Several spells of showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the evening or night.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

The government is in discussions with India to construct an oil pipeline to transport fuel to the Eastern Port of Trincomalee.

The Trincomalee port currently has a World War II-era 99-tank farm, with a portion of the facility under the control of Lanka India Oil Corporation and the remainder under joint control of the Indian Oil Corporation and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.

Manoj Gupta, Managing Director of Lanka India Oil Corporation, stated that discussions and studies were ongoing for a finished product pipeline.

The construction of an oil pipeline to the Trincomalee port is expected to boost Sri Lanka’s energy security and improve economic cooperation between the two South Asian nations.

India officials have also affirmed their commitment to helping the country boost its energy security, with New Delhi officials announcing that India will maintain its support for Sri Lanka in developing oil infrastructure, as the two nations share common interests,

India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary, Pankaj Jain, recently led a delegation to Sri Lanka to visit prospective projects, where he called for an increase in partnerships between the two countries in the energy sector.

Jain added that both nations should explore renewable energy sources, such as green hydrogen, ammonia, and compressed biogas to bolster their energy security.

Sri Lanka and India agreed to jointly develop the Trincomalee oil farm after five years of discussions at an estimated cost of $500 million.

The Trinco Petroleum Terminal Ltd will be 51% owned by CEYPTCO and the remaining portion by Lanka IOC. The company will develop 61 tanks and pipes connecting to the farm at $70 million

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera announced yesterday that discussions were held regarding a proposal by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for an oil distribution pipeline that would connect Nagapattinam, Trincomalee and Colombo.

This proposal takes into account future refinery developments, oil and gas exploration, pipeline connections to domestic LPG terminals, and aims to target regional oil and gas export markets while meeting the energy requirements of both countries,” he Tweeted.

Minister Wijesekera said before finalizing the project scope for approval, the feasibility and technical requirements of the project will be thoroughly assessed.

By: Staff Writer

Colombo (LNW):Sri Lanka’s two main revenue collection authorities, the Department of Customs and the Inland Revenue Department, are now firing all cylinders to reach revenue targets this year to overcome the country’s cash crunch, finance ministry officials said.

Sri Lanka Customs is looking for more informants who could provide information on undervaluations and other measures that people use to pay less customs duty in trade in a move to boost the crisis-hit nation’s revenue, as the island nation is in an attempt to reach the revenue target set by the International Monetary Fund in return to a US$3 billion loan.

Sri Lanka’s government revenue was just above 8 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) last year, one of the lowest in the world after the state income plummeted following a politically-motivated tax reduction by former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in December 2019.

Sri Lanka has agreed to raise the revenue and grant target to 11 percent of the GDP in 2023.P.B.S.C. Nonis, the director general of Sri Lanka Customs said the authority is now looking for more ways to boost the revenue to raise the government income.

He said that they have a 24-hour hotline and dedicated lines to handle this information. The informer’s confidentiality will be protected.”

Undervaluation and other deceptive measures to pay less customs duty are not unusual in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Customs has been rewarding informants according to the accuracy of information they provide, Customs officials say.

The reward amount is based on the total value of confiscated goods and the penalty imposed for the offence. Out of the total value, 50 percent goes to the Treasury’s consolidated account, while 5% percent goes to the disaster management unit at the Customs.

Out of the remaining 45 percent, depending on the accuracy of the information, informants are likely to get 60 percent, an official at the Customs said.

The total tax revenue collected by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) for the first half of 2023 was 696,946 million rupees (2,233 million U.S. dollars), the IRD said in a press release on Wednesday night.

The corresponding revenue in the first six months of 2022 was 361, 832 million rupees (1,159 million U.S. dollars), the IRD said.It represents a 93 percent increase in tax revenue this year, the IRD said.

The reasons for this increase are decisive changes in the tax policy, the gradual recovery of the economic situation of the country and the efficiency of the efforts of the IRD, Commissioner General Inland Revenue D.R.S. Hapuarachchi said.

Meanwhile, an IMF spokesman has told the media that revenue mobilization is a key pillar of the IMF program with Sri Lanka.

By: Staff Writer

Colombo (LNW): Zapmail, the world’s first collaborative email service designed and developed by Sri Lanka, has been launched and is available to the public.

Zapmail is aiming to provide the best communication experience at your own pace and has been developed by Sri Lanka to address inefficiencies in team communication by simplifying and streamlining communication, saving teams time and increasing productivity.

