Sri Lanka Insurance, in collaboration with Sri Lanka Insurance Life Limited (SLICLL) and Sri Lanka Insurance General Limited (SLICGL), organized an enriching seminar focused on “Enhancing Law Enforcement Leadership and Communication.” Held on March 7, 2024, at the SLIC head office, the event featured Senior Deputy Inspector General for the Eastern Province, Mr. Ajith Rohana, as the keynote speaker.

During the seminar, Senior DIG Mr. Ajith Rohana delivered a captivating session, drawing from his extensive experience in law enforcement and public communication. His discourse emphasized crucial elements of effective communication and leadership strategies tailored for professionals in law enforcement.

One of the key highlights of the event was the discussion on the recently enacted Online Safety Act, with Mr. Ajith Rohana providing valuable insights into its implications for the general public. Attendees gained a comprehensive understanding of the Act and its significance in ensuring online safety and security.

The seminar, attended by both the management and staff of SLIC, served as a valuable platform for knowledge enhancement. Participants gained insights into the nuances of the Online Safety Act and acquired essential communication skills vital for success in a competitive working environment. Mr. Ajith Rohana’s expertise offered practical guidance on fostering teamwork and collaboration within law enforcement agencies.

The success of the seminar highlights SLIC’s commitment to continuous learning and development for its workforce and reaffirms its dedication to nurturing a knowledgeable and skilled workforce capable of adapting to evolving challenges in the insurance industry and beyond.

Photo Caption: Mr. Lalith De Silva, Head of Distribution (SLICGL) (Right) handing over the token of appreciation to Mr. Ajith Rohana, Snr. DIG, Eastern Province (Left) while Mr. Rohitha Amarapala, Deputy General Manager – HR & Administration (SLICLL) (Center) looks on.

1. The launch of an online platform enabling the swift removal of websites, photos, and videos containing or potentially containing instances of child sexual abuse took place under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Implemented by the National Child Protection Authority in collaboration with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), renowned for its expertise in internet child safety enforcement, this program receives financial support from Save the Children and Child Fund.
2. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stated that socialism is a force that undermines people’s lives, livelihoods, new businesses, as well as private industries. He emphasized that socialism’s an anti-entrepreneurial concept that does not foster entrepreneurship but rather hinders it.Premadasa made these remarks in Rathnapura while participating in the launch of the economic vision of Samagi Jana Balawegaya.
3. General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera has been sentenced to 04 years of rigorous imprisonment over a statement made in 2016. Issuing the sentence, Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige also imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000 on the Buddhist monk.
4. Sri Lanka has called for proposals from dealer managers to support its restructuring of some $12 billion of international bonds, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday, in a fresh sign that the island nation is closing in on finalizing its debt rework. The government was expected to start formal restructuring talks with bondholders this week.
5. Amidst growing pressure to amend its travel advice to Sri Lanka which was deemed “overly harsh”, the United Kingdom (UK) has defended its decision and said it would continue to keep the island nation’s travel advise under close review. UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon made this remark in the UK Parliament responding to a question raised on plans to update the travel advice to Sri Lanka to reflect the security situation in the country.
6. The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena to make a statement in court on 04 April on his recent comments over the Easter Sunday bomb attacks. The order was issued after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had reported the relevant facts to the court, on the instructions of the Attorney General.
7. The Development Lotteries Board (DLB) has recorded its highest-ever profit of Rs. 3.6 billion in 2023 and a significant portion of Rs. 3.6 billion goes to the President’s Fund. In 2023, the Development Lotteries Board (DLB) achieved it’s highest-ever profit in its 40-year history.
8. The overall rate of inflation as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) on year-on-year basis has recorded a significant decrease in the month of March 2024, according to the most recent figures published by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS). The CCPI-based inflation was calculated as 5.9% for the month of February.
9. Sri Lanka Police have busted over 50 brothels that had been operating under the guise of Ayurvedic Spas in Negombo, leading to the discovery of two women, including a minor, testing positive for HIV. The Ayurvedic spas, which had been operated illegally, were raided over the last week based on a tip-off, after which measures were taken to shut down 53 spas.
10. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has met with the Sri Lankan national football team at the Presidential Secretariat and commended the efforts in their recent triumph over Bhutan, marking the first win in a decade. The President expressed his support for the football team’s aspiration to claim the South Asian Championship (SAFF) next year, pledging his commitment to advancing football infrastructure in the near future.

