The Court of Appeal yesterday (08) dismissed without costs a petition challenging the removal of B.R.P.M.A. Devendra from his post as Minister at Sri Lanka’s Consulate General Office in Melbourne, Australia.

The petitioner had asked the court to declare null and void the removal order, issued on 15 August , 2025, by the Director General of the Human Resources Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Dr. Frank Gunawardena, following preliminary objections raised by Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, PC, on behalf of the respondents.

The petitioner sought a court order against the decision made by the Director General of the Human Resources Division of the Foreign Ministry. The petitioner also sought an interim injunction preventing the implementation of the removal order.

Devendra had earlier obtained a temporary injunction suspending the Foreign Ministry directive issued on 15 August.

Senior Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, PC, appearing for the respondents, informed the court that Devendra was an Administrative Service officer not a member of the Foreign Service and that his appointment in Melbourne had been made on a contract basis.

By A.J.A. Abeynayake

Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce, an organisation established to open and maintain a rapport and working relations with American business and commerce community to bring a closer trade, commerce and investment environment between the two nations, based in the City of Las Vegas in the State of Nevada, has now effectively reached American lawmakers in the US Congress to bring deep awareness of the plight Sri Lanka underwent during the recent devastating cyclone calamity, US based sources said.

The American Legislative Branch has now reached the Chamber, and two of its lawmakers have addressed a joint letter to the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio raising his additional awareness expressing “deep concern and alarm about the catastrophic human consequences of Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka, a disaster that has inflicted tragic loss of life, caused widespread displacement, and left hundreds still missing”.

Commending the US administration’s prompt assistance in pledging US$ 2 million following the disaster, the two lawmakers in their communication to the Secretary reminded the scale of devastation that “demands a more comprehensive humanitarian and recovery response that destroyed homes or submerged, entire villages buried under mud, families separated, and infrastructure crippled”.

While opening awareness among other US lawmakers in Washington, DC, the two Congresspersons, who addressed Secretary of State Rubio were Dina Titus and Sydney Kamlager-Dove.

The two American lawmakers’ reach to Secretary Rubio was in response to the continuous dialogue the Founder-President of the Chamber Sanje Sedera, along with other Chamber Directors, had with many US Congressmen, and particularly with the Dina Titus, who is a ranking member of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, representing the FA Committee in its sub-committee on South Asia. Titus has an additional role as the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Caucus in the US House of Representatives, and in late October this year, she engaged with the Board of Director of the Chamber at a ‘working dinner’.

Sri Lanka on Monday (08), received a major humanitarian relief consignment from China to support recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which swept across the island recently.

A total of 85 tonnes of flood relief material, including life jackets, tents, blankets and sheets, arrived in Colombo on Monday morning and was officially handed over by the Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong.

The consignment was received on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka by the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilake and the Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).

The Chinese Embassy has indicated that the supplies are estimated to be worth around Rs. 400 Million.

The donation comes as emergency teams continue relief operations in several provinces severely affected by flooding, displacement and property damage from Cyclone Ditwah. Sri Lanka has appealed for international assistance as thousands of affected families remain in temporary shelters.

Government officials thanked China for its timely assistance and said the support would be rapidly deployed to the worst-hit regions. More international aid is expected in the coming days.