Category: Breaking News

The United States is actively working with the Sri Lankan government to develop a roadmap for the sustainable development of the country’s port sector, as part of its multi-faceted support for the maritime industry, according to a senior US diplomat.

Speaking at the Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference last week, Regional Indo-Pacific Strategy Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Colombo Dustin R. Bickel, emphasised the ongoing assistance to Colombo Port, through various initiatives.

“We are supporting (efforts) of Sri Lanka’s Ports Authority to develop a roadmap for sustainable development. This will include sustainable energy development, electric mechanisation, and measures to improve efficiency,” he said.
Jonathan Goldner, Regional Managing Director for Asia and the Middle East at APM Terminals, the terminal operating arm of Maersk, expressed optimism about the future of Port of Colombo.

He noted that emerging global trends are likely to favour established regional hubs and highlighted the importance of prioritising sustainability alongside capacity expansion. He stated that Port of Colombo has a bright future with a huge potential.

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has committed over US$ 550 million to develop a deepwater shipping container terminal at the Port of Colombo, positioning Sri Lanka as a key transit hub in South Asia without adding to its sovereign debt.

However, uncertainty looms over DFC’s future collaboration with India’s Adani Group, the majority shareholder of the West Container Terminal, which is set to commence operations next January.

While Bickel refrained from commenting on this matter, he reaffirmed the U.S.’ continued support for Sri Lanka’s maritime sector. He underscored that current initiatives are focused on fostering prosperity, resilience, and maritime security.

In addition to capacity-building efforts, the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka supports a Maritime Advisory Programme through the Colombo Plan. This initiative aims to enhance the human resource capabilities of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) via professional training, knowledge exchange, and international advisory visits, all designed to improve operational efficiency and maritime security.

A historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Virginia Ports Authority. The agreement facilitates technical collaboration and the exchange of expertise, aiming to boost logistics efficiency and strengthen maritime security, showcasing the long-term commitment to U.S.-Sri Lanka ties.

Meanwhile, Dr. Malini Shankar, Vice Chancellor of the Indian Maritime University, highlighted the importance of South Asian collaboration in the maritime industry. She stressed the need for regional cooperation to address modern challenges and seize emerging opportunities.

“The maritime sector, with over US$ 12 billion in infrastructure investments, offers significant opportunities for Sri Lanka. The Colombo Port East Container Terminal project establishes Sri Lanka as a crucial partner in regional logistics.

“Its geostrategic location complements neighbouring nations’ roles as trade hubs, boosting transshipment traffic and shared economic growth.

Additionally, partnerships in green shipping, fisheries, and marine tourism, aligned with the focus on the Blue Economy and renewable energy, provide avenues for bilateral cooperation, benefiting the broader regional economy,” she said.

Bickel also highlighted U.S.’ constructive role in fostering regional collaboration through seminars and workshops.
“We see this as a very important element of port sector development. More the port authorities have relationships with each other, the more they can share info, help each other in times of need, and promote industry best practices,” he added

The Election Commission says that the declaration regarding the upcoming Local Government (LG) Elections will be postponed until after the conclusion of the 2024 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination to avoid disruptions.

Officials says that issuing the announcement earlier could lead to candidates commencing election campaigns during the examination period, potentially disturbing students.

The exams, initially delayed due to adverse weather, are set to resume this week.

Meanwhile, party leaders will meet tomorrow (December 3) under the chairmanship of Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake to finalize decisions on reissuing nominations for the elections. Political parties have agreed to cancel previously submitted nominations due to issues such as candidates switching parties, retiring, or leaving the country.

Supreme Court judge Justice Murdu Fernando is set to take the oath as Sri Lanka’s new Chief Justice today (02) before President Anura Dissanayake.

This appointment follows the retirement of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.

Justice Fernando is the second woman to hold the position of Chief Justice in Sri Lanka’s history, after Shirani Bandaranayake in 2011.

Fernando joined the Attorney General’s Department as a state counsel, where she served for over 30 years having been promoted to senior state counsel, deputy solicitor general, additional solicitor general and senior additional solicitor general.

She was appointed a President’s Counsel while serving as an additional solicitor general.

She was later appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court by then President Maithripala Sirisena in March 2018.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy was questioned on upholding his previous commitments on accountability and referring Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC) this week, as he faced questions from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Labour MP Uma Kumaran questioned Lammy and pressed him on the lack of accountability for mass atrocities committed in Sri Lanka.

“Today marks an important day for Tamil people around the world,” began Kumaran, speaking on Maaveerar Naal, a day of remembrance for Eelam Tamils worldwide.

“In 2023, you urged the then British government to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Tamils and consider the recommendation of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to refer perpetrators of atrocities to the International Criminal Court. The then Leader of the Opposition also urged the government to consider the recommendation of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for an international justice mechanism.

“I’m really pleased to say you are now the Foreign Secretary, and he is now the Prime Minister. Can I ask you today to stand by your comments and refer them to the ICC?”

In response, Lammy acknowledged the significance of the issues raised but pointed to Sri Lanka’s recent political changes. “We’ve got a new government that’s just taken up in Sri Lanka… and the signs are positive in relation to the atrocities of the past and the human rights abuses of the past particularly,” he said.

“It’s important that Minister West and I are able to engage with that new government. We are looking at the range of policy in relation to the atrocities of the past, particularly.

“As you know, I’ve spent a lot of time over the years with Tamil communities, particularly in this country. So I recognize the strength of feeling and why you’ve raised these issues. They are complex issues. Nevertheless, that goes back to conflict, where deep, deep, painful atrocities were committed. And it’s important that those that did that are held to account.”