March 29, Colombo (LNW): In a significant collaborative effort, the Colombo U.S. Embassy, in conjunction with the Central Cultural Fund’s Maritime Archaeology Unit, has embarked on a mission to conserve and document the Godawaya shipwreck, the oldest known shipwreck in the Asia-Pacific region. Supported by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, this initiative underscores the enduring partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka in cultural preservation and archaeological research.

Leading the charge, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, accompanied by Heidi Hattenbach, Counsellor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy, and Senior Archaeology Officer Rasika Muthucumarana from the Central Cultural Fund’s Maritime Archaeology Unit, conducted an inspection dive to explore the ancient Godawaya shipwreck situated off the coast of Hambantota. This endeavor is part of a broader initiative funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, which has been supporting the project since 2022 to study and protect this submerged cultural treasure dating back to the 2nd Century B.C.

Expressing the significance of the mission, Ambassador Chung remarked, “Witnessing the Godawaya shipwreck firsthand, submerged 33 meters below the ocean’s surface, was a truly breathtaking experience. It sheds light on Sri Lanka’s pivotal history as a maritime hub. The United States is honored to contribute to this endeavor, enriching our understanding of Sri Lanka’s historical significance in global maritime trade and ensuring the preservation of its cultural legacy for generations to come.”

Thanks to the funding support from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, the Maritime Archaeology Unit (MAU) has successfully safeguarded nearly 200 artifacts retrieved from the wreck, ranging from clay pottery to metal objects and intricate carnelian beads. As the project advances, the MAU aims to create a comprehensive 3D model of the entire shipwreck site, promising to revolutionize maritime archaeology and cultural preservation in Sri Lanka. The artifacts will be exhibited in Colombo later this year before finding a permanent home in the Maritime Archaeology Museum in Galle, where they will be accessible to Sri Lankans and tourists, providing insights into the country’s rich history. Additionally, the AFCP will fund an educational program, bringing learning opportunities from the Godawaya project to schools and students near the dive site.

March 29, Colombo (LNW): President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on an inspection tour, visited the John de Silva Memorial Theatre and the National Art Gallery, both of which have faced prolonged delays despite construction starting in 2011.

During his visit, President Wickremesinghe instructed officials to accelerate the opening of the National Art Gallery by year’s end, stressing the importance of consensus among artists and architects. He pledged government support for necessary financial allocations and raised the question of providing high-standard, affordable theaters in Colombo once the John de Silva Theatre is completed.

The President emphasized the significance of consulting dramatists in decision-making regarding construction and maintenance projects. He directed the Ministry Secretary to explore options for reviving the Lumbini Theatre and the Nawarangahala, and instructed steps to construct a drama theatre at Colombo’s Sudarshi premises.

Furthermore, President Wickremesinghe highlighted the need to establish a national cultural zone encompassing Nelum Pokuna, Kalabhavana, John de Silva Memorial Theatre, Museum, and related areas. He tasked the Cultural Affairs Ministry with preparing a comprehensive report on this initiative. Additionally, he urged officials to elevate Sri Lanka’s museum system to international standards and identify a suitable country for mentorship in this regard.

Joining the event were Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana, Additional Secretary Thilak Hettiarachchi, Director General of the Department of Cultural Affairs Yasintha Gunawardena, the team of architects from the University of Moratuwa who designed the buildings, and Navy officers overseeing National Art Gallery renovations.

Notable figures such as Prof. Praneeth Abhayasundara, Prof. Chandragupta Thenuwara, Parakrama Niriella, Mohamed Safeer, and Saman Athaudahetti also shared their perspectives on behalf of the artists.

March 29, Colombo (LNW): Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena delivered a stirring address at the BOAO Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024 in Hainan, China, urging Asian nations to unite in their efforts to eradicate poverty and ensure equitable prosperity.

Commending China’s remarkable achievements in lifting millions out of poverty under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, Gunawardena emphasized the importance of this success story as a guiding path for other nations grappling with similar challenges.

The Prime Minister called for fresh initiatives to bolster agricultural growth and food security, stressing their vital role in fostering social harmony and peace. He underscored the urgent need to harness renewable energy resources to address the pressing issues of climate change.

