Columns

The Chinese archaeologists at work on an excavation site in Jaffna

The Chinese are not only interested in developing Sri Lanka’s major ports such as Colombo and Hambantota. They also want to learn about the history of the country’s other ports, an unusual interest indeed.

Involved in the task in Sri Lanka now is a team of archaeologists from the Shanghai Museum. Their attention at present is focused on learning about the ancient port city that existed centuries ago in Jaffna. Interesting enough, India has expressed the wish to develop the port area in the northern capital and transform the airfield there into an airport for regional flights. In fact, before the separatist war, such flights were operated.

At present Chinese archaeologists, with the help of their counterparts attached to the Central Cultural Fund are excavating two areas – Kappalthurai (literally means ship port in Tamil) and Alaipitty.

They want to determine any historic objects related to the old port and also search for ship wrecks.
Among the areas of interest to the Chinese is old ceramic ware. For this purpose, they have come along with a researcher on old Chinese ceramics.
Chinese officials say that their ambitious ‘Maritime Silk Route’ has seen a revival of ancient sea routes across South Asian region.

PM’s office checks Bathiudeen’s vehicles
The attention of the Prime Minister’s Office was drawn last week to a news item that Minister Rishad Bathiudeen was using more vehicles than the number he was entitled to.

The information was based on a Right to Information application filed to the Ministry by our sister newspaper, Lankadeepa. The newspaper reported that Minister Bathiudeen was using seven official vehicles.The Minister was contacted by the Prime Minister’s Office once the newspaper hit the stands and a clarification was sought about the excessive usage of the vehicles.

The Minister claimed he was using the correct number of vehicles and it was a mistake made by the Information Officer who responded to the RTI application.
The advice from the PM’s Office was that, if the Minister was correct action should be initiated against the officer who provided inaccurate information. However, the Minister was also advised to provide information about the vehicles he was using.

Grace as Lanka’s EU envoy; Rodney to US
Grace Asirwatham, now Secretary to the State Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be Sri Lanka’s new ambassador to the European Union (EU) in Brussels.
Last October, she was appointed Secretary to the State Minister and within hours the Ministry issued a media release requesting the media to disregard the appointment. No reasons were given.

Her appointment came as the President, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister eventually buckled down this week to filling the long vacant post of Ambassador to the United States of America. Current Ambassador to the EU, Rodney Perera, who has previously served as ambassador in Italy and Norway has been named as the new ambassador to the US.

‘Rehabilitated’ politico coming back to Cabinet

A former minister who fell from grace is likely to be included in the Cabinet again.
Government sources said yesterday that the matter was now under consideration since he had been “rehabilitated.”

Child abuse neglected, but officials on jaunt to Canada
Probation and Child Care Services Department officials are getting ready to head to Canada for a conference relating to rapid response to child abuse victims. This comes amidst allegations that the department’s emergency Hotline 1929 to call for immediate assistance to report child abuse is often left unattended.
National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Chairperson H M Abeyratne confirmed that he and two other officials were attending the conference in Canada but denied that the hotline was neglected.

Questions have been raised about those who are attending the conference at a time when the department is not doing enough to deal with child abuse victims. The department is getting ready to delegate some of its work in relation to investigations into cases of child abuse to the local police, an activity which is carried out by a special police unit at the moment.

Northern Grama Niladharis in soup over meals
The Grama Niladharis in the Northern Province where mobile services are currently being held are in a quandary over directions given to them from the District Secretary’s office over the provision of meals for officers taking part in the events. An allocation of Rs 20,000 each for the Grama Sevakas to supply the meals has not been sufficient and they have been advised to raise funds from sponsors if they required more money.

More than 50 state institutions are being represented at the mobile services drawing a large number of staff from the South. The mobile services are being held in each of the Divisional Secretary areas. They have also received instructions that the public should not be charged for the services provided to them.