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Fresh legislation for individuals with disabilities

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State Minister for Social Empowerment, Anupa Pasqual, announced that, under the guidance of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, they are actively crafting a fresh legislation dedicated to improving the rights and well-being of differently abled individuals.

In his statement, the state minister emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that differently abled citizens are no longer considered a dependent population and that they should be treated as equal citizens, not relegated to second-class status. 

State Minister Anupa Pasqual made these remarks during a press conference conducted at the Presidential Media Centre today (08), cantered around the theme of  ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country.’

Expressing his views further State Minister Pasqual said;

We have been entrusted with a significant mission aimed at empowering our society in the upcoming year. One of the most notable tasks assigned to our ministry is the empowerment of 1 million beneficiaries from underprivileged backgrounds. It is crucial to highlight that the 1.6 million differently abled community members have not received the empowerment they deserve thus far. Under the dedicated guidance of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, we are committed to completing these initiatives in the coming year.

To kick-start the International Day of the Disabled, observed on the 1st of December, we have organized special activities aimed at promoting the development of the differently abled individuals, just like any other segment of our society. Our initiative, named “Empo 2023,” involves differently abled individuals from across the island traveling by train from Colombo to Kandy, with a visit to the Dalada Maligawa and a special ceremony planned at the Peradeniya Botanical Garden. What’s truly remarkable is that the event will bring together differently abled communities from around the world, including China and Japan.

Additionally, at the recommendation of the President, we are actively working on a new bill designed to better the lives of differently abled people. Although discussions on this matter have been on-going since 2004, concrete progress has been elusive. We are now committed to drafting and presenting the bill to Parliament within the first quarter of the next year. Furthermore, we have organized a special conference on International Disability Day, set for December 1st, under the leadership of Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.

Furthermore, it is a fundamental aspect of our government’s policy to ensure that the differently abled community is no longer considered a group dependent on others. To achieve this, we are actively working to enable their participation in the development and education sectors. The differently abled community should be treated as equals, with the same rights, technological resources and accessibility as the rest of our population.

As we embark on the journey into January, our ministry’s primary empowerment goal revolves around productivity. We are keen on exploring how our community can contribute to the overall Gross Domestic Product. Our objective is to establish a micro-level production network involving 1 million participants.

In addition, we have included proposals in this year’s budget. These proposals entail making the empowerment process mandatory, implementing a pension system and incorporating disability studies into university syllabi.

President’s Media Division (PMD) 

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Harley Davidsons found in Bird Park hideout

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Some twenty illegally imported high-end, high-capacity motorcycles—including eight Harley-Davidsons—were recovered during a raid conducted by the Central Anti-Corruption Task Force at a warehouse inside Bird Park, Hambantota.

Police said investigations are continuing to determine who owned the bikes and why they were hidden in the warehouse.

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Navy nabs 4 suspects with smuggled spices, medicine & cosmetics

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During a search operation conducted in the beach vicinity of Devils Point, Kilinochchi on 11 July 25, the Navy took hold of a stock of spices, medicine and cosmetic products which have been made ready for distribution.

The operation also led to the apprehension of 04 suspects and 02 cabs.

The operation was mounted by SLNS Buwaneka in the North Central Naval Command in Loggannawadi, Devils Point.

After searching 02 suspicious cabs in the locality, naval personnel recovered 300kg of cardamom, 260kg of turmeric powder, 273kg of dried ginger as well as medicine and cosmetic products loaded in the vehicles.

And also, 04 suspects in connection to the incident were also taken into naval custody.

The suspects detained by the Navy in this operation have been identified as residents of Erakkandi, Kalmunaikudi, Trincomalee and Puttalam, aged between 39 and 49.

The suspects together with the vehicles and seized items were handed over to the Customs Preventive Office in Katunayake for onward legal action.

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China, Sri Lanka agree to speed up FTA negotiations

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi yesterday called upon his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath to expedite the finalisation of the China-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Minister Yi was speaking during a bilateral meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where the two sides vowed to deepen their strategic cooperative partnership and enhance practical cooperation.

A China-Sri Lanka FTA, which has been under discussion for some time, is likely to boost two-way trade and also address the imbalance in the trade figures.

Minister Yi also called on both sides to deepen high-quality Belt and Road (BRI) cooperation, jointly implement the two flagship projects – the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Port, and create new growth points for cooperation in fields such as Green Energy, Digital Economy, modern agriculture and maritime (Blue) economy.

Talking specifically on cooperation in the maritime domain, Minister Yi said such cooperation is mutually beneficial, adding that it does not target any third party and should not be interfered with by any third party. 

The Chinese Foreign Minister said the so-called “Indo-Pacific Strategy” pursued by certain parties provokes confrontation and coerces all parties to take sides, which is not in line with the trend of the times and will not be supported by regional countries.

Wang said China is ready to work with Sri Lanka to push the development of the strategic cooperative partnership featuring mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship between the two countries. 

Minister Herath said Sri Lanka attaches great importance to its relations with China, and firmly adheres to the “One China” principle. 

Minister Herath said that bilateral cooperation has brought tangible benefits to Sri Lankans and promoted the development and connectivity of the region. 

Sri Lanka will enhance practical cooperation with China in areas including trade and investment, infrastructure and ocean, and further deepen the two countries’ strategic cooperative partnership in a number of sectors.

Source – sundayobserver.lk / Xinhua

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