1. President Ranil Wickremesinghe says this year’s Ramadan festival is being celebrated by the devotees of Islam in “a revived environment in the country”; adds this has brought contentment to the nation in its entirety; expresses confidence that this year’s Ramadan will serve to unify all Sri Lankans irrespective of race and religion, in working towards the common goal of developing a robust and equitable society, which upholds the values of freedom and human dignity.
2. President Ranil Wickremesinghe highlights the need for a strong, export-oriented economy; urges private sector to become engines of growth in SL’s economy; calls for the private sector to submit proposals in this regard; stresses the need for modernising and updating traditional sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, logistics, and tourism.
3. Agriculture Ministry Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe assures China’s request “to import 100,000 toque macaque monkeys from Sri Lanka”, despite protests from many environmentalists against the deal; asserts a “privately-owned animal breeding Chinese company, connected to zoological gardens, had made the request”: The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka maintains a diplomatic denial on such business.
4. Archbishop of Colombo HE Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says he has “no faith in the country’s leadership in securing justice for Easter Attacks victims”: adds “although on the surface it looks like Islamic extremists carried out these attacks, the Parliament Select Committee report clearly states that a political conspiracy was behind it.”
5. US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung joins Sri Lankans to remember those killed in the 2019 April 21 Easter attacks; says she “remembers the hundreds of innocent people, including five Americans, who were murdered four years ago in a horrific act of terror on Easter Sunday”; adds the US honours the victims, their families and all affected communities and stands in solidarity with those awaiting justice.
6. The government is set to further ease import restrictions imposed as a remedy to crippling shortage of foreign exchange: Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says measures will be taken to “relax the import restrictions imposed on many other goods”; admits the main cause for the loss of revenue was the import restrictions imposed by the government.
7. The Examination Department says the preliminary marking of the G.C.E. Advanced Level Tamil medium answer scripts has commenced: Commissioner General of Exams Amith Jayasundara says the paper marking activities have commenced in relation to subjects of Hinduism, Christianity, Hindu Civilization, Bharatha Dancing, Oriental Music, Carnatic Music, Western Music, Art, Drama and Theatre and Hindi.
8. A dismissal ceremony conducted for 189 sub-inspectors who had completed their training at the Katukurunda Police Training College, under the patronage of Public Security Minister Tiran Alles: Of the 189 sub-inspectors, 167 dismissed from service, while 22 dispersed.
9. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Colombo stationed at the SL Navy HQ promptly coordinates the rescue of a group of Sri Lankans reported to be in distress on-board a Vietnamese-flagged fishing vessel in Vietnam waters: The group was temporarily settled in Vietnam upon rescuing: Among the distressed were 151 Sri Lankans deported from Vietnam in 2022, and 23 more Sri Lankans deported in April, 2023.
10. Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe expected to hold Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) election in August; promises that the election will be held after successful discussion with the Asian Rugby Union President Qais Al Dalal; assures the Asian Rugby chief is happy about the ministry’s proposals for SLR development.

Yesterday, an agreement worth USD 400 million was signed between China Merchants Port Holdings Co. Ltd. (70%), Sri Lanka Ports Authority (15%), and Access Engineering PLC (15%) to build South Asia’s largest commercial and logistics hub at the center of Colombo Harbour. The eight-floor complex, 92 meters in height, will be constructed under a Public-Private Partnership with a concession period of 50 years.

The project is aimed at making Sri Lanka a major logistics hub in the region and aligns with the country’s national development strategy. It is identified as a key sector and driving force for economic development in the National Policy Framework (NPF) 2019. The construction of the project will commence in two months and is expected to be completed in two years.

“The investment in the project will bring in much-needed foreign investment into Sri Lanka,” said Ports, Shipping, and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva. “Sri Lanka’s aspiration to become a major logistics hub in the region too would receive another boost with the launch of this project.”

Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Keith Bernard said that the project will provide direct employment to a minimum of 1,800 people and create 10,500 other indirect job opportunities. Additionally, the complex will be directly linked with the airport via the Port Access Elevated Highway. The five million square foot complex will offer the full range of logistics-related facilities and services such as Less than Container Load (LCL), Multi-Country Consolidation (MCC), Container Freight Station (CFS), General warehousing, and various other value-added services.

The project aims to improve the operational efficiency of the Port of Colombo and introduce leading-edge technology and innovation. It will also provide better logistics and warehousing facilities and services, enhancing the port’s competitive advantage and consequently strengthening its hub status. The Port of Colombo is currently ranked among the top 13 ports in the world in terms of shipping.

The investment is a clear indication of the investor appetite for Sri Lanka despite the ongoing economic crisis. The project will bring in much-needed foreign investment into Sri Lanka and bolster its position as a major logistics center in the region.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Eastern, Uva, Northern, North-central, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces during the afternoon or night. Fairly heavy showers above 75mm are likely at some places.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in elsewhere during the afternoon or night.

Showers may occur in the Western province during the morning too.

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

Following the completion of fasting for one month, this year’s Ramazan festival is being celebrated by the devotees of Islam in a revived environment in the country. Undoubtedly this has brought contentment to the nation in its entirety.

