The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has announced a revision of fuel prices effective from midnight today (31).
The new fuel prices are as follows:
Petrol 95 Octane – Rs. 371
Super Diesel – Rs. 313
Octane 92 – Rs. 311 (not revised)
Auto Diesel – Rs. 283 (not revised)
Kerosene – Rs. 183 (not revised)
The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, with more than 20,000+ participant companies globally. The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-corruption in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) embed sustainability into business operations and their value chains.
Amidst a volatile business landscape, the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka (Network Sri Lanka) is empowering companies to set and achieve ambitious sustainability goals that drive long-term value creation. Through its innovative global Accelerator programmes and localised ‘Working Groups’, the organization provides a robust framework for businesses to learn from experts, define purposeful targets, align sustainability strategies, share experiences, and work towards common goals with collective problem-solving.
The Accelerators are multi-month corporate capacity development programmes conceptualised and developed by the UN Global Compact together with global experts, and delivered to participant companies across the world by local and regional specialists in key focus areas.
Rathika de Silva, the Executive Director of Network Sri Lanka, stresses, “These Accelerators are developed to guide businesses to set ambitious targets for high performance and are successfully run across many country networks. Advising businesses to join and reap benefits he says, “Allocating the right people and the right resources Is key to gain the maximum benefit, efficiency, the effectiveness.”
Currently, four Accelerator programmes are offered to Participant companies of Network Sri Lanka being Business and Human Rights Accelerator, Climate Ambition Accelerator, Target Gender Equality Accelerator and the SDG Innovation Accelerator. The Accelerators are exclusively for UN Global Compact Participant companies.
Sign up for the third round of its Business and Human Rights (BHR) Accelerator is now open with a deadline of December 2024. This important initiative offers companies a unique opportunity to advance their human rights practices through a comprehensive six-month journey
. Expert-led sessions, peer-to-peer learning, and tailored guidance help participants enhance their human rights due diligence processes. The programme will also address the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), a crucial development in corporate responsibility. Including CSRD in the curriculum, the accelerator demonstrates a commitment to keeping participants informed about the latest global standards and reporting requirements.
The ‘Climate Ambition Accelerator’ supports companies in aligning their business strategies with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Through a six-month programme, participants are guided in setting science-based emissions reduction targets and charting a path towards net-zero emissions. Today, over 35 Sri Lankan companies have actively participated in this Accelerator, demonstrating a growing commitment to climate action. Inviting more companies, Lucas Ribeiro, Climate Ambition Accelerator Lead, United Nations Global Compact says, “The transition to a net- zero economy will happen whether you like it or not…be part of the early movers to be part of this transformation.”
Dilhan Fernando, Chairman of UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, explains the importance of collaboration says, “The team has produced extraordinary results through the working groups, helping our colleagues to understand how we can navigate challenges of supply chain to build resilience. And as UN Global Compact, we have the benefit of learning from around the world.”
Recognizing the value of diverse perspectives, the ‘Gender and Diversity Working Group’ explores ways to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace. With the participation of 24 companies, the group plans to address in 2024 issues such as female representation in STEM roles, equal pay for equal work and unconscious gender bias in the work place.
For more information engaging with UN Global Compact and Network Sri Lanka, corporates may contact Network Sri Lanka via chamath@ungcsl.com or on +94 77 066 8705
Arrangements are being made to hold the annual Katina Cheevara Dana Ceremony on Nov 13 and 14 at the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara Maha Bodhi Society of India, Holy Isipathana Deer-Park, Sarnath, a release issued by the organizers said.
The Mulagandha Kuti Vihara at Sarnath – Varanasi is known all over the world for the ‘Sacred Relics of the Buddha’ enshrined in it. These Relics of the ‘Blessed One’ were found from Dhammarajika Stupas in Chir Tope, Taxila (Undivided India) and Bhattiprolu village in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh (South India) by Archaeologists in the first half of the 19th Century.
The Sacred Relics are exhibited once a year for 3 days during the Anniversary Ceremony of the Vihara on Kartika Purnima (Full Moon Day in November).
from The Island https://ift.tt/WU0x7mo
SJB Matale District leader at the forthcoming parliamentary election, Rohini Kaviratne, has lodged a complaint with the Rattota police about, what she called, an ongoing social media campaign against her.
The former UNPer told The Island that she had been targeted similarly during two previous national elections.
Claiming that certain political elements were involved in the campaign against her, Kaviratne asked for a thorough inquiry into her complaint while declaring her intention to move court against those involved.
Kaviratne said that her campaign in the Matale district couldn’t be disrupted by such desperate tactics (SF)
The Leader of Independent Group 1 contesting Colombo district, Chamara Nakalanda, yesterday (28) said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s push for an overwhelming majority in Parliament at the forthcoming General Election is frightening and may pose a serious threat to representative democracy.
Civil society activist Nakalanda said that the National People’s Front (NPP) chief who is also the leader of the JVP owed an explanation why the parties he led wanted to rid Parliament of the Opposition.
Perhaps President Dissanayake desired a commanding dictatorial majority, similar to the victory secured by President J. R. Jayewardene at the 1977 parliamentary election. But the public know the dreadful consequences of that JRJ victory, Nakandala said, referring to the abusing of that mandate to pursue a destructive political agenda.
“What we need is a Parliament represented by many political parties and groups,” Nakalanda said, pointing out that on the contrary Dissanayake, as a lawmaker, had repeatedly declared in the past that a government with a 2/3 majority could be quite destructive.
Referring to President Dissanayake’s recent speeches at Katunayake, Polonnaruwa and Trinocomalee, Nakalanda said that the ruling party’s political stand baffled the country. However, the outcome of the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha was nothing but a warning to the NPP and a tremendous boost to democracy, Nakalanda said.
The Elpitiya result proved beyond doubt that no one could take things for granted. Traditionally largely socialist oriented Elpitiya electorate has declared that the people couldn’t be swayed to accept the concept of one party rule, regardless of the political-economic-social crisis caused by those who ruled the country hitherto, the political activist said.
The ground reality is that the NPP couldn’t take at least one seat more than the combined Opposition at Elpitiya and the 30-member local government body was equally divided between the NPP and the Opposition. “That sends a strong signal to the electorate.”
Nakalanda stressed that in a way the Elpitiya result reflected the presidential election outcome as the combined Opposition polled more votes than the winner. He was referring to Dissanayake’s failure to obtain 50% + 1 vote at the Presidential Election to be a clear-cut winner.
Acknowledging NPP’s victory in terms of the largest block of seats one party could secure at the parliamentary election is a foregone conclusion, Nakalanda urged the people to elect a sufficient number of Opposition MPs. “Parliament shouldn’t be devoid of an Opposition. Whatever the wrongs and shortcomings on the part of major political parties which ruled the country in the past, the Parliament shouldn’t be devoid of the Opposition,” Nakalanda said.
Nakalanda said that the culture of switching sides, following general elections, should be stopped. Nakalanda added that they were strongly opposed to lawmakers switching sides at the expense of the political party or the independent group they originally represented. The despicable practice heavily contributed to the deterioration of the parliamentary democracy over the years, he said.
Responding to another query, Nakalanda said that though they had been engaged in politics and were genuinely interested in making a difference, the Election Commission has so far deprived them recognition as a political party, hence the decision to field an independent group under the symbol of a ‘Gift box.’
“EC rejected our applications in 2020 and 2022. We believe EC’s decision is not fair,” Nakalanda said, adding that they were forced to contest selected one district due to their inability to obtain one symbol and the independent group bearing number 1 for all electoral districts. Had the EC granted us approval, we could have contested under the ticket of Parapuraka Balaya.
Nakalanda said that Parapuraka Balaya pursued what he called practical politics taking into consideration vital issues that affected the country at all levels.
According to him, their effort was to build a strong political movement against those who governed the country irresponsibly since the British granted the then Ceylon independence. In spite of receiving independence without bloodshed, we couldn’t achieve real freedom, Nakalanda said, adding that the deterioration caused by the executive, legislature and judiciary hadn’t been properly ascertained.
Nakalanda said that the electorate should take into consideration that a political party that had never been in power was about to take control of the Parliament, having secured the presidency, many political veterans giving up active politics though they may appear before the people from time to time, and the weakening of the Opposition due to the powers that be unleashing police on political opponents in the guise of anti-corruption investigations.
