Batticaloa (LNW): A book consisting poetic work of a number of journalists and columnists remembering the slain Journalist Taraki D. Sivaram was launched yesterday (July 16) evening at YMCA building in Batticaloa.
The book was presented to Chief Guest Bhavani Sivaram, wife of Taraki, and the launching was organised by Negenahira Madhya Samoohaya.
Sivaram was a well known and controversial political journalist in Sri Lanka and a senior editor for Tamilnet.com. On April 28, 2005 he was kidnapped by four men in a white van near the Bambalapitiya Police station. His body was found the next day in Himbulala. His death was ruled a result of being beaten and shot in the head.
Minister of Foreign Affairs M.U.M. Ali Sabry led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 30th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting held on 14 July 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The ARF is an Asia-Pacific region centric security dialogue mechanism inaugurated in 1994 in Thailand which seeks to promote regional development and prosperity through open and inclusive dialogue while recognizing challenges to regional peace, security and prosperity. The ARF has 27 member states and Sri Lanka has been a member of the ARF since 2007.
Addressing the forum, Foreign Minister Sabry highlighted the important areas of cooperation for Sri Lanka, including maritime security, disaster management, defence related confidence building measures and preventive diplomacy, and for sustaining the growing economic dynamism and prosperity of the region. He also welcomed the steady advancement in the areas of cooperation in the ARF and unreservedly supported the process.
The Foreign Minister said that Sri Lanka intends to become a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which is the world’s largest free trade area that came into effect on 01 January 2022. Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are the 15 founding members of the RCEP. The RCEP became open for new members from 1 July 2023 and Sri Lanka has submitted the Letter of Intent to the ASEAN Secretariat on 28 June 2023 to join the RCEP.
The Minister held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ARF with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Russia, Timor Leste, Vietnam and the UK to discuss areas of mutual interest. During his stay in Jakarta, he also held discussions with the Indonesian Minister of Finance, the National Agency for Combating Terrorism (BNPT) of Indonesia and the Sri Lankan business community in Indonesia.
The Sri Lanka delegation included the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Indonesia Jayanath Colombage and Director General of the Southeast and Central Asia Division of the Foreign Ministry Waruna Wilpatha.
“Hot-money” investors in Govt T-Bills & Bonds continue “fore-warned” exodus after making enormous gains at the Govt’s expense: Forex investment in T-Bills & Bonds reduces by about USD 40 mn last week, from approximately USD 604 mn to USD 564 mn: analysts say further exits are likely over the next few weeks, putting severe pressure on the exchange rate.
Ministry of Power and Energy Secretary M P D U K Mapa Pathirana says the Govt will appoint a committee to evaluate the proposal submitted by the Indian Oil Corporation for an oil distribution pipeline from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu to Trincomalee and Colombo: proposal comes days before President Ranil Wickremesinghe is to visit New Delhi on the invitation of Indian Premier Narendra Modi.
Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva says if all SriLankan Airlines pilots leave the country for greener pastures, the Govt will get foreign pilots to run the national carrier: also says those who have no love for the country might leave it for better foreign employment opportunities and this scenario is common with doctors, engineers and other professionals, as well.
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says the batch of injections implicated in the death of a young woman (21) at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, has been temporarily withdrawn from use.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa claims the Parliamentary Select Committee chaired by MP Sagara Kariyawasam to investigate the causes of the country’s bankruptcy, is bogus: says the Opposition has decided to appoint a “genuine” Committee to investigate the causes for the country’s economic collapse.
Sources at the CPC express concerns over the storage capacities available for petroleum products in the country, with the Naphtha tanks at the Sapugaskanda Refinery reportedly nearing over-flowing levels.
Cabinet decides to grant local and foreign unpaid leave to Govt officials, without affecting their seniority and pension.
Senior officials of the Wildlife Conservation Department reveal that 146 villagers had been killed by wild elephants in 2022: also say at least 375 wild elephants had been killed in 2021 and 439 in 2022, and that wild elephants had been killed by laying electric traps, “hakka patas” explosive devices & spiked planks, and by poisoning.
Urban Development Minister Prasanna Ranatunga says people want to implement a program to get the country out of the economic crisis rather than conducting an election at this juncture: also says present public opinion is that President Ranil Wickremesinghe with his international connections is the most experienced and mature political leader who can accomplish the task of rebuilding the country: asserts that those who clamour for elections should join hands with the Govt.
