It is only a Philip Gunawardena that can do it. I happened to have worked with him. He was the Minister for Food and Agriculture and me an Assistant Commissioner of Marketing at Ratnapura, my first year of service.
Down came an immediate transfer for me to the Tripoli Market in Colombo. It was a punishment transfer. I had punished one of his trade union men, fining him one day’s pay for not carrying out the Marketing Officer, Saparamadu’s instructions to run to the stores and bring some bananas that were short to supply the Kahawatta Hospital. Though a punishment transfer I liked it as I could be at home with my parents and sisters.
But I was scared. The Tripoli Market was where we ran the Vegetable and Fruit Marketing Scheme for the entire island. There were some twenty wagon loads and another twenty or more lorryloads of veg to be unloaded weighed, cleaned and sent off in minutes to some fifty sales units all over Colombo. We sold at rock bottom prices as we kept no profit- we kept a margin of fifteen percent to cover wastage and cost of transport. That was DS’s mastermind of keeping inflation of prices at bay. Sorry the IMF axed the Marketing Department in 1978 and we are now in a mess. There were a hundred men on the move, running everywhere and myself and Tikka- Oswald Tilekeratne a senior Assistant Commissioner on the run- supervising. The mastermind Philip was everywhere- even the smallest pilfering was somehow reported to him in minutes by someone, before Tikka or I knew. It was a mystery how Philip knew – in those days when we hand no handphones. I of all was worried thick because I had punished his henchman at Ratnapura once. However as the days passed Philip had somehow forgotten it.
Once we had a meeting where Philip came. We had a small stage and Tikka directed him to the stage and the meeting commenced. The Trade Union man greeted him. Before long Philip was at the microphone. He rolled his eyes all over- they were fiery eyes that scanned every detail. We were all sacred. Then he started his speech. With the first words uttered with an immense force the stage did really shake- the words were very sharp, uttered with a force that few humans could and the voice reverberated the entire Tripoli Market- an airplane hangar. We were happy when he went off.
Tikka was moved to be in charge of the Canning Factory. Philip ordered that we should go all out to be self sufficient in all fruit produce and the man at the helm BLW Fernando, a chartered accounted, a mastermind, directed the move. Tripoli had to supply fruit to the Canning Factory and we did it. The Marketing Officers at the Fairs phoned me of immense quantities and I ordered lorries to go at once- One day three lorries went off to Hanguranketa Fair. By night they were back unloading tomatoes at the Canning Factory that worked 24 hours a day. That move of moving chunks of produce at frantic speed was normal. We had a fleet of over a hundred lorries always on the move. Glad to say that by 1958, in the three years when Philip was in charge our country became self sufficient in all fruit produce- jam. Red Pumpkins was made into Golden Melon Jam, and ash Pumpkin into Silver Melon jam. Tikka was in his elements all under the gaze of Philip. I got dragged into supervise the canning when Tikka was on leave.
After a year I was moved to Anuradhpura. Once I got a phonecall from Head Office about a petty pilfering in the rice mill under me. It was a message from Philip and I wondered how he got to know of it before me, the man in charge. Philip had a gestapo informing him beforeI knew.
Then came the Paddy Lands Act, the mastermind of GVS Silva, the Assistant warden at Arunachalam Hall, where I was. We were shunted to action to work for the down trodden farmers, the tenants who were suppressed. There were publicity meetings where Philip roared and we too roared exactly in his manner, at our meetings detailing the benefits. I was implementing the Paddy Lands Act in Matara- we were all fiery speakers in the manner of Philip.
Then came the calamity. Philip was thrown out of the cabinet and Ministry by the right group in Parliament and he gracefully left. No he did not go away. He had created the Agrarian Services packed with handpicked Assistant Commissioners who were all leftist minded and we carried on Philip’s ideas and implemented security of tenancy to tenants and cultivation committees were elected all over. . We were moving the farmers to use fertilizer and use high yielding varieties- we were a force embedded with the vehemence we inherited from Philip. He was no longer there but we carried on. Commissioners MS Perea and later JV Fonseka were workcoholics. Philip created an empire of workers who would carry on his idea of produce what we can, make what we can. Tikka had even developed exports-eight percent of pineapple pieces were exported.
Today we have no Canning Factory. That was axed by the IMF and went to a7private entrepreneurs who even imported strawberries to make jam. The IMF took over our country in 1978 and we are now in a real mess.
But Philip the legend is still in our hearts.
The only hope to Sri lanka today is to have Philip’s idea again to get down to production ourselves and make things for our selves.
In the Divisional Development Councils Programme I functioning alone with ,my officers at Matara unearthed the art of making Crayons at Rahula College Matara and got Sumanapala Dahanayake the member of parliament who was in charge of the Morawaka cooperatives to make Coop Crayons, which grew to islandwide sales within five years. That was also Philip’s method of making Sri lanka self sufficient in all fruit products- jam and juice.
May The ideas of Philip prevail and inspire his son Dinesh, our Prime Minister to a process of action- to make everything we imported and thereby ally the poverty in our beloved Motherland.
The command ‘ Kill and Eat animals ‘ found and endorsed in all Abrahamic religions is a throwback to the primitive hunter-gatherer mindset that prevailed at the commencement of the life of the Homo Sapiens species. Basically, it means you live off other species. But this conduct is morally indefensible for a higher level of humanity in its evolutionary progress.
The Buddha saw the vile nature of the destruction of other lives resulting from the hunter-gatherer mindset still dwelling in the inner recesses of our minds.
He wanted to develop a mindset in humans that was free of killing, free of attachment, and free of lust.
Buddhism is the net result of the Buddha’s endeavours.
With a view to transforming humanity beset with a primitive consciousness of killing to survive as a part of natural selection, the Buddha raised the bar to transform the primitive mindset of killing to another level of consciousness of no killing which is enshrined in the First Precept.
The Buddha endeavoured to create a noble human being (Ariya) whose hands will not be stained with blood and made impure by harming other living beings.
In the Dhammapada (Verse 270) the Buddha says clearly ‘ Him that harms living beings I will not accept him as Ariya (a noble person)”
This is one of Buddhism’s greatest contributions to humanity. To transform the primitive hunter-gatherer mindset in us that drives us to kill into a mindset that refrains from killing for whatever reason and instead shows compassion to all sentient beings irrespective of species, race, colour, and religion.
Buddhism stands for universal compassion for all living beings ( all species) and not for selective compassion for only one species i.e. human beings, which is a distinctive characteristic of all Abrahamic religions.
If there is anything that unites sentient beings that is pain and suffering. It is common to all beings. It is our response to the suffering of others irrespective of the level of species that will determine our true humanity.
Samina Akhter, A Dhaka, Bangladesh based author and columnist
According to reports of pro-government media outlet of Myanmar, Global New light of Myanmar, Myanmar’s export has been surpassing imports in the cross-border trade with Bangladesh and 8,620.7 tonnes of exports to Bangladesh was estimated at US$10.733 million between April and October in the 2022-2023 financial year. Myanmar’s fishery export accounted for 65 per cent and dried groceries constituted 35 per cent in Myanmar’s two border posts with Bangladesh; Sittway and Maungtaw border posts. The fishery products include farmed rohu, hilsa, mackerel, dried anchovy and dried fish powder. Tamarind, onion, ginger, dried jujube powder, jaggery, longyi and clothes are also exported. The values of fishery products to Bangladesh via two border posts stood at $6.318 million (7,093.413 tonnes) in the 2019-2020FY, $4.76 million (5,010.7 tonnes) in the 2020-2021FY and $13.987 million (11,362.97 tonnes) in the 2021-2022 six-month mini-budget period (October-March). Bangladesh increasingly purchases locally farmed rohu. Myanmar’s border trade with Bangladesh sees a trade surplus. The import is extremely less. The traders called for a legitimate trade of cattle as well. There are many steps to do if that normal trade can generate revenue for the two countries and curb inflation in border areas. Myanmar’s border export with Bangladesh amounted to $10.733 million in the past seven months this FY. The surplus of trade can increase the interest of the entrepreneurs, fish farmers and growers,” U Thet Oo, head of the Rakhine State Fisheries Department, said. The Maungtaw border post in Rakhine State has been suspended since the end of September. The export is flowing out of the Sittway border post to Bangladesh. Trade via the Maungtaw border saves time and trade flow is smooth. It takes about five hours to reach the Bangladesh border through Sittway. Myanmar bagged a total of $10.733 million from exports of 8,620 tonnes to Bangladesh in the past seven months. The State also received revenue of $24,100 from licence fees of 26 vessels plying to Bangladesh’s Port.
Myanmar exported goods worth US$2.11 million to Bangladesh through the Shwemingan border post of Sittway and the Kanyinchaung border post of Maungtaw in September. Myanmar shipped goods worth $1.88 million to Bangladesh through the Sittway border post and goods valued at $0.23 million via Maungtaw. As transport to Maungtaw was suspended, trade via Maungtaw decreased. Approximately 1,129 tonnes of fisheries products worth $1.42 million were exported via the Sittway border post, which accounts for 75 per cent of overall exports to Bangladesh in September. The Rakhine State Chambers of Commerce and Industry stated that weather conditions and transport difficulties damaged the trade at the Maungtaw border post. The traders cannot deliver the goods to Maungtaw through Sittway amid the transport barriers and erratic weather conditions so the trade volume via Sittway significantly increased. The cross-border trade between Myanmar and Bangladesh saw only exports, showing a total trade surplus. The fisheries products are the major export items in the trade. Myanmar sent areca nut, coconut, jengkol, silver pomfret, anchovy, dried fish, broom, mushroom, ginger, onion, chickpea, dried plum, tamarind seed, footwear, lower garment (longyi), Thanaka, instant coffee mix, sunflower seed and instant noodle to Bangladesh. Meanwhile, apparel, consumer goods, PVC pipes, plastic water storage tanks and hand-drawn pumps are imported into the country.
Myanmar started the exportation of 21,300 tonnes of high-grade rice to Bangladesh by MV VTC Ocean, which docked at Sule Port of Yangon under the agreement of the two countries. The Myanmar Rice Federation and Bangladesh Food Department inked a contract to export 250,000 tonnes of high-grade rice this year, and the export cargoes will be carried by MV VTC Ocean according to the implementation of the contract.
