<ul><li>Power tariff hike and fuel costs push production expenses higher</li><li>Industry warns orders shifting to Vietnam, Bangladesh and India</li><li>Calls for targeted electricity relief to safeguard export sector</li></ul> The Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters (SLCGE) warned that Sri Lanka is gradually losing market share to more competitive countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, and India, stating that rising fuel prices and electricity tariff hikes are driving up production costs.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (17), SLCGE Vice President Rumesh Perera said the recently announced 18 per cent electricity tariff hike for domestic consumers using over 180 units had created additional pressure on garment factories already struggling with rising operational costs. “We have not faced the immediate shock yet because we are currently supplying already secured orders. But when we now calculate costs for future production, the cost per garment unit has increased. If we cannot offer competitive pricing to our clients, we risk losing a considerable volume of orders to other competing countries,” he said. He noted that although some large-scale factories had shifted to green energy solutions, the majority of garment factories in Sri Lanka still depend heavily on the national electricity supply. “The garment sector is facing a major challenge. If the Government can introduce a programme to provide electricity at a lower price for manufacturers, the industry will be able to sustain itself,” he added. He further said Sri Lanka’s manufacturing costs were already higher than those of competing countries even before the latest tariff increases. “We recently increased factory workers’ wages following the new private sector basic salary requirements. At this point, we cannot further increase salaries without losing our profit margins and risking the loss of orders. At the same time, factory workers are also struggling with the rising cost of living,” he said.Sri Lanka’s garment industry remains the country’s largest industrial export sector, generating more than 40 per cent of total merchandise export revenue and contributing around seven per cent to the national GDP. The industry directly employs over 350,000 people and is considered one of the country’s leading sectors for female workforce participation and ethical manufacturing.

Garment exporters warn: SL at risk of losing apparel orders

<ul><li>29 complaints reported in recent years, several found baseless</li></ul> In the wake of the recent landmark Supreme Court (SC) ruling involving the University of Peradeniya sexual harassment case against a former Senior Professor of the Faculty of Dentistry, the University stated around 29 complaints related to sex and gender-based harassment and misconduct had been reported in recent years, with several of them later found to be baseless.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (17), Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof&nbsp; Ranjith Pallegama said the University was prepared to further strengthen its existing mechanisms on sex and gender-based harassment following the recent SC ruling, which issued directives regarding the handling of a past complaint within the institution. He said the University already had established systems in place, including a Sex and Gender-Based Harassment and Violence (SGBHV) Committee and standard operating procedures that had functioned for several years alongside awareness programmes conducted across faculties. He noted that increased awareness within the University had resulted in even minor incidents now being formally reported by students and staff. “Over the past few years, around 29 cases of different types have been reported. A number of them were found to be baseless,” the Deputy Vice Chancellor said, adding that inquiries were conducted where sufficient material was available to proceed.He said the University investigates all complaints where evidence exists or where complainants and witnesses come forward and takes appropriate action according to established procedures.Referring to the recent SC ruling, Prof Pallegama noted that the case related to an incident that had taken place several years ago and that the University Council had already taken decisions regarding the matter around 2020. He said the University would now review the directives issued by the SC and present them before the Council for further discussion. “We will consider whether anything more needs to be done in addition to the existing procedures we have been following,” he said, adding that any further measures would be implemented through the SGBHV Committee or other suitable mechanisms.He also noted that cases involving sex and gender-based harassment ranged from discrimination to other forms of misconduct, although only a limited number of complaints are currently under investigation. According to Prof&nbsp; Pallegama, around five cases are presently being examined.Public Relations Officer of the Peradeniya University Mahesh Abeywickrame said a dedicated gender-based portal had been introduced to facilitate complaints and that training workshops were being conducted for non-academic staff and students to improve awareness and strengthen preventive measures. He added that further initiatives are expected to be implemented following the next University Council meeting.Meanwhile, University Grants Commission Secretary Dr&nbsp; Priyantha Premakumara told The Daily Morning that although clear instructions and mechanisms were already in place, similar incidents could still occur. “We have a Centre for Gender Equity and Equality through which circulars and instructions regarding gender-based issues within universities have been issued,” he said.Dr&nbsp; Premakumara added that the matter would also be discussed within the Commission and that further regulations or additional measures could be introduced if necessary.

