News
From freedom, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, spring the dynamism and entrepreneurism that can develop a nation – Ambassador Chung
United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung hosted an event in Colombo on June 22 to mark the 247th anniversary of America’s Declaration of Independence. Ambassador Chung took the opportunity to also highlight the anniversary of 75 years of a strong and enduring partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry attended the celebration as the Chief Guest.
American citizens around the world celebrate Independence Day, the day on which the country’s founding fathers gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776 to sign the Declaration of Independence. With the Declaration, America took its first step toward self-government, based on certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and government powers derived by the consent of the governed.
Ambassador Chung said at the event, “We firmly believe that from freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, spring the dynamism and entrepreneurism that can develop a nation, alongside the political and social stability that will secure it. That is true in the United States, in Sri Lanka, and everywhere in between.”
Highlighting that the United States is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest partners, Ambassador Chung emphasized that mutual values and close collaboration have demonstrated that both countries can succeed together. She said, “As we celebrate America’s national independence and our 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, we are really celebrating a remarkable partnership with all the citizens and the Government of Sri Lanka. For Americans, our founders stated it clearly, and to this day, we follow the course they laid – we respect and adhere to our Constitution in order to form a more perfect union. The objective of the United States’ partnership with Sri Lanka is no less profound.”
Our partnership flourishes in government-to-government and people-to-people ties that deliver benefits to both Americans and Sri Lankans alike. Since 1956, USAID has provided over US $2 billion in assistance across a variety of sectors, including nutrition, health, education, human rights and governance, disaster response, and the environment. Just in the last year, when Sri Lanka was in the midst of an economic crisis, the United States Government provided over $270 million in new support, from fertilizer for farmers to funding assistance for small businesses.
Our military-to-military relationship, which has grown steadily over the years, is focused on bilateral training, exercises, and technical exchanges that will ultimately help to build a resilient force that can contribute to ensuring an open, free, and peaceful Indo-Pacific region. The Peace Corps has helped to form tremendous cross-cultural ties since 1962, with over 500 volunteers having dedicated two or more years of their lives, building capacities in Sri Lankan communities and developing relationships that will last a lifetime.
The United States is Sri Lanka’s largest export market, with $3.3 billion in exports in 2022 alone. It is also one of the preferred destinations of Sri Lanka’s brightest, with 3,000 students travelling to the U.S. to study in the last year. The U.S. Embassy directly supports other academic and professional training through exchanges such as the Fulbright and the International Visitor Leadership Programs, with nearly 3,000 Sri Lankans participating in these programs over the past 75 years.
Looking forward, the partnership that we have established will form the foundation of even greater development of people-to-people relationships; economic, political, and social progress; and a region that remains as free and open as it is geographically vital. America’s friendship, commitment, and support in Sri Lanka have achieved much over the past 75 years, and that is worth celebrating. That same friendship, commitment, and support will endure, and together we can build a brighter future for Sri Lanka and its people.
The Parliamentary watchdog Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has found that there were fake documents regarding the importing of medicines under the emergency procurement system in 2022 and 2023.
This was revealed during a COPE meeting held at Parliament probing the transactions of the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA).
NMRA CEO Saveen Semage told the committee that several fake documents have been found due to the lack of registration of medicines.
Stating that six such fake documents were found last year alone, Semage said he had recorded statements regarding each of the documents with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division.
He revealed that, however, no investigations have been conducted yet into the incidents.
“We have documents with confessions from a woman accepting that fake documents had been made. However, a statement has not even been recorded from that woman yet,” he said.
Meanwhile, COPE member MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana also revealed that the highest number of waive-off registrations (WOR) for medicines had been obtained in 2022 and 2023.
He said 656 such WORs had been obtained in 2022 and 261 in 2023, adding that this proves that discrepancies have taken place during the emergency procurement of medicines during these periods.
Furthermore, Deputy Director General of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. G. Wijesuriya said discussions are underway on allowing the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) to directly import essential medicines.He pointed out that it was essential to take a policy decision in this regard as a solution to mitigate such discrepancies.
The Batalanda Commission report was tabled in Parliament on Friday by the Leader of the House and Transport Minister, Bimal Ratnayake.
Minister Ratnayake announced that the government has decided to forward the report to the Attorney General for legal advice. Additionally, a Presidential Committee will be appointed to provide guidance and recommendations on how to proceed with the findings of the report.
Ratnayake said that the Cabinet of Ministers, along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a policy decision to take necessary action in response to the report. He reassured the public that steps are being taken to ensure that such a dark chapter in the country’s history is never repeated.
Minister Ratnayake said that a two-day debate on the Batalanda Commission report will be scheduled in Parliament at an appropriate time, allowing for a detailed discussion on the report’s findings and recommendations.
The report, which will be printed in all three official languages—Sinhala, Tamil, and English—will be made available to the public in the near future. Ratnayake confirmed that printed copies would be provided to members of Parliament as well as the general public for their review.
The Leader of the House further revealed that there are 28 evidence volumes associated with the commission’s work, which will be submitted to Parliament at a later date for further scrutiny.
Ratnayake said that as entire country concerned of the Batalanda Commission’s findings, the government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised and preventing future atrocities stands clear. The next steps, including legal action and policy recommendations, will be shaped by expert advice and informed parliamentary discussions, he said.
Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe on Friday (14) emphasized the importance of promoting a sustainable and cost-effective construction industry in the country, highlighting key challenges and opportunities in the sector.
Speaking at ‘Construction Expo 2025’, Dr. Weerasinghe underscored the need for Sri Lanka to align with global trends in sustainable construction, integrating cost-effective energy solutions and eco-friendly building practices.
“I must say my views here are not necessarily as Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, but as a person looking at this construction industry and how this can be developed and what the issues are. Sustainability in construction is essential, not just for new projects but also for existing buildings,” he noted.
Dr. Weerasinghe acknowledged that the construction sector has been one of the hardest-hit industries due to multiple economic pressures in recent years including the decline in public investments, high material costs and the industry being dependent on government projects.
The CBSL Governor, who acknowledged that the government faced fiscal constraints, limiting infrastructure spending and delaying payments to contractors, said that however, the outstanding arrears had now been settled.
“Government did not have space to spend money for public investment, especially construction that had a significant impact on the industry in the last couple of years, plus the government inability to pay the arrears for a long period. That was an issue we all recognize that has been one of the adverse impacts the industry had in the past”, he expressed.
“Also the cost of materials went up significantly, partly because of foreign exchange shortages. As a result, the shortage had shot up the prices of construction materials, as well as depreciation of the currency, high interest rates, finance costs, and other factors. We all recognize that it had an adverse impact on the industry. It’s one of the worst affected industries because of all these factors.”
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