Sri Lanka nabs illegal export of scrap copper to Singapore

Sri Lanka Customs today arrested two containers of scrap copper which was on the way to be smuggled to Singapore.

The arrest was made at Colombo port. The Customs media spokesman Lesley Gamini said that the two container loads of scrap copper had been attempted to smuggle declaring them as equipment needed for garment factories.

He further said that the confiscated stock of scrap iron is worth of Rs. 22.5 million. Two persons have been arrested in relation to the smuggling attempt.

30% Cess Tax has also been imposed by Sri Lanka government to discourage copper scrap exports. Export of copper comes under heavy scrutiny from Customs Department and exporters need to obtain a special license from the government to legally export copper scrap. Sri Lanka imports 6.2 billion worth of copper annually for various local industries that need copper as raw material. It is estimated that 70 percent of the country's annual copper requirement can be balanced if Sri Lanka can halt the illegal export of copper.

(Colombo Page)

How credible is Sri Lanka's Department of Census and Statistics?

Director General, Department of Census and Statistics, D.C.A. Gunawardena, Deputy Governor, Central Bank, Nandalal Weerasinghe and an official of the department. Pic: Vipula Amarasinghe (Sunday Observer)

Director general of Department of Census and Statistics of Sri Lanka D.C.A. Gunawardena re-assured that all national data and statistics are compiled and issued according to international standards.

Speaking through national radio Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, he further said that well trained and highly qualified officials had been deployed to prepare statistics. Therefore, no one could demean the quality of information issued by the department, he argued.

His statement came in the backdrop of the Department’s Account Division Director H.S. Wanasinghe alleging in December that the Director General of the Department of the Census and Statistics had advised him to ‘massage’ Sri Lanka’s economic growth rate.

Wanasinghe has been transferred out of the Department and faces a disciplinary inquiry by the Department. He made a detailed statement to an investigating officer during an initial inquiry leveling the charge.

The Department of Census and Statistics announced last week that the report of the census on human death and property damages during the three-decade long conflict would be released next month just ahead of the challenging United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva in March.

The major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance expressed doubts on the survey saying that the census conducted by the government on human and material losses due to the war will attempt to play down the number of casualties. 

The statement by Mr. Wanasinghe was read out in Parliament last week by JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

“On June 14, 2013 I presented the national accounts for the first quarter to the Director General by way of an email at 4.53 p.m. Thereafter I went to my home in Kandy because it was the weekend. I was not present at the office on June 17 because I was not well and I informed the Deputy Director General Nigamuni. Half an hour later Ms. Nigamuni called me and told me that the Director General had insisted on the Economic Growth rate being changed to 6.0%,” Mr. Wanasinghe’s statement said.

The statement then details the process under which the calculations are done and said the economic growth rate was calculated at 5.5% following extensive discussions and expert analysis and opinion.

“On June 13, 2013, we had extensive discussions with the participation of the head statistician, assistant statistician, officials of the statistical department, senior statisticians, and the Deputy Director on the summary of the quarterly national accounts. It was thereupon calculated that the growth rate was 5.5% with a 0.1% difference from the previous. I thereafter e-mailed the Director General at 3.30 pm the same day the details,” the statement said.

The Director in his statement reveals that Ms. Nigamuni, the Deputy Director General had insisted that the necessary amendments were made as the Director General D.C.A Gunawardena was insisting on the matter being looked into immediately.

“When I told her that I will come the following day to office and make the necessary amendments according to the advice given to me, the Deputy Director General insisted that it be done immediately as the Director General was insisting on it. Thereafter I had to ‘Skype’ my colleagues and suggest that if we are to change the Economic Growth we would have to look at the primary data that was collected,” he said.

The Director said the previous figure derived for the Economic Growth was 5.4% and was forwarded to the Director General.

“On June 6, 2013, the Director General called me at around 8.30 p.m. on my mobile phone and asked me about my wellbeing and other such trivialities. Thereafter said he had looked at the estimates I sent him (of 5.4%). He wanted me to re-check the Agriculture, Banking, Internal Trade, Electricity, Food and Tobacco divisions. He said I should be mindful of the interpretations already released by the treasury and the Central Bank,” he said.

We have several questions:

• Can Wananasinghe's statement be rejected based on the Director General's argument that it was mere personal conflict?
• 
  
• Now, an investigation is underway against Wanasinghe on disciplinary grounds. Is there any investigation about his allegation?
• 
  
• What steps will the government take to build up the lost credibility of the Department of Census and Statistics?

Assault charges against Sri Lanka major opposition economist MP withdrawn

A photo of the MP which created controversy among Buddhists

Sri Lanka major opposition United National Party (UNP) MP Harsha de Silva announced that the complaint against him over assault had been withdrawn by the plaintiff.

He said that the plaintiff had to withdraw the complaint since his conscience appealed him and there was an attempt to sling mud on the MP's image based on this incident.

A driver of a medical doctor lodged a complaint against the UNP MP over assaulting on January 26.

The plaintiff said that the MP hit him on his head after a verbal exchange as he was cleaning a garden adjacent to a property of the MP in Colombo. After that a security guard of the MP slapped on his face, he said, for which he sought treatment.

Later the MP has tried to settle the issue and the victim said to media in tearful eyes that he was sorry since people's representatives behaved like that.

The MP now said to media that the driver spoke to him insolently.

Government MPs naturally enjoy respect thanks to state powers they have. If Opposition MPs want to earn the real respect of the people, they must be decent first.

Government of China eventually attends to Sri Lanka's coal power plant issue

China has agreed to assist Sri Lanka to repair the country's first ever coal power plant which has been stuck with a wave of break downs since its inception.

Sri Lanka Minister of Power and Energy Pavithra Wanniarachchi had discussions with the officials of the Sri Lanka embassy of China on January 28 in regard of this. The discussion was held under the direction of the government of China. 

The diplomats of the Chinese embassy agreed to coordinate the suppliers of the machinery and components of the Chinese built coal power plant to have them tested the quality of the equipment. The officials also agreed to have the defects of the equipment identified and repaired by the supplier in case fault is identified, the Ministry of Power and Energy announced after the discussion.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Power and Energy M.M.C. Ferdinando, Chairman of Ceylon Electricity Board W.B. Ganegala and other senior officials participated in the discussion.Yu Jiamu and Wang Yingqi participated in the discussion representing the Chinese embassy.

The first phase of the Norachcholai coal power plant, which cost US$ 555 million has already broken down a record 27 times since it was commissioned four years ago while a break down has been reported in the second phase also which is yet to be commissioned.

The Power and Energy Minister recently said in parliament that the plant failed 271 days out of the 1,086 days it was in operation.

The Lakvijaya coal power plant adds 300 megawatts to the national grid in the first phase and another 300 megawatts will be added in the soon to be operational second phase.

Violent Buddhist monks that attacked Christian religious places simply bailed out by Sri Lankan court

Eighteen persons including five Buddhist monks were produced in court today by police for their involvement in the attack on a Christian religious place. They surrendered to Galle magistrate court as they were wanted for ransacking two prayer centers of the evangelical Christian Assembly of God and Calvary Free Church at Southern Province tourist city Hikkaduwa.

However, the suspects were granted bail by the magistrate. They were released on Rs. 500,000 each personal surety by Galle magistrate Gunendra Kumara Munasinghe.

These suspects are to be framed charges on two counts pertaining to attacking two Christian religious places on January 12. The case was postponed to March 17.

Police identified 24 persons through video coverage of the violent carnage and court today ordered the police to arrest the suspects.


The monk-led mob resisted the police and destroyed the property hurling stones at the two prayer centers. The mob broke doors, windows and burnt religious signs and books.Local media videoed the violence and broadcast in the news on TV channels.


The Buddhist monks that led the protest said that the administrative authorities had ordered the prayer centers withdrawn. However, the pastors in charge of these centers said they were registered duly and the eviction order is illegal.

Fishermen and officials of India and Sri Lanka to discuss long standing dispute

A special discussion on the fisheries problems of India and Sri Lanka will be held in India today with the participation of the officials and the representatives of fishermen from the two countries.

The discussion will be held on January 27 in Chennai Tamil Nadu. State officials and representatives of fisheries organizations of Sri Lanka and India will participate in this discussion.

The main focus of the discussion is preventing the Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lanka's territorial waters and the Sri Lankans entering into the Indian sea territory.

The Director General of Sri Lanka Fisheries Department will lead the five member team of officials from Sri Lanka. Ten representatives from the fisheries organizations of Sri Lanka's Northern and Eastern Provinces will also take part in the discussion.

There is a long standing problem of fishermen of both countries poaching in waters belonged to the other side. Hundreds of fishermen are arrested by the authorities every year.  

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is discussing with the Maldives to seek a safe passage for Sri Lankan deep she fishing vessels to migrate to the international waters of the Arabian sea. At present Sri Lankan vessels endeavor to cross Indian waters to reach the Arabian sea for fishing amidst threats of arrest by Indian authorities.

(Wrote to Colombo Page) 

Sri Lanka court orders police to arrest the suspects of church attack in Hikkaduwa tourist town

Sri Lanka's Galle Additional Magistrate Gunendra Kumara yesterday ordered Assistant Superintendent Police of Galle Upali Bandaranaike to arrest 26 identified suspects of the attack on two Christian religious places in southern tourist town Hikkaduwa.

Police submitted the report to the courts yesterday. According to the report 10 Buddhist monks are in the list of suspects who ransacked the property of two prayer centers of Assembly of God.

A group of extremist Buddhist monks and laymen attacked two Christian religious centers on January 12 in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka's tourist city in the south.

Buddhist Organizations in Hikkaduwa staged a protest in the area against Christian prayer centers operating in the region.

The monk-led mob resisted the police and destroyed the property hurling stones at the two prayer centers. The mob broke doors, windows and burnt religious signs and books.

Local media videoed the violence and broadcast in the evening news on TV channels.

The residents of these religious places were threatened and the police temporarily closed the main Galle Road as residents entered the Galle Road passing the Hikkaduwa town.

The Buddhist monks that led the protest said that the administrative authorities had ordered the prayer centers withdrawn.

However, the pastors in charge of these centers said they were registered duly and the eviction order is illegal.

The rising religious intolerance from extremist Buddhist monks-led organizations in Sri Lanka has raised alarms among the moderate public and if authorities fail to take adequate measures to curtail the violence the actions of thes extremist groups would have serious consequences, civil society leaders warn.