June 23, Colombo (LNW): The All Ceylon Agrarian Federation addressing a briefing yesterday (22) asserted that no decisive actions regarding national assets should be taken during the lead-up to a Presidential Poll.

Namal Karunaratne, the Federation’s National Organiser, highlighted that in 25 days, the Election Commission will have the authority to announce the Presidential election date.

He expressed concerns over plans to privatise key national assets, specifically mentioning the sale of Milco and thirty-one farms under the National Livestock Development Board (NLDB).

There is information indicating a cabinet paper for this sale is expected to be resubmitted on June 26, Karunaratne revealed.

He emphasised that the government lacks a public mandate to privatise national assets and insisted that those involved should be held accountable to the people.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): The Lawyers’ Collective has issued a strong condemnation of remarks made in Parliament by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Education Minister Susil Premjayantha, and MP Dayasiri Jayasekara.

The criticism stems from comments by the President and Ministers that were dismissive of recent Supreme Court rulings.

President Wickremesinghe labelled a Supreme Court decision on the Gender Equality Bill as “judicial cannibalism” and suggested forming a Parliamentary Select Committee to review it.

Justice Minister Rajapakshe drew a controversial comparison between the Court’s orders and the suspension of civil rights under Adolf Hitler.

The Lawyers’ Collective argues that these statements, along with accusations against judges by the Justice Minister, are attempts to intimidate the judiciary.

They emphasise that judicial independence is fundamental to Sri Lanka’s democracy, and that such comments from the Executive undermine the rule of law, separation of powers, and public trust in the judiciary.

While recognising the right to free speech, the Collective stresses the Executive’s duty to uphold the balance of power and prevent the erosion of judicial authority.

The statement also expresses concern that these comments are part of a broader pattern of intimidation by the Executive, particularly amid recent legal challenges to government actions.

They view these remarks as politically driven efforts to weaken public confidence in the judiciary and democratic processes.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), has affirmed his party’s support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the forthcoming presidential election.

This endorsement was made during a meeting at the TMVP headquarters in Batticaloa, attended by President Wickremesinghe and TMVP members.

Minister Chandrakanthan highlighted the TMVP’s commitment to advancing President Wickremesinghe’s development agenda for the Eastern Province.

He emphasised that supporting the President’s plans would create economic opportunities, particularly for the agricultural community, fostering self-sufficiency.

In response, President Wickremesinghe outlined his vision to strengthen the national economy and address longstanding ethnic issues comprehensively.

He underscored the importance of unity in achieving these objectives and reiterated his dedication to the holistic development of the Eastern Province over the next five years.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): The deadline for Sri Lankan residents over the age of 40 who do not possess a national identity card has been extended to 30th June.

Pradeep Saputanthri, Commissioner General of Registration of Persons, announced that this initiative aims to support individuals who have been unable to acquire an ID card due to the absence of birth certificates.

Applicants can submit their forms via their Grama Niladharis.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): The UK Proscribed Organisations Appeals Commission has denied the Transitional Government of Tamil Eelam’s (TGTE) request to remove the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from the UK’s list of terrorist organisations.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry confirmed that the LTTE will remain proscribed in the UK.

He announced on ‘X’ that the independent appeals commission, chaired by a high court judge and two retired senior diplomats, upheld the terrorist designation.

The TGTE, advocating for an independent Tamil state in north-east Sri Lanka, had appealed for the LTTE’s ban to be lifted.

Sabry also noted that while the TGTE is not banned in the UK due to its non-violent pursuit of political aims, the LTTE’s international network aims to get foreign governments to lift the ban in order to revive the group.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): Train services on the Up-country Line have been halted by fallen trees obstructing the tracks between Inguru Oya and Galabada railway stations since early this morning (23), reports claimed.

The Department of Railways is actively clearing the tracks to resume services.

In the meantime, the ‘Tikiri Menike’ train travelling from Nanu Oya to Colombo Fort is stationed at Hatton railway station, waiting for the tracks to be cleared.

June 23, Colombo (LNW): Showers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Galle and Matara districts, with fairly heavy showers about 75mm being likely to occur at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Puttalam districts, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (23).

Several spells of light showers will occur in Northern province and in Matale and Anuradhapura districts.

Strong winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills, Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Monaragala districts.