Nakalanda said that the country is in a crossroads and nothing could be as dangerous as creating an authoritarian administration (SF)
By Sanath Nanayakkare
ADB Sri Lanka Country Director Takafumi Kadono told The Island last week that commercial banks can play a crucial role in financing the transition to a green economy while adopting their criteria and environmental principles.
He said so when asked whether the commercial banks in Sri Lanka would be motivated to provide environment-friendly businesses with easier access to capital.
He was speaking to the press at a Q&A session during a workshop hosted by the ADB at ITC Ratnadeepa Hotel in Colombo.
The workshop was attended by many government sector stakeholders to identify integrated climate responsive investments to create a pipeline of bankable green investment opportunities for Sri Lankan entities.
“Lending by commercial banks to green projects and environmental-friendly operations pursued by SMEs is not new. The commercial banks apply a criteria to identify a loan as “green” as well as whether the entrepreneur seeking finance is an eligible borrower in the climate adaptation / mitigation space in line with the banks’ sustainability goals. So, in order to promote more businesses in this space, we are encouraging such green business initiatives and supportive practices by lending institutions. Hopefully, it will become more feasible to appraise such businesses and increase lending to them. And lending in the climate adaptation / mitigation space within robust parameters will provide good business opportunities for the commercial banks as well while accruing benefit to the environment and society,”
As far as ADB is concerned, at the national level, I was thinking whether we could work with the government on green climate financing so that we can track how much money is spent, how we need to give incentives at different levels while taking into account the policies and regulations.”
Even before climate change, when I was working on integrated water resource management projects 30- years ago, it was already a challenge. Ideally it was a great thing ,but it was difficult to introduce them in line with national water resource policies. So these programmes take political will also. I hope through exercises like this, we can bring all the stakeholders together and come up with a robust plan to support climate adaptation and mitigation projects for the entities that seek finance to enter this space or increase their contribution to the low carbon economy in Sri Lanka.”
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The week that has passed brought bad news to the domestic tourism industry that has demonstrated some favorable arrival numbers this year despite the visa fiasco that marked the tail end of the previous regime. With the winter season approaching, hoteliers and the many others active in this industry, vital in terms of both employment and foreign exchange earnings, were looking forward to a boom in arrivals to shake off the ill effects of Covid, the Easter Sunday attacks, aragalaya and more. Now the country has been hit with the news that Israelis, visiting Arugam Bay in reckonable numbers for surfing holidays, have been threatened by some impending violence. Thankfully nothing has happened and confidence building security measures are very visible not only in Arugam Bay, but also in other popular resort areas like Ella and Mirissa.
Minister Vijitha Herath, holding the portfolio of Public Security among many more, told a Colombo news briefing on Thursday that although intelligence of possible violence had been received from early October, the authorities had for good reason not gone public on this. Most would regard as sensible not creating unnecessary panic by premature disclosure. There had been several meetings of the National Security Council that had considered this matter in depth and the president himself was overseeing the tight security measures already enforced. Beginning with the U.S., which on Wednesday issued a travel advisory to its citizen to keep away from Arugam Bay, several other countries including the UK, Israel, Australia and Russia issued similar warnings. Thus local authorities were compelled to break their silence.
Sri Lanka is particularly vulnerable to such cautionary notices following the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 when at least 280 people including 45 foreigners were killed and many more wounded.
Given that the Colombo government was in possession of reliable intelligence of impending attacks when the Easter massacre occurred, with Catholic churches and luxury hotels targeted, glaring security failures holding no less than the then president and a host of top security and police officials been found culpable are in the public domain.
Given this backdrop, prospective travelers to Sri Lanka will undoubtedly take cognizance of such warnings however far-fetched and from wherever they emanate. That is, no doubt bad news for the domestic tourist industry and many local players have spoken out in dismay. For that we can blame nobody but ourselves. Following the Easter disaster, the tragedy has been very much a political football with accusing fingers pointed in all directions. The result of this has been continuing media focus, not only here but also in tourist generating markets, about our security failures.
The Cardinal and the Catholic Church have been outspoken in their criticism of the government’s lack of action on the findings of a Presidential Commission of Inquiry that investigated the matter and the secrecy with which its report was originally treated. A politician claiming ‘nationalist’ credentials is now busy trying to fault the new regime over two new senior police appointments using the report of an inquiry committee headed by a retired High Court judge. Few will credit him with altruism with most regarding his antics as related to the upcoming parliamentary election where he is a candidate.
Fortunately, the season at Arugam Bay, which attracts mainly surfing enthusiasts taking advantage of the wave breaks along that coast, is more or less over. The tourist industry there having had a good season have expressed fear that the recent furor could also affect other resort areas elsewhere in the country. “Today its Arugam Bay, tomorrow it could be down South,” one player said in a recent television newscast. Foreigners on the beaches have also been interviewed and voice clips that have been telecast indicated that although they were aware of the breaking news, they had no fears. Whether recent events will drive out remaining Israeli tourist here and deter others from coming for the new season only time will tell.
Tourists come here for many reasons, not all of them leisure or holiday related. Recent reports have indicated that some Russian and Ukranian draft dodgers have chosen to pitch camp here though not at Arugam Bay. Others have become long stayers starting unapproved businesses. The attractions of Arugam Bay have been widely publicized in Israel. A fictionalized film of two Israelis holidaying there after military service when they lost a comrade making friends here with, of all people, an Iranian surfer, had proved very popular in Israel and probably brought visitors here.
We in Sri Lanka have just concluded what has proved to be the most peaceful of contemporary elections and look forward to an as peaceful parliamentary election. The lack of ‘election fever’ during the ongoing campaign has been attributed by many to the fact that the country has already decided on who they are going to vote for as demonstrated at the presidential election. The SJB’s Sajith Premadasa is projecting himself as the new prime minister. But having lost two consecutive presidential races, whether he will achieve his ambition is an open question.
The NPP/JVP is not expected to have any problem winning a simple majority. Whether it can achieve the two thirds it is aiming for is another matter. Rajan Philips analyzes the possible permutations and combinations in his regular column on this page. This country experienced the ill effects of tyrannies of absolute majorities in 1970 and 1977 as we have often stressed in this space. Whether it will expose itself once again we will know soon after the U.S. elects its next president.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the government of Norway, has taken a step towards enhancing resilience and sustainability in Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector by handing over a multi-day fishing boat equipped with advanced cooling technology and a fuel-saving bulbous bow.
In a statement the FAO said this initiative promotes the adoption of new technologies to reduce post-harvest losses, lower operational costs, and improve the quality of fish for both local and export markets.
The FAO said Sri Lanka’s multi-day fishing vessels, essential for deep-sea fishing, especially in the tuna export industry, often rely on ice to preserve fish during long voyages. However, this practice frequently compromises quality, leading to post-harvest losses. The Fish Loss and Waste (FLW) Assessment conducted by FAO in 2022–2023 found an average quality loss of 41.4% in the catch from Sri Lanka’s multi-day fisheries.
To address this challenge, FAO has installed an advanced cooling system on a newly constructed multi-day fishing vessel to ensure fish are kept at optimal temperatures throughout the voyage. This technology strengthens the resilience of fishing operations, ensuring higher-quality fish products reach the market while reducing waste and spoilage.
Fuel efficiency is critical for Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector, as multi-day boats consume between 8,000 and 11,000 liters of diesel per trip, costing operators three to four million LKR per voyage. To ease this burden, FAO provided technical expertise for the installation of bulbous bow technology on the vessel. This innovation minimizes wave resistance, delivering a 13% reduction in fuel consumption.
This innovation not only helps offset the additional fuel required by the cooling system but also brings long-term economic benefits to boat owners. The cost of installing the bulbous bow—approximately one million LKR—was borne by the boat owner with FAO’s technical support, highlighting the private sector’s role in adopting sustainable practices.
A key challenge faced by fishermen is securing fair prices for their catch. Middlemen often exploit gaps in quality knowledge, leaving fishermen with reduced profits. To address this, FAO developed an AI-powered mobile app, enabling fishermen to assess the quality of their fish in real-time based on Yellowfin Tuna export standards.
The app provides immediate feedback through a simple photo upload, giving fishermen the power to negotiate better prices. This tool enhances the resilience of fishing communities by ensuring more equitable market access and fairer pricing.
