Regional heads in Asia have come up with a co-ordinated effort to protect migrant worker rights and welfare in the region, according to decisions taken at the recently concluded “Colombo Process” convention in Dubai.
According to Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, member countries had agreed to have better interaction to minimise abuse against migrant workers.
Accordingly a proper mechanism has been proposed to look into the work of private employment agencies, employers and tough measures have been proposed to deter possible offenders.
Also special emphasis has been laid on the proper payment of migrant worker wages and also regarding exorbitant fees charged by private employment agencies, with the members agreeing on Government intervention over such matters.
Also it has come up with several proposals to uplift foreign employment promotion in the region with the focus on better skilled manpower.
The Minister said the member countries had agreed to launch a co-ordinated effort to train skilled workers for various sectors considering the high demand for such manpower in the region and beyond.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Yachtsmen arrested for shooting at fishing boats
A fisherman was slightly injured when some foreigners on a yachting cruise fired warning shots towards some fishing boats, 30 nautical miles off Kirinda, Maharawana fort on Tuesday night.
A German couple and another German and Brazilian sailing on two yachts from the Andaman, Nicobar Islands to Kochin had observed some boats approaching towards their yachts, 30 nautical miles off Maharawana fort.
“The sailors on the two yachts fired warning shots but the boats failed to respond and were speeding towards the yachts. The sailors fired two warning shots below the fishing boats and had injured a fisherman in the arm”, Navy Spokesman Commander D.P.K.Dassanayake said.
The Navy later reached the location and arrested the fishermen and the sailors and handed them over to the police. “The injured fisherman was admitted to the Karapitiya hospital”, he added.
A German couple and another German and Brazilian sailing on two yachts from the Andaman, Nicobar Islands to Kochin had observed some boats approaching towards their yachts, 30 nautical miles off Maharawana fort.
“The sailors on the two yachts fired warning shots but the boats failed to respond and were speeding towards the yachts. The sailors fired two warning shots below the fishing boats and had injured a fisherman in the arm”, Navy Spokesman Commander D.P.K.Dassanayake said.
The Navy later reached the location and arrested the fishermen and the sailors and handed them over to the police. “The injured fisherman was admitted to the Karapitiya hospital”, he added.
Lanka sixth in Australia's immigrant intake
Australia's migrant intake is surging towards 200,000 a year, a quarter of whom head to Victoria.
New Zealanders, Britons and Indians are leading the boom, according to the latest Immigration Department figures.
Almost 192,000 permanent migrant visas were issued in 2006-07, up 6.7 per cent on 2005-06.
These included more than 51,000 visas given to those already living here, says the report, Immigration Update 2006-07.
The intake is the biggest since the mass migration of the late 1960s.
Australia arguably now has the world's highest per capita migrant programme.
Traditional rival Canada currently has a lower annual rate than Australia. Victoria welcomed more than 48,000 migrants last year, most settling in Melbourne.
About 55 per cent of this intake was Asian-born; fewer than 15 per cent of arrivals were from Europe.
The top source country by birthplace was India, followed by New Zealand, China and Britain, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sudan, and Iraq. Monash University migration expert Dr Bob Birrell said the influx was staggering, especially given that the figures didn't include foreigners living here on temporary visas.
Dr Birrell said the nation was experiencing a population "perfect storm" as high migration coincided with a baby boom.
"This is the legacy that the former Coalition Government has bequeathed to Labor," he said.
Dr Birrell said that while Sydney was still attracting more migrants than Melbourne, Victoria's capital was growing faster because far fewer people were leaving it to settle in other parts of Australia.
"Sydney has serious congestion problems and a high cost of doing business, which is slowing jobs growth," he said.
Of 48,861 migrant visas issued in Victoria last year, just over half were in the skilled category.
More than 10,000 visas went to spouses or fiancees of residents. About 3600 people arriving in Victoria won visas under the humanitarian program. Herald Sun
New Zealanders, Britons and Indians are leading the boom, according to the latest Immigration Department figures.
Almost 192,000 permanent migrant visas were issued in 2006-07, up 6.7 per cent on 2005-06.
These included more than 51,000 visas given to those already living here, says the report, Immigration Update 2006-07.
The intake is the biggest since the mass migration of the late 1960s.
Australia arguably now has the world's highest per capita migrant programme.
Traditional rival Canada currently has a lower annual rate than Australia. Victoria welcomed more than 48,000 migrants last year, most settling in Melbourne.
About 55 per cent of this intake was Asian-born; fewer than 15 per cent of arrivals were from Europe.