Myanmar conveyed 5,160 tonnes of rohu to Bangladesh through two cross-border posts in the first five months (April-August) of the current financial year 2022-2023, according to the Ministry of Commerce. However, the border trade has come to a halt since September amid transport security concerns, according to the Maungtaw border post. Rohu is processed in Yangon and they are sent to the Sittway border post by cold-storage trucks or ships after pre-shipment inspection. Then, they are shipped to Bangladesh by motorboats. Myanmar has begun exporting rohu to Bangladesh through Sittway and Maungtaw border posts since 2016. Agriculture and livestock are the backbones of Myanmar’s economy. Commercial fish farming businesses are found in some townships in Yangon, Bago and Ayeyawady regions. Two-year-old rohu grows two to five kilogrammes at the farming ponds. Those rohu weighing below two kg are sent to domestic markets. The large ones are exported to external markets. As rohu has grasped market shares in the international markets, farmers have expanded rohu farming more than before. Approximately 1,000 tonnes of rohu from Yangon city are delivered to Sittway and Maungtaw border posts in Rakhine State with Bangladesh. Rohu from the other two cities is also sent to the border via sea route and road transport. Rohu and other dried commodities such as onion, tamarind, ginger, and dried plum are shipped to Bangladesh through Rakhine State, while wide striped longyi for men (Palaykat Pasoe – cotton sarong for men), plastic gallon containers, footwear and construction materials are imported to Myanmar. Exports surpass imports in cross-border trade between Myanmar and Bangladesh. The value of border trade between Myanmar and Bangladesh amounted to $16.229 million in the first half of the current FY, comprising exports worth $16 million and imports worth $0.03 million, as per the statistics released by the Ministry of Commerce.
Myanmar delivered 319 tonnes of coconuts to Bangladesh through the Maungtaw border trade post in the first half of the current financial year 2022-2023, with an estimated value of US$0.128 million. It is commonly used in religious events beyond health benefits. That being so, there is a steady demand from Bangladesh for Myanmar’s coconut. Coconut is one of the export items to Bangladesh through Bangladesh. There are three types of coconuts cultivated in the southern Rakhine State, delta and coastal regions of Myanmar; tall, dwarf and orange coconut. They can be grown at least 27 °C and under rainfall ranging from 30 to 70 inches. It yields between seven and ten years for tall coconuts, while coconuts can be harvested within three to five years for dwarf coconut trees and orange coconuts produce fruits within five to seven years. A tree can produce about 100 coconuts on average. Coconut’s health benefits are quick digestion, good cholesterol level, anti-ageing, rich in copper and iron, killing bacteria and viruses, hormone balancing, nutritional facts, better memory, bone health and metabolism. The coconut water content is around 200-1,000 ml in one coconut. Coconut water boosts the immune system and has other benefits. It is widely used in making traditional snacks. The coconuts produced from Yangon Region and Manaung, Kyaukpyu and Thandwe in Rakhine State are sent to Bangladesh through the Maungtaw border trade post. Additionally, Myanmar has been exporting coconuts to Thailand through a legitimate trade channel since 2015.
Myanmar delivered 319 tonnes of coconuts to Bangladesh through the Maungtaw border trade post in the first half of the current financial year 2022-2023, with an estimated value of US$0.128 million. It is commonly used in religious events beyond health benefits. That being so, there is a steady demand from Bangladesh for Myanmar’s coconut. Coconut is one of the export items to Bangladesh through Bangladesh. There are three types of coconuts cultivated in the southern Rakhine State, delta and coastal regions of Myanmar; tall, dwarf and orange coconut. They can be grown at least 27 °C and under rainfall ranging from 30 to 70 inches. It yields between seven and ten years for tall coconuts, while coconuts can be harvested within three to five years for dwarf coconut trees and orange coconuts produce fruits within five to seven years. A tree can produce about 100 coconuts on average. Coconut’s health benefits are quick digestion, good cholesterol level, anti-ageing, rich in copper and iron, killing bacteria and viruses, hormone balancing, nutritional facts, better memory, bone health and metabolism. The coconut water content is around 200-1,000 ml in one coconut. Coconut water boosts the immune system and has other benefits. It is widely used in making traditional snacks. The coconuts produced from Yangon Region and Manaung, Kyaukpyu and Thandwe in Rakhine State are sent to Bangladesh through the Maungtaw border trade post. Additionally, Myanmar has been exporting coconuts to Thailand through a legitimate trade channel since 2015.
Samina Akhter, A Dhaka, Bangladesh based author and columnist.
After mortars landed in Bangladesh during attacks against the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State, border soldiers from Bangladesh and Myanmar’s junta promised to mend bilateral ties on Sunday.
The Rakhine region of Myanmar, which borders Bangladesh, has seen a number of airspace violations over the past few months as border guards there have fought domestic militants. Myanmar border guards have apologized to their counterparts in Bangladesh for these events.
A BGP delegation from Myanmar also promised that similar situations would not occur in the future. The commitments were made on Sunday (October 30) at a flag meeting with an eight-person team from the Border Guards Bangladesh, or BGB, in Cox’s Bazar.
Because of intermittent shelling from within Myanmar’s territory, residents of Bandarban’s Naikkhyangchhari Upazila along the Tumbru border have spent the previous three months constantly fearing for their lives.
Gunfire was frequently heard by residents close to the border, raising security worries. Multiple casualties were caused by some of the shells that crossed into Bangladesh from the other side of the border. On September 16, a mortar round exploded at a Rohingya camp near the border’s Zero Point, killing one kid and injuring five others.
Another young adult from Bangladesh was seriously hurt in a landmine explosion along the border the same day. Multiple occasions, fighter jets and helicopters with Myanmar military insignia violated Bangladesh’s sovereign airspace.
The Arakan Army, an insurgent group fighting for ethnic minorities’ right to self-determination in Rakhine state, which is also home to over a million Rohingya who have fled to Bangladesh, has reportedly erupted into a full-fledged armed battle with the Tatmadaw, the country’s military.
Bangladesh had strongly protested the violation of airspace and the landing of shells inside Bangladeshi territory. Bangladesh’s airspace was violated, which the Myanmar border guards lament. The BGP delegation responded by expressing apologies and making a commitment that similar instances won’t occur again.
Commander Lt Col Sheikh Khalid stated at a press briefing that “at the same time, the BGB and the BGP decided to collaborate on the border situation.” Additionally, he claimed that a number of topics, such as stopping drug trafficking and preventing Myanmar citizens from entering Bangladesh, were discussed during the meeting.
The seven-person BGP side, led by Col. Ye Wai Soe, said during the meeting that Bangladesh is now sheltering members of Myanmar’s separatist groups who have crossed the border and are committing crimes there.
The charges were vigorously refuted by the BGB side. “We told them [BGP] that no rebels had ever been permitted to exploit Bangladeshi land. However, Bangladesh does not and will not encourage terrorists, according to Lt. Col. Sheikh Khalid.
In a fresh turn of events, a three-person delegation from the Myanmar army met with the Bangladeshi army in Dhaka. The two sides talked about promoting regional security and stability as well as the prompt repatriation of the Rohingyas.
The Myanmar Army was reminded by the Bangladesh Army to exercise caution when undertaking any operations in the border regions.
According to media reports, the Myanmar delegation was led by Lt Gen Phone Myat, Command Bureau of Special Operations, and paid Bangladesh Army Chief Gen SM Shafiuddin Ahmed a courtesy call on October 26 at the Army Headquarters (October 27, 2022).
The conference happens a few weeks after border tension erupted as a result of border violations committed by Myanmar during hostilities with the Arakan Army, an armed rebel organization in Rakhine State. Bangladesh repeatedly summoned the Myanmar ambassador in Dhaka.
Approximately 750,000 Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh in 2017 as a result of a military crackdown on them, and this occurred more than five years later. Not one Rohingya traveled back to Myanmar.
The Myanmar delegation provided information about the situation in Myanmar and stated that they are working to keep order and peace in their nation at the meeting between the two forces.
The commander of the Bangladesh Army, SM Shafiuddin, urged the Myanmar delegation to cooperate for regional security and discussed ways to strengthen ties between the two militaries, as well as collaborative discussions, training exchanges, coordinated disaster management, and information sharing.
The Rohingya crisis and their protracted presence in Bangladesh, he claimed, may pose security risks. He emphasized the need for the Rohingya to return home quickly in order to avoid similar difficulties in the future.
The Myanmar delegation expressed willingness in improving relations and communication with Bangladesh as well as resolving issues on a bilateral basis.
The team then paid Lt Gen Ataul Hakim Sarwar Hasan, the chief of general staff of the Bangladeshi army, a courtesy visit. Sarwar Hasan discussed, among other things, the two militaries’ training exchange, quality improvement, and collaboration on disaster management.
He urged the Myanmar army to exercise greater caution when conducting operations in the border regions. Terrorists, he continued, do not work for any nation.
The military training of the two nations was compared, and Lt Gen Ataul Hakim Sarwar Hasan predicted that the border guards of the two nations would cooperate to uphold peace. The meeting between the two forces is anticipated to help relations, according to the media reports.
Myanmar is one of Bangladesh’s closest neighbors, and the two countries have had a long-standing relationship dating back generations. The 271-kilometer Bangladesh-Myanmar border is strategically significant for Bangladesh, despite the fact that it is militarized due to Myanmar’s continuous internal strife. Bangladesh might establish routes through Myanmar to access China to the east and other Southeast Asian countries to the south if this issue is resolved.
Relations between Bangladesh and Myanmar were formalized on January 13, 1972, when Myanmar, as the sixth state, recognized Bangladesh as an independent entity. However, due to the presence of several unresolved issues such as Rohingya refugees and maritime border demarcation, the scene has changed in an unfavorable way, and ties between these two neighbors have not always been as friendly as envisioned.
Apart from India, Myanmar is the only other country on our border. It has the potential to provide Bangladesh with strategic benefits. It could be the starting point for a land-based alternative to the maritime route to China and Southeast Asia. Such a road link has the potential to expand Bangladesh’s communication network with Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Myanmar is also a country with a lot of promise, thanks to its abundant natural resources. Myanmar’s forests and natural resources, such as gas, oil, and stones, are vast, and Bangladesh can considerably benefit from them. As a result, maintaining good relations with Myanmar is more in Bangladesh’s interest for reasons of national security.
Unfriendly relations between Bangladesh-Myanmar Myanmar can cause instability in the region and posing a severe national security threat for both Myanmar and Bangladesh. So, for ensuring greater regional and bilateral interest, Myanmar and Bangladesh must engage militarily through defense cooperation.
Military diplomacy in the twenty-first century goes beyond traditional notions of war and peace. As previously said, as members of multilateral forums, Bangladesh and Myanmar have opportunities to strengthen military ties in the face of common dangers.
Myanmar and Bangladesh have a lot of potential in their bilateral relationship. There are a lot of areas where the two countries may collaborate and work together, the most important of which is the upgrading of existing military and commercial connections, which are now in poor form. But military diplomacy in the perspective of defense cooperation can help strengthen the bilateral ties with a neighborly spirit and solve the bilateral problems such as Rohingya refugee crisis.
Terrorism and transnational crime are two of BIMSTEC’s key concerns, both of which are impossible for member governments to combat on their own. Over time, the nature of terrorism and militancy has also changed. Cyber risks are more important than ever before in the digital age. This type of fighting in the sovereign space necessitates strong intelligence exchange and capacity building, which can be eased by combining the two countries’ military skills.
