1 Ambassadors and 6 High Commissioners presented credentials to the  President 

Eleven newly appointed Ambassadors and six High Commissioners to Sri Lanka presented their credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe this afternoon (02) at the Presidential Palace in Kandy.

The Ambassadors have been appointed to Cote d’Ivoire, Uruguay, Mongolia, Serbia, Sudan, Armenia, North Macedonia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Ecuador, while High Commissioners have been appointed to Jamaica, Tanzania, Malawi, Canada, Malaysia, and the Maldives.

The complete list of the newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners is listed below:

1. Mr. N’dry Eric Camille 

Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire based in New Delhi

2. Mr. Jason K. Hall 

High Commissioner-designate of Jamaica based in New Delhi 

3. Mr. Albeto Guani Amarilla 

Ambassador-designate of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay based in New Delhi 

4. Mr. Ganbold Dambajav

Ambassador-designate of Mongolia based in New Delhi 

5. Ms. Anisa Kapufi Mbega 

High Commissioner-designate of the United Republic of Tanzania based in New Delhi

6. Mr. Sinisa Pacic 

Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Serbia based in New Delhi

7. Mr. Leonard Mengazi 

High Commissioner-designate of the Republic of Malawi based in New Delhi

8. Mr. Abdalla Omer Elhusain 

Ambassador-designate of the Republic of  Sudan based in New Delhi

9. Mr. Eric Walsh 

High Commissioner-designate of Canada based in Colombo 

10. Mr Youri Babakhanian 

Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Armenia based in New Delhi

11. Mr. Slobodan Uzunov

Ambassador-designate of the Republic of North Macedonia based in New Delhi

12. Mr. Robert Maxian 

Ambassador-designate of the Slovak Republic based in New Delhi 

13. Mr Badil Hashim Bin Adam

High Commissioner-designate of Malaysia based in Colombo

14. Dr. (Ms) Eliska Zigova

Ambassador-designate of the Czech Republic based in New Delhi 

15. Mr. Jan Thesleff 

Ambassador-designate of the Kingdom of Sweden based in New Delhi 

16. Mr. Francisco Teodoro Guevara 

Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Ecuador based in New Delhi 

17. Mr. Ali Faiz 

High Commissioner-designate of the Republic of Maldives based in Colombo 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabri and President’s Secretary Mr Saman Ekanayake were also present on this occasion.

Following the acceptance of their credentials, President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in cordial discussions with the new Ambassadors and High Commissioners.

Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President Mr Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mrs Aruni Wijewardane and a group of Kandy District Parliamentarians were also present at the event.

President’s Media Division (PMD)

It is reported that all trade unions of the Central Bank have started to ‘work to rule’ from today until further notice as the next phase against the unfair tax practice imposed to please the International Monetary Fund.

It is revealed that the central bank governor, who was very upset about this trade union action which was carried out with prior notice, has threatened to stop the SLTB service provided to the employees and suspend the welfare allowances such as allowances given during the festival periods.

It is reported that Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, the governor of the central bank, who is acting like this, has participated in foreign trips in addition to domestic trips and embezzled more than $10,000 for the past few months. Following a ‘double policy’, he gets two pensions and fattens his money.

Press Release | 26th January 2023

Photo Captions:

1. The group photo of the award winners 
2. Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha as chief guest
3. Talavou Alailima, Chairman of SportUnleash, addressing the event

It was an unforgettable night for 15 of the most outstanding sportspersons in fifteen sports and the athletes of three outstanding sports performances for 2022. The SportUnleash School Sports Awards 2022, sponsored by SportUnleash, the organization which scientifically identifies the sports talent of children between the ages of 9 and 11, and organized by SPORTSINFO, was an event that made a profound impact on the landscape of the sports arena of Sri Lanka.

Making its debut as the first-ever annual national schools sports award ceremony in Sri Lanka, the event was held at the BMICH on Monday, 23rd January 2023. This brainchild of Thilan Rangana, the Chairman of SPORTSINFO, backed by the former National Record holder Talavou Alailima, Chairman of SportUnleash and founder of Power World Gyms, is the explosive partnership that brought to life this Sports Awards, which without a doubt will be a prized event for champion athletes each year.

The chief guest of the event was the Minister of Education, Hon. Susil Premajayantha who highlighted the timely need for a change in the country’s education system, stressing that it is paramount that a child’s education and sports should go hand in hand to build a healthier and more productive nation. The former Minister and present Member of Parliament, Hon. Eran Wickramaratne was the guest of honor for the event. Many heads of Sports Associations, Principles of leading schools, Sponsors of Sports, and Captains of business were also present.

“If we plan to impact the world in sports, then we must identify the sports talent of our children at an early age and support them throughout their school sports journey. These winners were the best of the best in 2022, and their sports talent has been proven for years; their resolve, determination, passion, and grit have been tested by fire to be the best in their sport for 2022. There is absolutely no doubt that these are the athletes who will bring honor to Sri Lanka in the next ten years. If there are athletes that a sponsor should back, it is these winners, as their investment will provide the best return for their brand and organization,” added Talavou Alailima.

