News

After the Sri Lankan government set the ball rolling for a new Constitutional Amendment (20th Amendment) that would remove many of the curbs placed on presidential powers, there have been rising concerns of both local and international organisations. Most of the provisions brought by the 19th Amendment will be swept away if the current amendment is passed. The provision of full immunity to the president will be restored.

The Constitutional Council, which had the right to approve several key appointments, will be turned into an advisory body, with the composition changed to have only members of parliament.

It also allows dual citizens to stand for presidential elections and reduces the age limit of candidates to 30.

The wariness among the western countries about the new Rajapaksa regime remains, but there will not be an immediate reaction.

One of the key ways to express their disenchantment was to bring resolutions against Sri Lanka in the UNHRC, which did not occur in the past five years.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said that the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution may negatively impact on the independence of key institutions, including the National Human Rights Commission.

While delivering the opening statement of the 45th session of the Human Rights Council on Monday, Ms. Bachelet said she was troubled that the new Government of Sri Lanka is swiftly reneging on its commitments to the Human Rights Council since it withdrew its support for resolution 30/1.

Ms. Bachelet said the pardon given in March to a former Army sergeant convicted of participating in unlawful killings, appointments to key civilian roles of senior military officials allegedly involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity, and moves within the police and judiciary to thwart the investigation of such crimes, set a very negative trend.

Sri Lanka has come under criticism on transitional justice, in a report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The former Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence Pablo de Greiff has noted in his report that nothing has hindered the transitional justice programme in Sri Lanka more than lack of commitment on the part of the Government.

The report has been submitted to the UNHRC for its September session which begins on Monday.

Pablo de Greiff noted that the Sri Lankan Government was not only slow in terms of design and implementation of the transitional justice system, but also wavered in its messaging and ultimately failed up to this point to take full ownership of the process.

In his capacity as Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff visited Sri Lanka from 10 to 23 October 2017.

He reviewed the progress made by the Government in the areas of truth-seeking, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence and to advise the authorities and Sri Lankan society on efforts to provide redress for past massive gross violations and abuses.

The Special Rapporteur had previously conducted four other trips to Sri Lanka, at the invitation of the Government, to provide advisory services, during the course of whichhe was able to follow the developments since March 2015.

In his report the former Special Rapporteur notes that Sri Lanka has a long history of partial compliance with its human rights obligations, which is not actually a form of compliance but, ultimately, one of non-compliance.

“Breaking out of this pattern means making unambiguous commitments, expressed both in words and in deeds, starting with the President and the Prime Minister, and making the case for a comprehensive human rights-based and gender-sensitive redress and prevention policy that integrates measures to satisfy victims’ rights to truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence,” he said.

He also noted the tendency to discuss transitional justice in Sri Lanka as if it concerned only victims of the conflict with the Tamil Tigers and, in turn, as if it affected only the Sinhala and Tamil communities. Doing so leaves out the Muslim and other religious communities that have been affected by the conflict.

“One need only recall the expulsion of Muslims from Jaffna in 1990, from land that had been theirs for generations, and the lukewarm embrace they received from the majority community,” he said.

He repeated calls to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and promptly replace it with new counter-terrorism legislation that adheres to international best practices.

He said the Government should also promptly deal with long-standing cases pending under the Act and put in place a procedure to review convictions handed down under the Act that were based solely on the confession of the accused.

Capacity building for higher education in Sri Lanka is to be further improved with the assistance of the European Union, The EU Mission in Colombo revealed. The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in collaboration with the University of Peradeniya announced the EU-funded Capacity Building for Higher Education (CBHE) projects for 2020 .

The announcement took place at the University of Peradeniya together with 15 other participant institutions.

The EU in Sri Lanka is funding nine capacity-building projects in 2020 through the Erasmus+ programme, which aims to promote the sustainable development of its partners in the field of higher education.

 “Education, research, and development are key EU priorities for its external relations with partner countries such as Sri Lanka and that higher education institutions play a key role in advancing societies," Frank Hess, Head of Cooperation noted.

He explained that Erasmus + offers a broad range of funding opportunities which allows university staff, including academic and administrative staff, to benefit from CBHE projects.

Prof. Upul B. Dissanayake, Vice-Chancellor, University of Peradeniya said that the University has thoroughly focused on initiating both Capacity Building and International Credit Mobility (ICM) Programmes with European Universities under both Erasmus Mundus and ERASMUS+.

He also added that from 2015 until now, the University of Peradeniya has been a recipient of most of these awards in Sri Lanka, as a partner in many applications that were successful in winning the grants.

He also mentioned that as the No.1 Ranked University in Sri Lanka, University of Peradeniya has taken the leading role in a collaborative effort with other Sri Lankan Universities as well in this venture.

