President Ranil Wickremesinghe met with H.E. Yury Materiy, Russia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, this morning.
The Ambassador extended H.E. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s wishes on the President’s election to the office of the Presidency.
Today declared as a Special Dengue Control Day
Today (25) will be declared as a Special Dengue Control Day by the Ministry of Health in a move to address the risk of a dengue epidemic.
More than 43,000 dengue cases were reported since the beginning of 2022 and in the first 21 days of June this year, about 8,000 cases have been identified, revealed the National Dengue Control Unit.
Accordingly, all state and private sector institution staff members must spend a period of one hour today to identify and destroy all mosquito-breeding grounds on and off the borders, keep their environments clean and appoint a committee under a responsible officer to fight the health crisis, the Ministry said.
Denoting the higher tendency of mosquitoes being bred in public places, Community Medical Officer of the National Dengue Control Program of the Health Ministry Dr. Indika Weerasinghe emphasised that it is difficult for the health departments to check all the places under the existing conditions and therefore the general public should consider the matter their responsibility to destroy all breeding grounds to prevent the epidemic from being prevalent.
MIAP
Private plaint against former CBSL Governor not taken up today
Media release by former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal on 25th July 2022:
Private Plaint filed by Keerthi Tennekoon against former Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court was not taken up today due to the restrictions in the number of cases being taken up as a result of the country conditions.
At the same time, the overseas travel ban on Governor Cabraal was not contested by his lawyers, who confirmed that the former Governor has no intention of leaving the country and will resist all charges made by the complainant in Court.
Island-wide implementation of QR Code System for fuel distribution delayed
The fuel distribution initiative under the National Fuel Pass QR Code system will not be implemented as planned across the island today, revealed the Energy Ministry in a statement.
The Ministry added that however, only a few selected fuel stations will be distributing fuel under the system.
Meanwhile, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) in a statement said that the programme is still being implemented despite the difficulties, adding that the initiative will undergo as a pilot project at several fuel stations.
MIAP
Travel ban on former CBSL Governor Cabraal extended
The overseas travel ban imposed to former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Ajith Nivard Cabraal has been extended till October 26, as ordered by the Colombo Magistrate Court today (25).
The order was issued by Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawala as a complaint filed by former Governor Rajith Keerthi Thennakoon was taken up today.
Cabraal is accused of paying US $6.5 million to a representative of Zubheri, a US citizen, without the approval of the Cabinet or the Monetary Board of the CBSL during his tenure as the CBSL Chief from 2006 to 2015, causing a loss of US $500 million to Sri Lanka through the sovereign bonds due on maturity on January 18, as the Governor in 2022, and causing a loss of Rs. 10.04 billion via treasury bills and bond issues by appointing his close relatives to positions and leaking confidential information during his tenure as the Governor.
MIAP
Selling CEYPETCO is treason, Opposition Leader says, vows to end fuel mafia under a SJB rule
Closing Sri Lanka’s Oil Refinery which can be adapted into a profit making body from 16 per cent to 24 per cent and selling the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) have become a government policy and such a move can be defined as an act of treason, said Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, speaking to members of the trade unions responding to the state-run fuel regulator two days ago (23).
The Oil Refinery and the CEYPETCO are national resources of the country and therefore, should be protected, the Opposition Leader emphasised, reminding that Rs. 90 billion due to be paid to the CEYPETCO has not been paid and the state-run fuel regulator’s revenue has been taken by the Treasury whilst a loss of Rs. 600 billion has incurred due to the non-payment of subsidies given under various regimes. In the backdrop, it would be wrong to say that the CEYPETCO is incurring losses, he added.
The government has lost millions of rupees due to the importation of fuel without procurement and the national resources are being sold for loot whilst those collecting commissions and stealing dollars and powerful families have become agents of the fuel mafia, Premadasa alleged. The Opposition Leader promised that the fuel mafia will be eliminated under a Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) government.
He urged the public not to be deceived by statements made on the basis of false information that the CEYPETCO should be closed, adding that had the state-run fuel regulator been a loss-incurring body, it should be profited through a joint venture that would generate profit without closing it. Accordingly, national resources must not be sold, Premadasa added.
MIAP
03 accused of attempted selling of 40 brass balls stolen from President’s House arrested
Three persons accused of attempted selling of 40 brass balls painted in gold colour stolen from the window curtains of the President’s House were arrested by the Police yesterday (24).
The suspects, 28, 34 and 37, are residents of Rajagiriya – Obeysekarapura and were arrested in Welikada, the Police revealed, adding that the alleged theft was committed on July 09 as the protesters breached the President’s House.
The suspects were referred to the Colombo North Division Crimes Investigation Unit in charge of probes in connection with the President’s House for further investigations.
MIAP
Presidential Secretariat resumes duties from today
The Presidential Secretariat of Sri Lanka will resume its operations from today (25), following a three month-standstill subjugated to anti-government protesters.
The Presidential Secretariat was acquired by the protesters in a historic move on July 09 leading to the fleeing of ex President Rajapaksa and was handed over to the authorities on July 22.
MIAP
Two sides of the coin in military operation of freeing presidential secretariat
President Ranil Wickremasighe has expressed his unofficial concern to several heads of foreign missions in Sri Lanka over their twitter and other messages issued in a haste of Sri Lnkan army and the police action to evacuate illegal occupants forcibly taken over the presidential secretariat in Colombo.