Secretary of the Inland Revenue Dept Staff Officers Association and Deputy Commissioner J T Chandana says it will require huge amounts of human and physical resources for the IRD to open tax files for all Sri Lankans over 18 years, by January 2024: also says there are significant shortages in both human and physical resources at the IRD, making the accomplishment of the task difficult.
Colombo (LNW): After carefully evaluating the arguments put forth by both parties regarding the lawsuit challenging the official declaration made by the Minister of Sports to dissolve the Sri Lanka Rugby Administration, the Court of Appeal has reached a decision. The court has granted permission to proceed with the case and issued a temporary suspension of the gazette notification. Consequently, the rugby administration, previously dissolved by the minister, has been granted permission to recommence its operations, exercising the delegated legal authority required.
In order to avoid this decision, this morning through the president of the Asian Rugby Federation, the president of the Sri Lanka Rugby Federation, who had been dissolved by the federations, was banned and the letter was brought to the court and submitted to the court. The revelation made at the beginning of LNW confirmed that Sri Lanka’s sports minister exerts influence by appointing people according to his own interests.
Sports should indeed be a right accessible to all individuals in the country. It is indeed unfortunate that the Attorney General’s Department has to represent the collective actions of the Minister of Sports and others involved. This situation raises concerns and disappointment regarding the manner in which sports affairs is being handled, potentially impacting the rights and interests of the common people. By presenting a document with the aim of influencing the decision, the lawyers representing the Rugby administration faced criticism for their actions.
Despite facing challenges and periods of non-operation under the administration of Rizly Illyas due to decisions made by ministers Namal Rajapaksa and Roshan Ranasinghe, the administration was able to successfully organize and conduct sports matches. Additionally, they managed to enhance foreign relations, attract new sponsors, and introduce new matches. Notably, the Sri Lankan rugby players achieved their best-ever performance at the Commonwealth Games, resulting in a remarkable situation and showcasing their exceptional abilities.
During Namal Rajapaksa’s time as the minister, there were instances where the sponsor of Sri Lankan rugby was approached by the Asian president to sponsor the Asian tournament through external intervention. During a private discussion with the Asian President, the President of Sri Lanka Rugby was criticized for allegedly putting pressure on the Rugby administration in agreement with the minister. Additionally, convening an advisory board and disregarding the independence of the Rugby administration in the country were points of contention, leading to sharp criticism during the discussion with the Asian President.
That decision affected the independence of the rugby administration appointed according to the rugby constitution. As well as the decision made by the Sri Lankan who was assigned the responsibilities of the Asian federation when he was the president of the rugby federation, who was closely appointed by the Asian president, Sri Lanka is still paying 50,000 pounds for the damage caused by having foreigners play in Sri Lanka. Paying a fine in installments also affected it.
The decision taken by Minister Namal Rajapaksa to dissolve the Rugby administration at that particular moment may have been viewed as the most viable course of action to prevent the aforementioned issues from being extensively discussed in Asian Conference sessions. Even though the decision to dissolve the Rugby administration was revoked by the court, it appears that the Asian chairman made a decision to leverage his authority in implementing a ban until the court case concludes. This could be seen as an attempt to prevent scrutiny or questioning of his influence in potentially impacting the independence of Sri Lankan Rugby within the Asian Council.
Subsequently, the court granted permission for a re-election to take place. However, members of the Sports Minister’s National Sports Council and certain members of the Stabilization Committee, appointed by the Minister, expressed their protests against this decision. Despite their objections, their efforts to influence the outcome were unsuccessful. To prevent the issue from reaching the Asian Council, Rizly Illyas was once again banned. However, despite facing the ban, Rizly Illyas remained resolute and did not back down from his position. As a result, there was an increased risk of potential long-term detention. Based on that situation, Roshan Ranasinghe, the current Sports Minister for the second time, also intervened to dissolve the administration of Rugby and do what the Asian President wanted. In addition to the opposition from the Rugby administration led by Illyas, the National Olympic Committee also expressed its disagreement with this decision. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the administration sought the intervention and assistance of the court to address the matter.
Today, the court made a significant ruling by canceling the dissolution and delivering the final verdict. However, during the proceedings, the Attorney General’s Department broke with tradition and revealed that the Asian Federation had imposed a ban on Rizly Illyas in order to protect the Sports Minister.(what they don’t know is that the Incidentally, the Asian President is to defense against rugby game in this country). Presenting a report issued by the Asian Federation.
