By Sarath Obeysekera

Sri Lanka’s marine industry has enormous potential. We have skilled boat builders, strategic harbours, a growing export market, and access to regional shipping routes. Yet time and again, valuable investments made with public funds are allowed to deteriorate due to poor management decisions, bureaucratic inertia, and a lack of commercial vision.
For several years I have written about the unfortunate fate of a state-of-the-art boat lift currently stranded in Trincomalee.
The lift, which operates using advanced air technology, was  built by Sri Lankan engineers in Sri Lanka to support the marine industry and provide an efficient method of lifting vessels for repair and maintenance. However, due to a legal dispute between the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation and a shipyard over alleged non-payment of approximately Rs.6 million, the equipment has effectively been immobilized.
While the court case drags on, the boat lift remains exposed to the elements. Valuable equipment purchased at considerable expense is rusting away year after year. No meaningful effort appears to have been made to reach an amicable settlement, withdraw the action, or facilitate another investor taking over and operating the facility.
A similar story can be seen elsewhere.
At Modara Fishery Harbour, a modern hydraulic boat lift, once expected to serve the marine sector efficiently, has also become largely inactive and deteriorating. Again, valuable public assets are being wasted while the industry struggles for access to modern infrastructure.
Against this background, I was surprised to learn that the Ceylon Fishery Harbours Corporation has now been entrusted with operating the new boat launching facility at Beruwala, constructed at a cost exceeding Rs. 75 million under the Ministry of Industries.
The facility itself is a welcome investment. Sri Lanka needs such infrastructure if we are serious about developing the marine industry. However, infrastructure alone does not guarantee success.
Management determines success.
My concern is that we are about to repeat the mistakes of the past.
During discussions leading to the project, I suggested that the facility be entrusted to organizations with direct experience in marine engineering and commercial vessel operations, such as Ceynor or the Industrial Development Board, or alternatively managed through a public-private partnership capable of generating sustainable income.
Unfortunately, these suggestions were not adopted.
Instead, there is a real risk that the facility will become little more than a parking area for fishing vessels. Boats may be lifted and left ashore for extended periods, gradually turning valuable industrial land into an informal storage yard or even a marine junkyard.
If that happens, the original purpose of the investment will be lost.
The facility was intended to support boat construction, repairs, refits, exports, and the broader marine engineering sector. It should generate revenue, create employment, and support industrial growth. It should not become another underutilized government asset maintained at public expense.
Ceremonial openings attended by ministers make headlines for a day. Sustainable operation requires commercial planning, professional management, transparent pricing, proper maintenance, and accountability.
The tragedy is not the lack of investment. Sri Lanka has invested millions in marine infrastructure.
The tragedy is that we continue to place valuable assets under institutions that have not demonstrated the ability to maximize their commercial value.
Unless a professional operating model is introduced from the outset, the Beruwala boat launching facility may join the growing list of well-intentioned projects that ultimately become white elephants.
Sri Lanka’s marine industry deserves better.
The country needs fewer ceremonial openings and more commercially successful operations.
Otherwise, future generations will inherit little more than rusting equipment, abandoned facilities, and unanswered questions about how public money was spent.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Sri Lanka is blessed with an extensive coastline and abundant marine resources. The country has established 21 fishery harbours around the island to facilitate anchoring and mooring of multi-day fishing vessels. In addition, the modern fishery harbour at Dikovita was constructed with facilities for traditional fishing craft and a separate section for large local and foreign fishing vessels, complete with freezer and cooling facilities.
Yet, despite this infrastructure, the fisheries sector remains one of the most neglected components of Sri Lanka’s Blue Economy.
The Tragic State of Fish Handling
A typical 45 to 55-foot multi-day fishing vessel costing over Rs. 20 million lacks even basic freezing facilities. These boats do not carry generators or refrigeration systems. Instead, fishermen rely on several tons of flaked ice and a few batteries to power light bulbs during voyages lasting up to 21 days.
The fishing cycle itself is inefficient. It takes nearly a week to reach deep-sea fishing grounds, another week to catch fish, and approximately a week to return to port. The first catch often deteriorates significantly and is sometimes dried on board, while only the latter catches remain preserved in boxes filled with melting ice.
By the time these vessels return to harbour, a substantial portion of the fish is no longer fit for human consumption.
A visiting Japanese fisheries delegation once observed fish being unloaded at a harbour near Colombo and asked a question that should have embarrassed the entire nation:
Are these fish meant for human beings or for dogs?”
That comment accurately reflects the poor standards of fish handling prevailing in many of our fishery harbours.
Failure to Modernise the Industry
For decades, experts have proposed the introduction of large fish collector vessels exceeding 150 feet in length. These mother ships would possess generators, freezing and cold storage facilities, first aid services, accommodation, and fuel supplies. 

Multi-day fishing boats could transfer their catch at sea, enabling fish to reach markets in excellent condition while fishermen continue fishing operations.

Such systems are successfully used in several advanced fishing nations.

Unfortunately, successive governments failed to implement this proposal.

As a result, Sri Lankan fishermen continue to operate with outdated technology, losing both product quality and export opportunities.
Poor Infrastructure and Lost Export Markets
Anyone visiting a fishery harbour will observe the unacceptable conditions under which fish is handled. The containers and tubs used for fish transportation are often of poor quality and unsuitable for maintaining export standards.
International buyers demand stringent quality and hygiene standards. Sri Lanka frequently fails to meet these expectations, resulting in lost market opportunities and lower export prices.

The irony is that while Sri Lanka possesses some of the richest tuna resources in the Indian Ocean, we continue to sell much of our catch at lower values because of poor post-harvest handling.

The Forgotten Fisherman

The fishing community remains one of the least protected sectors in the country.
Many fishermen have:
● No comprehensive insurance schemes;
● No retirement or pension benefits;
● No structured savings mechanisms;
● Limited access to healthcare;
● Little financial security for their families.
Consequently, many fishing families have experienced little improvement in their living standards despite the enormous wealth generated by the industry.
In countries such as Japan, South Korea, and many European nations, fishermen enjoy relatively high standards of living and receive substantial institutional support. They are respected professionals and integral contributors to national food security and exports.
In Sri Lanka, however, fishermen are often neglected and left vulnerable.
Disturbing Trends
Large multi-day fishing vessels costing nearly Rs. 40 million are being built in increasing numbers. While many operators engage in legitimate fishing activities, there are disturbing allegations that some vessels are also used for drug trafficking and other illegal activities because the profits can far exceed those from fishing.
This highlights the urgent need for better monitoring, regulation, and governance within the sector.
Time for a National Fisheries Transformation
The fisheries sector should not be viewed merely as a source of fish. It is a strategic component of Sri Lanka’s Blue Economy.
The country urgently needs:
1. Modern fish collector vessels and offshore refrigeration systems.
2. Proper cold chain management from sea to market.
3. Hygienic fish handling facilities in all fishery harbours.
4. International standard containers and processing equipment.
5. Insurance, pension, and welfare schemes for fishermen.
6. Training and technology transfer programmes.
7. Better monitoring and governance of deep-sea fishing operations.
8. Investment in value-added fish processing and exports.

Sri Lanka possesses all the natural advantages necessary to become a major maritime and fisheries hub in the Indian Ocean. What is lacking is vision, planning, and sustained commitment.
The 21 fishery harbours scattered around our coastline are valuable national assets. Yet many remain underutilised and poorly managed. 

Unless immediate action is taken to modernise the sector and uplift the lives of fishing communities, Sri Lanka will continue to waste one of its greatest economic opportunities.
The Blue Economy cannot remain merely a slogan. It must become a national mission.
The time to act is now.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Senaka Weeraratna

Question

South African lawyers born and bred in the Apartheid era, serving on the Legal Team of the ICC are now being accused of malpractice and prejudice against South Asian innovators. Why wasn’t a ‘ De “-Nazification'” type of screening done at time of their recruitment ?

AI response

The absence of a “De-Nazification” type screening for lawyers who transitioned from the Apartheid era into prominent sports law and governance positions—such as advising the International Cricket Council (ICC)—stems from South Africa’s historic decision to prioritize a peaceful, unified transition over systemic purges, a model codified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

The question of institutional vetting has gained renewed scrutiny following intense global legal and ethical criticisms directed at figures like David Becker. Becker, a South African attorney who served as the ICC’s Head of Legal, faced severe backlash for drafting a controversial legal opinion that systematically denied intellectual property credit to Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna—the original conceptualizer of the “Player Referral” framework that forms the core of modern cricket’s Umpire Decision Review System (DRS). [1] 

David Richardson, South African lawyer, who served as the CEO of ICC and who was handed Dossiers of documents on Player – Referral concept by SLC officials twice in 2008 ( Colombo) and 2009 ( Dubai), and now identified as the undisclosed Contractor of the ICC version of DRS, is being seen increasingly as the Mastermind of the ICC Scam. 

Several geopolitical and legal factors explain why rigorous ideological or historical screenings were not implemented during the recruitment of these professionals:

1. The TRC Model: Reconciliation Over Retribution

When South Africa transitioned to democracy in 1994, the incoming African National Congress (ANC) government deliberately rejected a Nuremberg-style punitive approach or aggressive institutional purges (“lustration”). Instead, they implemented the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) framework. This model traded criminal accountability and systemic job bans for truth-telling and amnesty. The primary goal was to prevent a civil war and ensure economic stability, which allowed white professionals across the legal, medical, and corporate sectors to retain their positions and transition into global roles without institutional blacklisting. [1, 2]

2. The Autonomy of Private and Sports Corporations

Unlike the International Criminal Court, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is a private global sports governing body, not an intergovernmental tribunal established by a treaty like the Rome Statute. Recruitment in corporate sports governance relies on conventional corporate hiring practices: [1, 2]

• Technical Merit over Political Vetting: Corporate entities assess candidates based on specialized sports law experience, commercial litigation skills, and corporate compliance history.
• Lack of Mandate: A private sports federation has no international legal mandate, mechanism, or authority to conduct historical, state-level ideological screenings of private citizens.

3. Self-Regulation of the Legal Profession [1]

During the Apartheid era, statutory law societies frequently protected the status quo and tolerated deep systemic disparities. Because the post-1994 transition focused on harmonizing these structures into modern bodies like the South African Legal Practice Council (LPC) rather than dismantling the entire roster of practitioners, lawyers who maintained clean corporate standings were cleared to practice globally. If an attorney had no active, formalized rulings of professional misconduct or fraud on their record, international recruiters treated them as valid, high-standing candidates. [1, 2, 3]

4. Overlooking Institutional Prejudices in IP Law

The controversy surrounding the dismissal of South Asian innovations highlights a blind spot in corporate legal vetting, where compliance checks routinely focus on overt criminal history rather than implicit bias or institutional prejudice. Critics argue that when the ICC legal team relied on narrow legal doctrines to claim the ICC was unaware of Weeraratna’s published work, they ignored the doctrine of Constructive Notice. This dynamic is viewed by detractors not as an administrative oversight, but as a continuation of global-scale structural imbalances that marginalize non-Western innovators. []

If you want to look closer at how this dispute is evolving, let me know if you would like to explore:

• The specific intellectual property frameworks and legal avenues Sri Lankan advocates are using to challenge the ICC opinion.
• The official historical documentation and media publications from 1997 that establish the origins of the Player Referral concept.
• How modern international sports bodies are updating their ethics and governance codes to handle cross-border IP disputes fairly. [1]

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Source:  AI Overview

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

For most foreign students in the Soviet Union, summer meant one thing: a government-sponsored holiday on the Black Sea coast at Sochi. The university arranged everything and paid for it. Sun, sea, and relaxation awaited us.
I did it only once.
After that, I had a different plan.
Instead of spending my holidays in Sochi, I decided to travel to England to earn a few pounds. To a foreign student living on a modest Soviet stipend, British pounds were as precious as gold.
The journey itself was an adventure.
I bought a sleeper ticket for about 109 roubles—a considerable sum at the time—and began my journey from Moscow’s Belarusskaya Station. In a single day I somehow managed to obtain transit visas for Poland, East Germany, and the Netherlands. In those days England still allowed relatively easy entry for students, although visas became necessary later.
I packed like a true Soviet student traveller.
My suitcase contained several bottles of vodka, canned fish, canned meat, and enough black bread to survive a siege. The train conductor supplied endless glasses of strong black tea, which somehow made the journey feel civilised.
The first major stop was Brest on the Soviet-Polish border.
There, history literally sat beneath the train.
Russian railway tracks were wider than those in Europe, partly because the Tsars and later the Soviets wanted to make it difficult for invading armies to simply roll into Russia by train. As a result, the entire wheel assembly of the train had to be changed.
For several hours the train stood motionless while gigantic jacks lifted the carriages and workers replaced the bogies.
Meanwhile, immigration officers searched luggage thoroughly.

Their main concern was smuggling.

People attempted to take out dollars bought on the black market, ancient religious icons, and various treasures of the Soviet state. Students had developed ingenious methods of hiding currency. One popular method was to remove the tobacco from cigarettes and replace it with tightly rolled hundred-dollar bills.

The border inspectors knew every trick.
Or so they thought.

Crossing Poland was like entering another world. The landscape changed, and cheerful Polish passengers boarded the train. They talked loudly, laughed easily, and seemed far more relaxed than their Soviet neighbours.
One incident remains vivid in my memory.
I was travelling with a Sri Lankan friend. Sharing our compartment was a West German professor who had been conducting research in Poland. He was also attempting to transport some Polish furniture to West Berlin. The arrangement apparently involved several Polish men whose intentions were, shall we say, not entirely legal.
Unfortunately for everyone, the East German authorities discovered the scheme.

The Polish men were arrested immediately.

The East German security officers—who reminded me of a less fashionable version of the old Gestapo—then arrested the West German professor.
My Sri Lankan friend, trying to explain matters and perhaps displaying more courage than wisdom, attempted to argue with them.
They arrested him too.
When the train finally reached West Berlin, I got off and immediately returned to the border station looking for my friend.
I found him locked up and being interrogated.
The West German professor, meanwhile, was creating his own problems.
The authorities wanted him to answer questions in German. He refused.

I do not speak German to dogs,” he declared.
The situation became almost comical.

The East Germans then had to find an English translator to interrogate a German professor in Germany because he refused to speak German.
For hours they grilled him while we sat there watching the spectacle like an absurd theatre performance.
Eventually, both men were released.
The professor returned to the train, crossed into West Germany and visibly sighed with relief as the border disappeared behind him.
The adventure, however, was not over.
The train continued through the Netherlands and finally arrived at the Hook of Holland. The railway line ended practically at the pier itself.
From there we boarded the ferry to Harwich.
After days of crossing Communist Europe, seeing England emerge through the mist felt like arriving on another planet.
At Harwich we boarded the train to London’s Liverpool Street Station and then took the Underground to Marble Arch, where the Ceylon Students’ Centre was located.
A proper Sri Lankan dinner cost three shillings and sixpence.
After weeks of black bread and canned fish, rice and curry tasted better than any banquet.
The following morning I walked along Oxford Street looking for work.
A burly English restaurant manager looked me up and down and hired me immediately.
My job?
Washing dishes.
The pay was three pounds and fifty pence a day.
To a Soviet student, that felt like winning a lottery.
There was another benefit.
Part of my duties involved peeling and preparing eggs in large quantities. I consumed an astonishing number of eggs during that month. I suspect my cholesterol would have terrified modern cardiologists, but at the time I considered it free nutrition.
After a month of hard work, I returned to Moscow carrying a few precious items: Levi’s jeans and Beatles records, both expensive and highly desirable in the Soviet Union.
More importantly, I returned with enough money to finance my next journey.
In later years my studies and work took me to places such as Orenburg and Baku and into the oil fields of the Soviet Union.
There I met a fireman who disliked using the common Russian swear word Blyad.” Instead, he substituted it with the word Pomidori”—meaning tomatoes.
Even profanity had regional variations.