SC ruling on sexual harassment case: Pera Uni to review harassment policy

<ul><li>Maduruketiya GN denies allegations</li></ul> Residents of Monaragala have alleged that several officials attached to the Monaragala Divisional Secretariat engaged in fraudulent practices while distributing Ditwah disaster compensation payments, including forcibly taking portions of compensation money from recipients.Some residents claimed they were asked to pay commissions in order to receive compensation that had already been approved for them.A female accused a Disaster Relief Services Officer attached to disaster relief services of taking Rs&nbsp; 100,000 as commission from her compensation payment. She said she received a Rs&nbsp; 2 million cheque on 20 April and had gone to the bank accompanied by an official and another individual connected to the office. According to her, the official instructed her on how much money to withdraw and later took Rs 100,000 from the cash bundle, claiming it was his commission. The female said she later lodged complaints with both the Monaragala Divisional Secretariat and the police. She further alleged that after the complaint was made, the official and another individual visited her home and attempted to pressure her into withdrawing the complaint, promising to return the money and instructing her to say the cash had been misplaced inside the house. Separate allegations have also surfaced against a Grama Niladhari attached to the Maduruketiya area under the Monaragala Divisional Secretariat. Residents claimed individuals requesting compensation were asked to pay commissions in order to secure approval for higher compensation amounts. One resident alleged that although compensation worth Rs 5,000,000 had been promised, a payment of Rs 1,000,000 had been requested as commission through an intermediary. Another resident claimed Rs 50,000 had been demanded from a compensation payment of Rs 289,075, with threats that the remaining compensation would not be approved otherwise. When contacted by The Daily Morning, Maduruketiya Grama Niladhari WG Nimal said he recommended suitable families to the relevant institutions for compensation based on the relevant circulars and criteria. However, he claimed some individuals who were not recommended for compensation due to not meeting the relevant criteria were making this allegation as part of a conspiracy. "I have not received or requested money from anyone. I performed my duty based on the relevant circulars&nbsp; The allegation against me is that a person from the village requested money from them on my behalf. So what can I do about it? Why did they give money to that person? How can it be said that I requested him to demand money from them? An institutional investigation is currently underway in this regard. I hope to take legal action as soon as those proceedings are concluded."Meanwhile, the Department of Government Information stated yesterday that the Disaster Relief Services Officer who has been accused of seeking a commission from a Ditwah victim has been suspended from duty. Maduruketiya Grama Niladhari, who has been accused of demanding commissions, has also been transferred to another division to facilitate the investigation. Attempts to contact the Monaragala Divisional Secretary proved futile.&nbsp;

Ditwah compensation payments: Monaragala officials accused of demanding commissions