These initiatives, handed over to the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, is part of FAO’s broader commitment to build resilience in Sri Lanka’s fisheries sector by promoting sustainable practices, reducing post-harvest losses, and empowering fishing communities. By integrating modern cooling systems, fuel-efficient technologies, and AI-based tools, FAO is driving a transformation that supports the economic and environmental sustainability of the sector.
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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the government will support small and medium-scale rice mill owners to enhance their capacity to help stabilize the rice market.
He made this statement today (25) during a discussion held with the rice mill owners at the Presidential Secretariat.
The President noted that since the government invests significantly in promoting agriculture, irrigation, and fertilizer subsidies, these businesses have a social responsibility to provide rice to the public.
An extensive discussion on measures to enhance the capacity of small and medium-scale rice mill owners to balance the market took place.
The President also stressed that no businessman will be permitted to exploit the situation by unfairly raising rice prices.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is set to hold a series of meetings with the High Commissioners of South Africa and New Zealand, along with the Ambassadors of Iran and Myanmar, as well as a delegation from the European Union today (25) at the Presidential Secretariat.
These meetings aim to enhance diplomatic ties and foster collaboration on economic, political, and social fronts, reflecting Sri Lanka’s commitment to maintaining strong international partnerships.
[PMD]
Western Australia lost an incredible 8 for 1 – with their one run coming from a wide – in a batting collapse for the ages that has left their One-Day Cup defence in tatters.
They were bowled out for 53 in 20.1 overs at the WACA Ground on Friday against a rampant Tasmania attack led superbly by Beau Webster (6-17 off six overs).
It was the second lowest score in One Day Cup history only narrowly bettering the 51 posted by South Australia against Tasmania in Hobart in 2003.
Tasmania chased down the paltry victory target in just 8.3 overs to secure a seven-wicket victory and a vital bonus point.
WA’s bid for a fourth consecutive title now hangs by a thread. At one-and-three, WA need to beat Victoria, South Australia and Queensland in their remaining three games – and rely on other results to fall their way – in order to secure a top-two spot and a berth in the March 1 final.
WA were crawling at 52 for 2 in the 16th over before suffering one of the worst batting collapses witnessed in professional cricket. In the space of 28 legal deliveries, WA lost eight wickets and registered just one run – in the sundries column – as Webster and Billy Stanlake ran rampant.
It meant WA went from 52 for 2 to all out for 53, with not a single run scored by the players batting at No. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
The out-of-form Cameron Bancroft was the first to fall in the collapse when trapped lbw by Webster. Ashton Turner also fell lbw to Webster three balls later, and Josh Inglis was bowled by a Stanlake pearler one ball after that.
Cooper Connolly, Hilton Cartwright, Ashton Agar, Jhye Richardson and Joel Paris all posted ducks as WA’s innings was brought to a crashing end.
Opener D’Arcy Short top scored with 22 in a sorry looking scoreboard for the three-time defending champions. WA fell short of their previous lowest score, the 59 they posted against Victoria at the MCG in 1969.
Webster was the hero for Tasmania, claiming the early scalp of Short before kick-starting the collapse in a career-best display. Stanlake was also hugely effective, with his removal of Inglis among the highlights of the innings.
(Cricinfo)
Personalized service offerings are increasingly becoming popular among high-net-worth individuals and in an era marked by seamless conveniences and growing personalised consumer expectations, discerning consumers are looking for lifestyle opportunities that offer exclusive experiential benefits.
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While the spending capacity of this group significantly influences economic growth, there is a growing desire in this group of consumers to invest in premium experiences – whether it’s fine dining, luxury shopping or unique lived experiences. “Recognizing that consumers are clear about the specific services they desire, we strive to meet their needs with well-designed, curated experiences that enhance their lifestyle of luxury and expectations” Avanthi points out.
Visa Infinite is more than a credit or debit card – it embodies the unique advantages for the discerning who want exceptional benefits and a rewarding lifestyle. Privileges such as meet and greet at airports, access to exclusive restaurants in the world and luxury hotel booking privileges are provided under Visa Concierge services, adds Avanthi. “These privileges meet the needs of the discerning niche consumers who travel regularly and seek prioritization, seamless access and convenience”
Visa also brings to this offering, an exclusive WhatsApp Concierge Service – an on-demand service that is exclusively offered to Visa Infinite cardholders – for whom time is truly precious. Visa Concierge is a 24/7 digital personal assistant and lifestyle guide, giving Visa Infinite cardholders access to extraordinary experiences each and every day, through a curated range of services, amenities and exclusive privileges.
Among the Visa Concierge services offered are seamless reservations for top dining properties – Asia’s 50 Best and World’s 50 Best dining experiences – with exclusive offers and privileges. One also gets the opportunity to reserve Michelin starred restaurants of one’s choice worldwide, the opportunity to indulge in the Visa Wine program and a chance to greet the Chef or get a signed menu personalized by the Chef. There is also exclusive access to the Visa Luxury Hotel collection, airport limo transfer program and Priority Pass lounge access, car rental and luxury hotel privileges.
When it comes to luxury hotel reservations, Visa Concierge strives to provide the best available rate guarantee to Visa Infinite consumers along with complimentary benefits like automatic room upgrade upon arrival (when available), in-house breakfast for two and food & beverages credit starting at US $25, all provided as value added services. Visa Infinite consumers also get a special VIP guest status in addition late-checkout-on-request (where available).
As part of the Visa Infinite offering, the WhatsApp Concierge service also provides many value-added services for Golf Privileges – from priority tee times, luxury round trip private chauffeured transport and complimentary perks like beverages after the game, warm-up driving range balls, in-cart refreshments and LuxBlack Game-Day kit.
A fourth area where Visa is offering curated benefits is education special offers in educational services at esteemed educational institutions such as Columbia, Stanford and MIT are also available under Visa WhatsApp Concierge. One will have the opportunity to dive into the global centre of tech and innovation at Silicon Valley, discovering how large companies and technology have transformed the way we live.
Visa ensures Visa Infinite cardholders have Global Access to Extraordinary experiences across 500 cities. Unique access to live cultural and sporting events, including virtual and outdoor experiences to make the rest of the world feel that little bit closer.
Additional benefits on Visa Infinite include valuable discounts on travel, ecommerce purchase protection and other attractive offers tailor made for the discerning consumers.
“The spending capacity of affluent consumers enrich the economy and result in the enhanced use of digital forms of payment. These consumers believe in availing the best of experiences personalized for them and their loved ones – whether it is dining at a top restaurant, going to a world class concert or getting a curated celebration arranged,” Avanthi reiterates. “We would like to cater to the sophisticated needs of Visa Infinite cardholders and are delighted to assure a secure, streamlined, and innovative payment options in Sri Lanka through value added services such as this.”
As a global leader in payments, Visa believes in consistent innovation and value addition that enhances the services offered to our valued cardholders. Exceeding consumer expectations and enhancing unique experiences define the future of payments across the world for Visa.
Visa Whatsapp Concierge is available on +94 (11) 2029164.
The Consulate General of Sri Lanka to Dubai and Northern Emirates has launched a special initiative to assist Sri Lankans to regularize their visa status or return home without facing penalties, the Mission said in a statement issued yesterday (22).
The Amnesty programme has been launched on Sept. 01. Accordingly the regularization of visa status would continue till Oc.t 31.
Statistics related to the Amnesty programme from 01 September to 17 October 2024 are as follows:
* 6776 individuals visited the Consulate General during regular consular hours and special amnesty consular hours seeking assistance/services
* 907 Passports applications have been accepted
* 761 Temporary Travel Documents (TTDs) have been issued to those who do not hold a valid Passport or lost Passport
* 835 air tickets have been purchased through special counters located at the Consulate General premises by SriLankan Airlines and Fits Air
The Consulate General has urged all Sri Lankans without a valid passport/lost passport to apply for a TTD on or before 25 October 2024, allocating sufficient time to process the request to obtain UAE outpass and return to Sri Lanka.
The Consulate General has reiterated its commitment to assist the Sri Lankan community during this amnesty period and encouraged all eligible individuals to make use of the available services to regularize their visa status or return home safely.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) announced that 67 persons had been arrested in connection with bribery incidents over the past nine months.
Those arrests were made during 81 raids, according to CIABOC.
