April 19, Colombo (LNW): The State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit (SRU) of the Finance Ministry has disclosed the names of both local and international firms that responded to requests for quotes and the shortlisted bidders for the divestiture of government-held shares in several key state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

In a detailed press release, the SRU outlined the timeline for concluding these divestitures, targeting completion for all except SriLankan Airlines by August 2024, with the airline’s divestiture process extending to September 2024.

The divestiture initiative follows the Cabinet of Ministers’ March 2023 approval for selling government shares in major enterprises including Hotel Developers Lanka Ltd (owners of Hilton Colombo), Canwill Holdings Pvt Ltd (owners of Grand Hyatt Colombo), Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC, Sri Lanka Telecom PLC, and others such as Litro Gas Lanka Ltd and Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation.

The divestiture process is supported by Transaction Advisors who conduct comprehensive due diligence, market sounding, and valuation. A Special Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee, alongside Special Project Committees comprising public and private sector members, oversee the preparation and evaluation of qualification requests and proposals, ensuring a transparent and credible process.

The government has already conducted pre-bid meetings for all entities, with deadlines for submitting qualifications now closed for several entities, while remaining open for SriLankan Airlines until April 22, 2024.

1. President Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his firm conviction in his ability to shape the Sri Lanka that the nation’s youth envision. Embracing the daunting task of revitalizing Sri Lanka’s faltering economy, which many deemed challenging, the President underscored his success in stabilizing the nation’s economic trajectory within a mere two years.
2. Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa has questioned the government’s decision to suddenly increase the visa fee of foreign tourists at a time when the country’s tourism industry was blooming with an influx of tourists. He revealed that service and additional charges for SAARC countries have been increased from US$ 20 to US$ 30 resulting in the total fee surpassing US$ 58.
3. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) stands ready to support Sri Lanka’s discussions with international bondholders and will provide a formal assessment after the parties reach a tentative agreement-in-principle, an IMF spokesperson said .
4. Sri Lanka Police says the general public can provide any information regarding environmental destruction via the hotline numbers ‘1997’ and ‘1981’.
5. Sri Lankan telecom operators Dialog Axiata and Bharti Airtel have signed a definitive agreement to merge telecom operations in the island nation, the companies said on Thursday, nearly a year after the merger was announced.
6. The Sri Lanka Army, on the directions of the Ministry of Defence, has declared a General Amnesty for all Army absentees, enabling them to receive an official discharge from their service. General amnesty will be in force for a period of one month starting from 20 April to 20 May 2024, it said.
7. The State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit (SRU) of the Finance Ministry has officially released the names of the local and foreign firms that have submitted responses to the respective requests for quote and the shortlisted bidders for the divestiture of shares held by the Government of Sri Lanka in several key state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
8. The Colombo District Court ordered the interim injunction issued preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to be extended until May 09.
9. Two police officers including a Sub-Inspector (SI) and a Sergeant have been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for allegedly maintaining dealings with drug traffickers. Accordingly, a Sub-Inspector attached to Mawathagama Police Station and a Sergeant of the Doretiyawa Police Station have been arrested by the CID and are being questioned under detention.
10. NASA has selected a new crew of four volunteers to participate in a simulated mission to Mars within a habitat at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. And among them is Sri Lanka’s Piyumi Wijesekara, who is joined by Jason Lee, Stephanie Navarro, and Shareef Al Romaithi.

April 19, Colombo (LNW):On a sunny Sunday, the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) facilitated the release of 82 sea turtle hatchlings into the wild at Panama beach. This conservation effort was led by the Southeastern Naval Area Commander, Rear Admiral Thushara Karunathunga, and is part of an ongoing Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) directed by SLN Commander, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera.

The TCP aims to protect these vulnerable marine creatures by safeguarding their eggs and ensuring the hatchlings safely reach the ocean. This initiative is a critical step towards the conservation of sea turtles, which are considered endangered due to various threats such as habitat loss, pollution, and illegal poaching.

The released hatchlings were nurtured at the Turtle Conservation Unit at SLNS Mahanaga, under the guidance of the Southeastern Naval Command. In addition to the Panama center, similar conservation activities are carried out along Sri Lanka’s Western, Southern, and Eastern coastlines by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, demonstrating a coordinated effort to protect marine biodiversity across the nation.

April 19, Colombo (LNW): Jean-Francois Pactet, the French Ambassador to Sri Lanka, recently toured the Hambantota International Port (HIP) to assess potential business prospects for French companies. During his visit, the Ambassador, along with Hema Ramachandran, Deputy Economic Counsellor, and Dinusha Ileperuma, Press Attaché, met with Tissa Wickremasinghe, the Chief Operating Officer of HIPG.

The discussions focused on the port’s five core areas of business, emphasizing the significant growth in the RORO, LPG, and oil and gas sectors, alongside the recent expansion into container operations. Wickremasinghe highlighted the port’s anticipated increase in bulk cargo volumes by the end of the year and discussed HIPG’s contributions and future plans concerning Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects.

The visit underscores the increasing interest from international entities in the opportunities presented by the expanding capabilities of the Hambantota International Port. The COO of HIPG presented a token to Ambassador Pactet to commemorate his visit, marking a gesture of goodwill and ongoing collaboration between Sri Lanka and France.