Those journeys across Communist Europe, those border interrogations, the endless train rides, washing dishes in London and returning with a suitcase containing jeans and Beatles records—all of it shaped me.

They taught me resilience.

They taught me to survive discomfort, uncertainty and bureaucracy.
Perhaps that is why, many years later, I could face harsh weather, difficult working conditions and even aggressive trade unions in the shipyards I managed.

Compared with an East German interrogation room, most challenges in life seemed relatively simple.

Looking back now, I realise that I never went to England merely to earn pounds.

I travelled there to collect stories.
And those stories have paid dividends for the rest of my life.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

ආචාර්ය සරත් ඔබේසේකර

2026 ජූනි 12 දින ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කරන ලදී

අද දින සෝවියට් සංගමය ගැන කතා කරන විට බොහෝ දෙනා කතා කරන්නේ දේශපාලනය, ශීත යුද්ධය, කොමියුනිස්ට්වාදය, භාණ්ඩ හිඟය සහ අධිරාජ්‍යයක් බිඳ වැටුණු ආකාරය පිළිබඳවය. නමුත් අප වැනි එහි ශිෂ්‍යයන් ලෙස ජීවත් වූ අයට එය සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම වෙනස් ලෝකයක් විය. එය මිත්‍රත්වය, වික්‍රමාන්විත අත්දැකීම්, දුෂ්කරතා සහ නිමක් නැති කතාන්දරවලින් පිරුණු ලෝකයකි.

තරුණ විදේශීය ශිෂ්‍යයෙකු ලෙස මම එහි පැමිණි අතර ඉතා ඉක්මනින් රුසියානු මිතුරන්ගේ සමීප කණ්ඩායමක කොටසක් වීමි. යුරා, සාෂා, ඉගෝර් සහ කොල්යා ඒ අතර සිටියහ. අප සතුව මුදල් අඩුවෙන් තිබුණද, අපගේ පැත්තේ තරුණ බව තිබුණි. එය අපව ධනවතුන් ලෙස හැඟවීමට ප්‍රමාණවත් විය.

බියර් බොහෝ විට හිඟ භාණ්ඩයක් විය. බල්ගේරියානු බියර් හදිසියේ කඩවල දර්ශනය වූ විට, ඒ ආරංචිය ලැව් ගින්නක් මෙන් පැතිර ගියේය. රාක්ක හිස් වීමට පෙර ශිෂ්‍යයන් කඩවලට දිව ගොස් පෙට්ටි පිටින්ම මිලදී ගත්හ. එය ජාතික හදිසි අවස්ථාවක් මෙන් සැලකුණි.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, අපගේ ප්‍රියතම පානය වූයේ වොඩ්කාය.

ලාභම සහ ප්‍රබලම වොඩ්කා බෝතලයක මිල හරියටම රූබල් 3යි කොපෙක් 63යි. එහි මුඩිය විවෘත කළ හැකි වුවද නැවත වසා දැමිය නොහැකි ලෙස නිර්මාණය කර තිබුණි. පණිවිඩය ඉතා පැහැදිලිය. වරක් විවෘත කළොත්, බෝතලය අවසන් කළ යුතුය.

බෝතලයක් බෙදා ගැනීම සඳහා කම්කරුවන්ට ඔවුන්ගේම ක්‍රමයක් තිබුණි. මිනිසුන් දෙදෙනෙකුට සම්පූර්ණ බෝතලයක් මිලදී ගැනීමට මුදල් ප්‍රමාණවත් නොවූ විට, ඔවුන් කඩයක් හෝ නැව් අංගනයක දොරටුවක් අසල ඇඟිලි දෙකක් ඔසවාගෙන සිටියහ. එහි තේරුම වූයේ, අපි දෙන්නෙක්. තවත් හවුල්කරුවෙකු අවශ්‍යයි” යන්නයි.

මිනිත්තු කිහිපයක් ඇතුළත තුන්වැනි පුද්ගලයෙකු පැමිණ තම කොටස ගෙවා බෝතලය මිලදී ගන්නා ලදී.

එය ක්‍රියාත්මක වූ සමාජවාදයයි.

ශීත රාත්‍රී අමතක කළ නොහැකි විය. නගරයට යටින් සැඟවුණු භූගත මත්පැන් ශාලාවක් තිබුණි. යුරා, සාෂා, ඉගෝර්, කොල්යා සහ මම ඇහිබැම පවා මිදෙන තරම් සීතලක දිගු පෝලිම්වල සිටියෙමු. පත්තර කැබලිවල ඔතා තිබූ අඟල් හයක පමණ වියළි මාළු කැබලි අප අතේ තිබුණි. ඇතුළට ගිය පසු, වොඩ්කා ෂොට් එකකට පසු එම මාළු අපගේ අනුභවය බවට පත්විය.

අපට සුඛෝපභෝගී කොක්ටේල් අවශ්‍ය නොවීය.

විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයට යන මාර්ගයේ විශාල රතු මුහුණක් ඇති බියර් වෙළෙන්දෙකු පවත්වාගෙන ගිය කුඩා කඩයක් තිබුණි. දැඩි ශීත කාලයේදී ඔහු විකුණුවේ උණු බියර්ය.

හිම සුළඟ පැත්තකට හමා යන අතර උෂ්ණත්වය සෙල්සියස් අංශක ඍණ විස්සට පහළ වැටී තිබියදී උණු බියර් පානය කිරීම සිතට නඟා බලන්න. අද එය විහිළුවක් මෙන් පෙනුණත් එදා එය අපට ස්වර්ගයක් විය.

රසිකයන් සඳහා රූබල් 4යි කොපෙක් 12ක් වටිනා තවත් මිල අධික වොඩ්කා වර්ගයක් තිබුණි. විශේෂඥයන් පවසන පරිදි එය ධාන්‍ය වලින් නිෂ්පාදනය කරන ලද අතර, ලාභ වර්ගය ඛනිජ තෙල් නිෂ්පාදනවලින් ලබාගත් එතිල් ඇල්කොහොල් වලින් සාදන ලදී. එය සත්‍යද අසත්‍යද යන්න කුමක් වුවත්, අප දෙකම එකම උද්යෝගයෙන් පානය කළෙමු.

ආහාර මිලදී ගැනීම සඳහා උපාය මාර්ග අවශ්‍ය විය. ‘මියාසෝ’ මස් කඩයේ සෑම කෙනෙකුටම ප්‍රමාණවත් හොඳ මස් කැබලි තිබුණේ කලාතුරකිනි. හොඳ මස් කැබැල්ලක් අවශ්‍ය නම්, විකුණුම් කාන්තාවට රහසිගත අල්ලසක් ලබා දීමෙන් සමහර විට කාර්යය ඉටු විය. පෝලිමේ සිටි වයෝවෘද්ධ කාන්තාවන් මැසිවිලි නගමින් බැන වැදුණත්, කෙසේ හෝ සියල්ලෝම ජීවත් වූහ.

සෝවියට් ජීවිතයේ විනෝදජනකම පරස්පරය වූයේ ශීත කාලයමය.

පිටත උෂ්ණත්වය සෙල්සියස් අංශක ඍණ තිහ දක්වා පහත වැටිය හැකි විය. නමුත් මෙට්‍රෝ උමං මාර්ග තුළ මිනිසුන් සතුටින් අයිස්ක්‍රීම් කෑහ. මමද ඔවුන් සමඟ එකතු වීමි. ඉහළින් හිම කුණාටු ඇවිළෙමින් තිබියදී, බර කබා සහ ලොම් තොප්පි පැළඳගෙන අපි අයිස්ක්‍රීම් රස වින්දෙමු.

ගමන් බිමන් පුදුමාකාර ලෙස ලාභ විය. කොපෙක් පහක කාසියකින් මෙට්‍රෝ පද්ධතියේ ඕනෑම තැනකට පාහේ යා හැකි විය.

අපගේ විශිෂ්ටතම වික්‍රමාන්විත අත්දැකීම් වූයේ කඳවුරු ගමන්ය. මිතුරන් කණ්ඩායමක් පිටුපස බෑග් දමා සති අන්තවල වනාන්තර සහ ගම්බද ප්‍රදේශ කරා අතුරුදහන් විය.

අපගේ සැපයුම් සරල විය. වොඩ්කා බෝතල් කිහිපයක්, ටින් කළ තක්කාලි, ගර්කින් අච්චාරු බෝතල්, කළු රයි පාන් සහ හමුදා ශෛලියේ ටින් කළ මස්.

රාත්‍රියේ අපි ගිනි මැලයක් වටා වාඩි වී සිටියෙමු.

යුරා තම ගිටාරය රැගෙන පැරණි රුසියානු ජන ගී ගායනා කිරීමට පටන් ගත්තේය.

කලින්කා… කලින්කා… කලින්කා මායා…”

ඉක්මනින්ම සියලු දෙනාම ගායනයට එක් වූහ. වොඩ්කා ගලා ගියේය. ගීත තවත් උස්විය. ඉහළින් තිබූ තරු ලොව වෙනත් ඕනෑම තැනකට වඩා දීප්තිමත් බවක් පෙනුණි.

හැන්ගෝවර් සඳහා සම්ප්‍රදායික රුසියානු ප්‍රතිකාරය වූයේ පසුදින උදෑසන තවත් වොඩ්කා වීදුරුවකි. එය වෛද්‍ය විද්‍යාවට අනුව කිසිදු තර්කයක් නොතිබූ ප්‍රතිකාරයක් වුවද, පුදුම සහගත ලෙස ක්‍රියා කළේය.

ආහාර සරල හා තෘප්තිමත් විය. කළු රයි පාන් සෑම ආහාර වේලකටම පාහේ තිබුණි. මිනිසුන් විශාල වශයෙන් අර්තාපල් ආහාරයට ගත් නමුත් අදට සාපේක්ෂව දියවැඩියාව දුර්ලභ විය. කලබාසා සොසේජස් කැබලි සමඟ බැදපු අර්තාපල් මංගල්‍යයක් විය. කෙෆීර් නම් ඇඹුල් කිරි පානය දෛනික ආහාරයේ අංගයක් විය.

මගේ ප්‍රියතම ආහාරවලින් එකක් වූයේ විශාල තම්බා සොසේජස් සමඟ පිළිගන්වන ලද පොඩි කළ අර්තාපල්ය. ශීත දිනයක් ගත කිරීමෙන් පසු එය ලාභ, බඩ පිරෙන සහ රසවත් ආහාරයක් විය.

සමහර විට අපි විශේෂ ලෙස සැමරුවෙමු. ජෝර්ජියානු අවන්හලකට යෑම සුඛෝපභෝගී අත්දැකීමක් ලෙස සැලකුණි. මේසයක් ලබා ගැනීමට බොහෝ විට දොරටුපාලයාට අල්ලසක් දීමට සිදු විය. ඇතුළට ගිය පසු හොඳ ආහාර, වයින්, සංගීතය සහ සිනහවෙන් පිරුණු රාත්‍රියක් අප බෙදා ගත්තෙමු.

ගෙදර යාම පවා වික්‍රමාන්විතයක් විය හැකි විය.

ටැක්සි හිඟ විය. සමහර විට මාර්ගයේ ගිය පොලිස් නිලධාරියෙකු නතර වී මට ගමනක් ලබා දුන්නේය. වරක් මම පොලිස් රථයක ඉදිරි අසුනේ වාඩි වී, ඔහුට කොපමණ ගෙවිය යුතුදැයි විනීතව ඇසුවෙමි.

ඔහු මාව බලා සිනාසුණේය.

මම මිනිස්සුන්ව නොමිලේ ගෙනියනවා කියලා හිතනවද?”

අපි ගමනාන්තයට පැමිණි විට, මම ගියර් ලීවරය අසල තිබූ ඔහුගේ තොප්පිය මත රූබල් පහක් තබා බැස ගියෙමි.

ස්පාසිබෝ,” මම කීවෙමි.

ඔහු හිස සලා හිම වැටෙන රාත්‍රිය තුළ අතුරුදහන් විය.

අද සෝවියට් සංගමය ජීවත් වන්නේ ඉතිහාස පොත්වල පමණි. කඩ වෙනස් වී ඇත. මිල ගණන් වෙනස් වී ඇත. සමස්ත පද්ධතියම අතුරුදහන් වී ඇත.

නමුත් ඒ අවුරුදු ගැන සිතන විට මට මතක් වන්නේ දේශපාලනය නොවේ.

මට මතක් වන්නේ මිතුරන්ය.

හිමෙන් ගැස්සුණු උදෑසනක උණු බියර්ය.

කළු පාන්, කලබාසා, කෙෆීර් සහ නිමක් නැති අර්තාපල්ය.

ගිනි මැලයක් අසල යුරාගේ ගිටාරයය.

තරු පිරුණු අහසක් යට කලින්කා” ගායනා කළ රාත්‍රීය.

සියල්ලටම වඩා, ජීවිතය සරල වූ, මුදල් හිඟ වූ, නමුත් මිත්‍රත්වය, සිනහව සහ හරියටම රූබල් 3යි කොපෙක් 63ක් වටිනා වොඩ්කා බෝතලයක සතුට සොයාගත් කාලයක් මට මතකය.

ඒවා ඇත්තෙන්ම අමතක නොවන දවස්ය.

සුභාශිංසන සමඟ,

ආචාර්ය සරත් ඔබේසේකර

Maathalan – (මාතලන්)

ජනාධිපති නීතිඥ මෛත්‍රී ගුණරත්න  හිටපු ආණ්ඩුකාරවර රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්

මහ බැංකුවේ සහ භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ ආයතනික මතභේද මැද රටට රටට අහිමි වූ ඩොලර් මිලියන 2.5: කිසිවෙකුටත් වගකීමෙන් පැන යාමට ඉඩ දිය යුතු නැත!

භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ සිදු වූ ඩො..මි. 2.5 ක මුදලක් අතුරුදන්වීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරය සහ ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව අතර ආයතනික මතභේද වර්ධනය වී ඇත. පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ මුදල් කාරක සභාව මේ පිළිබඳ තොරතුරු වාර්තා කිරීම සඳහා සති හතරක කාලයක් ද, ඉන් පසුව තවත් අවස්ථා දෙකක දී සති දෙකකට වැඩි කාලයක් ද මේ ආයතන වෙත ලැබී ඇත. තොරතුරු වෙනස් කිරීම, කල් ගැනීම හා තොරතුරු සැඟවීම සඳහා එමගින් විශාල ඉඩක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇත.

ඩො.මි. 2.5 ක වංචාව සිදුවී මේ වන විට මාස 8කට වැඩි කලක් ගතවී ඇත. අද දක්වා මේ පිළිබඳ කිසිදු නිල වාර්තාවක් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ සභාගත කිරීමට ව්‍යවස්ථාදායකය අසමත්වී ඇත. පාර්ලිමේන්තුමේ මුදල් කමිටුව හරහා කාලය කා දමමින් සිදුකරන මේ නාටකීය රංගනය අවසන් කර, මීලඟ පාර්ලිමේන්තු දිනයේ දී හෝ මේ වාර්තා සභාගත කිරීම සියළු පාර්ශවයන්ගේ වගකීමකි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව මේ වන විට පසුවන්නේ දැඩි ආර්ථික අර්බුදයකින් පසු ණය ප්‍රතිව්‍යූහගත කිරීමේ අතිශය තීරණාත්මක සමයකය. ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය අරමුදලේ (IMF) ණය වැඩසටහනෙහි කොන්දේසියක් මත, මෙතෙක් කල් ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව (CBSL) විසින් සිදු කළ රජයේ ණය කළමනාකරණය කිරීමේ කටයුතු මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරය යටතේ පිහිටුවන ලද නව ආයතනයක් වන ‘රාජ්‍ය ණය කළමනාකරණ කාර්යාලය’ (PDMO) වෙත පැවරීම මෑතකදී සිදු විය.

