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China-Sri Lanka debt restructuring talks optimistic!

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he recently held discussions with the Chinese Finance Minister on Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring and that he is optimistic that these discussions would be concluded successfully.

President Wickremesinghe made these remarks following an observation tour of the cultivated lands in Rathumada-Weerakandawala area in Siyambalanduwa Divisional Secretariat last morning (16).

The President said that the delegation headed by the State Minister of Finance, who is currently in Washington DC, held initial discussions on Saturday (15) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Sri Lanka’s three main lenders China, India and Japan. He said that the government is giving priority to immediately solve the issue of the country’s bankruptcy and to ensure food security.

The President also discussed the progress of the implementation of the food security programme in Monaragala District with government officials.

He said that there is no issue with having debates and recalled the statements made by some people that they would come forward and shed blood. He said that one should live before shedding blood.

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Rosewood timber stock rots in Customs for 9 years

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Sri Lanka Customs has had to store 3,669 logs of confiscated Rosewood weighing 420 metric tons at a cost of more than Rs.80 million as storage fees, a report issued by the National Audit Office said.

Although these logs were planned to be sold, they have been stored for 9 years due to the delay in obtaining the permit from the Wildlife Conservation Department.

The logs have already been damaged by insects.

These logs were sent from Zanzibar in Tanzania for re-export to Hong Kong via Sri Lanka by declaring them as African solid wood.

The audit report said that due to the delay in issuing the license, these logs have been stored in a Customs yard from 2014 until April 30, 2023.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board has to pay more than Rs.30 million to the Customs in the form of port development tax and value added tax for a high-powered radioactive element imported on April 23, 2021.

The report said that the overdue tax amount has not been paid to the Customs by January 1, 2023.

This information was revealed by an audit report included in the 2022 annual report of Sri Lanka Customs.

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Muthuhettigama released on bail

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Former Member of Parliament Nishantha Muthuhettigama was released on bail by the Galle Magistrate’s Court today (27).

He was released on two sureties of Rs.5 million each and a cash bail of Rs 50,000. The next court hearing is scheduled to be held on February 02.

The former MP was arrested and remanded on charges of illegally assembling a luxury car.

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Raids increased to nab train passengers sans tickets!

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Sri Lanka Railways has taken steps to increase raids to nab passengers travelling without tickets.

Frequent inspections to nab errant passengers were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Due to this, people are more inclined to travel by train without tickets and the initial raids will be based on Maradana and Colombo Fort Railway Stations.

Meanwhile, the Railways Station Master’s Association said that nearly Rs.225,000 was collected from 72 passengers who travelled without tickets from the Maradana Railway Station from August upto now. 

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