<ul><li>TUs urge tougher action against repeated sabotage concerns</li></ul>Two individuals, one accused of removing railway track components between Wanawasala and Kelaniya and another suspected of purchasing the stolen materials, have been remanded until 29 May over the train derailment that occurred on 16 May.The arrests were made following investigations launched by the Peliyagoda Police after a train derailed and overturned between the Kelaniya and Wanawasala Railway Stations. Railway Department Traffic Superintendent Asanka Samarasinghe said the accident had been caused by the removal of iron bars connected to the railway points system used to switch trains between tracks.Police stated the main suspect arrested over the incident is a 25-year-old youth heavily addicted to drugs. Further investigations later led to the arrest of a second suspect believed to have purchased the stolen railway materials.Both suspects were produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court and ordered to be remanded until 29 May.In the wake of the derailment, railway trade unions yesterday urged authorities to take stronger action to prevent similar incidents and crack down on scrap metal buyers aiding such crimes. Speaking to The Daily Morning, Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Union General Secretary Kasun Chamara Jayasekara said such incidents had repeatedly occurred in the Kelaniya and Wanawasala areas in the past due to the high presence of drug addicts in the area.Although the Railways Department had deployed security officers and managed to control the situation to some extent, he said preventing such incidents entirely would not be possible without continuous support from the police.“The individual who removed the railway track components sold them for only Rs&nbsp; 3,000. However, the Railways Department has suffered losses exceeding Rs&nbsp; 20 million because of this incident. The responsible individual must be prosecuted properly. In addition, several scrap metal shops in these areas continue purchasing stolen railway materials from drug users and thieves. They should also be dealt with for enabling such crimes to continue,” he said.Meanwhile, the Locomotive Engineers’ Association has called on the Railways Department to immediately resume night patrol operations, claiming the service is currently not functioning properly.Association President Jeewa Gunawardena said the relevant divisions should pay closer attention to observations and warnings raised by train drivers during operations. “We also request the Railways Department to immediately redeploy the night patrol teams previously assigned by the track maintenance division. These services are essential to prevent incidents like this in the future,” he said.Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General of Police for Western Province North Kalinga Jayasinghe said the stolen railway components had reportedly been sold for just Rs&nbsp; 3,000 and confirmed that police had arrested the individual who allegedly purchased them.He added that legal action would be filed not only over damage to public property, but also over the financial losses and danger caused to human lives by the derailment.DIG Jayasinghe further warned that those who knowingly purchase stolen public property would also face legal consequences.Railway General Manager Samarasinghe meanwhile said three injured passengers remain hospitalised following the derailment.He said six passengers had initially been injured, with one person discharged on 16 May and another released from hospital yesterday. The remaining three patients, including a female passenger, continue receiving treatment.He also said the Railways Department has an approved compensation scheme for railway accident victims.“Compensation for deaths or permanent disability has now been increased from Rs 150,000 to Rs one million. Hospitalised passengers are also entitled to daily payments for treatment and additional compensation depending on the severity of injuries,” he said.Speaking further, he noted that repair work at the derailment site was expected to be completed by yesterday evening, with normal train operations likely to resume from the beginning of this week.

Wanawasala Train Derailment: Total loss nears Rs 20 m; two remanded 

<ul><li>Probes underway into two separate incidents</li></ul>SriLankan Airlines issued a clarification regarding two separate financial fraud incidents involving a compromised email account in the UAE and alleged misappropriation of funds at its Chennai office in India.According to the national carrier, a payment amounting to AED 974,000 was fraudulently redirected after the email account of a Dubai-based service provider was compromised by a third party.The Airline stated it was informed by the service provider that payment had not been received, after which investigations revealed that bank account details had allegedly been altered through fraudulent communications sent from the compromised email account.SriLankan Airlines noted that immediate action was taken to stop further payments to the account and that the matter had been reported to authorities in both the UAE and Sri Lanka, including the Criminal Investigation Department.The Airline maintained that the payment had been made based on what appeared to be legitimate instructions and supporting documents carrying authorised signatures, which were later found to be fraudulent.SriLankan Airlines further stated that it does not accept liability for the non-receipt of funds by the service provider, noting that the incident resulted from a compromise within the provider’s own email system.In a separate case, the Airline stated several employees attached to its finance division in Chennai are suspected of misappropriating INR 22 million over a period of time by allegedly altering invoices, payment details, and signatures.The airline added that unusual payments were first detected by its Head Office in Colombo, leading to an internal investigation.Following the probe, the employees concerned reportedly stopped reporting to work, and disciplinary action was initiated against them.SriLankan Airlines added that the matter has now been referred to Indian law enforcement authorities and investigations are continuing with efforts underway to recover the losses.