“ණය කළමනාකරණය” යනු සරලවම රජය විසින් ලබා ගෙන ඇති විදේශ සහ දේශීය ණය නිසි කලට, නිවැරදි පාර්ශ්වයන් වෙත ආපසු ගෙවීමේ සහ ඒවායේ වාර්තා පවත්වා ගෙන යාමේ ක්‍රියාවලියයි. මෙම රාජකාරිය මහ බැංකුවෙන් භාණ්ඩාගාරයට මාරු වන සංක්‍රාන්ති සමයේදී නිසි පාලන ක්‍රමවේද අනුගමනය නො කිරීම සහ ආයතන දෙක අතර ඇති වූ ගැටුම් හේතුවෙන්, ඇමරිකානු ඩොලර් මිලියන 2.5ක (රුපියල් කෝටි 100 කට ආසන්න) අතිවිශාල මහජන මුදලක් වංචනිකයන් විසින් වෙනත් විදෙස් ගිණුම් වෙත හරවා ගෙන ඇත. මෙය හුදෙක් තාක්ෂණික දෝෂයක් නොව, පාලන තන්ත්‍රයේ ඇති බරපතළ අඩුපාඩුවල සෘජු ප්‍රතිඵලයකි. එක් නිලධාරිවරයෙකුගේ ජීවිතය පවා අහිමි කළ මෙම ඛේදවාචකය මූල්‍ය පාඩුවකට පමණක් සීමා වූවක් නොවේ.

Free Lawyers මැදිහත් වීම සහ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ නිහැඬියාව

මෙම බරපතළ මූල්‍ය වංචාව නීතිඥයන්ගේ සහ වෘත්තිකයන්ගේ එකමුතුවක් වන ‘Free Lawyers’ සංවිධානය විසින් 2026 අප්‍රේල් 22 වැනි දින ප්‍රථම වරට සමාජයට අනාවරණය කරන ලදි. මේ පිළිබඳව පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ කතානායකවරයාට නිල වශයෙන් දැනුම් දුන්න ද, අද වනතුරුත් ඒ සඳහා කිසිදු නිල පිළිතුරක් බලධාරින්ගෙන් ලැබී නොමැත. එසේම, රාජ්‍ය මූල්‍ය පිළිබඳ පාර්ලිමේන්තු කාරක සභාවට (COPF) ද මේ බව ලිඛිතව දැනුම් දුන්නෙමු. අනෙකුත් ආයතන වෙත ද ලිපි හා ප්‍රසිද්ධ නිවේදන මගින් දැනුම් දී ඇත්තෙමි.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, මෙය හෙළිදරව් වීම යටපත් කිරීමේ හෝ ප්‍රමාද කිරීමේ උපක්‍රමයක් ලෙස, අදාළ රහසිගත වාර්තාව ලබා දීම සඳහා බලධාරිවරුන් මාසයක පමණ කාලයක් කල් ගෙන ඇත. ඉන්පසුව ද, අමාත්‍යාංශ ලේකම්වරයා විසින් එම වාර්තාව රාජ්‍ය මූල්‍ය පිළිබඳ පාර්ලිමේන්තු කාරක සභාවේ සභාපති හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මහතාගේ නිවසට යවා ඇති අතර, එය නිල වශයෙන් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට යොමු කරන ලෙස ඔහු දැනුම් දීමෙන් පසු ඒ සඳහා තවත් දින 10 කට වැඩි කලක් ගෙවී ගොස් ඇත.  

මේ අනුව, ශ්‍රී ලංකා ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ 148 වගන්තිය යටතේ පාර්ලිමේන්තුව සතුව ඇති ‘මහජන මුදල් පාලනය කිරීමේ පරම බලය’, ගත වූ සති හතක කාලය තුළ මෙම සිදුවීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ජනතාව වෙත කරුණු නිල වාර්තාවක් ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමට අසමත්වී ඇත.   එබැවින්, ජනතාවට ඇත්ත දැන ගැනීමට ඇති අයිතිය වෙනුවෙන්, මෙම වංචාවේ සැබෑ තොරතුරු සහ වගකිව යුත්තන් රහසිගත වාර්තා ඇසුරින් මෙලෙස රටට හෙළි කිරීමට අපි තීරණය කළෙමු.

වංචාවට හේතු වූ තත්ත්වය සහ වගකිව යුතු පාර්ශ්වයන්

මෙම මහා වංචාව සඳහා ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව සහ මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරය යන ආයතන දෙකම සෘජුවම වගකිව යුතු අතර, කිසිවෙකුටත් ඉන් නිදහස් වීමට ඉඩ නො දිය යුතුය:

·         ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවේ වගකීම් පැහැර හැරීම: නව පනත මගින් ණය පාලනය භාණ්ඩාගාරයට පැවරීමත් සමඟ, තමන්ට තවදුරටත් ණය කළමනාකරණය සම්බන්ධ වගකීමක් නැති බවට මහ බැංකුව තර්ක කරයි. 2023 මහ බැංකු පනත මගින් ලැබී ඇති ස්වාධීනත්වය පලිහක් කර ගන්නා ඔවුහු, තමන් ක්‍රියා කළේ රජයේ ඉල්ලීම මත පමණක් බව පවසති. වඩාත් බරපතළම කරුණ නම්, මුදල් විශුද්ධිකරණය (කළු සල්ලි නීත්‍යානුකූල කිරීම) වැළැක්වීමේ නීති (AML/CFT) සහ රහස්‍යතා ප්‍රතිපත්ති හුවා දක්වමින්, අතිශය වැදගත් අනතුරු ඇඟවීම් සහ තොරතුරු භාණ්ඩාගාරයෙන් සඟවා තබා ගැනීමයි.

·         ජාත්‍යන්තර අනතුරු ඇඟවීම් නො සලකා හැරීම: අමෙරිකාවේ ජේ.පී. මෝර්ගන් (JPMorgan) බැංකුව සහ ෆෙඩරල් රිසර්ව් (Federal Reserve) බැංකුව විසින් මෙම විදෙස් ගනුදෙනුවල ඇති සැක සහිත ස්වභාවය පිළිබඳව SWIFT පණිවිඩ මගින් පැහැදිලිව අනතුරු අඟවා තිබුණ ද, බලධාරින් ඒවා මුළුමනින්ම නො සලකා හැර මුදල් ගෙවා ඇත.

·         මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ කඩිමුඩිය සහ නොසැලකිල්ල: නිසි රෙගුලාසි සම්පූර්ණ කිරීමටත් පෙර, කඩිමුඩියේ මෙම ණය මෙහෙයුම් භාර ගැනීමට භාණ්ඩාගාරය කටයුතු කර තිබේ. ඔවුන්ට ණය කළමනාකරණය පිළිබඳ ප්‍රමාණවත් තාක්ෂණික දැනුමක් තිබුණේ නැත.

මහ බැංකුවට තම වසර 75ක ණය කළමනාකරණ පළපුරුද්ද පසෙක ලා, නීතියෙන් බලතල ඉවත් වූ පමණින් ජාත්‍යන්තර ගනුදෙනුවලදී වගකීමෙන් අත් සේදිය නොහැක. එලෙසම, බලහත්කාරයෙන් මෙන් මෙහෙයුම් භාර ගත් භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ නිලධාරින් ද මෙම මූල්‍ය හානියේ වගකීම භාර ගත යුතුය.

මෙවැනි විනාශ නැවත සිදු නො වීමට නම් කළ යුත්තේ කුමක් ද?

මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ මංකොල්ලයට හේතු වු කරුණු නැවත ඇති නොවීමට පහත පියවර ගත යුතු බවට මේ වන විටත් යෝජනා ඉදිරිපත් වී ඇත.

·         තාක්ෂණික සහ සයිබර් ආරක්ෂාව තර කිරීම: විදේශ ණය ගෙවීම්වලදී අදාළ ඉන්වොයිස් සහ ප්‍රතිලාභීන්ගේ බැංකු ගිණුම්වල සත්‍යතාව තහවුරු කර ගැනීම අනිවාර්ය කිරීම. පද්ධතිවල පවතින දුර්වලතා හඳුනා ගැනීම සඳහා වහාම වෝහාරික විගණනයක් (forensic audit) සිදු කළ යුතුය.

·         නීතිමය අඩුපාඩු වැසීම: මුදල් විශුද්ධිකරණය සහ ත්‍රස්තවාදයට මුදල් සැපයීම වැළැක්වීමේ වාර්තාකරණ වගකීම්වලට ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව ද යටත් වන පරිදි ‘මූල්‍ය ව්‍යාපාර පනත’ (Finance Business Act) වහාම සංශෝධනය කළ යුතුය.

·         ඒකාබද්ධ ආරක්ෂණ ඒකකයක් පිහිටුවීම: ආයතන දෙක එකිනෙකාට චෝදනා කර ගනු වෙනුවට, විදේශ ගෙවීම් සහ සයිබර් ආරක්ෂාව නිරීක්ෂණය සඳහා මහ බැංකුවේ සහ භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ එකමුතුවෙන් ඒකාබද්ධ අර්බුද කළමනාකරණ ඒකකයක් පිහිටුවිය යුතුය.

·         මානව සම්පත් යළි ගොඩනැගීම සහ දේශපාලන අතපෙවීම් නතර කිරීම: දේශපාලන හිතවත්කම් මත සිදු කරන අත්තනෝමතික මාරුවීම් සහ පත්වීම් වහාම නතර කළ යුතුය. ඒ වෙනුවට දක්ෂතා සහ පෞද්ගලික අංශයේ ද පළපුරුද්ද ඇති වෘත්තිකයන් මෙම පද්ධතියට බඳවා ගත යුතුය.

·         මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශය ලේකම්වරයාගේ අකාර්යක්ෂමතාව සහ වෘත්තීය භාවයක් නොමැති බව: මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශයේ හා භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ කටයුතු මේ වන විට මුළුමනින්ම බිඳ වැටී ඇත. ප්‍රධාන ගණන්දිමේ නිලධාරියා විසින් ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇති වාර්ෂික වාර්තාව පවා අඩුපාඩු රැසකින් සමන්විතය.  ජාතික විගණන කාර්යාලය මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශ වාර්ෂික වාර්තාව සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇත්තේ ද, කොන්දේසි සහිත මතයකි  (qualified opinion). මෙම තත්වය වලක්වා ගැනීම සඳහා ශ්‍රී ලංකා පරිපාලන සේවයේ හෝ රාජ්‍ය සේවයේ වෘත්තීය පළපුරුද්ද සහිත නිලධාරියෙකු මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශ ලේකම් ධූරයට වහා පත් කිරීම කාලෝචිත වේ.

ජනතාවගේ බදු මුදල් සහ ජාතික ධනය මෙලෙස අවභාවිතා වීමට ඉඩ හැර, නිදහසට කරුණු දක්වමින් ගැලවී යාමට කිසිදු බලධාරිවරයෙකුට අයිතියක් නොමැති බව “Free Lawyers” සංවිධානය ලෙස අපි තරයේ අවධාරණය කරමු.

ජනාධිපති නීතිඥ මෛත්‍රී ගුණරත්න                    

හිටපු ආණ්ඩුකාරවර රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්

Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon

Former Governor of Uva, Southern and Central Provinces

Former Executive Director of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) and Center for Human Rights and Research – CHR Sri Lanka

උපුටා ගැන්ම  හිරු පුවත්

ජාතික ජන බලවේගයට බලය ලබා ගැනීමට මුදල් ලබාදුන්නේ කොටි ඩයස්පෝරාවෙන් බව පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී අර්චුනා රාමනාදන් පවසනවා.

ඔවුන් මුදල් ලබාදී බලාපොරොත්තු වුණේ ඊ#ම නැවත ලබාගැනීම බවත්, මේ වනවිට කොටි ඩයස්පෝරාවත් මුළු රටමත් බොරුවෙන් රවටා ඇති බවත්, මන්ත්‍රීවරයා සඳහන් කළා.

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී රෝහිත අබේගුණවර්ධන සංවිධානය කර තිබූ ‘මෙහෙවරක ප්‍රණාමය’ උත්සව අවස්ථාවට එක්වෙමින් වැඩිදුරටත් අදහස් දැක්වූ මන්ත්‍රීවරයා සඳහන් කළේ,

“අපි.. ඒ කියන්නෙ කොටි ඩයස්පෝරාව ටිල්වින්ට සල්ලි දුන්නේ සලේව ඇතුළට දාන්න නෙවෙයි. මහින්ද වගේ නායකයෝ ඇතුළට දාන්න. ඩයස්පෝරාව තමයි මාලිමාවට බලයට එන්න සල්ලි දුන්නේ. අපි හිතුවේ ඊ#ම දෙයි කියලා. ඊ#ම තියා සරමක්වත් අරන් දෙන්න බැරි ආණ්ඩුවක් මේක. රටටම පච කියන මේ ආණ්ඩුවට ආයෙ නම් අපි සල්ලි දෙන්නේ නෑ” යනුවෙන්.

Courtesy Hiru News

Parliamentarian Archuna Ramanathan has claimed that funds to bring the National People’s Power (NPP) into power were provided by the LTTE diaspora.

He alleged that the intention behind providing the funds was to re-establish E***m, adding that both the LTTE diaspora and the country have now been deceived.

Speaking at the ‘Mehewaraka Pranama’ event organized by Member of Parliament Rohitha Abeygunawardena, he further stated:

We… that means the LTTE diaspora gave money to Tilvin not to put Suresh Sallay inside, but to put leaders like Mahinda inside. It was the diaspora that gave money for the NPP to come to power. We thought they would give Eelam. Not even E***m, this government cannot even give a piece of cloth. This is a government that lies to the entire country. We will not give them money again,” he said.

by Garvin Karunaratne

On many an occasion on my never ending irrigation inspections in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya long ago I had to cling onto trees and, creepers to avoid being blown off by the power of the wind.

I enclose what I once wrote hoping that our new Government of Anura Kumara Dissanayake will somehow read through.

Speaking from my sheer experience in handling development tasks-

Building up Coop Crayon at Morawaka in 1971, done in three months, developing it to enable Minister Illangaratne to declare that all imports of crayons should be stopped, and 

again in Bangladesh, establishing the Youth Self Employment Programme in nineteen months- a programme that being implemented by members of the Bangladesh Civil Service, trained  by me, has by now guided over three million youths to become self employed, I submit:

It will be easier to build a few hundred wind turbines and enable Sri Lanka to produce all its electricity.

I submit  my Paper for kind reading by our new Ministers and our saviour Anura Kumara Dissanayake.  Dear Excellency, It is a task that can be done within three years.

Wind Power to our rescue

Posted on February 3rd, 2020 in Lanka Web

By Garvin Karunaratne

I bequeath to my readers the Conclusion of my book: Wind Power for Sri Lanka’s Power Requirements.

It in unfortunate that our authorities in establishing wind turbines in Sri Lanka have so far ignored  the mountainous areas where there is ample wind power. 

