News

The third round of negotiations between Sri Lanka and Thailand on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will be held on Monday (09) and Tuesday (10) in Colombo.

The President’s Media Division (PMD) stated that the negotiations will be held with the participation of 26 official delegates from Thailand headed by Ms. Auramon Supthaweethum, Director General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, advancing the government’s agenda of expanding the market access for Sri Lankan exports.

Seven theme areas – trade in goods, trade in services, investments, rules of origin, custom cooperation, trade facilitation, and economic cooperation will be the focus of the negotiations. The start of the negotiations will take place against the backdrop of a significant trade imbalance in Thailand’s favor.

In 2021, Sri Lanka imported goods from Thailand worth USD 355 million, but only sent USD 59 million to Thailand. Thus, from the perspective of Sri Lanka, the negotiations will be aimed at enhancing access to our exports not only in the Thai market but also in markets in other ASEAN countries through Thailand’s gateway and lowering current non-tariff trade obstacles to trade.

According to market potential assessments, Sri Lankan exports of precious stones, black tea, and other goods have a lot of promise. Sri Lanka is hopeful that via successful discussions, doors can be created to offer opportunities in both the new industries and for the two nations’ current trade frameworks.

The PMD further stated that the National Trade Negotiating Committee (NTNC), whose members primarily represent the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Commerce, and Food Security, the Department of Trade & Investment Policy of the Treasury, and the Department of Commerce, will participate in the negotiations on behalf of Sri Lanka under the leadership of Mr. K.J. Weerasinghe, Chief Negotiator, and the Presidential Secretariat.

In the first quarter of 2024, the government plans to put this agreement into operation. The NTNC will give the specific requests made by the regional business associations/chambers considerable consideration during the negotiations. The government’s objective of entering the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which represents 30% of the global population and economy, will be advanced by this agreement. Since trade is a growth tool that is relevant to both countries, the government of Sri Lanka is eager to strengthen the bilateral relationship with Thailand.

The PMD added that Thailand and Sri Lanka have formal diplomatic relations that date back 68 years, and Thailand’s economy was especially boosted by the rapid growth of manufactured exports.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has highlighted the need for the drafting of a new foreign policy which would enable Sri Lanka to forge broader foreign relations while safeguarding its sovereignty.

During a meeting with the ten newly appointed Sri Lankan Ambassadors and a High Commissioner yesterday (04 Jan.), Wickremesinghe stressed the need of a good foreign service which will be able to forge broader relations with many countries while safeguarding the sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

The diplomats paid a courtesy call on the President at the Presidential Secretariat prior to leaving for their missions yesterday.

Accordingly, the Head of State emphasised that the most important objective, currently, is for the relevant diplomats to build contacts within their respective countries and to safeguard the rights of Sri Lankans overseas.

He further warned the diplomats that while assisting the diaspora in their affairs is also a priority, they must refrain from getting involved in the politics of the Sri Lankan diaspora.

A Sri Lankan Diaspora Office is due to be established to deal with the political issues that the diaspora may have, Wickremesinghe assured in this regard.

Moreover, an International Trade Office will also be established, in place of the existing Department of Commerce, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently formulating a draft of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy and Foreign Service for 2030, which is expected to be approved by both, the Cabinet and the Parliament.

Conducting tuition classes, seminars, lectures and workshops for the 2022 A/Level examination will be prohibited from midnight on the 17th of January.

Commissioner General of Examinations Amith Jayasundara said the ban will be in effect until the conclusion of the exam.

The 2022 A/Level examination will begin on the 23rd of January and continue until the 17th of February.

The Department of Examinations said it will request the Ceylon Electricity Board to refrain from imposing the scheduled power cuts daily, from a week before the start of the exam.

The Commissioner General of Examinations said a request was made to refrain from imposing the scheduled power cuts for the duration of the exam.

When inquired by News 1st, the General Manager of the Ceylon Electricity Board Rohan Seneviratne said no request was received so far, for a continuous power supply before the exam.

He said if a request is received, necessary research will be conducted to reach further decisions.

Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat today (04), the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

The discussions focussed on raising national milk production and providing necessary technical support to the production of liquid milk in Sri Lanka together with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) of India and Amul Milk Company.

The PMD stated that the objective is to make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in milk and milk products in the long term with short and medium-term goals to double local milk production.

The President appointed a committee consisting of representatives of the public and private sectors to work with the multidisciplinary team of the National Dairy Development Board of India to prepare a short, medium and long-term plan for the development of the dairy sector in the country. This endeavour is aimed at preventing the decline in milk production and dependence on imported milk in Sri Lanka.

The PMD added that the discussion was held between the members of the committee and representatives of the National Dairy Board of India (NDDB).

The discussion was attended by Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, Dr. Rakesh Pandey, First Secretary Economic and Commercial Affairs, representatives of the National Dairy Development Board of India and Amul Milk Company, Sagala Ratnayake, Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff, Saman Ekanayake, the President’s Secretary, and a group of public and private sector representatives appointed by the President.

Sri Lanka will set a world record if a Local Government Election is held under the current circumstances in the nation, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

State Minister Siyambalapitiya pointed out that money will have to be printed in order for the election to be held amidst the current economic crisis.

He further stated that if the election is conducted by printing money this will be considered a world record.

“The election can be held alongside setting a world record. What is the world record? Sri Lanka is a country amidst a severe economic crisis. We can set the world record as the country that held an election by printing money. If that is so, then let us hold the election,” the State Minister added.

State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya made the statement when speaking to the media on Friday (06).

Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. has decided to reduce the prices of domestic LP (liquefied petroleum) gas from tomorrow (Jan. 05).

The chairperson of the company, Mr. Muditha Peiris stated that the price of a domestic LP gas cylinder weighing 12.5kg is expected to be slashed by an amount ranging between Rs. 200 and Rs. 300.

Accordingly, the exact figures will be announced tomorrow (Jan. 05).

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chief Organizer for the Agalawatta electorate Ranjith Somawansa has crossed over to the Opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

The SJB said in a statement that Ranjith Somawansa met with the Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa today.

Somawansa worked as the Minister of Health, Indigenous Medicine, Probation and Childcare and Minister of Education, Culture and Arts in the Western Provincial Council and performed a remarkable mission during that period.

The SJb further stated that Somawansa is a graduate of the University of Colombo and has also acted as an outstanding student activist at the University.

Having been the Chairman of Progressive Students Front and United Students’ Front of the University of Colombo, he later entered politics through the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on the invitation of Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

The SJb added that Somawansa was elected as a member of the Western Provincial Council in 1993 and is a character with decades of political experience, having held the offices of the Leader of the House and Deputy Leader of the House etc. of the Western Provincial Council.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe met with United Nations Assistant Secretary-General (ASG), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Assistant Administrator and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja today (04 Jan.), and briefed her on the ongoing political reforms and several other matters.

During their meeting at the Presidential Secretariat this morning, Wickremesinghe briefed the visiting delegation on the ongoing political reforms in Sri Lanka, including the establishment of the Constitutional Council in Parliament.

Further, discussions that are currently ongoing with other political parties with regard to resolving the country’s ethnic issues were also focused on, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

Wignaraja met with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe yesterday (03 Jan.) in two separate meetings, during which she reiterated the UNDP’s continued support towards Sri Lanka.

During her meeting with the Premier, Wignaraja also applauded Sri Lanka’s road to recovery thus far, affirming that the country is now ‘heading in the right direction’.

Social Media activist Sepal Amarasinghe who was arrested by the CID for making defamatory comments regarding the Sacred Tooth relic, was remanded to the 10th of January.

Amarasinghe was arrested on Thursday (5) in Bellanwila by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department.

Earlier on Thursday (5), President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the Inspector General of Police to immediately investigate the request made by the Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiri and Malwathu chapters and the Diyawadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa regarding a fake Dalada Maligawa that is being constructed in Wadakada, Kurunegala.

The President's Media Division said that the Inspector General of Police had said that investigations were launched under a Deputy Inspector General of the Criminal Investigation Department.

The IGP has noted that two investigation teams under the supervision of an Assistant Superintendent of Police have visited the site in question for an inquiry.

The Mahanayake Thero's of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters of the Siam Sect, and the Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy have addressed a join letter to the President and requested President Ranil Wickresinghe to fulfil the duty of protecting and nurturing Buddhism as enshrined in the constitution.

They also directed the President's attention towards reports on a fake Temple of the Tooth, and the comments made by an individual on social media that harm the mindset of the Buddhist people.

The letter notes that preventing these events at the very beginning would lead to the betterment of Buddhism.

The join-letter urged the President to take immediate action over these matters.

The Chief incumbent of the Kotte Sri Naga Viharaya Venerable Kotahene Naratha Thero also filed a complaint with the Police Headquarters over the matter.

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that excise duty on all varieties of liquor, including wines, beer etc. will be increased by 20%.

He said that the excise duty for alcohol will be increased from midnight today (03).

Due to the 20% increase of Excise Duty on liquor, the prices of a bottle of 750ml Special Arrak will be increased by Rs. 206, locally brewed foreign liquor by Rs. 266, Beer (Vol. 4.8% – 625ml) by Rs. 21 & Beer (Vol. 8.8% – 625ml) by Rs. 39.

State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya further said that the excise duty on cigarettes will also be increased by 20%.

He added that the excise duty for cigarettes will be increased with effect from the 1st of January 2023.

Rs.90 cigarette expected to cost Rs.105, Rs.85 cigarette expected to cost Rs.100, Rs.70 cigarette expected to cost Rs.80, Rs.60 cigarette expected to cost Rs.70, Rs.15 cigarette expected to cost Rs.24.

Laugfs Gas announced that it reduced the prices of its domestic gas cylinders. New prices (Colombo) as follows:

12.5 kg: Rs. 5,080/- 5 kg: Rs. 2,032/-

Litro Gas announced that it decided to reduce the prices of its products with effect from Thursday (5) night.

A community kitchen program based at the historic Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple was launched yesterday (01) under the leadership of Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), this program is being implemented targeting 2500 families in Hunupitiya in the Slave Island Police Division, Slave Island, Galle face, Ibbanwela and Wekanda DS Divisions, who are finding it difficult to get food.

This daily community kitchen program will run for 40 days from the 01st of January.

During this period, the government has taken steps to improve the economic conditions through welfare programs such as creating self-employment opportunities, providing professional training, and providing social development to the people of the beneficiary families.

The PMD further said that this community kitchen is run with the help of the Gangaramaya temple donors, the triforces, the police, the Civil Security Department, and government agencies, as well as the International Lions Club, Rotary Club, and many private organizations, under the guidance of the Presidential Secretariat.

Senior Advisor to the President Ruwan Wijewardene, former Minister Daya Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence General Kamal Gunaratne (retired), Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Commanders of the three armed forces, Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Civil Security Department, Coordinating Secretary to the President Rajitha Abeygunasekara, Presidential Media Director W.M.K. Wijayabandara and other officials were present at the inauguration.