Colombo (LNW): In the vast spreading of dengue across the country, the situation in the Gampaha district is getting out of control, warned the Public Health Inspectors Association.
The daily count of positive cases reported from Colombo and Gampaha districts is increasing and according to the statistics, the dengue infection is getting out of control in the Gampaha district, revealed Union Chief Upul Rohana, speaking to media.
The situation has occurred due to the inefficiency of the National Dengue Control Unit and provincial officers, Rohana claimed, alleging that they have failed to analyse data and take appropriate action at the correct time.
The PHI Chief urged the authorities to deploy officers and members of the public to conduct dengue prevention programmes to contain the spread of the disease.
During a recent parliamentary session, Harsha de Silva expressed his support for the new welfare gazette while raising some concerns about certain aspects of the bill. He started by commending the government for changing the term “disabled” to “differently-abled” in the gazette and urged other government institutions to follow suit.
De Silva also praised the government’s decision to use independent graduates to conduct the poverty survey, as he believes it will provide impartial data. He highlighted a study by UNICEF that found the Samurdhi benefits to be inequitable, with an exclusion error of 58%. Additionally, he raised concerns about the politicization and lack of regulation of Samurdhi banks.
Although President Wickramasinghe has expressed his intention to bring the Samurdhi Department under the Central Bank back in 2018, it never happened thus, de Silva urged the government to take action on this matter.
In response to calls from MPs to bring people above the poverty line, de Silva suggested the government complete the ‘Prabashwara’ project in Dambulla, a 5000MT temperature and humidity-controlled warehouse, which is almost 90% completed. He believes this will have a positive impact on rural farmers and help lift them out of poverty. He also noted that the Indian High Commission, which initially funded the project, has expressed its willingness to provide additional funds if necessary.
However, de Silva did express some concerns about the new welfare gazette, particularly regarding the distribution of funds and the lack of a clear system for measuring whether individuals have come above the poverty line. Nonetheless, he remains supportive of the bill overall.
Colombo (LNW): The Unit 3 of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant will be shut down from June 3, 2023 for a period of 100 days due to scheduled major overhaul maintenance, announced Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara.
He added that power generation will be managed without any power cuts through other thermal power plants.
Wijesekara further noted that the 30th cargo of coal is currently being unloaded at the Plant, and the full coal requirement of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), thereby, will be completed.
No blackouts or power cuts will occur due to the shortage of coal, he assured.
Colombo (LNW): President Ranil Wickremesinghe has reportedly informed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to launch an immediate probe into Pastor Jerme Fernando, who recently has driven himself into hot soup by making a public statement allegedly insulting Lord Buddha.
The Head of the National Security raised concerns with the President over Pastor Fernando’s comments against Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism, stressing that such ideology could lead to communal tensions in the country, a report by Daily Mirror said.
President Wickremesinghe responded by saying that he would not allow any individual to destabilise the country and stressed that anyone instigating religious disharmony should be probed and stern actions should follow.
Pastor Jerome Fernando, who calls himself the Prophet of God, is a leading advocate for the Glorious Church in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and was recently subject to controversy over a video surfacing on Social Media revealing him make a comment allegedly insulting Lord Buddha and Buddhism.
Parties concerned on Pastor Fernando’s comments are of the view that he is undertaking an activity of a bigger project behind the curtain, paving the way for publicly disowned political leaders to make a comeback, simply by instigating religious disharmony in the same manner to which certain Buddhist monks and extremist groups not very long ago resorted.
Colombo (LNW): “CEB proposal for the July 1st Electricity tariff revision has been submitted to the PUCSL this afternoon. CEB has submitted the proposal according to the Govt policy decisions & tariff filling requirements to adjust the tariffs biannually on January 1st & July 1st every year. CEB has taken into consideration the actual generation data, actual price of inputs, generation mix & forecast for 2023 while giving the maximum benefit of adjustments to low consumption users.“
The above remark has been made by Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara.
He added: “With the 30th Cargo of Coal currently unloading at Norochcholai, the full coal requirement of CEB for this season will be completed. There will be No Black Outs or Power Cuts as speculated earlier by CEB unions & media reports due to Coal shortages.“
Colombo (LNW): SriLankan Airlines says it did not receive any outside funding in the last two years.The airline also said it suffered a foreign exchange loss of LKR142.6 billion resulting from the revaluation of net foreign currency liabilities due to the sudden depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee exchange rate in March 2022.
The group, in fact, made an operating profit according to the audited financial statement and before the occurrence of exchange losses, amounting to LKR1.7 billion in the year.
This is a significant achievement considering the issues faced by airlines worldwide during that period owing to the Pandemic, SriLankan Airlines said in a statement.
SriLankan Airlines presented its unaudited dollar financial statements for the latest financial year that ended in March 2023 at the recent COPE meeting in the Parliament.
During the recently completed fiscal year, the airline generated a passenger and cargo revenue of USD994 million and an operating profit of USD53 million.
The operating profit at group level was USD104 million. The group, however, incurred financing costs of USD101 million, resulting in a profit of USD3 million.
