Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena responding to a query by reporters this (14) morning said he has not received President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation letter yet.
MIAP
Sri Lanka Transport Board buses out of service without spare parts
The purchase of spare parts including tires for Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses is in a problematic situation in the current competitive market due to the increase in prices, the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) was told recently.
This was revealed when the Committee met under the chairmanship of MP Tissa Vitharana to examine the plans developed under the Ministry of Transport and Highways to provide efficient transport services to the general public under the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
Officials of the Ministry of Transport and Highways explained to the Committee about the future plans of the Ministry and pointed out that due to rising prices, it has become problematic to buy spare parts for buses in today’s competitive market. They said there have been problems especially in making purchases after calling for tenders.
They also said that even though the public transport service should be further developed, it has become a problematic situation for a public institution to buy equipment at the current prices and get profit.
The Committee also discussed providing diesel to private buses through filling stations belonging to SLTB depots.
The officials specially pointed out that some private buses are getting diesel from these fuel stations and selling it at a higher price. They stated that it is cheaper for bus owners to sell diesel at a higher price than to run buses on the route.
Accordingly, the Committee pointed out that this situation should be controlled and the public should be prevented from being inconvenienced, and a system should be developed to check whether the buses that pump fuel from the depot filling stations are running.
Especially, the possibility of applying of G.P.S. technology for buses was also discussed here.
In addition, it was also revealed that although $ 1,056,555 was spent on the Sri Lanka Railways Master Plan in 2017 based on the financial grants of the Asian Development Bank, the same was not included in the ministry’s budget or financial statements.
Accordingly, a report on this was recommended to be given to the COPA. Also, there was a discussion about combining railway transportation with new technology.
Protesters taken away T56 and 60 ammo: Police Spokesman
A police officer and an army officer were assaulted and a T56 and 60 ammo were stolen by the protesters at the Parliament entrance in Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla yesterday (13), a statement by the Police Media Division alleged, citing a complaint.
However, media reports claimed that the Police and the Army had brutally assaulted the protesters at the site and 42 were hospitalised.
MIAP
No confidence motion against RW?
Parliament must be convened immediately and a no confidence vote against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe must be called in and passed within a day to oust him, said Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Secretary General MP Dayasiri Jayasekara.
Discussions are already underway with other party leaders in this regard and the SLFP will be informing Speaker of the motion as soon as possible, he revealed.
A group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs are also in favour of this motion, the SLFP Secretary added.
Jayasekara’s comments come in in the backdrop that SLFP Leader Maithripala Sirisena has been angry with Wickremesinghe for some time, and he had once publicly stated that he would attack like a hawk who harasses him.
MIAP
HRW raises concerns over EdTech products tracking SL children
Some Sri Lankan EdTech products had the capacity to surveil children in ways that risked or infringed on their rights, Human Rights Watch found.
Human Rights Watch raised concerns over the Nenasa app and e-Thaksalawa app used in Sri Lanka.
The overwhelming majority of education technology (EdTech) products endorsed by 49 governments of the world’s most populous countries and analyzed by Human Rights Watch appear to have surveilled or had the capacity to surveil children in ways that risked or infringed on their rights.
Human Rights Watch released technical evidence and easy-to-view privacy profiles for 163 EdTech products recommended for children’s learning during the pandemic.
Of the 163 products reviewed, 145 (89 percent) surveilled or had the capacity to surveil children, outside school hours, and deep into their private lives.
Sri Lanka was among countries that directly built and offered learning apps that may collect Android Advertising ID from children.
In doing so, these governments granted themselves the ability to track an estimated 41.1 million students and teachers purely for advertising and monetization.
An advertising ID is a persistent identifier that exists for a single use: to enable advertisers to track a person, over time and across different apps installed on their device, for advertising purposes. For those using an Android device, this is called the Android Advertising ID (AAID)
“Children, parents, and teachers were largely kept in the dark about the data surveillance practices we uncovered in children’s online classrooms,” said Hye Jung Han, children’s rights and technology researcher and advocate at Human Rights Watch.
“By understanding how these online learning tools handled their child’s privacy, people can more effectively demand protection for children online.”
Few governments checked whether the EdTech products they rapidly endorsed during the Covid-19 pandemic were safe for children to use. Many governments put at risk or violated children’s rights directly.
Of the 42 governments that provided online education to children by building and offering their own EdTech products for use, 39 governments made products that handled children’s personal data in ways that risked or infringed on their rights.
Human Rights Watch found that the data surveillance took place in educational settings where children could not reasonably object to such surveillance.
Most companies did not allow students to decline to be tracked, and most of this monitoring happened secretly, without the child or their family’s knowledge or consent.
Everyone should understand there is another power beyond Executive, Legislature and Judiciary: FSP Leader
As of now there is a new pillar of power representing the people’s sovereignty and everyone, therefore should understand it without being submissive to the target games played by those in Parliament, said Leader of the Frontline Socialist Party Kumar Gunaratnam, speaking to media yesterday (13).