SriLankan clarifies fraud cases

<ul><li>Over 5,000 people affected across several districts</li></ul>Showers and strong winds are expected to continue across several parts of the country over the next 36 hours, according to the Department of Meteorology.Showers or thunderstorms will occur at times, with cloudy skies expected over the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-Western and Northern Provinces and in the Galle and Matara Districts.Fairly heavy rainfall above 50 mm is likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and in the Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya Districts.Several spells of showers are also expected in the Anuradhapura District, while showers or thunderstorms may occur at a few places in the Uva and Eastern Provinces after 1 p.m. today (17).Fairly strong winds of around 30-40 kmph can be expected at times over the western slopes of the central hills and in the Northern, North-Central and North-Western Provinces and Hambantota District.The Department requested the public to take adequate precautions to minimise damage caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thunderstorms.Meanwhile, as of 10 a.m. yesterday, 5,242 persons belonging to 1,574 families had been affected by adverse weather conditions reported from several districts.The affected districts include Ratnapura, Galle, Hambantota, Monaragala, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Kalutara, Colombo, Gampaha, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Mannar.Affected families had faced incidents including flooding, tree falls, strong winds, landslide risks and lightning-related damage.The Department of Meteorology also noted that the low-pressure area located north of Sri Lanka had weakened and that its influence over the Bay of Bengal and surrounding sea areas was gradually decreasing.

Adverse weather: Showers, strong winds to continue

The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has called for mental health support services and psychological assessments to be provided for the accused and witnesses involved in the ongoing case over the alleged importation of substandard medicines during the tenure of former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.&nbsp;Speaking to media, MCPA President Dr Chamal Sanjeewa, said the criminal case being heard before a special High Court Trial-at-Bar had now reached the final stage of the prosecution’s evidence proceedings and that those involved in the case could be experiencing significant mental and emotional pressure.The case has been filed against 12 State officials, including Rambukwella and former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sri Chandragupta, along with the supplier who imported the controversial medicines.Dr Sanjeewa noted that an accused in the case had reportedly received treatment for depression and other mental health-related conditions at the National Institute of Mental Health for nearly two years since the case began."The ongoing court case concerning allegations of importing or distributing substandard medicines and the alleged misuse of more than Rs 100 million in public funds is a significant judicial process. The wellbeing of all individuals connected to the case should be given due attention. If any accused persons or witnesses are found to be experiencing emotional distress or psychological difficulties, the Health Ministry and the Justice Ministry should ensure that appropriate treatment, counselling, and support services are made available to them."

Substandard medicine case: Mental health support for accused, witnesses urged 

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sunayna, deployed as part of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar initiative, arrived in Colombo on 15 May, marking the seventh port call of the second edition of the multinational deployment programme.The vessel carries a multinational crew from 16 countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Singapore, Seychelles, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste and the United Arab Emirates.The deployment began from Mumbai on 2 April following combined harbour training conducted for officers and sailors at Indian naval training establishments.According to the Indian Navy, the training programme covered seamanship, navigation, communication procedures, safety at sea, firefighting, damage control and specialised operations including Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) procedures and advanced bridgemanship.

INS Sunayna arrives in Colombo 

Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof has informed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of his willingness to step down from his position, while agreeing to remain in office until a suitable successor is identified to ensure a smooth and orderly transition.Yusoof, in a statement clarifying recent media speculation regarding his position as Governor, said he had earlier conveyed to the President his desire to step down from the role due to increasing challenges in balancing multiple responsibilities, including his duties as Governor, his role as the President’s Special Envoy for Foreign Direct Investment, and his family commitments.He noted that it had been a privilege to serve in public office and to contribute to the country’s progress in his capacity as Governor.However, at the request of the President, Yusoof said he would continue to serve as Governor until a successor is appointed, in order to facilitate a smooth transition. He further said that following the transition, he would be honoured to continue serving in his existing voluntary and honorary capacity as Special Envoy to the President for Foreign Direct Investment, supporting efforts to attract foreign investment through his international relationships and professional networks.

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INS Sunayna arrives in Colombo ...

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Ditwah compensation payments: ...

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Wanawasala Train Derailment: T ...

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SriLankan clarifies fraud case ...

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Adverse weather: Showers, stro ...

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INS Sunayna arrives in Colombo

INS Sunayna arrives in Colombo ...

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WP Governor to step down

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