Cross-border arms trade, as well as unlawful human and drug trafficking, will be hampered by institutional collaboration in this area Furthermore, high-level delegations would encourage bilateral negotiations aimed at overcoming previous impasses and providing UN peacekeeping deployments with capacity-building opportunities.
The military cooperation between Myanmar and Bangladesh has a lot of promise. There are several areas where the two countries may engage and work together, with the most essential being the improvement of relations.
Myanmar’s military-to-military ties with other countries are critical for the country’s long-term survival. Bangladesh’s military should also strengthen ties with the Tatmadaw. To protect mutual bilateral interests, Myanmar’s military (Tatmadaw) should develop ties with Bangladesh’s military.
Bangladesh and Myanmar have exchanged military delegations, which could pave the path for the two nations to address their bilateral issues. To address certain common bilateral concerns, both sides might collaborate and share their knowledge and expertise. Military training exchanges between the two-armed forces can benefit both sides in terms of improving operational capabilities. Combined military exercises, UN peacekeeping operation (UNPKO) training, and disaster management cooperation, as well as exchanging programs, senior-level visits, and medical cooperation, sports events, adventure activities, military tourism, joint cycling expeditions, and adventure training, are some examples of sectors of cooperation.
The united efforts of the two states may pave the way for closer connections between the two neighbors. Improved military ties between Bangladesh and Myanmar can aid in the smoothing of ties and the resolution of long-standing issues such as the Rohingya crisis, maritime disputes, and border-related trans-border crimes Both forces from Myanmar and Bangladesh should exchange visits, training, and joint exercises on a regular basis. These will aid in the reduction of mistrust and the promotion of trust and understanding.
This could also help to resolve the region’s long-standing Rohingya refugee crisis.
On the environmental front, the Tatmadaw and Bangladesh military may collaborate to lessen the risk of regional environmental degradation through coordinated disaster management systems, operations, and projects. Cyclonic Storm Sitrang was a tropical cyclone that affected India and Bangladesh on 25 October 2022. Bangladesh, India, Myanmar could work together. Cyclone Nargis in 2008 was the best illustration of it. This natural calamity wreaked havoc on both countries’ coastlines. Both Myanmar and Bangladesh have several opportunities to work in order to lessen the risk of environmental degradation and loss.
The two countries’ relations are based on cross-border dialogue between ordinary people on both sides of the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar. The most effective strategy to progress together and maintain a peaceful relationship between the concerned countries is to establish a people-to-people connection between two sovereign countries. This is especially essential when the countries in question are neighbors. The people of Bangladesh and Myanmar must have a harmonious and thriving relationship. Both militaries can essentially promote trade and commerce with one another.
As one of Myanmar’s closest neighbors, both countries should maintain a good relationship. Bangladesh’s armed forces must take significant steps to enhance relations with Myanmar’s armed forces, ensuring the Bangladesh government’s zero-tolerance stance against terrorists, people traffickers, and illegal drug dealers.
Myanmar’s military should do everything possible to strengthen ties. It must recognize Bangladesh as a peaceful country with friendly neighbors. Bangladesh adheres to the concept of peaceful coexistence.
As a result, engaging with Bangladesh would benefit Myanmar as well. Military relations between the two neighboring countries can provide peace, harmony, regional stability, increased regional interest, and other benefits throughout the region (South Asia and Southeast Asia).
UN agencies in Sri Lanka say they raised $79m in aid, they need an additional $70m to cater to growing number of poor people.
The number of people in Sri Lanka needing urgent humanitarian help has doubled to 3.4 million, the United Nations has said as it warned of a worsening food crisis in the south Asian island nation that declared itself bankrupt in July amid an unprecedented economic crisis.
UN agencies working in Sri Lanka in a joint statement on Tuesday said that they had raised $79m to feed those in need, but the increasing number of poor people meant an additional $70m was needed.
Food insecurity in Sri Lanka has increased dramatically due to two consecutive seasons of poor harvests, foreign exchange shortages, and reduced household purchasing power,” the statement said.
UN agencies had estimated in June that 1.7 million out of the 22 million population in Sri Lanka required help.
The UN said its revised plan aims at feeding 2.1 million people, including pregnant mothers and school children and providing livelihood support to 1.5 million farmers and fishermen.
Worst crisis
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1948 and has been enduring soaring inflation, power blackouts, and fuel rationing since last year.
The country defaulted on its $51bn external debt in mid-April and is in talks with the IMF for a $2.9bn bailout.
Months of protests against high prices and shortages of food and medicines led to the toppling of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July.
The UN has said that the poverty rate in the South Asian nation has doubled to 25.6 percent this year, up from 13.1 percent last year.
Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka charged over alleged sexual assault
Injured star was preparing to leave Sydney when arrested at team’s CBD hotel
Gunathilaka has been moved to Parklea jail in western Sydney on remand
31-year-old arrested in luxury city hotel early on Sunday and handcuffed
He is accused of raping a 29-year-old woman at Rose Bay in the city’s east
The Sri Lankan cricket star charged with four counts of rape had ‘developed a playboy lifestyle’ and struggled with discipline on and off the field, it has been revealed.
Danushka Gunathilaka’s history of suspensions by the Sri Lanka Cricket Board have come to light, as his lawyer told Daily Mail Australia the 31-year-old is struggling not being able to see team supporters as he was being moved out to Parklea prison in far western Sydney.
His lawyer Ananda Amaranath said he would try and visit the cricketer on Tuesday at the jail in Blacktown, 35km west of the luxury hotel where his manager and Cricket Board officials were still staying.
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Gunathilaka was arrested at the hotel around 1am on Sunday, handcuffed and taken to the Surry Hills police cells and charged with raping a woman in Sydney‘s eastern suburbs during the T20 World Cup.
The top-order batsman was then transferred to Parklea by prison van after his bail application was denied on Monday.
Police allege the 31-year-old committed four counts of sexual intercourse without consent on a 29-year-old woman at Rose Bay on November 2.
Sri Lanka Cricket has suspended Gunathilaka since the charges were laid and he will remain behind bars at least until he applies again for bail, this time in the NSW Supreme Court, for which Mr Amaranath said he was yet to file the documents.
Danushka Gunathilaka (pictured) was charged over the alleged rape of an Australian woman at a home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs
Danushka Gunathilaka, who has been moved to Parklea prison (above) in western Sydney while on remand for four rape allegations, had ‘developed a party lifestyle’ with discipline issues on and off the field
It has emerged since his arrest and incarceration on remand that Gunathilaka was previously suspended by Sri Lanka in 2018 on a ‘misconduct’ charge after a close associate was arrested for sexual assault at the team’s hotel in Colombo.
Sri Lankan police initially claimed a Norwegian woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in a hotel room by Sandeep Jude Selliah, 26, while his friend Gunathilaka was present.
‘He (Gunathilaka) has said he was asleep and was not aware of what had taken place between his friend and the Norwegian woman,’ the Hindustan Times quoted an unnamed police officer in a report back in 2018.
No charges against Selliah were laid, and there was no allegation against Gunathilaka, who at the time was Sri Lanka’s best-performing batsman on a tour by South Africa.
However Sri Lanka Cricket suspended him on a ‘misconduct’ charge, although allowed him to play in the match that was still underway at the time.
This followed a suspension the year before, when in October 2017 he missed training on one day, then turned up the next without his kit bag, earning him a six-game suspension later reduced, Nine newspapers reported.
It has been reported that Gunathilaka had developed a playboy cricketer’s lifestyle, without the ability.
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Gunathilaka (above) has been moved to Parklea prison in western Sydney where on remand he may get access to a television in his cell to watch the final games of the T20World Cup
‘He wasn’t a popular player with the public, but seems to be well-connected with Sri Lanka Cricket’.
In 2018, Gunathilaka was handed a six-month ban by Sri Lanka Cricket after he broke the team curfew.
He later told ESPN India that he had been criticised for his lifestyle and ‘some people think I’m cocky, but I’m not’.
‘My lifestyle is different to some other Sri Lankan cricketers. But that doesn’t mean I’m a bad person,’ he said.
If I’m at a bar, and I’m with my friends, I’m just there to relax. If people see me there, they’ll think I’m drinking and partying and I can’t play cricket.
‘I don’t have a private life. They’re always saying I’m going clubbing and what not. My lifestyle helps me relax.’
Last year, Gunathalika was suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket for 12 months after he breached his team’s bio-secure bubble during the Covid pandemic on tour in England, along with teammates Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella.
Police granted a suppression order restricting access on what could be reported about the 31-year-old’s alleged crimes, which will be reviewed during a hearing on Wednesday
Danushka Gunathilaka (pictured) injured his hamstring but remained with the team for their T20 World Cup campaign Australia
Gunathilaka’s game has been plagued by recurring injuries to his back and hamstring and this had caused him to miss Sri Lanka’s games in the T20 World Cup in Sydney.
The injured star was arrested last weekend as he and teammates were preparing to depart the country on Sunday after crashing out of the competition on Saturday.
Gunathilaka, whose lawyer said had no wife or children and lived at home with his parents in Colombo, unsuccessfully applied for bail in Downing Centre Local Court on Monday in a hearing that was closed to the public.
Police had been granted a suppression order restricting access on what could be reported about the 31-year-old’s alleged crimes.
The suppression order will be the subject of a hearing in the Downing Centre on Wednesday.
Gunathilaka appeared in court on Monday by audio-visual link from Surry Hills police station handcuffed and wearing a grey T-shirt with blue jeans.
He has since relinquished his belongings for prison greens and runners.
His lawyer Ananda Amaranath said the cricketer was disappointed his bail application had not been granted.
‘He’s holding on well considering the circumstances,’ Mr Amaranath said on Monday outside court.
‘But he has the full support of the Sri Lankan High Commission and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board, so he’s OK at the moment.’
Gunathilaka’s lawyer Ananda Amaranath said his client (depicted in a courtroom sketch) was disappointed bail was not granted, but that he was preparing to file documents for another application, in the NSW Supreme Court
Danusha Gunathilaka’s lawyer says the top-order batsman (pictured) is ‘holding on well’ and has been transferred to Parklea prison in western Sydney
Mr Amaranath had previously said Gunathilaka would be ‘very worried’ if he could not get back to Sri Lanka because it could take a year or more for the case to be finalised.
Gunathilaka has played eight Tests for Sri Lanka, as well as 47 one day internationals and 46 T20 games, and despite not playing in the T20 World Cup had remained in Australia with his Sri Lankan teammates.
Sri Lanka finished fourth in group one with two wins and three losses, including a narrow defeat against England at the SCG on Saturday night.
England will face group two winner India in the semi-finals in Adelaide on Thursday.
New Zealand will play group 2 runner-up Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Reigning champions Australia won’t defend their T20 title after failing to progress past the group stage.
Gunathilaka should have access to a television in his prison cell and free-to-air coverage of the T20 semi-finals and the final at the MCG on November 13.
