March 07, Colombo (LNW): In January, Experience Travel Group, alongside 35 co-signatories, published an open letter urging the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to revise its travel advice concerning Sri Lanka.
The letter criticised the FCDO’s references to fuel and food shortages dating back to the 2022 political unrest and continued mentions of the 2019 terrorist attacks, deeming the current guidance “excessively severe.”
It asserted that such advisories were detrimental to Sri Lanka’s travel industry and suggested that the UK government was inadvertently undermining the sector.
Conservative peer Lord Naseby raised concerns in the House of Lords regarding the accuracy of the FCDO’s comments, noting discrepancies such as references to ongoing protests and fuel shortages that, according to him, were not reflective of the current situation in Sri Lanka.
Lord Naseby urged Foreign Secretary David Cameron to review and potentially amend the guidance, proposing that representatives from the Experience Travel Group be included in discussions with junior ministers to address the matter.
Managing Director of Experience Travel Group, Sam Clark, described Lord Naseby’s intervention as a significant development in their advocacy efforts.
He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage with the Foreign Office and voiced hope that constructive dialogue would lead to updates in the travel advice that accurately represent Sri Lanka’s situation without causing undue harm to its tourism-dependent economy.
Clark emphasised the importance of updating the FCDO’s advice to reflect the current realities in Sri Lanka, underscoring the need for travelers to have access to accurate and reliable information for informed decision-making.
March 07, Colombo (LNW): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to initiate the second review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme for Sri Lanka today (07), commencing with an inaugural meeting scheduled with President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
In a statement shared via his official communication platform, Finance State Minister Shehan Semasinghe underscored the significance of this development in the government’s ongoing endeavors to fortify stability and foster economic growth.
The government anticipates a successful review outcome leading to the attainment of a staff-level agreement, facilitating access to the program’s third tranche.
Semasinghe emphasised that such progress would catalyse Sri Lanka’s growth trajectory, bolstering confidence in the economy among stakeholders.
March 07, Colombo (LNW): Except for a few showers in Ratnapura, Galle and Matara districts in the evening or night, mainly dry weather will prevail over the island, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (07).
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the morning, the statement added.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Mainly fair weather will prevail sea areas around the island.
Winds:
Winds will be easterly or north-easterly in the sea areas off the coast extending from Mannar to Matara via Kankasanthurai, Trincomalee, Pottuvil and Hambantota, and winds will be variable in direction in the other sea areas around the island. wind speed will be (15-30) kmph.
State of Sea:
The sea areas around the island will be slight to moderate.
The year 2009 dawned under ominous skies of media oppression. The tragic loss of Lasantha Wickramatunga, the esteemed editor-in-chief of the Sunday Leader newspaper, on January 08, 2008, sent shockwaves not only through Sri Lanka’s media landscape but reverberated across society. Out of this darkness emerged ‘Lanka News Web’ (LNW), born from impassioned discussions among individuals, both within and outside Sri Lanka, seeking to uphold press freedom, safeguard democracy, and ensure the public’s right to information amidst an atmosphere fraught with fear.
LNW embarked on its mission on March 7, 2009. Over the past fifteen years, we have navigated a path strewn with challenges, spanning one and a half decades. Fifteen years may seem like an eternity, especially considering the tumultuous events that have unfolded in Sri Lanka during this time. It feels akin to watching a movie on fast-forward, with each moment carrying its own weight of significance.
Reflecting on the journey…
From the final throes of a devastating war in the North to the seismic shifts in political landscapes, including presidential elections and constitutional amendments; the Presidential Election in 2010, the presentation of the former Army Commander as the common candidate of the Opposition against the President, the imprisonment of the former Army Commander who lost the election, the establishment of a government with two-thirds power of the winning President, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, Maithripala Sirisena becoming the common candidate of the Opposition, the defeat of the Rajapaksas, the good governance (Yaha Palanaya) government, the Bond Scam, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the rampant violence against Muslims, the SLPP (Pohottuwa) coming forward in the 2018 local government elections, the October 2018 Political Coup, the 52-day Sirisena-Rajapaksa government, the Easter attack, the ‘Sterilisation Operation’ drama (Vanda Sethkam Natakaya), Gotabhaya Rajapaksa becoming President, Tax Amendment, Fertiliser Ban, the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Economic Crisis, 2022 People’s Struggle (Aragalaya), the May 9 Events, Gotabhaya fleeing the Country, Ranil Wickramasinghe becoming President, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the importation of substandard Medicines — we have borne witness to it all.
