The Government yesterday engaged the private sector as part of efforts to resume negotiations of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which were put on the backburner by the previous administrations.
Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake told a meeting of the Trade Chambers and Industry Advisory Committees at the Finance Ministry that the Government’s intention is to fast track negotiations. He invited private sector stakeholders to creatively engage in this development initiative as they are the ultimate beneficiaries.
Ekanayake said that it is the vision of the President that Sri Lanka will integrate with the global value chains and with the largest economies in South Asia and East Asia and then expand to the east region linking to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
The Government intends to operationalise the FTAs with Singapore and has taken steps to resume the negotiations of Free Trade Agreements with India, China and Thailand where foreign direct investment can be largely attracted to channel the benefits to the goods and services trade through the Investment Trade nexus.
A Trade Negotiation Committee has already been appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers to reinvigorate the negotiations and these agreements will ultimately pave the path to gaining membership of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which consists of 30% of the world’s GDP, trade and population.
At the meeting, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardhana emphasised the importance of leveraging the non-debt creating inflows and diversification of export products as well as markets.
He also mentioned the budget proposal 2023 of establishing the International Trade Office (ITO) which will deal with all international trade negotiations in the future. The Treasury Secretary also emphasized the necessity of engagement with chambers and other stakeholders during the negotiation process.
Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardana highlighted that foreign missions and diplomatic channels have fully prepared to facilitate these trade negotiations. According to the Government plan, once the proposed institutional mechanism is properly established, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will bear the mandate of international trade negotiations.
The private sector representatives engaged in the session with great enthusiasm and stressed in detail the necessity of giving the highest consideration to their offensive and defensive interests.
They also made a request to focus on other non-tariff barriers such as certain quota restrictions, various issues on laboratory facilities for testing standards, not having mutual standards recognition agreements etc. that are faced by the exporters, through these agreements while removing duties on our exports.
During this kick-off session of the stakeholder consultations, the National Trade Negotiation Committee gave the assurance of conducting broad dialogue with the private sector throughout the negotiations through the responsible Government institutions.
Govt to fast track FTA negotiations with private sector participation.
New web portal ‘MetaHub’ opened to address issues related to mathematics teachers
The Ministry of Education has launched the first ever web portal ‘MetaHub (Mathematics Education Teacher Awareness Hub),’ to address the issues facing teachers related to the subject of Mathematics, in a move to quickly and easily solve these problems.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed in this regard at the Education Ministry under the patronage of Education Secretary M.N. Ranasinghe and Dr. Shelton Perera, Consultant at the Sri Lanka University of Technology, and Dr. Gaya Jayakody of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura are the co-creators of the portal.
The launching event of ‘MetaHub’ was graced by the Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), university professors and doctors, school principals and other ministerial officials.
The Ministry of Education urges the teachers to register themselves by logging on to http://www.meta-hub.org.lk
MIAP
SL proposes to set up a group to motivate political will to tackle terrorist funding
Sri Lanka has proposed to set up a group of Eminent Persons with a view to helping motivate greater political will and to create further international awareness among states on the importance of combating terrorist financing.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda made this proposal in his statement at the recently concluded 3rd No Money for Terror (NMFT) Ministerial Conference in New Delhi.
The High Commissioner led the delegation of Sri Lanka to the 3rd No Money For Terror Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing which was held from 18-19 November 2022 in New Delhi, hosted by the Government of India.
The Conference, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi on Friday saw the participation of delegations from ninety-three countries and multilateral organizations.
The Conference extensively discussed global trends in terrorism and terrorist financing, use of formal and informal channels of funds for terrorism, emerging technologies and terrorist financing and requisite international co-operation to address challenges in combating terrorist financing.
Delivering the country statement of Sri Lanka, High Commissioner Moragoda further stated that political will on the part of member states is the most significant component in international cooperation to address the multi-faceted challenges faced when combating terrorist financing.
He said that though the objective of the Conference on “No Money for Terror,” which is to sensitize the international community to the dangers of ignoring this issue, is commendable, there should be a mechanism to provide continuity to the work of the Conference.
In this context, High Commissioner Moragoda proposed that India, as the Chair of the present Conference, take the lead in creating a group of Eminent Persons selected from among the member states with a view to helping galvanize greater political will and to create further international awareness among states on the importance of combating terrorist financing.
The 1st and 2nd No Money For Terror Ministerial Conferences were held in Paris in 2018 and in Melbourne in 2019 respectively. The 3rd NMFT Conference was built on the progressive agenda of an integrated approach with collective involvement initiated in the first two Conferences.
