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The National Election Commission has yesterday (22) met representatives of political parties and independent candidates contesting the upcoming presidential election and discussed issues and concerns on private media reporting ahead of the polls.

It is learnt that concerns were raised at the meeting on the coverage provided by certain private media institutions.

Furthermore, there had also been calls to take legal action against some media institutions.

Airtime allocated by private media institutions on Oct 05 and Oct 06 respectively are found below.

The Cost of Living Committee of the government has decided to reduce the prices of several essential food items ahead of the festive season.

The Committee has decided to reduce the tax on imported dried chili by Rs. 20 (from Rs 25 to Rs 5) per kg.

According to Minister of Agriculture P. Harrison, the tax on imported fish is to be reduced by Rs. 25 per kg (from Rs. 100 to Rs. 25).

Meanwhile, the Committee has also granted permission to import chicken and eggs and they will be subject to price controls.

Harrison has further noted that 48,000 MT of paddy currently in state-owned storage complexes will be processed and sold through 'Sathosa' at controlled prices of Rs. 80 per kg for Nadu and Rs. 85 per kg for Samba.

Senior Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) member, MP Kumara Welgama says that a victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) at the upcoming presidential election would result in the dissolution of the SLFP founded by the late S.W.R.D. Banadaranaike.

He has told media that it was the duty of the SLFP members to protect the party without letting it be destroyed.

Welgama further noted that he would neither support SLPP presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa nor United National Front (UNF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa.
"The decision to support the SLPP itself is a betrayal of the SLFP," he has said.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has called on the Cabinet of Ministers to immediately revoke any Cabinet decision on the retirement benefits of President Maithripala Sirisena.

The TISL statement was issued over a decision made by the Cabinet of Ministers, allowing the President to remain in his official residence at Mahagama Sekara Mawatha in Colombo after his retirement.

TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere has said a conservative estimate could place the benefit afforded to President Sirisena, as a result of retaining the official residence, at over Rs.360 million over a 20-year period.

“As this decision has been made by the cabinet of ministers led by President Sirisena the conflict of interest is deeply concerning and illustrates little consideration for the protection of public resources,” Obeyesekere pointed out.

TISL is firmly of the stance that decisions pertaining to such entitlements should only be taken at such time that the sitting President ceases to hold office.

Furthermore, the fact that the decision was made during an election period where the President has declared that he will remain impartial despite his party’s decision to support a candidate, also raises several red flags on electoral integrity and potential corruption under the Bribery Act, TISL has stated.

TISL believes that the timing of the decision when the President is still in office and is the Head of Cabinet raises serious questions regarding conflicts of interest. This is underscored by the decision of the Supreme Court in 2007 regarding the premature exercise of executive power under the Presidents Entitlements Act of 1986.

Whilst former Presidents and their widows/widowers are entitled to an official residence as per the provisions of the Presidents Entitlements Act 1986, TISL has drawn attention to a 2007 judgment of the Supreme Court.

In a fundamental rights application to the Supreme Court (SC FR503/2005) a three-judge bench ruled in favour of the petitioners, quashing the Cabinet decisions on grants and entitlements to President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, whilst the President was in office.

In its judgement the court has noted, “The facts that have been clearly established in this case prove that the 1st respondent and the Cabinet of Ministers of which she was the head, secured for the 1st respondent benefits and advantages in the purported exercise of executive power in breach of the provisions of the President’s Entitlement Act No. 4 of 1986.”

President’s Secretary Udaya R. Senaviratne says that certain state institutions and officials had misused a circular issued by him on April 23, 2019 following the Easter Sunday attack to mislead the public on an imminent security threat.

Issuing a statement, Seneviratne has stated that he had received information that the circular bearing PS/SP/SB/C/14/2019 and several follow up letters sent to state institutions advising them to take precautionary measures on security arrangements after the Easter Sunday attacks had been misinterpreted to create an impression that there is an imminent security threat at present.

According to the President’s Secretary, security forces had confirmed that there was no security threat at present.