These figures may vary slightly during the finalization of year-end accounts, but essentially the airline has broken even for the first time in over a decade.s the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines stated during the recent COPE meeting, the airline has received no funding in the last two years, and continues to operate using its own cashflows.
The airline maintains operating margins in line with the best industry standards. And it is optimistic that these will be stronger in the year ahead as the country moves forward from the challenges of 2022.
As discussed at the COPE meeting, the biggest challenge yet is the country’s situation and extremely high financing costs
Although 2022 represented a year of solid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for the aviation industry, airlines are still facing annual losses. For instance, the Sri Lankan national carrier SriLankan Airlines reported a loss of $525 million in the year to March 2023.
Undeniably, the demand for air travel in 2022 increased to unexpected levels. Although some airlines have managed to jump on the opportunity and recoup part or all the losses suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, some others still have to deal with negative financial results.
In December 2022, the airline failed to repay interests covering a timespan of five years on loans obtained from local financial institutions.
Notably, the Sri Lankan National Audit Office (NAO) stated the airline received $200 million in 2016/2017 and loan facilities amounting to $80.5 million from two different state banks to address short-term financial needs.
As of March 31st, 2021, the total amount due by the SriLankan carrier amounted to $196 million. Additionally, during the financial year 2021/2022, the airline secured another loan of $75 million.
Colombo (LNW): Plaintiff Hamilton Reserve Bank Ltd. (HRB) and the defendant Government of Sri Lanka submitted a joint status letter on Friday to the Southern District Court of New York outlining the schedule in response to the order US District Judge L. Denise Cote issued on 20 April.
THE Court has ordered the Sri Lankan Government and its sovereign bondholder Hamilton Reserve Bank (HRB) to submit a joint status letter by 12 May 2023.
The decision by US District Judge Denise Cote follows a conference held involving the two parties on 20 April.
The Government in early April in its answers to HRB’s Amended Complaint, denied almost all the allegations.
Via its attorneys Clifford Chance US LLP, the Government said the Plaintiff HRB’s claim is barred, in whole or in part, by reason of Sri Lanka’s sovereign immunity.
Furthermore the Plaintiff’s claim is barred, in whole or in part, because Plaintiff lacks standing to sue and Plaintiff’s claim is barred, in whole or in part, and/or should be stayed, on the grounds of international comity.
HRB owns over $ 250 million in principal amount of the $ 1 billion worth International Sovereign Bonds (ISBs) issued in 2012. The Bonds matured on 25 July 2022.
Hamilton alleged that as a result of Sri Lanka’s default, it is owed $ 250.19 million in principle and $ 7.349 million in accrued interest (before accounting for pre-and post-judgement interest).
HRB, represented by Bleichmar Fonti and Auld LLP and Jenner and Block LLP, initiated this action on 21 June 2022 after which on 21 September Sri Lanka filed a motion to dismiss the complaint.
According to this schedule, jointly signed by the plaintiff’s lawyers Bleichmar Fonti and Auld LLP and the defendant’s lawyers Clifford Chance US LLP both parties are required to complete the discovery before 20 June, the summary judgement motions by 26 June, summary judgement opposition and cross-motions to stay by 17 July, and the summary judgement replies by 31 July this year.
Opposition to cross-motion to stay is due on or before 14 August followed by the cross-motion to stay reply due on or before 31 August, 2023.
The lawyers for the plaintiff and the defendant jointly stipulated a protective order to the Court regarding the discovery material, which includes information of any kind produced or disclosed in the course designated as confidential, limiting access and use by parties not related to the case. Judge Cote so ordered the stipulation.
Sri Lanka in mid-April announced a moratorium on foreign debt repayments, including the Bonds and since then has made no payments on the Bonds. The Government of Sri Lanka filed a motion in September 2022 to dismiss on the grounds that the plaintiff lacks contractual standing.
Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Rupee continues to remain stable against the US Dollar at a number of leading commercial banks, in comparison to the week earlier.
The People’s Bank’s exchange rates reveal the buying rate and the selling rate of the US Dollar remains unchanged at Rs. 303.63 and Rs. 320.97, respectively.
At Commercial Bank, a similar situation follows, as the buying rate and the selling rate of the US Dollar remains unchanged at Rs. 304.84 and Rs. 318, respectively.
At Sampath Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar remains unchanged at Rs. 306 and Rs. 321, respectively.
Colombo (LNW): The lawsuit filed at a Singaporean court demanding compensation for the eco-damage caused by the destruction of the cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl is set to be taken up for a second date today (15).
The case was first taken up at the said Singaporean court on May 09, 2023. A Singaporean legal firm will be appearing on behalf of Sri Lanka.
The destruction of the cargo vessel MV X-Press Pearl by fire on May 20, 2021 was reportedly the worst environmental disaster in Sri Lanka in the recent history.
The AG’s Office filed a lawsuit before a Singaporean court demanding compensation for the eco-damage, but concerned parties opined that a trial can be called upon at a Sri Lankan court.
The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) commented measures have been taken to reassess the damage caused by damage.