Commenting on the launch, the Co-Founders of Zapmail; Sean Samarasinghe, Mark Sachintha, Shay Anthony, Devmin Abeyasena and Meredith Ivor say that; “Traditional email services are not designed for team collaboration, resulting in disorganized conversations, difficulty finding relevant information, and time wasted.

Thereby, they concentrated on developing a solution that enables teams to communicate in real time no matter where they are. Within our company, we saw the difficulties that teams had in effectively collaborating via traditional email services.

Zapmail’s developers move forward in search of solutions for the team to be able to collaborate in a professional setting while representing the brand of the organisation.

Businesses, universities, organisations, and any other formal setting can now form a more cohesive digital environment to achieve their goals. Furthermore, because Zapmail is cloud-based, it is accessible from any device, allowing teams to continue their conversations from anywhere in the world.

“We are just getting started, and our goal is to make business communication simple and effective for everyone by increasing productivity in organisations all over the world,” added the Co-Founders.

Customers of Zapmail, whether large, small, or medium-sized enterprises, businesses, universities, or professionals, will reap several benefits from the tool. Communication within the team will be simplified, organised, and streamlined, resulting in increased productivity and efficiency as information can be transmitted effortlessly.

Teams can use Zapmail to switch between chat-like conversations and organised email threads, all within the same platform.

By: Staff Writer

Colombo (LNW): Top Chinese investors on exploratory visit to Sri Lanka has given an assurance that they will come back with their investments for further developing many fields including tourism and hospitality industry, gem and jewellery, agriculture, medicine, food processing, renewable energy and entertainment industry.

This large group of Chinese entrepreneurs called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to discuss possible investments in many spheres recently.

The Prime Minister said there is vast potential for investments in many fields including tourism and hospitality industry, gem and jewellery, agriculture, medicine, food processing, renewable energy and entertainment industry.

Daguowen Culture Co., Chairman Zhang Qihua said he is dealing with international cultural exchange, global sustainable development promotion and Sri Lanka has potential to attract more than million tourists from China.

He said he would work closely with Connaissance De Ceylon Chairman Chandra Wickremasinghe to jointly promote Chinese tourists to Sri Lanka.

Zhejiang Outstanding Women’s Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman Jin Mei Yang expressed willingness to assist women empowerment programmes in Sri Lanka.

Wuxin Group Chairwoman Xie Yueyu,a medical research group working on collaboration between human liver cells and gemstones for human health said she was interested in setting up a branch in Sri Lanka to assist cancer cure.

Over the decade starting 2005-2015, China has emerged as the leading source of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Sri Lanka–$14 billion. Most of it is ODA in loans and grants–$12 billion in sectors like energy, infrastructure and services. There is private Chinese investment too–$2 billion and growing.

China’s flagship projects are the Hambantota Port Development and the Colombo Port Project, both supported by loans and located at strategic points on the global sea trade route. Much of the infrastructure project funding comes through Chinese government companies.

For example, the $1.3 billion Norochcholai Coal Power Plant is being built by the China Machinery Engineering Corporation, and Hambantota’s $1 billion in loans comes from the China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd and Sino-Hydro Corp, both of which are building the port. Large projects like these make it easier for Beijing to draw Sri Lanka into its 21st Century Maritime Silk Road project, all part of the One Belt, One Road initiative.

There is significant Chinese private money too, largely from Hong Kong, This capitalises on Sri Lanka’s cheap and productive labour as also the island nation’s coveted access to the South Asian, EU and American markets.

The prominent investors are mostly Hong Kong billionaires, including Lai Weixuan’s AVIC International Hotels Lanka which is investing $250 million in luxury housing in Colombo, Robert Kuok’s Shangri-La Hotels Lanka which has $16 million in a five-star hotel in Colombo, and Li Ka-Shing’s Hutchison Telecommunication which is spending $20 million on improving its already large mobile network in Sri Lanka.

Dr. A. Saj U. Mendis, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Vietnam, met with Minister of Public Security To Lam at the Ministry of Public Security in Hanoi, engaging in extensive discussions. The Ministry of Public Security is a crucial institution in Vietnam, and Minister To Lam is one of the senior political leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The meeting, lasting over 60 minutes, covered a wide range of topics and was marked by its comprehensive and substantive nature.

Ambassador Mendis lauded Vietnam’s remarkable economic progress and development over the past decades, highlighting its status as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. He further emphasized that political economists predict Vietnam to become a trillion-dollar economy by 2030, noting its bilateral trade surpassing the GDP of certain countries.

