News

President Maithripala Sirisena says there are many forces working against him and that there is a threat to his life due to the consistent programme carried out by him to crackdown on the drug mafia.

The President has said in Polonnaruwa yesterday (2) that measures to hamper his programme are being carried out with the funding of drug lords.

According to the President there are many going before courts to obstruct his programme to crackdown on the drug mafia and the so-called human rights masons (baas) are trying to safeguard these drug lords and drug peddlers.

Sirisena has added that there were many social media platforms along with the government, opposition and NGOs that are rallying together in favour of the drug lords.

The issue of political prisoners in the country is to be taken up by the Cabinet of Ministers shortly.

Accordingly, a Cabinet paper on the matter is to be submitted to resolve the issue over Tamil political prisoners arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Minister of National Integration, Official Languages, Social Progress, and Hindu Religious Affairs Mano Ganesan has said that he will submit the relevant Cabinet seeking approval to rehabilitate the Tamil political prisoners and release them.

The Cabinet paper is now being drafted and is to be presented for approval over the next couple of weeks.

According to the Minister, he is to propose that the Tamil political prisoners be wither released or rehabilitated for a period of six months before releasing them.

He has added that the Tamil political prisoner issue needs to be addressed urgently as it is a very sensitive one and that a Tamil political prisoner had died after spending 15 years in prison.

Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, who were supposed to appear before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) yesterday (2) to record statements related to the probe on the Easter Sunday attacks, have been hospitalized.

Fernando has been admitted to the Intensive-Care Unit (ICU) of the Cardiology Unit at the National Hospital in Colombo.

Jayasundara meanwhile has been hospitalized at the Police Hospital in Narahenpita over a sudden illness. Jayasundara is currently on compulsory leave.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General (AG) has directed the Acting IGP to name Jayasundara and Fernando as suspects of the Easter attacks.

Further, the AG has requested the Acting IGP to produce them before courts.

The SriLankan Airlines management has come under fire for its plans to relocate its marketing department currently based at the World Trade Centre (WTC) in Colombo to Katunayake as part of its cost-cutting exercise.

SriLankan Airlines sources have said they believe the decision would result in a decline in productivity and efficiency in day-to-day operations.

According to reports, the airline’s marketing department was shifted to Colombo in 2011 with the aim of increasing its promotional activities and thereby, increasing revenue.

The airline had in 2011 decided to base its marketing office in Colombo since all the clients and agencies dealing with the airline’s marketing department were based in Colombo, and also that the necessary facilities to carry out promotional activities and advertising were not available at the Katunayake office were also considered.

After shifting the marketing department to Colombo, a considerable rise in efficiency in routine activities had been recorded, and clients were in a position to fulfill their tasks with ease.

However, according to airline sources, the decision to shift the department back to Katunayake had been taken by the management due to the high rent cost at WTC.

Explaining further, an airline employee who wished to remain anonymous has pointed out that cost-cutting decisions should be made in a skilful manner, minimising the effect on the day-to-day activities of the department and the level of service given to its clientele.

SriLankan Airlines has recorded a loss of Rs. 40 billion in the financial year 2017/2018, the highest annual loss since Emirates’ departure from its management in 2008.

For the nine months ended 31 December 2018, the national carrier’s losses have grown to its highest level in 11 years, eclipsing the previous record of Rs. 32.4 billion recorded in 2014.

The loss incurred in this period was a negative growth of 27.7% from the Rs. 28.9 billion in losses incurred in the financial year 2017/2018.

The United Sates insisted that they have no plans to establish a military base in Sri Lanka.

US ambassador in Sri Lanka, Alaina B.Teplitz, in a twitter message said the negotiation on the Visiting Forces Agreement is aimed to facilitate cooperation and any agreement will respect the sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

“Blatant misinformation. There is no plan or intention to establish a US base in Sri Lanka. VFA negotiations only aim to facilitate cooperation and any agreement will fully respect the sovereignty of,” Telpitz tweeted.

Her comments came in the wake of concerns raised by various parties over the proposed agreement.