Highlighting Sri Lanka’s ambitious port development projects, including the expansion of Colombo Port, Hambantota Port, and the establishment of Colombo Port City and Colombo Financial Centre, Gunawardena envisioned these endeavors transforming Sri Lanka into a pivotal financial hub, not only for the nation but for the entire region.

In his address, Gunawardena expressed gratitude to President Xi Jinping for his leadership in driving China’s economic growth, emphasizing the interconnectedness of global economic prosperity. He reiterated the importance of collaborative efforts among Asian countries to tackle shared challenges, particularly in renewable energy and environmental conservation.

Acknowledging the significant role of the BOAO conference in driving investment in renewable energy, Gunawardena emphasized the need for collective commitment to shared goals and targets. He pledged Sri Lanka’s continued support for cooperation in maritime trade and underscored the importance of open trade policies and sustainable development initiatives.

The conference, inaugurated by Zhao Leiji, President of the National People’s Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, witnessed the participation of several world leaders, including Presidents of Kazakhstan and Nauru, along with esteemed figures like former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, currently serving as President of the Global Green Growth Institute.

March 29, Colombo (LNW): The Development Lotteries Board (DLB) has achieved its highest profit margin in its four-decade history during the fiscal year 2022-2023. With a staggering 32% profit margin, doubling the previous year’s figure, the DLB marks a significant milestone in its journey.

This unprecedented success has led to notable increases in contributions to both the President’s Fund and the government. Contributions to the President’s Fund saw a remarkable 13% rise, surpassing the set target, while contributions to the government witnessed a commendable 6% increase.

Chairman and CEO of the Development Lotteries Board, Ajith Gunaratne Narangala, attributed this remarkable achievement to strategic measures implemented to navigate the country’s economic challenges. He credited the special guidance provided by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also holds the position of Finance Minister.

Narangala highlighted the implementation of measures aimed at enhancing the prize money for both regular and newly introduced special lottery tickets. Furthermore, the board has embarked on the introduction of lottery tickets through digital technology, offering consumers in the country a unique and modernized experience. A portion of the proceeds generated from these initiatives is allocated towards education and healthcare programs in the nation.

March 29, Colombo (LNW):Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces after 2.00 p.m.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva and North-western provinces after 2.00 p.m.A few showers may occur in Eastern province.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Western 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.

By: Staff Writer

March 28, Colombo (LNW): A green battery company is to be set up by Applied Graphite Technologies Corporation by advancing two natural vein graphite projects in Sri Lanka.

Applied Graphite Technologies is developing the Queens Mine Complex in Sri Lanka. The QMC is on private land in the heart of the vein graphite district, with historical workings and vein graphite outcrops.

Vein graphite is naturally high grade (+95% carbon content in the ground) and does not require primary processing.

Testing of vein graphite in lithium-ion battery anodes has shown very high capacities, performing better than synthetic graphite. Natural vein graphite has a far superior ESG footprint than synthetic and is cheaper without compromising performance.

Applied Graphite Technologies Corp. (“AGT”) (TSXV: AGT has purchased the past-producing Queen’s mine in Sri Lanka recenty towards this end, high official odthe company said.

The property is centrally located between AGT’s Dodangaslanda Graphite Properties. The combined properties will be called the Queens Mine Complex (“QMC”).

The Queens Mine was reported to be extracting high-grade graphite veins at a rate of 20 tonnes per month.

The former operator had intentions to ramp up production to 3,000 tonnes per year. Adits which provided access to the underground workings expose at least six graphite veins over a total width of 25 meters, with veins varying in thickness up to 0.4 metres.

It  had done extensive laboratory testing on its run-of-mine (“ROM”) tonnes which consisted of high-grade graphite +95 Cg. Vein graphite direct from the mine will sell for $2,000 per tonne.

 The ROM vein graphite, when upgraded to battery-quality graphite, sells for between $8,000 and $12,000 per tonne. The demand for battery ready graphite will reach five million tonnes per annum by 2030, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

AGT plans on making the QMC a priority to re-commence bulk shipping of the high-grade vein graphite material once it has completed its mine permitting and development on the prospect.

“We are extremely pleased to have acquired the QMC, thanks to our strategic in-country relationships,” comments Don Baxter, President, and CEO.

