Columns

President Maithripala Sirisena who says “Sri Lanka has embarked on a broad initiative” to establish the country as a “premier maritime nation” wants to set up a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Colombo. In his capacity as the Minister of Defence, he has told the Cabinet that the purpose of such a centre is to provide “robust search and rescue services for vessels operating in the region.”He has said that such a centre would comply with the Convention for Civil Aviation 1944, the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the Law of the Sea Convention.

At present, the President has pointed out, the Sri Lanka Navy “has only a limited capability and relies mainly on Indian MRCCs to communicate with vessels in the region. Just this week, a container vessel operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC Daniela) informed authorities that its container vessel was on fire in the seas some 120 nautical miles off Colombo. An Indian Coast Guard vessel (ICGS Shoor) and Sri Lanka Navy vessels embarked on a rescue operation. The operation saved the container vessel from being badly damaged and physical harm being caused to the crew.

The most important requirement at this stage, Mr. Sirisena has noted is “to improve the infrastructure facilities that will enable MRCC Sri Lanka to respond immediately to vessels in distress within Colombo Search and Rescue Zone in order to offer assistance. According to President Sirisena, the “primary stakeholder for this project will be the Sri Lanka Navy, whilst the Merchant Shipping Secretariat, Sri Lanka Air Force and the Department of Sri Lanka Coastguard will be secondary stakeholders.

The President has added, “Lanka Logistics and Technologies Ltd. (LLTL), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force and the Department of Sri Lanka Coast Guard, carried out a comprehensive study on the requirements of Sri Lanka and an analysis of global industry standards. Detailed specifications of the MRCC and budgetary estimates based on this study have been granted approval by the Department of National Planning.”

Rajapaksa pix again: Rajitha asks who passed away
It was reminiscent of the days when the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa administration was in office.
On display tied to concrete posts that conveyed power wires along the SriJayawardenapura-Kotte Road were large colour photographs on polythene showing former President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Venerable Agga Maha Panditha Davuldena Gnanissara Thera who passed away this week. The prelate was accorded a state funeral at Independence Square on Thursday.

A rather uncharitable comment came from official Government spokesperson and Minister Rajitha Senaratne. Speaking at Wednesday’s weekly news briefing, where matters related to previous day’s cabinet meeting are spelt out, he declared, “Looking at the photograph, we do not know who passed away.” Senaratne was earlier one of Rajapaksa’s cabinet ministers.

Cabinet acts to release New Year sugar stuck in port
Large stocks of imported sugar, held back at the Colombo Port by the Customs, have become the subject of concern for ministers, with the national holidays ahead.
The issue was discussed at a weekly meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. It was pointed out that importers were facing hardships because they were unable to clear the cargo. It was pointed out that it could also cause hardships to consumers during the National New Year season.

The delay in clearing the sugar cargo is because of stringent checks by the Customs. In many instances, they had found that narcotics had been smuggled into the country with sugar.
The Cabinet of Ministers decided that Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake should direct the Customs to immediately formulate a “suitable mechanism” to release the sugar stocks. It was also decided that Ports and Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga should explore the possibility of providing relief to sugar importers on the payment of demurrage.

Meditation for police from 8.30 to 9 am on weekdays
Probably for the first time in the more than 150-year history of the Police, the gates at Police headquarters are shut from 8.30 a.m. to 9 a.m. from Monday to Friday, every week for a religious purpose.
It came on the orders of Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera. He wants all officers, policemen and women, to begin work after meditation.

Similar orders have also gone out to Police Divisions countrywide. A witty senior officer had this to say: “There are 85,000 police officers of all ranks in the department. If one goes by the daily loss of half an hour a day, the man hours lost by the force would add up to 42,500 hours a day.”

Of course, that is not to mention the public who would be kept waiting every morning until the meditation period is over. Thereafter, they would have to ensure that their own prayers are answered. Something to ponder while meditating.

From preaching to partying
Hours after the meditation came the sporting event. When that was over, the boss, the boys and the lassies were literally in a mess. Liquor flowed and there was baila dancing as the clock neared midnight. Some were surprised that the boss was not only a part time lay preacher but a high spirited dancer. Lassies vied with each other to gyrate with him as if their next promotion depended on their best performance.

All the hoop la was too much for a VVIP who lived barely a stone’s throw away. The loud noise of the cymbals clapping, trumpet blowing and the drums beating disturbed the neighbourhood too. The VVIP’s protectors were asked to find out what was happening. In an angry mood, he later remarked to one of them “is this the way such people should behave?”

Four big tunnels to ease traffic congestion in Kandy

The Finance Ministry’s External Resources Division will negotiate a loan of US$ 199.27 million with South Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (ECDF) to build tunnels and thereby ease the traffic congestion in Kandy.

The project, 5.56 kilometres long with a four lane roadway, comprises four tunnels of a total length 4.36 kms and includes 1.2 kilometres long roadway, three bridges, three interchanges and one intersection. It will connect Tennekumbura with Sudhumpola.

The total cost of the project has been estimated at US$ 252.30 million. The Government will be required to provide funds for general administration cost, taxes, duties, compensation payments and other indirect costs.

Detectives quiz PB on several major deals
Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) detectives have questioned former Finance Ministry Secretary P.B. Jayasundera over a string of transactions during the previous administration.
One such case is the oil hedging deal which caused a loss of US$ 200 million to the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). Another case is for allegedly causing a “large financial loss” to the Government.

This was when the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation was reacquired on the directions of the Supreme Court. Other cases include: alleged irregularities in the loan agreement with China Exim Bank for the purchase of two MA 60 air craft for Mihin Lanka; alleged irregularities in the import of rice by Lak Sathosa in 2014 and 2015 in which Treasury approval was given to open Letters of Credit for the import of 257,559 Mt of rice.
Dr. Jayasundera has also been questioned on the alleged financial irregularities of the Gin-Nilwala project on whether he was aware of the allocation of funds in 2014 and the over-expenditure of funds in 2015. The CAMC Engineering Company of China has been paid Rs. 1000 million (2014) and Rs 3,012 million (2015) totalling Rs 4,012 million as advance.

Objections to Hilton deal: Committee to review payments
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) decided to resolve the outstanding issues at Hotel Developers Ltd., the owning company of Colombo Hilton.
For this purpose, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who chairs the CCEM meetings, asked Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake to make recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers on compensation payments due to Cornel Perera and Nihal Sri Amerasekera.

It was Mr. Perera who had initiated the Hilton project when the late J.R. Jayewardene was the President. Mr. Amerasekera has staked his claims on the basis of his intervention on issues with the foreign investors saved large amounts of money whilst resolving disputes without litigation.

Whilst a cabinet memorandum in respect of Mr. Perera was being awaited, Minister Karunanayake recommended a payment of Rs. 300 million to Mr. Amerasekera.
The matter came before the Cabinet of Ministers last Tuesday. Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe raised strong objections followed by a few others. The matter has now been put on hold.
President Sirisena has requested Premier Wickremesinghe to appoint a committee to go into the claims of both Mr. Amerasekera and Mr. Perera. He was asked to report back thereafter.