Meanwhile, US Embassy Spokesperson Nancy VanHorn said on Sunday that Sri Lanka would retain all sovereign rights to approve or deny entry or exit of US personnel, vessels, and aircraft into Sri Lanka’s territory and territorial waters/airspace.

She recalled that in 1995, the US and Sri Lanka concluded the agreement on the status of US Department of Defence (DoD) military personnel and civilian employees who visit Sri Lanka for exercises or official duties.

“We have proposed amending this agreement to include some additional privileges, such as the mutual recognition of professional licenses, how US military personnel and DoD civilians can visit Sri Lanka, fees for support services rendered, and regulations for hiring foreign and local contractors. These updates will streamline processes that are already in place and will facilitate collaboration with the Sri Lankan military on counterterrorism practices, maritime security, and other issues of common concern,” she said.

The political biography of Minister Mangala Samaraweera covering his political career spanning three decades will be launched at 3.00 pm on July 7 at thhe Rabindranath Tagore Auditorium at the University of Ruhuna.

The book has been compiled by veteran writer Nihal Jagathchandra based on the Minister’s life.

The keynote address will be delivered by veteran political critic and journalist Victor Ivan centered on the theme - “30 years of Sri Lankan Politics”.

It is also noteworthy to mention that the favoured presidential candidate of the United National Party (UNP), its deputy leader Sajith Premadasa, as well as a number of Muslim and Tamil political leaders, have been invited to attend the book launch.

The event had previously been scheduled for April 21 to coincide with the Minister’s birthday. However, it was postponed following the Easter Sunday attacks.

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks has stated that it will take SLFP General Secretary, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara to court if he fails to appear before the committee despite being issued summons on two occasions.

Jayasekara was summoned before the PSC last week and due to his absence, the committee decided to issue summons for him once more. The PSC will have its next hearing on 10 July.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chair of the PSC Ananda Kumarasiri has said if the MP fails to appear, legal action will be taken against him.

“We are giving the former Minister another chance on 10 July to appear at the PSC hearings. If he decides not to show up, we will take legal action against him,” he has stated.

Meanwhile, Jayasekara has stated that he was yet to obtain some clarifications from the Speaker of Parliament on several parliamentary Standing Orders.

“There are several clarifications over the topics that are discussed at the PSC hearings and there are subjugates. There are five cases against the head of the state and the relevant authorities. The Attorney General Dappula Livera, in a letter to the President, stated that there are concerns over the issues raised by the committee over the case that is progressing in the Supreme Court.”

According to Jayasekara, the Speaker needed to give a ruling and table the letter that the President’s Secretary had sent in relation to the PSC proceedings.

He has also stated that once the proceedings commenced in the Parliament, some of the issues itemized on these letters needed to be submitted to Parliament.

“The Speaker of the Parliament should give us a ruling saying that these are not sub judice. Minister Laskhman Kiriella on Friday raised an issue on the PSC hearings, stating that the Parliament was not abiding by judicial style proceedings. We, as the Parliament, have passed standing orders within the parliamentary rules, and if we are to violate the rules of the Parliament, I fail to understand how these proceedings need to be conducted,” Jayasekara has added.

Parliamentarian Mavai S. Senathirajah has been reappointed as the leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK).

The 16th general meeting of the party was held in Nallur, Jaffna today (29).

Former Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation of Eastern Province Krishnapillai Thurairajasingam was appointed as the general secretary of Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi.

Leader of Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian R. Sampanthan currently serves as the patron of Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi.

Meanwhile, the upcoming programmes of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi party are to be launched tomorrow (30).

Sri Lanka’s president said Monday he had rejected a telephone appeal by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to reconsider his push to reintroduce the death penalty after 43 years.

“I told the Secretary General that I want to save my country from drugs,” Maithripala Sirisena told a meeting in Colombo to mark his anti-narcotics drive.

“He telephoned me last week shortly after I signed four death warrants. I told him to please allow me to stamp out the drug menace,” Sirisena said.