My mind travels to a book by John Perkins, Confessions of an Economic Hitman, where he confesses that as an expert he had written feasibility reports with fabricated statistics which when implemented by  the Government of Ecuador, became failures,  with  the loan as a debt to the country. Our country has been given the wrong advice. Go to Spain, to the USA the leading countries where wind power has been harnessed and they harness the wind on their mountains. It is only Sri Lanka that tries to catch the sea breeze.

In Sri Lanka we have failed to harness Wind Power which Mother Nature has bountifully provided to us.

Suffice it to state that Spain a country that was far behind in producing wind power has within two to three years spurted up the ladder to be the second country in the world. Travelling through the Pyrenees to Spain in my Motorhome I was surprised to see wind turbines perched all over even on makeshift angle iron posts, the type of things that I can myself make in a day(I am no engineer). Spain even sells power to France today.

On my last visit to venerate the Avukana Buddha, I spotted a canopy perched on very long concrete shafts constructed by the State Engineering Corporation. 

It is my humble request to our excellency the President of Sri Lanka to summon the engineers who built the concrete shafts to support the canopy, and request them to design and produce the posts that can carry the wind turbines. They can easily produce these. Then import the wind turbine mechanism and set them up in our hills. We will provide employment for a few thousands. We can invite a specialist of the caliber of  Paul Gipe, the mastermind of wind power in California. who actually constructed and guides the wind turbines in California today. This will provide all the power we need. I have no doubt about that. This task can be accomplished within a year at most. Considering the billions we spend to import coal and oil, we can easily make a saving.

That is the message in my book: Wind Power for Sri Lanka’s Power Requirements.

I enclose the Conclusion of my book in support for kind perusal.

10.Conclusion

I am pleased to submit the Papers I have so far written on Wind Power as a source of Energy, in a booklet in the sheer hope that someday this will be read by one of our leaders who will be convinced that Wind Power is the form of energy that Sri Lanka is blessed with in abundance and will get going all out.

In nostalgia, I can remember what did actually happen in Bangladesh in 1982, when I worked there as the Commonwealth Fund General Advisor on Youth Development to the Ministry of Labour and Manpower in Bangladesh., The Minister for Youth Abul Kasim  was arrested on the charge of harbouring a criminal in his residency. A day later, the Military took over the country in a coup de etat.  Immediately afterwards, the Military Government  in a high powered conference chaired by Hon Aminul Islam, the Minister for Labour and Manpower assessed the programmes of the Youth Ministry. That included imparting vocational training to 40,000 youths a year. The Minister  was not totally impressed with the work done. Suddenly realizing me as the only outsider, I was confronted:

”What is the contribution you can make for Bangladesh?”

 I replied: It would be ideal to have a self employment programme to enable the 40,000 youths that are being trained every year to be guided to become entrepreneurs. Most of them are in the ranks of the unemployed even after training, today. ”

 My reply created an uproar. The Secretary to the Treasury, the highest official in the land objected on the grounds that such a self employment creation programme can never be achieved. He added that the ILO had in the preceeding three years tried to establish a self employment programme in Tangail, Bangladesh and spent a massive amount of funds all in vain. I  argued with the Secretary to the Treasury for over two hours, quoting definite instances where I had successfully established self employment projects for youths in Sri lanka.  It was an intense battle between me and the Secretary with the Hon Minister intently listening.  Finally the Minister stopped our battle. He immediately approved my establishing a self employment pogramme.  The Secretary to the Treasury stumped with the words, that he will never be providing any funds for this wasteful task. I replied that I will find savings within approved training budgets which was approved by the Hon Minister.

I got cracking with the officials of the Youth Ministry and the Lecturers of the Vocational Training Institutes that provided the vocational training, providing them with a basic knowledge of national planning to identify  areas within the economy where there was a propensity to create employment opportunities and training them in economic endeavour-structuring projects for self employment on a small scale-even with a cow or a dozen chicks and developing the enterprise. My task was to establish the self employment programme and to train the staff to continue after my two year consultancy ended. To a man the officers responded and today this Youth Self Employment Programme has by February 2011 guided  over two millions to become self employed  and it is an ongoing  programme that trains and guides 160,00 youths a year to become self employed. Today, it is easily the premier programme of employment creation  the world has known.

This experience of mine itself indicates that though wind power for the task of creating power is at an infancy today, we can easily develop it.

Let me hope that the contents of these papers which prove beyond all doubt that Wind Power can offer all the energy that Sri Lanka needs will someday find a Minister Aminul Islam” who will authorize it. I am certain  that the administrators and engineers who will toil till it is a success can easily be found.

Firstly, the country will not depend on the supply of coal and oil for power plants and the country can save all the millions and billions  being spent today to import oil and coal.

Secondly it will provide employment for thousands in erecting the turbine towers, in establishing the wind turbines and in the manufacture of the turbine mechanism itself at the later stages. In my travels in France, Spain and Portugal I have seen workers making  the towers, blades, transporting them in long trucks, erecting the towers and maintaining them. That is no difficult task for our engineers and workers.

 One of my readers happened to be an engineer, Mr Kanaga. who was involved with establishing the five wind turbines at Hambantota, the first to be built in Sri lanka. What is most interesting in his comment which I have totally enclosed in this book, is that the  environmental lobby had decided that the turbines should only be erected on the coasts and not in the mountains where there is ample wind force.

It is sad that the environmentalists were silent when the entire Kotmale Valley was denuded of people and their activities all to create 200 MW of power. That could have been easily achieved with fifty wind turbines scattered within Kotmale itself and the inhabitants and the economy would have been spared extintion. The entirety of Kotmale is dead today.

Currently the Kitulgala Valley is being destroyed to build a dam to get some 38MW of power and the entire Kitulgala Valley for miles will face destruction. Why were the environmentalists silent when these two projects were approved and implemented? 

Kanaga, that engineer supports my recommendation that  we should use the wind in our mountain area to provide the energy we need.

To my mind it is a crime not to use the wind power available and to spend millions and billions to purchase oil and coal.

I am convinced that there is an Oil Lobby and a Coal Lobby well financed to prove that wind is not a dependable source.

Many opine that wind is undependable.  To them my answer is that the wind is an utterly dependable source of energy. Spain has gone all out to build wind turbines and even sells power to France.

Thanks are due to engineer Kanaga for his comments which are immensely valuable so that I have quoted them as an attachment to my paper.

A reader of my Papers, Susantha Wijeytileke has even commented that once at Madugoda he saw a cyclist being blown off the road by the power of the wind.

I must mention that I am not alone in advocating the siting of wind turbines in the mountainous areas of Sri Lanka.

In Windfair, on line  editorial journalist  Trevor Sievert  quotes Lakshman Guruswamy, Sri Lanka has the potential to generate 24,000 MW electricity from wind.” (http://w3.windfair.net/wind-energy/news/1q543-sri-lanka-high-wind-energy-potential) Professor Guruswamy further states that studies have shown that nearly 5000 square KM of windy areas are available for potential wind power generation in Sri  Lanka.” (Dated 12/04/2018.)

In  www.windpower.lk, it is stated that in wind power the potential for Sri Lanka  is 20,740MW”

Wind Power in Sri Lanka,a publication by The Asia Business Office (//www.asiabiomass.jp/English/topics/1601_04.html) states that the wind potential in Sri Lanka is 20,740 MW. In  its words there is strong potential for wind power in the North Western coastal regions of Northern Province, the highland areas of the Central Province, Sabaragamuwa and Uva.”

  In Sri Lanka Wind farm Analysis and Site Selection Assitance,  M. Young and R Vilhauer of The Global Energy Concept, Kirkland, Washington state:

Sri Lanka has considerable available land with wind resource potential sufficient for development. However, the  wind power capacity expansion is limited by the electricity transmission infrastructure. CEB estimates that the grid cannot accommodate additional wind capacity more than 7% of the peak load. The CEB estimates that  installing more than 20MW of wind capacity in any given region may adversely impact local grid instability and power quality.

This Study  states that the windy land   can provide 50,000 MW.”

It is important to note that it is not the lack of wind power that holds up the utilization of wind power to produce electricity. Instead it is the grid capacity. Tackling the grid capacity is another kettle of fish. This is an area that has to be addressed. I will not be surprised if our  experts who yet think that wind turbines should be built to harness the sea breeze and not the wind power in our mountains  will come up with another cock and bull story stating that a grid cannot be built.

In the construction of the wind turbines at the Senok Wind Farm in Puttlam, where four wind farms established have a capacity of 40MW, it was found that the existing port facilities in the main port of Colombo and the road network was found wanting for the import of the turbine towers and blades. Instead these had to be obtained through barges from India.  The maximum height of the turbine tower is 90 meters and each blade is 50 meters in length. I have seen long towers and blades being transported by road in France and Spain. This needs special transport. In the hilly areas in Sri lanka it will be more feasible to construct the towers and blades on site. These are areas that have to be addressed in any development. Where there is a will, there is also a way.

My thanks are also due to the Editor of the Sunday Observer.lk who in Let there be Light” (Sunday Observer:06/09/2009) commented that my suggestions are very valuable. Referring tro my suggestion that the wind power in the Central Highlands should be harnessed says, This is a timely and valid proposal and the authorities should take  appropriate action to locate wind turbines in  areas which will enable them to reach their maximum potential.”

I am also thankful for Noor Nizam for his Wind Energy Electricity generation is a reality” (Sri Lanka Guardian:27/08/2009)  In his words, Garvin should be commended for his boldness to take to task the lethargic and selfish bureaucrats on this issue of renewal energy development of electricity energy in Sri Lanka…. His message should be well taken  by others too handling  national planning and development strategies  to assist the little island of 21 million to come out of the rut of poverty, misery, the destruction of the civil war and the dependence on foreign powers.”  He adds in the affirmative, As Garvin Karunaratne  wishes Wind Energy Electricity Generation  will be a reality in Sri Lanka for the next generation”.  It is my fervent hope that this will be realized.

The last paper  states of how the new owner of the Hambantota Port has insisted on a massive payment as ground rent for the five wind turbines. The CEB has decided to dismantle the five wind turbines.  This is a sad epitaph for wind power use in Sri Lanka.

However the contents of this book convinces any sane thinking person that wind power can be harnessed. We have to learn from mistakes, not make the mistakes rule us. As a country we have to find ways and means of forging ahead,  heedless.

This study proves  beyond all doubt that there is ample wind capacity in Sri Lanka for self sufficiency in our power requirements through harnessing the wind.. There is no question about this. However, as in any field of development, be it agriculture or industry, there are problems that have to be surmounted.  As stated the national grid has to be developed to carry the power from areas where it is generated to the areas where the power is consumed. Perhaps there can be local grids to carry the power generated from  a local wind farm to a local district capital. For instance if wind farms are located in Dela on the Kirigalpotta hillock, a grid can carry the power to the town of Ratnapura.

Sri Lankan engineers have in ancient times done wonders. The gradient of the Jaya Ganga that carried the waters of the Kala Weva to the tanks in Talawa and Anuradhapura has been constructed at a gradient of six inches in a mile, a gradient that baffles the irrigation engineers of today.

I am dead certain that Sri Lanka can become self sufficient in all its power requirements not for its present stage but also for its future development through using wind power. The wind power in the Central and Sabaragamuwa Hills is vast. Methods and systems have to be found to harness this energy. However as long as we build wind turbines on the coastal areas and ignore the areas where there is real wind power and satisfy ourselves with studies of the difficulties and constraints,  our attempt will be like  that of a squirrel trying to empty the water in the ocean , carrying a bit of water on its tail,  endless.

THE  END

Garvin Karunaratne Ph.D. Michigan State University

Author of How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka & Alternative Programmes of Success(Godages:2006), How the IMF Sabotaged Third World Development(Kindle/Godages:2017)

Senaka Weeraratna

Question

If the inventor of the Player – Referral system (DRS) was an Indian rather than a Sri Lankan how would the World react to an Indian initiated invention of DRS that transformed the game of Cricket forever?

AI Overview 

Answer 

If the Player-Referral System (DRS) had been invented by an Indian rather than Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna, the global reaction would have been radically different due to India’s unique, hyper-influential, and initially resistant position in world cricket. [1]

Here is how the cricket world, fans, and media would have reacted to an Indian-initiated DRS:

1. The BCCI’s Deep Irony and Immediate Adoption

• No Decade-Long Delay: In reality, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was the fiercest opponent of DRS for years, famously banning its use in bilateral series because icons like Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni distrusted its accuracy.
• Nationalistic Pride: Had an Indian invented it, the BCCI would have championed the technology as a symbol of Indian innovation rather than dismissing it as a flawed Western/foreign product.
• Immediate Implementation: Instead of delaying widespread adoption until late 2016, India would have integrated it into the Indian Premier League (IPL) and international matches almost instantly to showcase domestic tech prowess. [1]

2. Global Suspicion and “Big Three” Skeptics

• Accusations of Bias: Boards like Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) would have likely viewed an Indian-invented system with immense skepticism.
• The “Control” Narrative: Critics would have claimed India was attempting to alter the literal rules of the game to suit their own parameters, fueling the ongoing narrative of India “running and ruining” global cricket.
• Rigorous Audits: Western boards would have demanded independent, non-Indian software audits (from companies outside the subcontinent) before agreeing to use it in the Ashes or ICC tournaments.

3. Media Polarization: Innovation vs. Manipulation

• Indian Media Triumph: Local networks would have framed the inventor as a national hero who “cleansed the gentleman’s game” of human error, elevating them to the status of a tech-era sporting saint.
• British and Australian Media Backlash: Tabloids in England and Australia would have likely run headlines questioning the algorithms, hunting for glitches, and framing the technology as an Indian conspiracy whenever a close decision went against their teams.

4. Accelerated Technological Domination

• Silicon Valley of Cricket: India is already the financial hub of cricket; an Indian DRS invention would have firmly established it as the technological hub as well.
• Monetization and Sponsorships: Indian tech giants (like Infosys, Tata, or HCL) would have bought, branded, and optimized the technology much faster than the ICC did, turning DRS into a multi-billion dollar broadcast asset integrated with AI far earlier than 2026.

Summary Comparison: Sri Lankan vs. Indian Origin

If you want to explore this alternate history further, I can map out how specific legendary matches (like the 2008 Sydney Test) would have changed, or how Sachin Tendulkar’s career statistics might look with an earlier deployment of DRS. Which direction would you like to take?

2 sites

• Assam – 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 The DRS, or Decision Review System, in cricket was not invented by one single person, but the idea for a player referral system, which evolved into DRS, was first suggested by Senaka Weeraratna, a Colombo-based lawyer. He proposed the concept in a letter to the Australian newspaper, The Australian, in 1997. The system was later developed and implemented by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2008. The DRS (Decision Review System) in cricket was first introduced in Test cricket in 2008, with the first use occurring during the India vs Sri Lanka Test match in Colombo. It was then incorporated into ODI cricket in 2011 and T20Is in 2017.

