News

SriLankan Airlines (SLA) has been directed to take legal action against the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the failure to pay the airline a sum of Rs 123 million for certain irregular transactions which took place during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.

The Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) made this recommendation when SriLankan airlines and relevant officials of state institutions were summoned before the COPE yesterday.

COPE Chairman JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti said top officials and leading politicians have used the airline service without purchasing air tickets.

According to COPE Chairman, the Presidential Secretariat owes SriLankan a sum of Rs. 114 million and the Foreign Affairs Ministry owes a sum of Rs. 9 million.

The Government is currently in the process of restructuring the SLA, and an Expert Committee was appointed by the President to provide a report of policy recommendations.

Accordingly, the Committee has recommended restructuring the SLA through financial, corporate, and human resource restructuring and developing an effective strategic plan.

Treasury Secretary Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga noted that Finance Ministry cannot infuse money to bail out SriLankan airlines.

The total loss of SLA has increased to Rs.12,961 million in the first four months of 2019, while the total debt of SLA has exceeded USD 750 million.

Further, the Government is currently bearing USD 375 million and Rs. 26,250 million of contingent liabilities that have piled up since 2014.

This includes the guarantee granted for International Bonds and letters of comfort issued to obtain loans during the BIA closure in 2016.

Therefore, it is observed that the GOSL needs to have a significant business restructuring model, owing to the high possibility for the Government to bear the loss, and also due to the high correlation between Aviation industry and the tourism sector in the country

The statement issued by the Foreign Ministry yesterday (20) indicates a head-on clash between the government of Sri Lanka and the international community.

The Foreign Ministry called on foreign entities not to interfere in a sovereign decision taken by the Head of State when appointing a new Army Commander.

Issuing a statement, the Ministry noted that the appointment of the Army Commander of Sri Lanka is a sovereign decision by the Head of State.

“Foreign entities trying to influence the decisions and internal administrative processes of public service promotions in Sri Lanka is unwarranted and unacceptable,” the Foreign Ministry stated.

Referring to the concerns raised by certain bilateral partners and international organisations on the appointment of a new Army Commander based on allegations, the Ministry stated that it is regrettable and contrary to the principles of natural justice espoused by all responsible members of the international community.

The United States (US), Canada, European Union (EU) and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have raised deep concerns over the appointment of Lieutenant-General Shavendra Silva as the Army Commander in Sri Lanka despite credible allegations of gross human rights violations against him during the war.

Lieutenant-General Silva commanded Sri Lanka’s 58th Division of the Sri Lanka Army during the final stages of the war in 2009, and successive UN investigations have implicated his division in alleged serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Implications on security cooperation

The Easter Sunday attacks on April 21 once again forcefully brought to the fore the necessity for cooperation among security and intelligence agencies, both nationally and internationally.

Soon after the attacks, sleuths from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Scotland Yard arrived in Sri Lanka in order to support investigations launched by Sri Lankan authorities. Reports also said that a few officials from intelligence agencies including Mossad, also arrived to help the armed forces with their investigations. It was intelligence passed on from foreign agencies that warned Sri Lanka of an impending attack on Easter Sunday.

The transnational nature of several terrorist organizations, ISIS being the most notorious, implies that their detection, disruption, and elimination can succeed fully only if done globally.

Furthermore, the transnational nature of security threats makes isolation an impossible option. While international cooperation has to be entertained, its benefits must be weighed against the costs and risks. However, for a country like Sri Lanka, the transnational nature of security threats makes isolation an impossible option, security experts warned.

Backed by the global industrial giant South Korea, Sri Lanka launched its most modern national hi-tech training facility to-date on 21 August.

As it unveiled its up-to-date TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) facility in a Colombo suburb, its skills development work has shown results so much so the country retained its ranking in the firmly established global benchmark for talent competitiveness for the third year running.

“This facility brings new tech training to the participants. We praise Minister Rishad for his successful leadership in the vocational training sector,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said launching the Korea-Sri Lanka National Vocational Training Institute (KSLNVTI) in Orugodawatte.

