Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan singing sensation duo “Jaya Sri” will release their brand new song ‘Ruwithe’ this Friday, July 28, 2023 at 5 pm on their official YouTube channel.
The announcement came in after days of speculation on Social Media that the two brothers have wrapped their arms around a new project. From starting a restaurant to becoming diamond cutters, speculations surfaced whether the musical siblings have abandoned the fans to pursue greener pastures.
But Jaya Sri finally came clean on a recent Facebook Live and explained about their new song.
“There are lots of talks, call us Jaya Sri. What is Ruwithe, some asked. Some asked us to reveal ourselves, some said the work is good, and some too spicy. Let me tell you. We let you guess.” Jaya Sri Rohitha said.
“Is it a new song? or have Jaya Sri started a diamond business? Have Jaya Sri started something else, they asked,” he went on. “So, whatever said, we have to say, that we’re going to release a beautiful new song. Ruwithe. Mathuwenna. Mathuwenna means, that if you have talents, polish ’em up and appear yourself. That’s what the song is about.”
Colombo (LNW): Trade union representatives, activists, civil movements and concerned individuals gathered in front of the Colombo Fort Railway Station this (25) afternoon urging the government to put an end to the robbing of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) under the guise of debt optimisation, and to scrap the new labour laws allegedly exploiting the workforce.
The protest was organised in a joint effort by trade unions and was attended by a large number of trade union members, activists, civil movements and concerned individuals.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe says the government will be unveiling a new tourist plan called ‘Visit Sri Lanka’ that will be released in the upcoming months; asserts the proposal is in the final stages of development and would be made public as soon as it is complete.
Plantation Industries Minister Ramesh Pathirana says action will be taken to establish an Agriculture and Plantation Research University by merging all institutions connected to the plantation industry and agriculture sector, as per President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s concept; asserts the fundamental draft related to this has already been prepared and it is intended to complete the basic work this year.
The CB says the Finance Ministry issued a new order relaxing certain limitations / suspensions imposed on outward remittances of foreign exchange: adds the move comes in “with a view to assist and maintain the financial system stability by minimising the pressure on the exchange rate and preserving the foreign currency reserve position of the country.”
The AG’s Office tells the Supreme Court that a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a referendum will be required to reconvene the Local Government bodies, were the private MP’s bill tabled by Ruling Party MP Jayantha Ketagoda to be considered; adds the provisions of the Constitution are being violated through certain clauses in the bill in question seeking amendments to the Municipal Ordinances on urban councils and municipal councils.
Sri Lankan-born journalist and the face of BBC One’s News At Six George Alagiah dies at the age 67: Alagiah was diagnosed in 2014 with stage four bowel cancer, which had spread to his liver and lymph nodes.
New Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom PLC Reyaz Mihular says the recent changes in the company’s Board of Directors had nothing to with the divestment of shares by the Government: adds they as a Director Board have a sole responsibility to ensure SLT-Mobitel is run professionally, and the shareholders, therefore, cannot be expected to be told any conditions for selling shares: asserts the changes made in the company are solely “to ensure that SLT-Mobitel is managed properly following good governance practices.”
Chairman of the National Movement to Protect Consumer Rights Ranjith Vithanage says the swindle of selling palm oil-mixed coconut oil has once again been enthroned due to the Rs. 25 tax imposition on coconut oil, leading to a loss of about US $ 700 million in exports; laments the move is easily paving the way for notorious cooking oil dealers to continue the swindle; urges the government to increase the duty imposed on palm oil as well.
The Horana Magistrate Court warrants the arrest of former Commissioner General of Labour and current Secretary to the Ministry of Labour R.G.A. Wimalaweera in connection with the death of five persons at a chemical waste station of a rubber factory in Horana: Wimalaweera is accused of influencing a former factory inspection engineer to produce false evidence pertaining to the incident as the then Commissioner General of Labour.
Fitch Ratings says the SL government’s debt restructuring plan is likely to reduce investment and liquidity risks for domestic insurers: adds it expects the sparse foreign-currency liquidity in the local banking system to continue to limit insurers’ ability to meet foreign-currency obligations, such as reinsurance payments and claim obligations arising from the small portion of foreign currency-denominated policies.
Sydney Downing Centre District Court questions the “focused” media attention on Sri Lankan Cricketer Dhanushka Gunathilaka’s sexual assault case: Judge Warwick Hunt says he had concerns about potential prejudice after seeing Gunathilaka’s charges on the front page of a newspaper; questions how can the SL Cricketer get a fair trial after all this publicity.
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is planning to attract 5 million tourists, including 2.5 million high-end visitors, contributing to the country’s economic growth under the government’s new tourism strategy: ‘Visit Sri Lanka’ , President Ranil Wickremesinghe divulged.
The President said this while addressing the ‘Bocuse d’Or 2023’ competition and awards ceremony where he announced the government’s new tourism strategy, ‘Visit Sri Lanka’ which is set to launch in the upcoming months, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that the government will be unveiling a new tourist plan called ‘Visit Sri Lanka’ that will be released in the upcoming months. He claimed the proposal is in the final stages of development and would be made public as soon as it is complete.
The government aims to bring in 5 million tourists, of whom 2.5 million will be high-end visitors, President Wickremesinghe said while emphasizing the industry as a significant economic driver.
According to Indian estimates, Sri Lanka can host up to 10 million tourists, of whom most will be tourists from Asian and the Indian Ocean region, he continued.
Now, if you’re looking at 5 million tourists or 10 million tourists, there have to be different types of tourism. And one that we can do well is culinary tourism. And that’s what we should focus on.
Not merely in our hotels, but any place. And if you’re having culinary tourism, remember, bulk is going to come from Asia. So there has to be fusion food from different parts of Asia, not only Europe. That’s what we should focus on., he pointed out.
Transformation of the tourism industry is required to make Sri Lanka competitive in the global travel market place and the government has recognized the potential in promoting the country as a tropical nation with a diverse culinary style. Hence attention will be given to develop the culinary tourism in the country, the President said.
The government is prepared to launch a Culinary School in collaboration with the private sector, the travel industry, and the hotel industry, the President added, noting that there is a need to train more personnel in the hospitality field, particularly in culinary tourism.
Attention will also be paid to aid private Culinary Schools in accomplishing this task, he added.Therefore, I think we must now train more and more personnel in the hospitality field, especially in the field of tourism and culinary tourism.
So let’s get ready for it. I have been talking with some of my planners and others, and we feel, firstly, we have to upgrade our hotel school, and it must become a genuine hotel school.
But more than that, together with the private sector, the travel industry, the hotel industry, the government is prepared to start a culinary school just for that, for large numbers.
There is a good future. Let’s train more and more people, and let’s all get used to it. Not merely in hotels, but the time will come when most of you will be running restaurants or supplying food. And that’s what the trade has to be. Services have taken over he emphasized.
Colombo (LNW): The finale week of the First-ever internationally held Mrs. India Inc Season 04 in Sri Lanka concluded recently with great success and glory with pleasant memories among contestants and local and foreign fans specially Indians.
At a press briefing held last week, Mrs. India Inc Director Mohini Sharma, along with the winner and the first four runner-ups of the competition spoke on their experience of the pageant finale week held in Sri Lanka from 13 to 19 July.
The grand finale was held at Nelum Pokuna while Cinnamon Grand hosted the contestants. Sharma spoke on her decision to hold the finale in Sri Lanka expressing her desire to internationally highlight the Mrs. India participants’ potential of winning the global pageant.
She added that due to organizing the event in a foreign country, most supporters of the contestants were absent from the audience at the event which initially seemed discouraging to the participants.
“But the experience we would give to the contestants was beautiful, it was a change of vibe and energy we all needed. Having new experiences, learning new things, meeting new people and trying new cuisine added up to the whole experience,” she explained.
Sharma as well as the winners of the competition commended the hospitality and support received by the country, noting that the pageant was held in Sri Lanka without challenges due to it.
“This year’s edition of Mrs. India is truly a special one and a milestone of r extraordinary journey. We have successfully taken our pageant to the international stage here in Sri Lanka, showcasing the talent, cultural diversity and beauty of women from all around India
“We are all thoroughly impressed by the brand of hospitality Sri Lanka has extended, and we are confident our paths will inevitably intertwine in the near future,” said Sharma.