It is a very wonderful surprising moment that the decision regarding the ban was issued on the same day as the judgment of the case in which the Sports Minister was asked to dissolve the administration of Sri Lanka Rugby and cancel the gazette notification issued by the Sports Minister. At that moment, Sumathi Dharmawardhane, lawyer of the Attorney General’s Department, had the opportunity to present it to the court. There was even more of a miracle.
Either way, it appears that the second phase of justice is ready. Currently, Sri Lanka Rugby has informed the International Rugby Federation about the scope of activities of the Asian Federation President. Also, the National Olympic Committee is currently working to notify the Asian and International Olympic Committees. Therefore, instead of investigating complaints, they are following the Asian tradition of unilaterally making decisions without an examination, and ignoring all other conditions. It is likely that the ministers will get the same decision as they got from the court. it is possible that the Asian Rugby President, Quais Al Dalai, may face similar consequences as Namal Rajapaksa and Roshan Ranasinghe.
It seems that the court has recognized the importance of preserving the autonomy and integrity of the game, acknowledging that political interference should not encroach upon it. The International Rugby Federation will now retract the decision taken in the same way and allow the rugby game to continue working free from the influence of the minister who was the political authority.
The judges who demonstrated the presence of independence within the country’s judicial system deserve appreciation, as their actions have garnered respect for the judiciary as a whole. The efforts of President’s counsel Dr. Faiz Mustafa and President’s counsel Faizer Mustafa, who presented strong arguments against the dissolution of rugby based on factual evidence, should be acknowledged. Additionally, the contributions of lawyers Panduka Keerthinanda and Kirthi Thilakarathne should be recognized for their efforts in the case. Their dedication and commitment to presenting a compelling case before the court have played a significant role in upholding the principles of justice.
The decision indeed carries historical significance. Rizly Illyas demonstrated tremendous resilience by withstanding the pressures and accusations surrounding his management of rugby. His dedication to the sport and his desire to rectify any tarnished aspects of his relationship with rugby played a vital role in this process. Rizly Illyas ‘s decision to rely on the law and stand up for his conscience in the face of political pressures reflects his commitment to upholding principles of lawfulness within the game of rugby. It is crucial that the focus remains on the game itself and ensuring its proper functioning. With the anticipated agreement of the international conference, Rizly and his team can resume their work, bringing an end to the inactive period of the Stabilization Committee, which had only been symbolic until now. The immediate objective is likely to be preparing for upcoming events such as the Asian Games, where efforts will be directed towards achieving success in the tournament.
The most important thing to ask the sports minister is because of your decision to remove the journey aimed at a medal for hearing by the court? Or was the World Rugby Federation stuck because of your decision to ban rugby in Sri Lanka.
Due to this delay, if the Asian President’s country comes instead of Sri Lanka, which was close to a medal, you will be left with a question to ask your conscience. Or you will be left with a question that you will feel hurt that the people who voted for you will ask you. Have planned with him knowingly or unknowingly. Are you happy with that?
PMD: The aim of the government is to create a critical Sri Lankan who is a global citizen to find out answers to modern and futuristic problems, State Minister of Higher Education Dr. Suren Raghavan said.
“Internationalization of our higher education is a number one priority we have. We want to infuse the international standards to our universities so by at least 2030 Sri Lanka universities will be respected universities in the region, if not in the world.” The State Minister said.
The government would facilitate overseas Sri Lankan scholars to travel to Sri Lanka and engage in university lecturing in state universities while on vacation or sabbatical as a measure to encourage their involvement in higher education.
“In this method, we are creating a mechanism so that at least ten Diaspora members will engage in teaching in the 17 government universities in Sri Lanka, which will inculcate their professionalism and experience with our government universities.”
He expressed these views two days ago (14) during a press conference themed ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’ held at the Presidential Media Center (PMC).
Meanwhile discussions are underway with three prominent international universities to open their branches in Sri Lanka, he added.
“Sri Lanka has always poised to be one of the best hubs for education. South Indian market alone; Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is going to have 350 million populations by 2030 and their economy is growing. Where will they go to fulfill their educational needs? It is easy for them to come to Colombo than go to Delhi. We need to look at that market.” State Minister of Higher Education Dr. Suren Raghavan said.