 “From my experience with multiple OEMs regarding battery ready graphite, they want to see the ability to produce large tonnages for their battery requirements.  The QMC will enable us to plan near term operations to illustrate potential from our properties to satisfy OEM requirements.”

AGT has granted 800,000 stock options at an exercise price of $0.15, with a five year term expiring March 23, 2029 to consultants, directors, and officers of the company.

By: Staff Writer

March 28, Colombo (LNW): Despite growing pressure to reform the travel Advisory on Sri Lanka, Britain on Tuesday said that its travel advice assessments are made by drawing on expert sources of information available to the government and that they ‘continue to keep Sri Lanka travel advise under close review.’

“The safety of British people is the main factor when determining our travel advice for all countries, including Sri Lanka.

Our advice is designed to help British people make informed decisions about foreign travel and remains under constant review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks when travelling abroad,” Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Minister of State-Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said in UK Parliament.

He was responding to the question, whether the UK government has any plans to update the travel advice to Sri Lanka to reflect the security situation in that country.

“Our travel advice is based on objective assessments of the risks to British nationals. These assessments are made by drawing on expert sources of information available to the government including local knowledge from our embassies and information provided by the local authorities in each country.

We will continue to keep Sri Lanka travel advice under close review,” the Minister of State-Foreign, Commonwealth stated.

In the recent past, leading tourism providers from UK and Sri Lanka have urged its Government to reform the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice regarding the safety of Britons abroad.

During a recent debate in UK parliament, Lord Naseby has requested that the Travel Advisory be changed. As tourism plays a major role in the Sri Lankan economy.

Leading tourism providers from UK and Sri Lanka have urged its Government to reform the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice regarding the safety of Britons abroad.

In an open letter, the current advice is labelled ‘overly harsh’ by campaigners who condemned the Government for ‘systematically undermining the travel industry’ in Sri Lanka and demands for a new approach to achieve ‘consistency’.

The open letter also details the effect on Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which currently employs over 380,000 people last year. The campaign claims that the advice could damage tourism to Sri Lanka, negatively impacting the one in five people in Sri Lanka who rely on income generated by tourism.

Experience Travel Group Co-founder and Managing Director Sam Clark said: “It is clear that the FCDO travel advice is no longer fit for purpose in relation to Sri Lanka. 

March 28, Colombo (LNW): Industry experts are considering strategies to mitigate the current high prices of Sri Lankan graphite, with one proposed approach being a reduction in the depth of mining operations.

The depth of graphite deposits in existing mines is a key factor contributing to the high costs, Bogala Graphite PLC CEO, Amila Jayasinghe, emphasised.

He suggested that by limiting operations to depths of 10-20 metres from the surface, mining expenses could be substantially reduced.

However, Jayasinghe stressed the importance of expanding mining activities to new sites, contingent upon the establishment of robust regulatory frameworks.

These insights were shared during a discussion organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) aimed at addressing the challenges and opportunities within Sri Lanka’s graphite industry.

Jayasinghe highlighted obstacles such as the opacity surrounding the process of obtaining mining permits from authorities, which serves as a deterrent to potential foreign investment.

Additionally, he pointed out that the royalty fees imposed on value-added graphite exports incentivise the export of raw graphite to foreign markets, posing a disadvantage to local producers.

Professor Anura Wijayapala of the University of Moratuwa underscored Sri Lanka’s potential to capitalise on the growing electric vehicle market by branding its graphite as superior in quality and sustainably produced.

While Sri Lanka’s current graphite reserves may not meet US demand, there is an opportunity to leverage the country’s reputation for environmentally friendly practices to command higher prices in the global market.

The environmentally conscious manufacturing practices prevalent in Sri Lanka, including the extensive use of renewable energy sources, present an opportunity to label Sri Lankan graphite as “green graphite.”

With approximately 50 per cent of the country’s electricity sourced from renewables and comparatively low greenhouse gas emissions, Sri Lanka can position its graphite industry as environmentally responsible.

According to an IPS study titled ‘Trade Wars in Electric Vehicle Supply Chains: A Win for Sri Lanka’s Graphite Industry?‘, the success of the Sri Lankan graphite sector hinges on strategic market positioning, international collaborations, and adoption of green manufacturing practices.

With strategic foresight and innovation, Sri Lanka’s graphite industry stands poised to emerge as a significant player in the global supply chain for electric vehicle components.