The grand finale witnessed the crowning of Chethana Joshi Tiwari as Mrs. India for the year 2023 and also saw the crowning of Disha Shetty, Sohini Rohra, Nikita Satya and Roohi Marjara as first, second, third and fourth runner-ups respectively. The winners will have the prestigious opportunity to represent India at the global pageants later in the year.
Colombo (LNW): The swindle of selling palm oil-mixed coconut oil has once again been enthroned after months of silence due to the recent tax imposition on coconut oil, leading to a loss of about US $ 700 million in exports, lamented the National Movement to Protect Consumer Rights, a leading consumer rights watcher in Sri Lanka which previously divulged the ongoing racket of selling palm oil-mixed coconut oil in the local market.
The disclosure appears in the backdrop where the Finance Ministry has imposed a tax of Rs. 25 per litre on imported coconut oil, and the move is easily paving the way for notorious cooking oil dealers to continue the swindle of selling palm oil-mixed coconut oil whilst the market price of coconut oil soars, said the movement’s Chairman Ranjith Vithanage.
This will also be catering to the decline of export revenue from the coconut-related products in Sri Lanka, he noted.
“The annual coconut requirement was estimated to be 4.9 billion fruits, as per the statistics of the Coconut Development Authority in 2019. The number of coconuts required for domestic consumption is 1.8 billion fruits and the number of coconuts needed to produce coconut oil in this country is 1.8 billion fruits. The number of coconuts required for export-related production is 1.3 billion fruits. But the annual coconut harvest is 3.1 billion fruits. Based on the stats, the annual coconut deficit is 1.8 billion fruits,” Vithanage emphasised.
He went on: “Various methods had been used to cover this deficit. One is to import coconut oil to Sri Lanka. Between 140,000 – 160,000 metric tonnes of edible coconut oil has been imported into Sri Lanka in 2019. If that amount was produced in Sri Lanka, the amount of coconuts used for it would be equal to 1.4 – 1.6 billion fruits. If the import of coconuts is stopped due to the rise in the import tax on the price of coconut oil, 1.4 – 1.6 billion coconuts may have to be spent to meet the coconut oil demand of Sri Lankan consumers. The drop of export-related products due to the availability of coconuts, the annual decline in export revenue mounted to US $700 million.
Every time the amount of duty imposed on coconut oil surged and the amount of duty imposed on palm oil dropped, the swindle of selling palm oil-mixed coconut oil was undertaken by notorious businessmen. For the past twenty-five years, that smuggling has been going on, and to stop that smuggling, the government had increased the amount of duty on palm oil and even tried to maintain the amount of duty imposed on coconut oil at a lower value than the amount of duty imposed on palm oil. As a result, the swindle of selling palm oil-mixed coconut oil came to a standstill.
These smugglers appear in various forms from time to time and try to impose a lower value for palm oil than the duty imposed on coconut oil. This time, the amount of duty imposed on coconut oil was increased by Rs. 25 as a result of that effort.
A government should be looking into every aspect whilst imposing taxes. The economy of the country as well as the health of the people of the country are seriously threatened due to taking decisions based on only one end. The export revenue is also falling.
Our organisation, therefore, urge the responsible units to reconsider the Rs. 25 duty imposed on coconut oil. Or else, please increase the duty imposed on palm oil by Rs. 25 as well.”
Colombo (LNW): The Horana Magistrate Court has warranted the arrest of R.G.A. Wimalaweera, former Commissioner General of Labour and current Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, in connection with the death of five persons at a chemical waste station of a rubber factory in Horana area.
This was when the case was taken up yesterday (24).
These deaths had occurred as the five persons had fallen into a chemical waste tank in the factory, and Wimalaweera is accused of influencing a former factory inspection engineer in the Kalutara district to produce false evidence pertaining to the incident as the then Commissioner General of Labour.
Accordingly, the Magistrate Court has warranted Wimaraweera’s arrest and ordered that the suspect be produced in Court and that the operation be executed within seven days through the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
EDB: The Export Development Board (EDB) Advisory Committee on Gems, Diamonds & Jewellery sector has emphasised the importance of making Sri Lankan Gem & Jewellery traders more competitive and simplifying policy measures during the 7thAdvisory Committee Meeting held recently.
