News

More than 140,000 Sri Lankans have left the island for foreign employment so far this year, said the Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry.

Secretary to the ministry R.P.A. Wimalaweera said the government intended to secure a total of 300,000 new jobs in foreign countries during the year.

Also, attention is being paid to send state sector officers for employment and referral overseas, with the Bureau of Foreign Employment already conducting the relevant registrations.

These came to light at a meeting secretary to the president Saman Ekanayake had with state officials on improving foreign exchange earnings and foreign employment for public servants.

Amending the state administration circular 14/2022 to facilitate the task came under discussion.

It was decided to seek foreign jobs for the registered applicants after identifying the potential employment categories.

Foreign educational scholarships

Furthermore, development officers are to be encouraged to obtain foreign educational scholarships in an extensive manner.

Instructions and a timeframe will be given to heads of institutions for granting leave for the applicants and an online appeal system to deal with delays in approval came under discussion.

Authorities have been told to formulate a mechanism before August 31 for the applicants to obtain membership in a pension scheme and for obtaining bank loans.

Identifying skills development and short-term requirements in catering to job categories in high demand will be done as well.

Regular progress reviews in sending public servants for jobs overseas will be carried out too.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has summoned former parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra and Dulanjalee Premadasa, sister of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to record statements related to the investigations into the burning of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s house.

The CID has recorded a nearly five-hour statement from former parliamentarian this morning.

Speaking to the media after recording the statement, Premachandra said she was inquired about the torching of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department has recorded a statement from Dulanjali Premadasa for about 4 hours.

The President’s private residence at Fifth Lane in Kollupitiya was set on fire by the mobs during protests on July 09th.

The Criminal Investigation Department has so far identified 20 people involved in the arson and the police have arrested four youths arrested in connection with the incident.

The Yuan Wang 5, China's missile and satellite tracking ship berthed at Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, departed today (22), confirmed the Harbour Master of the Hambantota Port Exclusively to News 1st.

The Yuan Wang 5 is one of China's latest generation survey vessel officially entered Port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka on Tuesday 16th August 2022 replenishment purposes.

Sri Lanka granted permission for the high-tech Chinese tracking vessel Yuan Wang 5 to dock at the Hambantota Port in a backdrop marred with controversy.

Diplomatic clearance for the Chinese vessel to make a port call at the Hambantota port from 11-17 August​,​ 2022 for replenishment purposes was granted by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreing Affairs, however due to concerns raised by various factions including India, the Ministry requested China to defer the visit of the said vessel to the Hambantota port.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide any reason for the request.

When the request to defer the visit of the vessel was made, the Yuan Wang 5 had already set sail to Sri Lanka leaving its port of origin on the 14th of July, and it was already in the Indian Ocean.

The vessel thereafter slowed down and moved over the Ninety East Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge on the Indian Ocean floor named for its near-parallel strike along the 90th meridian at the center of the Eastern Hemisphere.

On 16th August 2022, Sri Lanka's Cabinet Spokesperson & Minister Bandula Gunawardena confirmed that the Chinese ballistic missiles and satellite tracking vessel was requested to delay their visit due to concerns voiced by India.

He said that a request was made from China to defer the arrival until Sri Lanka cleared out the concerns of its neighbor India.

Yuan Wang 5 is a third-generation tracking ship of the Yuan Wang Series. It has top-of-the-line antennas and electronic equipment to track ballistic missiles and satellite.

The Chinese Reasearch Vessel fleet boats of twin vessels identified as Yuan Wang 5 and Yuan Wang 6.

Former star swimmer and social activist Julian Bolling and businessman Jonathan Martenstyn have been summoned to the CID for questioning.

They were due to give statements to the police this morning (17) with regard to the arson attack on the private home of president Ranil Wickremesinghe on July 09.

According to the police, both had been present at the time of the attack, with Martenstyn having tried to force his way into the place.

Bolling is one of the petitioners who have moved the Supreme Court seeking an order for an investigation into persons responsible for making the country and its people bankrupt.

