The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has amended the MTA6 and MTA8 forms used for vehicle ownership transfers, effective from December 30, 2022.
In a statement, the DMT stated that the forms have been amended with the aim of improving customer service.
All essential workers reaching their retirement by completing their 60 years of age today (31) will be reemployed on contract basis as per the instructions of the Presidential Secretariat, announced the Sri Lanka Railway Department.
MIAP
Officials representing the 8 Presidential Task Forces established under the Presidential Secretariat to enhance the Ease of Doing Business in Sri Lanka recently presented the issues and proposals to the ‘Select Committee of Parliament to study the practical problems and difficulties that have arisen in relation to enhancing the rank in the Ease of Doing Business Index in Sri Lanka and make its proposals and recommendations’.
These matters were discussed when the said committee met in Parliament recently (27) under the chairmanship of MP Madhura Withanage.
The heads representing the Sri Lanka Customs, Ministry of Justice, Urban Development Authority and other government agencies representing the Presidential Task Forces established in relation to business facilitation in Sri Lanka presented detailed information to the committee. In relation to business, promoting online systems, reducing human involvement, reducing time spent as much as possible and increasing efficiency were discussed at length. Also, the action plans of the 8 presidential task forces were also discussed here and the Parliamentarians present inquired about the registration of a business, its improvement and the support that can be provided by the public sector.
Also, the committee’s attention was drawn to the issues existing in the judicial sector regarding the facilitation of business in Sri Lanka and the related solutions, especially the cases in the Commercial High Court.
Committee Chief Withanage pointed out that it is important to prepare awareness programs from the regional secretariat level regarding each of these aspects.
MPs Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Mohammed Mussammil, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Kokila Gunawardena and Lalith Varankumara were also present at the occasion.
MIAP
The previous Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime’s initiative of maintaining rice security and organic fertilizer drive has been tainted with malpractices, corruption and waste of taxpayers’ money, official sources revealed.
Amid a hard-hitting economic crisis and worsening COVID-19 situation, Sri Lanka has declared a food emergency in September 2021 to deter hoarding and stabilize prices of essential items.
The then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued this order and appointed a major general to “oversee food distribution” in the island nation, which was under its third coronavirus lockdown in 2021.
He revoked this emergency declaration in April 2022 making an utter mess in the public administration procedures as well as administrative and financial regulations further ordering top officials to adhere to his word without any official circulars.
“Authorized officers have been given powers to provide essential food items at a concessionary rate to the public by purchasing stocks of essential food items including paddy, rice, and sugar,” read a statement issued by the presidential office at that time.
Under this set up financial provisions amounting to Rs.200 million had been provided to maintain 100000 mt rice security (buffer stock) at the stores network of the food commissioners department in early 2022.
But no such buffer stocks had been maintained till October 2022 and the sum of Rs 200 million was transferred to State Trading Corporation, auditor general’s department observed, adding that this was a serious matter in relation to food security in the country.
Now the million rupee question was as to what happened to this money transferred to STC, a senior treasury official said.
Meanwhile several irregularities have been exposed in the implementation of organic farming drive in the recent auditor general’s report opening a can of worms.
It has been observed that although the Agriculture Research and Production Assistants of the Agrarian Service Centers had been trained online on the production and use of organic fertilizer, and paying incentives to the farmers, the Department of Agrarian Development had paid a sum of Rs. 21.66 million to 06 media institutions to air awareness programs on the production and use of organic fertilizer, and paying incentives to the farmers.
Further the Ministry of Lands had produced 6,156.23 metric tons of fertilizer at a cost of Rs.302 million, and according to section 2 (1) (2) of the Regulation of Fertilizer Act No. 68 of 1988, a license should be obtained from the National Fertilizer Secretariat for the production of fertilizers, but it has not been obtained , the report revealed.
Although 777,720 kg of fertilizer produced under this project was sold to Colombo Commercial Fertilizer Company at Rs.15 per kg in the year 2021/2022 under review, the income of Rs.11.67 million due for that had not reported in the financial statements as deficit income.
More worms are expected to come out but those who were responsible for such suspicious financial transactions including then heads of the government and top officials are still allowed to enjoy life scot-free.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations is set to scale up its emergency and resilience interventions in Sri Lanka given the current unprecedented economic crisis in the country.
The FAO has assured President Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that it will assist Sri Lanka in overcoming a possible food crisis.
The UN organization has given its word it will seek international assistance to address the food crisis the country may face in the near future.
“Sri Lanka’s immediate priority is to ensure that all citizens are provided with three meals a day,” he said.
