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CEB engineers: SL needs LNG-coal cake with wind-solar icing

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By Ifham Nizam

* The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU), despite their pledge to stick to the 70 percent renewable energy target laid down by the government, are now hinting that coal power generation has to be stepped up to avert a power crisis.

CEBEU Secretary Dhammika Wimalaratne told The Island that however they were planning to achieve as much renewable energy as possible.

“The current target is 70% renewables by 2030. We need upfront investments for battery storage of 1.5 billion USD and 1.3 billion USD for Transmission network upgrade. CEB Engineers are ready to achieve this target, but do we have the requisite finance?

“To achieve this target we need to increase solar from 425MW to 4000MW. Wind from 250MW to 1500MW.”

The CEBEU Secretary stressed that they also needed large plants such as those run by LNG and Coal to provide the base load. “The proposed fourth unit at Norochcholai, which is just an addition of 300MW to the grid, will be a vital cushion if allowed to be built. We need an LNG and coal cake with solar and wind icing, “he added.

“Sri Lanka is proud to be a co-lead of the “Global Energy Compact for No New Coal Power”, said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, addressing the World Leaders Summit – COP 26 held in Glasgow, Scotland, last year.

Energy Expert Dr. Vidura Ralapanawa, in his blog said that although CEBEU representatives said on the Hiru Balaya programme that they were supporting the national policy target of 70% renewable energy by 2030, their real agenda was to try and revive a long cancelled coal plant at Sampur, Trincomalee.

He claimed in his blog that typically, a coal plant took 7-10 years to build. “It is ridiculous to even imagine this will solve any of our current problems. This strategy will not remove our power woes, but will keep us in blackouts and locked into expensive power costs for decades. The CEBEU’s emergency power friends will be very happy.“



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President orders probe into judge’s resignation

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By Saman Indrajith

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is currently in Berlin, yesterday ordered his Secretary Saman Ekanayake to launch a probe into the resignation of Mullaitivu District Judge and Magistrate, T. Saravanarajah, who heard the controversial Kurundimale temple case. The judge has cited receiving death threats as the reason for his resignation.

Judge Saravanarajah had not informed either the police or the Judicial Service Commission of the alleged death threats to him, sources said.

In a letter dated 23 September, 2023, addressed to the Judicial Services Commission, Judge T. Saravanarajah conveyed his decision to step down from various judicial roles including District Judge, Magistrate, Family Court Judge,

Primary Court Judge, Small Claims Court Judge, and Juvenile Court Judge.President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake held discussions on the judge’s resignation with Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles. It was revealed that the judge had not lodged any formal complaint of the alleged death threats prior to his resignation.

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China pledges steadfast support to Sri Lanka

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Ambassador Qi Zhenhong

China will continue to firmly support Sri Lanka in pursuing a development path that suits its own national conditions, getting rid of the “poverty trap” and the “trap of non-development”, and safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said at the 74th National Day Reception of the People’s Republic of China on Thursday.

Given below are excerpts of the Chinese Ambassador’s speech: “Right now, changes of the world, of our times and of history are unfolding in ways like never before, which leads to rapidly growing uncertainty, instability and unpredictability.

In view of these global challenges, President Xi Jinping has put forward three crucial global initiatives, namely the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. We urge all countries to respect each other, seek common ground while reserving differences, and work together to meet the challenges of our times and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

“This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. Over the past 10 years under the BRI cooperation, more than 150 countries, including Sri Lanka, and 32 international organizations, have made great progress in connectivity, infrastructure, trade, and investment, with about 3,100 joint projects bringing tangible benefits to the world. As the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, I am more than happy to highlight the major projects between our two countries, such as the Katunayake Expressway, the Southern Expressway, the CICT, the Hambantota Port and the Port City Colombo, etc.

“No matter how the world changes, China and Sri Lanka are good neighbours with mutual respect and trust, good partners with mutual benefit, and good friends who help each other. China’s friendly policy towards Sri Lanka is for all political parties and all people of Sri Lanka and maintains continuity and stability. In the past decades, many landmarks, such as the BMICH, the Supreme Court Complex, the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, the Polonnaruwa Kidney Disease Hospital and the National Hospital Out-Patient Department Building, have been gifted by the Chinese people to the Sri Lankan people.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, especially when Sri Lanka was faced with the economic challenges last year, China has been supporting Sri Lanka to the best of its ability. It includes not only providing emergency assistance from all walks of life in China, but also being the first to reach out to Sri Lanka to properly deal with its debt issues.

More importantly, China will continue to firmly support Sri Lanka in pursuing a development path that suits its own national conditions, getting rid of the “poverty trap” and the “trap of non-development”, and safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity.”

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Justice Minister sees police, judiciary and lawyers coming short on ensuring justice for all

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The way the police, judiciary and lawyers operate had left much to be desired in ensuring justice for all, Minister of Justice Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said at the National Law Week – 2023 celebrations yesterday.

Dr. Rajapakshe said that in a country with the rule of law, all citizens felt they had access to justice. The Minister said that the country faced a severe economic crisis in 2022. The breakdown of the rule of law was a major reason for the economic crisis, the Justice Minister said.

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya said at the same event that people needed to understand the roles and functions of the judiciary, police, mediation boards and other institutions of justice in order to obtain a satisfactory service.

“These institutions are there to ensure everyone has equal access to justice. If these institutions were not there, the rich and the powerful would always get their way,” the CJ said.

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