President Ranil Wickramasinghe has left Katunayake, Bandaranaike International Airport for England this morning (17).

It is to participate in the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, which will be held on the 19th.

The Minister of State for Tourism Mrs. Diana Gamage says that some people are distorting her proposal to legalize cannabis and that she proposed to legalize the cultivation of cannabis for export.

Diana Gamage said this while speaking to the media after the meeting of the ruling party members held yesterday (16).

Police have seized two firearms and a sharp weapon from the house of a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna member of the Ambalangoda local council.

Based on information received by the police, the two firearms and the sharp weapon found at the house of the concerned MP located in Batapola, Pollavwa area have been taken into police custody.

The Cabinet Ministers, at its meeting on Monday, has decided to seek the advice of the Attorney General to resolve the legal dispute concerning the $ 1.5 billion coal procurement, to avoid longer power outages from the latter part of October.

“The matter was discussed at length at the Cabinet meeting on Monday. It was decided to seek advice from the Attorney General and to make a submission to the Supreme Court highlighting the importance of a quick resolution to avoid adverse impact on the economy at large,” Acting Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said in response to a query at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

Lanka Coal Ltd., called for tenders for the procurement of 4.5 million tons of coal and the revelations thereafter have stirred much controversy since then.

Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero last week filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking an order staying the purported award made to a company incorporated in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the procurement of 4.5 million tons of coal to the Lakvijaya Power Plant.

The petitioner is challenging the decision of the Special Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee to award the coal tender to the Black Sand Commodities Company and subsequent approval issued by the Cabinet Ministers.

Sobhitha Thero maintained that the price per ton of coal for which the tender has been awarded to the Black Sand Commodities Company, is exorbitantly high, vis-à-vis the current Russian prices, thus, giving an unjustifiably and indeed unconscionable profit margin to the above company.

The Petitioner also said that Black Sand Commodities Company is not registered with Lanka Coal Company Ltd. as a supplier of coal.

Separately in response, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera also officially requested Committee of Public Finance (COPF) Chairman and MP Dr. Harsha de Silva to conduct an inquiry on the procurement of coal.

“False allegations levelled against the awarded tender have created questions on transparency and pricing. I hope COPF will expedite the inquiry,” Wijesekera opined via Twitter.

Last week, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Chairman Janaka Ratnayake warned that Sri Lanka might lose 900 MW of coal power generation due to the unavailability of sufficient stocks and the ramifications of it will have to be borne by the public with long power outages.

He said the remaining coal stocks are only sufficient till the last week of October and if the Government or the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is not allowed to import, there is a high possibility that the plants will be forced into a shutdown resulting in long power cut hours.

“We need to ensure that the current power generation plan is not confused for the benefit of all citizens. We must procure sufficient coal at least by early next month for the sake of the public and the economy at large,” Ratnayake stressed.

The Board of Investment (BOI) recently collaborated with the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) to address the dearth of human capital at the level of technical skills, which has been a challenge for industries over a period of time.

The enterprises at the Horana Export Processing Zone (EPZ) had encountered a shortage of electricians, welders, plumbers and fitters, etc needed for the operation of the factories which prompted the BOI to team up with the NAITA where they agreed to provide necessary skills, expertise, and training to school leavers so that the scarcity of the workforce can be mitigated.

“On top of that, the apprentices will be absorbed into relevant companies and factories upon the completion of the training as per the requirement of the enterprises. This move will not be confined to the Horana EPZ but will be extended to other zones as well,” the BOI said.

“BOI is of the opinion that the new initiative will vastly help students mould themselves and find the ideal career path. The official function of promulgating this worthy action was held recently at the Horana Export Processing Zone where a group of 22 school leavers living in the vicinity of the Horana area, commenced their training. Commenting on the initiative, BOI Chairman Raja Edirisuriya commented

“This initiative does not only create new human capital in BOI enterprises but address the national requirement of shortage of technically skilled human capital,”

“Upon completion, students are awarded the NVQ certificate, which will help them go up to a degree level. Thus, I firmly request the students to make use of this opportunity, to develop their skills and find the ideal career path,” he emphasized,”

“Meanwhile, BOI Director General Renuka M Weerakone stated, “This initiative takes us yet another step further towards contributing to social upliftment through the BOI,”

This worthy cause will also prevent students from migrating due to unemployment because we have set the tone for them to grow and brush up on their hidden skills,” Ms Weerakone highlighted.

“We are also pleased to witness the happy faces of the parents who now feel secure and buoyant about the future of their children, who have joined the training program. Hence, we look forward to expanding this initiative to other zones as well,” she concluded

1. President Ranil Wickremesinghe says Sri Lanka has turned into a regional “punching bag”: asserts that Sri Lanka will not join any big power as it wants to avoid conflict in the Indian Ocean.
   
2. Elections Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa says Sri Lanka’s electoral system is corrupt: also says the Commission cannot monitor or regulate expenditure of candidates.
   
3. China and Russia slam Western double standards at the Human Rights Council: demands that the HRC desists from deviating from the standards of non-selectivity, objectivity and impartiality.
   
4. GDP Growth rate for the 2Q 2022 estimated as 8.4% (negative) against 2Q 2021: Agriculture (-8.4%), Industries (-10.0%) & Services (-2.2%): 1Q 2022 was 1.6% (negative).
   
5. JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva says burdens are being heaped on people according to the dictates of the IMF.
   
6. India says it does not plan to provide fresh financial support to Sri Lanka on top of the nearly USD 4 billion it has extended this year: awaits IMF programme implementation.
   
7. Sri Lanka Amadyapa Maha Sabha says nearly 40,000 people die yearly due to tobacco and alcohol.
   
8. Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population has increased to 7,000 says the Ministry of Wildlife.
   
9. Hundreds throng to see the newly opened Lotus Tower.
   
10. CSE’s ASPI exceeds 10000: Bank shares up on hopes of domestic government debt not being subject to restructuring.

Browns Investments, a unit of LOLC Group, expects to enter into negotiations with the Sri Lankan authorities to secure an unsolicited bid to supply coal to Norochcholai power plant after the party who was awarded the contract to supply coal backing out.

Browns Investments in a filing to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) yesterday said it submitted an unsolicited proposal together with China Machinery & Engineering Corporation (CMEC) on August 12 in line with a Cabinet decision to call for solicited, unsolicited and government to government proposals for the procurement of 4.5 million MT of coal for Norochcholai power plant through Lanka Coal Company.

Having learnt of the failure of the selected bidder to supply, Browns Investments had written to the Minister of Power and Energy on September 8, 2022 that CMEC-Browns consortium is able to ensure uninterrupted supply of coal to the country.

In the unsolicited proposal submitted on August 12, 2022 CMEC-Browns had expressed willingness to accept 50 percent of the contractual price in rupees coupled with the option of paying that 50 percent within a period of five years.

Also, according to Browns Investments’ filing to the CSE, it had offered a lower price per metric tonne of coal compared to the failed selected bidder.

However, during a recent press conference the Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the lowest price was offered by the selected bidder at the time of the closing of the tender.

He said CMEC-Browns sent another proposal two days after the tender was closed offering a lower price per metric tonne compared to the selected bidder. “After closing a tender, we can’t go and give the order to another person,” Wijesekera was quoted as saying in a media report.

Meanwhile, Browns Investments in its filing to the CSE said in its letter to Power and Energy Minister dated September 8, 2022, it reiterated its commitment to adhere to the same terms offered in its unsolicited proposal dated August 12, 2022 even after the failure on the part of the selected awardee.

“In the above circumstances, considering the terms offered in its proposal, the company reasonably expects to enter into negotiations with the relevant authorities in order to secure supply of the required volume of coal,” the filing by the Browns Investments said.

Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Chairman Janaka Ratnayake last week said current coal supplies were enough to generate power till October 2022