The CIABOC has revealed that among those arrested were 20 police officers, including two police inspectors, one sub-inspector, eight constables, and nine sergeants.
Additionally, 22 individuals were arrested for offering bribes to state officials.
Official data shows that in 2023, CIABOC conducted 73 raids, resulting in the arrest of 57 individuals.
Of those arrested in 2023, 16 were police officers charged with accepting bribes. (RK)
The Navy, in coordination with the Police Special Task Force (STF) in Talaimannar, seized about 33.8 kilos of Kerala cannabis (wet weight) on Thursday (17.
One of the operations also led to the arrest of a suspect in connection with the possession of the illicit substance.
Acting on information provided by the Naval Deployment at Veththalakerni under the Northern Naval Command, a joint operation was carried out by SLNS Gajaba and SLNS Pussadewa of the North Central Naval Command, in collaboration with the Mannar Police STF, in the Nadukuda area of Talaimannar. During the operation, a suspicious individual was apprehended, leading to the discovery of 8.88 kilos of Kerala cannabis, concealed in four parcels. The suspect was arrested along with the illicit substance.
Additionally, a team of Navy Marines deployed by SLNS Wasaba in the Northern Naval Command, conducted a foot patrol on Kachchativu Island, where they recovered approximately 25kg (wet weight) of Kerala cannabis in eight packages that had washed ashore.
The gross street value of the Kerala cannabis held in these operations is believed to be more than Rs. 13 million.
The suspect held in Nadukuda was identified as a 36-year-old resident of Pesalai. He was handed over to the Talaimannar Police, along with Kerala cannabis, for legal action. Meanwhile, the stock of Kerala cannabis recovered on the Kachchativu Island was handed over to the Delft Police for onward legal proceedings.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo, in partnership with the Streets of Colombo (SOC) photography collective, is hosting an exhibition titled GOOD DAY BAD DAY BUT EVERYDAY by renowned street photographer Tavepong Pratoomwong. The exhibition runs from October 20th to 27th at Siam Nivasa, the embassy’s cultural center, showcasing the spontaneity and beauty of daily life. The event aims to strengthen cultural ties between Thailand and Sri Lanka while inspiring local photographers. Limited copies of Tavepong’s photo book will also be available for purchase. The SOC, founded in 2018 by Johann Latiff, continues to promote street photography in Sri Lanka. For more details, visit SOC’s social media pages or contact 0778854121.
Revenue from taxes on external trade increased by 29.0 percent to Rs. 302.5 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from the same period in 2023, emanating from increase in imports due to the gradual relaxation of import restrictions, Pre-Election Budgetary Position Report 2024 issued by the Ministry of Finance earlier this week said.
The increases in revenue collection from Special Commodity Levies (SCL) by 110.1 percent to Rs. 67.2 billion with the increase in SCL rates on essential commodities such as sugar and potatoes and the increase in revenue receipts from Customs Import Duty (CID) and CESS. Revenue collection from the Ports and Airports Development Levy (PAL) slightly increased by 3.4 percent despite the phasing out of PAL on selected items.
Revenue collected from income taxes increased by 16.3 percent to Rs. 624.7 billion in the first eight months of 2024, achieving 57.8 percent of the annual estimate of Rs. 1,080.0 billion. The increase in revenue from income tax was mainly due to the increase in revenue collection from Advance Personal Income Tax (APIT) and Withholding Tax (WHT) in the first eight months of 2024 from the same period of 2023. Revenue from taxes on goods and services increased by 59.8 percent to Rs. 1,421.3 billion in the first eight months of 2024. This was mainly due to the increase in revenue collected from Value Added Tax (VAT) by 87.2 percent to Rs. 842.5 billion, surpassing the total VAT revenue realized in 2023 by Rs. 148.0 billion stemming from the increase in VAT rates, reduction in the registration threshold, and removal of the vast majority of exemptions. This increase was also driven by increased revenue from the Excise Duty on petroleum products, Excise Duty on liquor, and Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL).
The revenue from non-tax increased by 31.7 percent to Rs. 209.3 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 158.8 billion in the same period of 2023. This has mainly been driven by the increase in revenue from fines, fees and charges, and interest income.
The total government expenditure increased slightly by 5.4 percent to Rs. 3,476.9 billion in the first eight months of 2024. Recurrent expenditure, which accounted for around 87.5 percent of total expenditure in the first eight months of 2024, slightly increased by 3.4 percent to Rs. 3,041.6 billion from Rs. 2,941.7 billion in the same period of 2023. This was mainly driven by the increase of salaries and wages by 6.7 percent to Rs. 659.5 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 618.1 billion in the same period of 2023 due to an increase in cost-of-living allowance and the increase of interest payments by 2.2 percent to Rs. 1,559.7 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 1,525.7 billion in the same period of 2023 owing to the increase in interest payment on domestic debt, foreign debt and domestic loans. Expenditure on subsidies and transfers increased slightly by 1.5 percent to Rs. 623.8 billion in the first eight months of 2023. Meanwhile, the capital and net lending significantly increased by 22.4 percent to Rs. 435.3 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 355.6 billion in the same period of 2023.
Government Revenue including grants increased by 40.5 percent or Rs. 739.3 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 1,826.6 billion in the same period of 2023 owing to the increase in tax revenue by 41.4 percent to Rs. 2,348.5 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 1,661.2 billion in the same period of 2023. Revenue from taxes on goods and services, which account for 60.5 percent of total tax revenue, increased by 59.8 percent, or Rs. 531.9 billion, to Rs. 1,421.3 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 889.5 billion in the same period of 2023. This increase was largely driven by the notable increase in revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT), which increased by 87.2 percent to Rs. 842.5 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 450.0 billion in the same period of 2023. Thus, revenue collected from VAT in the first eight months of 2024 outperformed and surpassed Rs. 694.5 billion of revenue collected from VAT for the entire year of 2023. However, positive momentum in revenue generation must be sustained and enhanced over the medium term with a focus on tax compliance, eliminating tax leakages, digitalization, and minimizing corruption vulnerabilities through strengthened tax administration.
Expenditure on salaries and wages for public servants in the first eight months of 2024 including the salaries of employees attached to security forces, police, and Provincial Councils increased by 6.7 percent to Rs. 659.5 billion in 2024 from Rs. 618.1 billion in the same period of 2023. The increase in salaries was mainly attributable to the rise in the cost-of-living allowance by Rs. 5,000 per month effective from January 2024, and the increase of the same allowance by another Rs. 5,000 per month effective from April 2024, as per Public Administration Circular No. 03/2024 and Management Services Circular No. 01/2024. Total pension payments increased by 9.7 percent to Rs. 254.0 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 231.6 billion in the same period of 2023.
Interest Payments
Expenditure on interest payments on foreign and domestic debt amounted to Rs. 1,559.7 billion in the first eight months of 2024, which marks an increase of 2.2 percent compared to Rs. 1,525.7 billion recorded in the same period of 2023. Interest payments for foreign debt increased by 34.9 percent to Rs. 100.0 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 74.1 billion recorded in the same period of 2023 partly due to the commencing of repayment of some bilateral loans. Moreover, the interest payments on domestic loans slightly increased by 0.6 percent to Rs. 1,459.7 billion in the first eight months of 2024 from Rs. 1,451.6 billion in the same period of 2023.
Welfare and Subsidy Payments
The estimates of Rs. 1,055.7 billion for 2024 have been earmarked for the welfare programmes of social welfare, social security, education, health and nutrition and development assistance which is 15.4 percent of the government’s primary expenditure and 3.5 percent of the GDP. The estimate of Rs. 1,055.7 billion for 2024 represents a 15.3 percent increase compared to the actual expenditure of 2023 amounting to Rs. 915.4 billion. In the first eight months of 2024, the government’s welfare expenditure amounted to Rs. 562.4 billion including Rs. 112.7 billion for the “Aswesuma” programme, Rs. 9.5 billion for school nutrition food programme, Rs. 4.1 billion for the “Poshana Malla” programme, Rs. 4.4 billion for school textbooks and uniforms and Rs. 24.2 billion for fertilizer subsidy. Total welfare expenditure in the first eight months of 2024 increased by 3.3 percent to Rs. 562.4 billion from Rs. 544.3 billion in the same period of 2023. The increase was mainly driven by the increase of 83.9 percent of expenditure on health and nutrition, and the increase in development assistance by growth of 12.4 percent.