Fifteen universities are participating in the EU-funded CBHE projects. They are the Universities of Moratuwa, Ruhuna, Eastern, South Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, Uva Wellassa, Colombo, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence  Jayawardenepura, Rajarata, and Jaffna.

Other participatory  higher educational institutions are Sri Lanka Institute of Information and Technology, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association, and the SLT campus.

The government is planning to produce 50% of the country’s requirement of pharmaceuticals locally within the next three years, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a statement. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has stated that the objective is to provide high quality medicine to the public and the foreign market at affordable prices. All products are to be produced in accordance with the recommendations and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Further, 85% of the country’s drug requirement is met through imports at an annual cost of Rs.130 billion. Producing pharmaceuticals locally will pave the way to save Rs.60 billion annually, the President said.

The President made these remarks during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday with regard to the plans of the State Ministry of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation.

Sri Lanka is currently the largest importer of drugs in the Asian region, President Rajapaksa has stressed, while noting that it was high time to turn the tables and added that large scale local investors are willing to contribute to this effort.

An investment zone of 400 acres is to be established in the Hambantota Industrial Zone for manufacturing medicine targeting the global market. Another investment zone for local investors is to be established in a 100-acre land at Oyamaduwa, Anuradhapura.

As the government is committed to improving the public sector as well as promoting entrepreneurs in the private sector, the President made an open invitation to all the pharmaceutical importers to invest in manufacturing medicine locally.

Local pharmaceutical manufacturers absent!

However, conspicuous by its absence was the Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (SLPMA), the premier organisation that consists of business enterprises that are already engaged in the development and manufacture of pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the country. Sources at the Presidential Secretariat confirmed that the SLPMA was not represented at the meeting.

The SLPMA is an affiliated trade association under the umbrella of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. As the representative body of local manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical products, SLPMA had hailed the move to establish a State Ministry for Pharmaceuticals by the newly elected government.

Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando has stated that he will personally visit every district in Sri Lanka to monitor the progress of the 100,000 km road development project launched in accordance with the "Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour' national policy framework of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Minister expressed these views while participating in a meeting held at the Ministry of Highways.

The independence of audit inspections on financial transactions of public institutions is to be shattered with the abolition of the audit service commission in accordance with the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution, state auditors warned.' The Sri Lanka Audit Inspectors’ Association has sent a letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stating that the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution has caused great damage to the independence of the Auditor General and the scope of public audit, and also to the mechanism for the exercise of public financial control.

The Association has requested the President to immediately rectify the damage that has been caused by the proposed 20th Amendment to the state audit service.

The letter also points out that the Amendment deprives the public of their sacred right to know about the overall financial control of the country.

It also states that the removal of the Public Service Commission, Functional Commissions under Article 41 (b) of the Constitution, Office of the Secretary to the President, Office of the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Offices of the Cabinet of Ministers, which are allocated funds from the State Budget and assigned to the Auditor General for auditing under the Article 154 (1) of the Constitution and are subject to the financial control of Parliament from the scope is problematic.

The letter also states that the removal of companies registered under the Companies Act and holding 50% or more of the share capital in state, or state corporations and local government from the scope of the audit will lead to the complete exclusion of public finance from parliamentary control.

The letter points out that the exclusion of the audit of state-owned companies with more than 50% stake from the scope of the Auditor General breaks down the mechanism to see if these companies are operating in line with the President’s 'Vision of Prosperity' policy statement.

The association noted that some companies are reportedly already planning to withdraw from the state audit mechanism following the submission of these proposals.

It is said that these amendments have seriously damaged the independence of the Auditor General by making him a public servant.

Copies of the letter, signed by WJC Tissera, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Audit Service Inspectors’ Association, have been sent to the Prime Minister, the Speaker, all Ministers and Members of Parliament as well as civil society organisations and the media.

Attorney General Dappula de Livera said that the draft of the amendment can be passed in parliament and does not require a referendum, after Justice Minister Ali Sabry announced that it will be voted on by lawmakers in October.

Sri Lanka has launched a leadership and skills development military training programme for 50,000 graduates, recruited to the public sector in line with the President’s ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ policy statement. The phase one of this new Army orientation-training programme began on Monday (14) in 51 island-wide Army Centers including, Security Force HQs, Regimental HQs and Training Schools, consequent upon guidance given by Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army.

The purpose of this one month long residential programme, implemented under five phases, is to absorb 10,000 graduates under each phase to cover all 50,000 graduates within a period of five months.

It is implemented together with the Directorate of Training in order to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes of those recruited graduates to ensure the effective contribution to nation-building as a trained, fully-fledged and energetic workforce.

The project is to be closely monitored by the Ministry of Defence and coordinated and supervised at all seven Security Force HQs.