“Now an unprecedented mass power has been activated. This power of the people is no longer just a sentence related to people’s power in books, or a slogan on platforms, but today it is an active physical power. On July 9, we saw that power. It is possible to summon that power again. A hidden power was awakened and was manifested physically. Because of that power, the President had to flee the country. It is not a matter of whether he officially resigned or not, because he is now politically invalid. Within two and a half years, it was confirmed that his popular opinion was no more. Then this is a reality that we have experienced for real,” Gunaratnam said.
The FSP Leader added: ” This will no longer be a mere presumption. This is not one of our expectations, nor is it one of our demands. This is something that happened today itself. Having that meaning to it, we say that this is alive. That is why I say that a new pillar of power representing the people’s struggle other than the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary has been created. It has become activated once again today. It is powerful. This is people’s sovereignty. Without responding to this power, without being flexible to this power – so far they played these games under the guise of this ‘representative’ democracy – but now the sovereignty of the people has directly and actively come into the process.
That is why we say that the parties representing Parliament should understand this power. Some people already have, willingly or unwillingly accepted it. That’s why we say do not let the Pohottu Government run the numbers in Parliament. If you are thinking of doing that, you will be turning your back on the power of the people. So far you have been involved in ruining this country. But now there is an opportunity for self-criticism and correcting yourself by aligning with this people’s power. Instead of being submissive to the wishes of the Rajapaksas, you have got the opportunity to correct a mistake by aligning with the wishes of the people’s power.”
MIAP
President to resign after landing on Singapore
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be handing over his letter of resignation after landing on Singapore, said Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
MP Mano Ganeshan revealed that the Speaker confirmed the above information during the party leaders meeting held yesterday (13) afternoon.
The President left for Maldives yesterday morning but could not leave for Singapore from thereon.
He is believed to be landing on Singapore at 7 am today (14).
MIAP
Silk Cooperation declares open state-of-the-art Vegan manufacturing facility
11th July 2022
Photo Caption:
- The opening of the new vegan and plant-based manufacturing facility in Matale
Complementing today’s preferred food and lifestyle choices, Silk Cooperation, a fast-growing frontrunner in the country’s organic and sustainable agriculture, food and beverage and nutraceuticals segment, recently declared open a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Naula, Matale to produce a healthy range of vegan and plant-based products.
These products are marketed and sold under the brand ‘plant based’ and presently available for purchase at Glomark supermarkets island wide and online via www.plantbased.lk with plans already underway to further enhance distribution reach including an ambitious wholesale and export driven strategy. This will further strengthen its position in international markets and bring in the much-required forex primarily through the offering of value-added exports.
‘With almost a decade of experience in the food and agriculture export sector, we are now gearing up to move into new horizons. Our new facility was established with the view of producing innovative vegan products which are healthy for consumers and sustainable for the planet while creating a positive impact on the livelihood of our local farmers and rural communities,’ said Sahan Clive Bakmiwewa, CEO of Silk Cooperation.
The new facility and farms use the latest technology in reducing carbon footprint through water saving mechanisms such as drip irrigation for plantation and adheres to some of the best practices in environmental conservation. Several greenhouses within the farm have also heightened its efficacy by equipping modern vertical agricultural irrigation systems such as ‘Nutrient Film Technique’ (NFT), a first of its kind in the Matale region.
Raw materials are sourced from local farmers embracing fairtrade policies in addition to cultivating its own crops using organic agricultural principles, to ensure the produce is GMO-free and all natural. The farmer communities are also provided with training and scientific know-how, with the aim of encouraging and pursuing a culture of collaboration with other participants in the entire value chain.
One of its products that’s making waves is the plant-based vegan patty, made with young jackfruit and oyster mushrooms as the main raw ingredients, combined with spices and coated with breadcrumbs and fried, serving one as a perfect pre-cooked meat substitute burger patty.
The new facility is also able to manufacture powdered oat and rice milk, facilitating the much-needed substitution for powdered dairy milk for the local and international market, becoming the only facility in Sri Lanka to presently manufacture powdered oat and rice milk.
The operations of the facility and farm will be under the care of Silk Foods Ceylon Ltd., a subsidiary of E-Silk Route Ventures Ltd trading as Silk Cooperation. There are plans to implement ‘Farm Stays’ for tourists who will be able to have a first-hand experience in vegan farming and enjoy raw vegan cuisine within the factory and farm premises.
Silk Cooperation is one of the most sought-after players in the spices, herbs, tea, coconut, superfood, and nutraceutical sectors with presence in Australia, Singapore, Slovenia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Its certifications include USDA Organic, EU Organic and FSSC 22000. It provides sourcing, manufacturing including OBM, packaging and labeling to shipping, logistics including last-mile delivery, spanning across 140 cities in over 15 countries, and exporting to over 40 countries. Silk Cooperation was awarded with the Gold award in the Spices and Spice-based Products sector at the 29th NCE Annual Export Awards held earlier this year, and two Gold awards in last year’s edition including for organic products sector.
President issues extraordinary gazette declaring RW as Acting President
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an extraordinary gazette declaring Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the acting President during his absence, despite growing protests outside demanding their stepping down.
MIAP