A silent protest and a petition was organised in support of former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara in front of the Hulftsdorp (Aluthkade) Court premises today (10).
The demonstrators said there is a political attempt to silence Abeysekara via conviction in connection with the Easter Sunday Massacre and the abduction of Pradeep Ekneligoda and many other crimes.
Accordingly, this intervention is being made in protection of Abeysekara’s life, they added.
Last week, Mr Abramovich announced that he intends to sell Chelsea after almost 20 years of ownership, with net proceeds from the sale to be donated to “all victims of the war in Ukraine”.
Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government as part of attempts to crackdown on wealthy Russians with assets in the country.
The Chelsea Football Club owner is one of seven more Russian oligarchs who have had sanctions placed on them by ministers on Thursday.
In a statement, he said the decision was “in the best interest of the club” amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions will come into force before the sale of the football club, which was previously estimated to be worth around £3bn, is able to take place.
Mr Abramovich will have his assets frozen under the move, will also face a prohibition on transactions with UK individuals and businesses and a travel ban forbidding him to enter the UK.
Jets and yachts owned or chartered by Mr Abramovich can been seized.
The outgoing premiership side owner’s net worth is an estimated £9.4bn and he is one of the few oligarchs from the 1990s to maintain prominence under Mr Putin.
The UK is the first nation to sanction Mr Abramovich, who the government has described as a “pro-Kremlin oligarch”.
Image: Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Roman Abramovich and the other six oligarchs have ‘close links to Putin’ and are ‘complicit in his aggression’ With their close links to Putin they are complicit in his aggression.
The other six Russian oligarchs who have been sanctioned by the UK government on Thursday are:
• Oleg Deripaska, who has stakes in En+ Group – a major extractives and energy company
• Igor Sechin, chief executive of Rosneft – a Russian state oil company
• Andrey Kostin, chairman of VTB bank – the second largest bank in Russia
• Alexei Miller, chief executive of energy company Gazprom
• Nikolai Tokarev, president of the Russia state-owned pipeline company Transneft
• Dmitri Lebedev, chairman of the board of directors of Bank Rossiya – widely considered to be The Kremlin’s private bank
The seven latest individuals to be sanctioned have a collective net worth of around £15bn.
The government has now sanctioned more than 200 individuals and entities.
Image: Roman Abramovich can no longer profit from the sale of Chelsea and faces a travel ban to the UK
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Mr Abramovich and the other Russian oligarchs sanctioned are “complicit” in Putin’s aggression.
“The blood of the Ukrainian people is on their hands. They should hang their heads in shame,” she said.
“Our support for Ukraine will not waver. We will not stop in this mission to ramp up the pressure on the Putin regime and choke off funds to his brutal war machine.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson added: “There can be no safe havens for those who have supported Putin’s vicious assault on Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries acknowledged the decision would have an impact on Chelsea Football Club, but said a special licence would enable it to continue operating.
However, according to Ms Dorries, the licence for continued operation is very narrow:
• Chelsea fixtures will be fulfilled
• Only people who already have tickets to upcoming matches at Stamford Bridge can attend
• Contracted staff and players will continue to be paid
• Mr Abramovich cannot profit from the sale of his club
• No new players can be signed
“To ensure the club can continue to compete and operate we are issuing a special licence that will allow fixtures to be fulfilled, staff to be paid and existing ticket holders to attend matches while, crucially, depriving Abramovich of benefiting from his ownership of the club,” Ms Dorries posted on Twitter.
“I know this brings some uncertainty, but the government will work with the league and clubs to keep football being played while ensuring sanctions hit those intended. Football clubs are cultural assets and the bedrock of our communities. We’re committed to protecting them.”
A statement issued by the government confirming the latest sanctions said the licence published will allow Chelsea to “continue playing matches and other football related activity which will in turn protect the Premier League, the wider pyramid, loyal fans and other clubs”.
It adds that the licence will be kept “under constant review”.
A Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST) spokesperson said: “The CST notes with concern the government’s statement regarding the owner. Supporters must be involved in any conversation regarding ongoing impacts on the club and its global fan base.
“The CST implores the government to conduct a swift process to minimise the uncertainty over Chelsea’s future, for supporters and for supporters to be given a golden share as part of a sale of the club.”
Earlier this week, MPs worked fast-pace to pass the Economic Crime Bill which will come into force next week.
The Bill will significantly simplify the process of imposing sanctions and allow the UK to more easily sanction individuals and “stop oligarchs threatening the UK with multi-million pound lawsuits for damages at the taxpayers’ expense and allow the UK to mirror allies designations”.
Sky Sports News understands that Chelsea and government officials will meet on Thursday.
A severe foreign exchange crisis has been devastating the country for several months. As a result, shortages of milk powder, wheat flour and gas occurred from time to time, eventually leading to shortages of fuel and occurrence of power cuts.
