Page 13 - Sri Lanka

Petronet LNG signs agreement with Sri Lankan govt for power generation

The Sri Lankan government and a state-run Indian firm on Tuesday signed an agreement to develop infrastructure for storage, regasification and LNG supply for a combined cycle power plant in the island nation, according to the power and energy ministry here. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Sri Lanka's LTL Holdings Limited and India's Petronet LNG Limited for the infrastructure development of the Sobadhanavi Combined Cycle Power Plant at Kerawalapitiya, north Colombo. The Sri Lankan Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, and the Deputy High Commissioner of India, Satyanjal Pandey, signed the MoU at a ceremony here. Wijesekara said the power generation could be as low as fifty per cent less here than generation through fuel usage. "MOU for the development of Storage facilities, Regasification unit in Kerawalapitiya and the supply of LNG for the Yugadhanavi, Sobadhanavi & other LNG power plants in Sri Lanka was signed today," Wijesekera said in a ..

Sri Lanka sets expenditure limits for prez election campaign for first time

For the first time, Sri Lanka's upcoming presidential election on September 21 will be subject to campaign finance regulations, following the introduction of the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act in January 2023. According to a gazette notification dated August 16 and published Monday, each candidate is allowed to spend a maximum of Rs 109 per elector for election campaigning activities, totalling Rs 1,868,298,586 (approx USD 5 million) per candidate. The expenditure limit per candidate has been set at 60 per cent of the total amount, while political party secretaries are allowed 40 per cent for their candidate's election campaign activities. The parties must submit expenditure reports to the Elections Commission within 21 days of the election results being declared, the notification stated. A record number of 39 candidates are in the fray for the upcoming presidential election. Incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe, the main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and the lea

Sri Lankan police to remove propaganda material ahead of prez election

The Sri Lankan police have deployed 1,500 workers to remove any illegal election posters and cutouts from public places ahead of next month's presidential election. The police have begun an operation to crack down on all election propaganda material which violates election laws leading to the September 21 presidential election. The police election secretariat said workers have been recruited at provincial police stations to pull down material displayed by candidates in violation of propaganda rules. Senior Deputy Inspector of Police (SDIG) in Charge of Elections Asanka Karawita, said each worker would be paid Rs 1,500 a day and given police protection to carry out the task of removing unlawful election-related materials, the Island Online reported. All posters, cutouts and banners which are unlawful would be removed. The election laws do not permit propaganda material to be displayed in public places. The candidates can only display them at their propaganda offices. The Human Rig

Record number of candidates in fray for Sri Lankan presidential election

A total of 39 candidates, including three minority Tamils and two Buddhist monks, are in the fray for next month's presidential election in Sri Lanka, the election commission announced here on Thursday. However, there was not a single woman candidate among the 39 presidential aspirants for the September 21 election. In the last presidential election in 2019, there were 35 candidates while there were only six candidates in the first-ever presidential election held in October 1982. On the last day to file papers on Thursday, nominations were accepted from 9 am to 11 am local time after Wednesday's closure of paying deposits to the contest. There were 40 deposits paid but one of them has chosen not to file nominations. R M A L Rathnayake, the election commission chief, said there were three objections against three candidates, which were rejected by the commission. There were more than 17 million eligible voters in the 22 electoral districts throughout the island nation. Besides ..

Rajapaksas ditch Wickremesinghe, youngest heir candidate for Lanka prez

Namal Rajapaksa, the 38-year-old heir to the Rajapaksa dynasty, was on Wednesday named as the SLPP candidate for the presidential election, thus officially ending Rajapaksa family's backing to the incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe. Sagara Kariyawasam, the general secretary of the Sri Lanka People's Front (SLPP, also known locally by its popular Sinhalese name, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna), announced the younger Rajapaksa's candidacy early on Wednesday morning at a ceremony at the party headquarters. Namal's entry has made the election a four-cornered contest. Besides, President Wickremesinghe, the main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and the Marxist JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake are already in the fray. The Rajapaksas Mahinda, Basil and Gotabaya were instrumental in Wickremesinghe winning the parliamentary vote in July 2022 to take over Gotabaya's remaining term. It was soon after the unprecedented development of mid-April 2022 when the island nation declared its first-ever