The top-order batsman had been suspended by the Sri Lanka cricket board in the past for disciplinary issues such as breaching the team curfew and the bio-secure bubble during the Covid pandemic
Written by Mihir Mishra Courtesy The Indian Express
The Reserve Bank of India had announced guidelines on overseas trade in Indian Rupee in July. In part, this is also aimed at curtailing India’s dollar dependence for trade, and indirectly strengthen the domestic currency.
On the lines of an arrangement being worked out with Russia, India is in talks with Sri Lanka, the Maldives and multiple south east Asian, African and Latin American countries to initiate trading in the Indian Rupee.
The countries in these geographies have shown interest in opening Special Rupee Vostro or SRV accounts, The Indian Express has learnt. A Vostro account is an account held by a bank that allows the customers to deposit money on behalf of another bank.
The Reserve Bank of India had announced guidelines on overseas trade in Indian Rupee in July. In part, this is also aimed at curtailing India’s dollar dependence for trade, and indirectly strengthen the domestic currency.
The first country to open a special Rupee Vostro account is Russia, which has increased supply of discounted crude to India post the Ukraine war. In September, government-owned UCO Bank received the RBI’s approval to open a special vostro account with Gazprombank of Russia and in October, Sberbank and VTB Bank – the largest and second-largest banks of Russia – opened special vostro accounts in their respective branches in Delhi.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, various countries in the West and the US have put sanctions on Moscow and the country is off the SWIFT system too (system used by banks for payments in foreign currency). Russia would be, for the time being, interested in trading in rupee since other modes of payment may not be available.
The Ministry of External Affairs mentioned their missions abroad in this regard. Interest was also forthcoming from several countries, notably Sri Lanka, Maldives, various Southeast Asian, African and Latin American countries,” read the minutes of the meeting in September chaired by the then Department of Financial Services secretary Sanjay Malhotra.
The Department of Economic Affairs also mentioned that based on their interaction in various bilateral meetings/dialogues with partner countries, there was considerable interest from various countries in opening SRV accounts,” the minutes of the meeting obtained by The Indian Express through an RTI application said.
Malhotra and T. Rabi Sankar, Deputy Governor, RBI, chaired the meeting that was attended by representatives of various ministries, RBI, IBA and both private and government banks. The Ministry of External Affairs was represented by Vinod Bahade, Director, and Aparna Bhatia, Advisor, represented the Department of Economic Affairs.
Under the Indian rupee arrangement, banks in India will open Vostro accounts (an account that an Indian bank will hold on behalf of another bank) of correspondent bank/s of the partner country for trading. Indian importers can pay for their imports in rupee into these accounts. These earnings (from Indian imports) can then be used to pay Indian exporters in Indian Rupee. Unlike regular Vostro accounts, INR (Indian Rupee) balances can be held in these Special Vostro Accounts rather than them being only transit accounts like normal Vostro accounts.
Any rupee trade arrangement between India and a country, which has a trade deficit with India, may not be feasible in the long-run. Russia is an exception in this case since the country is under sanctions and could use the Indian rupee to invest here to fulfil their offset obligations under defence contracts.
India’s current account balance recorded a deficit of $23.9 billion (2.8 percent of GDP) during the first quarter of 2022-23, up from $13.4 billion (1.5 percent of GDP) during the fourth quarter of 2021-22 and a surplus of $6.6 billion (0.9 percent of GDP) during the first quarter of 2021-22, RBI had said in a press statement in September. India’s trade deficits have been high with China, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Indonesia. India trade surpluses have been with the US, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, United Kingdom and Vietnam.
Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff of the President Sagala Ratnayake recalled that Faris Hadad-Zervos, the World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka was amazed with the action policy and the vision of President Ranil Wickremesinghe which was revealed during their meeting recently.
The WB Country Director also expressed his willingness to support the President’s vision. The president’s vision for the country includes some measures that go beyond what the IMF or WB has stipulated. His vision is actually far ahead than this sphere,” Mr. Sagala Ratnayake said.
He emphasized the importance of getting everyone together to work hard on developing the road map and sticking to the timelines to get the best final report at the end of the next two weeks. He also said that this is the best opportunity for the country to stabilize economically, to have a solid policy framework and to go into the road map that is needed. As a country, we have that potential and request everyone to make maximum use of it,” Ratnayake added.
Mr. Sagala Rathnayake made these remarks while speaking at the World Bank Budget support and Development Policy Operation (DPO) Preparatory Mission kick-off meeting between the government officials and the members of the World Bank which took place this morning (08) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe.
While thanking the WB team State Minister of Finance Mr. Semasinghe said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe is committed to ensure the stabilization of country’s economy and the President has taken very difficult decisions to revive the economy.
The discussed Development Policy Operations, which provide direct budget support to governments for policy and institutional reforms, is aimed at achieving a set of specific development results. These operations were designed under three pillars such as transforming Economic governance, enhancing growth & competitiveness and protecting the poor and vulnerable to provide rapid financial assistance to allow Sri Lanka to deal with actual or anticipated development financing requirements.
Lengthy discussions were held with WB team on the areas of Improved debt management and transparency, Improved fiscal oversight, Improve tax administration policy, Increase public procurement transparency and value for money, Sever the sovereign-financial sector nexus, Improve stewardship of the financial sector and reduce systemic risk, Reform and enhance oversights of SOEs, Reduce the anti-export bias of national tariff policy and elite capture, eliminate barriers to foreign investment, make energy and transport sector less dependent on imported fuels and more climate friendly, and strengthen social protection institutions, delivery systems, and targeting.
State Minister of Social Empowerment Women’s and Children Affairs Anupa Pasqual, President’s Secretary Mr. Saman Ekanayake, Country Manager of the World Bank Chiyo Kanda and the members of the World Bank team and the officials of the line institutions of the relevant Ministries were present at this discussion.
Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff of the President Sagala Ratnayake recalled that Faris Hadad-Zervos, the World Bank (WB) Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka was amazed by the action policy and the vision of President Ranil Wickremesinghe which was revealed during their meeting recently.
The WB Country Director also expressed his willingness to support President Wickremesinghe’s vision. The president’s vision for the country includes some measures that go beyond what the IMF or WB has stipulated. His vision is actually far ahead than this sphere,” Ratnayake said.
He emphasized the importance of getting everyone together to work hard on developing the road map and sticking to the timelines to get the best final report at the end of the next two weeks. He also said that this is the best opportunity for the country to stabilize economically, to have a solid policy framework and to go into the road map that is needed. As a country, we have that potential and request everyone to make maximum use of it,” Ratnayake added.
Rathnayake made these remarks while speaking at the World Bank Budget support and Development Policy Operation (DPO) Preparatory Mission kick-off meeting between the government officials and the members of the World Bank which took place this morning (Nov. 08) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe.
While thanking the WB team State Minister Semasinghe said that President Wickremesinghe is committed to ensuring the stabilization of the country’s economy and the President has taken very difficult decisions to revive the economy.
The discussed development policy operations, which provide direct budget support to governments for policy and institutional reforms, are aimed at achieving a set of specific development results. These operations were designed under three pillars such as transforming Economic governance, enhancing growth & competitiveness and protecting the poor and vulnerable to provide rapid financial assistance to allow Sri Lanka to deal with actual or anticipated development financing requirements.
Lengthy discussions were held with the WB team on improving debt management and transparency, improving fiscal oversight, improving tax administration policy, increasing public procurement transparency and value for money, severing the sovereign-financial sector nexus, improving stewardship of the financial sector and reducing systemic risk, reforming and enhance oversights of SOEs, reducing the anti-export bias of national tariff policy and elite capture, eliminating barriers to foreign investment, making energy and transport sector less dependent on imported fuels and more climate-friendly, and strengthening social protection institutions, delivery systems, and targeting.
State Minister of Social Empowerment Women’s and Children Affairs Anupa Pasqual, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Country Manager of the World Bank Chiyo Kanda and the members of the World Bank team and the officials of the line institutions of the relevant Ministries were present at this discussion.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing the COP27 Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt said that unbridled industrialization of the developed countries is the root cause of climate change, leaving the poor to suffer the consequences.
He said that the problems facing poor countries are augmented due to the absence of adequate funding.
As a result, these countries are facing double jeopardy – struggling to develop economically while fighting to protect the living standards of their populations.
Therefore, President Wickremesinghe said that the developed countries must deliver on their pledge in Glasgow – by doubling their funding to compensate the developing countries for loss and damage.
Accordingly, he said that as proposed by the Climate Vulnerable Forum, commissioning a special report on this aspect to strengthen international awareness for future responses would be appropriate.
President Wickremesinghe thus proposed that before COP28 in Dubai, like-minded nations should meet at Ministerial Level to discuss the way forward on all aspects of climate finance.
He also noted that this should be followed with a meeting of the Heads of Government of these countries on the margins of COP28 to display a collective frame of mind to stave off the calamity.
Following is the full speech delivered by President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the COP27 Climate Change Summit;
The salubrious environs of the green city of Sharm El-Sheikh will undoubtedly inspire our discussions at COP27 to a successful conclusion. I sincerely thank the Government of Egypt for your warm welcome and hospitality.
Sri Lanka is replete with biodiversity and has consistently addressed the challenges of climate change. Let me record the action of Sri Lanka in this regard:
Sri Lanka • Commenced the process of reducing carbon emissions by 14.5% by 2030 • Initiated Marine Spatial Planning • Recently established a Climate Office • Spearheaded the UN declaration of the 01st of March, as World Sea Grass Day
Sri Lanka is • Employing the National Policy for Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Mangrove Ecosystems • Implementing the Commonwealth Pilot Project for Climate and Ocean Risk Vulnerability • Led the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action Group on Mangrove Ecosystems and Livelihoods
Sri Lanka • Will not increase further energy capacity via coal power • Will phase out fossil fuel subsidies • Will aim for 70% of renewable energy for electricity generation by 2030 • Will join the recent Global Methane pledge made in Washington
Yet, for climate action to be successful, wide-ranging measures to complement the UNFCC and Paris Agreement must be pursued.
The lack of capacity is the biggest obstacle to the implementation of climate action plans. Therefore, capacity building is vital in this regard.
To overcome this obstacle, we propose to establish an International Climate Change University in Sri Lanka, with an ancillary institution in Maldives, which would be the first of its type.
This seat of learning can be a trans-disciplinary global centre for green and blue studies – for scientists, environmentalists, researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, and of course, students the world over, to interchange knowledge transcending national and disciplinary boundaries.
The envisaged Climate Change University will offer both short-term courses and postgraduate academic awards to build capabilities for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
The university will also expedite the skills of the new generations to deliver the political, economic, social, cultural and digital transformations required to prevent a 1.5-degree world.
It will be the vehicle to enlighten domestic climate change challenges and prospects.
