Category: Featured Headlines

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.

A 43-year-old man from Kilinochchi, who holds British citizenship, was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) due to a travel ban imposed on him in 2009.

The man, who had left the country in 2009 and acquired British citizenship, is accused of collecting funds for a terrorist group from the UK. He had allegedly returned to Sri Lanka and distributed the money to individuals in the Colombo and Vanni areas.

According to the police, the Colombo (North) Crime Division had obtained the travel ban from the Colombo Magistrate’s Court in connection with the suspect’s activities in 2009.

The suspect arrived at the Katunayake Airport on Saturday (30) and was detained by Immigration and Emigration officials after being alerted by the airport police.

The Airport Police and the Colombo (North) Crime Division are continuing their investigations.

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.