In a prompt action towards this end, the UN food agency has already devised a food crisis response plan for Sri Lanka amidst threats of a food shortage in the country
This man made food crisis has been triggered by stupid shortsighted policies including the ban on chemical fertilizer imports and blunt economic tools proposed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was caught up in dead ropes of nutty advisors.
The response of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations came after President Wickremasinghe had warned of a food crisis in the island nation due to the ongoing economic crisis..
In its recent overview for the period of June to December 2022, the organisation said it plans to provide 201,148 households with a total of 10,057 tons of urea for paddy farming while providing another 53,000 farming households with unconditional cash transfers of $ 84 each.
In addition to this, the FAO is also set to provide 997,000 paddy farming households with 36,000 tons of triple superphosphate for the upcoming 2023 Yala season.
The organisation will also support fishing households by providing cash transfers of $ 141 each allowing the families to meet their immediate food security needs.
The FAO will also support communities by helping them set up 2,500 backyard gardens and facilitating capacity-building activities on improved nutritional and dietary practices, to enhance food production and nutrition at the household level.
The FAO in its report said humanitarian needs in Sri Lanka have continued to rise sharply as a result of political and economic upheaval in the country.
“Nearly 40% of the population of Sri Lanka depend on agriculture as a primary source of income.
The ongoing multidimensional crisis is posing an enormous threat to their livelihoods and disrupting the national food system,” it said, adding that agricultural production is in a downward trend since mid-2021.
This crisis made by the previous Rajapaksa regime was due to the unavailability of fertilizers and other essential production inputs while livestock keepers are unable to access feed and basic veterinary supplies; and fishers are unable to access fuel for motorized boats.
“Four in every ten households experienced a reduction in their incomes, and one in every two households are currently relying on negative coping mechanisms to cope with the lack of food or money to buy it.
The window of opportunity to support Sri Lankan farmers and their communities is narrowly time-bound.
“Immediate action to provide farmers with quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides will enable them to protect their livelihoods and feed their communities.
It is also critical to provide the most vulnerable farmers, livestock keepers and fishers with cash assistance to enable them to restore their productive assets and fast-track their recovery,” it noted.
The FAO has distributed 2,381 tons of urea to 47,619 farming households while providing unconditional cash transfers to 15,021 households disbursing a total of approximately $ 1.4 million.
The beneficiaries included vulnerable green gram farmers and fishers in the poorest areas of Ampara, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Batticaloa, Hambantota, Jana, Kilinochchi, Matale, Monaragala, Mullaitivu, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam and Trincomalee, it said.
As per the Extraordinary Gazette No 2306/35 dated 16.11.2022, fees in respect of attestation of Certificates/Documents by the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo, Regional Consular Offices and Sri Lanka Missions/Posts abroad have been revised with effect from 01 January 2023
New Fee structure to attest certificates/ documents through the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo & its Regional Consular Offices is as follows.
| Consular Functions | Fees (Rs.) | |
| 1. | Examination certificates issued by the Department of Examinations | 800.00 |
| 2. | Any document issued by the Government of Sri Lanka for a foreign national | 3000.00 |
| 3. | Any export document | 8000.00 |
| 4. | Any other document | 1200.00 |
Please refer to the Extraordinary Gazette No.2306/35 dated 16.11.2022 for the revised fee structures, which are applicable for Overseas Sri Lankans.
• Of the 11,000 applications received by the President’s Fund in 2022, work has been completed on 10,360.
• In 2022, Rs. 1,500 million has been paid as medical aid.
• President Ranil Wickremesinghe issues instructions to carry out the work of the President’s Fund more efficiently and comprehensively in 2023.
• Measures to increase the allowances paid as medical aid and to update the list of diseases for which medical aid is paid.
Secretary to the President’s Fund W.A. Sarath Kumara said that steps have been taken to complete the work on 10,360 applications out of the 11,000 applications received by the end of 2022.
Mr Sarath Kumara said that most of the payments related to the applications have already been made and the remaining applications are being cleared promptly and the documents are scheduled to be completed within the next few weeks.
Accordingly, he noted that nearly Rs. 1500 million has already been paid for medical aid within this year.
As of 01st August 2022, the President’s Fund had 8,210 applications piling up without any work being done. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and President’s Secretary Mr Saman Ekanayake instructed the President’s Fund to complete the work related to these applications before December 31. Accordingly, Secretary to the President’s Fund W.A. Sarath Kumara has expedited the work.
Accordingly, work on 10,360 applications has been completed so far and 642 applications received at the end of the year where the work haf not been completed due to various reasons, the related money will be settled promptly and the work is scheduled to be completed within the next few weeks.