The court has issued an order preventing the former finance ministers Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country without permission.

Rangana Devapriya, the national organizer of the Socialist Students’ Union, has been arrested by Slave Island police. By now, he has been taken to the Fort police station.

He was arrested in this way after the end of the peaceful, silent protest against the repression held in front of Slave Island police station this morning (22nd).

Rangana Devapriya is a student leader who has actively contributed to the Galle Face struggle in recent days and the Socialist Students Union is the student wing of the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna.

Former Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will return to the island on August 24, says former Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga.

He made this remark while speaking to the media after recording a statement with the Criminal Investigation Department.

Weeratunga arrived at the CID premises this morning to provide a statement on the procurement of four second-hand MiG-27 fighter jets to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) from Ukraine.

He faces money laundering charges over the alleged embezzlement of public funds to the tune of USD 7.833 million in the infamous aircraft deal.

At the time of the aircraft purchase, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was serving as the secretary to the Ministry of Defence. Weeratunga served as Sri Lankan ambassador to Russia from 2006 until former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated in the election in January 2015.

President Ranil Wickramasinghe announced today (20) that steps have been taken to provide the fertilizer required for upcoming Maha season to the farmers without any delay.

The President made these comments during a visit to Chief Sanghanayake of the North Central District, Dr. Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Na Thero.

In a discussion with Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Na Thero, the President said that the Government is focusing on improving the country's economy with emphasis on agriculture.

Moreover he assurred that the construction activities of the Maha Viharaya will be expedited, adding that the temples would become buddhist tourist attractions for tourists from Myanmar and other countries.

Senior Advisor to President, Sagala Rathnayake said that discussions with regard to a fertilizer subsidy has already been initiated with the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

He further stated that the Government will facilitate for promotion of crops such as tea, coconut and rubber, and mentioned that provisions will also be made from the interim budget to import seeds.

Laugfs Gas company says that a ship carrying 3,120 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived at the Hambantota Port this morning (16).

The LP gas stocks are currently being discharged to the Laugfs terminal facility and will be released for local consumption as soon as filling operations begin, the company said.

An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued by the Consumer Affairs Authority declaring the maximum retail price for eggs.

Accordingly, a white egg will be sold at Rs. 43 and a brown egg at Rs. 45.

The price revision came into effect yesterday.

Sri Lanka's Cabinet Spokesperson & Minister Bandula Gunawardena confirmed that the Chinese ballistic missiles and satellite tracking vessel was requested to delay their visit due to concerns voiced by India.

He said that a request was made from China to defer the arrival until Sri Lanka cleared out the concerns of its neighbor India.

"The Chinese government was awarded the same privileges awarded to any other country in order to seek services from Sri Lanka, and it is done in a manner that does cause harm to any third party," he told reporters in Colombo on Tuesday (16).

The Yuan Wang 5 entered the Hambantota deep sea port at around 8:30 AM on Tuesday (16). Yuan Wang 5 is a third-generation tracking ship of the Yuan Wang Series. It has top-of-the-line antennas and electronic equipment to track ballistic missiles and satellites.

A special welcome ceremony was organized at the Hambantota Port on Tuesday (16) morning, under the auspices of the Chinse Ambassador to Sri Lanka.

The Yuan Wang 5, a Chinese research and survey vessel that led to much controversy in recent weeks officially entered the Sea of Sri Lanka on Monday (15).

Sri Lanka granted permission for the high-tech Chinese tracking vessel Yuan Wang 5 to dock at the Hambantota Port in a backdrop marred with controversy.

Diplomatic clearance for the Chinese vessel to make a port call at the Hambantota port from 11-17 August​​ 2022 for replenishment purposes was granted by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, due to concerns raised by various factions including India, the Ministry requested China to defer the visit of the said vessel to the Hambantota port.

However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide any reason for the request.