The Eid festival holds significant religious, spiritual and social importance, as the Muslim community strives to uphold the core values through their unwavering dedication to the doctrinal practices.

This month of abstinence is not only an opportunity for individuals to fulfil their hallowed duties, but is also an important message to the world on promoting generosity and equality to the wider society, underlining the importance of social values.

These principles of social responsibility are in tandem with the ideals the Government envisions to achieve in building a more peaceful and developed Sri Lanka, through solidarity and brotherhood. It is incumbent upon all of us to draw upon the teachings of the Holy Quran and adhere to these principles for the betterment of our society.

I am confident that this year’s Ramazan celebration, will serve to unify all Sri Lankans irrespective of race and religion, in working towards our common goal of developing a robust and equitable society, which upholds the values of freedom and human dignity.

I extend a prosperous and peaceful Ramazan celebration to all Sri Lankan Muslims here and abroad, and their brethren worldwide.

Happy Eid al-Fitr!

Ranil Wickremesinghe

President

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Muslims in Sri Lanka celebrate Eid al-Fitr on today, Saturday, 22 April 2023, marking the end of the Holy Month of Ramazan and the commencement of the month of Shawwal. This announcement was made by the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) after the Hilaal (Crescent) of the Month of Shawwaal 1444 AH was sighted on Friday, 21 April 2023, as per the reports of the Hilaal Subcommittees appointed around the country.

The Colombo Grand Mosque, ACJU Hilaal Division, and the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs unanimously declared that the 1st of Shawwaal 1444 is on 22 April 2023. This decision was made after careful consideration and consultation with experts.

Eid al-Fitr is an important religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide. It marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramazan, during which Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. The festival is a time for prayer, feasting, and spending time with family and friends.

Lanka News Web wishes all Muslims in Sri Lanka a blessed and joyous Eid al-Fitr. Eid Mubarak!

DP Coding School program recently established a branch at Dambana Vidyalaya to provide computer language education to tribal children. This initiative aims to give them access to various job opportunities in the computer field, including software engineering careers.

Around 60 tab devices were provided to the school, giving approximately 300 children the chance to study computer languages. The Dhammika and Priscilla Perera Foundation’s DP Coding School program offers a basic foundation course that is free of charge and can be completed online. Children who complete this course are eligible to join the Trainee Full Stack Developer course at the University of Moratuwa.

The establishment of a DP Coding School branch in Dambana Vidyalaya was welcomed by Uruvarige Vannilattan, the tribal leader of the area. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity given to the indigenous children of remote Dambana, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the digital world.

Parents who are interested in enrolling their children in this coding course can do so from the comfort of their homes by visiting the dpcode.lk website. The course, worth 24 lakh rupees, is entirely free of charge.

The DP Education’s DP Coding School program aims to make computer language education accessible to children across the nation, giving them the tools and skills to secure successful careers in the tech industry.

The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) has reported that the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) for Sri Lanka in March 2023 stood at 49.2%, based on the year-on-year change. This is a slight decrease compared to February 2023, which recorded a headline inflation of 53.6%.

The report attributes the inflation to the higher price levels that prevailed in both food and non-food groups compared to March 2022.

On a monthly basis, the year-on-year inflation of the food group decreased from 49.0% in February 2023 to 42.3% in March 2023. Similarly, the year-on-year inflation of the non-food group decreased from 57.4% in February 2023 to 54.9% in March 2023.

The contributions to the inflation recorded in March from the food group and non-food group, on a year-on-year basis, were 18.92% and 30.28%, respectively, compared to March 2022.

Despite the slight decrease in inflation, the DCS report suggests that the overall inflation in Sri Lanka remains high, with food and non-food groups still experiencing inflation rates that are considerably higher than the average inflation rates of previous years.

As Sri Lanka continues to grapple with high inflation rates, the government and other stakeholders will need to take measures to stabilize the economy and provide relief to consumers affected by rising prices.

On the fourth anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, His Eminence, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, led a commemoration service at the St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, Sri Lanka. During his speech, he called for justice for the victims of the attacks that claimed the lives of many who had gathered for religious activities and meals at hotels.

Archbishop Ranjith lamented the fact that the current government was protecting those who were responsible for the attacks. He accused both the former and present governments of trying to bury the memories of the attacks and said that there was clear evidence of a political conspiracy behind the incident.

The Archbishop pointed out that former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Chief, Nilantha Jayawardena, had failed to prevent the attacks despite having prior information on possible attacks. He further alleged that the government was protecting Jayawardena, who was currently facing charges related to the Easter Sunday attacks.

Archbishop Ranjith also questioned the need for continuous DNA tests to identify Sara Jasmine, the wife of the Katuwapitiya church bomber, among those killed in the Sainthamarudu blast. He stated that previous DNA tests had revealed that Jasmine was not among those killed in the blast.

The Archbishop’s speech suggested that the true mastermind behind the attacks was still attempting to cover up their links to the incident. He called on the government to ensure that justice was served and that the victims of the attacks received the closure they deserved.

The Easter Sunday terror attacks, which took place on April 21, 2019, claimed the lives of 269 people and injured more than 500. The attacks were carried out by a local extremist group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS).