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US$ 2bn worth of wind energy projects stuck in limbo

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Four international companies — with an estimated US$ 2bn (Rs 729bn) worth of wind energy projects stuck in limbo for over two years — have sought an urgent meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe to break the impasse.

In a letter to the President, the local representatives of Mingyang Smart Energy Group Ltd, Envision Energy Ltd, Jade Power/Hydrostor and China Machinery Engineering Corporation pointed out that their projects were under consideration for more than two years by the Board of Investment (BOI), the Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

They requested the President’s “urgent intervention to bring these projects to fruition as they are being long-delayed at massive cost to the country”.

The BOI is the lead agency in the initiative, the companies said, adding that all their projects were processed and recommended through expressions of interest called in 2021 by the State Ministry of Renewable Energy.

And, as early as October 2021, the previous Government’s Cabinet-Appointed Management Committee (CAMCI) had kicked off the approval process by seeking information from the SEA and the CEB on the respective investments, the letter said.

The companies, which have styled themselves as the Offshore Wind Energy Projects Promoters’ Group, claim that it was found their proposals fall within the scope allowed by a Cabinet subcommittee appointed in 2021—that is, that their applications do not conflict with any other applications for the locations mentioned. The subcommittee reportedly recommended on March 2022 that memorandums of understanding (MoU) be signed with six proponents (one has since dropped out).

“Of these, only one MoU was signed with Adani Green Energy,” the group states. “Subsequently, the CAMCI being non-operational, the remaining MoUs were not signed.”

While Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and State Investment Promotion Minister Dilum Amunugama have both sought to expedite the projects, they have made little progress.

(Sunday Times)

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US$ 750mn World Bank loan delayed: Samurdhi recipient list not verified

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A US$ 750 million loan from the World Bank has been delayed as verification of welfare beneficiaries has not been completed, among other pre-requisites, the Sunday Times learns.

The verification of the beneficiaries was due to be completed by Friday, March 31, but has now been deferred till April 10, thereby delaying the process of applying for the facility.

Under the programme, the recipients will be entitled to Rs 14,000 a month. Both, the IMF and the World Bank have pointed out that several Samurdhi beneficiaries are not below the poverty line and, therefore, not entitled to the benefits. The Government has been asked to prepare a list of ‘genuine’ beneficiaries.

The welfare beneficiary scheme is among six prerequisites to obtain the USD 750 million loan, following the IMF facility obtained two weeks ago.

Among the other pre-conditions are the opening of a Budget office in Parliament, the digitalisation of revenue collection and payments of Inland Revenue, and reforms in the Central Bank.  

A senior government official confirmed these were World Bank prerequisites that had yet to be fulfilled. He said that all the requirements could be completed soon with some of them already in the process of being completed.

The Government also needs to introduce a Social Security Bill under which the welfare payments would be made.

A senior Treasury official said the bill was due to be presented in Parliament this month and the programme could begin in June.

Welfare Benefits Board Chairman B. Wijeratne told the Sunday Times that 3.7 million applications had been received so far for social benefits and 2.4 million applicants had been verified up to date.

“There are several processes to complete the verification. They include an appeal process. We are trying to keep to the schedule,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Government had carried out a trial run of the new system by trying to disburse welfare benefits on the existing beneficiary list and found that Rs 500 million had been overclaimed, indicating that some of the beneficiaries had registered more than once. The new system is to be monitored by a QR code system.

(Sunday Times)

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Black-flag ban in hospital

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The Ministry of Health has banned the display of black flags in state hospitals and medical institutions.

In a circular, the ministry has said the display of black flags can endanger the mental condition of patients and the staff.

The ministry points out that it has been observed that some trade union action creates obstacles to the process of treating patients and saving lives in the current socio-economic situation. 

A Government Medical Officers Association spokesman said they would take a decision on Tuesday on how they should respond to this move.

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Won’t allow any breach of law & order during my tenure – President

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that during his presidency, no one will be allowed to breach the law and order of the country. He emphasized that he will prioritize doing what is right over doing what is popular, and that presenting popular ideas can lead to the destruction of the country.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said this during his address to the Tri Forces & Police officers and other rankers at the Air Force Base, Anuradhapura, as the Commander in Chief of the armed forces.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe asserted that no one is entitled to engage in violent protests on the streets, but all political parties have the right to express their opinions or criticize him in a peaceful manner.

He emphasized the importance of doing the right thing, and mentioned that they presented the International Monetary Fund agreement to the parliament to assess whether the parliamentarians had the courage to make the right decisions for the betterment of the country.

The President referred to the International Monetary Fund agreement as an example and expressed his expectation for everyone’s assistance in making the IMF program successful. He also stated that if the country adopts a fresh approach and embarks on a new journey, it can achieve significant development within the next 25 years.

The President asserted that Sri Lanka will win the economic war, similar to the successful fight against terrorism, adding that measures would be taken to establish economic independence in the country.

The President acknowledged that the armed forces and police will continue to play a crucial role in achieving economic independence, and also assessed the actions of the armed forces and police in maintaining law and order during the previous year.

The President expressed gratitude towards the armed forces for fulfilling their responsibility, as without their efforts, Sri Lanka would have become an anarchic state. He also mentioned that the ongoing competition between world powers is affecting the Indian Ocean, and he intends to take action as the President to protect Sri Lanka from this influence.

The President emphasized that future military situations can be shaped by technology and knowledge, unlike in the past. He highlighted the need for the armed forces and police to be equipped with modern technology and knowledge to overcome future challenges. The President initiated the Defence 2030 program, aiming to strengthen the defence forces of Sri Lanka.

The President also announced that stringent laws will be introduced to combat the drug scourge, and no amnesty will be granted to drug offenders. 

The President said that he had instructed the Minister of  Law and Order Tiran Alles, and Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksha to take strict action against such offenders and to utilize the support of the armed forces in this effort.

Minister of State for Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, Senior Adviser to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President Mr Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence GeneralKamal Gunaratne (Rtd), Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshan Pathirana, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, Inspector General of Police Mr. C.D. Wickramaratne and around 1200 other rankers of the Tri Forces and Police were present on this occasion.

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