News
Foreign research vessels: Cabinet to discuss how to handle them
By SHIHAR ANEEZ
ECONOMYNEXT –Cabinet will discuss how to handle foreign research vessels in future and the Foreign Ministry is in the process of drafting a cabinet paper for the policy, two government officials said.
Foreign research vessels are temporarily banned in Sri Lanka after India put heavy pressure on President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government to stop Chinese research vessels calling into Sri Lankan waters, citing “security threats to the Indian Ocean”.
“The Foreign Ministry is drafting the cabinet paper on handling foreign research vessels,” a top government official, who is aware of the cabinet paper, told EconomyNext.
“Sri Lanka does not have the capacity and prior experience in handling research vessels and to have an idea about the exact research they are doing.”
Another official confirmed the proposed cabinet paper and said the authorities want to have a policy that will be “equally applied on research vessels from all the foreign nations”.
Chinese Embassy in Colombo this month raised strong protest against a move by Sri Lanka to allow a German research vessel for a port call amid the one year ban on foreign research vessels.
However, later, the Foreign Ministry said the German ship’s port call was for replenishment and not for research purposes.
Sri Lanka turned down a Beijing request for a research vessel arrival in February to do some research in Sri Lankan water. Later, China docked the ship in Maldives.
President Wickremesinghe government’s one-year ban came into effect in December last year.
The government has planned to train officials to handle research vessels during the one-year ban.
Until this week, the government failed to specifically state if requests for replenishment or crew change for foreign research vessels would be accommodated.
Two Chinese research ships were allowed to dock in Sri Lanka ports within 14 months.
Chinese research ship Shi Yan 6 arrived in Sri Lanka in October 2023 and docked in Colombo port, for what Beijing cited was for “geophysical scientific research” in collaboration with the island nation’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).
In August 2022, Chinese navy vessel Yuan Wang 5 docked at Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka for replenishment.
Both drew strong Indian protests citing security concerns in the Indian Ocean.India uses the Colombo port as its main transshipment hub and accounts for around 70 percent of the total transshipment volume of the port.
The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.
The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:
Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage
The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.
The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.
Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).
‘Bar Association must reveal its stand’
Civil society group ‘Free Lawyers’ has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to probe whether political pressure was brought on a Magistrate, or a High Court Judge, in respect of an ongoing high profile case.
Speaking to The Island on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that they felt the urgent need to seek the CJ’s intervention, following the May Day declaration by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the verdict of a case that was heard on 30 April would be given on 25 May. Tennakoon said that addressing the NPP’s main May Day rally at Maharagama, the President asked the people to be ready to celebrate that verdict. The President couldn’t have said so if he hadn’t been aware of the impending verdict, Tennakoon said, while emphasising the responsibility on the part of the Bar Association to state its position on the issue.
‘Free Lawyers’ recently captured pubic attention following its exposure of the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.
Responding to a query, Tennakoon said that on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Maithri Gunaratne, PC, on Monday, 4 April, wrote to both CJ Surasena and President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya.
Alleging that President Dissanayake’s declaration caused immense harm to the independence of the judiciary and raised controversy over the judgement that would be given on 25 May, ‘Free Lawyers’ organisation also asked the CJ to inquire into whether the entire judicial process was under political pressure.
Tennakoon said that they expect the Bar Association to reveal its position on President Dissanayake’s statement. Tennakoon pointed out that during the May Day address, President Dissanayake made reference to 15 cases that were to be taken up during this month, whereas Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister, as well as Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, mentioned nearly 10 names of politicians, both sitting and former lawmakers, to be summoned beginning, May.
Tennakoon said that the NPP appeared to have used May Day to counter growing accusations over the Colombo port container controversy, coal scam, Rs 13.2 bn NDB fraud and theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury and USD 625,000 from the Sri Lanka Postal Service.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Members of Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Officially Appointed
Three prison guards arrested following the death of an inmate
Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island after 1.00 pm.
CJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict
ITAK MPs representing East take their woes to Canadian HC
People demand release of Keppapilavu land
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News6 days agoTreasury chief’s citizenship details sought from Australia
-
News5 days agoRooftop Solar at Crossroads as Sri Lanka Shifts to Distributed Energy Future
-
News5 days ago“Three-in-one blood pressure pill can significantly reduce risk of recurrent strokes”
-
News7 days agoCentral Province one before last in AL results
-
Sports7 days agoWell done AKD!
-
News1 day agoUSD 3.7 bn H’tota refinery: China won’t launch project without bigger local market share
-
News4 days agoAlarm raised over plan to share Lanka’s biometric data with blacklisted Indian firm
-
News2 days agoEaster Sunday Case: Ex-SIS Chief concealed intel, former Defence Secy tells court