The renowned China Fort Gem Market located in Beruwala and Rathnapura are considered as bustling marketplaces for the gem trade in Sri Lanka. They attracts over 500 merchants from various parts of the world from the Middle East, China, and Europe. This gem markets provide an opportunity for small-scale miners to market their treasures. The miners and rough gemstone dealers from Rathnapura, Balangaoda, Nivithigala, Elehara, and Galle visit these markets to trade their gems.
Foreigners would visit Beruwala and Rathnapura to engage in gem trading activities, bringing their expertise, networks, and goods. In addition, it serves as a platform where gemstones are evaluated, traded and sold, contributing to the overall growth and development of Sri Lanka’s gem trade. These markets are highly active with millions of dollars worth of gems being traded every day.
The advisory Committee Members pointed out that currently, the presence and influence of illegal foreign traders and buyers at the China Fort Gem Market and Rathnapura have become a major challenge to local Gem traders. While these markets have brought new opportunities to the industry, it has also presented specific challenges that require careful navigation.
Members emphasised that the primary challenge faced by the Beruwala Gem Market and Rathnapura is the intensified competition from illegal foreign traders. These foreign people arrive in Sri Lanka using a visit visa and engage in gem business. Also, they don’t occupy any licence from the National Gem & Jewellery Authority which is a mandatory to engage in Gem trade. This unlicensed gem trading could seriously damage Sri Lanka’s reputation as it can lead to lot of mal practices. Members further emphasised that, these foreign traders have a wider range of buyer and seller access via online platform as they do more with online channels. As foreign traders and buyers become more active in the Beruwala Gem Market and Rathnapura, it puts more pressure on the local traders and facilitates smuggled businesses.
The money brought in for the gem purchases is being brought without following any government rules and regulations and the purchased stones are also taken out unofficially without being regulated whilst the traditional Sri Lankan dealers are subjected to all taxes and regulations. As a result, the miners, dealers and brokers tend to sell stones to these foreigners for cash without any documentation. This has badly affected the exporters who are using the official channels to obtain merchandise for exports. Also this will reduce the Government tax revenue and employment opportunities.
Therefore, the Members emphasised that the Sri Lanka Government should give focus on making local traders more competitive to survive in this trade. Additionally, the committee stated that today, the gem trading hub is Thailand and all the European and American buyers who were patronising the Sri Lankan market have now been attracted by the Thailand market. At a period where we are losing our trade, it is really unfortunate to see that the Government is imposing many regulations which made the local traders even less competitive. Therefore, the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery traders are in jeopardy.
The Advisory Committee Members stated that the Sri Lanka Government support is not forthcoming and some of the policy measures discourage the local traders and make them less competitive. The committee identified Gems & Jewellery sector as a unique export sector among other export sectors as 99% of the value addition is locally produced while most of the others involve more with foreign components.
The oversight supervision and the industry regulations must be revisited by the National Gem and Jewellery Authority to reduce these illegal businesses are carried out by foreign traders.
In addition, the Government should support by applying some policy measures to survive the local traders and the industry in the long term.
The ‘Local Loans and Development Fund’ under the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government was summoned to the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) which met on 20.07.2023 under the chairmanship of MP Prof. Ranjith Bandara.
This institution has been established by Ordinance No. 22 of 1916 with the aim of providing financial facilities at a concessional interest rate to the local government bodies for running public utility services as authorised by law. It has been amended on several occasions and has been named as the Local Loans and Development Fund under Act No. 24 of 1993.
The investigation was done through the following basic facts related to the Auditor General’s reports for the financial years 2020, 2021 and current performance.
Need to amend the Act Since this is a financial institution similar to a bank, the need to amend the Act was emphasised by taking into consideration the timely matters. According to the Act, it is not appropriate for the Secretary of the Ministry to act as the Chairman of the Fund, so the Auditor General pointed out the importance of making amendments by focusing on all those matters.
It was discussed that, in 2018 ‘Asian Foundation’ had given a report regarding the restructuring of the institution and if it had been acted upon, great progress could have been achieved.
