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US Stakeholders urged not to be misled efforts to vilify Sri Lanka, its leadership
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the US Ravinatha Aryasinha has called on stakeholders in the US not to be misled by efforts of certain groups to vilify Sri Lanka and its leadership, and to pay heed to the facts and recognize the difficult tasks the Government has embarked upon in a short time notwithstanding grappling with a global pandemic that has crippled most of the world.
Ambassador Aryasinha made this observations when he addressed the 73rd Anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka celebrated on 4 February at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C., with the participation of religious dignitaries, Mr. Dean Thompson, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the US Department of State, with the Sri Lankan community and friends of Sri Lanka across the US joining virtually in view of the prevailing pandemic related restrictions.
The Ambassador, who detailed the Sri Lanka government’s priorities at present, and several dimensions of the Sri Lanka–US partnership, recalled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s recent congratulatory message to US President Joe Biden, where he assured that “Sri Lanka, under my leadership, based on the mandate received from my people, is committed to further strengthen and consolidate this multifaceted partnership with the United States, grounded in mutual respect, shared values and common interests”.
Noting that Sri Lanka-US ties today are multifaceted, he said the visit to Sri Lanka of US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in October 2020, is testimony to the importance placed by the US Government on Sri Lanka. This visit provided a platform to discuss a number of areas of bilateral and regional importance to both countries at the highest level. It also gave an opportunity to brief the Secretary of State of the initiatives undertaken by the new government to address Sri Lanka’s economic and national security challenges, to strengthen reconciliation, and to promote and protect human rights through domestic mechanisms – the details of, including that of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) pertaining to human rights, has subsequently been placed before the country and the world.
Ambassador Aryasinha who noted that on 31 January the Embassy took an ambitious step in launching the ‘Pan-US Overseas Sri Lankans (OSL) Network’, aimed at supporting OSL activities and to leverage their support towards realizing the interests of Sri Lanka in the US, said the core areas of focus of this Network would be – advocacy of Sri Lanka, economic advancement and socio-cultural engagement. Observing that he was encouraged to see the participation of OSLs from 27 States across the US and their commitment towards this new initiative, he said, the Embassy was in the process of expanding the ‘network’ to cover all States in the US. It would also be developing ‘nodal clusters’ across each State, in order to bring together OSLs to work collectively on the areas of focus identified. This network would also have overarching ‘interest clusters’ – including to engage with OSL entrepreneurs, youth, and academics, as well as to reach out to non-Sri Lankan ‘Friends of Sri Lanka’ throughout the USA. He was hopeful that this network would be a powerful vehicle in serving the interests of the OSLs in the US, keeping them connected with their motherland, and in ensuring that they become ‘catalysts’ in taking the US-Sri Lanka relationship to greater heights. Ambassador Aryasinha urged the support of the State Department, to engage the totality of the US based OSLs, so that they become a strength to both their host country, as well as to their home country.
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 01 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan of Kareinagar, Jaffna.
The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the Northern Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Kovilan.
Meanwhile, compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of one Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.
The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (11) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.
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Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.
The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.
According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.
Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.
The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.
In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.
The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.
The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.
Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.
By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️
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