Further, the government has held non regulatory discussions with tuition teachers requesting them to provide their set of recommendations and guidelines to regularize the quality of the private tuition education and the safety of students attending these classes, the State Minister added.
“The Advanced Level tuition market is 65 billion. Tuition teachers, parents A/L students are all citizens of this country. So this is a citizen to citizen understanding they have to do. Why should the government get involved?” the State Minister said.
Dr. Raghavan also emphasized the importance of understanding the 21st century’s human rights and added that it is the responsibility of the state is to provide higher education to every student who wants to pursue higher education.
Colombo (LNW): The populist Opposition will be appointing a genuine alternative committee to probe the bankruptcy status in Sri Lanka, instead of the bogus roguish committee pretending to investigate the causes behind the situation, said Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa in a statement issued yesterday (15).
This alternative committee to probe the country’s economic crisis and those responsible will be appointed based on the decision of the Executive Committee of the Opposition Collective, Premadasa said.
“This committee, to be appointed by the Opposition, will take steps to formally investigate about all parties responsible for the economic ruin and report to Parliament. Any Member of Parliament may contribute and support in good faith for the functioning of this committee and this committee will arrange to gather information from every party required for the purpose. Also, arrangements will be made to facilitate anyone willing to provide information, to do so” it added.
Colombo (LNW): Several spells of showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts, and showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva and Eastern provinces during the evening or night, said the Department of Meteorology in its daily weather forecast today (16).
General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Colombo to Matara via Galle.
Winds:
Winds will be south-westerly and speed will be (25-40) kmph. Wind speed may increase up to (45-55)kmph at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Pottuvil and in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Trincomalee via Mannar and Kankasanthurai.
State of Sea:
The sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Pottuvil and in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Trincomalee via Mannar and Kankasanthurai will be rough at times. The other sea areas around the Island may be moderate. Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.
Colombo (LNW): Cinnamon Air, Sri Lanka’s premier domestic airline, recently launched scheduled flights to Jaffna, which will provide travellers with easy access to the most popular city in the northern region of the island along with an exceptional travel experience.
Scheduled flights to Jaffna commenced from June 16, 2023, with weekly departures from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Sigiriya Airport to Jaffna International Airport every Sunday.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. At the same time, Cinnamon Air will resume daily scheduled flights to Trincomalee and Batticaloa from BIA.
As the only domestic airline to offer scheduled flights from its dedicated domestic terminal at BIA, Cinnamon Air has meticulously designed its scheduled flight service between Colombo and Jaffna in order to meet the needs of discerning travellers who need a quick, seamless, cost-effective and reliable transport option.
While these scheduled flights ensure speed and comfort, the careful synchronization of departure times with arrival times of major international airlines substantially reduces transit times for connecting passengers.
In order to maximize the utility of the service for travellers, Cinnamon Air’s scheduled flights to Jaffna from Colombo are routed via Sigiriya, providing swift access to Jaffna from Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle.
The stopover in Sigiriya enables tourists who are exploring the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka in regions such as Polonnaruwa, Habarana and Dambulla to widen their exposure to the diverse Sri Lankan culture by easily travelling to Jaffna.
Furthermore, the resumption of scheduled flights to the East Coast destinations offers speedy travel to the coastal tourist attractions in Trincomalee and Pasikudah (through Batticaloa).
Sri Lanka domestic carrier Cinnamon Air, has resumed scheduled flights from December 15, 2022 which were suspended during the Coronavirus pandemic.
It will fly from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Sigiriya, Castlereagh, Trincomalee, Batticaloa (serving Pasikudah), Koggala and Weerawila and Water’s Edge Colombo.
“To ensure smooth connectivity with our flights, without long transit times, we have synchronized our flight times with the arrival and departure times of Sri Lankan Airlines and other major international airlines,” Sean Dwight, the Chief Executive Officer of Cinnamon Air said in a statement.
Cinnamon Air has a code-share with SriLankan Airlines allowing its seats to be bought from anywhere through booking systems.
Cinnamon Air is the operated by Saffron Aviation (Pvt) Limited, a joint venture between John Keells Holdings PLC, MMBL Leisure Holdings and Phoenix Ventures.
Colombo (LNW):The grand finale of Mrs. India Inc, Season 4 will be held at the iconic Nelum Pokuna, a world-class venue known for hosting magnificent events in Sri Lanka.