The collaboration of multilateral institutions and organizations such as the Commonwealth, World Bank and the ADB amongst others will be sought for the establishment of this institution of higher learning – making it a multi-stakeholder partnership transcending – national boundaries.
I hope Sri Lanka’s proposal will receive extensive support and endorsement from the international community.
Since the prescriptions for addressing climate change have to be dispensed in the global domain, we will meet again next year, charged with high hopes.
However, the chequered implementation of previous decisions, including those of COP26 is extremely disheartening.
Regrettably, the ground reality is that the fossil fuel-based industrialized countries of G7 and G20 who have been the main promoters of green hydrogen are now backtracking to use of fossil fuel.
Last year, carbon dioxide emissions increased by 2 billion metric tonnes – from 34.3 billion to 36.3 billion metric tonnes.
Such double standards are unacceptable. Developed nations should be giving leadership to overcome climate challenges rather than abdicating their responsibilities.
It is no secret that climate financing has missed the target.
It is ironic that the USD 100 billion pledged annually has not been available in the coffers to finance climate challenges – as many developed nations deem it fit to renege on their climate financing contributions.
These countries which are also on both sides of the Ukraine war seem to have no qualms about spending for a war which will finally exceed USD 350 billion. A conflict waged purportedly for the security interests of the combatants.
The only security at stake is food insecurity, exacerbated to levels not experienced before the war. Many living both in the developed and developing world are outside the scope of three meals a day.
It is estimated that 30 to 40 million people are being driven into hunger, especially in Africa. This war has also resulted in the upward spiralling cost of living, and shortages of oil and gas supplies, and it has brought the fight against hunger to our homes.
Expectedly, it has led to the curtailing of much-required climate finance pledged by these very same countries.
The issue we have is not finding the party responsible for the war, but the party that will end the war.
Why do we need this funding? It is a known fact that the practice of colonialism transferred the rich resources of Asia and Africa to Europe and was used to industrialize their countries. We became poor from this plunder.
The unbridled industrialization of the developed economy is also the root cause of climate change, the consequences of which, we, the poor countries are forced to suffer. Our problems are augmented due to the absence of adequate funding.
Therefore, those in the South are facing double jeopardy – struggling to develop economically while fighting to protect the living standards of our populations.
It is therefore imperative that the developed countries deliver on their pledge in Glasgow – by doubling their funding. Adding insult to injury, damages caused by extreme weather conditions are increasing, and their impacts are exceedingly costly.
Developing countries which are the worst affected by the rise in emissions from the industrialized world, need to be compensated for loss and damage.
While the issue of loss and damage is now included in our formal agenda, we have to ensure that the emitters contribute financially to those affected. As proposed by the Climate Vulnerable Forum, commissioning a special report on this aspect to strengthen international awareness for future responses would be appropriate.
Considering the failure of the developed world in bringing about the much-discussed relief, it is proposed that before we get to Dubai for COP28, like-minded nations should meet at Ministerial Level to discuss the way forward on all aspects of climate finance.
This should be followed with a meeting of the Heads of Government of these countries on the margins of COP28 to display a collective frame of mind to stave off the calamity.
In conclusion, let me recall the UN Secretary-General’s recent words, The choice is between collective action or collective suicide”.
The vacuum created due to inaction now requires the global display of sustained political will through dynamic action and constructive cooperation on the part of like-minded countries to prevent this catastrophe.
Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong has reiterated China’s continued assistance to Sri Lanka in overcoming the country’s debt crisis.
Qi Zhenhong has given this assurance during an extensive discussion held with State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe yesterday (Nov 07) on Sri Lanka’s debt issue.
In a tweet, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo mentioned that the Ambassador reiterated China’s continued and concrete support to the island to overcome various challenges.
State Minister Semasinghe stated that they had an extensive discussion on the debt treatment process of Sri Lanka.
Once again it was reiterated China’s continuous support to the recovery of Sri Lanka’s economy,” he tweeted.
Sri Lanka has 4 land registers & successive governments continue to pass amendments without passing 2 simple insertions that would protect land owners & their lands including State land. Whether this is being done intentionally or on the advice of advisors or ignoring advice is something the legislature needs to answer. Land owners cannot simply wait for the Government or Public officials to protect their land. Here are some practical solutions that land owners can take to protect their land.
The former Minister of Justice Ali Sabry proudly announced in Parliament that after nearly one century the biggest change to land registry law and notarial law had taken place with the help of an expert team of lawyers. However, recently the Registration of Documents Ordinance was amended. This has not ended land fraud & provided any solace to notaries involved in land registering.
For the general public questions would be
Have laws been introduced to resolve Sri Lanka’s biggest problem – Land Fraud as stated by the Registrar General of Land in March 2019 that almost 40%-50% of land deeds in Sri Lanka are likely to be forged.
Recently passed amendments do not benefit land owners
1] Land Registrar has no authority to reject deeds if they are forged or invalid
2]. Land Register is not Mandatory. It has not been amended, converting it from a ‘Priority register’ [archaic law] to a Mandatory register as in UK, USA, Europe, Australia Singapore India and many nations which had registration laws similar to Sri Lanka [Ord 23 of 1927].
Nations have introduced e-registration only after the introduction of the modern mandatory register and after they have empowered the Land Registrar with quasi-judicial power to reject forged deeds to protect registries from fraud and cybercrime [literature available on the internet]
Cabinet decisionto provide a mandatory register with research
When amending the registration statutes attention should have been given to the Cabinet Memorandum of 20/2100/322/007 of 24. 12. 2020 to follow the South African system – was this not complied intentionally & for what reasons!
Registrar General Land says —-Land Registry is not a place to check owners – it is not mandatory
Registrar General in a letter dated 6th April 2016 has explained the above serious lapse in Ordinance 23 of 1927 to the Prime Minister. Ref RG/TRB/03/278/[2]
His letter explains that the land registry under the Ord 23 does not mandatorily require registration of all owners, therefore he says one does not expect notaries, banks or anyone else to examine extracts in the Registry and conclude ownership, they need to search deeds and find other methods.
World Bank view – The World Bank pointing out this obstacle, provided funds to research to progress to mandatory registration with viable institutional framework, including cohesive organizational structure and plan for staffing and human resource. [which was neglected] . https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/293851468308634964/pdf/ICR0000190.pdf
However Sri Lanka government did not utilize the funds as instructed to improve the existing register with instructed research (LIL scheme) but suddenly without anyone’s advice introduced Act 21 of 1998 which superimposed the Australian land law rather than progress to a mandatory fraud free register. The Act repealed the judicial process and most of our traditional land laws. The World Bank thereafter withdrew their funding program and today we are struggling with a 2ndregister called Bim Saviya which is declared as a total failure by two committees appointed by the President and the Minister Ali Sabry advising land owners to revert to the old register.
Four Registers
At present a 4th register is being proposed called the Land Bank as [per letter shown in the picture]
Other registers as above are under
1] Ord 23 of 1927
2] Act 21 of 1983]
3] E-register; Land Information system[LIS]
4] Land Bank
Are Legislators unaware that a country needs only one register for government land and private lands to be registered to reach a higher standard in the Doing Business Index.
This is the consequence of not having a legal team managing the research and progress of the registers as in other nations [Registration law is a specialized legal field with literature available from other nations]
Under the present laws land owners need to protect their land ownership from land registry fraud. Solutions given by a legal team:
Notaries dilemma with a priority register [archaic law]
Registration statutes need to be amended with reference to the modern statutes of other jurisdictions as we are moving to electronics with mandatory registration. Notaries today have to search beyond the register as registration is not mandatory, they cannot assure buyers with regard to ownership from an archaic priority law. They are very often confronted with cases against them for relying on the priority register.
There is a tedious procedure for notaries which takes over 3 months for correction of minor errors by Registry officials, the official do not even have the power to correct their own mistakes under the Ord 23.
It is imperative that a land owner fortifies himself with these vital supporting documents as the registry is unreliable even with the recent amendment :
A] Vital documents from the Land Registry have to be kept by owners as they cannot depend on the Registry
1] Certified copies, of the duplicate, and the extracts from the respective land registries.
Duplicate deed: A Notary attesting a deed is mandatorily required to file a copy of the deed referred to as the Duplicate copy with the Land Registry.
The Land Registry is expected to preserve the Duplicate copy in its archives to support the land rights of the owner.
Extracts – All deeds are recorded chronologically in pages bound together into volumes called registers. Extracts are copies of pages or sheets of paper from these volumes where the deeds are registered.
If your land is stolen from the registry the investigating officers and the judiciary require the above documents for their investigations, they are prima facie evidence to prove your ownership.
If you have neglected to apply and collect the certified copies before a fraudulent transaction takes place, you may be in deep trouble as the Registrar is not responsible and a letter will be issued that they are not available.
B]The owners must also check the registry periodically.
Some owners may have properties with deeds written several years back, and they may not know the state of these vital documents. Some find that the property is transferred and someone else is the owner.
C] Register your ownership with the service providers
To prove ownership a deed alone is not sufficient Therefore owners need to register with the relevant service providers as they will provide evidence of ownership and possession when required.
They are:
1] Electoral register
2] The local authority, (Municipal Council, Urban Council or Town Council where the land would be situated). Retain the tax receiptsissued for payment of taxes and obtain the ownership certificate in the name of the owner after due registration of ownership. 3] The Water Board 4] The Electricity Board 5] The telephone authorities 6]Retain any others such as receipts from contractors, house keepers, repairman for repairs, clearing, fencing and renovationsetc.
D] Do not give your deeds to any one even copies or send them via internet they need to be delivered through your trusted lawyer
E] Do not rush to buy land: Protect yourself from buying someone else’s land; Very often deeds are written and the owner appears when you are fixing fences, there are deeds unregistered lands are sold and not registered as said the amendment has not made the register mandatory Checking owners will be unreliable
Buying process should commence only after visiting the landand talking with neighbors to find out the names and identity of owners
Exchange letters confirming the transaction with names and addresses of ownersand retain covering letters from the owner’s notary forwarding copies of deeds for title examination to your notary
Do not rush to complete transactions without face-to-face interviews with owners, agents, witnesses, surveyors and even notaries.
.
F]The CID’s request is to obtain photographs at the time of signing the deed as they are not able to trace witnesses, owners and brokers. Obtain their identity, telephone numbers and addresses home and working place.
G]If a land is owned by a company, a search needs to be made at the Registrar of Companies to identify the directors of the company. If the owner is represented by a Power of Attorney, it is always best to contact the owner and have direct dealing with the owner.
Retain all the documentary evidence with your deed.
The Government and the Ministry of Public Administration needs to get the ICTA engineers advice to amend the land registry statute to prevent fraud.
Amendments required—
To make the Registry mandatory, with biometric solutions to identify owners empowering the Registrar to reject fraudulent Today the registry is provided with electronics and ICTA engineers are associated with the Registry. Minster of Public Administration could get their advice to amend the land registry statute to prevent fraud electronically. In UK, the facility to report fraud or cybercrime to the Registry advisory team at any time of the day or night using the online reporting tool is available. Mobile alert to owners when forged deeds enter the registry is also another special feature.