Expressing gratitude on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, Ambassador Mendis acknowledged the cooperation and assistance extended to Sri Lankan migrants stranded in Vietnam in November of the previous year. He also thanked Vietnam for its support at the Human Rights Council (HRC), as Vietnam holds membership in the council.

Minister To Lam expressed the desire for increased collaboration between the Ministry of Public Security and its Sri Lankan counterparts to strengthen security, law enforcement, and transnational crime prevention, aiming to contribute to stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific region. He highlighted the proactive coordination, consultation, and support demonstrated by both countries at various multilateral forums and international organizations, appreciating the mutual benefits derived from such efforts.

Minister To Lam expressed Vietnam’s gratitude for the support and consideration extended by successive Sri Lankan governments over the past decades.

During the discussions, Minister To Lam and Ambassador Saj Mendis explored effective strategies to enhance and deepen economic and commercial relations between the two countries, particularly focusing on tourism, trade, investments, and people-to-people exchanges. They agreed to work closely together on various outstanding issues. Minister Counsellor Mahesh Premathilake accompanied Ambassador Mendis during the meeting.

A delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs visited Temple Trees and held discussions with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, exploring potential investments across various sectors. The Prime Minister highlighted the vast potential for investment in Sri Lanka, specifically in areas such as tourism and hospitality, gem and jewelry, agriculture, medicine, food processing, renewable energy, and the entertainment industry.

Zhang Qihua, Chairman of Daguowen Culture Co., Ltd., emphasized the potential for attracting over a million Chinese tourists to Sri Lanka and expressed his commitment to working closely with Chandra Wickremasinghe, Chairman of Connaissance De Ceylon, to promote Chinese tourism in the country.

Jin Mei Yang, Chairwoman of Zhejiang Outstanding Women’s Chamber of Commerce, expressed her willingness to support women empowerment programs in Sri Lanka, highlighting the importance of fostering gender equality and female entrepreneurship.

Xie Yueyu, Chairwoman of Wuxin Group, a medical research group specializing in the collaboration between human liver cells and gemstones for human health, expressed interest in establishing a branch in Sri Lanka to contribute to cancer treatment advancements.

The delegation included representatives from various Chinese enterprises, including Zhang Xiaomei, General Manager of Lanzhou General Machine Manufacturing; Li Zhengguo, Chairman of Shandong Jujinlong Group (Hydrogen energy industrial park for new energy technology); Zhou Wenlong, Chairman of Shenzhen Zhongdian Core Technology Co., Ltd.; Li Min, Executive Assistant at Shenzhen Zhongdian Core Technology Co., Ltd.; Guo Tingting, Chairman of Anthony Walter Piano and Executive President of Wuxin Public Welfare Foundation (International artistic and cultural cooperation); and Xiao Ling, General Manager of Wuxin Group (Public emergency Chinese medicine assistance and collaboration with Chinese hospitals).

The visit of the Chinese delegation reflects the growing interest of Chinese entrepreneurs in investing in Sri Lanka and collaborating with local partners to drive economic growth and development. These discussions pave the way for potential partnerships and investments that could benefit both countries in various sectors of mutual interest.

A delegation of foreign representatives from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) visited Sri Lanka to participate in the conference titled ‘Re-awakening the Civil Aviation Industry of Sri Lanka,’ organized by the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka. During their visit, the delegation met with Nimal Siripala de Silva, the Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, to discuss the measures taken to revive Sri Lanka’s air transportation sector, which faced significant setbacks due to the Covid-19 pandemic and other economic challenges.

Minister de Silva commended the efforts made by the representatives and acknowledged their role in supporting the restoration of Sri Lanka’s aviation industry. He called upon the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to extend its support for the sustainable development of the country’s aviation sector. The Minister expressed his confidence that collaborative efforts would help identify the existing challenges faced by aviation administrators, policymakers, and other stakeholders.

Philip Goh, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific, addressed the meeting and provided insights into the current state of international air transportation. Globally, the industry stands at 89%, whereas in the Asia-Pacific region, it is at 69%. Goh emphasized that Sri Lanka has made significant progress in its air transportation sector compared to global and regional standards. He further reiterated IATA’s commitment to fully support the development of Sri Lanka’s aviation industry. Discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority are scheduled in the coming days to explore potential measures and strategies for further advancement.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, K.D.S. Ruwanchandra, was also present at the discussions, emphasizing the government’s commitment to revitalizing the civil aviation industry and the importance of collaboration with international partners like IATA.