Marine Weather:

June 21, (LNW) Colombo : Nalin de Silva, who was the Acting President of Sri Lanka Rugby when the administration was disbanded, was best known for addressing everyone as ‘Sir’. After he was appointed as the Acting President, it was seen that he was going on a different path, different from the opinions of the person who was in control. It seems that he is endorsing a system that places Sri Lankan rugby under the control of several sports clubs, especially considering that he even agrees to a constitutional change necessary to remain in power. Also, it seemed that he was suffering from the desire to remain as the President without doing anything related to the election.

For these reasons, we objected to the Director General of Sports naming Nalin de Silva as a facilitator for rugby before a rugby election. This decision was also criticized within the field. His name is also mentioned in the letter submitted by former President Rizly Illyas to the ombudsman, appointed by the Minister of Sports, to investigate and punish the former officials. It is not known on this basis, but he is not seen to provide facilities in the field or anything at this time and perhaps in view of the objections that have arisen it is unethical to assign him responsibilities, so remove him from the top or make him more credible as an ex-army officer. It may seem withdrawn. We have previously advocated for the conviction of the officials involved in the incident that led to the downfall of Sri Lankan rugby, resulting in a £50,000 fine that damaged the reputation of Sri Lanka Rugby. At the time when the fine was imposed by the International, Nalin was in the position of secretary. Therefore, we believed that if the officials who contributed to the wrongdoing were not charged or punished, it would result in loss of confidence in the country’s governance related to the Immigration Act, due to political pressures and set a bad precedent allowing criminals to evade justice with officials’ privileges. It has been 10 years now, but the country has not apologized for this incident. The officials responsible for separating the fines from the annual international community contributions meant for the development of Sri Lanka Rugby are still seeking rugby positions.

It is crucial to take action now in this situation and instill a fear of making mistakes. If the culture of knowingly committing errors or assuming protection regardless of actions taken becomes entrenched, it will set a harmful precedent for future generations. Currently, there is no fear of wrongdoing because those officials hold high positions in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, within Sri Lanka’s rugby field, they continue to assert their influence as moral authorities in certain matters. We must acknowledge that rugby in Sri Lanka being controlled by several sports clubs has diminished the influence of existing regional associations. Often, talent is scouted from these regional leagues to nurture players for national teams and major clubs. It is true that currently only a few clubs with a history of nearly a hundred years or more are actively involved in playing rugby. The youngest among these longstanding sports clubs, the Army team, joined in 1962. However, opportunities in first-class rugby are also seen through mobilizing talent across various social and political foundations. Recent examples include the Up Country Lions team, facilitated by Mahindananda Aluthgama, and the Hambantota Sharks team, supported by Rajapaksa, being included in the first-class competition category. Their political connections enabled them to recruit talent into their respective teams.

But in a different way, before entering the first division, the team that wins the second division should be admitted to the first division and the last team of the first division should be brought to the second division. This step is crucial for enhancing competition levels and improving game quality across both divisions, emphasizing the importance of nurturing local leagues and overseeing sports clubs through them. But the Minister of Sports in the matters told to the media says about Rugby, it is clear that a plus mark has been used for the request of the sports clubs. But the minister himself is currently experiencing Tarushi who is participating in the Olympics from Pathadumbarin beyond the ring. Nadisha Dilhani Lekamge, who emerges from Parakadu. The amazing performance of the little players emerging from the villages of women’s cricket. While the sports minister is talking about the need to facilitate village sports, the minister does not think about the importance of sticking to eight sports clubs in relation to rugby. They are deceiving their supposed allies. The more professional experience of the people intervening in certain legal matters of the minister is likely to be filled with the expectation of the importance of separating a group on both sides even if it is an advice given about rugby. That’s because the advantageous position they have from experience is based on separation and change.Those people who stand for the minister in certain legal matters and do it according to the needs of themselves and their loved ones say over the phone the results sometimes in the main rugby clubs of the country, the words go to alcohol parties in such a way that the reputation of the minister is also damaged.

More importantly, Harin Fernando has an understanding of the external image as much as his associate’s advice. If not, you can’t stop feeling that you are standing alert in one place and standing in another place with difficulty. We believe that Harin Fernando will be able to walk easily among the people who are looking for rubbish to such an extent, and while ensuring the village sports, the same person will make the rugby tri and get points to the regional leagues and explain its value to the world. It is also seen that the Sports Development Department is currently trying to come to the right place in a good decision regarding Ruger. We believe it will be a fitting end to an exemplary future for Ruger. We see it as a good sign that Nalin misses everyone there. Because ministers and officials often understand the facts according to the associations of friends around them and when someone presents an idea, it is a fashion of politicians and officials in Sri Lanka to think that the holder of that idea does not know. On the other hand, there is no dearth of those who abuse the friendship and trust of the minister and the official in search of privileges. In such a situation, the “missing of Sir” that we may see is a decision made after studying the facts responsibly.