Thilan Rangana of SPORTSINFO said that “for years, we have seen only a couple of sports recognizing their best athletes. However, I believe that if Sri Lankan sports is to achieve its potential, we must honor the performance of all school sports, as they are the cradle of our future National sports performances. Today we have achieved that vital milestone, and we will strive each year to make this event a special day for our future national champions so that they will never give up their sport but keep driving themselves to achieve their very best for Sri Lanka”.

For 2022, the following Athletes were awarded the Most Outstanding Award. ATHLETICS – Track events Nadun Kaveesha Bandara of Royal College, Colombo, and Ashmika Keshan Korala of Yoshida International School, Sapugaskanda, for Field Events. BATMINTON – Viren Nettasinghe of St. Peter’s College. BASKETBALL – G. G. Minoli Mariya Direkze of HFC Bambalapitiya. BOXING – Pasindu Umayanga Mihiran, Nalanda College. CHESS – L. M. Susal T de Silva, Nalanda College. CRICKET -Dunith Wellalage, St. Joseph’s College. KARATE – C. A. Tharuki Sashindi, Sapugaskanda Visaka Vidyalaya. NETBALL – Hiruni Heshani, HFC Kurunegala. ROWING –  Shaylon Shayan Gunaratna, Asian International School. RUGBY – Dinupa Seneviratna, D. S. Senanayake College. SWIMMING – Ganga Seneviratne, Visaka Vidyalaya. TENNIS – Dinara de Silva, St Bridget’s Convent. VOLLEYBALL –  Kavishka Madushanka, Rajasinghe Central College, Ruwanwella.  WRESTLING – Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando, Welpalla Sangharathana Maha Vidyalaya, Giriulla. COACH – T. S.  Suranga Kumara. SPORTING SCHOOL – Nalanda College.

The Jury Medals for Sports Excellence, headed by Co-Chairman Dr. Harsha Abeykoon and Rear Admiral Prof. Shemal Fernando, were awarded to Danindu Chirath Sellepperuma of Ananda College and Vishmi Gunaratne of Rathnawali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha for their noteworthy performance in cricket for 2022, and to Tharushi Karunarathne of A. Ratnayake MMV, Walala in Athletics.  

The newly appointed Ambassador-designate of Sri Lanka to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Reethisri Wijeratne Mendis assumed duties at the Embassy of Sri Lanka on 30 January 2023. 

Ambassador-designate Reethisri Wijeratne Mendis was warmly welcomed by the staff of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bahrain and commenced work with a simple ceremony. Traditional Sri Lankan cuisine of kiribath, kavum and kokis was served on the occasion.

Addressing the staff, the Ambassador-designate expressed her intention to work towards further strengthening the bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Bahrain, building on the foundations of political, economic, cultural cooperation and people-to-people linkages.

Speaking on the vision and the policies of the President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Government of Sri Lanka on economic recovery and development, the Ambassador-designate underscored the role of economic diplomacy played by the Embassy of Sri Lanka.

Ambassador-designate Wijeratne Mendis also emphasized the importance of optimizing the delivery of consular and welfare services to the Sri Lankan community in Bahrain, paying particular attention to the Sri Lankan migrant workers.

A member of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service batch of 1996, Ambassador-designate Reethisri Wijeratne Mendis has previously served as the Addl. Secretary, Middle East and African Affairs, Consular and Overseas Sri Lankans (Actg) of the Foreign Ministry.

Photo Captions:

1. Rolf Blaser, MD & CEO of Baurs (right) exchanging the agreement with Jason Avanceña, Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka PLC

2. Seen here at the signing ceremony (L-R) are Gerard Mendis, Jason Avanceña- Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka PLC, Rolf Blaser- MD & CEO of Baurs, and Patrick Pereira, VP of SLHGA

The Swiss Hotel Management Academy (SHMA) of A. Baur & Co. Pvt Ltd, which is licensed to deliver the VET (Vocational Education Training) by EHL Professional Diploma programme from the pioneer in hospitality education since 1893 with over 25,000 alumni worldwide and over 120 nationalities, École hôtelière de Lausanne, recently partnered with Nestlé Lanka PLC, as part of its private sector synergies aimed at upskilling young and rising talent in the sector.

The agreement was signed on December last year between Rolf Blaser, Managing Director & CEO of A. Baur & Co. Pvt Ltd (Baurs) and Jason Avanceña, Managing Director of Nestlé Lanka PLC in the presence of officials representing both Baurs and Nestle Lanka including senior delegates from Chefs Guild of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Hospitality Graduates Association’ (SLHGA).

