By: Staff Writer

January 25, Colombo (LNW): The United Nations Development Programme in Sri Lanka (UNDP) and the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka (Network Sri Lanka) has recently renewed their commitment through the signing of the third Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in a move towards advancing sustainable development.

The agreement aims to join efforts in facilitating private-sector participation and promoting sustainable development in Sri Lanka, the UNDP said in a statement.

As the first non-private sector entity to secure a position on the Network Sri Lanka  Board, UNDP has nurtured a robust partnership through years of collaboration with  Network Sri Lanka.

This aligns with UNDP’s commitment to enhancing development activities to foster public dialogue, improve awareness among the business community on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enable their engagement to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it added.

Through the collaboration with Network Sri Lanka, businesses and non-businesses will be encouraged to conduct responsible business practices to advance the SDGs in key areas such as governance, climate resilience, digitalization, innovation, sustainable finance, and gender, according to the UNDP.

This strategic partnership reflects the joint commitment of UNDP and Network Sri Lanka to promote innovation and responsible business practices while working towards achieving the ambitious goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda, the statement added.

The Government of Sri Lanka’s Cabinet has given the green light for the country’s Green Bond Framework, which was developed by the Ministry of Finance, with support from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

The development of the Framework underwent consultation and received inputs from a number of Ministries and Regulators including but not limited to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Ministry of Environment, the Sustainable Development Council, as well as development partners such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

The Government of Sri Lanka has set an ambitious agenda to develop the country’s sustainable finance market, by focusing on the development of tools and policy guidance that is needed to effectively manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and meet the country’s climate objectives. Despite these ambitions, Sri Lanka continues to face the worst financial crisis that it has seen in decades. The economic crisis, that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, threatens the achievement of the country’s SDG and climate commitments.

In April 2022, the Government of Sri Lanka announced it would be suspending payments on its foreign debt, resulting in the first default in the country’s history and plunging the country’s sovereign credit rating below investment grade.

Throughout the financial and political challenges faced over the past year, ESCAP has been working to support the Government of Sri Lanka to achieve both its short-term and longer-term green finance goals.

23 January 2024 (Colombo, Sri Lanka): UN Women and Chrysalis with funding from the Government of Japan provided productive assets worth LKR 110 million (approx. USD 343K) to 600 women-led micro-enterprises to help expand their businesses. 

This initiative was undertaken as part of a larger 1-year project ‘Empowering women in crisis’ starting in February 2023. Through this project, UN Women and implementing partner Chrysalis have provided humanitarian assistance for women most affected by the socioeconomic crisis in Sri Lanka – in close collaboration with Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment.

Speaking at an event held in Battaramulla, H.E. MIZUKOSHI Hideaki, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka stated: “The Embassy of Japan is pleased to have supported this tremendous initiative which is being carried out in 5 Districts in Sri Lanka and we look forward to continuing this partnership with UN Women to support women’s economic empowerment in the country”.

In-light of soaring food inflation and rising cost of living, the entrepreneurs further received provisions to support their daily needs, thus enabling them to allocate more resources towards their business ventures.

Present at the event, Sarah Knibbs, Deputy Regional Director, UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific highlighted: “As part of this project funded by the Government of Japan, we have provided 600 women-led micro enterprises with advanced training on business development including the introduction to digital tools and resources to better market their products”.

Through the project, the entrepreneurs received comprehensive training ranging from product ideation to financial literacy and were introduced to new tools such as digital marketing to expand their businesses.

“Taking part in UN Women’s training opened a world of possibilities for me. I learned about social media platforms and their potential for online business operations. With the help of my children, I now manage my own social media page, leveraging platforms like Facebook and YouTube to showcase my products. This helped me solve the issue of dwindling demand as I reached a lot more customers in a shorter time”, said Tharsan Vaksala (32), an entrepreneur and participant of the programme, from Kanakarayankulam in the Northern Province.

The project supports women-led micro-enterprises in the Districts of Ampara, Colombo, Moneragala, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya.

January 25, Colombo (LNW): The driver of the freight container truck that collided with the vehicle of State Minister Sanath Nishantha leading to his fatality earlier this (25) morning has been arrested by the Police.

The accident occurred at 2 AM when the SUV carrying the State Minister collided with the rear end of the freight container truck en route to Colombo, on the Katunayake Expressway, according to Police.

Two persons including State Minister Sanath Nishantha and a Police Constable from his security detail were killed by the accident.

The deceased State Minister’s driver suffered severe injuries from the accident, and is currently receiving treatments.

Previous report:

1. Parliament passes the “Online Safety Bill” with amendments: 108 MPs vote for, and 62 against: majority 46.
   
2. State Minister Sanath Nishantha and one other die in a vehicle accident on the Katunayake highway: another person injured & admitted to hospital.
   
3. Maldivian Govt grants permission for Chinese research vessel “Xiang Yang Hong 3” to make a re-supply call: assures the vessel will not undertake any research: the vessel had previously been reportedly turned down port entry by SL authorities.
   
4. Former President Maithripala Sirisena refutes reports that there was a “gold-plated camel” in his daughter’s house: asserts the official gift he received from the Emir of Qatar is at the Polonnaruwa museum: discloses that some of his staff members received wrist watches worth more than Rs.1 million from the Emir: also admits he received a personal gift from the Emir & kept it at his daughter’s house.
   
5. Former IRD Deputy Commissioner N M M Mifly says the complexity of SL’s tax system is due to the lack of a national tax policy: alleges tax policies change as and when Ministers change: also says the basic principles of taxation are. Einb violated: fairness, simplicity, consistency & efficiency.
   