When the request to defer the visit of the vessel was made, the Yuan Wang 5 had already set sail to Sri Lanka leaving its port of origin on the 14th of July, and it was already in the Indian Ocean. The vessel thereafter slowed down and moved over the Ninety East Ridge, a mid-ocean ridge on the Indian Ocean floor named for its near-parallel strike along the 90th meridian at the center of the Eastern Hemisphere.

Upon entering the Sea of Sri Lanka on Monday (15) evening the Yuan Wang 5 must comply with the conditions of maintaining its unique vessel identifier and refrain from conducting any form of research and survey activity in the Sea of Sri Lanka.

Yuan Wang 5 is a third-generation tracking ship of the Yuan Wang Series. It has top-of-the-line antennas and electronic equipment to track ballistic missiles and satellites.

The Chinese Research Vessel fleet boats of twin vessels identified as Yuan Wang 5 and Yuan Wang 6.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released a statement regarding their upcoming visit to the crisis-struck Sri Lanka.

An IMF delegation is scheduled to visit Colombo during 24 -31 August to continue discussions with Sri Lankan authorities on economic and financial reforms and policies.

The objective is to make progress towards reaching a staff-level agreement on a prospective IMF Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement in the near term.

“Because Sri Lanka’s public debt is assessed as unsustainable, approval by the IMF Executive Board of the EFF program would require adequate assurances by Sri Lanka’s creditors that debt sustainability will be restored,” the statement reads.

IMF staff would also continue the engagement with other stakeholders during the visit. The team will be led by Peter Breuer and Masahiro Nozaki.

India handed over a Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft to the Sri Lankan Military on Monday (15).

Earlier this year Sri Lanka was in talks with India to acquire three Dornier aircraft for the Sri Lankan military, and the first delivery will be made to the island nation on Monday when India usher in its 75th year of Independence on August 15, 2022.

The first ever Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft from India to enhance the maritime surveillance capabilities of Sri Lanka was inducted to Sri Lanka Air Force Fleet on 15th August 2022 in a ceremonial procession.

During the Defence Dialog between India and Sri Lanka on 09th January 2018 in New Delhi, Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) sought the possibility of obtaining two (02) Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft from India to enhance the maritime surveillance capabilities of Sri Lanka.

As a sequel to the request of Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL), the Government of India (GOI) has agreed to provide one (01) Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft from Indian Naval Fleet on gratis basis for initial two (02) years of the interim period since it would be required two years to manufacture new aircraft.

Afterwards, the Indian Government expressed their assent to provide a brand new Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft free of charge. Subsequently, another brand new Dornier 228 will be inducted to Sri Lanka Air Force through mutually agreed terms and conditions between both countries.

The Indian Naval Dornier (INDO – 228) is a Short Take Off and Landing (STOL), multirole light transport aircraft with a turboprop twin-engine, produced since 1981. Dornier GmbH of Germany being the Original Equipment Manufacturer has produced 245 aircraft during the period of 1981-1998. Subsequently, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has commenced the production of Dornier aircraft, under the license of Dornier GmbH since 1993.

With the comradeship of neighboring India, the first ever Dornier will be inducted to SLAF Fleet on 15th August 2022 in a ceremonial procession under the patronage by the President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickramasinghe and High Commissioner of India, Gopal Baglay with the authentication by Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, General Kamal Gunerathne (Retd) and under the supervision by Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana at SLAF Base Katunayake.

The aircraft will be flown and maintained only by 15 SLAF crew who were specifically trained in India for a period of four months consist with pilots, observers, engineering officers and technicians along with the supervision by GOI technical team attached to SLAF comprising of engineering officers and technicians. The team would undertake comprehensive supervision of aircraft, airframe, Aircraft Support Equipment, Ground Support Equipment, relevant documents and would ascertain the serviceability of all the assets.

The SLAF intends to effectively employ the Dornier aircraft specifically to conduct Maritime and Coastal Surveillance Operations within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Search and Rescue Operations (SAR), Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) and Maritime Pollution Monitoring and Control within Sri Lankan Search and Rescue Region (SRR) to attain SLAF ultimate vision of “Ensuring the National Security through Effective Employment of Airpower” within Sri Lankan Airspace.