Sri Lanka Navy took hold of a smuggled consignment of Kendu leaves weighing about 150 kg (wet weight), during a patrol carried out in Lunuwila sea area of Kalpitiya on 28th December 2022. The consignment was adrift in the sea area when it was spotted by the Navy.

The recovery of the stock was made by SLNS Suranimila, attached to the Western Naval Command, patrolling in the sea area of Lunuwila on the morning of 28th December. Accordingly, the Navy retrieved 03 suspicious packages adrift at sea and found that the packages were stuffed with Kendu leaves weighing about 150kg (wet weight).

It is believed that the smugglers may have left this stock of Kendu leaves in the sea area due to constant naval operations. Meanwhile, the contraband item has been kept in the naval custody until it is produced for onward legal proceedings.

The Navy has seized about 15133 kg of Kendu leaves attempted to be smuggled thus far in the year 2022. Meanwhile, 19 suspects held in those separate naval operations have been produced for onward legal proceedings.

 SLnavy

Mainly fair weather will prevail over the island, and misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the morning, said the Department of Meteorology in a statement today (30).

Marine Weather:

MIAP

1. Sri Jayawardenepura University Immunology and Molecular Medicine Dengue Research Centre Director Professor Neelika Malavige says dengue cases are at an all-time high after two years.
   
2. Sri Lankan-born Galleon Fund founder Raj Rajaratnam, allegedly the mastermind of the largest hedge-fund insider-trading ring in US history, due to meet some Sri Lankan politicians in the coming days: former CB Governor and present Debt Advisor to the President Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy was also a Director of Rajaratnam’s Galleon Group.
   
3. Excise Commissioner General M.J.Gunasiri says the Excise Department has recorded an annual income of Rs.170 bn, it’s highest in 110 years: previous incomes were Rs.121 bn in 2020 and Rs.140 bn in 2021: also says this was achieved in the background of alcohol price increase and decrease in demand during the last 6 months of 2022.
   
4. Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says over Rs.3.5 bn per month was paid as allowances and salaries for employees of the CEB: also says CEB’s revenue was Rs.33.6 bn for Oct’22 and Rs.35.6 bn for Nov’22.
   
5. Dominant party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ilankai Tamil Arashu Katchchi (ITAK) declines the request to accommodate other Tamil parties except its traditional allies to form a broad political alliance.
   
6. American national Pritchett Jermaine Adriun, 38, identified as a taxi driver in the USA, arrested by Police at the Katunayake International Airport with 10.9 mm live bullets: suspect said to have come to Sri Lanka with his Japanese girlfriend to attend the wedding ceremony of a friend.
   
7. Agriculture Ministry begins to deposit money in the bank accounts of the paddy farmers utilizing Rs.8 bn grant of the ADB: small-scale farmers cultivating paddy to receive financial support of Rs.10,000 for a hectare, upto a maximum of 2 hectares, under the scheme.
   
8. Tens of thousands of Sri Lankan individuals and corporates to cut spending and investment from Jan’23 as steep income tax rates come into force: over 65% inflation, tripled interest rates, high energy prices and the massive tax hike to sharply affect spending on consumption of wage earners: many Sri Lankans scrambling to migrate.
   
9. State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe says approval of IMF will be received in Q1 of 2023: points out that USD 2,900mn in 4 years (in 8 tranches of USD 362 mn once every 6 months) is not a “meagre aid”: also says the arrangement “builds trust in the country” beyond financial value: in the 6 months prior to seeking IMF assistance, the Sri Lankan authorities secured Forex inflows of USD 4,000 mn.
   
10. Government Information Department says all inbound travelers and outbound Sri Lankans could fill “Arrival and Departure Cards” online from 1st January 2023 onwards.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait U. L. Mohammed Jauhar paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the National Assembly Ahmad Abdulaziz Al-Saadoun, who was chosen to the position for the fourth time following the general elections held in September this year. 