SL embassy officer in Oman interdicted over human trafficking ring.
The third officer of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman who is accused of being involved in the human trafficking syndicate has been interdicted, Minister of Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said.
The officer in question will be placed under arrest upon arrival to Sri Lanka for further period
State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion Jagath Pushpakumara vowed stern legal actions against those who were involved in this racket.
Meanwhile, the main suspect in this human trafficking ring was arrested by the airport police at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake yesterday morning (Nov. 19) while returning to the island.
According to the Criminal Investigation Department’s findings, Sri Lankan women who were taken to Oman on the promise of jobs in Oman and the UAE, had been auctioned off to sultans for bids ranging from Rs. 10 million to Rs. 2.5 million.
Initiating a probe after being informed of the complaints received by Foreign Affairs Ministry on the matter, a three-member team of the CID, led by the director of Human Trafficking, Smuggling Investigation and Maritime Crime Investigation Division, had departed to Oman on October 03.
The investigation officers, after recording statements from a total of 45 Sri Lankan women who are sheltered at a safe house belonging to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Muscat, uncovered that they had arrived in Oman on tourist visas. They also found that these women had fled houses they were employed at for various reasons including the harassment.
To make matters worse, an officer of the Sri Lankan Embassy has sexually harassed the women who are sheltered at the safe house. His services have since been suspended.
Further probes into the matter disclosed that this sex trafficking ring had been operated by a group of officers of the Immigration & Emigration Department through the representatives of employment agencies stationed in Sri Lanka and Oman. Their target had been underprivileged local women facing financial difficulties.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Muscat, in a statement, stated that at present, at least 90 Sri Lankan female domestic workers are stranded in Oman seeking repatriation assistance.
They are unable to afford the repatriation-related expenses such as visa, overstay penalty, air ticket, agent fees, and the cost of recruitment demanded by their respective sponsors.
The embassy said it has also sought the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assist such victims.
Police Commission Chief responds after Social Media backlash over welcoming BR at Airport!
Chandra Fernando, the Chairman of the Police Commission of Sri Lanka, broke his silence after Social Media backlash on him being seen at the welcoming party at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport for the return of Basil Rajapaksa two days (20) ago, in a statement to ‘News1st’ saying that he was already at the Airport during which the former Minister and the National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) arrived.
Fernando, together with another Commission member, N.P.P Perera, was seen welcoming Rajapaksa at the Airport, leading to speculation whether the so called independent Police Commission of Sri Lanka is politically biased. MPs of the Opposition also questioned the Police Commission Chief’s presence among the welcoming party for Basil, heating up the House yesterday (21).
“I was in Katunayake that day. When I was in Katunayake, I learned about his return and went to see him. That’s all. Nothing else. This is being asked by various parties in various forms, get it? As I was there, I heard that there was a group of people. I too went to the scene. No day have I ever shown partiality in my line of duty. I’m not attached to politics,” Fernando told News1st.
The Police Commission Chief went on: “There will be no problem with my title. Because what’s important is how I work in my title. Had Madam Chandrika arrived there, I would’ve seen her too. Because what I was told was that there were people out there shouting. That was why I went there, to see what was happening. There was no such shouting at all, what I was told was a lie. I only went there to see what the whole rush was. Yes, I did go inside, and there was no rush at all. Then I saw Mr. Basil there. He said hello, I came in. We’re public servants, aren’t we? We talk whether it’s Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr. Maithripala Sirisena, Mr. Sajith Premadasa, or Mr. Sarath Fonseka.”
MIAP
Naval and fishing communities urged to be vigilant amidst gradually declining depression
The depression lay centered at latitude 13.00 N and longitude 81.70 E about 410 km north-northeast of Jaffna over southwest adjoining west central Bay of Bengal, is very likely to move west north west ward towards South Andhra Pradesh and North Tamilnadu-Puducherry coasts and gradually it will weaken during next 12 hours, said the Department of Meteorology in a statement today (22).
Showers or thunder showers will occur at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara district during the afternoon or night.
Mainly fair weather will prevail elsewhere over the country.