Amidst the ebb and flow of events, Lanka News Web has remained steadfast in our commitment to the people, standing resolutely against injustice, discrimination, and the erosion of freedoms.
Our allegiance lies not with any political faction but with the collective well-being of society. Through the darkest of times, we have steadfastly opposed racism and religious intolerance, unwavering in our defense of human dignity and freedom.
Life’s journey is a tapestry of peaks and valleys, and ours has been no exception. Despite facing myriad challenges, setbacks, and moments of stagnation, it is the unwavering support and appreciation of our readers and allies that have sustained us through the journey. To them, we extend our heartfelt gratitude.
As we enter another election year, we reaffirm our commitment to impartial reporting, offering equal platforms to all major political parties. Additionally, we are poised to explore new avenues, leveraging audio-visual media to delve deeper into realms such as politics, education, healthcare, arts, sports, and social welfare.
The fate of Sri Lanka in the coming decade and a half — and indeed, beyond — may well be determined in the months ahead. Whatever the future holds, whatever trials may arise, Lanka News Web pledges unwavering solidarity with the people of this nation, championing their cause unconditionally and continuously.
To our readers and supporters who have stood by us for fifteen years, we extend our heartfelt appreciation. Together, let us forge ahead into the future.
March 06, Colombo (LNW):Hayleys Aventura has become Sri Lanka’s official service partner (SP) for Grundfos, the globally renowned Danish manufacturer of water pumps.
The SP uniquely positions Hayleys Aventura to provide unparalleled after-sales care and expertise across the entire range of Grundfos products, through the integration of its software systems, access to a comprehensive spare parts inventory and a wealth of technical information.
With tailored capability building programs provided by Grundfos, Hayleys Aventura’s staff are empowered with the requisite knowledge and skills to efficiently address and exceed customer requirements, solidifying their status as trusted experts in Grundfos product support in Sri Lanka.
This partnership which commenced in 2014, will now further enhance Hayleys Aventura’s capability to deliver a stronger customer value proposition from end-to-end, including after-sales services.
“We’re excited to declare our strategic partnership with Grundfos as its official service partner in Sri Lanka, reinforcing our commitment to deliver exceptional solutions.
This collaboration enhances our service and support capabilities, reaffirming our dedication to ensure customer satisfaction whilst setting new standards in engineering excellence,” Hayleys Aventura Head of Power Engineering Thilina Bandara said.
Aftermarket Senior Regional Sales Manager CBS APAC Meenna Yodrayub expressed her enthusiasm about the collaboration stating, “Our mission has always been to provide the most optimum water solutions to the world, and this partnership will bolster Hayleys Aventura’s capabilities to add more value to our customers across borders, so we can continue to do what we do best.
Ultimately, by enabling Hayleys Aventura to handle the after sales related services, they can now present customers with a total solution to make our pumps more reliable and resilient, on par with the highest global standards.”
Drawing on its engineering expertise, Hayleys Aventura has already executed numerous large-scale projects island-wide via Grundfos products, including installations in one of the country’s largest public sector banks.
An after-sales Grundfos pump replacement project was able to save over 200 (Kwh) electrical units for the client, daily. Meanwhile, an installation of pumps for the improvement of a sand filter, was estimated to have incurred a saving of more than 215,000 (Kwh) per annum.
From conserving energy via smarter and more efficient pumping technologies, to reusing over 1.8 billion m3 of water annually, these efforts underscore Grundfos’ commitment to sustainability in its portfolio, thereby opening avenues for the company’s customers to achieve the LEED U.S. Green Building Certification.
Grundfos, a global leader with a production capacity exceeding 20 million pumps annually, operates in six strategic locations worldwide, including Hungary, China, North America, South America, and an assembling plant in Singapore.
March 06, Colombo (LNW): India and Sri Lanka are giving a fresh push to the long-pending power grid connectivity between the two countries to trade electricity.
Work has started on updating a detailed project report for the connectivity either through overhead line or undersea cable in the sea portion of the connectivity, following a meeting on the proposal last month, said two high officials familiar with the deal.
Sri Lanka and India are working on an estimated USD 1.2 billion undersea transmission line that will link the island nation’s power grind with that of India to provide energy security to this country, a top Sri Lankan official said on Tuesday.
The proposal is to link Sri Lanka’s north central town of Anuradhapura and Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state in India through a direct power line. After a 130km overland transmission line in India, an undersea line (via a submarine cable) will emerge at Thiruketheeswaram in Mannar in northeast Sri Lanka.
Sulakshana Jayawardena, Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy said, “This will raise our hopes on energy security.” He said this days after the fifth meeting of the India-Sri Lanka joint working group (JWG) for cooperation in the power sector was held on February 28 here. The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha also attended the meeting.
“The proposal for the power grid interconnection was discussed at this meeting,” Jayawardena said.The 4th meeting of the JWG was held in June 2019 in India. This was the 5th meeting of the JWG.
A statement from the Indian High Commission said that during the meeting, discussions were held on the power grid interconnection between India and Sri Lanka and the Sampur Solar Power project, to be built by India in Sri Lanka’s eastern Trincomalee district.
The proposal to link Sri Lanka with the Indian power grid was proposed more than a decade ago, but it has made little progress till now. In 2023, Sri Lanka said it had hoped to get the transmission line in place within two to three years so that renewable power produced on the island/s can be sold to India.
After the February 28 meeting, Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, India’s Ministry of Power, highlighted the benefits that could be accrued by Sri Lanka in the power sector integration with India.
“It would cause significant cost reductions with Sri Lanka gaining capacity to export to India once the offshore wind capacity in Sri Lanka is harnessed. (It will) also encourage private sector investment in Sri Lanka’s power sector,” he said, according to a statement from the Indian mission in Colombo.
However, there is no formal agreement in place as yet. Jayawardena told a local news channel that earlier there was an MoU signed between the two countries to conduct necessary technical assessment.
March 06, Colombo (LNW): On March 6, the Sri Lankan Rupee maintained its stability against the US Dollar in commercial banks across the country, echoing the rates observed on Tuesday.
Peoples Bank reported slight reductions in the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar, shifting from Rs. 302.39 to Rs. 302.19 for buying and from Rs. 312.93 to Rs. 312.72 for selling.
Commercial Bank, on the other hand, witnessed no change in the buying rate of the US Dollar, remaining steady at Rs. 301.89. Similarly, the selling rate stood firm at Rs. 311.75.
Sampath Bank echoed this trend, with both the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar maintaining stability at Rs. 303 and Rs. 312, respectively.
March 06, Colombo (LNW): In a special statement delivered in parliament on Wednesday (March 06), President Ranil Wickremesinghe unveiled the government’s plans to reduce the Value-Added Tax (VAT) in the future. The President outlined that as part of this initiative, school exercise books, stationery items, medicines, and medical equipment are slated to be exempted from the VAT.
President Wickremesinghe, who arrived at the parliament complex to update the House on Sri Lanka’s economic recovery progress, acknowledged that imposing VAT was a challenging decision but emphasized that it significantly contributed to boosting state revenue to nearly 11% of the GDP.
During his address, the Head of State highlighted that the growth in state revenue provided assurance to the international community about Sri Lanka’s ability to settle outstanding debts. This, in turn, led to the appreciation of the rupee and a subsequent reduction in prices for imported goods, including fuel.
President Wickremesinghe expressed optimism that if the nation continues on this trajectory successfully, the economy will further stabilize by the end of the year. Additionally, he disclosed the government’s intentions to expand the tax net, citing the measures taken to widen the tax base. As a result, Sri Lanka has witnessed a rapid growth in taxpayer registration, with the total number of tax files surpassing 1 million by the end of 2023.
March 06, Colombo (LNW): In response to the recent revelation of leaked question papers in key subjects, the Department of Education in the Western Province has announced the re-conducting of final examinations for grades 10 and 11, commencing on Wednesday (06). The decision follows the suspension of exams in Science, History, and Mathematics due to the security breach.
New sets of question papers will be provided for the affected subjects, and the rescheduled exams will take place on the 7th, 8th, 11th, and 12th of March. The zonal education offices will distribute the revised question papers to school principals.
Simultaneously, investigations are underway, led by the Western Provincial Education Ministry and the Criminal Investigation Department, to identify the source of the leaked papers.
In a parallel development, the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Ministry of Education has taken proactive measures. The Grade 10 English subject exam, initially postponed due to a leaked English question paper, will now proceed today. Students will receive a completely new set of questions, ensuring the integrity of the examination process.
March 06, Colombo (LNW): Attorney Shantha Niriella, the Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority, along with the entire Board of Directors, has been served with a resignation notice. The directive came from Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security, Nalin Fernando.
The call for resignation signals a notable change in the leadership of the Consumer Affairs Authority, with a new Board of Directors expected to be appointed shortly. The reasons behind this decision and the potential impact on the organization’s future actions remain to be seen as the Ministry prepares for a transition in leadership.