During the meeting, the Ambassador sought the assistance of the Speaker to further strengthen the relations between the Kuwait National Assembly and the Parliament of Sri Lanka. While extending congratulations to the Speaker on his election, the Ambassador gave a brief account of the legislatures of Sri Lanka, prior to and post independence. He recalled the visits of the Members of Kuwait National Assembly to Sri Lanka.

Speaker Al-Saadoun thanked the Ambassador and stated that a Kuwait Parliamentary Friendship Group on Sri Lanka would be formed shortly. He also stated that he believes that the formation of such a group and exchange of visits by legislators of both countries in future would further enhance the bilateral cooperation. The Speaker appreciated the contribution of the Sri Lankan migrant workers to the economy of the State of Kuwait. He fondly recalled his meeting with former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike during his visit to Sri Lanka in 1975.

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Kuwait

23 December 2022

The newly appointed Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Türkiye, Saranya Hasanthi Urugodawatte Dissanayake, presented credentials to President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 27 December 2022 at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, accrediting her as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Türkiye.

During the meeting, President Erdoğan extended his greetings to President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremasinghe. He further recalled Sri Lanka’s long standing bilateral relations with Türkiye with connections dating back to around 09^th Century during the Ottoman Empire. He noted that first formal relations began with the Ottoman Empire appointing an Honorary Consul to Sri Lanka in 1864 with residence in Galle.

President Erdoğan also recalled his visit to Sri Lanka in 2005 as the then Prime Minister of Türkiye and noted the humanitarian assistance extended by the Government of Türkiye to Sri Lanka as well as the donation of medical supply to Sri Lanka in August 2022. He expressed his pleasure on the continuous support for the operation of Turkish Airlines in Sri Lanka stating that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Turkish Airlines was one of the few airlines that continued its services between Istanbul and Colombo.

Ambassador Dissanayake thanked President Erdoğan for his remarks and stated that as a senior career diplomat, and being mandated by the President of Sri Lanka, she remains firmly committed to further strengthen the longstanding and cordial bilateral relations between the two countries. She also thanked the President and the Government of Türkiye for supporting Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, Geneva.

The Ambassador also briefed President Erdoğan on Sri Lanka’s current economic and political situation and assured that to her utmost ability, she remains committed to promote historical relations for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Ambassador Dissanayake expressed inspirations she has drawn from the visionary founding father of the Republic of Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who modernized the nation with secular, pluralist democratic features, which is a part of the “Kemalist” ideology, that led to the empowerment of women as a pre-requisite for development.

Considering the visionary leadership of Veteran Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in transforming the country in to a modern state with emancipation of all its citizenry including women, revamping the justice and legal system to bring fairness to all, which is indeed a global inspiration.  Ambassador Dissanayake further stated that this has also been the commonality of the shared vision of the two countries during its longstanding friendship. She specified that 2023 is a very significant year for both countries individually and for the bilateral relations of the two countries with Türkiye celebrating its 100^th Anniversary of Independence and Sri Lanka celebrating its 75^th Anniversary of Independence. Sri Lanka and Türkiye will be celebrating the 75^th Anniversary of established Diplomatic relations.

The Ambassador congratulated President Erdoğan on his initiatives on climate and environment, including the commitment to host the 16^th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in 2023, global Zero Waste initiative and the announcement of the world’s largest wave energy project. Türkiye’s soft diplomacy skills in facilitating the Black Sea Grain Deal and the fact that the country is hosting 3.6 million Syrian refugees and 400,000 other refugees were much appreciated.

The need to conclude bilateral agreements on investment promotion and protection, avoidance of double taxation and customs matters were noted as key areas of collaboration for enhancing bilateral investment and trade. Increasing cooperation in education, culture, technology, energy and tourism sectors were also discussed.

