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Academics rise to challenge with sustainable solutions

Published

4 years ago

2022/10/31

Sri Lanka’s worst post-war economic crisis represents a major blow to the country’s progress towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), efforts that were already hobbled by the COVID pandemic. However, the situation is also providing impetus to the work of academics that are using their knowledge to tackle the immediate fallout from the crisis, in addition to longer-term sustainability goals, says a report published by the University World News, an online publication that reports on higher education news and developments from a global perspective. It quotes Deepthi Wickramasinghe, conservation biologist and professor at the University of Colombo, having said that university students, from rural areas, studying at the University of Colombo, were cutting down on their food intake to make ends meet.

“In September, Sri Lanka’s cost of living index climbed to a new high over 70%, up from 66.2% in 2020.

“Students from rural areas cannot afford the higher food and living prices in Colombo city.

“With poverty increasing in the country, Sri Lanka will certainly not be able to make progress to achieve its targets by 2030,” she said.

“The [economic] crisis has raised the importance of assessing regional SDG progress, rather than relying on national statistics,” she said.

“Against looming poverty and hunger, the priority in Sri Lanka’s SDG activities should be on support for vulnerable populations – children and the elderly, especially in the low-income sectors,” said Prof Anoma Chandrasekara, at the Department of Applied Nutrition of Faculty of Livestock, Fisheries and Nutrition at the Wayamba University.

Worldwide, SDG progress has been dented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Wickramasinghe said the toll on Sri Lanka, saddled with a huge debt and political uncertainty, is heavy. Imports are restricted to save foreign exchange, and fuel shortages have created major problems, including pushing up public transportation prices, directly affecting poorer populations.

Human rights violations, especially recent arrests of peaceful protesters, in Colombo, have also caused Sri Lanka to deteriorate in terms of SDG 16, ‘Peace, justice and strong institutions’.

A report from an Amnesty International researcher on economic, social and cultural rights, released this month, entitled We Are Near Total Breakdown, also pointed to life-threatening shortages of medicine, such as antibiotics and insulin, and essential equipment.

“To survive we need to eat, and with increasing prices, growing our own food that can provide the necessary proteins and other nutrients is the way forward,” said Visakha Tillekeratne, a nutrition expert involved in a research project started with Wayamba University, in 2019.

“The aim is to encourage people to cultivate a home garden that will provide a good diet. This is a concept [that has] grown out of the pandemic and economic crisis,” said Tillekeratne, who supports rural communities.Supported by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, Chandrasekara and her team spearheaded a study on guidelines for a new home garden model, based on technical and dietary reviews.

Chandrasekara has researched the bioactivities, such as antioxidant and glucose response actions of phenolic compounds to ascertain the nutritional value of under-utilised tropical foods, including cereals, legumes, roots and tubers, herbs and condiments.

Nimal Gunatilleke, emeritus professor and a forest biologist, conducting conservation research at the University of Peradeniya, is also a promoter of home-grown funding models to support rural livelihoods.

His research backs the promotion of ‘green labelling’ for local, organically grown foods which contribute to sustainability and improvement of rural livelihoods through traditional cottage industries. ‘Green labelling’ helps smallholder farmers to compete against large plantations that also damage local biodiversity.

Based on his research, he is a leading advocate of additional green financing options beyond Sri Lanka’s traditional approach of loans, grants and national spending measures, which, he said, can reduce the day-to-day impact of the debt crisis. He pointed to the need to rely on other sources of income, apart from a bail-out by the International Monetary Fund currently being discussed by the government.

Gunatilleke has played a role in the development of Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity Finance Plan established by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, in 2018, to promote green financing as a sustainable financing solution for agriculture, land use and conservation. He advocates the design and development of innovative ways of green financing, such as green bonds, sustainable bonds, climate bonds, etc., that can bring direct benefits to smallholders who are the lifeblood of the Sri Lankan economy.

Gunatilleke contends that ecological schemes are an innovative financial solution to the twin crises of climate change and debt distress in Sri Lanka. “It is a means to mobilise a large amount of financial resources and represents a new source of financing,” he told University World News. Sri Lanka has in place most of its key development strategies and plans for the next several years in conformity with the major global conventions on biodiversity, he explained. “The current [economic] adversity is an opportunity to gain the interest of donor agencies in entering green financing partnerships,” he said.

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Fast Attack Craft P 4447 recovered in successful salvage operation

Published

1 hour ago

2026/09/14

Priyan

The Sri Lanka Navy successfully recovered its Fast Attack Craft P 4447 following a successful salvage operation, bringing a multi-stage emergency response to a close.

The craft, which ran into distress during a routine patrol on 15th August 2026 off Angulana, was brought to the surface on 11th September, from a depth of approximately 80 feet. It was
subsequently towed to the Colombo Dockyard premises.
The initial phase of the operation immediately following the incident focused on search and rescue. A joint effort involving the Navy, Air Force, Police, and local fishermen from Angulana
resulted in the rescue of 11 crew members. The search and rescue phase drew to a close with the recovery of the remains of the Second in Command of the craft, on 4th September.

