News

Are NGO cooks spoiling the soup?

Published

5 years ago

2021/12/26

By Ifham Nizam

Newly appointed National Zoological Gardens Director General Shermila Rajapaksa last week assured top priority for animal welfare and if necessary, they would seek advice from international experts.

She told The Island that with regard to ailments of elephants, it was successfully handled by a native doctor -Wedamahattaya.

However, Rally for Animals Rights (RARE) Spokesperson Panchali Panapitiya claimed that elephant foot care, positive reinforcement, enrichment and modern elephant care were alien to Sri Lanka, a country that had no laws on animal welfare.

She said that in July 2021 RARE approached Steve Koyle, one of the world’s foremost captive elephant experts from the USA. He possessed 21 years of elephant care experience and underwent various training and obtained qualifications. He is known as “Steve the foot guy” in the captive elephant world community.

A zoologist qualified from Michigan State University. He is renowned for his unique elephant foot care, positive reinforcement and target training techniques. In the last six years he established the Elephant Care Unchained organization and started providing free services to elephant owners who cannot afford paid services.

He has rendered paid and voluntary foot care to elephants, training and advice to mahouts in ethical and non-ethical sanctuaries in many countries including India, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia etc.

RARE introduced him to the then Director General of Zoological Department Ishini Wickremesinghe who was delighted to receive his expert advice.

When the idea was conveyed to the mahouts and animal handling staff at Dehiwala Zoo, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and Ridiyagama they were also interested to receive training from this foreign expert in Sri Lanka. This was on a volunteer basis with no cost to the government at all.

“In September 2021, on his arrival in Sri Lanka, Ishini had resigned and there was a period with no director general and finally we introduced him to the new Director General of National Zoological Gardens Shermila Rajapaksa at a meeting at the Dehiwala Zoo in November. Disappointingly she has not yet taken any steps to receive his services to conduct foot care for the 100 elephants under her care

and provide training by him for her relevant staff,” Panapitiya said.

She added “There are many critical elephants that need foot care under her from which Elephant Devi at Dehiwala Zoo is in the worst condition. I think if the abscess on her feet is not treated immediately by the correct technique, it could result in a slow painful death to her in less than two years. Here we have brought the solution to the door step of the DG but she shows no interest.”

The American expert was also introduced to the Wildlife Minister C.B. Ratnayake in October 2021, who directed him to the President of Captive Elephant Owners Association, the Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth, Nilanga Dela Bandara and even he recognised the importance and Steve’s skills and expertise and was happy to receive his services to the temple of the tooth elephant herd and endorsed and recommended him to conduct foot care and advise on enrichment to the temples and private owners in his association.

Steve has since done foot care for around 30 of the country’s most famous Captive Tuskers and Elephants at temples, with private owners and in riding camps and most of them have been very welcoming to have foot care done for their elephants. They were amazed at the tools he used. Steve even introduced simple, cost-effective enrichment methods to improve the mental wellbeing of elephants. Two famous temples are already following these methods and a riding camp elephant too.

The mahouts and owners were grateful and gave him blessings and passed on merits. He travels door to door with a translator offering his services.

He expects to reach all 104 elephants of the industry and work with captive elephant groups.

“Although RARE clash with Mr. Dela Bandara in most issues and principles we found common ground in recognising the skills of this expert and the need for footcare for our elephants by this international expert. And we must thank Mr. Bandara for that,” said Panapitiya.

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News

President meets with Department of Prisons Officials

Published

54 mins ago

2026/07/18

Priyan

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with the officers of the Department of Prisons, including Superintendents of Prisons, Jailers and other officials, on Friday (17) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat.

Extensive discussions focused on the challenges currently faced by the prison system and the urgent measures required to address them.

Special attention was also given to the recent incident at the Negombo Prison, with lengthy discussions held on the steps needed to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

The meeting also addressed the challenges faced by prison officers and matters relating to their welfare.

The officials noted that this was the first opportunity they had been given to discuss their concerns directly with the President and expressed their appreciation for the opportunity.

Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration Ayesha Jinasena, Commissioner General of Prisons Prasad Hemantha Kumara, Commissioner of Prisons (Rehabilitation) S.K. Pallethanna, Commissioner of Prisons (Operation/ Intelligence) A.C. Gajanayake, along with a number of other officials of the Department of Prisons, were present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

Prioritize Vocational Education in future Education Planning – President

Published

1 hour ago

2026/07/18

Priyan

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that greater priority must be given to strengthening Sri Lanka’s vocational education sector in parallel with the country’s ongoing education reforms, stating that the Government is prepared to allocate the necessary funding through the 2027 Budget.

The President made these remarks on Friday (17) during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat to review the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget allocations for the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education and to discuss the Ministry’s funding requirements ahead of the 2027 Budget.

A total allocation of Rs. 303 billion has been made to the Ministry under the 2026 Budget, comprising Rs. 160 billion for general education, Rs. 122 billion for higher education and Rs. 20 billion for vocational education.

The meeting reviewed the implementation of projects funded under these allocations, future plans and the Ministry’s funding requirements for the coming year. The President stressed that budget allocations should not be spent merely because they have been provided, but should instead be utilised in line with national priorities and identified needs.

Officials noted that the largest-ever capital allocation of Rs. 8 billion had been provided this year for vocational education. They also reported that 57,959 students had been enrolled during the first two quarters of the year across 310 Government vocational training institutions.

Particular attention was given to increasing the annual intake of students into vocational education institutions. Discussions also covered the allocation of a permanent site for the Ocean University, the gradual increase in student admissions to the University of Vocational Technology from next year and measures to expand both the number and quality of University Colleges across the country, enabling students in the regions to access technical degree and diploma programmes more easily.

The meeting also focused on programmes implemented under the general education sector. The President stressed that projects financed through foreign assistance should not become an unnecessary debt burden on the country, but should instead be undertaken only where they are aligned with Sri Lanka’s education policies and genuine national requirements.

Attention was also directed towards welfare programmes for schoolchildren. The President instructed that priorities be established to ensure that benefits reach those who genuinely require them based on the effectiveness of each programme. The President further noted that the President’s Fund remains ready to support scholarship programmes and instructed officials to prepare and submit proposals outlining such funding requirements.

The meeting also held extensive discussions on increasing the monthly financial assistance provided to students with special educational needs from 2026 onwards, as well as raising the allowances paid to student teachers at the National Colleges of Education.

Officials also briefed the President on issues relating to the existing student insurance scheme.

Discussions further focused on plans to invest Rs. 382 billion in the education sector during the 2027–2031 period to support its continued development. Particular attention was given to the proposed Digital Transformation Project, which forms part of this investment programme.

It was also noted that work has commenced on the rehabilitation of 20 schools and National Colleges of Education damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, with Rs. 1.9 billion allocated for the programme.

The meeting also agreed that teacher shortages, vacancies among non-academic staff and salary anomalies within the education sector should be addressed through a coordinated approach across the public sector. It was further agreed that a special commission would be tasked with recommending permanent solutions to these issues.

Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando; Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Nalin Hewage; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi; Senior Additional Secretaries to the President Russel Aponsu and Kapila Janaka Bandara; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma; Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; together with officials from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

Navy brings fisherman in distress off Pothuvil, ashore

Published

8 hours ago

2026/07/18

Priyan

The Sri Lanka Navy rescued a fisherman from a local fishing trawler that encountered distress due to adverse weather conditions off the eastern coast of Sri Lanka.

The rescue operation took place on 17 July 2026, approximately 15 nautical miles off Pothuvil. The operation was launched following information received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo.

In response, the Sri Lanka Navy deployed the Offshore Patrol Vessel SLNS Vijayabahu along with additional craft to conduct a search operation in the designated sea area, where they successfully located the distressed fisherman.

Following the rescue, the individual was brought aboard SLNS Vijayabahu, where naval personnel administered preliminary first aid. He was subsequently brought to the mainland and rushed for further medical attention.

Meanwhile, the Navy, along with the coordination of MRCC Colombo, remains constantly prepared to swiftly respond to the eventualities faced by maritime and fishing communities operating within the island’s Search and Rescue Region (SRR).