Lammy’s response comes despite the new Sri Lankan government repeatedly rejecting a United Nations resolution that calls for accountability for the atrocities.

Instead, the new Sri Lankan government has pledged to continue only with “domestic” mechanisms. Sri Lanka’s newly elected president Aruna Kumara Dissanayake had stated during his election campaign earlier this year he “will not seek to punish anyone accused of rights violations and war crimes”.

Dissanyake has since appointed accused war criminals to senior positions.

‘I am demanding sanctions be imposed on Sri Lankan war criminals’

The British foreign secretary has previously been forthright on the steps that needed to be taken to ensure accountability in Sri Lanka.

Earlier this year, during the Tamil harvest festival of Thai Pongal, Lammy recognised Tamil struggles for justice and self-determination, stating that the occasion is “also of course a time for us to remember the sacrifices made by the Tamil people for self-determination, for peace, and for justice in Sri Lanka.”

Last year, Lammy urged the British government to act upon the recommendations of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and refer Sri Lankan war criminals to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In 2022, Lammy explicitly called for the UK to refer Sri Lankan war criminals to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Speaking at an event, he said, “I marched for sanctions on apartheid South Africa… I am demanding sanctions be imposed on Sri Lankan war criminals.”

He added, “We believe in internationalism, multilateralism, and the rule of law. That means you must be held to account for atrocities committed against innocent, decent people. As a fellow member of a minority community, I pay tribute to the Tamils.”

Currently several Sri Lankan individuals accused of war crimes are banned from entering Canada and the United States, including former Sri Lankan presidents and the current Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva.

‘We will always have your back’

Speaking earlier this year at the British Tamil Hustings hosted by the Tamil Guardian and British Tamil Alliance, Minister Catherine West, who Lammy referred to, said the Labour party “will be putting international law at the heart of our foreign policy”.

“Keir Starmer, as you are aware, has previously called on the British government to take a leading role in referring Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court,” she added.

West criticized the lack of political will under the then Conservative administration to act on this recommendation, pointing out that “the assessment and mechanism exists within Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, but we believe there has been a lack of political will to put into motion that mechanism.”

“We support all measures to hold those responsible for human rights abuses to justice.”

When questioned about targeted sanctions on Sri Lankan individuals accused of war crimes, West admitted that the UK’s inaction in this area is “curious.” She pledged to investigate further, stating, “If I do become the minister in two weeks, I would like to understand from officials within the Foreign Office what their assessment is of the Magnitsky-style sanctions and whether they could be effective or not.”

“We will always have your back and we will continue to fight your corner,” she affirmed.

Whilst the Labour party has not yet imposed any sanctions on Sri Lankans, Lammy this week announced what he termed the “biggest” package of sanctions against the Russian vessels accused of attempting to avoid Western restrictions on Russian oil. The current UK sanctions regime sees Russians, North Koreans, Syrians and officials from Myanmar’s military on the list.

The Cabinet of Ministers announced a meeting with party leaders of parties and groups represented in the Parliament to decide on the nomination list for the Local Government (LG) Elections amidst candidates nominated in the 2022 list changing political affiliations since.

“We need to finalise the nomination list and we will have a meeting with the party leaders in order to finalise the list,” Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told the media yesterday (26). “After we have decided on the nomination list, we will announce the LG Elections soon.”

These comments come after an announcement by Minister Vijitha Herath that the LG Elections would take place next year (in 2025).

“We have not allocated enough money to have another Election this year (2024),” Dr. Jayatissa said. “However, we are preparing to have the LG Elections, hopefully during the beginning of next year.”

The Election Commission (EC) stated that in line with the recent Supreme Court (SC) ruling, they are only required to hold the LG Elections as soon as possible, and cannot alter the LG nominations called in 2022, even if the candidates have since changed political parties. It was recently reported that there is a problematic situation over the nominations submitted for the LG Elections as there have been changes in the political affiliations of the candidates. When queried about the issue, the EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that they are only left with the option of holding the LG Elections considering the nominations submitted in 2022 for the same, and that there is no possibility to make any change to it unless there will be an amendment to the related legislation. He noted that while there have been recent discussions about introducing a Bill to cancel the 2022 LG nominations, revisions would be possible if such a reform is implemented before the Elections are declared.

The LG Elections were initially scheduled to be held on 9 March 2023, but, the Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Ministry and general Treasury had not released the required funds to the EC, which then rescheduled the Elections to 25 April 2023. Since the funds were not released by that time too, the EC once again postponed the Elections, this time indefinitely.

Calling the non-holding of the LG Elections “a continuing violation” of the citizens’ fundamental rights, the SC recently directed the EC to schedule the Elections at the earliest possible.

The Cabinet of Ministers announced that while all Parliamentarians will be provided with a vehicle, they will however not be given duty-free car permits.

“Having a vehicle is essential to fulfilling a role,” Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa told the media yesterday (26). “However, we will not be awarding any car permits to anyone.”

These comments come following the National People’s Power (NPP) party pledge that if elected, their Government will not obtain vehicle permits. During his Presidential campaign, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the NPP would request the list of names of MPs who have requested vehicle permits.

Further, the Cabinet announced that security to MPs will be limited to those that are deemed necessary through a threat assessment. “If these MPs need security, they need to have a threat assessment done,” Dr. Jayatissa said. “Even Cabinet Ministers cannot have unnecessary security details and we will not provide any additional security that is not essential.”

This follows the recalling of all Police personnel assigned to provide security for former MPs except for those who were serving the former Speaker of the Parliament, the former Deputy Speaker and the former Opposition Leader, in September.