An initial shipment of 600 metric tons of fortified rice funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) arrived in Sri Lanka last week to support the Government of Sri Lanka’s national school meal program. The shipment is part of a larger food assistance initiative by USAID and WFP that includes 3,950 metric tons of fortified rice, 768 metric tons of red lentils, 1,188 metric tons of soya, and a planned 2,310 metric tons of maize. This assistance will help provide school meals and nutritional supplements for 1.7 million children as well as 300,000 pregnant and lactating mothers.
“US-SL relations celebrate 75 years this year, and ours has been a story of friendship and partnership,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung. “The American people swiftly responded when Sri Lanka’s economic crisis reduced access to nutritional food for many Sri Lankans, including children and mothers. This shipment reflects our continued commitment to the people of Sri Lanka.”
According to a Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report by U.N.’s World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization, nearly thirty percent of the Sri Lankan population is currently facing food insecurity. Through ongoing initiatives as well as new funding and food shipments, the United States is working with the Government of Sri Lanka, the WFP, and other partners to address these needs. The United States has announced more than $270 million in new support to Sri Lanka over the last year. “As one of Sri Lanka’s longstanding development partners, we recognize how critical daily vital micronutrient intake is for young people. Therefore, child and maternal feeding programs were one of USAID’s very first assistance interventions in Sri Lanka, more than six decades ago,” said Gabriel Grau, USAID Mission Director for Sri Lanka and Maldives.
“We are grateful for USAID’s assistance, which has enabled WFP to rapidly expand its emergency operation to reach the most food-insecure communities,” said Abdur Rahim Siddiqui, WFP Sri Lanka Representative and Country Director. “The latest shipment of fortified rice funded by USAID will support the continuation of the school meal program while providing children with added nutrients through a mix of iron and folic acid, relieving parents who are struggling to provide healthy meals to their families.” Pregnant and lactating mothers will receive Thriposha – a nutrition intervention in Sri Lanka that provides a combination of energy, protein, and micronutrients as a ‘ready-to-eat’ cereal.
This initiative is one component of the longstanding partnership between the American and Sri Lankan people to promote economic prosperity and democratic good governance for all Sri Lankans.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu has been fined 10 percent of her match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct.
The incident took place during the final group stage game of the recently concluded tri-series in Sri Lanka, with the hosts facing South Africa in Colombo. The Proteas emerged victorious in a high-scoring fixture.
Athapaththu was found to have breached Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during an International Match.”
In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to Athapaththu’s disciplinary record, for whom it was the first offence in a 24-month period.
The said incident occurred in the 32nd over of South Africa’s innings, when after being hit for a four by Annerie Dercksen, Athapaththu took off her sunglasses and smashed them to the ground, breaking them into several pieces.
The charges were levelled by on-field umpires Anna Harris and Dedunu de Silva, third umpire Lyndon Hannibal and fourth umpire Nimali Perera.
There was no need of a hearing as Athapaththu admitted the offence and accepted the sanctions proposed by Michelle Pereira of the Emirates ICC International Panel of Match Referees.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
The tri-series was eventually won by India, who defeated Sri Lanka, the tournament hosts in the final by 97 runs.
A four-hour strike by employees at the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port last night has resulted in an estimated loss of at least Rs. 300 million, a senior official of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said.
He said the strike, which began at 8:00 p.m. yesterday and continued till midnight, was triggered by a controversial decision by the Ports Authority to cut incentive allowances paid to essential employees who worked on April 12 and 13, dates that coincided with the Vesak Poya holidays.
The workers resumed duties at around 12:30 a.m. today after the SLPA administration reissued a letter assuring that overtime allowances will be paid according to the previous system.
At the time the strike began, six cargo ships were anchored at the affected terminals, and all operations were brought to a complete halt, the official said.
The dispute stems from a decision by a senior SLPA official to limit the overtime allowances for work done on the Poya day (April 12) to Rs. 10,000 and the following day (April 13) to Rs. 5,000. This move broke with long-standing practices regarding holiday compensation for essential workers.
The Ports Authority official further alleged that the decisions were taken unilaterally by a senior administrator who has previously been criticised for making media statements regarding workers’ salaries.
The temporary halt in port operations has sparked renewed concerns over the administration’s handling of labour
relations and the broader financial impact of such disruptions on the national economy.
The Public Health Inspectors (PHI)’s Union states that a total of 8,742 Dansals have been registered islandwide, in line with Vesak celebrations this year.
According to the PHI’s Union chairman – Upul Rohana, the highest number of ‘Dansal’ is registered in the Western Province, particularly in the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area.
The union has also urged organiser to reduce the use of polythene and plastic during food distribution efforts.