Coming under the purview of Rishad Bathiudeen’s Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development & Vocational Training Ministry, KSLNVTI has been completed at a cost of US$ 17 Mn as the first phase of a two stage US $26 Mn project to establish KSLNVTI and upgrade Gampaha Technical College (GTC).

The upgraded GTC under Minister Bathiudeen’s VTA, is also to be vested with the public in the last week of this month. Funding for the project has come as a loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, with additional support from KOICA and the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of Korea.

KSLNVTI becomes the only institution in Sri Lanka providing training at present on three latest global hi-tech-automation and robotics tech, pneumatic and hydrolics, and CNC programming –that too, up to Diploma level 5. They (and other courses) are taught at KSLNVTI by 15 Sri Lankan trainers who were coached by 10 Korean experts who already completed their roles and left (except for the present resident trainer).

Joining the 20 August event with Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and PM Wickremesinghe were State Minister Buddhika Pathirana, Ministry Secretary KDN Ranjith Ashoka, Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Karunarathne Paranavithana, and Chairman of VTA Ravi Jayawardhana.

“We need to know our challenges. We should advance from upper middle income to high income country. Korea has not only given money for this institution but technical skills as well. We thank Korea for all this support,” added PM Wickremesinghe.

Addressing the event, Minister Bathiudeen stressed of Sri Lanka’s status within global skills tables.

"We all know the strong relationship between vocational training, skills development and labour productivity of any country. This year Sri Lanka again successfully retained its global ranking with regard to skills. In the 2019 Global Talent Competitiveness Index, we rank at 82nd, continuing in the same position since 2017 without a change. This year, except for India, Sri Lanka ranks higher than all South Asian countries. This unchanged rank shows that our national skills development efforts are working. Also across the world, service exports too have been growing rapidly in the last few years. Sri Lanka’s service exports also have been growing and diversifying. ICT/BPM, electronics, construction, engineering. Printing and packaging, health and education are our key service exports. Of all these, three service exports -which are ICT/BPM, electronics, printing and packaging services -alone contributes to around US$ 1.3 billion export revenues every year. Good skills training shall help this sector to grow as well," he said.

Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to Sri Lanka Heon Lee said of the importance of human resources. “Nothing is more important than human resources” he said and added: “Ten years from now, students of KSLNVTI will lead Sri Lanka’s transformation. Congratulations to PM Wickremesinghe and other Sri Lankans here for achieving this KSLNVTI.”

Global Talent Competitiveness Index is the firmly established global benchmark for talent competitiveness and the future of work. Newly set up KSLNVTI is expected to sign an MoU with Korea’s Shinhan University in time to come.

Both PM Wickremesinghe and Minister Bathiudeen also commended Parliamentarian and former Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe for his pioneering role in the KSLNVTI project.

Sri Lanka’s KSLNVTI after two years from now, is expected to produce 1000 qualified Sri Lankan youth annually for latest hi tech industries.

President Maithripala Sirisena’s appointment of a three member Presidential Committee to probe the Easter Sunday was not made under any existing laws, members of the Committee state.

The three members of the Presidential Committee have made this revelation when they jointly appeared before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe the Easter Sunday attacks yesterday (20).

The issue has come to light following a question posed by PSC member MP M A Sumanthiran.

Sumanthiran has questioned the Committee members about the law under which the Presidential Committee was appointed and the witnesses have revealed that it was not set up under any existing laws.

“Our Committee was not appointed under any existing laws,” Presidential Committee member Supreme Court Judge Vijith Malalgoda has said.

However, Malalgoda has added that the urgency and importance of the situation had compelled him to take up the task.

“Initially I was not willing to participate in the Committee. But then Mr Illangkoon pointed that this was of national importance and the fact that the Committee was appointed a day after the attack, I saw the urgency of it. So we went ahead with activities the Committee was takes with” Malalgoda has said.

Japanese Peace Envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi was presented with the “Sri Lanka Rathna,” the first-ever highest national honour conferred on non-nationals as recognition of his distinguished and exceptional service rendered towards the nation, at the investiture ceremony of “National Honours 2019” at BMICH yesterday (20).

President Maithripala Sirisena has called Japanese peace envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi as a staunch peace-maker and a loyal and trusted friend of Sri Lanka, the President’s Media Division (PMD) stated.