The president briefed the actual facts behind the police and army operation to free the office of the president located at Sri Lanka’s old parliamentary building, one of the country’s heritage buildings, from unlawful occupants who were disrupting official functions of the head of state.
He informed them that the protestors had been informed by the police to vacate the area by 6 am on Thursday 21 but the protestors had refused and instead provided an alternative time which was not accepted by the authorities.
President noted that protestors continued to occupy the area despite a court order and they continued to occupy the Presidential Secretariat illegally.
At the meeting with heads of foreign missions and representatives of US ,EU, Canada, France,UK,Japan and Australia, President Ranil Wickremasighe has asked them as to whether their authorities would allow strugglers to forcibly occupy such nerve centers in their countries.
He mada clarian request from foreign diplomats not to issue twitter messages or statements condemning the state based on social media reports without verifying actual facts from relevant government authorities.
This was the first time in the history of the island nation that foreign diplomats in Sri Lanka have issued statements condemning the government without even considering the damage caused to country’s valuable assets, heritage buildings disrupting the normal functions of the president and the prime minister, several foreign affairs analysts claimed.
They noted that these foreign diplomats should visit these historic buildings vandalized by illegal occupants and several persons among hundreds of thousands of visitors to those places during the last few days to get a glimpse of damages caused to public property.
They added that before issuing statements,they should have at least study the photographs published in newspapers and prominent local news websites and international press to get some understanding about the difference between peaceful demonstrators and unlawful occupants and strugglers who invaded the country’s heritage buildings.
Several local foreign affairs officials asked for an explanation as to what action that the US administration would take if a group of protestors took over the white house and continued to occupy it.
At the meeting US Ambassador US Ambassador Julie Chung expressed her deep concern on brutal violence used by the army and the police against protesters.
Replying to this allegation, the President reminded the US Ambassador of similar action taken by security divisions to free the American Capitol building from protesters in accordance with US law.
In a lighter vein the President noted that he was dismayed on the attitude of the Ambassador and other foreign diplomats for not issuing any statement condemning the looting and setting fire to his personal residence, the ancestral house when he was holding the post of Acting President of Sri Lanka .
Intervening at this instance the Canadian Ambassador noted that they have taken into consideration not only the facts highlighted by social media but also the view of other persons including statements issued by the Bar Association President Saliya Peiris .
In reply the President told him that he and Foreign Minister Ali Sabri were also members of BASL and if he wants he could have been easily checked with him before issuing a statement against the country
Moderate Sri Lankan experts of foreign relations were of the view that these heads of missions should inform the public as to whether these statements of condemnation were issued on behalf of their respective countries or their personal views.
Other wise people of this country will take it for granted that all those countries are supporting the protesters and the new administration would find it difficult to restore law and order as well as peace and stability in the country they pointed out.
They commended the wait and see attitude of Asian, African and Middle Eastern country diplomats in Sri Lanka specially heof missions of India , China Pakistan and Bangladesh his sensitive issue relating to the present social turmoil in the country
New QR and vehicle number system begins for fuel pumping
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has decided to dispense limited volumes of fuel from Ceypetco filling stations to vehicles starting from today July 25, based on the last digit of the vehicle number plate and QR code system, Ceypetco sources said.
Fuel pumping at 1236 Ceylon Petroleum Corporation fuel filling stations countrywide will begin today using the new system a high ranking CPC official said.
Over 1 million motorists have already registered with the new system which will take several days for the proper operation of the system in a streamlined manner , he revealed.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Ceypetco filling stations will only pump fuel worth Rs. 1,500 for motorcycles at a single time.
For three-wheelers, the limit has been set at Rs. 2,000 worth of fuel. The maximum amount of fuel allowed to be dispensed to other vehicles stands at Rs. 7,000.
At present the Ceylon Petrolium Corportraion Terminal Limited(CPSTL) is distributing 3000MT of petrol and4000 MT of diselt to furl filling stations countrywide.
CPC has no money to import fuel from next month and the treasury or the Central Bank cannot pump money due to dollar shortage.
Therefore only a limited supply to prol sheds will be continuing making the numbering system and QR code ineffective in controlling large numbers of motorists in queues for fuel , CPC official sources said.
Sri Lanka will receive one more fuel consignment this month and another in August, the Chairman of Lanka IOC Manoj Gupta , said adding that it will provide much-needed relief to the people facing an unprecedented economic crisis and acute fuel shortages.
Two consignments of fuel (petrol and diesel) have already arrived on July 13 or 14, and another shipment will arrive sometime between July 28 to 30. Each vessel will be carrying 30,000 metric tonnes of fuel, he revealed.
Another consignment is also scheduled to arrive on August 10, Gupta said adding that these shipments will be arriving from Singapore and the UAE.
Last week, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) informed the Sri Lankan government that there will be an indefinite delay in the arrival of fuel shipments due to banking and logistical reasons, with existing stocks being prioritized for public transport, power generation and industries.
Meanwhile the power supply in the country is also in critical condition. Kelanitiss combined cycle power plant has closed down since Friday and other thermalwerplants will have to shut down due to lack of diesel ,naptha and furnace oil.
Under this set up 40 percent of the country’s power demand is being met by hydropower plants 34 percent by Norochcholai coal power plant and the balance by renewable energy sources, Ceylon Electricity Board spokesman Andrew Navamini disclosed.