The contestants will have the privilege of staying at the luxurious Cinnamon Grand Colombo, one of the finest hospitality destinations of Sri Lanka, ensuring their utmost comfort and convenience throughout the event.
Mrs. India Inc, the esteemed beauty pageant celebrating the essence of womanhood, is all set to unveil its highly anticipated Season 4.
This year promises to be a truly remarkable and international affair, as the grand finale will take place in Sri Lanka. It will also be the first time in the history of Mrs. India Inc, that the prestigious event will be held on an international stage.
With an impressive participation of 75 contestants from various parts of India and across the globe, Season 4 of Mrs. India Inc, is to take place from 13 and 14 July, offering a captivating schedule filled with exhilarating events and experiences
With an impressive participation of 75 contestants from various parts of India and across the globe, Season 4 of Mrs. India Inc, is expected to be the most diverse and enthralling edition yet. The pageant has attracted talented individuals from different countries, making it a truly global celebration of beauty, grace, and cultural diversity.
Following the ceremony, a series of rigorous training sessions, workshops, and rehearsals will be conducted to polish the contestants’ skills and enhance their confidence.
Throughout the week, the contestants will have the privilege of exploring the picturesque beauty of Sri Lanka, immersing themselves in the vibrant local culture, and creating cherished memories.
Prior to the main event, Sri Lankans have the opportunity of meeting with the elegant finalists at a Gala Party which will be held on Monday 17 July 2023, at the Waterside Marquee, Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo.
Bollywood fans in Sri Lanka will surely be in for another treat when the After-Party to the Grand Finale takes place on 19 July at the Breeze Bar, Cinnamon Grand Colombo.
Malaika and Dino are both tipped to make special appearances at this celebration along with the newly crowned beauties. Tickets priced at Rs. 15,000 for this event are also available at events desks at both Cinnamon properties.
Mrs. India Inc, Season 4 has partnered with several esteemed organisations to create an unparalleled experience for its participants and attendees.
Mrs. India Inc, Season 4 promises to be a spectacular celebration of beauty, talent, and diversity, bringing together participants from around the world. This prestigious event will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the global pageant landscape.
Colombo (LNW): The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has recommended Sri Lanka to develop an aviation blueprint so as to generate greater economic growth and prosperity through having a stronger aviation industry.
IATA’s Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific, Philip Goh pointed out that aviation connectivity can play a much bigger role in Sri Lanka’s economic development and social advancement. “But this will not happen by chance.”
He called for the Sri Lankan government’s support, which he deemed ‘critical’ to grow a strong airline sector and develop Colombo as an aviation hub.
Assuring that IATA stands ready to support through its expertise and sharing of industry best practices, Goh urged the Sri Lankan government and all industry stakeholders to collaborate on developing an aviation blueprint to strengthen the aviation industry’s competitiveness and bring greater prosperity to the island nation.
Aviation has a role to play in 15 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Trade and tourism rely on aviation, and this helps to create jobs, alleviate poverty and generate prosperity.
In a 2018 IATA study, Sri Lanka’s aviation sector supported some 700,000 jobs and contributed $8 billion to the GDP. The association says this has the potential to increase to over 1 million jobs contributing nearly $30 billion to the GDP by 2038.
In his keynote remarks at Aviation Day Sri Lanka, organized by IATA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL), Goh suggested three areas to consider in the aviation blueprint: facilitating sustainable growth, safety, and sustainability.
With regard to facilitating Sustainable Growth, Goh said: “Sri Lanka’s aviation blueprint needs to facilitate the sustainable growth of the industry and having an updated airport masterplan is the first step
Goh urged Sri Lanka to digitize processes for passenger and cargo facilitation. “Many of the country’s passenger and cargo processes continue to be paper based.
As traffic grows, digitization will be key to addressing capacity constraints, increase efficiency and improve the travel experience. IATA’s One ID and One Record initiatives can help support this,” said Goh.
Goh also highlighted the need to keep costs low, in particular jet fuel. Airlines pay more for jet fuel in Sri Lanka than at other major airports in Asia.
He recognized much has been done in recent months to lower the cost of jet fuel. He encouraged the government to review and consider placing limits or capping the amount that CEYPETCO can mark up for supplying fuel at the airport.
Goh encouraged the government to explore how the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) can be used to contribute to greater aviation safety in Sri Lanka.