Sirisena told reporters on Wednesday that he had signed death warrants for four drug offenders, but did not give their names nor say when and where the executions would be carried out.

He accused the European Union of interfering in the internal affairs of his country, saying that EU diplomats had threatened him with tariffs if Sri Lanka went ahead with the executions.

“The EU told me that they will withdraw the GSP Plus (tariff concession) if I go ahead,” Sirisena said. “This is interfering with the sovereignty and independence of our country. It is unacceptable.”

He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and at non-governmental organisations that had criticised him over his stance.

Wickremesinghe had on Sunday said that a majority of parliament members were against Sirisena’s decision to resume executions.

Sirisena faces several court challenges to his decision to restore the death penalty.

In the latest case filed in the Supreme Court Monday, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) noted it was long recognised that hanging by death was a cruel and inhuman form of punishment, not befitting a multi-religious and civilised society.

“Though convicts have been sentenced to death, the long recognised practice in Sri Lanka for over 43 years has been that they were not executed,” the CPA’s executive director Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu said.

Justice ministry sources said they were yet to fill the vacancies for two hangmen, although 26 candidates had been shortlisted for the job.

An executioner was in the post until his retirement in 2014 although no hangings were carried out since June 1976. Three replacements since have quit after short stints at the unused gallows.

Sirisena’s office has said the president wanted the hangings to send a powerful message to anyone engaged in the illegal drugs trade.

Sirisena said there were 200,000 drug addicts in the country, and 60 percent of the 24,000-strong prison population were drug offenders. (AFP)

The salary increment and other allowances for public servants proposed by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in his budget 2019 is effective from today (July 01), the spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance, Ali Hassen said.

Accordingly, all public servants will receive an additional monthly allowance of Rs 2500.00, the allowance for security forces will be increased, anomalies of 500,000 pensioners will be removed, allowance for the differently abled will be increased and the number of recipients of the kidney patients’ allowance will be increased. The government has allocated a total sum of Rs. 40,000 million for this purpose.

Under the public servants’ salary increment, 1.1 million public servants are entitled to receive an Interim Allowance of Rs. 2,500 effective today. The government had bourne Rs. 20,000 million to pay this allowance. Although the payment of this Interim Allowance is implemented effective today, the cost of living allowance of Rs.7, 800 currently being paid to the public servants will be continued as it was.

Tri Forces allowances increased - some after 20 years!

Meanwhile, another step of increasing payment of allowance for tri forces officers and members of other ranks is implemented from today (July 01). The government took measures to increase the monthly quota for the tri forces officers and members of other ranks effective last January. Accordingly, approval was given recently to increase the monthly ration quota for officers up to Rs.23, 231 and for members of other ranks up to Rs.19, 350.

In addition, the house rent being paid for the tri forces members will be doubled effective today. Simultaneously, the commando allowance for the members in parallel ranks of Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air force will be increased up to Rs.5, 000 from Rs.1, 000 effective today. The government will spend Rs.1, 175 million for this purpose, the Finance Ministry said adding that certain allowances that have been increased for the members of the tri forces effective July 1st were stagnated at the same point for the last 20 years.

 Pensioners' salary anomaly rectified

In addition, the budget proposal to remove the pensioners’ salary anomaly will be effective from today. Accordingly, the pensions of over five hundred thousand public servants who retired before December 31, 2015 will be increased by a minimum sum of Rs. 2,800 and a maximum amount of Rs.20,000.

At the same time, the cost of living allowance of Rs. 3,250 being paid to the pensioners will be paid continuously. The government has allocated Rs. 12,000 million to settle this salary anomaly of pensioners.

Differently abled allowances increased

In addition, the proposal by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera to increase the monthly allowance of differently abled persons to Rs. 5,000 from Rs. 3,000 will also be implemented from today. Accordingly, in addition to the 32,000 differently abled persons who are already entitled to receive this allowance, another 40,000 on the waiting list will be added to this scheme with a total number of 72,000 differently abled persons becoming eligible to receiving this monthly allowance Rs. 5,000 from today. The government has allocated Rs. 4,350 million for this purpose.