The top source country by birthplace was India, followed by New Zealand, China and Britain, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia, Sudan, and Iraq. Monash University migration expert Dr Bob Birrell said the influx was staggering, especially given that the figures didn't include foreigners living here on temporary visas.
Dr Birrell said the nation was experiencing a population "perfect storm" as high migration coincided with a baby boom.
"This is the legacy that the former Coalition Government has bequeathed to Labor," he said.
Dr Birrell said that while Sydney was still attracting more migrants than Melbourne, Victoria's capital was growing faster because far fewer people were leaving it to settle in other parts of Australia.
"Sydney has serious congestion problems and a high cost of doing business, which is slowing jobs growth," he said.
Of 48,861 migrant visas issued in Victoria last year, just over half were in the skilled category.
More than 10,000 visas went to spouses or fiancees of residents. About 3600 people arriving in Victoria won visas under the humanitarian program. Herald Sun
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Japan, ADB to support rural road project in poorest districts in Sri Lanka
MUMBAI (Thomson Financial) - Japan and the Asian Development Bank are supporting a pilot project that will combine rural road work and the creation of income-generating opportunities in the poorest districts of Sri Lanka, the bank said in a release.
The project will be funded by a 2 mln usd grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction to be managed by ADB and the Sri Lankan government and project beneficiaries will contribute 245,000 usd to complete the funding requirement, ADB added.
The improvement of rural access roads and livelihood development for the poor project will rehabilitate about 200 kilometres of rural access roads with community participation in Badulla, Monaragala and Ratnapura, the poorest districts in Sri Lanka.
The non-governmental organizations will also provide training for self-employment programs to 2,000 beneficiaries in the three target districts.
The assistance was in response to the request made by Sri Lanka to ADB for the development of an innovative project on a pilot basis to address the present poverty in the three target districts by improving their rural access roads.
'Although ADB finances the improvement of national and provincial roads, it has not yet financed improvement of rural access roads in Sri Lanka by generating income opportunities for poor village people,' said TM Tilakaratne, Implementation/Program Officer of ADB's Resident Mission in Sri Lanka.
'Lessons learned from the project could be applied to rural community development programs implemented by the government and other donors in other districts,' he added.
The project will be funded by a 2 mln usd grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction to be managed by ADB and the Sri Lankan government and project beneficiaries will contribute 245,000 usd to complete the funding requirement, ADB added.
The improvement of rural access roads and livelihood development for the poor project will rehabilitate about 200 kilometres of rural access roads with community participation in Badulla, Monaragala and Ratnapura, the poorest districts in Sri Lanka.
The non-governmental organizations will also provide training for self-employment programs to 2,000 beneficiaries in the three target districts.
The assistance was in response to the request made by Sri Lanka to ADB for the development of an innovative project on a pilot basis to address the present poverty in the three target districts by improving their rural access roads.
'Although ADB finances the improvement of national and provincial roads, it has not yet financed improvement of rural access roads in Sri Lanka by generating income opportunities for poor village people,' said TM Tilakaratne, Implementation/Program Officer of ADB's Resident Mission in Sri Lanka.
'Lessons learned from the project could be applied to rural community development programs implemented by the government and other donors in other districts,' he added.
Sri Lanka’s Hatton wants 5 million customers
Rajendra Theagarajah, the managing director of Hatton National Bank (HNB), is keen to ride on the coattails of Sri Lankan banks going global.
More corporates from the island are beginning to explore overseas opportunities by sourcing materials from other countries and outsourcing production around Asia. This is good news for Theagarajah, as growing local corporates can provide more lucrative fee-based business.
“Once these guys go global, the diversity in terms of political and country risk becomes manageable and they become more sought after [by investors],” he says. “So, I think we have a strategy to follow some of these big players.” Although the bank is already the country’s fourth-largest with over SLR237 billion ($2.2 billion) in assets, it clearly has its eye on a bigger prize than the Sri Lankan market.
Theagarajah has his eye on commodity exporters. He says they are getting smarter about branding, marketing and distribution. “This is where we feel our investment banking and corporate finance expertise can come in to convince some of these private family-owned businesses to give up part of their ownership and pursue a public listing,” says Theagarajah.
The alternative, he says, is to encourage them to raise funds through convertibles or private placements so these businesses can harness the potential of their balance sheets rather than relying on traditional bank financing to grow them.