He has added that they had taken steps to ensure security at state institutions, places of national interest and the general public and has requested the people not to be misled by such rumours.

"Though Sri Lanka – Canada bilateral trade is modest, surging Lankan exports to Canada could turn it around. “Annual Canada-Sri Lanka trade values at present show an unexploited trade potential that needs to be explored,” said Minister of Industry, Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen to High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka David McKinnon while hosting him for a courtesy call recently.

Minister Bathiudeen and High Commissioner McKinnon discussed Sri Lanka and Canada’s shared desire to continue to expand bilateral trade and commercial ties. According to the Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka, the total Canada-Sri Lanka trade in 2018 stood at US $ 436 Mn, a near 10% increase from the previous year.

Sri Lankan garment exports to Canada are on the rise, and rubber and other by-products such as tyres, coconuts and sea food are also rapidly diversifying the export product mix.

 A variety of high-quality Canadian products, notably wheat and lentils, make their way to households across the country, and contribute to the diversification of imports to Sri Lanka.

Although modest, some notable Sri Lanka-Canada collaboration includes high-tech production facilities for garments, agriculture value addition such as plant extraction and essences, sea food processing, and ICT partnerships. Other Canadian trade connections to Sri Lanka include sophisticated building technologies, engineering, architecture, financial services, and clean technology.

Maker Fair 2019 drew more than 7,000 people to Colombo’s Trace Expert City and showcased aspiring inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across Sri Lanka,.  The event, hosted by the U.S. Embassy and the American Center, featured more than 60 exhibitors and presenters, 50 corporate and 11 university partners, and more than 150 youth volunteers.  It also featured over 130 robotics teams who competed in Sri Lanka’s largest-ever robot battle.

U.S. Embassy Chargé d'affaires (CDA) Martin Kelly described his visit to the Maker Fair as inspiring.  Delivering a keynote address at the award ceremony, CDA Kelly noted that “innovation and entrepreneurship are driving forces behind economic prosperity.”  He urged participants to continue their efforts to “make ideas happen, make innovation the norm, and make solutions for real world problems.”

CDA Kelly reminded Maker Fair attendees that Embassy-sponsored American Spaces in Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, and Matara offer free STEM programs, entrepreneurship classes, and other resources for youth who want to be part of Sri Lanka’s growing maker-culture.  “The United States takes pride in our culture of innovation – a culture rooted in free market principles and the idea that anyone with persistence and imagination can succeed as an entrepreneur.” Through its American Spaces, the U.S. Embassy seeks to encourage and cultivate innovation as a vital tool in the pursuit of sustainable, inclusive economic development.

The American Center in Colombo conducts free programs on 3D printing, coding, and web development in addition to classes on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics).  These programs enhance skills and inspire the next generation of makers and innovators in Sri Lanka. 

All programs are open for all Sri Lankans. The American Center is located at 44 Galle Road, Colombo 03 and it is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  and people can connect and follow the American Center via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AmCenterSL/and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/amcentersl/ to learn about upcoming programs and events.

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks is to hand over its final report on Wednesday (23) to parliament and it is learnt that the Committee has identified key officials who must be held accountable over the deadly attacks.

The PSC has also noted some strong recommendations.

The report has made recommendations related to both national security and reconciliation as well as communal harmony, it is learnt.

PSC member MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has told The Sunday Morning that the PSC report has identified several officials who must be held responsible for the lapses in the national security mechanism.

“We have found several officials including politicians, who have to be held accountable for the failures in the security apparatus,” Dr. Jayatissa said.

He has further noted that the PSC was not in a position to recommend action against those found responsible for failing to prevent the attack.

“We have recognised that the national security system needs to be strengthened as well as the reconciliation process expedited,” he has said.

Dr. Jayatissa had added that with regard to reconciliation, it has been recommended that ethnic harmony, co-existence, and matters relating to reconciliation be incorporated and introduced from the school level.

