01. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says the MPs of the SJB and its allied parties will be dropping themselves out from the Parliament Select Committee chaired by SLPP Secretary General Sagara Kariyawasam appointed to probe the bankruptcy status of Sri Lanka: NPP MP Vijitha Herath was the first to announce that he will be withdrawing from the Committee.

02. President Ranil Wickremesinghe issues an Extraordinary Gazette (2340/03) announcing the collection of the census of population and housing in Sri Lanka for the years 2023 and 2024: The gazette issued by the virtue of the powers vested in the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies, by Section 02 of the Census Ordinance (Chapter 143).

03. Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara issues an Extraordinary Gazette on the petroleum products licensing regulations for the import, export, selling or supplying petroleum products in SL: The gazette issued in compliance with Section 07 of the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act, No. 33 of 2002 read with Sections 05 and 06 of that Act on the advice and recommendation of the Committee appointed under Section 03 of that Act: Applies to an applicant and any person or body of persons issued with a licence under these regulations to import, export, sell, supply or distribute petroleum in the country under Section 05 of the Act.

04. Foreign Minister Ali Sabry says SL is likely to discuss energy, power and port projects during a presidential visit to New Delhi next week; adds SL will now focus on grid connectivity between the two countries, port development and renewable energy projects, largely in the northern part of the island, when President Ranil Wickremesinghe visits India from July 21 for two days.

05. 08 SLFP MPs whose party memberships have been suspended summoned to the Party’s Central Working Committee on July 14: These MPs are Nimal Siripala De Silva, Duminda Dissanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Jagath Pushpakumara, Surendra Raghavan, Chamara Sampath Dissanayake and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

06. Education Minister Susil Premjayanth vows the country’s education system will undergo an educational transformation and essential measures will be taken to produce students who are prepared for the twenty-first century; adds human resources will be managed for that purpose and education will be reformatted in accordance with worldwide standards in order to produce a sustainable and high-quality education.

07. The Appeal Court issues notices to the members of the PCoI on Political Victimisation, including its Chairman ex SC Justice Upali Abeyratne, to lay down facts pertaining to a petition filed by ex CID Director Shani Abeysekara alleging the breach of a pledge made before the Court: Abeysekara claims that he had received summons from the PCoI to testify in relation to a complaint made by Avant Garde Chief Nissanka Senadhipathi and he, therefore, filed a writ petition against it; adds the attorney who represented the PCoI pledged before the Court that he would not act against Abeysekara regarding Senadhipathi’s complaint until his petition is heard, but the PCoI report includes several recommendations against him.

08. Finance State Minister Shehan Semasinghe assures all deserving individuals who require will be included in the “Aswesuma” Welfare Benefit Scheme: adds 968,000 appeals and 17,500 objections received on the Scheme and asserts district secretaries will commence assessment on theses appeals and objections to make accurate determinations.

09. The Child Protection Alliance addressing a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe raises strong concerns regarding the continuous direct activity with children by Ven. Pahalagama Somarathana, Chief Prelate of Vidyaravinda Pirivena, Pahalagama, Gampaha, who is a convicted child molester: Somarathana Thera was convicted to serve 07 years in prison for child sexual abuse on June 01, 2012 by Ilsworth Crown Court in the UK.

10. Crudia zeylanica, or what the locals called ‘Sri Lanka Laguma’, an ancient tree located in Daraluwa, Veyangoda area for over 100 years, was reported to have been removed in secrecy: A group of people had used backhoes to remove the tree, despite many protests of environmentalists when it was planned to be cut down during the construction of the Colombo – Kandy Expressway.

A delegation from the Australian Border Force led by the Commander Joint Agency Task Force Operation Sovereign Borders of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Rear Admiral Justin Jones called on Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera at the Navy Headquarters in Colombo yesterday (10).

During the ensuing discussion, they exchanged views on matters of bilateral importance, focusing on the efforts of the Sri Lanka Navy and Australian Border Force in stopping illegal people smuggling by boat to Australia as well as public awareness programmes being held in this regard. The cordial discussion drew to a close with an exchange of mementoes as a gesture of goodwill and cooperation.

In the joint media release issued by the Australian Border Force, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Police, Commander of the Navy said people were still being lured to part with their hard earned savings and falsely believe that an illegal maritime journey will work. That was why educating communities on both the pitfalls as well as the legal pathway is vital to stemming the flow, he further added.

The Defence Adviser at the High Commission of Australia in Colombo, Captain Ian Cain, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Navy and Director General Operations, Rear Admiral Pradeep Rathnayake and a group of senior officers from the Navy Headquarters were also present on this occasion.

Source: SL Navy

COLOMBO, July 10 (Reuters) – Sri Lanka is likely to discuss energy, power and port projects during a presidential visit to New Delhi next week, the foreign minister said on Monday, as India tries to push forward stalled initiatives with its crisis-hit neighbour.

India’s support was critical for Sri Lanka last year after it almost ran out of dollars and sank into a financial crisis that left it struggling to fund essential imports including fuel and medicine.

India provided about $4 billion in rapid assistance between January and July in 2022, including credit lines, a currency-swap arrangement and deferred import payments, and sent a warship carrying essential drugs for the island’s 22 million people.

Sri Lanka will now focus on grid connectivity between the two countries, port development and renewable energy projects, largely in the northern part of the island, when President Ranil Wickremesinghe visits India from July 21 for two days, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry told reporters.

“Trincomalee energy-hub development, port development, possible refinery – basically we are discussing with India,” Sabry said, referring to a strategically important natural harbour on Sri Lanka’s northeast shore.

“We are now continuously reviewing the progress and finding ways to fast track those, if possible.”

The two countries want to expand and develop the Trincomalee harbour into a major port.

Regional rivals India and China have long battled for influence in Sri Lanka, which is strategically located in the Indian Ocean.

Sabry said both China Harbour Corp and Sinopec (600028.SS) were keen to invest in Sri Lanka. Sinopec has already been short-listed for a $4 billion refinery near southern Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port.

Sri Lanka is in talks with both countries to renegotiate its debt after defaulting last May. Sabry said the talks were making good progress.

“The idea is to conclude all these things by September and to officially come out of bankruptcy and start repayments,” he said.

Source: REUTERS

By: Isuru Parakrama

Colombo (LNW): An extraordinary gazette has been issued on the petroleum products licensing regulations for the import, export, selling or supplying petroleum products in Sri Lanka.

The gazette was declared by Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, in compliance with Section 07 of the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act, No. 33 of 2002 read with Sections 05 and 06 of that Act on the advice and recommendation of the Committee appointed under Section 03 of that Act.

Accordingly, these regulations shall apply to an applicant and any person or body of persons issued with a licence under these regulations to import, export, sell, supply or distribute petroleum in the country under Section 05 of the Act.

The regulations are cited as the “Petroleum Licensing Regulations No. 01 of 2023.”