News
Lanka pushing for sharing of maritime safety and security expertise
Foreign Secretary Prof. Admiral Jayanath Colombage recently emphasized the importance in bringing together like-minded persons interested in Maritime Safety and Security (MSS) issues.
With the US led powers and China seeking to consolidate power in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is under pressure from both parties to join them.
Foreign Secretary, Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage networking a meeting at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute taking forward Sri Lanka’s leadership role in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security (WGMSS), the Foreign Ministry said.
The following is the text of FM statement issued yesterday: “As the third largest ocean woven together by trade routes, The Indian Ocean commands control of major sea-lanes carrying half of the world’s container ships, one third of the world’s bulk cargo traffic and two third of the world’s oil shipments, the Indian Ocean remains an important lifeline to international trade and transport.
“Considering these circumstances, realizing the importance of regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean for the development of the Indian Ocean littoral states the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was established in 1997. Sri Lanka is a founding member of IORA. In 2011, IORA assigned Maritime Safety and Security (MSS) as the top priority area of focus.
“Foreign Secretary elaborated that as a part of the overall responsibilities of heading the IORA WGMSS, Sri Lanka has committed to bring together like-minded persons working on MSS related issues in order to organize a series of workshops/seminars on MSS locally and regionally, looking at how Sri Lanka can benefit from and contribute to regional cooperation on MSS.
Admiral Colombage further stated that this networking meeting, was to set in motion the process that would stimulate healthy discussions within IORA Member States and across Member States to eventually create a broad data base of MSS Experts in the region and to share experiences and expertise among the Member States.
“At the event, the Foreign Secretary also announced to the MSS fraternity that Sri Lanka is to assume the Vice Chair of IORA in the latter part of 2021, and thereafter Chair for the tenure of 2023 to 2025.
He further thanked The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Colombo and the German Think Tank Max Planck Foundation for their cooperation on MSS activities, including carrying out Sri Lanka’s responsibilities leading the IORA WGMSS.”
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to appoint R. A. Chandana Saman Ranaweera Arachchi a special grade officer of Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) as the Commissioner
General of Lands.
Approval was granted at the cabinet meeting held on 05-08-2024 to resettle the unauthorized residents in the railway reserve from the Maligawatte Loco junction to Padukka railway station under the Colombo Suburban Railway Project.
Accordingly, resettlements in 694 housing units which were purchased from housing complexes owned by the Urban Development Authority have already been completed and further, 144 housing units are due
to be received from the Urban development Authority. In addition, a housing complex consisting of 120 housing units is being constructed on land in Kottawa, Malapalla area which is owned by the Railway Department for the resettlement of unauthorized residents in Maharagama, Homagama, Padukka area where there are no housing
schemes of the Urban Development Authority, and the constructions of that housing scheme is being completed at present.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, Port, and Civil Aviation to transfer the land located in Kottawa, Marapalla, belonging to the Sri Lanka Railway Department, and the housing complex within the said land to the National Housing Development Authority as a free grant in terms of the provisions of Section 6(1) of the Government Land Ordinance and to implement the said program of providing the relevant deeds to the selected beneficiaries in such a way as not to burden them financially.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to appoint Dr. Mrs. E. R. S. P. Edirimanne serving as a special grade officer in Sri Lanka Agriculture Service in the post of Additional Secretary (Agri Technology) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation as the Commissioner General of Agriculture,
R A Chandana Saman Ranaweera Arachchi appointed as Commissioner General of Lands
Resettlement of unauthorized residents in Kelaniveli Railway Reserves
Dr. Mrs. E. R. S. P. Edirimanne appointed Commissioner General of Agriculture
-
News7 days agoFSP warns of Indian designs to swamp Sri Lanka
-
News6 days agoLatest tax hike yields Rs. 7 bn profit windfall for tobacco companies
-
Features6 days agoMyth of Free Education: A global perspective for Sri Lanka
-
Midweek Review7 days agoSC gave country timely reprieve from visa scam:
-
Features3 days agoIS THIS THE FINISH OF THE SRI LANKAN ELEPHANT?
-
Business7 days agoRenowned British publisher calls on govt. to reconsider clamping 18% VAT on books
-
Business7 days ago‘Amba Yaalu’ changes face of SL’s hospitality industry with all-women operated hotel
-
Opinion7 days agoSri Lanka’s new govt., Indo-Pacific debt trap, and struggle for the 21st Century – Part 2