Sri Lanka suspends its new e-visa system 3 months after launch: Here's why

While e-visa portal has been suspended, Indians still have the option of visa-on-arrival

Bangladesh unrest: A look at other government overthrows by mass protests

Mass protests led Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign and flee in 2022 like Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina, while Egypt also saw mass protests and overthrow of the government in 2011

EAM Jaishankar assures to facilitate Indian, Sri Lankan fishermen meet

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday assured a delegation of Tamil Nadu fishermen that a meeting between the fishing communities of India and Sri Lanka will be facilitated to discuss the issues affecting them. He also informed that the recent apprehension of Indian fishermen by the Lankan authorities would be taken up at a meeting of the Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group to work out a solution to the problems, Tamil Nadu BJP state chief K Annamalai said. At the meeting in which the government secretaries too participated, Jaishankar mentioned that the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India was summoned over the death of the Rameswaram fisherman, and a strong protest was registered. "The representatives of the fishing community requested that a joint meeting between the representatives of the fishing community of the two countries be facilitated. Our EAM assured that the same would be considered," Annamalai said in a release here. Jaishankar had reaffirmed that the ...

Sri Lanka Supreme Court sets Oct 14 for Adani wind power projects case

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Friday set October 14 as the date for the hearing of five fundamental rights petitions filed against the wind power plant undertaken by the Indian conglomerate Adani Group in the north-eastern region of Mannar. The three-member bench of the apex court here ordered the respondents to file objections before September 13. Environmental NGOs had filed petitions claiming that the project endangers biodiversity and poses a threat to migratory birds. The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society filed the case, naming the government, the Board of Investment and the Central Environmental Authority among others as respondents. The environmental rights group had claimed in court that a decision by the Cabinet to treat the Adani wind power project as a Sri Lanka-India government-to-government venture was illegal and that it would cause immense damage to the migratory bird population causing environmental hazards. The group had also challenged the action by Minister

Sri Lanka needs to raise fiscal revenue to maintain economic stability: IMF

IMF has also provided Colombo and financial advisors of the country's bondholders an assessment on a provisional deal

Ranil Wickremesinghe announces candidacy for Sri Lanka's presidential race

Wickremesinghe said that it was love for his country that drove him to take up the task of rebuilding Sri Lanka, which was in chaos and on the brink of bankruptcy

Sri Lanka set to go for prez election on Sept 21, puts end to speculations

The presidential election in Sri Lanka is to take place on September 21, the independent elections commission announced today. The announcement ended months long speculation that the election would be postponed to extend the term of the incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe. The government gazette no 2394/51 issued today said in terms of article 31 (3) of the constitution the election would take place on September 21 while the nominations would be accepted on August 15. The election announcement set to end the balance term of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was ousted mid 2022 in a popular public uprising. Rajapaksa had been elected with a record near 7 million votes in November 2019 when the last presidential election was held. Tens of thousands who got into the streets early 2022 demanded Rajapaksa to step down for his failure to tackle the island's gravest economic crisis since 1948. Rajapaksa was forced to flee the country on July 9, 2022 and incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe who was

Sri Lanka names Nuwan Thushara's replacement for T20I series against India

Sri Lanka pacer Nuwan Thushara has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match T20 International series against India after picking up a finger injury at training. The 29-year-old injured his left thumb while fielding during a training session on Wednesday. Although the injury was sustained on his non-bowling arm, it is severe enough to rule him out of the three T20Is, starting here on Saturday. Fellow pacer Dilshan Madushanka has been named as replacement. Thushara's injury is a severe setback for the hosts. The pacer had been in great form lately, finishing as the team's highest wicket-taker during the T20 World Cup last month. He had scalped eight wickets in three outings at an economy of 5.62, with best figures of 4/18. Thushara has become the second Lankan pacer to be ruled out of the series after Dushmantha Chameera was pulled out from the squad due to illness, with Asitha Fernando filling in for him.