Each phase through this methodology is set to train 10,000 graduates and achieve the full potential of the public sector simultaneously, covering subjects such as ‘Leadership and Team-Building Training’, ‘Management Training’, ‘Training in Private and State sector Establishments’, ‘Project Work and Field Studies’, ‘Cohesiveness and Resilience,’ etc, critical in developing an efficient public sector employee while mitigating poor productivity.

The training would also impart knowledge on managerial skills, understanding of the objectives of the government mechanism, commitment, interest and dedication, self-confidence, innovation, flexibility, visualization, respect and recognition in society.

In addition, an opportunity would be made available to the participants to engage in project work and field studies to improve their skills by identifying issues and possible solutions in relevant fields.

It is focused on the critical requirement to change the mindset of the public sector employee right from recruitment to retirement.

The Army training course aims at developing their conceptual understanding on leadership, management, focus, confidence and competence to work effectively and efficiently on long term goals and short term goals.

The decision on banning cattle slaughter in the country has been delayed by the government.

Cabinet Spokesperson, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the final decision on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's proposal has been delayed by a month.

The Prime Minister's proposal to ban cattle slaughter in the country was taken up for discussion at yesterday's meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa's proposal was approved by the governing party parliamentary group earlier this week.

Sri Lanka’s marine life has been affected due to a fuel leakage from the 'MT New Diamond' oil tanker that caught fire in local territorial waters, officials said on Saturday.

"A fuel leakage about 2 centimetres thick had been detected," Dharshani Lahandapura, the chair for the Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) said.

She pointed out that experts had observed turtles, fishes and penguins in the sea area in which the oil had leaked from the oil tanker.

The ‘MT New Diamond’, which caught fire, is currently 45 nautical miles off the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Navy said adding that the ship is safely anchored in the deep sea using tug boats.

Meanwhile, a team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers has been deployed to obtain a statement from the captain and crew of ‘MT New Diamond’. A senior CID official stated that the relevant team of officers left for Galle yesterday (12).

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne recently ordered the CID to conduct an investigation into the fire of the ‘MT New Diamond’.

Meanwhile, merchant shipping specialists have pointed out that Sri Lanka faces the risk of receiving compensation due to the involvement of salvage companies.

“If they (salvage companies) tow the vessel further away and claim money for that, they will receive it,” Capt. Isharaka Perera, a merchant shipping specialist said.

He added that Sri Lanka had lost an opportunity to receive compensation when 12 vessels had sunk in the Kankesanturai area after a US company had intervened.

The Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) has held discussions on the future course of action regarding ‘MT New Diamond’ which caught on fire in Sri Lankan waters. Director-General of MEPA, Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara said that a final decision regarding the ill-fated oil tanker would be taken soon after concluding discussions with all parties involved in the firefighting.

MEPA says that there is no risk in the oil tanker being brought ashore as it has been confirmed that there will be no damage caused by the ship.

Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara says that further action regarding the tanker will be taken after the relevant conditions are fully ascertained.

Further, measures are being taken to cover the expenses incurred to Sri Lanka in the fire fighting activities of the tanker, said MEPA Director-General.

Sri Lanka’s gem and jewellery industrialists are to be provided with tax relief with a view to harnessing the maximum export potential of US$1 billion for the country. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed relevant officials to remove the 14% income tax levied on profits earned by the gem and jewellery manufacturers and the 15% import tax on gold.

This directive has been issued by the President in response to a request made by Sri Lanka’s gem and jewellery industrialists to withdraw the 5 to 24 per cent tax imposed on their income under the new Inland Revenue Act (IRD) claiming that the current tax burden was unbearable for small scale direct and indirect exporters earning much needed foreign exchange for the country.

The industry which has the potential of bringing over US$ 1 billion into the country would collapse as a result of the heavy tax burden imposed on them, an official of the Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association said.

He noted that the association has submitted an appeal to the President and the Finance Minister to provide some relief for them as the small gem exporters and licensed traders selling gems and jewellery to tourists will have to close down their business.

The withdrawal of the tax exemption given to them since 1979 was highly unjustifiable, he said adding that the 15 per cent tax on gold imports will be another blow against the industry.

The income tax concession given to the gem and jewellery industry from 1971 was removed from the income tax policy introduced in 2017.

This created a situation where the actual income earned from the export of gems and jewellery was not disclosed, stated the President's Media Division.

“In 2018, a 15% tax was imposed on gold imports. These taxes have led to a rise in jewellery prices. Relevant taxes should be removed immediately and steps should be taken for the betterment of the gem and jewellery industry,” the President said.

The President made this observation at a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (07) regarding the upcoming plans of the State Ministry of Gems and Jewellery related Industries.

The farmers in the North who once supplied rice, potatoes, onions, vegetables and fruits to a self-sufficient Sri Lanka had collapsed due to the three decade long war that annihilated the economy of the North.

Newly elected MP Premalal Jayasekera alias Choka Malli, who is on death row, was sworn in as a parliamentarian in the ninth parliament today.