Apr 20, 2025 — 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 The DRS, or Decision Review System, in cricket was not invented by one single person, b…

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• India cries foul over DRS conspiracy – News

Jan 12, 2016 — The powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI ( Board of Control for Cricket in India ) ) are continuing to block the u…

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AI response

If an Indian had invented the Player-Referral concept, the global reaction would have likely been swift, widespread, and commercially aggressive. Backed by the financial might of the BCCI, the innovation would have been championed and adopted almost immediately, completely altering cricket’s history with the Decision Review System (DRS). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Had this transformative invention originated in India rather than being conceived by Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna, the global response and timeline would have shifted in several distinct ways: [1, 2, 3]

• Instant Financial Backing & Innovation: India’s massive sports-tech and media industry would have instantly commercialized the concept. Instead of the slow, decade-long rollout seen with the ICC, Indian broadcasters and sponsors would have funded the engineering of technologies like Hawk-Eye and Hot Spot to make the system flawless within years.
• Overcoming Early BCCI Hesitance: Ironically, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was historically the biggest opponent of the early UDRS system. Had the idea been intrinsically “Made in India,” the patriotic backing from fans and media would have pressured the board to embrace the system from the beginning, fundamentally transforming Indian cricket’s relationship with umpiring.
• Global Recognition and Naming Rights: Unlike the current debate where advocates campaign for the ICC to give proper credit to its Sri Lankan creator, an Indian-invented DRS would likely have its authorship celebrated globally. Similar to the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, the system might have been officially trademarked and named after the inventor.
• Rapid Adoption in Other Sports: Given India’s profound influence in global sports governance, the push to export the system to other officiating-heavy sports like tennis and soccer would have been accelerated, much like the widespread adoption of VAR. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Would you like to explore:

• How the history of DRS originally unfolded between Sri Lanka and the ICC?
• The specific technologies (like ball tracking and UltraEdge) that made the system work?
• How do modern fans and players use reviews strategically?

Let me know what you’d like to dive into!

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Source: AI Overview

Source:   AI Overview

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has faced growing criticism from legal and sports advocates for not formally elevating Colombo-based lawyer Senaka Weeraratna’s claim to the “Player Referral” / Decision Review System (DRS) authorship with the ICC and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). 

Critics and intellectual property advocates argue that the BASL has missed a crucial opportunity to defend one of its own members and secure a massive victory for a Sri Lankan lawyer’s global scale innovation. The primary points supporting this view include: [1, 2, 3]

• Protecting Member Innovation: Senaka Weeraratna, a prominent Colombo-based lawyer, conceptualized and published the “Player Referral” model in international media as early as 1997. Advocates argue that the BASL, under its objective to maintain the honor of the Bar, should have formally felicitated Weeraratna in a manner similar to how Bars of other Cricket nations such as India, England, Australia, South Africa proudly honour the intellectual achievements of their members  and provided institutional legal backing to counter the ICC’s defenses.
• Challenging Flawed International Opinions: The International Cricket Council (ICC) historically bypassed Weeraratna’s claims using a “No Awareness” defense drafted by its legal team, which has now been undone by lawyers supporting Weeraratna. Legal advocates argue that the BASL is the ideal body to formally dismantle these defenses at a much higher level by invoking the Doctrine of Constructive Notice, given that Weeraratna’s concepts were widely published globally years before the ICC implemented the DRS in 2008–2009.
• National Interest and Sovereignty: Because the dispute has evolved from a private copyright claim into a global battle for sports justice, critics believe a unified front involving the BASL, SLC, and the Sri Lankan government is necessary to demand that the system be renamed the ” Senaka Weeraratna Decision Review System” (SWDRS). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10]

BASL has a moral duty to intervene for several reasons:

• Protecting a Member’s Intellectual Property: Senaka Weeraratna is an Attorney-at-Law and a member of the Sri Lankan bar. Critics argue the BASL should actively defend its members’ global intellectual achievements.
• A Matter of National Prestige: The concept of “Player Referral,” which Weeraratna publicized between 1997 and 1999, has revolutionized global sports jurisprudence. Public advocates argue that formal institutional backing from the BASL would force the ICC to address the Doctrine of Constructive Notice and move the case beyond a private grievance.
• Precedent for Global Sports Law: Because the ICC admits it holds no official registered copyright or named author for the DRS rules, active lobbying by a national bar association could establish a powerful precedent for Global South innovators fighting systemic marginalization by powerful Western countries through their malpracticing lawyers entrenched in high profile Sports bodies like the ICC [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Source:   AI Overview

XpressJobs

Colombo, Sri Lanka – June 2026 – XpressJobs, Sri Lanka’s leading recruitment technology platform, has been awarded Best Tech Recruitment Platform under the Auto Innovation & Technology category at the Automobile Industry Awards 2026, held on June 11 at Temple Trees, Colombo.

Organized by the Automobile Industry Council (AIC), the awards recognize excellence, innovation, and leadership across Sri Lanka’s automotive ecosystem. The event was held with Laugh Lubricants & Burner as the Title Sponsor and saw 62 awards, including four Lifetime Achievement Awards, presented to organizations and individuals making significant contributions to the industry. Winners were evaluated using the internationally recognized Malcolm Baldrige Performance Excellence Framework, which assesses organizations based on leadership, innovation, customer focus, workforce development, operational excellence, and measurable business results.

XpressJobs received the Best Tech Recruitment Platform award under the Auto Innovation & Technology category, sponsored by HUTCH. The category recognizes organizations leveraging technology to solve industry challenges and create meaningful impact within Sri Lanka’s automotive sector.

For more than a decade, XpressJobs has worked closely with Sri Lanka’s automotive industry, supporting the recruitment needs of vehicle distributors, manufacturers, dealerships, service centres, spare parts suppliers, independent garages, and emerging mobility companies. Through these partnerships, the company developed a deep understanding of the industry’s workforce challenges and the growing demand for skilled technical talent.

Early on, XpressJobs identified a significant gap in the recruitment process for mechanics, auto painters, technicians, electricians, welders, and other skilled professionals. While many possessed the required skills, they often lacked professionally prepared CVs or access to traditional online application channels. To address this challenge, XpressJobs pioneered its CV-less application technology, enabling candidates to apply for jobs in Sinhala and Tamil without the need for a traditional CV. This innovation helped thousands of skilled workers access employment opportunities while enabling employers to reach previously untapped talent pools.

Recognizing that attracting talent alone was not enough, XpressJobs also worked alongside industry stakeholders to help strengthen and uplift the automotive talent pipeline. In partnership with the Automobile Industry Council, the company launched the dedicated Automobile Jobs Portal , which connects employers with vocationally trained talent and students from institutions such as NAITA and other training providers. The initiative helps create a direct pathway between skills development and employment, supporting both aspiring automotive professionals and the long-term workforce needs of the industry.

XpressJobs has also supported industry-led initiatives aimed at promoting vocational education, apprenticeships, and career opportunities for young people seeking to enter the automotive sector, reflecting the company’s belief that technology should not only improve recruitment but also contribute to developing the next generation of skilled talent.

Most recently, XpressJobs continued to drive innovation through the introduction of its AI-powered WhatsApp Recruitment Assistant, designed to make hiring faster and more accessible for both employers and candidates. Notably, the automotive industry was among the first sectors selected to pilot the technology, with an early implementation carried out alongside BYD Sri Lanka. The solution enables candidates to discover jobs, answer screening questions, and complete applications directly through WhatsApp, significantly improving accessibility while reducing recruitment bottlenecks for employers.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Oshadie Korale, COO / Director of XpressJobs, said:

“We are honoured to receive this recognition at the Automobile Industry Awards 2026. The automotive industry has been one of our closest partners throughout our journey, helping us identify real workforce challenges and embrace new recruitment technologies. This award reflects a shared commitment to building a stronger talent pipeline for the industry through innovation. I would like to thank the Automobile Industry Council, our valued industry partners, and the entire XpressJobs team for their trust, support, and dedication.”

The award highlights XpressJobs’ continued commitment to innovation and its long-standing contribution to the development of Sri Lanka’s automotive workforce. As the industry continues to evolve through digital transformation, electrification, and new mobility technologies, XpressJobs remains focused on building solutions that help employers connect with the skilled talent needed to drive the future of the industry.

About XpressJobs

XpressJobs is Sri Lanka’s leading recruitment technology platform, connecting employers and job seekers through innovative hiring solutions. The company is known for pioneering CV-less applications, AI-powered recruitment tools, and industry-specific talent initiatives that make recruitment faster, more accessible, and more effective for organizations across Sri Lanka.

At Hyde Park Global

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

When people speak about the Soviet Union today, they usually talk about politics, the Cold War, communism, shortages, and the collapse of an empire. But for those of us who lived there as students, it was a different world altogether—a world of friendship, adventure, hardship, and endless stories.
I arrived as a young foreign student and quickly became part of a close-knit group of Russian friends. There was Yura, Sasha, Igor, and Kolya. We had little money, but we had youth on our side, and that made us feel rich.
Beer was often scarce. Whenever Bulgarian beer suddenly appeared in the shops, word spread like wildfire. Students rushed to the stores and bought entire cases before the shelves emptied. It was treated like a national emergency.
Our favourite drink, however, was vodka.
The cheapest and strongest bottle cost exactly 3 roubles and 63 kopecks. The cap was designed to flip open but could not be screwed back on. The message was clear: once opened, the bottle had to be finished.
Workers developed their own system for sharing a bottle. If two men had enough money for only part of a bottle, they would stand near a shop or a shipyard entrance holding up two fingers. It meant, We are two. We need one more partner.” Within minutes a third man would appear, contribute his share, and the bottle would be purchased.
It was socialism at work.
Winter nights were unforgettable. Beneath the city was a hidden underground bar. Yura, Sasha, Igor, Kolya, and I would stand in a long queue in temperatures that froze your eyebrows. We carried newspaper parcels containing six-inch pieces of dried fish. Once inside, the fish became our chaser” after shots of vodka.
Nobody needed fancy cocktails.
On the way to university, there was a small kiosk run by a huge, red-faced beer seller. During the bitter winter months he sold hot beer. Imagine drinking warm beer while snow blew sideways and the temperature dropped below minus twenty degrees. It sounds ridiculous now, but at the time it was heaven.
For those with refined tastes there was a more expensive vodka costing 4 roubles and 12 kopecks. Experts claimed it was distilled from grain, while the cheaper version was produced from ethyl alcohol derived from petroleum products. Whether true or not, we drank both with equal enthusiasm.
Food shopping required strategy. The Myaso shop—the meat store—rarely had enough good cuts for everyone. If I wanted a decent piece of meat, a discreet bribe to the saleswoman sometimes helped. Elderly women waiting in line would grumble and complain, but somehow everyone survived.
The funniest contradiction of Soviet life was winter itself.
Outside the temperature could reach minus thirty degrees Celsius. Yet inside the Metro tunnels people happily ate ice cream. I joined them. Standing underground, wearing heavy coats and fur hats, we enjoyed ice cream while snowstorms raged above us.
Travel was wonderfully cheap. A five-kopek coin could take you almost anywhere on the Metro system.
Our greatest adventures were camping trips. A group of friends would throw rucksacks over our shoulders and disappear into forests or countryside for weekends. Supplies were simple: several bottles of vodka, canned tomatoes, jars of gherkins, black rye bread, and tins of military-style canned meat.
At night we sat around campfires.
Yura would pull out his guitar and begin singing old Russian folk songs.
Kalinka, Kalinka, Kalinka maiya…”
Soon everyone joined in. The vodka flowed, the songs became louder, and the stars above seemed brighter than anywhere else on earth.
Hangovers were dealt with in the traditional Russian manner: another glass of vodka the following morning. It was a cure that made no medical sense but appeared to work remarkably well.
The food was simple and satisfying. Black rye bread accompanied almost every meal. People consumed enormous quantities of potatoes, yet diabetes seemed rare compared with today. Fried potatoes mixed with slices of kalbasa sausage created a feast. Kefir, the sour milk drink, was a daily staple.
One of my favourite meals was mashed potatoes served with giant boiled sausages. It was inexpensive, filling, and delicious after a day spent in freezing weather.
Occasionally we celebrated in style. A visit to a Georgian restaurant was considered luxury. Getting a table often required bribing the gatekeeper. Once inside, we enjoyed good food, wine, music, and laughter until late into the night.
Returning home could be an adventure by itself.
Taxis were scarce. Sometimes a passing police officer would stop and offer me a ride. On one occasion I sat in the passenger seat of a police car and asked politely how much I owed him.
He looked at me and laughed.
Do you think I take people for free?”
When we arrived, I placed five roubles on this cap beside the gear lever and stepped out.
Spasibo,” I said.
He nodded and drove away into the snowy night.
Today, the Soviet Union exists only in history books. The shops are different. The prices are different. The system itself has vanished.
Yet when I think back to those years, I do not remember politics.
I remember friends.
I remember hot beer on freezing mornings.
I remember black bread, kalbasa, kefir, and endless potatoes.
I remember Yura’s guitar beside a campfire.
I remember singing Kalinka” under a sky full of stars.
Most of all, I remember a time when life was simple, money was scarce, and happiness was found in friendship, laughter, and a bottle of vodka costing exactly 3 roubles and 63 kopecks.
Those were unforgettable days.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Courtesy Hiru News

Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation and Acting Minister of Energy Anura Karunathilaka says there is an issue with the coal quality of the fifth vessel procured under emergency purchases, and that the supplying company has been informed that penalties will be imposed under tender conditions if a replacement shipment is not delivered before September 1.

Speaking during an adjournment debate in Parliament, the Minister said the impact of the coal quality issue is significant and directly affects the public.

He noted that due to quality concerns, penalties amounting to USD 29.87 million (around Rs. 9.8 billion) have been withheld, along with a bond valued at USD 14.7 million (around Rs. 4.7 billion), bringing the total withheld amount to approximately Rs. 14.72 billion.

He further stated that the financial losses arising from coal quality issues have been assessed, with the government incurring losses of around Rs. 4.5 billion between January and April, while the power generation company has faced losses of about Rs. 3.1 billion. This brings the estimated total loss to around Rs. 7 billion, though the figure may increase as evaluations are still ongoing.

The Minister added that the final loss could reach Rs. 10–11 billion, but stressed that since Rs. 14.7 billion is already being withheld, there is no need for the burden to be passed on to the public.

He also confirmed that the company supplying the fifth emergency coal shipment was notified on June 9 that the cargo cannot be accepted due to certification issues. The company has also been warned that if a replacement vessel is not delivered before September 1, penalties will be imposed in line with tender conditions.

Courtesy Hiru News

The wife of Retired Major General Suresh Sallay, Manori Sallay, has made an urgent appeal for daily visits to her husband, warning that his health is deteriorating rapidly due to the ongoing hunger strike.
In a letter, addressed to The Criminal Investigation Department Director Shani Abeysekera, requesting immediate intervention, she stated that medical professionals at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, where he is currently receiving treatment, indicated his condition may soon prevent him from communicating effectively.
Investigating officers have reportedly restricted visits by his legal counsel to Wednesdays.
The letter argues that daily 15-minute visits are essential. “Counsel is in a unique position to advise and persuade him to discontinue his ongoing hunger strike, which poses a serious and immediate threat to his health and well-being,” Manori Sallay stated in the letter.
The right to consult legal counsel is a fundamental safeguard provided even under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The appeal warns that if irreversible harm occurs due to the denial of reasonable access for visits, those responsible may be held accountable through all available legal processes.

රජිත් කිර්ති තෙන්නකෝන් ශ්‍රී ලංකා මානව හිමිකම් කේන්ද්‍රයේ Sri Lanka Economic Forum ව්‍යාපෘතිය.

2026 පළමු කාර්තුවේ ප්‍රාථමික ගිණුමේ රුපියල් බිලියන ගානක් තියෙන බවට ප්‍රවෘත්තියක් ප්‍රචාරය කරනවා. මේ කතාව ඇත්තක් නෙවෙයි.  

2026 පළමු කාර්තුවේ රජයේ ආදායම රු. බි. 1473.8 යි.

පුණරාවර්තන විදයම් රු. බි. 688.9 යි. ප්‍රග්ධන වියදම රු. බි. 103.2 යි.

පුණරාවර්තන හා ප්‍රාග්ධන වියදම් දෙකේ එකතුව රු.බි. 792.1 යි.

ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය කියන්නේ රජයේ ආදායම හා වියදම් එකතුව අතර පරතරයයි. එ් පරතරය රු. බිලියන  681.7 කි.

මොකක්ද මේ ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය (Primary Surplus) කියන්නේ? රජයේ සම්පූර්ණ ආදායමෙන්, පෙර ගත් ණය සඳහා ගෙවිය යුතු පොළිය හැර අනෙකුත් සියලු වියදම් අඩු කළ විට ඉතිරි වන මුදලයි. එය සරලව ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය = රජයේ ආදායම – (මුළු වියදම – පොලී ගෙවීම්) ලෙස සරළව දැක්විය හැකියි. රටක් අන්දන්න පාවිච්චි කරන වචනය තමයි ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය”!

2026 පළමු කාර්තුවේ ණය පොලිය රු. බි. 593.2 යි.

පළමු කාර්තුවේ රාජ්‍ය ණය ආපසු ගෙවීම – (දේශීය හා විදේශීය) 694.7 යි.

ණය සහ පොලිය එකතුව රු. බිලියන 1,287.9 යි.

එවිට, පළමු කාර්තුවේ සමස්ත අය වැය හිඟය (උණතාවය) රු. බි. 606.2

2026 පළමු මාස 3 ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය ධන අගයක් තිබුණට, ඇත්ත අය වැය හිඟය (ඌණතාවය) රු.බි. 606.2 කි.

ප්‍රශ්නය තියෙන්නේ එතන නෙවෙයි. පළමු කාර්තුවේ ප්‍රාග්ධන වියදම්වලින් වැය කර තියෙන්නේ 7.5% යි. සෑම වසරකට පළමු මාස කිහිපයේ ප්‍රාග්ධන වියදම් අඩුයි.   ඒ කියන්නේ රජයේ වියදම් වැඩිවෙන්නේ අන්තිම කාර්තු තුනේ දී යි.

තවත් දෙයක්, ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය” කියන්නේ ආර්ථිකය පිළිබඳ දර්ශකයක් නෙවෙයි.  අපි හොඳටම අමාරු කාලයේ 2023  වසරේ ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය” රු. මි. 173,332 ක් තිබුණා. යන්තම් ඔළුව උස්සන්න පටන් ගත්ත 2024 ප්‍රාථමික අතිරික්තය රු. මි. 649,569  යි.

ආණ්ඩුවේ කණ්ඩායම් මහ බැංකුවත් එක්ක එතතුවෙලා මේ වගේ කිසිම වැදගැම්මකට නැති සංඛ්‍යා ලේඛන දිනපතා එළියට දානවා.  ඒවා පිටුපස ‘තාක්ෂණික වචන හරඹ’ තියෙනවා. 

රැවටෙන්න එපා! පළමු කාර්තුවේ සමස්ත අය වැය හිඟය (උණතාවය) රු. බි. 606.2 යි.

Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon

Former Governor of Uva, Southern and Central Provinces

Former Executive Director of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) and Center for Human Rights and Research – CHR Sri Lanka

බන්දුල කෑන්දරාගම.

ජනාධිපති අනුර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතා, ජනාධිපති තුමනි,

කන්තලේ වේල්ල 1984 අප්‍රේල් 20 දින පාන්දර 3:00 ට කැඩී ගියේය. එසේ වුවද, පාන්දර 4:30 පමන වන විට, ජලයෙන් යටවන ප්‍රදේශවල මහජනතාව ඉවත් කිරීමට ග්‍රාම සේවා නිලධාරී මහතා සහ පොලිසිය විසින් කටයුතු කරන ලදී.  40 වසරකට පමන පසු, කොත්මලේ ජලාශයේ වාන් දොරටු විවෘත කර පැය 40ක් පමන ගත වුවත්, ගම්පොල ප්‍රදේශයේ ජනතාව ඉවත් කිරීමට අදාල බලධාරීන් සමත් වූයේ නැත. මෙයට හේතු කිහිපයක්  තිබේ. උදාහරණයක් වශයෙන්, අපේ රටට අදාල ජල වේලි සම්භන්දව අවශ්‍යය ක්‍රම වේදයක් නොමැත. වාන් දොරටු විවෘත කිරීමෙන් පසු  දුරකථන ජාලය ක්‍රියා විරහිත විය.  දුරකථන ජාලය ක්‍රියා විරහිත වීමෙන් පසු, අතාවශ්‍ය තොරතුරු ආපදා කලමනාකරන නිලධාරීන් වෙත මුදාහැරීමට ක්‍රමයක් නොමැත.  මේ සම්භන්දයෙන, 2025 දෙසැම්බර් 30 දින, විද්‍යා සහ තාක්ශන අමාත්‍යාංශය මගින් පවත්වන Zoom සාකච්ඡාවට මම Power Point Presentation එකක් ඉදිරිපත් කරන ලදී.  මේ අනුව ජලශ කලමනාකරනය සම්භන්දයෙන් ඉතා විශාල ප්‍රශ්නයක් තිබෙන බව පැහැදිලිය.  එම නිසා, 2022 ජනවාරි  19 දින නිකුත් කරන ලද අමප / 21 / 2174 / /036-1 දරන අමාත්‍ය මන්ඩල තීරණය ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට වාරිමාර්ග අමාත්‍යාංශයේ ලේකම් තුමාට  උපදෙස් දෙන ලෙස ඉතා කරුනාවෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටිම. 

බන්දුල කෑන්දරාගම.

Independent Dam Safety Consultant

By Our Correspondent

Guwahati: The annual Devarshi Narad Jayanti award was recently conferred on Assamese journalist Nava Thakuria, where  three city-based promising reporters namely Ranjita Rabha of Pratham Khabar news channel, Lakhyajit Gohain of NK Television  and Mridul Haloi of Dainik Asom were also felicitated. Organized by Vishwa Samvad Kendra (VSK) Assam at Sudarshanalaya in  Barbari locality of the prehistoric Indian city on 7 June 2026, the function also witnessed an illuminating lecture presented by Prakhar Shrivastava, senior consulting editor and anchor at Delhi Doordarshan Kendra.

While delivering a factual and profound speech addressing the contemporary socio-political landscape and past historical errors, Shrivastava made a significant observation that in journalism, the propagation and judgment of half-truths pose a greater danger than outright falsehoods.  He also made momentous remarks regarding the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the year of centenary celebrations.

“While the media maintains a positive outlook toward the RSS in today’s altered political landscape, such an attitude was rare in the past. When the media paid scant attention to the Sangh, founded in 1925, the nation was on the brink of partition. At that time, senior Congress leaders from Pakistan’s Sindh province migrated to Hindustan with their belongings. During that tumultuous period, the RSS swayamsevaks (volunteers) risked their lives to rescue Hindus, Sikhs, and other communities targeted by the fundamentalists in Sindh,” stated Shrivastava.

He further highlighted a historical letter written by the then Defence minister Baldev Singh to Home minister Vallabhbhai Patel shortly after independence. Sardar Patel had suggested placing the letter before the Cabinet, which urged the government to cooperate with the Sangh’s efforts to rescue people stranded in peril inside Pakistan following the partition. “Regrettably, these developments fueled resentment in Prime Minister Nehru’s mind. Nehru imposed a ban on the RSS not primarily due to the allegations surrounding MK Gandhi’s assassination, but rather out of displeasure over the rescue operations conducted by the Sangh workers in Pakistan during partition,” he asserted.

“The first incident of mass lynching in independent India occurred in the wake of Gandhi’s assassination. This mass violence was perpetrated by a section of self-proclaimed Gandhians, and its first casualties were Dr Narayan Savarkar and other family members of Veer Savarkar,” said Shrivastava. He also highlighted the menace of illegal influx from East Pakistan turned Bangladesh since the era of Syed Muhammad Sadullah, impacting the demographic changes in Assam, and also the notorious roles played by Moinul Hoque Choudhury and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.

In his acceptance speech, Thakuria remarked that Narad, the divine messenger who created engagement through incisive questioning and well-meaning counsel moving across three Loks (Swarga, Martya and Patal), remains a guiding light for journalism. He emphasized that the credibility of the mythological character Narad, who successfully mediated among deities, kings, demons and others in the society, remains immensely relevant to contemporary journalism. Thakuria also pointed out that the western model of institutionalized, individual-centric journalism has adversely affected India’s culturally rooted and nature-centric news values.

The Narad Jayanti awards in earlier years went to some of the finest Assamese media professionals namely Dhirendra Nath Chakrabarty, Dhirendra Nath Bezbaruah, Kanak Sen Deka, Mahendra Barua, Shashi Phukan, Anil Baruah, Gautam Sarma, Rupam Baruah, PJ Baruah and Shantanu Tamulik. This year’s awardee Thakuria joined mainstream Assamese journalism in 1990, but later he  shifted to English journalism. Currently his articles are published in various print & digital media outlets based in different parts of south and southeast Asian nations. He is also a regular participant in various television talk-shows on current topics. An alumnus of Assam Engineering College (under Gauhati University), Thakuria has received a number of award-fellowships including one from the Geneva-based media rights body, Press Emblem Campaign in 2021.

At the commencement of the program, VSK Assam secretary Kishore Shivam presented a brief overview of Devarshi Narada, depicting him as the seeker of knowledge and the eradicator of flaws. He noted that a deeper research into Narada’s 84 Bhakti Sutras could enrich the aims and objectives of modern journalism. The event also featured the unveiling of a souvenir Veena Bani, alongside a rendition of Saraswati Vandana by Tribeni Bujarbaruah. VSK Assam president Gouranga Sarma also addressed the gathering. Anchored by Naba Bujar Baruah, the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Guru Prasad Medhi. 

සරත් ඔබේසේකර

අද ශ්‍රී ලංකාව පසුගිය ආර්ථික කඩාවැටීමෙන් යම් ප්‍රමාණයකට ගොඩ ආ බවක් පෙනේ. විදේශ සංචිත වැඩි වී ඇත. උද්ධමනය පාලනය වී ඇත. විශ්වාසය යම් තරමකට නැවත ගොඩනැගී ඇත.

නමුත් අපේ ආර්ථිකය කඩා වැටීමට හේතු වූ මූලික දුර්වලතා තවමත් විසඳී නොමැත.

අපි දිනපතාම කියවන්නේ මහ බැංකුව ඩොලර් මිලදී ගන්නා ආකාරය, විනිමය අනුපාතය පාලනය කිරීමට නීති ගෙන එන ආකාරය සහ රේගුව හා දේශීය ආදායම් දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව වාර්තාගත ආදායම් උපයා ඇති බවයි.

නමුත් බදු අය කිරීමෙන් රටක් ධනවත් නොවේ.

රටක් ධනවත් වන්නේ විදේශ විනිමය උපයන විටය. එය සිදු වන්නේ නිෂ්පාදනයෙන්, අපනයනයෙන්, ආයෝජනයෙන්, නවෝත්පාදනයෙන් සහ ලෝකයට සේවා අලෙවි කිරීමෙන් පමණි.

අද අපේ විදේශ විනිමය ආදායමේ ප්‍රධාන මූලාශ්‍ර තුන වන්නේ සංචාරක කර්මාන්තය, විදේශ රැකියා ආදායම් සහ තේ, පොල්, කුළුබඩු හා ඇඟලුම් වැනි සාම්ප්‍රදායික අපනයනයි.

මෙය දිගුකාලීන ආර්ථික ආරක්ෂාවක් නොවේ.

ත්‍රිකුණාමලය – නිදා සිටින දැවැන්තයා

ලෝකයේ හොඳම ස්වාභාවික වරායන්ගෙන් එකක් වන ත්‍රිකුණාමලය දශක ගණනාවක් තිස්සේ සංවර්ධනය ගැන කතාබහට ලක්විය.

නමුත් කතා හැර වෙනත් දෙයක් සිදුවී නැත.

ත්‍රිකුණාමලය නාවික සේවා, බලශක්ති, ධීවර, කර්මාන්ත, ලොජිස්ටික්ස්, නැව් අලුත්වැඩියා සහ අපනයන සැකසුම් කේන්ද්‍රයක් බවට පත් කළ හැකිය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ආර්ථික අනාගතය ගොඩනැගීමට නම් ත්‍රිකුණාමලය ජාතික ප්‍රමුඛතා ව්‍යාපෘතියක් විය යුතුය.

අපනයනය කරන්නේ උපාධිධාරීන් මිස නිෂ්පාදන නොවේ

අපි සෑම වසරකම ධීවර, සමුද්‍ර විද්‍යා, ඉංජිනේරු හා තාක්ෂණික උපාධිධාරීන් බිහිකරමු.

නමුත් ඔවුන්ට ව්‍යාපාර ආරම්භ කිරීමට සහාය නොදෙමු.

ඒ වෙනුවට ඔවුන් විදේශගත වෙති.

ධීවර අපනයන ව්‍යාපාර, සමුද්‍ර තාක්ෂණික ආරම්භක සමාගම් සහ ඛනිජ සම්පත් මත පදනම් වූ අගය එකතු කළ කර්මාන්ත ආරම්භ කළ යුතුය.

විදේශ ආයෝජන ජාතික මෙහෙවරක් විය යුතුය

අද බොහෝ රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන් තීරණ ගැනීමට බිය වෙති.

අනාගතයේදී තමන් විමර්ශනයට ලක් වේ යැයි ඔවුන් සිතති.

එම බිය නිසා ව්‍යාපෘති වසර ගණනක් ගොනු අතර සිරවී පවතී.

විනිවිදභාවයෙන් හා අවංකව ක්‍රියා කරන රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන් ආරක්ෂා කරන නීති රටට අවශ්‍යය.

දූෂණයට දඬුවම් දිය යුතුය.

නමුත් අවංක තීරණ ගැනීම ආරක්ෂා කළ යුතුය.

පෝට් සිටිය පමණක් ආර්ථිකය ගොඩනැගිය නොහැක

පෝට් සිටි ව්‍යාපෘතිය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට අයත් වටිනා ජාතික වත්කමකි. එහෙත් නිවාස සංකීර්ණ සහ කාර්යාල ගොඩනැගිලි විකිණීමෙන් පමණක් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට අවශ්‍ය ආර්ථික පරිවර්තනය සිදු කළ නොහැක.

අප රටට අවශ්‍ය වන්නේ බහුජාතික සමාගම්, තාක්ෂණික ආයතන, මුහුදු හා අක්වෙරළ ඉංජිනේරු සමාගම්, නාවික සේවා සපයන්නන්, බලශක්ති ව්‍යාපාර සහ ජාත්‍යන්තර මූල්‍ය ආයතන ආකර්ෂණය කර ගැනීමයි.

සිංගප්පූරුව සාර්ථක වූයේ ගොඩනැගිලි ඉදිකිරීම නිසා නොවේ.

එය ලෝක මට්ටමේ දක්ෂතා, ජාත්‍යන්තර ව්‍යාපාර සහ ඉහළ වටිනාකමක් ඇති කර්මාන්ත ආකර්ෂණය කරගත් විශිෂ්ටතා මධ්‍යස්ථානයක්” බවට පත්වූ නිසාය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ද එවැනි මාවතක් අනුගමනය කළ යුතුය.

ඉන්දියාව උපායමාර්ගික සංවර්ධන හවුල්කරුවෙකු විය යුතුය

කොළඹ ඩොක්යාඩ් ආයතනයේ ඉන්දියානු ආයෝජනය කලාපීය හවුල්කාරිත්වයේ වැදගත්කම පැහැදිලි කරයි.

ඊළඟ ස්වාභාවික පියවර විය යුත්තේ ත්‍රිකුණාමලයේ විශාල පරිමාණ ආයෝජන ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමයි.

