News
German investors interested in Sri Lanka’s health sector – envoy
German Ambassador to Sri Lanka Holger Seubert has told Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella that investors from Germany, which has a most advanced healthcare system in the world, are keen to invest in Sri Lanka’s health sector, including pharmaceutical manufacture.
The Ambassador has pointed out that such investors are already active in Sri Lanka and it would be very important if it is promoted more extensively.
The German Ambassador made this observation when he called on the Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella at the Ministry of Health recently and commended the program of the Health Ministry led by the Minister.
He pointed out that there were investors interested in sectors including pharmaceuticals and their investments were at a high level and therefore it is important for Sri Lanka to focus on that.
He has pointed out that the year 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Germany and it is timely to launch a series of programs, especially in the field of health.
The Ambassador has said that the work of the Maternity Hospital to being built in the South under the name of Helmut Kohl, a former Chancellor of Germany will be completed soon and that German trained technicians will be deployed for training in the Orthopedic Unit of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital.
He has also pointed out that the work on the proposed oxygen factory at Kerawalapitiya could be started soon.
The German Ambassador has also observed that the provision of booster vaccine in Sri Lanka is a very important and timely step and it would be extremely important to provide it, especially to those in the tourism industry.
Minister of Health Rambukwella said that taking steps to provide the booster vaccine would have a more positive effect and vaccinating people in the tourism industry after giving the booster shots to the frontline health workers would immensely help the tourism industry as well as the country’s economy.
The Minister told the German Ambassador that not only Sri Lanka’s home treatment system for Covid was more successful, but it also received international acclaim and that the World Health Organization (WHO) had pointed out that Sri Lanka had set an example to the world.
Minister Rambukwella said that local and foreign investors in particular had been given the opportunity to invest in the country and plans were afoot to manufacture a large number of needed drugs in the country within the next few years.
Representing the German Chamber of Commerce, Andreas Hergenroether, Head of the German Chamber of Commerce and Malintha Gajanayake, Head of Institutional Affairs at the Embassy were also present on the occasion.
It has been reported quoting family sources that veteran singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke has passed away this morning (10) at the age of 68
She had been receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.
The wife of retired Major General Suresh Sallay has lodged a further complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that her husband’s fundamental rights continue to be violated as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers prevent him from having confidential consultations with his lawyer while he is under detention at the National Hospital.
In a letter addressed to the HRCSL Chairman on Thursday, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay has said the latest complaint was filed in relation to an earlier complaint concerning the detention and treatment of her husband.
Full text of the letter: I, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay, respectfully write to lodge this further complaint in relation to my earlier complaint bearing reference H RC-HO-1 103-26, concerning the detention and treatment of my husband, Retired Major General Suresh Sallay.
I wish to bring to the attention of the Commission a further serious violation of his fundamental rights that occurred on 08 July 2026 during a consultation between my husband and his Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Asith Siriwardena, while my husband remains under detention and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital.
I am informed by his Counsel that he is presently permitted to consult with my husband only once a week for a period of approximately twenty minutes. During the consultation held on 08 July 2026, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stationed at the Cardiac Coronary Care Unit of the National Hospital informed Counsel that they had received instructions from higher authorities that my husband should not be permitted to meet with his
legal counsel in private. Consequently, the officers remained present throughout the consultation and refused to permit a confidential lawyer-client meeting.
This conduct constitutes a grave infringement of my husband’s fundamental right to communicate privately and confidentially with his legal counsel. Confidential communication between an accused or detainee and his lawyer is an indispensable safeguard of the right to legal representation, the right to prepare his defence, and the right to a fair trial. The denial of confidential legal consultations undermines these fundamental protections guaranteed under the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the applicable provisions governing persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The confidentiality of communications between a lawyer and client is also a well-recognized principle under international human rights law and forms an essential safeguard against arbitrary detention, coercion, and unfair legal proceedings.
In view of the foregoing, I respectfully request the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to urgently intervene and take all necessary steps within its statutory mandate to:
1. Ensure that my husband is afforded immediate and unrestricted confidential access to his legal counsel without the presence or supervision of law enforcement officers;
2. Inquire into the instructions allegedly issued by higher authorities requiring CID officers to remain present during lawyer-client consultations;
3. Direct the relevant authorities to cease any practice that interferes with confidential legal consultations; and
4. Take such further action as the Commission considers appropriate to safeguard my husband’s constitutional and human rights.
This complaint is made as a further complaint to Complaint No. H RC-HO-1103-26, and I respectfully request that it be placed on the same file and considered together with my previous complaints.
I respectfully seek the Commission’s urgent intervention in this matter.
The Supreme Court yesterday (9) upheld a Colombo Commercial High Court order directing former Minister Wimal Weerawansa to pay Rs. 1 million in damages to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva for violating intellectual property rights.
A three-member Supreme Court bench dismissed in its entirety an appeal filed by Weerawansa challenging the earlier Commercial High Court ruling.
The case was instituted by Silva, who alleged that Weerawansa had violated provisions of the Intellectual Property Act by publishing his book “Neththa Wenuwata Aththa” (“Truth Instead of Lies”), which contained the JVP’s political ideology and official party documents without authorisation.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the order restraining the publication and distribution of the book in its existing form. However, the court ruled that the book could be republished if the 60-page section identified as infringing intellectual property rights was removed.
Dharmaraja and Kingswood set for historic rugby clash on Saturday
Sri Lankan singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke passes away at the age of 68
Tensions erupt in Indian state after 11-year-old raped and murdered
US and Iran trade attacks as Khamenei is buried
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Canadian PM visits Saudi Arabia to strengthen energy, mining partnerships
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