6. Planters’ Association Spokesperson Dr Roshan Rajadurai says the hard blow of VAT has accelerated costs of inputs to tea production such as fuel, machinery, energy, chemicals & materials, despite the reduction of fertiliser price by 50%: asserts the tea industry has very wafer-thin margins.
   
7. SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardane claims “Rattaran” was a nickname given to him in childhood: asserts he would resign if anyone proved that a Police complaint had been made against him for snatching necklaces: laments that social media is circulating false news to get “hits” and earn money.
   
8. All Ceylon Egg Producers’ Assn decides to increase the price of locally produced eggs by Rs.3 each after the increase of VAT from 15% to 18%: accordingly, the price of an egg directly from the farm increases to Rs.48, thereby leading to the retail price of an egg increasing to Rs.54.55.
   
9. Police arrest a 54-year old suspect and recover the jeep used for the shooting at Beliatta where 5 persons including ‘Ape Janabala Party” leader Saman Perera were killed: investigations reveal that the suspect identified as “Saman Kumara” had planned the shooting on the orders of underworld figure “Kosgoda Sujee” and had driven the jeep involved in the shooting.
   
10. SL record a 77-run win over Namibia in the ongoing Under-19 World Cricket Cup at Diamond Oval, Kimberly, South Africa: SL 133 all out (37.5 overs): Supun Waduge 56*, Rusanda Gamage 17: Namibia: 56 all out (27 overs): Vishwa Lahiru 3-19, Ruvishan Perera 3-3.

January 25, Colombo (LNW): In a parliamentary session held yesterday (January 24), the Online Safety Bill received majority support from Members of Parliament, despite opposition claims that the proposed amendments were inconsistent with the Supreme Court’s determination.

During the announcement of the bill’s passage, Opposition MP M.A. Sumanthiran raised concerns, emphasising that the government’s amendments did not align with the Supreme Court’s determination.

Despite these objections, the government decided to proceed with the proposed bill, citing approval from the Attorney General for the amendments.

The ensuing parliamentary session witnessed a tense atmosphere as Opposition MPs protested the government’s actions.

Despite the protest, the government proceeded to announce the revised amendments and confirmed the passage of the Online Safety Bill in Parliament.

Earlier in the day, the Opposition accused the government of disregarding proper procedural measures in handling the bill. Additionally, they criticised the government for overlooking concerns raised by the Asia Internet Coalition, a consortium of international tech giants, which deemed the law unworkable.

The Online Safety Bill was initially published in the Sri Lankan Government Gazette in September 2023. Subsequently, the Supreme Court determined that certain provisions of the bill were inconsistent with the Constitution.

In response to the Court’s findings announced on November 7, 2023, the government agreed to revise the bill in October.

Key objectives of the bill include the establishment of the Online Safety Commission, provisions to prohibit online communication of specific statements of fact in Sri Lanka, prevention of the use of online accounts and inauthentic online accounts for prohibited purposes, identification and declaration of online locations used for prohibited purposes, and measures to suppress the financing and other support of false statements of fact in communication.

Following its gazetting, at least 45 petitions were filed at the Supreme Court, with concerns raised that the bill violates the fundamental rights of the public.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) on January 22 petitioned the Supreme Court challenging the ‘Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill’, stating that it fails to sufficiently address or introduce a fit scheme to enable the regulation of the extortive and predatory practices that microfinance lenders engage in at the grassroots levels.

The Bill was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on 9 January, 2024. 

TISL has argued in the Petition (SC SD 14/2024) that the Bill does not conform to the principles of reasonableness, proportionality, natural justice, separation of powers and legal certainty as required, and is thus violative of Article 83 of the Constitution as read with Article 3 and 4 of the Constitution.

The extortive and predatory practices faced by victimized customers/borrowers of microfinance schemes, among others include, sextortion/soliciting of sexual bribes, physical, mental, and emotional harassment and intimidation, and the application of extortive interest rates in the granting of loans.

The Petition states that the Bill fails to adequately regulate all entities that engage in microfinance activities in a manner that would address the pervasive issues that have adversely plagued the sector.

The Petition points out that the Bill excludes certain entities that dominate the microfinance industry, such as licensed commercial banks or licensed specialised banks, licensed finance companies, registered leasing establishments, etc.

TISL has further noted in the Petition that the provisions in the Bill grant undue sole discretion to the subject Minister by allowing the Minister to specify persons who may carry out moneylending without a license from the Microfinance and Credit Authority, and grant exemptions to a class or category of transactions.

It further states that Clause 65 of the Bill attempts to create an information-concealing regime that is in complete violation of Article 14A of the Constitution from which the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016 flows.

Therefore, the Petition requests the Supreme Court to determine that the Bill, as a whole or in part, is inconsistent with the Constitution. The case will be taken up tomorrow (January 24).

January 25, Colombo (LNW): Two novel pomegranate (delum) varieties have been introduced in Sri Lanka, termed ‘Malee Pink’ and ‘Lanka Red’, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

These varieties have been specifically tailored for cultivation in the arid regions of the country.

Developed through meticulous tissue culture research conducted by the Plant Virus Indexing Centre in Homagama, these new pomegranate varieties offer a viable alternative to the presently imported red pomegranate varieties.

Distinguished by their unique characteristics, these varieties boast a remarkable lifespan of over 30 years for a pomegranate tree, with an impressive yield of 20–25 kilograms of pomegranates per tree annually.

Notably, a single acre can accommodate up to 400 trees, generating a potential annual income of Rs. 8 million per acre.

Minister Amaraweera facilitated the distribution of these pomegranate varieties to farmers for cultivation on January 24th, underscoring the government’s commitment to promoting sustainable and lucrative agricultural practices in the country.