April 19, Colombo (LNW): In a recent press conference in Colombo, UNP Chairman and Parliamentarian Vajira Abeywardena lauded President Ranil Wickremesinghe for his pivotal role in pulling Sri Lanka back from the brink of bankruptcy. Serving as the Finance Minister during critical global economic disruptions and conflicts, President Wickremesinghe’s policies have revitalized the nation’s economy and strengthened the Sri Lankan rupee, making it one of the most robust currencies in the financial market.

Abeywardena highlighted the recent performance of the Sri Lankan rupee, noting its strong position against the US dollar and a significant improvement as reported by the Central Bank—the first such strengthening since June of the previous year. He also referenced projections from the Asian Development Bank, which anticipates growth in the Sri Lankan economy of 1.9 percent in 2024 and 2.5 percent in 2025.

The UNP Chairman cited Bloomberg data to underscore the remarkable turnaround of the Sri Lankan rupee, which now stands as a leader in the financial markets. Abeywardena emphasized the need for logical and careful action from the Sri Lankan public in light of these developments.

April 19, Colombo (LNW): During a press briefing held yesterday at the Health Promotion Bureau, Dr. Sherine Balasingham, Consultant Community Physician of the Health Ministry’s Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) division, highlighted a concerning rise in deaths and hospital admissions from Ischemic heart diseases in Sri Lanka. Dr. Balasingham attributed this troubling trend to several lifestyle factors, including poor dietary habits, smoking, alcohol use, insufficient physical activity, stress, and air pollution.

Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, involves the narrowing of coronary arteries leading to a reduced blood supply to the heart muscle. This condition has been the leading cause of death in Sri Lanka over the past decade, with more than half of all deaths in government hospitals in 2020 being attributed to this disease. Additionally, cerebrovascular diseases, which impact blood vessels and flow in the brain, ranked as the fifth leading cause of death that same year.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases claim nearly 18 million lives annually, making it the number one killer worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Dr. Balasingham stressed the importance of preventive measures, advocating for dietary modifications such as limiting salt intake to no more than 5 grams and sugar to 30 grams per day. She also emphasized the benefits of quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables, and engaging in regular exercise.

Dr. Balasingham called for robust health policies that support accessible and affordable healthy choices, which are crucial for encouraging and sustaining health-promoting behaviors among the public.

April 19, Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places inNorth-central, Central and North-western provinces and in Mannar districts during the afternoon or night.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the morning.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

April 18, Colombo (LNW): In response to a surge in reports, the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has intensified its efforts to address a concerning trend of scams proliferating within WhatsApp groups.

Charuka Damunupola, the Lead Information Security Engineer at Sri Lanka CERT, shed light on the nature of these scams, revealing that they often exploit the reputations of reputable brands and companies.

The fraudulent activities reported to Sri Lanka CERT involve the unauthorised addition of individuals’ WhatsApp numbers to groups without their explicit consent.

This unauthorised inclusion not only violates users’ privacy but also exposes them to potential risks associated with deceptive practices within these groups.

Damunupola emphasised the insidious nature of these scams, which frequently masquerade under the guise of legitimate businesses or well-known brands.

Such deceptive tactics aim to lure unsuspecting individuals into joining these groups under false pretenses, often promising lucrative offers or exclusive deals.

The prevalence of these scams underscores the importance of vigilance and caution among WhatsApp users, particularly when encountering invitations to join unfamiliar groups.

Sri Lanka CERT advises individuals to exercise discretion and refrain from sharing personal information or engaging in financial transactions within these groups without verifying their authenticity.

April 18, Colombo (LNW): Pradeep Kurukulasuriya of Sri Lankan origin has been appointed as the Executive Secretary for the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the UN’s catalytic finance entity for developing countries.

In his new role, Kurukulasuriya will focus on enhancing UNCDF’s capability to mobilise finance for development impact, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

This involves leveraging UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to blend grants, loans, and guarantees, alongside advisory services.

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator and Managing Director for UNCDF, highlighted the critical role of UNCDF in addressing last-mile challenges in deploying finance, particularly in high-risk market conditions.

He expressed confidence in Kurukulasuriya’s leadership to strengthen UNCDF’s ability to mobilise private capital for development where it is needed most.

Kurukulasuriya emphasised the urgency of advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing the needs of developing countries, especially LDCs.

He expressed his commitment to working collaboratively with UN agencies, governments, donors, and the private sector to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and the Doha Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries.

Kurukulasuriya’s strategic priorities include optimising UNCDF’s investment mandate to maximise development finance for LDCs, enhancing internal risk management and oversight practices, and strengthening partnerships with UN agencies, governments, and the private sector.

With his extensive experience in environmental finance and climate change adaptation, Kurukulasuriya brings valuable expertise to his new role.

His previous roles include overseeing multi-billion-dollar portfolios across 140 countries and leading UNDP’s Nature, Climate, and Energy Practice.

Kurukulasuriya expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with colleagues across UN agencies and leveraging UNCDF’s financial instruments to support diverse development priorities, including infrastructure, water, sanitation, and education.

As the new Executive Secretary, Kurukulasuriya aims to uphold UNCDF’s commitment to working in countries traditionally overlooked in capital markets, with a focus on ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of sustainable development.

Kurukulasuriya holds a Ph.D. from Yale University and has held various leadership positions in UNDP, the World Bank, and NGOs in Sri Lanka.

His appointment reflects UNCDF’s dedication to mobilising finance for inclusive and sustainable development globally.