In the sphere of cultural exchange it was also noted that the 02 novels of Nobel Literature Laureate OrhanPamuk, the Turkish Novelist, screenwriter, academic, has been translated to Sinhalese by a fellow Sri Lanka Foreign Service Officer, Niluka Kadurugamuwa, currently serving as the Deputy High Commissioner at the Sri Lanka High Commission in New Delhi, India.

Ambassador Dissanayake also stated that she is closely collaborating with the Turkish Ambassador in Colombo and Turkish Airlines on a range of economic cooperation activities and that she is looking forward to holding the 3^rd Session of the bilateral Economic and Technical Cooperation in Ankara.

Ambassador Saranya Hasanthi Urugodawatte Dissanayake joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in 1996 and has previously served as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Viet Nam, Consul General in Shanghai, and other diplomatic postings in Japan, Sweden and Italy.

Prior to her appointment as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Türkiye, she was the Additional Secretary for Ocean Affairs, Climate Change and Environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sri Lanka.   

She is married and has one daughter.

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Ankara

29 December 2022

Recently, at the invitation of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Upholding the Monarchy and the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Thailand, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka C.A. Chaminda I Colonne, and spouse Stephen Senanayake joined the inauguration ceremony on “Reinvigoration of Ayutthaya’s Foreign Relations” at Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province, Thailand. The event was also attended by Ambassadors and representatives of six other countries which enjoy historical relations with Ayutthaya, namely, Iran, Indonesia Vietnam, India, China and Japan.  

Chairman of the Working Group, Governor of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, President of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University and Senator Withaya Pewpong welcomed the Ambassadors and their spouses to the ceremony.  During the opening remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Upholding the Monarchy Senator Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana, and President of the Senate Professor Pornpetch Wichitcholchai highlighted Ayutthya’s historical international relations.

At the Sri Lanka corner of the Exhibition, Ambassador Chaminda Colonne outlined Sri Lanka’s historical relations with Thailand.

Thailand and Sri Lanka have cordial relations, especially in religion, arts and culture that extend over a span of seven centuries. Ayutthaya of Thailand and Kandy of Sri Lanka are the epicenters of these historical relations. Both countries have supported each other at crucial moments throughout the history. As a result, Buddhism has been firmly established in both countries until today.

All the seven countries which have historical relations with Ayutthya also participated in the exhibition displaying souvenirs that represent their national identity. Products from Spices and Allied Products Marketing Board and artifacts from National Crafts Council were showcased at the Sri Lanka stall and Ceylon Tea was offered to the visitors to the stall.

Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka

Bangkok

28 December 2022

Leading private airlines of the Russian Federation Red Wings Airlines today (29) commenced scheduled charter flights to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Sri Lanka from Moscow, Russia.

The flights carried a group of tourists, and according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, the inaugural flight arrived at 9.42 am this morning, with 398 international tourists.

The event was graced by Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala De Silva.

Red Wings delivers a charter programme Moscow-Mattala-Moscow two flights per week operated by Boeing 777-200 craft with 412 seating capacity for this season.

MIAP

The consumers in Kandy and Galle areas can purchase eggs at Rs. 55 each from Friday (30), said Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, following his request to the All Ceylon Egg Producers’ Association to initiate a programme to sell eggs at a fair price amidst the astronomically high prices found in the market.

Following Amaraweera’s request, the Egg Producers Association yesterday (28) implemented a programme providing eggs at Rs. 55 each centring Colmobo and Gampaha districts, a move that has been taken into motion preventing the occurrence of any artificial shortage of eggs or any price surge.

The Union revealed that they expect to sell 400,000 eggs from ten lorries at ten locations, including Borella, Maharagama, Dematagoda, Narahenpita, near the Colombo National Television Corporation, Rajagiriya, Ja-Ela, Wattala, Negombo and Ragama. Customers were not allowed to purchase more than 25 eggs at a time, it added.

Meanwhile, the Subject Minister confessed that this arrangement is not the best solution to address the problem, adding that the unscrupulous traders, however, cannot be allowed to exploit customers by selling eggs for higher prices.

MIAP