The President has thanked Akashi for his numerous efforts to restore peace and harmony in Sri Lanka and wished him long life to continue his exceptional service to the world at large and to promote friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan.

Akashi in turn has thanked the President and the people of Sri Lanka for conferring this great honour on him.

He has said that Japan and Sri Lanka have many things in common and Buddhism binds the special friendship between the two countries.

He also said that other countries could take lessons from Sri Lanka on how to make relentless efforts to strengthen communal peace and harmony, while successfully battling extremism, the PMD added.

The European Union (EU) raising concerns over the appointment of Lieutenant-General Shavendra Silva as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army has questioned “Sri Lanka’s commitments to the UN Human Rights Council.”

The EU noted that it shares the sentiments expressed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and stated the appointment “sends a worrying message to victims and survivors of the war.”

A joint statement on Lt.General Silva’s appointment was issued in agreement with the Embassies of Germany, Italy, Netherlands, the UK High Commission, the Embassies of Norway and Switzerland.

It notes that the EU members share the same concerns as the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on the appointment due to the allegations of human rights and humanitarian law violations against the new Army Commander.

“We fully share the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s serious concerns about the appointment of Lieutenant-General Shavendra Silva as Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, given the allegations of grave human rights and humanitarian law violations against him,” the EU stated.

“The promotion of Lieutenant-General Silva to the post of Army Commander calls into question Sri Lanka’s commitments to the UN Human Rights Council, as recently as March 2019, to ensure justice and accountability. It also undermines Sri Lanka’s efforts towards national reconciliation and sends a worrying message to victims and survivors of the war,” the statement added.

The Prime Minister’s Office has made arrangements to organize a banquet for the United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians on Friday (23) in a bid to obstruct the parliamentarians from attending the rally organized by Minister Mangala Samaraweera in Matara in support of UNP Deputy Leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa’s candidacy at the presidential election on the same day, The Leader reliably learns.

The banquet is being organized under the guise of a celebration of the fourth anniversary of the United National Front (UNF) government. Interestingly, unlike during previous such functions, the Prime Minister’s Office has taken measures to invite the families of the parliamentarians as well.

However, UNP MPs who are attending the Matara rally have informed officials at the Prime Minister’s Office that the travel time between Colombo and Matara was only one hour and they would therefore participate in the banquet after attending the Matara rally.

The rally in Matara, which is being organized under the theme of “Sajith is coming,” is to commence at 3 p.m. on Friday (23) and is to be telecast live on Sirasa TV and Siyatha TV.

The Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been granted permission to record statements from five death row inmates who have allegedly conspired to assassinate the President.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate has ordered the relevant prisons officials to allow the CID investigators to proceed with their interrogations on the case.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been urged to refute allegations leveled against him on the violation of several laws of the land and co-operate fully with investigations being carried out.

The Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) has also called on the Election Commission (EC) to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into allegations against Rajapaksa.

The CMEV in a statement said that its attention has been drawn to a complaint made regarding Rajapaksa.

According to the complaint made to the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa’s name had been included in the annual electoral list used for the 2005 Presidential Election and he had allegedly cast his vote in the said election, at a time when he was not a Sri Lankan citizen.

The CMEV states that in terms of Article 89(a) of the Sri Lankan Constitution, a person who is not a Sri Lankan citizen is not entitled to vote at a Presidential Election, General Election or at a referendum. Accordingly, voting in such a situation is an offense and is punishable in terms of the Presidential Elections Act No. 15 of 1981.

Rajapaksa had reportedly obtained his US citizenship in 2003 and had arrived in Sri Lanka on the 04th of September 2005 on a tourist visa and had campaigned/assisted the election campaign of Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2005. This, it is alleged, is an offense in terms of section 45(1) (a) of the Immigrants and Emigrants Act no 20 of 1948.

The CMEV observes that it is important that Rajapaksa who aspires to be the seventh executive President of Sri Lanka to refute these allegations and co-operate fully with all investigations.

The new British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Sarah Hulton presented her credentials to President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s House yesterday (19).

The envoy has said that she was looking forward to further strengthening the bilateral relationship between the UK and Sri Lanka.