By Ifham Nizam
As Sri Lanka faces the aftershocks of multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn and the Easter Sunday attacks, the country’s education sector has become a key battleground for securing long-term economic recovery, according to Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Research Fellow Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne.
In an expert panel discussion recently in Colombo, IPS stakeholders explored the critical role of education in building a skilled workforce, while also highlighting the immense challenges that must be addressed to turn education into a catalyst for growth.
Weeraratne said that with Sri Lanka suffering a negative growth rate of 6.7% by the third quarter of 2023, the labour market remains one of the hardest-hit areas.
Weeraratne added: “As wages stagnate, the incentive for workers to improve their skills or seek better employment dwindles, feeding into a cycle of low productivity. Thus crisis management has prompted emergency measures, like the five-year no-pay leave policy for public sector employees.” However, she explained that these are short-term fixes that do not address the deeper structural issues plaguing the labour market.
Weeraratne stressed that education is seen as a powerful tool to break this cycle, but the sector itself has been grappling with severe disruptions and underfunding, she said, adding that Sri Lanka’s education system is crucial in fostering productivity and innovation, but it faces serious hurdles.
Her presentation delved into the many challenges facing education. From the 2019 Easter bomb attacks to the pandemic and ongoing economic crises, these external pressures have led to a decrease in education investments, depreciating resources, and the adoption of outdated approaches that struggle to meet the demands of a rapidly changing labour market.
IPS, Director of Research, Dr. Nisha Arunatilake said that one alarming statistic revealed that while 97% of children aged 5 to 16 are enrolled in school, a significant proportion—especially those with special needs or from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds—are left behind. After the compulsory education age of 16, participation drops drastically, with only 63% qualifying for advanced level exams and just 20% attending university due to capacity issues.
She noted that Sri Lanka’s education system is ill-equipped to handle the demands of an evolving job market driven by technological change. `The need for highly skilled workers is growing, but 65% of 20 to 24-year-olds are not engaged in any form of education, leading to a poorly skilled workforce. While the government has made efforts to introduce vocational training, these programs have not scaled up sufficiently to address the needs of the economy.’
Worse still, she said, the quality of education is lagging. A 2019 study by NEREC revealed that students’ English and mathematics skills are well below international standards. Students scored an average of just 34% in English and a dismal 20% in mathematics, signaling a serious gap in the education system’s ability to prepare children for a globalized, technology-driven future.
Arunatilake added: `Compounding the issue is the unequal allocation of resources across Sri Lanka’s education system. Elite schools receive the majority of well-trained teachers, while rural schools, which often serve lower-income families, suffer from poor staffing and inadequate resources. Meanwhile, policy inconsistency—driven by frequent changes in education ministers and short-term priorities—has stymied long-term progress.’
‘Given the current economic constraints, while increasing funding is ideal, it is not feasible in the short term. Instead, innovative low-cost solutions could offer a way forward. Examples could be given from Pakistan, where technology is being leveraged to provide education to children with special needs and virtual labs are being used in rural areas to deliver hands-on learning experiences.
‘Stronger governance and better allocation of resources are needed. Sri Lanka’s education system has suffered from weak policy implementation and political interference. Improving governance, addressing resource inequalities, and strengthening disaster risk management are among the key recommendations.
‘While Sri Lanka’s education system faces formidable challenges, it remains a pivotal force in rebuilding the nation’s economy. If the government can implement effective reforms and tap into technological solutions, the country could better equip its youth with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital and globalized world.’
Pathum Nissanka sent Sri Lanka’s chase screaming out of the blocks, before Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera put on a clinical and unbeaten 106-run stand for the second wicket. For a team that had never before beaten West Indies in a T20I series, this chase was almost too effortless toon believe. Each of the top three produced sparkling innings, as the hosts galloped to the target of 163 with 12 balls remaining, in front of a packed Poya-day crowd in Dambulla.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 166 for 1 in 18 overs (Kusal Mendis 68*, Kusal Perera 55*, PathumNissanka 39) beat West Indies 162 for 8 in 20 overs (Rovman Powell 37, Gudakesh Motie 32, Maheesh Theekshana 2-19) by nine wickets
The Overseas School of Colombo celebrated its 67th anniversary in September 2024. When it was established in 1957 it was known as the ‘Colombo School for Overseas Children’ catering mainly to the children of Embassy Staff and UN officials. The location of the school was at Queen’s Street, Colombo 1. It is the oldest international school in Sri Lanka. A lot of changes have taken place since its inception and today it is a premier international school in Sri Lanka.
I have had the privilege to be involved with the school for 30 years out of its 67-year existence, as a member of its faculty. I joined in 1981 when the secondary section of the school was situated at Muttiah Road in Colombo 2. It was then named as the ‘Overseas Children’s School’. My main task was to teach mathematics to those following the GCE advanced level (London) classes. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program was introduced in 1983 and in 1984 the school was relocated to its spacious present location at Pelawatte, Battaramulla. No moving firm was involved in this relocation exercise and all of the items were loaded and transported by the school staff and parents. It was a moving community project. At that time, there were no shops in Pelawatte. Development came later. Perhaps, the presence of OSC also contributed towards the development of the area.
With this shift to Pelawatte, both primary and secondary schools were able to operate in one location. The whole community enjoyed the spacious classrooms, green environment and the large playground. A large computer room was established and the teachers were given training with computer usage. It was a regular sight to see students been taken to the computer room at assigned times to make them comfortable with the use of computers. In July 1987, the school was attacked and some buildings were set on fire due to the clashes that took place in the country as a result of the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord. It was a traumatic experience to see burnt books and equipment. Until the restoration was complete, classes were held in some embassy premises and hotels. My classes were at the Hotel Oberoi, which is Cinnamon Grand Hotel now.
A gymnasium consisting of basketball and badminton courts and also a room with gymnastic apparatus was built in 1992. Thereafter, the school continued to grow with facilities such as a swimming pool, auditorium and a sound-proof music center being added in later years.
I left OSC to take up an appointment in Hong Kong in 1995. When I came back to Sri Lanka in 2008, I was invited to join the school and I happily did so. By that time the school’s name had changed to the ‘Overseas School of Colombo’ and it had become an IB World School, teaching the International Baccalaureate curriculum in all of the classes. Today, OSC is the only school in Sri Lanka which offers the internationally acclaimed IB curriculum. It is also the only school in the country which is accredited by three international accreditation agencies. The motto of the school has been ‘Unity in diversity’ from the beginning and this is aptly demonstrated with the harmonious functioning of about 40 nationalities within the school.
During the past few years, the school faced enormous challenges due to the pandemic and the economic crisis of the country. I salute the school for gradually overcoming them with committed resilience, innovative thinking and resolute courage. While wishing the school a happy anniversary, I congratulate all those who contributed towards the nurturing of minds, shaping futures and making a difference through striving for excellence.
R N A DE SILVA
ndesilva@osc.lk
from The Island https://ift.tt/tQ0l3KB
Dubai, 6pm local time
Australia were without captain Alyssa Healey for their match against India. She arrived at the game in Sharjah on crutches having sustained a foot injury while batting on 37 against Pakistan on Friday. Tahlia McGrath led the side in her absence, with Ellyse Perry deputising and Beth Mooney keeping wicket.
“As it stands, it’s the same thing for Midgie [Healy],” Perry said on the eve of the semi-final. “The medical staff and the team are going to give her every opportunity and possibility of playing on Thursday night but I don’t think anything’s changed in that respect. We’ll just have to see in the next 24 hours.”
Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck, who hurt her shoulder on her T20 World Cup return against Pakistan, was ruled out of the tournament with Heather Graham named her replacement. Grace Harris and Darcie Brown came into the playing XI as replacements for the India game.
South Africa do not have injury concerns and are unlikely to make changes to their winning combination. Their record against Australia is not great, having won just one out of the 10 T20I’s they’ve played each other. Their first ever win came in Canberra in January this year in a bilateral series. South Africa have not won a single World Cup game against Australia in either format. Thursday will be a rematch of the 2023 T20 World Cup final. in which South Africa suffered a heartbreaking loss in front of their home crowd in Cape Town.
South Africa have played three matches in Dubai this tournament while Australia have played just one match – against Pakistan – at the venue. The average first-innings score is 126, with India posting the highest total of 172 against Sri Lanka last Wednesday.