Sri Lanka fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera ruled out of series against India

Sri Lanka fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been ruled out of Sri Lanka's white-ball home series against India owing to an injury, chief selector Upul Tharanga said on Wednesday. A replacement will be named shortly by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). "Yesterday we got the reports, and it can be confirmed that he will miss the T20Is and ODIs against India," Tharanga said during a press in which newly appointed interim head coach Sanath Jayasuriya was also present. "We will name a replacement shortly." The 32-year-old Chameera, who made his international debut for Sri Lanka in 2015 and bowls at a good pace, has been plagued with injuries throughout his career. So far, he has played 12 Tests, 52 ODIs, and 55 T20 matches, taking 32, 56 and 55 wickets respectively. Chameera didn't play the last few matches for Kandy Falcons in the recently-concluded Lanka Premier League (LPL). However, it is not clear as to when he picked up the injury. Among big events, Chameera missed the Asia Cup in 202

Sri Lanka, B'desh register big wins to enter semifinals of women's Asia Cup

Hosts Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cruised into the semifinals of the women's Asia Cup T20 tournament with comfortable victories over Thailand and Malaysia here on Wednesday. While Sri Lanka thrashed Thailand by 10 wickets in the final group match of the tournament, Bangladesh hammered Malaysia by 114 runs earlier in the day at the same venue. In the first match of the day, Bangladesh rode on opener Murshida Khatun's 59-ball 80 and skipper Nigar Sultana's 37-ball 62 to post a commanding 191 for 2. Opting to bat, Khatun and wicket-keeper Dilara Akter (33) shared 65 runs for the opening wicket before the former joined hands with Sultana to stitch 89 runs for the second wicket to set the foundation for the big total. Bangladesh then restricted Malaysia to 77 for 8 in 20 overs to register a convincing win and a place in the semifinals. In the last group match of the tournament, Thailand could muster only 93 for 7 after opting to bat. Wicket-keeper batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai top-scored

Sri Lanka central bank cuts interest rates to help fuel economic recovery

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) cut the Standing Deposit Facility Rate to 8.25 per cent and the Standing Lending Facility Rate to 9.25 per cent

India, Sri Lanka plan roadmap to train 1,500 officers from island nation

A roadmap is being discussed for a collaboration between the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Sri Lanka's Institute of Development Administration to train 1,500 administrative officers of the island nation in India, according to an official statement issued on Thursday. A high-level Indian delegation, led by NCGG Director General and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) Secretary V Srinivas, visited Sri Lanka from July 7-9. According to an statement issued on Thursday by the Personnel Ministry, the visit was marked by productive deliberations and strategic meetings, and paved the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation and capacity building support for senior public officials of Sri Lanka. "The two sides discussed the roadmap for collaboration between the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration for capacity building programs for 1,500 Sri Lanka Administrative Service Officers in India

Sri Lankan Navy arrests 13 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, seizes 3 boats

As per information received by the Rameswaram Fishermen Association, the fishermen belonged to the Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu

Sri Lanka to not ban any foreign research ships from its ports from 2025

Sri Lanka has decided to lift from next year a ban on the visit of foreign research ships imposed after strong security concerns raised by India and the US following frequent docking requests from hi-tech Chinese surveillance vessels, the Japanese media reported. The change in position was conveyed by visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry to the NHK World Japan. With the increased movement of Chinese research vessels in the Indian Ocean, New Delhi had expressed concern that those might be spy ships and urged Colombo not to allow such vessels to dock at its ports. After India raised concern, Sri Lanka banned the entry of foreign research vessels from docking at its port in January. Earlier this year, it had made an exception for a Chinese vessel but said the ban would continue otherwise. Sabry said his government cannot have different rules for different countries and only block China. He added that his country will not take sides in a dispute between others, the NHK World

Wickremesinghe rules out another salary hike for govt employees this year

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that the government sector employees will not be given another salary increase this year, cautioning that further pay hikes without proper planning could cripple the government ahead of presidential and general elections. The 75-year-old, widely expected to seek re-election for the office of president, acknowledged the strain on the economy, stating that previous programmes providing increased benefits and allowances had depleted excess funds, the News First portal reported on Sunday. Wickremesinghe highlighted the Sri Lankan Rs 10,000 salary increase and additional benefits implemented under the "Aswasuma" programme. He emphasised the need for fiscal responsibility, cautioning that further salary increases without proper planning could cripple the government, the report said. Wickremesinghe, who has been serving the balance term of the ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa since mid-July 2022, stressed the need to prioritise nationa