Amaraweera cautioned against excessive mango plantations that could deflate market demand.
The ministry is also promoting the cultivation of other export-worthy crops.
Colombo (LNW): A staggering 56,000 children in Sri Lanka are grappling with extreme malnutrition, divulged the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Alleviating the Impact of the Economic Crisis.
This alarming data was sourced from UNICEF research and was spotlighted by Committee Chief MP Gamini Waleboda during a recent meeting.
The distressing findings highlighted that an astonishing one-third of Sri Lankan families are without reliable access to food.
This paints a concerning picture of the island nation’s ongoing struggle with food security.
Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) indicates slight depreciation against the US Dollar today (Oct 16) compared to last week’s Friday, as per the official exchange rates list issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).
Accordingly, the buying price of the US Dollar has increased to Rs. 318.17 from Rs. 318.08, and the selling price to Rs. 328.85 from Rs. 328.82.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Rupee has fluctuated against several other foreign currencies, but remains steady against Gulf currencies.
Colombo (LNW): Two Sri Lankan women arrested several days ago by Israeli and Jordanian border officials on the allegation of unlawfully entering Israeli land are set to be returned to Jordan, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Tel Aviv confirmed.
The duo had made an illicit entry into Israel via the Jordanian border, the Embassy said in a note.
Sri Lankan Ambassador to Israel Nimal Bandara identified the women as a 50-year-old and a 44-year-old, and asserted that a decision has been made to repatriate them to Jordan.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel would collaborate with its counterpart in Jordan to ensure the safety and oversee subsequent matters concerning the two women, he added.
These arrests occurred in the backdrop of a conflict between Israel and Palestine.
There have been reports of a Sri Lankan woman in Israel losing her life in the ongoing strife, with another woman missing and a man injured.
In related news, Sri Lankan officials in Palestine confirmed the safety of individuals from three Sri Lankan families in Southern Gaza, and assured that they have sought assistance from the Red Cross for evacuation from Gaza.
Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lanka Business Council of Japan (SLBCJ) celebrated its 20th Anniversary on 9th October 2023 at the Meiji Kinenkan in Tokyo, Japan.
Rodney Perera, the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Japan, State Minister for Investment Promotion Dilum Amunugama, Cabinet Minister for Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara, Japanese MP Yamaguchi Susumu, Mayor of Ayase City Koshio Masayoshi, Iwase Kiichiro from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, members of various associations in Japan, and other distinguished guests attended the event.
Although President Ranil Wickremesinghe had intended to join the celebration, he was unable to attend. He, however, sent a video message offering his congratulations.
The pinnacle of the 20th Anniversary celebration was the unveiling of the Global Federation of Sri Lankan Business Councils (GFSLBC). This initiative, led by International Director of SLBCJ Sajeev Rajaputhra, SLBCJ President Jagath Ramanayake, and Treasurer Jitendra Samarawickrama, aims to amalgamate all Sri Lankan Business Councils globally into a single organisation.
The mission is to solidify and empower global Sri Lankan businesspeople in their ventures while bolstering Sri Lanka during its economic resurgence.
Several members of international business councils travelled to partake in a workshop earlier that day.
During this, Sajeev Rajaputhra was appointed the inaugural Secretary-General of the Global Federation, with Kula Sellathurai becoming Deputy-Secretary-General, Ravi Varma named as Under-Secretary, Sanje Sedara as Deputy-Under-Secretary, Naveen Chandrasekara as Treasurer, and Jitendra Samarawickrama as Deputy-Treasurer.
Jagath Ramanayake was designated the Honorary Advisor of the Global Federation.
Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) indicates a slight fluctuation against the US Dollar today (16) in comparison to last week’s Friday, as revealed by leading commercial banks in the country.
At Peoples Bank, the buying price of the US Dollar has increased to Rs. 316.18 from Rs. 315.93, and the selling price to Rs. 329.37 from Rs. 329.12.
At Commercial Bank, the buying price of the US Dollar has dropped to Rs. 316.78 from Rs. 317.54, but the selling price remains steady at Rs. 327.75.
At Sampath Bank, the buying and selling prices of the US Dollar remain unchanged at Rs. 318 and Rs. 328, respectively.
By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): The Finance Ministry’s drastic import tax cut on maize aimed at lowering the cost of animal feed produced with maize has opened doors for a few importing companies to fish in troubled waters , commodity importers complained.
About 200,000 metric tons of maize is imported annually without taking into consideration the amount of maize grown and harvested in the country.
Concerns are raised regarding a potential loss that the government will make to the tune of Rs50 per kilogram when importing maize from Pakistan.
10,000 metric tons of maize has been allocated to the National Food Promotion Board, official sources said.
The government’s decision to reduce the import tax on maize is aimed at lowering the cost of animal feed produced with maize.
State Minister for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stated in August that the government had reduced the import tax on a kilogram of maize by 50 rupees.
The previous import duty for a kilogram of maize was 75 rupees. Consequently, the import duty on a kilogram of maize has now been lowered to 25 rupees.
The government’s decision to reduce the import tax on maize is aimed at lowering the cost of animal feed produced with maize.
However, it has been reported that some companies are attempting to capitalise on the tax concessions provided for maize imports to Sri Lanka; which would then potentially generate substantial profits.
Consequently, there seems to be plans to distribute the tender for maize importation among multiple companies, without granting the tender to those companies that have been importing maize so far.
These plans are driven by expectations of earning higher profits.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture recently made a decision to impose and subsequently lift a ban on maize imports.
The Department of Animal Production & Health in Peradeniya (Central Province) decided to import maize due to a shortage of two hundred thousand metric tons.
The Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) planned to distribute the imported maize; allocating 70 percent to companies that utilise maize in their production and the remaining 30 percent to companies importing it for animal feed.
Consequently, companies involved in various products using maize have already commenced importing 70 percent of the designated quantity.
The National Food Promotion Board was tasked with importing 10 percent of the remaining 30 percent of maize.
Initially, the Ministry of Agriculture had planned and granted permission to allocate the remaining 20 percent to other exporters.
However, without providing any explanation, the Ministry halted the import of maize stocks that had been allowed for these exporters.