Australia squad:
Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Heather Graham, Tayla Vlaeminck (ruled out)
South Africa squad:
Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe TryonTournament form guide:
Australia are unbeaten in this T20 World Cup, winning all four of their games so far. In their last group match, they beat India in a high-octane clash by nine runs. South Africa have a 3-1 record having lost their second match of the tournament to England.
Player to watch:
Experienced pacer Megan Schull’s miserly spells have been crucial to all four of Australia’s wins. She started the tournament with 3 for 12 against Sri Lanka on a spin-friendly track, finished with stunning figures of 3 for 3 against New Zealand and followed it up with 1 for 7 in her three overs against Pakistan in Dubai. Against India, she gave away 24 runs in her first three overs but returned to turn the game on its head in the 17th over by conceding just one run, leaving India with 40 to get off 18 balls.
Tazmin Britts’ solid starts have been among the biggest positives for South Africa. After a 57 not out to start the competition, she crossed the 40-run mark in each of her last two matches. Against Bangladesh, on a slow track, she played a patient innings of 42 off 41 balls to help South Africa to a comfortable win. She also played an important hand in South Africa’s first and only T20I win against Australia earlier this year, scoring a fiery 41 off 28 with eight fours in a chase of 143.
[Cricinfo]
By Dinasena Ratugamage
Long standing member of the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), Markandu Nadarajah on Monday (14) moved the Jaffna High Court against the ITAK. Citing former MP Mavai Senadhiraja, Dr. P. Sathyalingam and S. Kulanayagam as respondents, Nadarajah has requested the HC to prevent the violation of the party constitution. He has called for punitive action against the respondents for violating the ITAK constitution.
The ITAK is the main party in the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
The petitioner has pointed out that the Acting Secretary Dr. P. Sathyalingam couldn’t function in that position as he hadn’t been appointed with the approval of the party’s Central Committee. On the basis of the invalidity of the Acting Secretary’s appointment, the petitioner has asked the High Court to declare all nominations for the Nov. 14 parliamentary polls, signed by the official, null and void.
Declaring that the party hadn’t followed the constitution, the petitioner has requested that the party be suspended.
The petitioner pointed out that as stipulated in the party constitution, the general assembly of the party should take place every two years and that of the Central Committee once in six months.
However, both bodies hadn’t met for the past four years, the petitioner alleged.
The HC is yet to announce whether this petition would be heard.
By AJA Abeynayake
Three Directors of W.M. Mendis and Company Ltd., Arjun Aloysius and two others, were sentenced yesterday to a six-month jail term by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court for defaulting a payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) amounting to Rs. 3.5 billion.
Colombo Additional Magistrate Bandara Ilangasinghe yesterday rejected an appeal submitted by three Directors of W.M. Mendis Distilleries, Arjun Aloysius, A.R. Dinendra John, and Prasanna Kumarasiri, to be forwarded to the Colombo High Court, seeking to invalidate the prison sentence imposed on them by the court earlier yesterday morning (14) over VAT evasion.
Through this appeal, the defendants also requested permission for paying the due taxes in instalments.
Additional Magistrate IIlangasinghe sentenced the Director of W.M. Mendis Distilleries, Arjun Aloysius and two others, to six months in prison for defaulting the payment of Rs. 3.5 billion in VAT by the company, when the case was taken up.
The relevant case was filed against the company by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) for defaulting the payment of Rs. 3.5 billion in taxes due to the government during the period from 2016 to 2019.
On November 14, 2023, the court ordered the accused to make the due payments. The imprisonment was imposed over failure to complete the relevant payments as per the court order.
from The Island https://ift.tt/2KAd9gT
Brandon King and Ewin Lewis smashed 107 off 55 balls at the top of the order, to set West Indies beautifully on course to their target of 180, in the first T20I against Sri Lanka. Although the hosts’ middle-overs bowlers slowed West Indies’ progress, they were never in serious trouble.
They had plenty of batting to see the chase through, and Sherfane Rutherford finished it off with a four off the first ball of the final over.
Shamar Joseph was the most economical of West Indies’ bowlers, conceding only 27 from his four overs. Though King and Lewis later outshone them, Sri Lanka had two half-centurions too, in Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka whose 82-run stand was the most substantial of the innings.
Lewis struck the first boundaries, launching Chamindu Wickramasinghe for a six and four at the end of the first over, but it was King who made the greatest impression while the fielding restrictions were in play. King’s standard move was to run at the bowlers and blast them down the ground. So good was his hand-eye coordination, that he did it twice against seamer Asitha Fernando in the second over, before taking aim at the spin of Maheesh Theekshana in the third over.
By the end of the powerplay, King had eight fours (some of them edged, to be fair), and 39 runs off 20 balls. Lewis, who had blasted boundaries off Wickramasinghe almost exclusively, had 31 off 16 balls. And West Indies had 74 off the first six.
They kept swinging, and by the end, Lewis made 50 off 28, and King 63 off 33. The requirement was fairly simple after their onslaught.
By contrast, Sri Lanka’s top order had failed to prosper on a helpful surface, thanks in part to sharp bowling from West Indies’ quicks Romairo Shepherd caught the edge of Pathum Nissanka’s bat three times, conceded fours behind the wicket and then had him caught by the keeper on the third occasion, to make West Indies’ first breakthrough. Kusal Perera was then bowled by Shamar Joseph early in the following over.
When Kusal Mendis was also bowled by an excellent quicker delivery from Gudakesh Motie, leaving Sri Lanka at 58 for 3, it felt as if West Indies were about to carve open the game.
Kamindu may be good at cricket but then perhaps it’s time to admit that Kamindu appears to know what he is doing on a cricket field. Having recently become the fastest batter since 1950 to 1000 Test runs, he produced 50 off 41 here in the shortest format, outdone in his team only by Asalanka who clubbed 59 off 35, Kamindu would also bowl two overs for 14, switching arms when necessary. He took the wicket of the opposition’s top scorer, King, with his left-arm spin, and collected figures of 1 for 14.
Brief scores:
West Indies 180 for 5 in 19.1 overs (Brandon King 63, Evin Lewis 50; Matheesha Pathirana 2-27, Maheesh Theekshan 1-31, Wanidu Hasaranga 1-38, Kamindu Mendis 1-14) beat Sri Lanka 179 for 7 in 20 overs (Charith Asalanka 59, Kamindu Mendis 51; Alzarri Joseph 1-40, Shamar Joseph 1-27, Romario Shepherd 2-39, Gudakesh Motie 1-16, Shamar Springer 1-25) by five wickets
[Cricinfo]
(Excerpted from Rendering Unto Caesar, memoirs of Bradman Weerakoon)
My acquaintance with S W R D Bandaranaike was only through the press reports of his election campaign. That was before he came to the prime minister’s office in the Fort (now housing the foreign ministry at Republic Square), on an April morning, after the swearing in of his Cabinet at Queen’s House. His eloquence as a speaker, especially his Independence Day speech in 1948, was deeply imprinted in my mind.
Throughout a gruelling campaign he had shown extraordinary skills of perseverance in the face of severe odds, and the ability to persuade large masses of ordinary people to believe in his cause. I wondered how he would be to work with after I had experienced the rather easy going style of Sir John. There was also the serious business to be faced of how soon he would be able to make his election slogan of `Sinhala Only’ as the official language in 24 hours come true?
His accession to power through the general elections of 1956 was as revolutionary and dramatic as it was unexpected by his political opponents and the general public. Most felt that the UNP would return even with a reduced majority. All but the most perceptive, and my friend Howard Wriggins was among them, were convinced that Mr Bandaranaike’s bid for office would end in failure. Indeed as against the forces of capital, both local and foreign, and the mainstream Press which supported the UNP, the pancha maha balavegaya — the five great forces of the Sangha (Buddhist clergy), the vernacular school teachers, the ayurvedic physicians, the farmers and the workers — which he conceptualized and mobilized seemed ephemeral and insubstantial.
Yet he achieved the impossible and in an election over three days, which intended to favour the incumbent government, the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna — MEP (Peoples United Front) managed to win 51 out of the 60 seats they contested. For the record, I should mention that all the ministers of the previous government and Sir John were up for election on the first day while Bandaranaike’s constituency was to poll only on the final day. As it turned out Bandaranaike himself was returned to the Attanagalla seat (where ‘Horagolla Walauwa’ the family home is located) with the highest ever majority in an election. He polled 45,016 votes and had a majority of almost 12,000 over his nearest rival. Both his rivals lost their deposits.