Since the Prime Minister as the Minister in charge of the subject has also held a discussion to amend the Act, the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government was informed to take steps promptly.
Need to make the posts of Director General and Internal Auditor full time permanent posts The committee’s attention was drawn to the fact that the position of Director General has been an acting position for many years. It was also discussed about the absence of a permanent Internal Auditor. Accordingly, the COPE ordered to inform within two weeks about the next steps to be taken to appoint a permanent Director General as well as a full-time permanent Internal Auditor.
Absence of a formal system for disbursement of loans, project evaluation, and loan recovery It was revealed that the fund has received 9 projects worth 249 million rupees in the year 2023, but the board of directors has not considered them yet.
Thus, it was recommended that a formal system and set of guidelines be set up, focusing on issues such as granting and recovery criteria, loan recovery capabilities, projects using loans and productivity. The committee emphasised the need for the loan committee to operate according to that formal system.
Need to streamline the system of loan distribution to each province The COPE chairman revealed that 691 million rupees of the total loan amount of 847.7 million rupees has been given to the North-Western Province in 2021. The committee recommended that the loan distribution system to each province be streamlined.
Streamline the Internal Audit The committee discussed about the lack of a permanent Internal Auditor to conduct the internal audit properly. It was recommended to recruit a permanent Internal Auditor and to provide the audit reports for the years 2011 and 2012 to the Auditor General within a month. It was also advised to implement the recommendations of the National Audit Commission.
A Corporate plan has been prepared for the period of 2019-2023, but it was revealed that it has not been approved. Accordingly, the committee advised to approve a corporate plan from 2023 to 2028.
Attention was also paid to the non-recovery of a loan amount of 12 million rupees given to the Dambulla Pradeshiya Saba in 1995, under the multi-crop development project, and the loan amount of 60.9 million rupees given to the Kandy Municipal Council. Accordingly, it was advised to take the relevant legal steps immediately.
The COPE Chairman emphasised that the activities of the ‘Local Loans and Development Fund’, which is the only institution that provides financial assistance to development activities through local government bodies, should be more streamlined. It was also decided to summon this institution in another six months.
State Minister Jagath Pushpakumara, and MPs Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Nimal Lanza, S.M. Marikkar, Upul Mahendra Rajapaksa, Madhura Withanage and Prof. Charita Herath were present in this committee.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Brussels, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), organised an online briefing session on the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles on 20July 2023.
The event aimed to enlighten stakeholders within Sri Lanka’s apparel industry about the European Union’s progressive approach towards sustainable and circular textiles. The briefing session was conducted by a senior expert, Mikael Garellick, at the Textile Unit of the Directorate General of the International Market of the European Commission.
The virtual event brought together key players from Sri Lanka’s apparel sector, including the Sri Lanka Joint Apparel Association Forum (SLJAAF), government representatives, and industry experts, to foster meaningful discussions about the future of textiles in the context of environmental sustainability.
The EU Strategy on Sustainable and Circular Textiles, introduced by the European Commission, is a crucial initiative to promote sustainability in the fashion and textile industries. It encourages eco-friendly practices and aims to reduce the environmental footprint of textiles throughout their lifecycle. Given that the EU is a significant trading partner for Sri Lanka’s textile exports, understanding and aligning with this strategy holds great significance for the country’s apparel sector.
During the briefing session, Mikael Garellick from the European Commission provided in-depth insights into the EU’s approach to sustainable and circular textiles. He highlighted the policies, standards, and potential collaborations that can aid Sri Lanka’s apparel industry in its pursuit of eco-friendly and sustainable practices. Participants had the opportunity to engage in a Q&A session, discussing specific challenges and opportunities relevant to the industry’s transformation to sustainable practices.
The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Belgium and the European Union, Grace Asirwatham, emphasised the paramount importance of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry’s transformation to sustainable practices, aligning it with the EU Strategy on Sustainable and Circular Textiles to harness significant market benefits in the EU in the future.
Acting Director General of the EDB, Malani Baddegama, explained that Sri Lanka’s major export to the EU is apparel items and the benefits that it enjoys under the GSP Plus scheme. She further acknowledged the significance of such briefings and thanked the European Commission official for the insightful briefing.