Biometric methods used in other nations They have developed advanced systems of ‘owner identification’ methods adopted biometric solutions to identify owners to prevent land fraud. The land registries record like in our banking system, iris and digital photos to ensure that fraud does not take place. The internet carries an extensive range of information from different countries that can be searched under the relevant names given to the data bases of the land registries They are Enjoa – new electronic notary logbook used in the US, e-Tanah in Malaysia, Bhoomi project in India, Loucha Pathap in Manipur.
Media Release High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi
A bust of Sir D.B. Jayatilaka, the first Representative of Sri Lanka to India, commissioned by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi in a bid to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Sri Lanka sending her first Representative to India in 1942, was ceremonially unveiled today (7).
A few former High Commissioners of India to Sri Lanka, family members of two former Indian High Commissioners to Colombo and two Deputy High Commissioners of India who had served in Sri Lanka joined Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda in unveiling the bust at a ceremony held at the High Commission premises this morning.
Former High Commissioners of India to Sri Lanka, Ambassadors Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Alok Prasad, Ashok K. Kantha, Y.K. Sinha and Dr. Ritu Chhatwal, daughter of former High Commissioner S.J.S. Chhatwal and Madurendra Nath Jha, son of former High Commissioner N.N. Jha as well as Ambassador Mohan Kumar and Deputy National Security Advisor of India Ambassador Vikram Misri who had served as Deputy High Commissioners at the High Commission of India in Colombo were present on the occasion.
Well-known Indian author, A.S. Bhasin, who had written a five-volume monumental book on India-Sri Lanka Relations also attended this event.
The unveiling of the bust of Sir D.B. Jayatilaka marked the latest of a series of activities organized by the High Commission to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Sri Lanka sending her first Representative to India. Earlier, in February, the High Commission named its Chancery building after Sir D.B. Jayatilaka and in August, a portrait of Sir Baron was unveiled at the High Commission.
This bronze bust of Sir D.B. Jayatilaka symbolizes the important role that he played by laying the foundation for modern Indo-Lanka relations. The project was funded by the India-Sri Lanka Foundation.
Prominent Indian sculptor Gautam Pal of Kolkata has sculptured this bronze bust. Mr. Pal was also present at the unveiling ceremony.
Controversial Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka is still only a suspect in the incident, and if he is proven guilty, Sri Lanka will enforce all its laws against him, Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry Secretary Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva said.
Addressing the media, he said Danushka Gunathilaka was a cricketer who was approved by the Sports Minister and sent to Australia representing the country.
“We cannot escape from our responsibility. We should appear for him, if he has come up with a problem. If he had committed this fault with his will and knowledge, he has to pay all his expenses for the legal assistance he was offered. We have no authority to help him out with his personal issues, spending public money,” he said.
“Danushka has only allegations against him, therefore he is still representing the country. During a discussion, Justice Minister Ali Sabry also said that he is only a suspect, not a culprit. But if he had done anything wrong, he should bear the full responsibility for it,” Silva said.
“If he is proven guilty, he should settle all expenses incurred by the Sri Lanka Cricket (CLC) Board. “Discipline is a must when it comes to sports, and we will do our best to maintain our image,” Silva stressed. (Chaturanga Samarawickama)
The (so-called Sri Lankan-owned) media has demanded with one voice that Sri Lanka default on debts & submit to the IMF. These debts were largely incurred to pay for imports of fuel, fertilizer, food, pharma and machinery, most of which was not invested in productive efflorescence.
At the same time, the US Treasury’s IMF, which is not a democratic organization at all, is clearly working thakata-thei with US games to turn Sri Lanka into a US military base in the Indian Ocean. Until Sri Lanka submits, they aim to play all sides against the middle, while depriving us of the essentials we’re prevented from producing for ourselves.
The media this week took instead to openly trying to blame China again for the ‘delay’ in imposing the IMF’s blessings. It is the US (& IMF) dictat that is creating further chaos. Instead, they are framing China for the continuation of the colonial import-export plantation oligarchy’s policies.
This recent report blaming China originates with the Hindustan Times quoting unnamed ‘financial analysts based in Washington’. Of course we aren’t surprised that Hindustan is also the modifier for Hindustan Unilever, the largest English multinational in India – and not that coincidentally – the largest media advertiser.
ee repeats: Unilever, World Bank, IMF, Asian Development Bank, etc., are no democracies by any means. And yet, US President J Biden recently divided a multinational-corporation-dominated world into ‘democracies’ and ‘autocracies’:
The definition of ‘True Humanity’ must go beyond the species of Humanity. This is the true test of our Humanity.
If Humans confine themselves to the well-being of only one species i.e. Homo Sapiens ( human species) and remain indifferent to the well-being of non-human beings (other species) and the surrounding Nature we become emasculated morally and ethically.
Every religion that wants to retain its credibility in the future must embrace a vision of ‘Going Beyond Humanity.
The notion that God created animals to serve purely the needs of humans was tantamount to passing a death sentence on animals. That death sentence still continues and is carried out in many parts of the world, unfortunately.
Humans have become insensitive to the pain and suffering of other living beings and in turn, suppress the innate compassion they are born with because they have been indoctrinated and brainwashed to think that nonhuman living beings exist solely for the benefit of Human Beings. This is not true. No one is born to serve someone else.
This is the same cruel logic that was used to justify the vicious slave trade. It was said by the slave traders that the Black Man was created to serve as a slave. That is God’s will so they said. The name of God was dragged in to justify inhumanity to both humans and innocent animals with no one bold enough to challenge and spread the gospel of love to all living beings in the Abrahamic world, bar the Buddha and Mahavira ( Nigantanatha putta – founder of Jainism) in India. Humanity is never civilized until we encompass all living beings in our circle of compassion, said Dr. Albert Schweitzer.
The enlightened Human Beings of the future can be expected to no longer tolerate belief systems that encourage intolerance, cruelty, and exploitation of other non-human beings and Nature for human survival. Cruelty to animals begins in the minds of human beings. It is these types of mindsets that must first be cured of inhumanity and predilection to violence against animals. That is why lessons on Animal Protection must commence in our schools from the time of Kindergarten. Every animal has a right to life and a right to happiness. The challenge for humans is to recognize these basic animal rights. This is true pluralism.
A pluralistic world must include animal species and not only human species. The Sanatana Dharma of India which includes Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism among others recognized that reality and responded to it accordingly in law-making. The Mahawamsa, the leading Historical Chronicle of Sri Lanka, gives glorious accounts of the extension of state protection to birds and beasts by mainly Buddhist Sinhala Kings following the duties of an ideal Chakkavatti King as spelled out in the Cakkavatti Sihanada Sutta (Digha Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka) preached by the Buddha.
These are the shining chapters of the humanity of the past, that Sri Lanka can be joyfully proud of.
Justice and Compassion for all beings can be expected to become the moral basis of a more equitable world order.
The Rule of Law that is spelled out today to protect only humans while excluding other non-human living beings is a self-serving exercise based on outdated and archaic speciesist thinking. It is tantamount to hypocrisy. Suffering is common to both. A reformed Rule of Law must protect not only Humans but also extend to protect non – Humans and our natural environment, wherever possible.
These are the lofty ideals that ‘Justice for Animals and Nature’ stands for and actively pursuing to achieve.
Justice for Animals and Nature
see also
Justice for Animals & Nature (JAN) – The Aims and Objectives
This proposal has been made with an action plan to develop NAUTICAL TOURISM with much emphasis on Entertainment Based facilities for tourists who will be tempted to visit Sri Lankan shores. This document is an outline of the idea, and a complete discussion is needed in person to elaborate in detail.
Already existing entertainment-based Casino Industry currently existing in the country can be further expanded with support from the government to attract tourists from China, Hongkong, Singapore, Europe and middle eastern countries.
Timeline
Special Cabinet paper shall be submitted by the Minister in Charge of Investment promotion and Port city / Immigration to fast-track implementation plan.
Immediate Request for Proposal to be issued to Tour Operators to commence Operations with a view to attract Visitors for entertainment tours.
Infrastructure
With the newly developed Port City and the Marina, where base of the operations can be established by accommodating Leisure Crafts and Larger Cruises which can accommodate up to 500 passengers to birth and collect tourists who may arrive from the listed countries.
Rather than waiting for fully fledged construction work to be completed, government should invite private investors to install prefabricated birthing area with all the infrastructure facilities required for tourists to wait on until check into cruisers are ready to travel.
Food and Duty-free Alcohol outlets to be established like duty free shops in the landing area for passengers to purchase before sailing.
Transport facilities for tourists who arrive in Sri Lanka on visas granted at arrival can be welcomed at the airport and transported via the airport highway to Port City.
For passengers who may want to be in the city of Colombo can be accommodated in few City hotels in the vicinity of the Port City.
Regulatory Framework and other facilities
Sri Lanka Tourist Board shall make their officers at arrival location to receive the visitors who come to Sri Lanka to get on board the Cruisers for sailing and arrange transport from the Airport to Port City. This could be outsourced to a private sector company.
Separate immigration counter to be made available for Port city visitors / entertainment.
Separate area at the exit of the airport to be made available for buses for picking up the passengers to be transported to Port City. Again, this could be outsourced for private company.
SLTDA shall market the availability of such entertainment tours using their agents and Sri Lankan Embassies abroad with emphasis that visiting Sri Lanka will help the nation to generate income to support the country during these difficult times.
All necessary government approvals for operating such cruises shall be provided via one stop shop under BOI.
Government shall establish licence structure and tax scheme to generate income for state coffers.
Market Survey for Cruisers and Operators
Sri Lankan companies such as Expo Lanka, Aitken Spence, Hayley’s, Ceylon Shipping Corporation and other tour agents shall be requested to carry out a market survey to invite Cruise Operators to establish their Operations in the Port City .
Existing Leisure Craft Operators shall also be allowed to operate from Port City Marina to receive High Net Worth visitors for short tours around the island with Destination to Trinco Sober Island for few days prior to joining the entertainment Cruises.
Cruises shall /may sail to Maldives and return to the port city to depart.
Alternatively Cruise operators can allow passengers to berth in Maldives on the way to Colombo?
Our Contribution
Having spent many years Abroad and in Sri Lanka in the Oil and Gas industry, Ship Building and management sector, I have exposure and a thorough knowledge of the spoken subjects. I have also represented similar idea on a couple of TV programs ( Derana – Aluth Parlimentuwa ) during the past few weeks.
I am happy to overlook and arrange a workable practical mechanism for the discussed subject, provided all red tapes are removed and given authority to manage without any interference from ministerial levels.
We are more than happy to visit for a meeting and discuss a way forward in this massive industry which can overwhelmed Sri Lanka with foreign income.
By Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Chairman Advisory Board for EDB to develop Marine and Offshore Industry
As a school boy at St Peter’s College I was always dragged by my father to mount and set up a public address system at one of the LSSP meetings. He owned Radio Works Bambalapitiya and held a contract with the LSSP to supply public address systems at election meetings for years. We employed three technicians but they were busy at other meetings. I have many a time observed NM looking hard at me again and again- a schoolboy who could mess up a meeting. But I was up to the mark. Ultimately he found he could rely on me and stopped staring at me.
NM did not know that I was a live member of the LSSP poster pasting campaign centered at the Peradeniya University. It was done at yakku gas nagina welava- one of us kept watch for the police with sharp eyes while the rest worked fast and within hours Kandy was pasted with LSSP notices.
Years later I was Assistant Commissioner of Agrarian Services, implementing the Paddy lands Act in Kegalla District. We never invited politicians for our publicity meetings. I got a nod from him when I met him at katcheri meetings and I always bowed.
Again I was the Additional Govt Agent at Kegalla in1967 and 1968, during the UNP regime of Dudley Senanayake. I ensured that though he was in the opposition all development programs were emphatically implemented in his electorate too. . That was my duty wherever I worked. The people came first and the politicians had to somehow fall in line. At times I forgot the politicians and directed my officers to do it all like at Weligama where Pani could never be found by anyone. .
I was away on a scholarship at Manchester University scored a Distinction in Community Development and came back to serve my Motherland. My wife tried to persuade me to stay in the UK and pursue studies as at times our lives had been ruined by politicians and we had to be on the run. That was Maitripala Senanayake ordering me out of Anuradhapura in minutes- ordered me not to enter my own office and got me transferred. I had interdicted and sacked a number of his men for fraud.
When I returned from the scholarship I was not given a posting. I used to go to the public library every morning on my way to the Ministry find a novel and read it seated somewhere in the Ministry. In the second month, one day all the peons were searching for me and I was rushed to the phone.
I am NM here. I am told that you spend your time at the Ministry reading novels.? Yes sir, I have asked to be posted anywhere and have never been given a job.” I replied.
Did you not know that I am the Minister of Finance. Come and see me at once.” He slammed the phone. My head was reeling as to what would happen to me and I drove as fast as I could to his office and was ushered in.
His eyes were rolling in anger.
Why have you not told me.” He kept scolding me for some five minutes and stopped.
Tell me where you want to work.”
Anywhere.” I replied.
No tell me where.” he ordered.
Small Industries”.
He took the phone and spoke to someone;
I am sending my man. Give him a posting in Small Industries .”.
Then to me, Go and meet Subasinghe and get down to work.”
I went and met Mr Subasinghe the Minister for Industries.
NM told me to post you to Small Industries. There is no suitable vacant post as Deputy Director. I told the Secretary to create a post for you. Go and meet him.”
A post of Deputy Director was created in three days and I got down to work.
Again I came into direct contact in implementing the Divisional Development Councils Programme in Matara. That was not :Premier Sirimavo’s programme. It was NM at his best. In his 1970 Budget Speech he tells of his aim: to fulfill the aspirations of thousands of young men and women for whom life will lose all meaning unless they can find a useful place in our society”. He head hunted the most prominent economist of the day, Profesor HAdeS Gunasekera and to get the programme off the ground got him to go to the Districts by helicopter. I can remember greeting him, at the helicopter in Matara several times. We ducked our heads as some soldier had been decapitated at Katunayake earlier.
Dr NM came again and again inquiring about the progress of the projects creating employment for the people he loved. He kept listening and would pose a question that was difficult to answer. It was a master teaching a child.
We struggled along, stumbling at times, in creating employment. Once he was due to open the batik and sewing unit at Tittapaddara. We managed to avoid a catastrophe there. I quote from my book: Papers on the Economic Development of Sri lanka(Godages):
Batik training was at that time not done by any state Department and it continued to be in the hands of the private sector with a high margin of profit…. The services of a batik dyeing entrepreneur was obtained from Galle, the adjoining district. He held initial discussions, provided details of tanks to be built and the ingredients to be purchased.. Twenty girls were found and tanks were built to his approval. He inspected the tanks met the girls and everything was in perfect order
With only 48 hours for the opening it became clear that the private entrepreneur was backing out. It was found that he had gone to Colombo and was missing. Hell was let lose and that entire Sunday morning about five key officers were telephoning all over- jeeps were rushing here and there and we were all lost. My wife was coming downstairs and inquired why many of us were there instead of being at Polhena for a bath. Finally she agreed to be the batik instructor and she and a cousin Welangoda were there for the opening session -lesson and continued teaching a for two full years working on Saturdays. That was a narrow shave.
I met Dr NM last when I hosted him for dinner at my Residency. It was a grand occasion with other members of parliament like Sumanapala Dahanayake. I managed it all- firstly to ensure that no one got poisoned. It was well known that a glass of orange juice offered to Prime Minister Bandaranayake was instead drunk by Minister CP de Silva and he was taken ill, even taken to Harley Street and never fully restored. Once my own Field Officer, GKGS Perera was summoned by me for a flying squad activity in Ambalantota by me and he went to the Ambalantota Rest House for his mid day meal. Then I worked in Ambalantota covering the Southern Province in the Marketing Department. GKGS had luckily brought a driver along and the driver hogged the kitchen area while the master GKGS was seated to be served with the meal. The driver over heard a waiter taking a meal to be served muttering. how can I keep this meal to a sir who has a gleaming smile.” That driver was smart to peep and see the meal being placed on the table where his master GKGS was seated. He rushed and stopped him partaking the meal.
It all ended by my spending the entire day with the chefs who were cooking the meal in my Residency. It was a dinner and I had sleuths- trusted administrative officers all around the Residency as guards till Dr NM left.
I did not go to bid good bye when I left the Ad Service. I knew that he would object. He had heard of my idea and had sent me two messages. I knew he was going to dissuade me from resigning and proceeding abroad. Anyhow I think I was right because though we went through hell at times being waiters at the Michigan State Cafeteria, working fifteen hours a day, when we ran out of funds, we succeeded in studies, my acquiring the M.Ed, M.Phil and Ph.D. and my wife bagged the M.Ed,
In later life. as an international consultant I managed to design and implement the Youth Self Employment Programme of Bangladesh and train the staff of the Bangladeshi Civil Service to continue it after my two year consultancy ended and this is today the premier employment creation programme the world has known, having bagged over three million youths becoming commercially viable entrepreneurs within four decades. This is a continuing programme, coveted by the Bangadesh Government.
I am dead certain that the detailed questioning that I was subjected to by Dr NM, when he inspected my projects at Matara that made me successful in that major programme of development.
His Divisional Development Councils Programme provided employment to 33,200 youths. This number could have been far more if the JVP had not tried to wrest Sri lanka for North Korea in April 1971. Our Motherland would have benefitted immensely if the programme had been continued. That did not happen because President Jayawardena decided to abolish that programme.
It would be ideal if a similar programme of employment and production creation is implemented with immediate effect to stop the economic meltdown of today. This is a task that can be easily accomplished.
Dr NM belongs to that group of sincere, patriotic political leaders that adorned Sri Lanka.
Food Security means that all people always have physical & economic access to adequate amounts of nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate foods, which are produced in an environmentally sustainable and socially just manner, and that people are able to make informed decisions about their food choices (https://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-01-09/what-is-food-security/). The FAO defines the four pillars of food security as availability, access, utilisation, and stability of food.
Whether it is from a Sri Lankan context, or more generally from a global context, ensuring food security is a complex subject that has no easy answers if all aspects of it are to be considered. Broadly, food security is the availability of food and the ability of all the people irrespective of ethnicity, religious beliefs, economic class, gender, which part of the country they live in etc, to physically and economically access the food. The target is therefore for entire population of the country to have easy access to adequate quantities of basic, safe, preferred food items, at affordable prices. This is a foundation to building a nation of heathy people and preventing hunger, malnutrition, and starvation.
In Sri Lanka, the economic debacle faced by the country has already had an impact on the people with 9.6 million people reportedly in poverty according to a study by the Peradeniya University and malnutrition risen sharply alongside. Clearly, indisputable food insecurity signs are there and are clearly visible. However, what is also visible is the general apathy and indifference shown to the debacle of food insecurity.
As with many activities, ensuring food security involves a chain of activities, and the involvement and input from many players. A key feature of a supply chain is the importance of realizing the underlying principle of a supply chain that the strength of a chain lies in its weakest link.” If ensuring food security is considered from the prism of a chain of activities, then, the above principle defines the success or failure of the system whenever one section of the chain fails to deliver resulting in food insecurity. Very fundamentally, food insecurity arises when there is a failure on the part of the producer to produce quality food, the failure of the intermediate systems like the wholesale buyers of the produce who fail to provide a decent price to producers, an inefficient transportation system that fails to get the food to retailers and consumers in a timely manner in good condition, inability to source from overseas the essential basic foods that are not domestically available in adequate quantities, and the inability of all or some of the population to access the food based on economic grounds.
The complexity of this supply chain deepens when factors such as environmental sustainability, cultural appropriateness, and the nutritional values are factored in. Food security is a supply/demand phenomenon where the demand for nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate food needs to be supplied in the right quantity, right quality, right price, and right place in an environmentally sustainable manner. The inherent complexity of the supply chain makes it difficult and even impractical and probably inadvisable for assigning the management of all aspects of food security to a single entity. It is perhaps addressed best by market forces, but where the responsibility for some policy settings may be assigned to the State.
A key requisite for achieving food security and often not given the attention it deserves, is the ability of the people who produce and supply such food to earn a decent, living wage, growing, catching, producing, and where appropriate, processing, the food produced.
The intervention of middlemen between producers of food, and the transporters, wholesalers, and eventually retailers has been and still is a major challenge to food security in Sri Lanka. Ensuring food security is therefore not a simple phenomenon of just growing food without considering all the above aspects.
Food safety plays an integral part in food utilisation. How food is metabolised by consumers, storage issues such as the length of storage and method of storage, preparation for consumption (cleaning, level of heat treatment provided in cooking, not mixing ready to eat food with raw items etc) contribute to food safety at household level. Providing simple information to the public on how to maintain food safety at home will help. Levels of sanitation at home and availability of good, affordable health care will also help.
Food security is also threatened by natural disasters, climate change, non-availability of sufficient water, pests / agricultural diseases, wasting food, politics / poor governance. Some of these factors are avoidable if mitigation plans are made in advance.
Sustainable Food Systems
A healthy, sustainable food system is one that focuses on Environmental Health, Economic Vitality including marketability, and Human Health & Social Equity.
Environmental Health – ensures that food production and procurement do not compromise the land, air, or water now or for future generations.