Following the search and rescue phase, specialized Navy diving and salvage teams launched a dedicated recovery phase against rough sea conditions and underwater challenges, adhering to
strict safety protocols. The Navy’s marine, hull, electrical, and electronic engineering teams utilized specialized technical know-how and equipment to raise the vessel in stages.

Thus, the salvage operation marked an outstanding achievement attained through the professionalism, technical expertise of Navy divers, and coordinated contribution of all
engineering and technical branches of the Sri Lanka Navy. Technical support and specialized expertise were also extended by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and Colombo Dockyard PLC.

News

CIABOC member’s appointment: Controversy over Speaker under probe heading selection process

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/14

Thilina Walpola

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Opposition should intensity its focus on the forthcoming selection of a member of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and remain vigilant as Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne, MP, the head of the Constitutional Council (CC) tasked with making the relevant recommendation, is under investigation by the CIABOC, sources familiar with the ongoing inquiry told The Island.

Chethiya Goonasekara, PC, is expected to complete his three-year term on Dec 31, 2026. Sources pointed out that CIABOC Commissioners are appointed by the President on the recommendation made by the 10-member Constitutional Council.

The CIABOC initiated the investigation following a complaint lodged by suspended Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne in early February this year. Sources said that as Goonasekera is scheduled to complete his term toward the end of 2026, the CC would have to call applications soon to choose the successor.

Goonasekara received his appointment from President Ranil Wickremesinghe in January 2024. A Justice W. M. N. P. Iddawala was appointed Chairman of the CIABOC. The other commissioner is K. Bernard Rajapakse.

Asked whether Iddawala and Rajapakse, too, would complete their terms soon, sources said that in terms of the Anti-Corruption Act No 09 of 2023, the Chairman of CIABOC would hold office for a period of five years, second commissioner (K. Bernard Rajapakse) for four years and the third commissioner (Chethiya Goonasekara) for a period of three years.

Sources said that the Opposition as well as civil society representatives in the CC should take up the issue of Speaker facing an investigation by the CIABOC taking part in the forthcoming selection process. Responding to queries, sources emphasized that the issue was whether in terms of Section 107 of the Anti-Corruption Act the participation of the Speaker in the selection process amounted to a violation of the Act itself.

The current members of the CC are Dr Jagath Wickramaratne, Speaker and Chairman of the Constitutional Council, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister, Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition, Bimal Rathnayake, MP, Aboobucker Athambawa, MP, Ajith P. Perera, MP, Sivagnanam Shritharan, MP, Austin Fernando, Civil society representative, Prof. Wasantha Seneviratne, Civil society representative and Ranjith Ariyaratne, Civil society representative.

Sources pointed out that in spite of the sensitivity of the case, the CIABOC recorded Kularatne’s statement in the second week of August, six months after he lodged the complaint.

The CIABOC on 3, 8 and 10 Sept recorded the statements from the Transport Officer, Deputy Director, Administration and Assistant Director, Finance regarding the use of facilities by the Speaker, those assigned to his staff and other relevant matters.

The NPP named Dr. Wickramaratne as the Speaker after Asoka Ranwala resigned over controversy regarding his higher education qualifications.

SJB lawmaker Dayasiri Jayaskera has repeatedly raised the issues concerning the Speaker with the focus also on the Speaker using two government-managed residences, relevant staff in addition to expenditure on food, transport and fuel provided to the Speaker’s private secretary.

Political sources said that trouble erupted after the Parliamentary Staff Advisory Council in late January sacked Kularatne accusing him of providing false information to secure his appointment. Before being appointed as the Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament in 2023, Kularatne held several high-ranking positions, including Secretary to the Chief Government Whip, Additional Secretary to the President, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Additional Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition.

The SJB declared in Parliament that Ranwala should be brought back as the Speaker as they have no faith in Wickramaratne. MP Mujibur Rahuman jokingly told parliament that the Opposition wouldn’t raise Ranwala’s educational qualifications.

News

GMOA: Countrywide cadre revision not done since 2015

Published

3 hours ago

2026/09/14

Thilina Walpola

Dhammika

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has stressed the need to conduct a comprehensive countrywide cadre revision urgently.

GMOA spokesman Dr. Lasitha Dhammika told The Island that the failure on the part of successive governments to conduct cadre revision caused the deterioration of the public sector health services. Due to the absence of required statistics, they hadn’t been able to fully comprehend the situation on the ground and to ascertain the requirements of the public.

Dr. Dhammika pointed out the expansion of the services without supporting statistics and the need to initiate an immediate cadre revision. According to him, the GMOA had raised this issue with successive governments without success. The GMOA spokesman said that they also sought relevant information from the Health Ministry in terms of the Right to Information (RTI) Act two weeks ago but was yet to receive response.

(SF)