The European Union Election Observer Mission (EU-EOM) to Sri Lanka began its observation work in Colombo today (Tuesday 21) and they will monitor the election campaign in the run up to the November 16 presidential election.

Observers have been deployed to all nine provinces from Colombo today to monitor the pre-polls' environment and also to observe proceedings during Election Day.

Deputy Chief Observer Dimitra Ioannou said that the EU-EOM will be meeting a wide range of election stakeholders in their areas and will send first-hand accounts from the field.

She said that the EU-EOM will however not issue any public statements before Election Day and will issue a preliminary statement two days after Election Day.

A total of 80 observers will be in Sri Lanka for its sixth EU-EOM to Sri Lanka, the last being during the 2015 Presidential election.

Ioannou said that after the 2015 Presidential election 26 recommendations were issued and three were fully implemented.

The recommendations implemented included the formation of the Elections Commission, training for election staff and on the quota for women in councils.

She said that the EU EOM hopes that the recommendations it submits after the November 16 Presidential election will be taken into consideration by the Election Commission, Parliament and others.

Related News:

EU delegation assess pre-polls climate, EC yet to decide on foreign observers

Sri Lanka has been removed from the “Grey List” of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is the global policy setter on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).

The FATF has congratulated Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Tunisia for the significant progress made in addressing the strategic AML/CFT deficiencies identified earlier by the FATF and included in their respective action plans.

These jurisdictions will no longer be subject to the FATF’s monitoring under its on-going global AML/CFT compliance process, and will work with the FATF-Style Regional Body of which they are a member to continue to strengthen their AML/CFT regimes.

In October 2016, the FATF announced that Sri Lanka will be subjected to a review of the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) of the FATF to assess the progress of AML/CFT effectiveness in the country.

After several discussions and progress reports, the FATF indicated that Sri Lanka has not made sufficient progress in 4 areas, namely International Cooperation, Supervision, Legal Persons and Arrangements and Targeted Financial Sanctions on Proliferations (North Korea and Iran).

Since the listing in November 2017, the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka together with other stakeholders had taken a series of effective and tangible steps to implement the FATF Action Plan and Sri Lanka reported the progress achieved in the implementation of the Action Plan regularly to the FATF.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has reportedly sought a meeting with representatives of five Tamil political parties that have put forward 13 demands for consideration by presidential candidates.

A list of common conditions was recently signed by Illankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Tamil Makkal Kooteny (TMK) and Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF).

The 13 demands outlined in the proposal included the merging of the Northern and Eastern provinces, scrapping the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and releasing those held under the PTA.

The list of demands was to be handed over to the front runners in the upcoming presidential election.

TMK Leader and former Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister, C.V. Wigneswaran has told the media that Wickremesinghe has sought a meeting with party representatives.

However, those close to the two main presidential candidates – New Democratic Front (DNF) candidate Sajith Premadasa and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa – have refused to accept these demands.

SLPP Leader, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa on behalf of Gotabaya and Minister Kabir Hashim on behalf of Premadasa have said no such condition would be accepted.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLPP) has sought the support of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to secure the second preferential vote for SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa had recently made the proposal to the JVP leadership during a telephone conversation.

The revelation about Basil’s request from the JVP was made by JVP MP Bimal Rathnayake during a public discussion.

However, Ratnayake noted that the party leaders had rejected the proposal, saying that they would only ask their supporters to vote for their presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

“Giving a second preference is a personal choice of the voter and it is their democratic right, we cannot tell the voters about a second preference,” the JVP leaders had told Basil, adding that the JVP members always voted for the symbol and did not pay attention to preferential votes.

JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti has confirmed to The Sunday Morning that Basil had made a proposal to secure a second preference vote for his brother Gotabaya.

However, Handunnetti has said the JVP would not support Rajapaksa at any cost.

“We had decided to field our own candidate as the public were fed up of the current administration and therefore, there is no reason to support Rajapaksa directly or indirectly,” Handunnetti has said.

However, SLPP Media Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella has said his party’s National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa had denied holding any such discussion with the JVP on the second preference vote.