Kidney patients not overlooked!

The government has already been paying a monthly allowance of Rs. 5,000 each to 21,000 chronically ill kidney patients. A large number of similar patients are on the waiting list to receive this monthly allowance. As such, another 5,000 patients will receive this allowance effective today with the government allocating Rs. 1,840 for this purpose.

Aon, a global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions, has launched a blockchain platform for agricultural insurance policies for smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka.

The blockchain platform, which has been developed in partnership with Oxfam in Sri Lanka and InsurTech startup Etherisc, will reportedly deliver micro-insurance to smallholder paddy field farmers in Sri Lanka who are at risk of losing their crops due to extreme weather. The platform will automate the insurance products to directly address major barriers that prevent farmers from utilizing insurance, including the lack of affordable and reliable insurance products, a lack of understanding about how insurance would help a farmer survive, and when and how a claim would be paid.

“Strong collaboration, such as this initiative with Oxfam and Etherisc, allows us to broaden the potential positive impact we can have on people, families and small businesses around the globe,” said Hugo Wegbrans, the Chief Broking Officer of Europe, Middle East & Africa for Aon. “At the heart of our work is a mission to empower economic and human possibility – and that is exactly what we are doing here.”

According to the firms, blockchain’s ability to automate the insurance products eliminates the need for farmers to submit a claim, and, at the same time, the insurer does not need to send a claims adjuster into the field.

“Farmers represent a third of the workforce and account for almost 20 percent of the economy, yet very few have insurance,” said Michiel Berende, the Chief Inclusive Officer at Etherisc. “This made Sri Lanka a perfect candidate to feel the benefits of decentralized, collaborative and automated insurance. This alliance is really a cooperation between all and showcases blockchain for social good.”

In addition to simplifying the claims process, the blockchain platform will also help reduce administration costs and, subsequently, a higher percentage of premiums will be used for claims payment and immediate, fully trusted pay-out.

“Allowing farmers to access the blockchain platform is an important milestone that is bringing an effective and affordable risk transfer mechanism to a large portion of the Sri Lanka economy,” said Bojan Kolundzija, the Country Director of Oxfam in Sri Lanka.

President Maithripala Sirisena is facing fresh legal challenges in his attempt to end a 43-year moratorium on capital punishment and start executing drugs convicts, officials said today.

Two petitions were filed in the Court of Appeal on Friday (28) seeking an order quashing any move by Maithripala Sirisena to resume executions, which have not been carried out since the last hanging in June 1976.

The Court of Appeal will have a preliminary hearing next week. In the meantime, the prisons commissioner has given an assurance to court that there will be no hangings," AFP quoting a court official said.

On Wednesday, Sirisena said he has completed formalities to resume hangings by signing the death warrants of four condemned drug convicts. He did not say when the executions would be carried out.

Justice ministry sources said they were yet to fill the vacancies for two hangmen, although more than a dozen candidates had been shortlisted for the job. Although the last execution was more than four decades ago, an executioner was in post until his retirement in 2014. Three replacements since have quit after short stints at the unused gallows. There has been a mounting chorus of international criticism of Sirisena's announcement. Justice ministry sources said, however, there would have to be a lengthy administrative process before an execution took place.

A High Court judge who condemned a convict would have to make a fresh recommendation whether to carry out the death penalty or not. The condemned prisoner also has the option of making a clemency plea to the president. "I have signed the death warrants of four," Sirisena told reporters at his official residence on Wednesday.

"They have not been told yet. We don't want to announce the names yet because that could lead to unrest in prisons." An official in Sirisena's office said the president wanted the hangings to send a powerful message to the illegal drugs trade.

Sirisena said there were 200,000 drug addicts in the country, and 60 per cent of the 24,000 prison population were drug offenders. Criminals in Sri Lanka are regularly handed death sentences for murder, rape and drug-related crimes, but since 1976 their punishments have been commuted to life imprisonment.