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.

By: Isuru Parakrama

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.

By: Staff Writer

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.

By: Staff Writer

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.

By: Staff Writer

Colombo (LNW): Despite hopes of a turnaround with fertiliser, Sri Lanka’s tea production began the year 2023 with lower crop volumes but the tea exports are increasing favourably in the the first four months of the year.

The woes of the tea industry continue with January crop volumes decreasing by 3.68 million kilos (16.13%) to 19.14 million kilos against the fertiliser issue.

Data analysed by Forbes and Walkers Research confirmed that the country’s tea production drop was seen at all elevation levels compared to the corresponding January 2022.

Sri Lanka’s tea exports in value in the first four months of this year have increased, whilst volume dips, industry sources said.

Siyaka Research said January – April earnings have increased sharply by 11% to US $ 407 million compared to $ 367 million in the same period a year earlier.

In April earnings increased by 16% to $ 93 million compared to $ 80 million in April 2022. Siyaka Research said the higher earnings were possible because of the high FOB per kilo, a value which more than compensated for a 14% drop in quantities from 81.9 million kilos to 70.2 million kilos during January – April 2023.

April recorded the highest ever FOB of $ 5.78 per kg, pushing the cumulative FOB figure to a record $ 5.80 per kg.

“Following the rupee depreciation in 2022 earnings have shot up a massive 58% to Rs. 140 billion compared to Rs. 88 billion in 2021,” it added.

Siyaka Research also said Türkiye continued to lead exports as the top market with volumes soaring by 92% to 8.7 million kilos from 4.5 million kilos in 2022.

Russia has secured the second position with volumes slightly up by 6% YoY to 7.8 million kilos, while Iraq secured the third position with volumes plunging by 51% YoY from 15.3 million kilos to 7.4 million kilos in 2023.

Exports to UAE have also declined by 28% YoY to 5.2 million kilos in 2023, whilst China makes up the top five destinations with volumes dropping by 15% YoY to 3.1 million kilos from 3.7 million kg in 2022.

Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers said the volume of tea exports in April was 16.16 million kilos, down by 2.13 million kilos from a year ago. “All Product Categories have witnessed a decline against the corresponding month of 2022,” it said.

January-April 2023 cumulative exports totalled 70.25 million kilos, down by 11.74 million kilos from the corresponding period of last year.

“Tea in bulk and packaged tea continue to show negative variances, whilst the remaining product categories recorded a marginal increase,” Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers added.

By: Staff Writer

Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka will be taking prompt measures to establish a Maha Vihara University abiding to the traditions of ancient education system of the island nation for buddhist novice monks true to the lord Budhha’s preachings of education to be a noble cause, he advocated teaching only what is necessary with strict discipline, top level official sources disclosed.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed his intention to seek assistance from Japan to establish a Maha Vihara University.

Accordingly, the Head of State stated that, during his upcoming visit to Japan, he intends to seek Japanese assistance to build a Maha Vihara University in which Theravada Buddhism could be studied.

Wickremesinghe made these comments while visiting the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters this morning (20 May), the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

While it is apparent in the literature that the lord Buddha considered education to be a noble cause, he advocated teaching only what is necessary—in the Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, he advises his son Rahula to learn only such matters as will be beneficial for the betterment of himself and society.

In this regard, the Buddha considered discipline to be a prerequisite for education, which he viewed as a process in which parents, the clergy, and students should participate equally. As dictated in the Vinaya Pitaka of the Tipitaka, monks are bound by 220 precepts,

The Pirivena tradition dates back to the 1st century CE, when the Mahavihara and Abhayagirivihara were commissioned through royal patronage.

This Buddhist tradition and discipline of monks have deteriorated and the traditional form of education soon died out following the permission given to novice monks to enter local universities several decades ago.

At present most of these student monks have become the utmost unruly and indisciplined group engaging in street fights and protests not under the Buddhist doctrine for each and everything becoming a disgrace for the country and trouble makers for the nation.

This was clearly demonstrated in recent protest demonstrations and street fights of undergraduates backed by student monks where some of those monks were seen jumping from walls without robes inly with andana kada running down the streets.

The disciplined and decent behavior of novice monks further eroded following the setting up of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka in Colombo 07 and later in Homagama in 1981 and is organized in two faculties.

The student monks of the University had allegedly engaged in rowdyism and various vices   , and the hostels had become safe houses for various narcotics, authorities alleged.

The objective of establishing a Buddhist University is not merely offering degree programmes as it is done in any other national university.

This is an institution that has been established, to achieve the aims of disseminating Dhamma in Sri Lanka and throughout the world, to promote the study of Dhamma and Discipline (Vinaya) several vice camcellors claimed.

Let us hope and prey this new Maha Vihara University will not be another Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka.

Japan Times: Nippon Ishin no Kai Upper House lawmaker Mizuho Umemura was dismissed from a parliamentary committee and party officials apologized after her remarks questioning the March 2021 death of a Sri Lankan woman at an immigration facility ignited a firestorm of criticism.

Ratnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali, 33, died at Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau after complaining to officials that she was ill and needed medical attention, sparking shock, anger, and calls from within Japan and abroad for reforms over the way detainees are treated.

Video clips taken by a security camera in Wishma’s room show her repeatedly pleading to immigration officials to be taken to the hospital to no avail. The woman was not eating, although in one video clip she tells officials she would if she could.

But without offering proof, Umemura told the Upper House on three occasions that Wishma may have died as a result of a hunger strike, suggesting she had done so in the hope of an early release from the center due to illness.

Her remarks caused an uproar, inviting criticism from other ruling and opposition party leaders. Umemura admitted to a judicial affairs committee on Tuesday that it was just speculation. On Thursday, Nippon Ishin Secretary-General Fumitake Fujita announced the party had forced Umemura to resign from the Judicial Affairs Committee and that other disciplinary actions might be taken.

“The fact that Umemura took up an emotional question based on her assumptions is extremely problematic and inappropriate. The party’s executive committee would like to apologize,” Fujita said.

Immigration officials acknowledged in an August 2021 report that officials lacked an awareness of how serious Wishma’s situation was. The head of the Immigration Services Agency apologized, and four officials at the Nagoya center were reprimanded. The family has filed a lawsuit against the government and is seeking ¥156 million in compensation.

Source: Japan Times

Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Army under the leadership of Army Spokesperson Brigadier Ravi Herath is providing essential support to combat dengue, which as of now has been declared as a pending epidemic.

Accordingly, the Army is providing essential support to the Anti-Dengue Task Force appointed by the government and their operations include the conduction of a thorough dengue inspections and contributing to the battling of the disease.

Meanwhile, the National Dengue Control Unit has announced the initiation of comprehensive measures to prevent the transmissions of dengue, with rigorous inspections of various premises, particularly those at risk of becoming breeding grounds for carrier mosquitoes.

It is also reported that the National Dengue Control Unit has deployed drones to inspect areas that are difficult to surveil, and a special dengue control programme is set to launch in the North-Western Province tomorrow (22), in parallel with the ongoing islandwide initiative to battle the disease.

As of now the National Dengue Control Unit has identified 57 MOH divisions as high-risk areas, and these areas will be subject to dengue control, ensuring prompt and targeted actions to mitigate the contagion.