A major factor in the 1956 election was Bandaranaike’s ability to consolidate the opposition to the UNP. He formed a grand coalition with four distinct political groups agreeing to fight the election as a single front on a common program and with the promise of making Sinhala the official language. The MEP was not a political party but a ‘peramuna‘ – a loose, less disciplined entity with a specific purpose, the defeat of the UNP.
Mr Bandaranaike’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party had the largest number of candidates in the MEP — 41 in all. The VLSSP of Mr Philip Gunawardene had five candidates; Bhasha Peramuna (Language Front) of Mr Dahanayake, MP Galle; and a group of eight independents led by Mr I M R A Iriyagolle. There were 60 candidates in all facing a solid UNP phalanx of 76 candidates, many of them sitting members.
At its start the coalition appeared an impractical and unlikely combination. Mr Bandaranaike was known to have an aristocratic background but with vaguely socialist tendencies and a marked sensitivity to Buddhist and Sinhalese religious and language aspirations. Dahanayake had the reputation of being close to the “common man” and had recently moved away from Marxism. Philip Gunawardene was a Marxist who was now convinced about language reform. The question was how they would combine on a common program of social and economic development.
Bandaranaike clinched the issue of a united front against the UNP by entering into a no–contest agreement with the Communist Party and the NLSSP. By this it was ensured that the three parties – MEP, Communist Party and NLSSP would not compete against each other in areas where the UNP was contesting. It raised some difficulties because the latter two parties would have liked to fight the VLSSP – the breakaway group from the LSSP – and it took all of Bandaranaike’s skills of persuasion to sort this out.
Yet, by the look of things at the beginning of the campaign, Bandaranaike’s chances appeared slim. This was especially noticeable when Bernard Aluvihare, former MP from Matale and a joint secretary of the SLFP, deserted Mr Bandaranaike and went over to the UNP on the eve of the election. Yet, the MEP achieved a landslide victory. Once the wind changed, the momentum was unstoppable. The results left us all speechless. In a House of 101, as many as 95 were elected on a first past the post basis, and six to be nominated later to represent interests, mainly ethnic and not represented adequately through election, the MEP won 51 seats and the UNP was reduced to eight.
The NLSSP and C P benefited by the no-contest pact and won 14 and three seats respectively with the redoubtable Dr N M Perera becoming the leader of the opposition. The other parties which returned members were the Federal Party with a significant 10 seats, gaining eight seats over the two they had in the 1952 elections as a result of the major political parties opting for Sinhala as the official language, and the Tamil Congress getting one seat, that of G G Ponnambalam. Eight members came in as independents.
The election was clearly a manifestation of the will of the people for a complete change. Impartial observers asserted that unlike in the previous elections which had resulted in many electoral challenges, in 1956 there had been few instances of bribery, violence or impersonation. Sir John who won at Dodangaslanda – his country borough (the family had been prominent in the graphite industry and the mines were located there) – was one of the very few UNP members who returned in the 1956 change around.
But since he was not even the leader of the opposition – that position having gone to the LSSP chief, N M Perera whose alliance had won 17 seats – he hardly returned to parliament thereafter and soon left the country, virtually retiring to Kent in England where he bought himself an estate called Brogues Wood and on which he lived happily for many years.
Two little incidents which I personally experienced come to mind to illustrate the political culture of the times and the quality of the men who led the country. The first is that of Mr Bandaranaike, on the first day that the new parliament met, going across the floor of the house and patting Sir John on the shoulder to show his appreciation of an election contest well fought. There was absolutely no malice in Mr Bandaranaike’s character. In fact it was Mr Bandaranaike who helped in getting Exchange Control release for the large sum of money Sir John needed for the purchase of Brogues Wood.
The other was my final visit to Kandawala to hand over some personal papers – letters and accounts – which I had found soon after the change of government. I drove in alone in my Morris Minor car and parked in the driveway. Kandawala that morning presented a very different picture from the usual bustle and noise that pervaded the place. There was no one in the verandah and the grand house which had seen such rollicking parties and egg-hopper; breakfasts seemed deserted. On announcing my arrival to an old retainer, I waited for Sir John who came down and sat with me in the verandah.
After thanking me for coming he said that I should not stay long as someone might misunderstand my visit. He then abruptly remarked, “Weerakoon, (he never called me Bradman or Brad) I am like the elephant. I never forget.”
The year 1956 saw the first real change of regime the young state had ever faced. The popular mood was such that everything was to change; the way institutions were run and certainly the persons manning them in particular. The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) manifesto promised revolutionary change from the way the UNP had governed the country in the first nine years of freedom. It was not only the language policy, which had priority and an insistent lobby behind it, but everything else that underpinned it.
This was especially so on the cultural side where indigenous forms and practices were set to soon replace the western modes of thought and habit which had gained acceptance in Colombo’s elite circles of society. The banning of horse racing and the consumption of liquor at public functions were two of the most visible of the early measures taken by the new administration to project the new trend. The writing was clear for all to see: the era of the brown sahib as Tarzie Vittachi had told of was coming to an end.
That the government was indeed a peoples’ government was unexpectedly and forcefully expressed when at the opening of Parliament the people in the overflowing public galleries actually invaded the sanctum – the floor of the House itself – and some of them disported themselves in the speaker’s chair.
The change was also to encompass the arena of foreign policy. Bandaranaike and the socialist texture of the Cabinet made it inevitable that the old reliance on the Western alliance and even the Commonwealth had to change.
Very soon, after he took over, the Suez Crisis erupted and Mr Bandaranaike’s address to the General Assembly at the UN made his non-aligned attitude very clear. He made a brilliant exposition of what non-alignment meant, that it was not simply neutrality, not merely sitting on the fence but being committed to the hilt in the defence of peace and freedom. The old order was changing and as Bandaranaike was to remind us, over and over again, it was a time of transition.
Moving the officials of his administration out or around was one of Mr Bandaranaike’s early tasks as prime minister. But he was very conscious of the fact that, barring a very few who were really politically committed, the average bureaucrat mostly carried out faithfully, if he or she was careful and efficient, the biddings of his or her political boss.
Bandaranaike correctly surmised that this would be the same for the new master and therefore was somewhat slower than his followers expected in shifting out those who they felt were `henchmen’ of the former regime. I once heard him explain his alleged dilatoriness over such transfers very clearly and precisely. “I have,” he said, “only just taken control of the wheel. I can’t, my dear fellow,” (he was quite fond of that phrase especially when addressing those he considered slightly below him in intellect) “change all the parts at the same time or I won’t be able to move at all. I will replace
the brake first, the rear wheel next and the carburetor after that, and so on, and soon have a reconditioned model.
But you must give me time”. His timing and logic were perfect and the questioner silenced. But even more important, I thought, was that it showed his essential humanism and liberality. And what would he do with me whom he hardly knew and only as the other civil servant in the office? After an almost two year cadetship (that was what the probation period was called in the CCS) in Anuradhapura and Jaffna, the furthest of the outlying districts, which I had thoroughly enjoyed as a bachelor, outstation life did not now seem particularly enticing. I had got engaged to Damayanthi and the wedding had been fixed for August – only four months away and it would be nice to stay on in Colombo. But I dared not ask.
Finally it was all sorted out to everyone’s satisfaction. Park Nadesan, who had been very close to Sir John, retired on special ‘abolition of office’ terms – which meant he would be entitled to his pension rights though he was leaving before due time. There was to be no post of secretary to the prime minister at least for some time; I stayed on virtually as secretary, but officially as assistant secretary. The formal arrangement was that I would ‘pass the papers’ through the permanent secretary to the ministry of defence and external affairs, the amiable and extremely hard-working Gunasena de Soyza, whom Bandaranaike knew well and had great confidence in.
But as it happened, the prime minister soon began to deal with me directly and, except in the most difficult cases, when I would walk across to the permanent secretary’s room to consult him, the paper flow (or more often chase) was between me and the prime minister at 65, Rosmead Place, his private residence.