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the concurrence of the Government of Sri Lanka has appointed Sarah Anne Pascale Hulton as the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Sri Lanka in succession of James Dauris.

“Delighted to become the new British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. I’m looking forward to further strengthening the bilateral relationship between our two countries with the support of my colleagues,” Hulton has said after presenting her credentials.

Meanwhile, two other envoys also presented their credentials to the President. Accordingly Ms Trine Eskedel, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway and Mrs Tanja Gonggrijp, Ambassador of Netherlands presented their credentials yesterday.

Addressing the new envoys, the President said that all three countries represented by the new envoys have excellent longstanding relations with Sri Lanka.

President Sirisena said that the fact that all three are women of outstanding achievements was a proud signal of women empowerment. He said that the population of Sri Lanka comprises 52% women and they make a tremendous contribution to the economy. President Sirisena pointed out that women engaged in garment industry, expatriate employment and plantation industry help the country to earn foreign exchange, the President's Media Division said.

Almost after three years of bickering with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Hyrax Oil Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian oil major is now successfully operating its lubricant oil blending plant in Muthurajawela.

The CPC had entered into 03 agreements on 06 May 2016 with Hyrax Oil Sdn. Bhd of Malaysia to establish a lubricating oil blending plant in Muthurajawela under a Build- Operate-Transfer agreement.

The aim is to supply lubricants to the export market and the local market of Sri Lanka at an affordable price.

The necessary licenses are relevant to the auto deal but those licenses had not been granted even up to 30 June 2018.

Accordingly, there existed the possibility for the company to take legal action against the CPC.

Moreover, the Hyrax Company had sent many a letter and reminder to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development as well as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation in regard to the failure of the CPC to adhere to the Agreement.

The letter of the Attorney General in that connection, dated 23 January 2018 had informed that, in the event of Corporation intending to revise the provisions of the said agreements etc

The 03 agreements relating to that project, namely BOT Agreement, Supply Agreement, and Land Lease Agreement, had been entered into without being fully complied with the opinion of the Attorney General.

The Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation had halted taking action relating to the establishment of the plant as at 20 June 2018.

They were pointing out that the terms and conditions set out in the said Agreements had comprised matters having an adverse impact on the lubricant industry of the CPC and certain sections had violated the CPC Act and cabinet decisions.

However, Hyrax Oil was selected as the contractor for the project as an unsolicited bid without adhering to the provisions of government procurement guidelines.

A petition signed by a two thirds majority of the United National Party (UNP) parliamentary group calling on the party leadership to immediately convene a joint meeting of the Working Committee and the parliamentary group to finalize the party’s presidential candidate was yesterday (19) handed over to UNP Leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Out of the 77 UNP MPs in the parliamentary group, 53 parliamentarians have signed the letter. The letter was handed over to the party leader by UNP Chairman, Minister Kabir Hashim and Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

When the two Ministers have handed over the letter to Wickremesinghe, he has said that it was not a tradition of the party to make such demands as issues are always resolved internally through discussion. However, the two Ministers have said the UNP MPs were forced to take such a step since the party leadership did not respond positively to the requests made by the parliamentary group.

The Prime Minister has then reminded the Hashim and Madduma Bandara that in 2010 and 2015, he ceded to the requests made by the party as well as friends and political forces supportive of the party for him to step down and make way for another candidate to contest at the two presidential elections.

Wickremesinghe has then promised to convene a meeting with the senior ministers of the UNP on Wednesday (21) to discuss the issue of presidential elections and the party’s candidate.

The two ministers have then informed the UNP backbench MPs that the party leadership has responded positively to the request and the MPs should therefore not raise the issue of the UNP’s presidential candidate at the group meeting that was held on Monday (19) evening.

10 refuse to sign

However, 10 UNP MPs had vehemently refused to sign the petition while a few others have been hesitant to place their signatures on the document.

The 10 MPs who refused to sign the petition are Ravi Karunanayake, Vajira Abeywardena, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Sagala Ratnayake, John Amaratunga, Sarath Fonseka, D.M. Swaminathan, Sirinal de Mel, Navin Dissanayake and Thilak Marapana.