The Indonesian Naval Ship KRI BUNG TOMO – 357 arrived at the Port of Colombo on a goodwill visit on Sunday (16 Feb 25). The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in compliance with naval traditions.

The 95m – long Multirole Light Frigate is manned by 111 crew members and commanded by Captain (N) DEDI GUNAWAN WIDYATMOKO.

During the stay in Colombo, crew members of the ship are expected to visit some tourist attractions within Colombo and the ship is scheduled to depart the island on Monday (17 Feb).

By Nisheni Atapattu

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s coconut auction volumes dropped to 21,569 nuts, with 89,687 nuts offered, recording an all time low at this week’s auction, Coconut Development Authority data showed.

The auction was conducted at a fixed price of 140,000 rupees for a thousand nuts for the fourth straight week on February 13.

It is uncertain why all the nuts offered were not bought at the auction.

Last week 177,362 nuts were offered, down and 173,007 nuts were sold.

Volumes offered at the auction have moved down after a fixed price of 140 per nut was agreed.

Wholesale prices of a nut were listed at 200-210 rupees for a large nut and 180-190 rupees for a small nut in the local market on January 13.

Coconut oil local wholesale price was 830,000 to 850,000.00 rupees per metric ton.

Coconut shells were 50,000 to 51,000 rupees per metric ton.

Coconut shell charcoal was 178,000 per metric ton.

by Norman Palihawadane

Episcopal Ordination of Anthonipillai Gananpragasam as the Bishop of Mannar is scheduled to be held next Saturday (22) at 9.30 am at Our Lady of Madhu shrine.

Bishop Anthonipillai was born on July 12, 1965, in Adampan in Mannar diocese and studied philosophy and theology at the Saint Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Jaffna.

He was ordained a priest on April 7, 1994, for the clergy of Mannar.

After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar of Murunkan (1994-1996), secretary to the bishop (1996-1999), parish priest of Cheddikulam (1999-2003), parish priest of Pallimunai (2003-2006), parish priest of Vankalai (2006-2009), rector of the diocesan minor seminary (2014-2018), and parish priest of St. Sebastian Cathedral (2018-2021) and Pesalai (2021-2023).

After obtaining a licentiate in religious education from Fordham University in New York (2010-2014), he attended a course in youth pastoral care in India (2022). Since 2023, he has served as administrator of the Our Lady of Madhu National Shrine in Mannar.