Mr Sarath Kumara said that the President has given instructions to speed up the provision of medical aid to needy patients giving priority to the piled-up applications. He also stated that it is expected to complete and expedite the relevant payments, thereby providing prompt service to needy patients.
He also said that in addition to the hospitals currently registered with the President’s Fund, new hospitals have also been registered to reduce the need for patients from distant areas to come to the cities to get medical assistance.
In addition, a committee consisting of medical experts has been appointed to obtain the necessary recommendations to increase the financial assistance currently paid for surgery and treatment, and President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed to increase the amount of medical assistance paid as soon as the recommendations of the committee are made.
Accordingly, in the first few months of 2023, the allowances paid as medical aid will be increased.
Apart from the number of diseases for which medical aid will be paid, the committee has been instructed to give necessary recommendations about the conditions for which further medical aid should be paid. As soon as the instructions are received, the necessary approvals will be obtained and the amount of medical aid paid as well as the list of diseases for which medical aid will be paid will be updated.
According to the approved provisions of the Presidential Fund Act, Rs. 20 million has been released for charitable grants and the improvement of religious activities, while about Rs. 1,300 million has been released for the Mahapola higher education scholarships from the money received by the presidential fund in 2022.
In addition, with effect from January 2023, based on the instructions of the President, arrangements have been made for the selection of students to receive Rs. 5,000 each for two years. Today (30) is the last date for accepting applications from eligible students.
Taking into account the transportation and other economic difficulties faced by the public who submit applications to the President’s Fund for receiving medical aid, short messages (SMS) will be sent on six occasions to cover each occasion from the time the application is submitted to the point the payment is made. It is also planned to further streamline these activities in 2023.
PMD
The Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok in consultation with the Community Development Department of the Ministry of Interior of Thailand, for the very first time, made arrangements to showcase and sell Sri Lankan products from National Crafts Council, Spices and Allied Products Marketing Board, Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Industrial Development Board and Handicrafts Board at the “OTOP City-2022” from 17-25 December 2022 at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
The “OTOP City-2022” was organized with the concept; “Giving happiness from wisdom, passing on the value of Thai people’s craftsmanship” with the objective of promoting, showcasing and selling products manufactured under the One Tabon One Product (OTOP) concept in Thailand. The event was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayut Chan-O-Cha and attracted over 200,000 visitors. More than 2,700 entrepenuers participated.
Under the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, Thailand has introduced its One Tambon One Product (OTOP) concept to Sri Lanka as “One Village One Product (OVOP)” funded by Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) and both sides have entered into a Joint Action Programme during the visit by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha to Sri Lanka in 2018.
Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Don Pramudwinai visited the Sri Lanka pavilion and were impressed with Sri Lankan products. The pavilion also attracted many visitors of the general public.
Embassy & Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Bangkok
30 December 2022
Joint Press Release by the Embassy of Sri Lanka, Washington D.C., and Heart to Heart International, United States
Under the guidance of His Excellency Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe, Heart to Heart International has now obtained all necessary government approvals for the third in-kind donation of urgent medical aid, worth an approximate of $7,270,756.31 USD (i.e., LKR 2.7 billion), to the people of Sri Lanka. The latest donation includes an extensive volume of urgent medicines such as: Propranolol Hydrochloride and Labetalol HCL to treat high blood pressure and other heart problems; Potassium Chloride to treat low levels of potassium in the body; Quetiapine Fumarate to treat certain mental/mood conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders etc.; and Allopurinol to decrease high blood uric acid levels and prevent gout (a form of arthritis).
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C. is eternally grateful to Heart to Heart International for the generous donations that have been extended to the people of Sri Lanka at this critical juncture. In coordination with the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka and this Embassy, the third donation is due to reach Colombo, Sri Lanka, via air on 29 December 2022. Similar to former donations, all expenses will be borne by Heart to Heart International, and the Ministry of Health will receive the donation for immediate distribution at no cost to the people of Sri Lanka.
Thus far, the total in-kind donation provided by Heart to Heart International to the people of Sri Lanka is worth an approx. total of $19,915,909.38 USD (i.e., LKR 7.4 billion).
Headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas, Heart to Heart International (HHI) is a global humanitarian organization focused on improving access to health. Since its inception in 1992, HHI has delivered medical aid and supplies worth $2.5 billion to more than 130 countries, including within the United States. HHI responds to natural disasters both domestically and internationally by supplying medical relief and mobilizing volunteers. The organization is a 4-star Charity Navigator charity, a BBB Accredited charity and is on the “Philanthropy 400.”
Embassy of Sri Lanka,
Washington, D.C.
Heart to Heart International,
Kansas
28 December 2022