Economic Vitality & Marketability– ensures that the people who are producing the food are able to earn a decent living income wage doing so. This ensures that producers can continue to produce our food, and what is produced can be marketed. Often, sudden, or seasonal rise in prices, especially of fruits and vegetables, leads to large scale cultivation of such items which results in over production and consequent drop in prices for such items. This results in producers having to even sell for prices much less than their cost of production
Human Health & Social Equity – ensures that particular importance is placed on community development and the health of the community, making sure that healthy foods are available economically and physically to the community and that people are able to access these foods in a dignified manner. Promotion of the health (and unhealthy) aspects of food is a major task that could and should be undertaken by the media and organisations specialised in such activities including the State and private sector health care institutions.
Food security strategies
It is politically convenient but shortsighted to take the stand that assuring food security is merely growing more food. Opening large swathes of unutilised and or underutilised land for cultivating more food without considering the numerous aspects associated with food security mentioned above does not assure real food security. In fact, more environmental damage which in turn exacerbate food insecurity can be caused unless intelligent planning accompanies food security strategies.
Of course, more food has to be grown if the country is short of food. But the important consideration is which food is to be grown and where, and whether such food provides the nutrition (protein, carbohydrates, and the vitamins / minerals) that human beings require.
Food security also tends to be viewed only from the prism of what can be grown, meaning, grains, vegetables, and fruits. Meat and fish are rich sources of proteins and other vital nutrients for human beings, while they also contain unhealthy aspects as well, as do some non-meat or non-fish food items. This is where health professionals come in to provide relevant information on health and unhealthy aspects of food items. The meat industry in particular has religious imperatives and these need to be factored in when discussing food security.
The following three key proposals are presented for consideration by readers and advocates of a food security policy and program for the country.
A national committee consisting of agriculture and dietary experts drawn from the academia and professional bodies to develop a national food security strategy. Such a strategy should identify most appropriate geographic crop cultivation opportunities based on soil conditions, water availability, rainfall patterns etc. Guaranteed prices could be fixed for growers of commodities determined by this committee.
A public/private sector partnership to manage the procurement and transportation of commodities from the growers to retail markets. Such a partnership could include rail transportation, lorry transportation and retail outlets such as supermarkets and cooperative establishments. This entity could establish buying prices from growers, and recommended retail prices based on demand/supply considerations.
An entity to provide information (online, print and TV) to growers and consumers on (a) growth strategies and plans as determined by the national committee of agriculture & dietary experts, (b) procurement prices for produce and recommended retail prices and (c) dietary and food health information.
The above three committees could co-opt provincial and/or district level institutions and entities to promote and support the national food security strategy. It is strongly suggested that considering the critical importance of food security to all people of Sri Lanka, the national strategy formulation and the national planning, execution and monitoring process be a task assigned to the President.
Amongst key strategies that may be considered are
The promotion and support for the domestic agriculture sector to improve and increase the output. Farmers, large and small, should be provided easy access to knowledge in the appropriate use of fertiliser, use of different methods of irrigation / watering (drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, fertigation etc.), use of modern equipment, crop diversification, managing issues relating to pests, weeds etc. Such information may be made specific to the different areas in the country.
Exploration of the cultivation of strains / varieties that provide higher yields using less land. Seeds of such varieties could be made available to farmers.
Ensuring that the farmers get a fair deal for their effort. That is, make sure that it is economically viable for the farmers.
Developing methods to make water available to farmers, specially those working in arid areas.
Encouraging households to grow some fruits and vegetables at home. Promotion of cultivating in pots and used fertilizer. flour bags should be promoted and encouraged.
Discouraging food waste at all levels.
Examining and improving where necessary, the storage facilities, and transport facilities, at the various stages from farm to retail and the packaging used, is another key area in the pursuit of minimising food waste as well as maintaining food quality / food safety.
Ensuring food security and all aspects of food security as discussed here for all people of the country cannot be assured by politicians who are divided on every national issue that matters for the people. They have demonstrated their love for themselves ahead of the people of the country when the economic edifice of the country has cracked and fallen apart around them. Judging by the failure of Opposition politicians to support a national effort to address the economic debacle of the country, it is certain that a national effort to ensure food security will not be a priority for the Opposition politicians, who will only look for political opportunism to further their political ambitions. Hopefully, promotional efforts to ensure food security will be provided by the civil society institutions, religious bodies, academic & professional institutions, health institutions, women’s organisations, and importantly, the media institutions.
Acknowledgement – The technical advice, information and support provided by Food technologist Mr. Sanath Nanayakkara, a graduate of the University of Colombo and holder of a master’s degree in business administration from Macquarie University, Sydney, and who has worked extensively in technical and managerial roles in the food industry for 48 years both in Sri Lanka and Australia is gratefully acknowledged.
I took over the post of the chairman of the Ports Authority with a genuine intention of initiating action to develop Galle port as a tourist destination by developing a marina
A steel gas barge berthed over 15 years occupying 100 m length of Closenburh Pier was cleared by courts during this period for scrapping. A feasibility study to develop Trinco Port as the nucleus for the Marine and Offshore industry was to be awarded after much effort to a local consultancy company. Managed to issue an RFP to expand bunkering tankage in Colombo with a view to going ahead with a PPP-based development
Initiated a PPP partnership for the Mahapola training center which is underutilized
With all the above done during three months of short tenure, I had to leave because I could not implement Structural changes in the management
Lower and high levels of irregular financial handling and resistance to any changes were evident
I move out and took a seat on the director board of GSMB ( Geological Survey and Mining Burea)
I found that this organization needs immediate restructuring to stop corruption
Sadly the political appointees of the previous ruling party have been involved in large-scale mishandling of issuance of licenses and corruption everywhere
Much publicity given in the press does not deter some officers giving resignations
Better to leave this organization as early as possible to save the name
The Monetary Institute’s “Our Money, Our Banks, Our Country – Money Creation in the Modern Economy” conference was held in Zurich, Switzerland on February 5, 2018. Professor Richard Werner, Chair in International Banking, University of Southampton, England provided this overview of how money is created in nations throughout the world and the impacts and consequences of the current system.
Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok
At the Second handing over Ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai symbolically handed over cash donation of 14,000,000 Thai Baht (SLRS 135,398,986 ) from Royal Thai Government to Sri Lanka Ambassador and Permanent Representative to UNESCAP C.A. Chaminda I. Colonne on 01st of Nonmember 2022. This financial donation will be channeled through the United Nations to Sri Lanka. Other symbolic donations made included medicines and medical supplies valued THB 1,000,000 by Thai Red Cross Society, THB 1,071, 300 by the Thai Chamber of Commerce, eleven freight containers transporting services valued THB 748,376 by Regional Container Line Public Company Limited, THB 436,120 valued 16 tons of sugar and 1000 pieces of blankets by Thai Beverage Public Company, 120 tons rice valued THB 3,724,800 by Rama IX Golden Temple, 96 tons of rice valued THB 1,400,000 by Chak Daeng Temple and 24 tons of rice valued THB 500,000 by Siri Guru Singh Sabha.
Deputy Prime Minister recalled that the two countries have been bound together by shared values and cultural ties, long before the formal establishment of the diplomatic relations, 67 years ago. Also he has conveyed that these strong bonds have continuously hosted close cooperation and partnership in various areas particularly in trade and investment, technical cooperation and people to people contacts, all of which have flourished and prosperity substantively in recent decades. On behalf of the Government of Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs has assured the strong will of Sri Lankan people will lead the country to a right direction and committed to continue assisting Sri Lanka to overcome the daunting challenges during this most difficult time.
Ambassador also highlighted that the Sri Lankan economy is envisaged to record a gradual recovery over the medium term. Ambassador added that regional countries may extend assistance to such recovery by providing preferential market access for Sri Lanka’s exports by lowering tariffs, providing/increasing quotas or implementing special procurement schemes, and helping Sri Lankan industries in which they are specialized by providing technical assistance. Ambassador has extended her sincere appreciation to His Majesty the King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Government and the People of the Kingdom of Thailand, especially to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for making several thoughtful and generous donations for the people of Sri Lanka, with the assistance of Thai Buddhist temples, Private and other entities.
Previously, during a similar recent handing over symbolic ceremony at the Foreign Ministry presided over by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijavat Isarabhakdi, 1.3 Million THB (SLRS. 12,571,927.28) worth of medical supplies and 700,000 Thai Baht financial support by Thai Parliament were symbolically handed over to the Ambassador along with symbolic donations by the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Government Pharmaceutical Organization, Thai Red Cross Society, Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara Somdet Phra Sangharaja Wat Bavoranives Vihara Foundation under the Royal Patronage, and Wat Phra Ram 9 Karnchanapisek, totaling over 5 million THB. (SLRS. 48,308,003.65).
Ambassador thanked for the compassion, optimism and inspiration for sharing sense of true abundance of Thai people with Sri Lankan people and for positively impacting countless lives in Sri Lanka and also extended her gratitude to Thailand Ambassador in Colombo Poj Harnpol for assisting the distribution of these donations locally in Sri Lanka.
Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok
A Sri Lankan arrested in the UK in February this year in connection with the killing of Mylvaganam Nimalarajan, who contributed to the BBC’s Tamil and Sinhala services, is under investigation, though released from custody there.Jack Griffith of Metropolitan Police Service’s Directorate of Media and Communication said that the arrested person had been released but was under investigation. Griffith said so early this week responding to The Island queries.
Nimalarajan was killed at his Jaffna residence in an area held by the governmentThe spokesperson said that law enforcement officers want to hear from anyone who may have information that could assist the ongoing investigation, particularly members of the Sri Lankan community who emigrated to, and now reside in, the UK. For those willing to cooperate, ‘war crimes team’ could be contacted at SO15Mailbox. WarCrimesTeam@met.police.uk
There hadn’t been a previous case of a Lankan war crimes suspect taken into custody in the UK, other sources said, adding that Nimalarajan was killed over 20 years ago in the Jaffna peninsula.The British police earlier said that the arrest was made at an address in Northamptonshire on February 22 as part of a proactive operation”.
He was arrested on suspicion of offences under Section 51 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001,” the Metropolitan Police said.
The media quoted Commander Richard Smith, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command as having said: This is a significant update in what is a sensitive, complex investigation,”
There will still be people who may have information, particularly in relation to the murder of Nimalarajan, and we would urge those people to come forward and help achieve justice for Nimalrajan’s family.”
President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appoint a few more Cabinet ministers during the budget period, a top source said. The president can increase the size of the Cabinet to 30 according to the Constitution. Earlier, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) requested the president to swear in the remaining number of ministers to run the government. According to the source, SLPP MPS Pavithra Wanniarachchi, C.B. Ratnayake and S.M. Chandrasena are tipped to get ministerial posts. Besides, MP Jeewan Thondaman of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP Duminda Dissanayake will be included in the new Cabinet. It is learnt that one or two members elected to Parliament on the ticket of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will be appointed to the Cabinet.(Kelum Bandara)