As the largest food and beverage company in the world with an unwavering commitment and contribution towards healthier families, empowered communities and a greener Sri Lanka for over 115 years, Nestlé Lanka took the initiative to fully sponsor the prestigious VET Professional Diploma of EHL for participants within the industry enhancing their skills and qualifying them with the best hospitality certification available out there.

The primary objective of this private sector synergy is to equip many with a world class education from VET by EHL, building on their years of experience. The students were awarded scholarships on the 9th of January, following the registration and enrollment into the program, and the Diplomas programmes will be facilitated by EHL certified facilitators and industry veterans at SHMA.

‘We are excited about our partnership with Nestlé Lanka and the drive to equip our vibrant talent pool in the country with the necessary knowledge and skills from the world’s most sought-after hospitality education provider. This is the first of the many collaborations to come, and we are proud to be a part of such initiatives that will go on to uplift and showcase our diverse and international quality hospitality standards to the world,’ said Mr. Blaser.  

Mr. Avanceña also highlighted the importance of the country’s hospitality sector and the challenges in the recent years, and the timely need to support future hoteliers and professionals in the food service industry, by collaborating with other organizations who share the similar vision and values.

The participants were exempted from the foundation level based on their previous industrial experiences and skills, allowing them direct enrolment to the Intermediate level, following the advanced diploma programme through an apprenticeship approach in their current workplace, which will be monitored and evaluated by SHMA. 

The apprenticeship comprises an intense weekly 1-day theoretical and practical learning followed by a comprehensive 5-day ‘on-the-job’ training. SHMA is the first hospitality management institute in Sri Lanka to offer an apprenticeship model through the VET by EHL programmes and have signed up numerous partner hotels with many more joining. 

EHL Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne is an ambassador for traditional Swiss hospitality and the world’s first hospitality management school that provides undergraduate and graduate programs at its campuses in Lausanne, Singapore and Chur-Passugg, as well as online learning solutions. The programs are based on the Swiss Competency Framework, one of the best education models in the world. 

SHMA also recently established a private and public sector partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) to localize and implement the RIESCO program in Sri Lanka through its Skills for Sustainable Growth (SSG) initiative. The SSG initiative which is aimed at supporting Sri Lanka’s hospitality and tourism industry will play an important role in minimizing the skills gap and uplifting the quality of education to attain the pinnacle of excellence, through numerous activities that will increase female participation, build a competent talent pool, enhance quality standards in par with global trends, and making the country among the best tourist destinations. This will also help take off the burden on the state and contribute to not just industry but the reputation and economy as well. 

1. US Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland meets President Ranil Wickremesinghe: pledges US support for Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts: says US expects China to provide “credible assurances” to Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring: reports show loans of USD 2.5 bn was on the verge of being disbursed by China when Sri Lanka hurriedly announced a debt default on 12th April 2022.
2. Workers’ remittances in 2022 amounts to USD 3,789 mn, in comparison to USD 5,491 mn in 2021: records decline of 31.0%: recovery noted in latter part of the year, with remittances increasing to USD 476 mn during December 2022, in comparison to USD 384 mn in the previous month.
3. Mahaweli Authority says it is unable to release adequate volumes of water from reservoirs for the uninterrupted supply of electricity: reiterates only water required for the usual generation of electricity with the scheduled power cuts, can be supplied.
4. John Keells Holdings Chief Krishan Balendra urges Govt to expedite “privatisation”: says that was done by countries when faced with similar challenges to address structural and governance issues.
5. Govt says the IMF has informed that the Chinese 2-year debt moratorium was not adequate to proceed with the IMF programme and that the IMF insists on a “uniform programme” for all bilateral creditors: analysts say IMF is unreasonably withholding support even after almost all prior conditions demanded by them have been met: it’s now over 10 1/2 months since Sri Lanka approached the IMF.
6. Social activist and YouTuber Sepal Amarasinghe who is in remand custody for allegedly causing a disturbance among the Buddhist community by making insulting comments about the Sacred Tooth Relic, informs Court he is ready to make an apology over the statement in question.
7. Cabinet approves the conferment of the honorary title ‘Sri Lankabhimanya’ on Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya: ‘Sri Lankabhimanya’ is the highest civil honour in Sri Lanka.
8. CPC and LIOC increase the price of Octane 92 Petrol by Rs.30 per litre: new prices – Petrol Rs.400, Diesel Rs.405, & Kerosene Rs.355: in March 2022, Petrol was Rs.177, Diesel Rs.121, & Kerosene Rs.87.
9. Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini says the Catholic Church will boycott the 75th Independence Day celebrations on 4th February: also says Govt’s move to allocate Rs.200 mn for the event is a crime against the people and a huge waste.
10. Transparency International ranks Sri Lanka at the 101st place in it’s Corruption Perceptions Index of 2022 with a score of 36 out of 100: SL’s ranking is alongside Panama, Albania, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Ecuador, Peru & Thailand.