01. The document containing the auspicious times for the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year handed over to President Ranil Wickremesinghe: ‘Nekath Seettuwa’, the time table of New Year rituals presented by Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake at the President’s Office: The Sinhala and Tamil New Year symbolises the transition of the Sun from constellations Pisces to Aries.

02. The first school term for 2023 ends today: Schools to reopen on April 17, 2023: The Education Ministry says school students will receive a holiday for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

03. The Election Commission is set to meet today on the holding of the LG Polls: Commission Chief Nimal Punchihewa says the date of the Polls will be decided after April 10, 2023; asserts if the necessary funds are provided before the 10^th, there is a possibility of holding postal voting before April 25, 2023.

04. State-run LP Gas distributor LITRO announces the prices of domestic gas cylinders will drop from midnight today: Company Chief Muditha Peiris says the price of a 12.5 kg domestic gas cylinder will drop by about Rs. 1000.

05. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference urges the government to uphold the Constitution and democracy of Sri Lanka and not to proceed with any “unwarranted measures to interfere with the independence of the Judiciary and preserve the Freedom of Speech and Expression of all its citizens.”

06. President Ranil Wickremesinghe says the agreement with the IMF would be presented to Parliament for a vote on whether to support it; adds following this, the key points of the agreements would be enacted into law.

07. Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara says the duty-free allowances given to migrant workers at the Airport will be increased from May 01, 2023; asserts migrant workers will be entitled to additional duty concessions based on the amount they spend.

08. The appeal filed by the Attorney General challenging the dropping of charges under the PTA against IUSF Convener Wasantha Mudalige by the Colombo Magistrate Court to be called in before the Colombo High Court on June 01, 2023.

09. A protest march organised by the Inter-University Students’ Federation in Colombo against the repression unleashed at state universities dispersed by Police: Tear gas and water cannons thrown at protesters.

10. Former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne says the United National Party and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya have no difference in policy, and therefore must unite to rebuild the country under President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

By: Isuru Parakrama

Colombo (LNW): The United National Party (UNP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) the main Opposition must unite in the mission to rebuild the country in the backdrop where the policies followed by the two political streams are alike, said MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne.

Accordingly, the former Health Minister emphasised that the programme implemented by the President for economic recovery must be agreed upon.

Senaratne also noted that a visible and positive change is happening in the country since Mr. Wickremesinghe assumed Office as the President, for which he is grateful, adding that a common ground where the two political mainstreams discuss and work together, therefore, must be reached.

A three-day Workshop on “Cooperation for Maritime Security” organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) concluded on 23 March.

The workshop provided an insightful analysis on IORA Member States to identify gaps between domestic legislation and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The focal points of maritime safety and security of the IORA Member States, namely Australia, Bangladesh, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Yemen and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard attended the event. Participants from Dialogue Partners of IORA, Germany, Italy, Japan and USA also joined the workshop virtually.

Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and President of the Australian Branch of the International Law Association Natalie Klein, Senior Research Fellow, Max Planck Foundation, Arron N. Honniball, Research Fellow, Max Planck Foundation, Egor S. Fedorov, Programme Support Officer, Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Asyura Salleh along with experts from Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard conducted the session.  

The Workshop was held on the sideline of the 3^rd Meeting of IORA Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security on 20 March 2023 inaugurated by Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane and attended by the Heads of Mission of IORA Member States and Dialogue Partner countries based in Colombo, Senior Officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Fisheries, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Merchant Shipping Secretariat, Disaster Management Center and Marine Environment Protection Authority, the UNODC, and officials of the Max Planck Foundation as well as representatives of the GIZ.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

27 March 2023

fl360aero: The authorities of Sri Lanka plan to sell the national carrier SriLankan Airlines, the buyer may be from Russia, the country’s Minister of Transport Bandula Gunawardana said in an interview with Russian agency RIA Novosti.

“Yes, I can confirm that the Sri Lankan authorities are planning to sell SriLankan Airlines, but a buyer has not yet been found. There are many business opportunities here, and the buyer could very well be any Russian company,” Gunawardana said.

The Minister also noted that the country’s authorities want to find a good buyer for the carrier. He also explained why SriLankan Airlines does not fly to Russia now: because of insurance problems.

“The airline has problems with insurance: as soon as they solve it, they will try to resume flights to Russia. I think this will happen in the future.

On March 30 , Country’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe had said that the country’s resources are wasted on the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), and SriLankan Airlines.

Things were never this bad for the carrier — SriLankan Airlines is the award-winning national carrier of the Island country Sri Lanka. Launched in 1979, and formerly known as Air Ceylon, SriLankan once became a major player in South Asian aviation establishing a reputation for service, comfort, safety, reliability, and punctuality. SriLankan had joined the oneworld airline alliance in 2014 as the first carrier from the Indian Sub-continent.

However, time is tough for the airline business now, there is not an airline in the world over that has not faced difficulties in the wake of Covid-19. Fuel costs have also been a challenge for everyone.

Srilankan Airlines case is unique , as the carrier was emerging from these challenges with a strong return to operations and profit, Sri Lanka was also on the brink of an economic crisis , multiple factors affected the recovery process.

“Fuel has gone from 25% of our costs to over 50% of costs at one stage last year. Obviously, that makes a big difference in a low-margin industry,”says Richard Nuttall, CEO of the airline.

Shortly thereafter, Sri Lanka defaulted on its foreign debt, prompting discussions with the IMF for a package to address the shortage of foreign currency in the country. There is nowhere the airline can borrow from, while its existing loans are at a high-interest rate.

Sri Lanka has also been in talks with Washington-based International Finance Corporation to help re-structure SriLankan Airlines and two other firms listed for divestiture.

fl360aero

By: Isuru Parakrama

World (LNW): The United Nations said many countries around the world are falling short when it comes to investing in public education.

Citing its 4^th Sustainable Development Goal for Quality Education, the United Nations today (03) reiterated in a statement that quality education is “not a luxury, but a human right.”

“Providing quality education for all is fundamental to creating a peaceful and prosperous world,” the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals read, adding that “Education gives people the knowledge and skills they need to stay healthy, get jobs and foster tolerance.”

Estimatedly 147 million children miss more than half of their in-class instruction over the past two years, and this generation of children could lose a combined total of US$ 17 trillion in lifetime earnings in present value, the UN emphasised.

School closures have affected girls, children from disadvantaged backgrounds, those living in rural areas, children with disabilities and children from ethnic minorities more than their peers.

By: Isuru Parakrama

Colombo (LNW): A group of 39 Chinese nationals have been arrested in Aluthgama area on the allegation of engaging in an online financial scam, Police said.

Reports emerge that the group, also recognised as an entity comprised of wanted criminals subject to red notices by the INTERPOL, had defrauded money from people around the world, and was arrested on Saturday (01) by a joint operation by the Police and Chinese officials.

Among the arrestees are 33 men, five women and also a minor, according to Police.

The suspects had been living in Aluthgama over the last six months, and some had even been made to stay against their will and forced to commit the crime, Police added.

Computer devices, smart devices and money have been recovered from the suspects’ possession, and three suspects were arrested without their passports, which, according to the Police, had been taken by the mastermind involved in the scam.