Category: News

Sri Lanka-based Ceylon Fertilizer Company Limited had got a court order to block payment to Qingdao Seawin Biotech over shipment of organic fertilizer which was contaminated with bugs.

“The enjoining order has prevented the People’s Bank from making any payment under a Letter of Credit opened in favour of the Chinese company, Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd,” a statement from the President’s office said.

Colombo Commerical High Court had issued the order on October 22, against the Qingdao Seawin Biotech, its local agent and the People’s Bank.

Though the Chinese firm was supposed to ship sterile organic fertilizer when it won the tender, in the shipping document it had said there may be micro-organisms.

“The National Plant Quarantine Services had tested the sample sent to them and had confirmed the presence of organisms, including certain types of harmful bacteria,” the statement said.

“The consignment is a partial shipment worth more than a billion rupees that was procured through a tender process initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture.

“The Court was informed that even though the Chinese Company was required to ship sterile organic fertiliser under the tender contract, it had admitted in its shipping advice that the consignment may contain microorganisms.”

Chinese fertilizer contaminated with Erwinia has been hotly debated in Sri Lanka parliament.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has established the Sri Lanka accountability project in line with resolution 46/1, despite objections raised by Sri Lanka.

In its resolution 46/1 on “Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka”, adopted on 23 March 2021, the Human Rights Council recognized the importance of preserving and analysing evidence relating to violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes in Sri Lanka with a view to advancing accountability.

It also decided to strengthen the capacity of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve information and evidence relating to violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes in Sri Lanka, and to advocate for victims and survivors, and to support relevant judicial and other proceedings, including in Member States, with competent jurisdiction.

The Human Rights Council also requested OHCHR to continue monitoring and reporting to the Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, including on progress in reconciliation and accountability and to present an oral update to the Human Rights Council at its forty-eighth session, and a written update at its forty-ninth session and a comprehensive report that includes further options for advancing accountability at its fifty-first session, both to be discussed in the context of an interactive dialogue.

In accordance with this mandate, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has established the OHCHR Sri Lanka accountability project.

OHCHR said that the Sri Lanka accountability project team will be based in Geneva.

Claiming that the Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group and Chinese Embassy are influencing the Sri Lankan authorities to accept the ship carrying organic fertilizer shipment which was rejected following the laboratory tests, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake today urged the Government to halt the said ship from entering Colombo port.

He told a news conference that the Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group had written to the Director General of Agriculture and several other authorities such as the Secretary to the President, Prime Minister and the Agriculture Ministry Secretary yesterday urging them to accept the ship carrying the controversial organic fertilizer.

He said according to the letter, they have said that the ship left China on September 23 and was scheduled to reach Colombo port yesterday (22).

“They have also said that there was an agreement to conduct another test on the fertilizer through a third party. We ask them with whom they have reached the agreement to do such a test,” he said.

The JVP MP said the ship was heading to Sri Lanka despite reports that it was turned back after having rejected the sample in laboratory tests in Sri Lanka, as it contained harmful bacteria known as Erwinia.

He said it was reported that the Director General of Agriculture had requested the Harbour Master in the Colombo Port not to allow the ship to enter the port or anchor anywhere in the vicinity of the port.

“The decision of the Director General is truly praiseworthy. We urge the Government not to revert the decision under any grounds,” he said.

He said China or any other country had no right to influence the affairs of Sri Lanka, as ours is a sovereign nation.

The Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa today (22) requested assistance to manage debt crisis Sri Lanka has faced at present, from the Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong.

Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met with the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa at the Samagi Jana Balawegaya headquarters today (22).

The two dignitaries held discussions on party-to-party and people-to-people friendly exchanges, and pragmatic cooperation in various fields between the two countries.

The Leader of the Opposition emphasized the importance of mutual cooperation between the two countries and the importance of friendly bilateral relations that protects the sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Premadasa also requested assistance to manage debt crisis Sri Lanka has faced at present for progress and prosperity of Sri Lanka.

The Chinese Ambassador recalled the long-standing relationship between the two countries and stressed its importance as well.

In a statement released to News 1st, the Education Secretary said guidelines issued with respect to reopening schools will have to be followed by the respective academic and non-academic staff at schools.

Sri Lanka Friday reported 12 deaths due to COVID-19 after the figures were confirmed by the Director General of Health Services on Thursday, October 21.

Among the deaths reported today, 07 are of males and 05 of females. The majority of deaths – 08 – are of elderly people in the 60 years and above age group.

According to the data reported by the Government Information Department, the total deaths due to Covid-19 since the pandemic began last year has now risen to 13,574.