Marine Weather:
| The depression lay centered at latitude 13.00 N and longitude 81.70 E about 410 km north-northeast of Jaffna over southwest adjoining west central Bay of Bengal, is very likely to move west north west ward towards South Andhra Pradesh and North Tamilnadu-Puducherry coasts and gradually it will weaken during next 12 hours. Therefore, Naval and fishing communities are requested to be vigilant into the deep and shallow sea areas off the coast extending from Kankasanturai to Trincomalee via Mullaitivuand Southwest Bay of Bengal sea area for next 24 hours. |
| Condition of Rain: |
| A few showers are likely in sea areas off the coast extending from Colombo to Matara via Galle. |
| Winds: |
| Winds will be north-westerly or south westerly and speed will be (20-40) kmph. |
| State of Sea: |
| The sea areas off the coast extending from Kankasanturai to Trincomalee via Mullaitivu and from Colombo to Hambantota via Galle and Matara will be fairly rough at times. |
MIAP
Vote on second reading of critical 2023 Budget today
The vote on the second reading of the 2023 Budget Appropriation Bill is set to be held today (23).
Accordingly, the debate on the second reading the 2023 Budget will continue until 5 pm today, later which the vote will commence.
The vote will be critical for the government to demonstrate its power in Parliament.
MIAP
Energy Minister responds to speculations on lifting ‘QR Code’ system for fuel distribution
There is no decision to remove the fuel management QR system from next month as suggested by certain reports, assured Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara in a tweet yesterday (21).
Accordingly, the Fuel Management QR System will be continued until the fuel requirements can be fulfilled, he added.
MIAP
President assures his support to expand SL’s Scout Movement
President Ranil Wickremesinghe assured to provide the necessary assistance to expand the scouting movement by increasing its membership to 200,000 covering all nine provinces by 2024.
The President also mentioned that he would seek the support of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth Affairs for this purpose.
The Sri Lanka Scout Association officially conferred the title of Chief Scout to President Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning (21) at the President’s Office, where he made these comments.
The Scout Commissioner, Attorney-at-Law Janaprith Fernando, commissioned and presented the Scout Scarf and the appointment certificate to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
A report on the progress of the Scout Movement was also presented to the President.
Speaking at this occasion the President further stated that he expects to get the full support of the Scout Movement for the 75th Independence Celebration.
President Wickremesinghe invited the Scout Movement to join the environment-related programmes which are being held with the intervention of the President’s Office and headed by President’s Adviser on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardena.
The commemorative medal for the 60th anniversary of the Homagama District Branch affiliated to the Sri Lanka Scout Association was presented to the President by Girl Scout Potaka Thitulu Kathya. The related commemorative souvenir was also presented to the President.
Deputy Chief Commissioner M.S.S. Muheed, Executive Committee Chairman Ransiri Perera and other officers including Homagama District Scout Commissioner Dr. Anil Perera, New District Commissioner K. A. Chandrapadma, Assistant District Commissioner Suranga Handapangoda and others participated in this event.
PMD
Sri Lanka Original Narrative Summary: 22/11
- SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara MP says the Central Committee of the SLFP has suspended membership of 9 top members, including former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge until the disciplinary action against them is concluded.
- Minister of State for Transport Lasantha Alagiyawanna says a de-merit points system for traffic offences is to be introduced from January 2023: the driver’s license of those who get more than 24 de-merit points to be cancelled for a period to be determined.
- President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake says the Government intends to resume negotiations on FTAs: asserts it’s the vision of President Wickremasinghe to integrate Sri Lanka with the global value chains and the largest economies in South and East Asia.
- Former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal says the true Economic Hit-men are those who announced that the country is bankrupt even while there were credible, expected inflows of USD 10.7 bn in early April 22: the announcement of “bankruptcy” was made by CB Governor Weerasinghe and Treasury Secretary Siriwardene.
- Sri Lanka Scouts Association confers title of “Chief Scout” on President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
- SLFP and SJB decide to vote against the 2nd reading of the Budget 2023.
- Census Department says headline inflation, as per the YoY change in the NCPI declines to 70.6% in October from 73.7% in September due to base effect: index value still at elevated levels showing that cost of living has not declined.
- Ministerial Consultative Committee on Water Supply considers proposal for another water tariff hike: also discusses new taxes proposed to be levied on bottled water.
- Chief Sanghanayake of the Ramanna Nikaya Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera says the Maha Sangha and Buddhists in Embilipitiya will not allow the Govt to implement the proposed project to cultivate 10,000 acres of Cannabis in Embilipitiya.
- Posts appear in social media showing pictures of several female teachers who say they have attended their respective schools in attire other than saree: previously, Education Minister Susil Premajayanth had firmly announced that there would be no change in the policy of teachers’ attire.