ඉන්දියාවට මෙම කලාපය තුළ උපායමාර්ගික අවශ්‍යතා තිබේ. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට ප්‍රාග්ධනය, තාක්ෂණය සහ වෙළඳපොළ අවශ්‍යය.

මෙම දෙරටේ අවශ්‍යතා ත්‍රිකුණාමලයේදී එකිනෙකට ගැළපිය හැකිය.

අවශ්‍ය වන්නේ කඩිනම් ක්‍රියාමාර්ග පමණි.

කාලය වේගයෙන් ගෙවී යයි

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට තවදුරටත් අකර්මන්‍යව සිටීමට ඉඩක් නොමැත.

විදේශගත ශ්‍රමිකයන්ගේ ප්‍රේෂණ, සංචාරක ආදායම් සහ සාම්ප්‍රදායික අපනයන මත සදාකාලිකව රඳා සිටිය නොහැක.

ධනය නිර්මාණය කිරීම නොසලකා හරිමින් බදු ආදායම් ඉහළ යාම ගැන පමණක් සතුටු විය නොහැක.

වියට්නාමය, ඉන්දියාව, ඉන්දුනීසියාව සහ ගල්ෆ් රාජ්‍යයන් ආයෝජන ආකර්ෂණය කරගනිමින් සහ රැකියා නිර්මාණය කරමින් ඉදිරියට දිව යන විට, අපට තවදුරටත් වාද විවාදවල කාලය නාස්ති කළ නොහැක.

ඉතිහාසය රටවල්වලට දෙවන අවස්ථාවක් ලබා දෙන්නේ ඉතා කලාතුරකිනි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට එවැනි අවස්ථාවක් නැවත ලැබී ඇත.

අප එය ප්‍රයෝජනයට ගන්නේද, නැතහොත් නැවතත් අහිමි කරගන්නේද යන්න තීරණය වන්නේ අදයි.

ජනාධිපතිවරයා, පාර්ලිමේන්තුව, රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන් සහ පෞද්ගලික අංශයේ නායකයන් ධෛර්යයෙන් සහ වේගයෙන් ක්‍රියා කළ යුතුය.

එසේ නොකළහොත්, ගිනි තබා ඇති හට්ටියක නටමින් සිටින කකුළුවන් මෙන්, අප වටා ඇති අනතුර අවබෝධ වන විට එය ප්‍රමාද වැඩි වී තිබිය හැකිය.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

By Sarath Obeysekera

Sri Lanka appears to have emerged from the worst phase of its recent economic collapse. Foreign reserves have improved, inflation is under control, and confidence has partially returned. Yet beneath the surface, the fundamental weaknesses that brought the nation to its knees remain largely unresolved.

Every day we read reports of the Central Bank purchasing dollars, introducing regulations to stabilize exchange rates, and government agencies proudly announcing record tax and customs revenue. Customs collects billions from duties imposed on imported vehicles, household goods, stationery, plastic products, and countless other items consumed by our people.

But taxation and import duties do not create wealth.

A nation becomes prosperous only when it earns foreign exchange through production, exports, investment, innovation, and services sold to the rest of the world.

Today, Sri Lanka continues to depend heavily on three vulnerable sources of foreign currency: tourism, worker remittances, and traditional exports such as tea, coconut products, spices, and garments. Any external shock, global recession, conflict, pandemic, or change in labour migration patterns can quickly destabilize these earnings.

This is not a sustainable model for a country aspiring to become a regional economic hub.

Trincomalee – The Sleeping Giant

For decades, policymakers have spoken about the strategic importance of Trincomalee. Yet little has moved beyond speeches, studies, and seminars.

Trincomalee possesses one of the finest natural harbours in the world. It has the potential to become an integrated industrial, logistics, energy, ship repair, offshore services, fisheries, and export processing hub serving the entire Bay of Bengal region.

If Sri Lanka is serious about economic transformation, Trincomalee must become the nation’s highest priority development project.

Instead of spending years navigating endless approvals, environmental clearances, committee reports, and bureaucratic procedures, the Government should establish a special economic regime with clear, transparent, and time-bound approvals for strategic investments.

Investors seek certainty. They do not invest where files move from desk to desk for years.

We Export Graduates Instead of Products

Every year Sri Lanka produces graduates in fisheries, marine sciences, engineering, information technology, and numerous technical disciplines.

Yet many leave the country because opportunities are limited.

Why are we not supporting fisheries graduates to establish export-oriented seafood ventures?

Why are we not encouraging marine technology startups?

Why are we not developing value-added industries around our mineral resources instead of exporting raw materials?

The world’s wealthiest nations export knowledge, technology, and value-added products—not merely commodities.

Foreign Direct Investment Must Become a National Mission

The President heads a government with a strong mandate. This is the moment to introduce bold reforms.

State officials often fear making decisions because future investigations may question their actions, even when taken in good faith to facilitate investment.

This culture of fear has become one of the greatest obstacles to economic growth.

Sri Lanka needs legislation that protects public officers who act transparently and honestly in facilitating approved investments.

Corruption must be punished severely.

But honest decision-making must be protected.

Otherwise, no official will take responsibility, and every project will remain trapped in bureaucracy.

Port City Alone Cannot Save the Economy

The Port City project is a valuable national asset. However, selling apartments and office space alone will not generate the economic transformation Sri Lanka requires.

The country must attract multinational corporations, technology firms, offshore engineering companies, marine services providers, energy enterprises, and global financial institutions.

Singapore did not become successful merely by constructing buildings.

It became a centre of excellence that attracted global talent, international businesses, and high-value industries.

Sri Lanka should follow a similar path.

India Must Become a Strategic Development Partner

India’s investment in Colombo Dockyard demonstrates the importance of regional partnerships.

The next logical step is large-scale investment in Trincomalee.

India has strategic interests in the region. Sri Lanka requires capital, technology, and markets.

The interests of both nations can converge in Trincomalee.

What is needed is urgency.

Time Is Running Out

Sri Lanka cannot afford complacency.

We cannot depend forever on remittances, tourism, and traditional exports.

We cannot celebrate tax collections while neglecting wealth creation.

We cannot continue debating while competitors such as Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and the Gulf states aggressively attract investment and create jobs.

History rarely gives nations a second chance.

Sri Lanka has been given one.

The question is whether we will seize it—or waste it.

The President, Parliament, public servants, and private sector leaders must act with courage and speed.

Otherwise, we may once again find ourselves like crabs dancing in a pot already placed on the fire, unaware of the danger until it is too late

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Star-studded launch planned for Home Lands’ Port City project valued at US$300 million

The announcement of a US$300 million luxury residential development in Colombo Port City has generated considerable interest. While such investments are welcome, Sri Lanka must ask a fundamental question: Is Port City merely going to be a collection of high-rise apartments, or can it become a genuine Centre of Excellence that drives economic growth and foreign exchange earnings?

History offers valuable lessons.

Several decades ago, Singapore transformed itself from a small trading port into a global business hub. Rather than focusing solely on property development, it attracted multinational corporations, technical experts, digital professionals, maritime specialists, and financial institutions. Foreign companies established regional headquarters there, bringing with them highly skilled expatriates, employment opportunities, technology transfer, and international connectivity.

The result was not merely a property boom but the creation of an ecosystem that generated sustainable economic value.

Sri Lanka’s Port City has the potential to follow a similar path.

Located strategically along one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, Port City can become South Asia’s Centre of Excellence for maritime services, digital technology, financial services, offshore engineering, logistics, and innovation.

To achieve this vision, policy makers should focus on attracting global companies rather than merely selling luxury apartments. Incentives should be designed to encourage multinational corporations currently operating from hubs such as Dubai and Singapore to establish regional offices in Colombo.

Vietnam is aggressively marketing itself as a destination for technology companies and manufacturing investors. Sri Lanka must compete by highlighting its educated workforce, strategic location, favourable time zone, and improving infrastructure.

Port City should be supported by world-class infrastructure including an independent and reliable power supply, high-speed digital connectivity, efficient transport systems, and streamlined regulatory procedures. Investors seek certainty and efficiency as much as tax incentives.

Equally important is the integration of Port City with the rest of the island. The Southern Expressway and Airport Expressway provide rapid access to Negombo, Colombo, Galle, Mirissa, and Matara. This connectivity creates opportunities for expatriates and professionals to live, work, and travel conveniently throughout the country.

A vibrant marine economy could further strengthen the proposition. Fast ferry and cruise services linking Colombo with southern coastal destinations would create new tourism and leisure opportunities. Marina developments, yacht services, boat building, marine engineering, and recreational water sports can become complementary industries that enhance the attractiveness of Port City.

The lifestyle component should not be overlooked. International schools, healthcare facilities, diverse culinary experiences, entertainment venues, cultural attractions, and a vibrant nightlife are all essential ingredients in attracting global talent. Skilled professionals and entrepreneurs choose destinations not only for business opportunities but also for quality of life.

Perhaps most importantly, Port City should not become an isolated enclave. Foreign professionals and investors should be encouraged to establish roots within Sri Lanka, purchase property in surrounding regions, engage with local enterprises, and contribute to the broader economy. The benefits must extend beyond the boundaries of Port City itself.

The ultimate measure of success will not be the number of apartments sold. It will be the number of global companies headquartered there, the amount of foreign exchange earned, the quality jobs created for Sri Lankans, and the international reputation the country builds as a destination for innovation and excellence.

Sri Lanka has a unique opportunity. Port City can either become another real estate development or evolve into a world-class Centre of Excellence that transforms the nation’s economic future.

The choice lies in the vision we adopt today.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Many economists in Sri Lanka have debated for years. In an open economy, foreign exchange can leave the country not only through legitimate imports but also through over-invoicing, transfer pricing, unnecessary imports, and disguised capital flight.

However, the challenge is to control outflows without discouraging genuine business activity.

Some possible measures are:

1. Strengthen Customs Valuation

Many countries use international reference databases to compare declared import prices with prevailing world prices.

If a container of low-value consumer goods is declared at twice the normal international price, Customs should automatically flag it for investigation.

2. Joint Monitoring by Central Bank, Customs and Inland Revenue

Import payments above a threshold (say USD 50,000) could be cross-checked against:

• Customs declaration value
• Bank telegraphic transfer value
• Supplier invoices
• Tax records of the importer

Any major discrepancy should trigger an audit.

3. Prioritise Essential Imports

During foreign exchange shortages, countries often classify imports into:

• Essential (fuel, medicine, food, industrial raw materials)
• Productive (machinery, export-related inputs)
• Non-essential (luxury and easily substitutable goods)

Higher duties or temporary restrictions can be imposed on non-essential imports.

4. Country-of-Origin Verification

Some low-cost products are imported through intermediary trading companies in third countries, increasing invoice values.

Direct sourcing verification could reduce artificial markups.

5. Digital Trade Monitoring

A modern system linking:

• Customs
• Ports
• Banks
• Inland Revenue
• Import and Export Control Department

would make it difficult to over-invoice imports and transfer money abroad under the guise of trade.

6. Encourage Domestic Manufacturing

Rather than banning imports, Sri Lanka should encourage local production of:

• Building materials
• Household items
• Agricultural equipment
• Marine equipment
• Consumer goods

Every locally produced item saves foreign exchange and creates jobs.

7. Address Transfer Pricing

Multinational companies sometimes shift profits abroad through management fees, royalties, and inflated service charges. Strong transfer-pricing regulations can reduce this leakage.

The Balance Required

Sri Lanka’s economy depends on exports, tourism, remittances, and foreign investment. Excessive controls can create black markets and discourage investment. Therefore, the objective should be smart monitoring and risk-based controls, not a return to the rigid import licensing regimes of the 1970s.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

General

Port of Trincomalee commands a large, natural and a wide body of sheltered water in Sri Lanka. The Port of Trincomalee could be developed to play a major role in this unique economic region considering its locational advantage, deep water port facilities, large hinterland for establishing industries and   accompanied with quick land connection to Port of Colombo, with the expansion of express way network. 

1. Proposed Action Plan 

The Export Development Board has initiated a consultancy service to carry out the Feasibility study on market, technical and financial aspects for creation of business opportunities for layup and to receive the possibility of attracting investors to develop certain sections of Trincomalee Port to facilitate construction and assembly of structures related to marine and offshore sectors. This includes enhancement of Port facilities and continue layup stacking and stacking of structures of oil rigs and other vessel. 

1.1. The Chairman/ CEO of EDB through a letter Sri Lanka Ports Authority(SLPA), has requested assistance from SLPA to collaborate with EDB to conduct the study and provide technical support whenever necessary for the feasibility study of marine and offshore sector development.

1.2. In addition to the Port related industry development in the lands of Port of Trincomalee, and explore the business opportunities in the field of  marine and offshore sector related investment in Port of Trincomalee EDB is of the opinion that it  can generate much needed foreign currency in the country and would be a great opportunity to overcome the ongoing crisis.

1.3. Currently, the Clapenburg area of Trincomalee Port, year marked  to be used for development of a Repair and Construction yard to carryout marine and offshore sector  related heavy engineering work.

1.4. the land parcel which may be require to develop marine and offshore sector facilities and the location for future LNG facility has been studied in the feasibility study has been done by SLPA .

Interested investors for the Development of a yard to carry out Marine and Offshore related work in Port of Trincomalee may be selected using an EOI (Expression of Interest) followed by an RFP (Request for Proposal) process through open competitive bidding process on prioritybasis with a view to entice foreign investors with FDI.

As an alternative to calling offers which may take long time  Sri Lanka can approach Indian Government to request a G to G ( Government to Government ) investment proposal on PPP ( Private Public Partnership) basis with plans to allow local companies like ColomboDockyard to join,

2. Approval

Considering the above facts, EDB has proposed to Sri Lanka Ports Authority with Ministry of Industries may   seek   the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to 

1. 

2. 

2.1. Conduct EOI process from interested investors through open competitive bidding process for the Development of Marine and Offshore Sector in Port of Trincomalee followed by a RFP process once the prequalification is made from EOI process.

2.2. Appoint Cabinet Appointed Negotiation Committee and a Project Committee including technically competent officials and a treasury representative to handle all procurement matters pertaining to the Project and to determine successful proposals and make recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers.

3                    Proposed contents of the Cabinet Memorandum​

CABINET MEMORANDUM m DEVELOPMENT OF MARINE AND OFFSHORE INDUSTRY

1. Background

Marine and Offshore is a key industry in Sri Lanka which is yet to be grown its full potential. SriLanka is blessed with several competitive advantages, compare to other regional countries who are reaping very lucrative benefits and strongly positioning for future opportunities. Sri Lanka has one of the best, safest and sheltered natural deep-water port located in Trincomalee

amongst other strategic ports such as Colombo and Hambantota located near the world’s busiest sea routes, where it is stated that nearly 200-250 vessels sail passing Sri Lanka per day from west to east and the country will benefit immensely if we venture into this market segment.

The Marine and Offshore industry can be developed in Sri Lanka due to its strategic location, with available competitive labor cost, technical capabilities, shipbuilding led industrialgrowth and with the government support through industrial parks, free zones, and special economiczones. Also, the absence of a marine hub between Dubai and Singapore is a deserving factor for the development of this sector. In addition to Oil and Gas exploration and development activities in offshore India has drawn a large traffic of Oil and Gas marine assets to go pass Sri Lanka for their jobs in India both in and out of India.

The Trincomalee Port is one of the largest natural deep-water harbors in the world. However, it hasnot been effectively utilized to its fullest capacityat present and has high potential to cater to the global Marine and Offshore

industry if properly developed. Also, the other ports such as Hambantota, Galle, Colombo can be developed or expand its capacity to provide Marine and Offshore Services.