June 22, Colombo (LNW):  Port City Colombo, the multi-services Special Economic Zone, is set to become the engine of Sri Lanka’s future economic development by opening up opportunities for local and international university-level students to pursue academics in diversified fields of study.

Fulfilling the regional demand for undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in Engineering, Information Technology, Business Studies/Management, Finance, Marketing, and Medicine, Port City Colombo aims to contribute positively towards the reversal of ‘brain drain’ and reduction of the current skills gap in the local employment market. 

Soon to be showcased at Port City Colombo, the international university, commanding a premier record in research and development, is expected to position Colombo into a strategic regional hub for tertiary education.

 It will be located adjacent to the international school on a 2.5 Ha land plot, housing a number of key faculties staffed by acknowledged subject matter experts facilitating both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The international university is estimated to accommodate a capacity of 3,000 to 4,000 students. 

The university will offer a projected academic program in the field of medicine, which will support Port City Colombo’s vision of providing world-class learning and training facilities that would encourage prospective medical students to pursue their studies locally.

 With several medical students migrating overseas due to limited university placements in Sri Lanka and attractive post-graduate work permit programs, the university will create a thriving ecosystem where these students could equip themselves with the skills and competencies required for a successful career in medicine.

 This will also include a potential partnership with the teaching school at the proposed international hospital in Port City Colombo.

By providing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in technology, the international university will further enable the growth of Sri Lanka’s IT sector, which is currently the third largest foreign exchange earner for the country. 

Having generated over $ 1.5 billion foreign exchange in 2022, this salient industry’s progress is presently impacted by a loss of skilled IT professionals and a limited number of graduates produced annually.

 The university at Port City Colombo aspires to mitigate the current supply gap in the market, with its assortment of academic programs, and strengthen Sri Lanka’s digital economy. 

Degree programs in the STEM field will also be a focus of the International University at Port City Colombo. 

With the goal of making Sri Lanka more globally competitive, the University will underscore the production of more STEM graduates that will contribute towards the progress of this ever-crucial sector. 

June 22, Colombo (LNW): The Financial Intelligence Unit of Sri Lanka (FIU-Sri Lanka) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Financial Intelligence National Centre of the Kingdom of Bahrain (FINC-Bahrain).

With the signing of this MoU, the FIU-Sri Lanka has entered into MoUs with 45 foreign counterparts for sharing of information for intelligence purposes.

FIU-Sri Lanka Director Dr. Subhani Keerthiratne and FINC-Bahrain Chief Executive Shaikha May Bint Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa signed the MoU on behalf of the respective institutions.

The MoU was signed on 4 June, at the 30th Plenary of the Egmont Group, held in Paris, France to exchange financial intelligence related to money laundering (ML) and associated predicate offences, and in relation to terrorist financing (TF) offence.

This MoU has been entered into by the FIU-Sri Lanka, in terms of the provisions of the Financial Transactions Reporting Act, No. 6 of 2006.

The Financial Intelligence Units across the world enter into MoUs to cooperate with their global counterparts through exchange of information, in order to combat ML/TF, which are more often internationally connected and emanating from widespread criminal activities. 

The FINC-Bahrain serves as the Kingdom of Bahrain’s central hub for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information regarding ML/TF. 

The FIU-Sri Lanka also functions as the focal point for Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework for Sri Lanka and collects, analyses and disseminates information on suspicious financial transactions relating to ML/TF or any other unlawful activities.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has the foundation for an effective regime to combat money laundering and terrorist finance, but needs to further develop its measures based on risk.

The FATF and the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) jointly conducted an assessment of Bahrain’s AML/CFT system, based on the 2012 FATF Recommendations, and using the 2013 Methodology. 

The assessment is a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of Bahrain’s AML/CFT system and its level of compliance with the FATF Recommendations.

At the time of the on-site visit, Bahrain’s national risk assessment was ongoing. Although the country demonstrated a moderate level of understanding of its money laundering and terrorist financing risks, it should use the risk assessment, incorporating information from outside Bahrain, to further strengthen its measures. 

This includes amending the terrorism offence, which is currently inconsistent with the Terrorist Financing Convention, and pursuing both money laundering and terrorist financing in line with the country’s risk profile.