In the midst of this crisis, opposition parties, including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the National People’s Power, as well as some parties of the Ruling Party, began to level the idea that the foreign exchange crisis had occurred due to the government’s move of artificially controlling the Rupee value and that the Rupee, therefore, should be allowed to float immediately; not to mention that they did not forget to ridicule Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal in what they claimed as inability to understand such a simple solution.
Bearing all criticism, the Central Bank Governor stated that allowing the Rupee to float was not a simple task and that it would have a severe effect on inflation. He thereafter tried to lure foreign remittances into the country’s banking system by barring migrant workers from remitting money through illegal means such as Hawala and Undial, however, to no avail.
At the end, the Rupee was allowed to float, fulfilling the request by hundred thousands of devotees of the Ruling Party and the Opposition.
Their criticism has taken another route against the Finance Minister and the Central Bank Governor in the event that the Rupee is depreciating sharply. According to their theory, it would be both wrong to do and not to do what they are asked.
The prices of commodities have not yet begun to soar in comparison of the Rupee’s depreciation against the Dollar. Commodity prices too will skyrocket in a matter of days. Only then those who had demanded the floating of the Rupee will continue to blame more and more as if they were not aware of what they had previously asked for.
This is the nature of the people of our country; especially those who master politics and economy only on Facebook.
Declaring decisions about the country’s economy to be the simplest choices even they can take, these critics initially blame the government for not implementing them, and then continue to blame it for the consequences of these decisions being implemented.
We recall the recent times in which a similar issue had arisen regarding the lockdown of the country amid the Covid pandemic.
Nonetheless, facing an economic crisis with a people complaining about the inevitable consequences of an action taken based on their own demand for which they do not even bear responsibility is not a difficult task, but an impossible one.
There is no doubt that various parties have different opinions of how this economic crisis came to play in the first place. But pointing fingers at each other and wasting time will not work for anyone, nor will gain even a cent instead of a Dollar.
Therefore, we reiterate that all political parties, first of all, shall be coming together and reaching onto a common ground in the establishment of a political stability in view of facing this crisis.
But the popular practice of petting people and blaming ‘the 225’ will never provide any solution to the country’s problems.
Probes into allegations of misuse of vehicles belonging to the State Engineering Corporation by Ruling Party MP Wimal Weerawansa have reportedly resumed, weeks after the former minister’s act of rebellion against the current regime.
The Transport Manager of the Corporation has been summoned to the Corruption Investigation Division of the Commission Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) related to the case today (10).
The probe into the vehicle misuse allegedly committed during the period of 2010 – 2014 was initiated during the period of the previous Good Governance regime and Weerawansa was arrested in 2017 on the charge thereby being subject to remand imprisonment for nearly three months.
As the current regime came to power, the investigations were stalled without any update, but have resurfaced upon Weerawansa’s removal from the Cabinet over his act of rebellion against the government.
At the time of the alleged vehicle misuse, the State Engineering Corporation was operating under the Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services and Housing under Weerawansa.
Supreme Court Justice Yasantha Kodagoda has recused from hearing the petition filed by former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara seeking an injunction barring his supposed arrest.
The petition was taken up before the Supreme Court today (10) and Justice Kodagoda announced his recusal from hearing the case.
The petition was filed by Attorney at Law Manjula Balasuriya on behalf of Abeysekara and cites Additional Superintendent of Police of the Criminal Investigation Department Merill Ranjan Lamahewa, Chief Police Inspector Niroshani Hewapathirana and Officer in Charge of the Special Unit Police Inspector Indika De Silva as respondents to the case.
The petitioner seeks an injunction barring what he claimed as an arrest on the basis of the B report filed by the CID in the Kuliyapitiya Magistrate Court on a number of charges, including failing to act on intelligence reports received on the Easter Sunday Massacre three years ago.
People of Kohuwala continued its protest against the government for the 09th consecutive day last (09) night.
Lighting candles and displaying posters, the protest was organised by the residents of the area focusing the economic and political issues that have affected the citizens of Sri Lanka, including the current fuel and power crisis.
The demonstrators called on the people not to tolerate the matters that oppress them anymore and stand against the misrule of the country.
The sell price of the US Dollar has surged up to Rs. 260 as declared by some of the commercial banks of Sri Lanka today (10).
Accordingly, the foreign exchange of the Sampath Bank reveals the buy price of the US Dollar to be Rs. 250 and the sell price, Rs. 260.
The Commercial Bank also marks the same rate for the US Dollar.
Meanwhile, the foreign exchange of the Seylan Bank reveals the buy price of the US Dollar to be Rs. 240 and the sell price, Rs. 265. The NDB Bank reveals the buy price to be Rs. 236 and the sell price, Rs. 265.
Lohan Ratwatte has been appointed as the new Minister of State for Warehousing, Containers, Yards, Port Supplies and Boat and Shipping Development. The new Minister of State was sworn in before the President at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (10).
Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath was also present on the occasion.
Sri Lankan exporters explored the possibility of expanding its tea market in Iran and neighbouring countries following the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has hit the local tea exports in that region.
Under this set up Sri Lanka Embassy in Tehran in collaboration with Tea Association of Iran, Tea Exporters Association of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Tea Board organised a discussion on “Expanding Ceylon Tea Market in Iran and neighbouring countries” at the Chancery premises recently.
More than 30 invitees including representatives from tea associations, union of food wholesalers, top tea importers and prominent businessmen were in attendance. Objectives of the discussion were to brief participants on the Sri Lankan tea industry and secure the Ceylon tea market in the West Asia region.
Opening the discussion, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Iran Vipulatheja Wishwanath Aponsu stated that tea remains one of Sri Lanka’s exports that had not declined during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Highlighting the increased demand for Ceylon tea due to its taste and numerous health benefits, he requested the tea stakeholders to re launch the product enabling Sri Lankan tea to retain its popularity in the Islamic Republic of Iran and secure a place in the neighbouring countries.
The Ambassador also stressed that Iran is an important market as the country is the fourth largest export destination for Ceylon tea.
Chairman of Sri Lanka Tea Exporters Association Sanjaya Herath presented the overall outlook of the Ceylon tea industry, the stringent quality measures implemented by the Sri Lanka Tea Board, current trends of the Sri Lanka tea export market and ongoing and future marketing campaigns in Iran and neighbouring countries.
Further, he emphasised that under the implementation of the green agriculture plantation economy, the Sri Lanka tea industry has given priority to both sustainable and wellness factors.
On behalf of the Iran Tea Association, CEO of Fan Company Alireza Bardai explained the tea market in the Islamic Republic of Iran and stated that the Ceylon tea market in Iran has shown a declining trend due to Covid-19 pandemic situation and spoke of issues which included high prices and supply chain.
CEO Bardai pointed out available opportunities for Sri Lankan tea exporters in the West Asia region and assured his fullest support in retaining the Ceylon tea market in Iran.
In response, Ambassador Aponsu stated that under the humanitarian trade mechanism, the Sri Lanka Embassy continues to meet the demands of the Iranian tea market in cooperation with the concerned authorities of Sri Lanka and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The event created a platform for the Iranian tea importers to exchange their contacts with the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tea Exporters Association with a view to establish a strong link. It also gave an opportunity for Ceylon tea importers in Iran to sort out any issues.
Sri Lanka is facing medicinal drug shortages due to unfavourable internal price controls and a worsening forex crisis making it difficult for pharmacies countrywide to purchase pharmaceuticals.
This crisis has led to acute scarcity of 5 percent of medicines registered with the National Medicines Regulatory Authority which includes paracetamol and drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol.
The Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceuticals industry (SLCPI) revealed that banks are reluctant to open letters of credit to import drugs.
“There are around 7300 medicines registered with National Medicines Regulatory Authority and according to the retailers currently there is a shortage about 5 percent of those medicines in the market,” Sanjiva Wijesekera President of the Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceuticals Industry said.
“Paracetamol, drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol are some of the medicines that are short in the market currently.” he added.
The SLCPI said that private sector importers need USD $25-$30 million dollars a month to import the necessary medicines to the country. A
Adrian Basnayake, the Past President and Council member of the SLCPI said, the commercial banks are refusing to issue letters of credit for the importers and asks the importers to buy dollar from exporters through at much higher rate.
In the wake of the decision by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to devalue the rupee against the US dollar to Rs. 230, the mainline medicine manufacturing companies and importers, have stopped supplying medicine to pharmacies from yesterday, All-Island Private Pharmacy Owners’ Association (ACPPOA) President Chandika Gankanda said.
He noted that the pharmaceutical companies and importers have already stopped supplying even from their existing stocks to pharmacies.
He said most of the medicinal drugs were imported on credit. Therefore, the manufacturers or importers will incur a huge loss when selling them in the local market at a low cost, Gankanda said.
“With the current dollar crunch in the country, the manufacturers and importers are unable to manufacture or import the required medicines as they are higher in price.
If some of the drugs they import are subject to price control, they cannot sell them in the local market. Most of the drugs are sold at controlled prices, “he said.
A decision will be taken to increase the selling prices of medicine through the local pharmacies. However, the mainline pharmaceutical manufacturing companies and importers have stopped the distribution of medicinal drugs until the final decision of increasing the selling price of medicines or until the official gazette notification is published, “ACPPOA President said.
Therefore, the ACPPOA requested all pharmacy owners to issue their existing stock of medicines sparingly while explaining the situation to their consumers.
Gankanda added that if the country run out of medicines, it would be another major issue other than the fuel and milk powder shortages in the country.