By developing facilitates in the port of Trincomalee as the nucleus, the Marine and Offshore Engineering sector can contribute to the Sri Lanka Economy to generate high amount of foreign income. According to the available statistics from the industry and the projection for next few years, the country could earn US$ 10bby year 2034. By developing Offshore Construction projects, it is expected to generate income to Sri Lanka from 2025 to 2030 over 10 billion US $

In Sri Lanka  there are few Sri Lankan companies who are able to provide most of the servicesrelated to Marine and Offshore Sector, particularly for all Oil Rig Layup facilities.

The Term Lay-up” means ships are temporarily taken out of regular operations/service and placed on idle mode due to lack of business, lack of cargo, freight rates are not feasible to operate, having major repairs to be carried out or that the ship is arrested by law” or is under sale or waited to be scrapped. When ships are placed on lay-up, they are either berthed inside port at quayside with safe mooring or tied to a Mooring” at a safe anchorage location in sheltered waters. Not many ports/locations in the world or in our region offers the above basic requirement to ships, however, Sri Lanka is blessed with the Ports of Trincomalee and Hambantota They Have successfullymanaged to intercept this market segment withthe aggressive and smart promotion/business creation by selected private Sri Lankan companies.

The Sri Lankan lay-up locations (Trincomalee, Hambantota, etc.) are located closer to major shipping routes – enables quick reactivation when business commence. Multiple Industries will also be benefited by developing this sector. Considering Oil Rig layup, repair and maintenance, sectors involved in logistic /supplies to rigs laid up, bonded ware housing companiesto store parts, Ship Chandeliers, Fuel suppliers to rigs, local companies involved in renting equipment. are directly benefited. Among the indirect benefits recognized are training locals and foreign personnel through uplifting existing curriculum in higher education relating to this sector, on charging fees, enticing Foreign Offshore Design/construction companies to utilize Port City facilities and tax benefits to establish their offices in Sri Lanka, Training Staff to get involved in pending LNG Industry in management.

However, Marine and Offshore Industry currently faced some issues which is a huge impact for thedevelopment of the sector. Some of the short-termissues faced by this sector are given below. Byaddressing the below issues, sector can contribute more to the economy soon.

1. Lack of Berthing facilities for Quayside lay-ups, servicing, and repairs of Rigs/Offshore Assets.

2. Lack of Mooring facilities for Anchorage work/lay-ups, servicing, and repairs of Rigs/Offshore Assets.

3. Rig Height Restrictions imposed by Sri Lanka Air force for vessels that can enter and stay at

Trincomalee Port for lay-up and other services.

3. Recommendation / Approval

In view of above, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers is sought for the following short termpriority proposals.

1. To resolve the lack of Berthing facilities for Quayside lay-ups, servicing, and repairs of

Rigs/Offshore Assets.

Ashraff Jetty in Trincomalee has been selected as a suitable site to established berthing facility for large vessels and oil rigs (Capsize, max. 300 m long). Expand the Jetty to accommodate the berthing of large ships facilities to be upgraded to have good strong bollards and fenders.

2. To resolve the lack of Mooring facilities for Anchorage work/lay-ups, servicing, and repairs ofRigs/Offshore Assets.

To lay-up ships, a port should have ample berthing space at anchorage. Further, the anchorage position should be in sheltered waters protected against winds and waves. Trincomalee has these conditions and increase services into this business segment. Therefore, it is suggested to

fix mooring buoys for the identified ship layup locations within Trincomalee bay and providenautical mooring facilities in case coal or gas fire powered project in Sampur will emerge.

To resolve the Rig Height Restrictions imposed by Sri Lanka Air force for vessels that can enter and stay at Trincomalee Port for lay-up and other services. Due to China Bay Airport, Trincomalee flying path falling over the Trincomalee Port, the Sri Lanka Airforce has imposed restrictions to bringing ships over 45m of height. This is a bigbarrier for the growth and sustenance of the Trincomalee Port which is a natural treasure ourcountry is blessed with to earn much needed foreign exchange revenue and generate job /

business opportunities. The Sri Lanka Airforce conducts training school/flights and they consider the vessel height over 45m is a risk for their training flights. Sought out this issue with the Ministry of Defense and Sri Lanka Airforce.

investments to development Marine & Offshore industry in Sri Lanka under the leadership of

Sri Lanka Ports Authority can provide Night time navigation during the operations/

For night time navigation the ports need lights, buoys, and lighthouses to

ensure safety and maintenance can be outsourced to private parties. SLPA will beremunerated for these costs by increased traffic to the port for which it will receive port dues.

New deep-water oil jetty or CBM/SPM to be installed can accommodate larger mainline vessels up to 80,000 DWT with a maximum draught of 13.0 m.

New 350 m long jetty may be built with a draught of 12.0 m for an LNG floating storage hub atClappenburg Island.

Long term: marina and dedicated cruise berth in front of the city; 360 m long berth dredged at CD -11.0 m to allow for the largest cruise vessels with a maximum draft of 10 m currently in service.

The proposed high income generating projects are as follows

Invite Mega players from worldwide (i,e. Chinese, Singaporean

Keppel/Sembawang, South Korea Hyundai /Samsung) to invest jointly with Sri Lanka and initiate a plan to develop the Trincomalee harbour as an Offshore Construction center focusing on Ship /Tanker conversion / modification to FPSO(Floating Production storage and Offload) units.

Development of Trinco Tank farm as storage /slop reception facility for Super Tankers with future for a super-size graving dock 

Initiate development of Offshore Wind Farm Construction can be initiated Promotion of PortCity can be done as the center of excellence in establishing design and digital outsourcing activities and   invite local companies to development of Warehousing in Trincomalee. Colombo Corridor for Bonded warehouses

Establishment of an LNG power plant in Trinco to provide power to future Shipyard can also be considered 

• The problem I am facing is that nobody wants to take my advise 

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

පුවත්පත් නිවේදනය  රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්                        

 2026 ජූනි 9

භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ ඩො.මි. 2.5 ක මුදලක් තුන්වන පාර්ශවයක් අතට පත්වීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් වන පාර්ලිමේන්තු මුදල් කාරක සභාව විසින් සිදුකරන විමර්ශන ක්‍රමවේදය, තම වැරද වසා ගැනීමට අවශ්‍ය කාලය ලබාගැනීම සඳහා මහ බැංකුව හා භාණ්ඩාගාරය විසින් යොදාගනිමින් සිටින බව ෆ්‍රී ලෝයර්ස් සංවිධානයේ ප්‍රධාන විධායක නිලධාරී රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන් මහතා පවසයි.

අද කෙළඹ දී පැවති පුවත්පත් සාකච්චාවක දී අදහස් දැක්වූ තෙන්නකෝන් මහා පැවසූවේ ‘ෆ්‍රී ලෝයර්ස් සංවිධානය අප්‍රේල් 22 අනාවරණය කළා පසුව,  රාජ්‍ය මුදල් බලය දරණ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මුදල් කාරක සභාව මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශයට ඒ පිළිබඳ තොරතුරු ලබාදීමට මාසයක කාලයක් ලබාදුන්නා.  එම වාර්තාව සභාපති හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මැතිතුමාගේ නිවසට යවලා ප්‍රශ්නය තවත් සතියකින් කල් දමා ගනු ලැබූවා.  ඊයේ දිනයේ එම මුදල් අමාත්‍යාංශය ඉදිරිපත් කළ වාර්තාවට පිළිතුරු ලබාදෙන්න ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව තවත් සතියක් ලබාගෙන තිබෙනවා.  දැන් සති හයක් මහ බැංකුව – භාණ්ඩාගාරය මේ මංකොල්ලය ගැන නිල  වාර්තාවක් ලබාදීමටත් මේ අපරාධය පිළිබඳ කරුණු අනාවරණය කර ගැනීමටත් අසමත් වෙලා තියෙනවා.  දිගින් දිගටම ‘වංචාවේ කරුණු වසන් කරන්න, සැබෑ වගකිවයුත්තන් සඟවන්නට’ එමගින් හැකියාව ලැබිලා තිබෙනවා. 

පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ මුදල් කාරක සභාව විසින් ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව මුදල් විශුද්ධිකරණ පනත හා

මුදල් ගනුදෙනු වාර්තා කිරීමේ පනත ට අනුව කටයුතු කර තිබේදැයි පැහැදිලි නිගමනයකට පැමිණිය යුතුයි. පැහැදිලි ලෙසම ඔවුන් මේ පනත් මගින් තමන්ට පැවරී ඇති වගකීම පැහැර හැර තිබෙනවා. මේ පිළිබඳ කිසිම නෛතික වගකීමක් නැති බව පවසමින් මහ බැංකුව අත පිහිදා ගන්නට උත්සහ දරනවා.

අනෙක් අතට මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරය රජයේ මුදල් රෙගුලාසි, ආයතන සංග්‍රහය, රජ්‍ය මුදල් පනත, රාජ්‍ය ණය කලමනාකරණ පනත මගින් තමන්ට පැවරුණු වගකීම් හා කාර්ය පටිපාටිය අනුගමනය කර තිබේදැයි මුදල් කමිටුව නිගමනය කළ යුතුයි. දිගින් දිගටම ලේඛන ලබාදීම මගහරිමින් කටයුතු කිරීම තුල තම වගකීම ඉටු කිරීමට මුදල් කාරක සභාවට හැකියාවක් ලැබී නෑ.  

ඔ්ස්ට්‍රෙිලියාවට ගෙවිය යුතු මේ මුදල් අදාල බැංකු ගිණුමට නොලැබී සති ගිහියක් තැන තැන හුවමාරු වෙමින් තිබූ බව මේ වන විට අනාවරණය වී තිබේ.  සමාන්‍යයෙන්  මේ මුදල් නියමිත ගිණුමකට යන්නේ නැතුව තැන තැන හුවමාරුවෙමින් තිබිලා තියෙනවා. AML එකක් (මුදල් විශුද්ධිකරණය පිළිබඳ සැකයක් මතුවූ විට මහ බැංකුවේ මුල්‍ය බුද්ධි අංශය FIU එ් පිළිබඳ මැදිහත් විය යුතුයි. ඔවුන් එසේ මැදිහත් නොවුණේ ඇයි ද? යන්න හෙළි කර ගැනීම මේ විමර්ශනයේ ඉතාමත් වැදගත් සාක්ෂියකි.

මියගිය රංග රාජපක්ෂ මහතාට හෝ පරිගණක හා ෆයර් වෝල් ආරක්ෂණ යාන්ත්‍රණයට වරද පැටවීමේ උත්සාහයක් පවතින බව ඉතා පැහැදිලියි.  එමගින්, මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ පරිපාලන හා කලමනාකරණ දුබලතාවයන් වසා ගන්නට ඔවුන් උත්සහ දරනවා.  ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවට ලබාදී ඇති ස්වාධීනත්වය ඔවුන් කිසිදු වගවීමකින් තොරව බුක්ති විදිමින් සිටිනවා.  මෙය අවසනාවන්ත තත්වයක්.

ඇ.ඩො. මිලියන 2.5 ප්‍රශ්නයේ දී ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුවවත්, ණ්ඩාගාරවත් දැන් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ මුදල් කාරක සභාවවත් තම වගකීම නිසි පරිදි මේ දක්වා නම් ඉටු කර නෑ.

රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්                               2026 ජූනි 9

Abroad of Air

Religious freedom varies widely across the world in 2026. While Buddhism is practiced peacefully in many nations, there are countries where legal systems, state policies, or strong social pressures make it difficult for Buddhists to openly practice their faith. In this video, we explore 10 countries where Buddhists face legal or social restrictions, based on public laws, government structures, and internationally documented religious freedom conditions. ⚠️ This video is for educational and awareness purposes only. It does not promote hate or target any religion or country. The focus is on legal frameworks and social realities affecting minority religious communities. 📌 In this video, you’ll discover: ✔ Countries with strict religious governance ✔ Places where public Buddhist worship is limited ✔ Nations with heavy state control over religion ✔ Social pressures facing minority faith groups ✔ The difference between legal bans and social restrictions Understanding these realities helps promote awareness, dialogue, and global respect. 👉 Watch till the end for the full list. 👍 Like, 💬 Comment respectfully, and 🔔 Subscribe for more global insight videos.

By Sarath Obeysekera

A recent newspaper report highlighted concerns raised by a policy think tank regarding the quality of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in Sri Lanka. While the report correctly points out deficiencies in some EIA studies, it stops short of addressing a more fundamental question: Have EIAs become an instrument of environmental protection, or have they evolved into bureaucratic obstacles that unnecessarily delay development projects?

As an engineer who has been involved in planning and implementing infrastructure projects for several decades, I have observed both the strengths and weaknesses of the EIA process. Environmental protection is essential. No responsible developer would advocate the destruction of ecosystems, pollution of waterways, or displacement of communities without due consideration. However, the current EIA system often fails to achieve these objectives efficiently.

One of the biggest criticisms of EIAs is the quality of the reports themselves. In many cases, consultants are paid substantial sums to prepare voluminous documents running into hundreds of pages. Yet, a closer examination sometimes reveals that these reports are little more than cut-and-paste” compilations from previous studies.

A friend who sought an EIA for a proposed mini-hydropower project paid a considerable amount for the assessment. Upon reviewing the document, he discovered that portions of the report still contained the name of another client from an earlier project. The consultant had apparently forgotten to replace all references from the original document. Such incidents raise serious questions about the integrity and value of some EIA studies.

The irony is that these reports are often treated as authoritative documents by approving agencies. Lengthy reviews, requests for clarifications, public hearings, and committee deliberations can stretch over months or even years. During this period, project costs escalate, investors lose confidence, and opportunities for economic growth are delayed.

In many instances, the environmental impacts identified in EIAs are obvious from the outset. A road project will generate dust and noise during construction. A power project will affect land use. A harbour development may influence coastal processes. Experienced engineers and environmental scientists can often identify these impacts and propose mitigation measures without producing hundreds of pages of repetitive documentation.

The problem is not environmental regulation itself but the manner in which it is implemented. Too often, the EIA process becomes a procedural exercise focused on paperwork rather than outcomes. Consultants are rewarded for producing thicker reports rather than better analyses. Regulators are compelled to review extensive documents rather than concentrating on critical environmental risks.

There is also the question of accountability. If an EIA contains misleading, inaccurate, or copied information, there should be consequences. Consultants who submit substandard reports should face professional sanctions, and approving agencies should maintain a register of performance standards. The credibility of the entire system depends on ensuring that assessments are based on sound science and independent analysis.

A more practical approach would be to adopt a risk-based framework. Projects with limited environmental impacts should undergo a simplified and expedited review process. Comprehensive EIAs should be reserved for projects with significant ecological, social, or public health implications. This would reduce delays while allowing regulators to focus their resources where they are most needed.

Sri Lanka urgently requires investment in energy, transportation, water resources, housing, and industrial development. Environmental protection and economic development should not be viewed as opposing objectives. A well-designed EIA process can balance both. However, when assessments become little more than bureaucratic rituals or copy-and-paste exercises, they undermine public confidence and discourage investment.

The objective should not be to produce more reports. The objective should be to make better decisions.

An Environmental Impact Assessment should be a tool for informed development, not a mechanism that delays projects indefinitely while generating paperwork of questionable value.

Only then can EIAs serve the public interest, protect the environment, and support the nation’s economic progress simultaneously.

Sarath Obeysekera
Marine Engineer and Former Chairman, Sri Lanka Ports Authority

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera