News
Aim to end bulk rubber exports by creating value addition industries locally
The contribution of the rubber industry to the national economy would be enhanced by establishing rubber-related industries throughout the country, Company Estate Reforms, Tea and Rubber Estates Related Crops Cultivation and Factories Modernization and Tea and Rubber Export Promotion State Minister Kanaka Herath said recently.
The Minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the National Entrepreneurship Programme for the Establishment of New Rubber Related Industries. The National Programme commenced from the Kegalle District and it is planned to establish 100 new Rubber-Related Industries in the Kegalle District alone.
This programme is jointly implemented by the Industrial Development Board (IDB) in collaboration with the Rubber Development Department and the Rubber Secretariat under the supervision of the State Ministry of Plantations. It is proposed to implement such programmes especially in the rubber growing districts, which will provide the entrepreneurs aspiring to enter the rubber-related manufacturing sector with the knowledge, attitude, technical aspects, know-how and all aspects, including financing as well.
Besides, those budding entrepreneurs will be assisted to overcome the burning issue of fulfilling the initial capital jointly by the State Ministry and banks.
Under this move the State Ministry provides those new entrepreneurs with a non-refundable financial assistance to meet the start-up costs of the business. In addition, the IDB provides them with the necessary technical knowledge.
Although our country is a high quality rubber producer in the world, the output is often exported as a raw material without adding value. However, the State Minister pointed out that more foreign exchange could be earned by setting up local rubber-related industries so as to add value to the local rubber production and turning it into a finished product instead of exporting it as a raw material.
The Minister said that on an average, about 600 rubber parts were used in a car and the primary goal was to manufacture at least a few of them in the country as a starting point. Apart from the automotive industry, there was already a very good market for rubber-related products in many fields including sports, medical, naval, defence, transportation and many more. He noted that local manufacturers could have vast opportunity to reap greater benefits from entering the export market.
Parallel to the programme, a study would be carried out on rubber products imported into the country and some of them will be manufactured locally. Plans were afoot to manufacture other rubber products in the country by gradually uplifting the rubber related industries and in the final stage of this process it is planned to manufacture all the imported rubber related products locally, State Minister Herath said.
“We look forward to enlisting of small and medium scale local industrialists in the process,” he said.
State Minister Herath emphasised a country had to have a production economy to achieve economic prosperity. He noted that greater economic benefits could be achieved through the addition of value to local raw materials.
Tilakaratne Banda, Secretary to the State Ministry said that the main objective of the programme was to implement a significant number of new entrepreneurs in the rubber-related industry especially through the eight rubber growing districts.
Only an average of 50 per cent of the rubber based products used in our country were produced locally and accordingly there was a huge trade gap for rubber production in the local market as well. Therefore, it would not be a challenging task for a local manufacturer to enter the rubber based manufacturing sector and win the market, the Minister said.
The “Siri Dalada Wandanawa”, the special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, commenced today (18) with the participation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
The President placed the first floral tribute to the Sacred Tooth Relic after which the public were allowed to pay homage. A large number of devotees from all over the country arrived at the Temple of the Tooth Relic today (18) to pay their homage.
The public will have the opportunity to venerate the Sacred Tooth Relic from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m from tomorrow (19).
Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi along with other Ministers and Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Netherlands, India, Myanmar, Palestine, France, New Zealand, Cuba, Egypt, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Canada and South Korea, Public officials, Members of the security forces and a large number of local and foreign devotees were also present.
… Prez Secretariat faulted for not maintaining asset declaration registry
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided against refiling 34 cases that were withdrawn during the 2019-2024 period.
The 34 cases are among 102 cases withdrawn during that period, the CIABOC has disclosed, adding that 65 cases had been refiled. Decisions on three others are pending according to statistics made available on 01 March 2025.
The CIABOC provided a breakdown of the withdrawal of cases: 2019 (5), 2020 (0), 2021 (44), 2022 (49), 2023 (02) and 2024 (2).
The current CIABOC consists of Justice W. M. N. P. Iddawala (Chairman/Commissioner), K. B. Rajapakse (Commissioner) and Chethiya Goonesekera P.C (Commissioner). Its Director General is R. S. A. Dissanayake.
According to the CIABOC the majority of cases were withdrawn due to the absence of the signatures of all commissioners who served during 2019-2024.
Among the cases dropped by the CIABOC were four involving former Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando. The CIABOC found fault with the Presidential Secretariat (PS) for the collapse of the cases due to the failure on the part of the PS to maintain a proper asset declaration registry at that time. The charge against the then Minister Fernando was the non-disclosure of assets and liabilities during the 2010-2014 period.
Fernando contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket but failed to retain his seat in Kurunegala District.The CIABOC has also decided against refiling the case against MP Rohitha
Abeygunawardena (New Democratic Front/Kalutara District) as the corruption charges pertained to acquisition of illegal assets amounting to Rs. 41.2 mn in 2004 and due to their failure to move court within 20 years.
The CIABOC also disclosed that the case against one-time Chairman of National Lotteries Board A.I. Ismail (2002-2003) charged for wrongful payment of Rs 9.8 mn to a private party had been dropped due to main witnesses former prisons Commissioner G.M.K. Bandara and former Director Public Enterprises K.M. Indrajith having migrated.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Election Commission yesterday announced a revision to the postal voting schedule for the upcoming Local Government Elections, which are set to take place on May 6.According to the updated timetable, postal voting would now be conducted on April 24, 25, 28, and 29, Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said yesterday.
“All government institutions, including the police, tri-forces, schools, corporations, and statutory
boards, will conduct postal voting on these four days,” Rathnayake said, adding that employees of those institutions can mark their postal ballots at their respective offices without any change to the existing arrangements.
A special postal voting centre will be set up at Kandy Girls’ High School to facilitate voting by police personnel on duty at the Sri Dalada Maligawa during the exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Arrangements have been made for tri-forces personnel to cast their postal votes under the supervision of designated certifying officers at their respective camps during the same four-day period.
In preparation for the elections, official ballot papers for all eligible postal voters across the 339 local government bodies were handed over to the Postal Department by Returning Officers on April 16. Distribution has already begun and will continue until April 29.
The Election Commission advises any postal voter who has not received their ballot by April 29 to make inquiries at their respective post offices.
The revised schedule replaces an earlier announcement made on March 27, which had designated April 22, 23, and 24 for postal voting at district secretariats and election offices, with April 28 and 29 set aside for those unable to vote on the initial dates.
With the latest changes, April 24, 25, 28, and 29 are now the official postal voting dates for the 2025 Local Government Elections.
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