News

China not against debt restructuring: President

Published

1 year ago

December 6, 2022

editor

The Chinese Government expects Sri Lanka to commence negotiations with China’s Exim Bank on debt restructuring, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

The President said this while addressing the 2022 Economic Summit organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce at Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo yesterday (05).

The President said that the talks with China were delayed due to the Chinese Communist Party’s Conference and added that the talks will be expedited as the Conference has ended.

He also said that China has not objected to Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring.

Meanwhile, the President said Sri Lanka should pay more attention to green hydrogen for a sustainable future.

He said the private sector should focus more on this sector, which has greater potential than the solar energy industry.

The President pointed out that land laws should also be reconsidered and changes should be made to make them more accessible to investors, adding that what Sri Lanka urgently needs is a new economy and not reforms.

The President said that Sri Lanka can easily be transformed into a major supply center and that visionary steps are being taken to achieve this goal.

President Wickremesinghe said that Colombo Port is planned to be extended up to Ja-Ela and more than 30 acres of Colombo has been allocated for the development of the port.

The President said the Eastern Container Terminal (ECT) should be given for development, and that Japan was the first to get involved in this.

He emphasized that maintaining a small port will not do much service to the economy, and that the port should be promoted aggressively and Sri Lanka should be made a major supply centre.

The President said that the Trincomalee Port is being developed and the Hambantota Port has had a great positive impact on the local maritime sector.

The President also said that the agricultural sector should be developed by using new technology.

Apart from this, he said that education can make a large contribution to Sri Lanka’s economy.

Parameswaran Iyer, Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog (National Institute for the Transformation of India), who delivered the keynote speech at the Economic Summit, said that India will invest in Sri Lanka and support Sri Lanka in the energy sector, telecom, solar and wind power and port sectors.

He said that India’s Adani company is investing more than 650 million USDs mainly in the port sector.

News

Showers expected after 2pm

Published

56 mins ago

April 25, 2024

editor

Showers or thundershowers can be expected in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western and Southern provinces after 2 p.m., the Department of Meteorology says.

Showers or thundershowers may occur over the coastal areas of Galle to Pottuvil via Matara and Hambantota during the morning.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces in the morning.

The general public is advised to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Sea areas:

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Pottuvil to Matara via Hambantota. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle in the evening or night.

Winds will be south-easterly or variable and wind speed will be 20-30 kmph.

Sea areas around the island will be slight.

Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.

News

Man who jumped off from Sri Pada, found alive

Published

59 mins ago

April 25, 2024

editor

Nallathanniya Police said that the 33-year old Sri Pada pilgrim who went missing after jumping off the protective fence at the Mahamaluwa was found yesterday evening.

An official of the Nallathanniya Police Station said that this person in question is among a group of pilgrims from Suriyawewa, Hambantota who climbed Sri Pada mountain on April 19.

He had participated in religious observances before jumping off the protective fence at Mahamaluwa and thereafter went missing.

Security personnel from the Laxapana Army camp and Ricarton, STF camp in Nallathanniya launched an operation to trace the missing youth. But they couldn’t find him.

But a group of people from the Rajamale estate had informed the Nallathanniya Police about the recovery of a missing person yesterday. Nallathanniya Police took the man who was injured and admitted him to the Maskeliya Regional Hospital.

He was later transferred to Dickoya Hospital for further treatments.

The individual, Dinesh Hemantha, has informed the police that he cannot remember the incident involving leaping from the Mahamaluwa.

(dailynews.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

O/L tuition classes banned from May 1st

Published

2 hours ago

April 25, 2024

editor

The Department of Examinations has announced the prohibition of tuition classes and seminars for the 2023 GCE Ordinary Level exam, effective from midnight on the 30th of April.

Deputy Commissioner of Examinations, Lasika Samarakoon, emphasized that strict measures will be taken against individuals found violating this regulation.

Preparations are underway for the GCE O/Level exam scheduled to take place from May 6-15.

Additionally, the Department of Examinations has revealed that the results of the recently concluded GCE Advanced Level examination will be released in May.