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President halts construction of road skirting Sinharaja

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By Ifham Nizam 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has ordered the suspension of the construction of a road between Neluwa Lankagama and Pitadeniya , skirting the Sinharaja rainforest. Environmentalists who were up in arms welcomed the presidential action.

Convener of the Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka, Jayantha Wijesingha congratulated the President for his prompt decision.

The Centre for Environment and Nature Studies (CENS) on Sunday sought President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s intervention to prevent the construction of a concrete road through the Sinharaja forest.

CENS Convener Dr. Ravindra Kariyawasam said that construction  of access road to Sinharaja had destroyed the biodiversity of the vicinity.

He told The Island that the government should stop the project completely.

Some 1.5km stretch of the 32km road had been completed by Sunday. According to Kariyawasam, although the width of the road was to be eight feet, in some places it was as wide as 20 feet.

Road Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Chaminda Athuluwage has said that if there is any issue regarding the project, that can be discussed.

The construction work to expand the road bordering the Sinharaja Forest commenced during the first week of August.

The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) has written to Secretary, Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation M.K.B. Harischandra and Secretary, Ministry of Environment Dr. Anil Jasinghe about the serious threat due to the illegal expansion of the road between Neluwa to Deniyaya via Lankagama by the Army personnel on the instructions of the RDA. Lankagama is a village located within the Sinharaja rain forest, which has now exceeded its boundaries beyond limits, CEJ Executive Director Hemantha Withanage said.

“We have learned that the road expansion is already causing many disturbances to the forest including illicit felling, removing soil and dumping it on slopes.”

According to Withanage the road widening would destroy many trees and important habitats including 38 large trees.

 



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Navy seize two Indian fishing boats poaching in Sri Lankan waters north of Mannar

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The Sri Lanka Navy seized two [02] Indian fishing boats and apprehended 14 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, during a special operation conducted in the sea area north of Mannar in the dark hours of 08 Feb 25.

The seized boats  together with the fourteen Indian fishermen were brought to the Iranativu Island and they were to be handed over to the Assistant Directorate of Fisheries, Kilinochchi for onward legal proceedings.

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Islandwide power outage

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A sudden power cut has been reported across the island.

Accordingly, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) said steps are being taken to restore the power supply.

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Business

President invites exporters to rise again from the economic setback

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President Anura Kumar Disanayake invited Sri Lankan exporters to rebuild and thrive on a robust economic foundation.

The President emphasized that our country faces the challenge of capturing market share from a position of relative weakness. He pointed out that, to overcome this, external support had to be sought. In this regard, he highlighted that the government is prepared to provide assistance for recovery based on the current economic stability.

President Anura Kumar Disanayake made these remarks at the 26th Presidential Export Awards Ceremony.

The 26th Presidential Export Awards, organized by the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), was held on Friday (07) at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) under the patronage of President Anura Kumar Disanayake.

The main objective of the awards ceremony is to recognize exporters who have made significant contributions to the economic development of Sri Lanka.

The Presidential Export Award, presented by the President, is the highest honour for Sri Lankan exporters who have made significant contributions to the export sector and economic development.

The Presidential Export Awards program, initiated by the EDB in 1981, has been held annually to recognize Sri Lanka’s top exporters. The awards ceremony for the 2023/24 financial year took place this year.

A total of 14 major awards and 51 awards in the categories of production and services were presented, with recipients gaining the opportunity to use the Presidential Export Award logo as a marketing tool for three years.

President Anura Kumar Disanayake further emphasized the critical importance of the trust placed in Sri Lanka by international economic stakeholders to stabilize the country’s economy. He noted that the global market economy is interconnected, not entirely independent.

He further pointed out that the primary challenge facing Sri Lanka is securing a substantial share of the market amidst the current global division of markets and the ongoing competition to reclaim market shares.

President Anura Kumar Disanayake noted that the global market has become an interconnected network. He emphasized that in order for the country to become a key participant in this market, it must engage in trade agreements that are beneficial to Sri Lanka. He cautioned that aggressive, reckless approaches to market penetration would not be successful, stressing the need for strategic, thoughtful engagement.

The President further stated that the government is already taking steps to provide the necessary technical support for Sri Lankan exporters to enter the market with high-quality products. He highlighted the government’s focus on supplying new goods and services in response to global changes, in line with international market trends.

Regarding the reduction of electricity bills, the President mentioned that the government is prioritizing renewable energy sources to maintain long-term stability in energy costs. He added that efforts are underway to lower costs and ensure stable pricing over the next few years.

President Disanayake also emphasized that the government is committed to playing a pivotal role in advancing the nation’s economy to new heights. He noted that even small or misguided decisions can have significant negative impacts on the economy, and therefore, decisions regarding the economy must be made with great caution and foresight.

In his remarks, the President assured that the government is fully committed to fulfilling exporters’ requests, which are vital to strengthening the nation’s economy and maintaining a strong economic foundation.

Finally, the President invited Sri Lankan exporters to unite in strengthening the economy, stressing the importance of collaboration and mutual understanding to navigate the challenges of economic recovery and growth effectively.

The ceremony was attended by several distinguished individuals, including Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody, Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Thilaka Jayasundara, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Duminda Hulangamuwa, along with various Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentarians, foreign diplomats, Secretaries to the Ministries, and members of the EDB.

[PMD]

 

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