The visit of the foreign delegation from IATA signifies a crucial step in rejuvenating Sri Lanka’s aviation sector, fostering collaboration between industry experts, and paving the way for sustainable growth and recovery.

State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath unveiled the ambitious DIGIECON 2030 program, designed to propel Sri Lanka’s economy towards a comprehensive digital ecosystem that fosters inclusivity and utilizes advanced technology-based solutions. The program encompasses a digital master plan, a regulatory policy framework, and a series of annual events aimed at driving the country’s digital transformation.

During a press conference titled “Collective Path to a Stable Country” held at the Presidential Media Centre, Minister Herath emphasized the significance of DIGIECON 2030 in guiding Sri Lanka’s journey towards a thriving digital economy. The program’s inaugural event, “DIGIECON 2023,” scheduled for October to November 2023, will introduce the digital master plan and regulatory policy framework, while featuring international conferences, symposiums, and exhibitions focused on accelerating digital transformation and fueling the envisioned “Digital Economy 2030.”

Additionally, Minister Herath announced that the procurement process for the Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Project for the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity Project (SL-UDI) has commenced. The project, initiated with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Sri Lanka and India on March 28, 2022, aims to develop a unique digital identification system for every citizen in the country.

The Indian government will oversee the software development for the SL-UDI project and has pledged a contribution of 300 million Indian Rupees. The Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) will supervise the installation of major automated biometric systems and other software systems. ICTA, along with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Lanka, will provide the necessary technological knowledge to create a robust digital ID system.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Technology, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, plans to launch a specialized six-month IT course for Arts undergraduates to bridge the IT skills gap. Subject-matter specialists will contribute their expertise to develop a curriculum aligned with industry requirements.

The implementation of the SL-UDI project holds immense potential for Sri Lanka. It will facilitate more efficient delivery of government services, contribute to poverty reduction and welfare programs, promote financial inclusion, and minimize corruption. By embracing DIGIECON 2030 and the SL-UDI project, Sri Lanka aims to position itself as a digitally advanced nation, fostering economic growth and societal development in the digital era.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Government Medical Officers’ Forum (GMOF) yesterday (13) pointed out that India couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for the alleged supply of low quality Indian medicines to Sri Lanka under the USD 1 bn credit line opened over a year ago. GMOF President Dr. Rukshan Bellana said so, referring to the third death due to low quality drugs reported on Wednesday (12) from the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital.

“We appreciate the Indian credit line that allowed Sri Lanka to procure a range of urgently needed medicines at a time when the government was not able to meet the basic requirements of the public but there cannot be an excuse for deaths and complications caused by Indian medicines,” Dr. Bellana said.

Responding to The Island queries, Dr. Bellana said that he sincerely hoped the government would take up this matter at the highest level. Pointing out that President Ranil Wickremesinghe was scheduled to visit New Delhi soon, Dr. Bellana said that the President should take up the issue without any further delay.

The first death caused by substandard drugs was reported from the Peradeniya Hospital on June 16. Dr. Bellana said that many had expressed concern about the death of a patient at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital who died after being given the Indian-manufactured anaesthetic Bupivacaine.

Dr. Bellana said trouble had started in May 2023, when those who had been administered Indian medicines after eye surgery at the Nuwara Eliya hospital complained about visual impairment. The doctors cited the “presence of germs” in the eye medication as a reason for their patients’ condition. Health authorities initiated an inquiry and withdrew the drug.

Dr. Bellana said that Transparency International Sri Lanka had filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the decision of the Cabinet and health authorities to procure drugs from unregistered suppliers.

The petition has further questioned the national drug regulator’s role in providing a waiver of registration to allow for the swift import of essential drugs. Gujarat-based Savorite Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Limited and Chennai-based Kausikh Therapeutics have been named as respondents. Early in April this year the Supreme Court granted leave to proceed in the case and suspended imports from these companies.

Dr. Bellana, who is the Deputy Director of the National Hospital, Colombo, said that perhaps the World Health Organization (WHO), too, could look into the issue. According to him, leading Indian media groups have addressed the controversy over the quality of Indian medicine as well as the continuing shortage of essential medicines and equipment.

Dr. Bellana said that he intended to seek a meeting with Indian High Commission authorities to make representations. He asked whether corrupt elements (local agents) here with the help of interested parties in India were making money at the expense of a bankrupt country. Dr. Bellana Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena owed an explanation to the public.

ISLAND LK