I had weathered my first transition. I presumably knew some of the ropes and the new prime minister had thought I could be useful. Since there was not going to be a new secretary appointed officially, I moved into the large and elegantly furnished room which Nadesan had used, overlooking the flamboyant tree-lined Gordon Gardens on Senate Square (now Republic Square). I was to remain there for the next 15 years. I had survived a major political change and not for the first time. I had not taken sides and perhaps Mr Bandaranaike who always did his homework had heard of this. On the other hand it could have been that this first time round I was just too small to be noticed.
From all that the media, the cartoonists and the political writers were saying S W R D Bandaranaike would not only be difficult to get on with but was altogether a very complex personality. D B Dhanapala, the expressive editor of the Lankadipa thought he was ‘an enigma wrapped in a riddle’. Dhanapala’s exasperation in trying to read Mr Bandaranaike’s mind and ways was shared by many others like Tarzie Vittachi6 and Aubrey Collette, the incisive cartoonist.
(To be continued)
At a ceremony held at Sri Lanka Air Force Base Katunayake, on Thursday (10), U.S. Navy Admiral Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, officially handed over a Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, gifted by the United States, to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF).
The event, attended by U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, Secretary to the Ministry of Defense Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), and Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, marked the handover of this advanced aircraft. A press release issued by the US Embassy said this was “a symbol of the enduring U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership and a crucial step in strengthening Sri Lanka’s maritime security and sovereignty. Equipped with cutting-edge surveillance technology, the King Air will strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to patrol its waters, counter maritime threats, and secure vital trade routes in the Indian Ocean.”
Speaking at the event, U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung said “as partners, the United States shares Sri Lanka’s vision that security is a collective responsibility, as our seas connect us. Maritime domain awareness is crucial to safeguarding Sri Lanka’s maritime trade routes, which are the lifeblood of its economy. While the oceans are rich in economic opportunities, they are also vulnerable to significant threats — from illegal fishing to smuggling, human trafficking, and other illegal, coercive, and deceitful activities. It is my hope that this Beechcraft King Air will serve as a constant guardian of your nation’s peace and prosperity, always vigilant in defending what is rightfully yours.”
Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, welcomed the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft as a significant milestone of the longstanding partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States. “The induction of the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft is one of the instrumental steps in augmenting the Air Force’s airpower for maritime domain awareness,” he stated. “This substantiates our enhanced focus on ensuring maritime security and broadening HADR capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region as a responsible and key stakeholder nation. Further, this advanced ISR platform will be the latest addition to the ongoing efforts of fostering collective security and interoperability to face the threats in the air and maritime domains and curb transnational crime in our region. We look forward to playing a greater role in the regional maritime domain awareness, particularly in maritime surveillance, monitoring and patrolling whilst fulfilling our obligations to regional peace and security.”
Meanwhile, Admiral Steve Koehler reaffirmed U.S. commitment to regional security and partnership with Sri Lanka, stating: “The ceremony is about much more than one aircraft, it’s about our two nation’s commitment to protecting sovereignty and addressing complex maritime challenges together in the Indian Ocean. I look forward to strengthening our partnership and advancing a shared vision for peace and stability by upholding the rules based international order.”
The King Air, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Building Partner Capacity program, was manufactured by Beechcraft Textron Aviation and completed in 2022, with maritime surveillance upgrades added in 2024. Sri Lanka Air Force personnel received specialized training in Kansas and Florida to operate the aircraft, and further training will be conducted by U.S. government personnel over the next three months. The King Air 360ER will undergo final preparations at the Ratmalana Air Force Base before joining Maritime Patrol Squadron 3 in China Bay, Trincomalee.
The Navy took into custody 04 Indian trawlers that were poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters during a special operation conducted off Delft Island, on Wednesday (9), it said in a press release on Thursday (10).
They also arrested 21 Indian fishermen who were in the trawlers, the navy said.
The apprehended trawlers and Indian fishermen (21) were brought to the Kankesanthurai harbour, and they will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for legal proceedings, the navy said.
Sri Lanka’s navy conducts regular patrols and operations in its waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers, the navy said.
With this, the Navy has detected a total of 59 Indian trawlers and 434 Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters so far in 2024, the navy said.
India pounced on poor bowling from the Bangladesh spinners to get out of jail on a Delhi surface that started off as tacky but kept on improving for batting as the night progressed. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh took India from 41 for 3 in the sixth over to 221, with a finishing kick provided by Hardik Pandya. In better batting conditions, the India bowling still proved too good for Bangladesh, sealing the series win.
The Bangladesh spinners suffered on both comparisons. Their fast bowlers bowled 12 overs for 102 runs, but the spinners conceded 116 in their eight. And then the India spinners rubbed it in for them with nine overs for just 49 runs and five wickets.
After a toss that didn’t seem to matter – Bangladesh said they wanted to use the dew coming in later to their advantage and chase, India said they wanted to bat first to test their bowlers in dew – Bangladesh opened the bowling with Mehidy Hasan Miraz, whose arm balls were either too full or short and taken apart by Sanju Samson. On a tacky surface, the fast bowlers managed to draw misbehaviour though. Samson and Suryakumar Yadav fell to checked shots because of the slowness of the pitch, and Abhishek Sharma played on trying to slog Tanzim Hasan.
Rinku was the only one able to play smoothly from the start. Reddy got away twice in the early phase of his innings. When Litton Das dropped him down the leg side of Tanzim, Reddy moved to 6 off 4, and he was 19 off 14 when he survived an extremely close lbw – umpire’s call on impact on a reverse-sweep. That 19 included a six off a free-hit thanks to a no-ball by Mahmudullah.
Rishad Hossain is a legspinner full of promise, especially in T20 cricket. However, against a Rinku intent on all kinds of sweeps, he bowled his fifth ball too full and was slog-swept for six. And then Mahmudulllah offered the free-hit. In his second over, Rishad erred on length on both sides. Reddy took him for two sixes down the ground before Rinku pulled him for one. That 24-run over took India past 100 in 10 overs.
After that, only Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman managed an over without a boundary. Mehidy suffered the worst punishment as he couldn’t get Reddy off strike and kept bowling in his wheelhouse for 26 runs in the 13th over. A hundred in just his second match looked on but a slower ball from Mustafizur got the better of him to dismiss him for 74 off 34.
This was the right time for Bangladesh to squeeze in an over of spin but Hardik Pandya offered no concessions to Rishad’s errors in length. Rinku might have looked like the silent partner in the carnage but he got to his fifty at almost two a ball.
As India kept losing wickets looking for quick runs, Rishad managed some respite and got to bowl the last over for just eight runs. Bangladesh were still being asked to score their highest T20I total to stay alive in the series.
There’s a reason Bangladesh have never scored more than 215 in T20Is’ their batters don’t seem to have the game for it. Looking for the unprecedented, the batters took too many risks and got off to a quick start but it was a matter of time before the risks caught up with them. Parvez Hossain played Arshdeep on, Washington Sundar got Najmul Hossain Shanto twice in two games, Litton Das was all at sea against Varun Chakravarthy, Towhid Hridoy was done in by an Abhishek Sharma arm ball, and the game was all but done at 46 for 4 in the seventh over.
The rest was mere formalities, which involved a wicket for Riyan Parag, a stunning catch by Pandya, and a wicket at least for each of the seven bowlers India tried.
Brief scores:
India 221 for 9 in 20 overs (Nitish Kumar Reddy 74, Rinku Singh 53, Hardik Pandya 32; Taskin Ahmed 2-16, Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2-50, Mustafizur Rahman 2-36, Rishad Hossain 3-55) beat Bangladesh 135 for 9 in 20 overs (Mahmudullah 41; Arshdeep Singh 1-26, Varun Chakrawarthy 2-19, Nitish Kumar Reddy 2-23, Washington Sundar 1-04, Abhishek Sharma 1-10, Mayank Yadav 1-30, Riyan Parag 1-16 ) by 86 runs
[Cricinfo]
The Society of Radiological Technologists Association Sri Lanka (SRTSL) has requested Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who is also the Minister of Health, to appoint a committee to investigate corruption and irregularities in the Ministry of Health.
The Association’s Chairman Chanaka Dharmawickrama said that they were prepared to provide information related to these issues.
Dharmawickrama stressed that the new President and the Prime Minister should take immediate action in that regard.
“As professional associations, we have continuously exposed corruption, waste and irregularities. We hope that this new President and the Health Minister will immediately appoint a committee to investigate the corruption that occurred in the past.”
