News
Decommissioned warships are not sold as they are ‘national assets’
by SURESH PERERA
As decommissioned naval vessels are considered a country’s “national assets”, it is an age-old tradition to sink unserviceable warships in the ocean irrespective of their commercial value, a senior Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) official said.
Nowhere in the world are old naval ships sold even for their scrap metal value as these vessels have dutifully served the nation with honor and pride, says Captain Indika de Silva, SLN’s official spokesman.
Warships are commissioned on a special presidential warrant, he outlined. “Hence, they are a part of our national wealth”.
He was responding to questions on the Navy’s move to sink two old warships, ‘Weeraya’ and ‘Jagatha’, which were decommissioned at Tuesday’s ceremonial farewell under the auspices of Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne at the Naval Dockyard in Trincomalee.
The two ships were part of the Third Fast Gun Boat Squadron, which rendered an invaluable service to the Navy for more than four decades to ensure the security of Sri Lankan waters.
Of course, decommissioned warships can be given to a friendly country for their use after refurbishment, Capt. de Silva elaborated. “However, in the case of the two Sri Lankan vessels, they are now too old to sail as they were built in 1961”.
“The vessels were given to Sri Lanka by China in 1972 and 1980, respectively, and it was an engineering marvel that they were kept operational for 40 plus years despite the inbuilt old technology in them”, he explained.
Sinking decommissioned warships in the ocean is not considered a “waste” as they create new habitats for marine species. In fact, they serve as an artificial reef for marine life, he noted.
“Even old, unusable armoured carriers are sunk in the sea”, he continued.
Referring to the Indian Navy’s Centaur-class aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which was the world’s longest-serving warship, Capt. de Silva said moves to convert the 1940s-built ship into a museum at a cost of 400-500 crore were abandoned and now the 27,800 ton vessel has been lined up for dismantling.
India’s Union Shipping Minister regretted that efforts to convert the warship into a museum could not succeed. He said several consultations were done but the plan could not materialize as an expert committee reported that the vessel would not last for more than a decade, according to reports.
Interestingly, Alang, which is the last resting place for ships, INS Viraat is the first warship to be dismantled, where annually around 280 ships from across the world are brought to be dismantled.
Earlier, French aircraft carrier Clemenceau was supposed to sail to Alang for dismantling but a massive controversy thwarted the efforts to bring the aircraft carrier, reports further said.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed rice traders to sell Nadu rice to consumers at a wholesale price of Rs. 225 per kilo and a retail price of Rs. 230 per kilo.
The President also instructed the officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority to closely monitor the situation over the next ten days and strictly enforce the law against rice mill owners who fail to comply with the fixed prices.
President Dissanayake made these remarks during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, along with rice traders, at the Presidential Secretariat on Saturday (07).
The President highlighted that the largest investments in the country are allocated to the Ministry of Highways, followed by the Irrigation and Agriculture sectors, with substantial subsidies provided to farmers.
The President further pointed out that low-interest bank loans have been provided to traders for the purchase of paddy and urged rice traders not to undermine the public’s right to access affordable rice.
As a result, the following rice prices will be implemented
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Nadu rice: Rs. 225, Retail price: Rs. 230
• Wholesale price of a kilo of white rice: Rs. 215, Retail price: Rs. 220
• Retail price of a kilo of imported Nadu rice: Rs. 220
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Samba rice: Rs. 235, Retail price: Rs. 240
• Wholesale price of a kilo of Keeri Samba: Rs. 255, Retail price: Rs. 260
The President also strongly criticized rice mill owners for frequently changing rice prices on a daily basis and instructed the Consumer Affairs Authority to monitor the daily rice production and distribution by mills.
Furthermore, President Dissanayake urged the rice traders to collaborate with the government in resolving the rice-related issues in an amicable manner.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development A. Wimalenthirajah, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation D.P. Wickramasinghe, Director General of the Department of Development Finance Malarmathy Gangatharan, Acting Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. S.K. Wasala, Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority Hemantha Samarakoon, Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board A.M.U. Pinnalanda, Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Research and Training Institute A.L. Chandika, among other officials.
ECONOMYNEXT –The Election Commission (EC) has warned all candidates who have failed to submit their election campaign income and expenditure after contested in the November 14 parliament polls.
The Election Commission has set a deadline to submit the income and expenditure reports for 12 midnight on Friday, December 06, 2024.
R M A L Ratnayake, the Chairman of the EC said only few have submitted their reports so far.
“It is not only for those who have elected to the parliament, but those all who contested the election. They all should file their expenditure reports, Ratnayake told in a video clip circulated by the EC.
“I specially urge all candidates to fulfil this obligation without facing any legal actions.”
“In the event of a legal action, those candidates who face legal action are sometimes likely to lose their opportunity of contesting in local government or provincial council polls.”
Out of the total 8,361 candidates, around 24 percent or 1,985 have submitted their reports to the Election Commission as at 3 pm on Tuesday (03), the Commission said in a statement.
Out of a total 690 political parties and independent groups, only 15.4 percent (106) and out of 527 named national list members, only 10.8 percent (57) have so far submitted their reports, the EC said.
The Regulation of Election Expenditure Act is effective for the first time in Sri Lanka for a Parliament poll.
By Aruna Bogahawatte
The SLFP is facing a serious internal crisis as multiple factions within the party vie for control over the symbol to contest the upcoming local government elections, sources reveal.
One faction, led by Nimal Siripala de Silva, supported the National Democratic Front during the presidential elections and contested under the gas cylinder symbol. Some members from this group also ran in the general elections under the same symbol, securing a single seat in Parliament. This faction, supported by key figures such as Mahinda Amaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, and several former MPs, believes the party should contest the local government elections under the traditional SLFP symbol, the ‘Hand.’
On the other side, a faction led by SLFP Treasurer Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa is pushing to contest under the People’s Alliance symbol, the ‘Chair.’ They point to the success of this symbol in the recent Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha elections, where they secured two seats.
Amid this turmoil, SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has offered to take on the role of SLFP Chairman if all factions can unite and set aside their differences for the sake of a stronger showing in the elections. Jayasekera said that he had discussed the same with Alagiyawanna and Dissanayake.
“The SLFP is now almost flattened to the ground, but I still believe it could be a formidable force in the next election if its leaders come together without delay,” Jayasekera said.
Fairly heavy showers are likely at some places in Western, and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, and Matara districts during the evening or night
Nadu Rice Prices Set: wholesale Rs. 225, retail Rs. 230
EC warns of legal action against candidates not compiling expense report
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