The bank also wants to tap into Sri Lanka’s army of SMEs. The bank is keen to educate small business owners to help develop their businesses. “Traditionally, Sri Lanka has been an asset-backed lending environment, and we are slowly and steadily getting into cash flow lending,” says Theagarajah. The bank has developed more sophisticated risk management tools together with the International Finance Corporation, the private sector investment arm of The World Bank, to keep a check on its SME borrowers.
More corporates from the island are beginning to explore overseas opportunities by sourcing materials from other countries and outsourcing production around Asia. This is good news for Theagarajah, as growing local corporates can provide more lucrative fee-based business.
“Once these guys go global, the diversity in terms of political and country risk becomes manageable and they become more sought after [by investors],” he says. “So, I think we have a strategy to follow some of these big players.” Although the bank is already the country’s fourth-largest with over SLR237 billion ($2.2 billion) in assets, it clearly has its eye on a bigger prize than the Sri Lankan market.
Theagarajah has his eye on commodity exporters. He says they are getting smarter about branding, marketing and distribution. “This is where we feel our investment banking and corporate finance expertise can come in to convince some of these private family-owned businesses to give up part of their ownership and pursue a public listing,” says Theagarajah.
The alternative, he says, is to encourage them to raise funds through convertibles or private placements so these businesses can harness the potential of their balance sheets rather than relying on traditional bank financing to grow them.
The bank also wants to tap into Sri Lanka’s army of SMEs. The bank is keen to educate small business owners to help develop their businesses. “Traditionally, Sri Lanka has been an asset-backed lending environment, and we are slowly and steadily getting into cash flow lending,” says Theagarajah. The bank has developed more sophisticated risk management tools together with the International Finance Corporation, the private sector investment arm of The World Bank, to keep a check on its SME borrowers.
Sri Lanka Air Force destroys LTTE nerve center, ‘X-ray Base'
Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets this morning bombed a frequent visiting place of the LTTE leader in Kilinochchi, known as "X-ray Base". Air Force fighter jets in a low flying mission have targeted the base located east of Iranamadu Tank in the Kalmadukulama area, with pin point accuracy, the Defense Ministry said.
Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Andrew Wijesooriya said the air sorties were carried out on information obtained through real-time air surveillance and ground reconnaissance. “We believed he (Prabha) was in the base and no confirmation on his condition or whereabouts after the raid,” the spokesperson added.
Defence intelligence sources said that the air raid was timed with a “special” activity that was going on at the LTTE base. Fighter pilots have confirmed that the target was accurately hit. However, the extent of damage is yet to be ascertained.
The target was located in a thick jungle patch, north of LTTE’s “runaway” in Iranamadu. The area has been long demarcated as a “high security zone” and a ‘no go’ area for civilians, the sources added.
Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Andrew Wijesooriya said the air sorties were carried out on information obtained through real-time air surveillance and ground reconnaissance. “We believed he (Prabha) was in the base and no confirmation on his condition or whereabouts after the raid,” the spokesperson added.
Defence intelligence sources said that the air raid was timed with a “special” activity that was going on at the LTTE base. Fighter pilots have confirmed that the target was accurately hit. However, the extent of damage is yet to be ascertained.
The target was located in a thick jungle patch, north of LTTE’s “runaway” in Iranamadu. The area has been long demarcated as a “high security zone” and a ‘no go’ area for civilians, the sources added.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
LTTE conspirator sentenced to 57 months in US
A US District Court has sentenced a Sri Lankan to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to provide arms, ammunition and other military materiel to the LTTE.
The sentence was imposed on Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa, a Sri Lankan resident in the USA, by US District Judge Catherine C. Blake Baltimore, Maryland yesterday.
US Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announced that Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa has been sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempted exportation of arms and munitions.
Varatharasa will be deported from the United States after serving his sentence of incarceration.
Rosenstein said: “We are using undercover operations targeting people who attempt to obtain military weapons in violation of American law and all other available legal tools to prevent terrorism.”
According to his plea agreement, from April to September 29, 2006 Varatharasa conspired with Haji Subandi, Haniffa Osman and Erick Wotulo to export state-of-the-art firearms, machine guns and ammunition, surface to air missiles, night vision goggles and other military weapons to the LTTE to be used to fight against Sri Lankan Government Forces.
The sentence was imposed on Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa, a Sri Lankan resident in the USA, by US District Judge Catherine C. Blake Baltimore, Maryland yesterday.
US Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announced that Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa has been sentenced to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempted exportation of arms and munitions.
Varatharasa will be deported from the United States after serving his sentence of incarceration.
Rosenstein said: “We are using undercover operations targeting people who attempt to obtain military weapons in violation of American law and all other available legal tools to prevent terrorism.”
According to his plea agreement, from April to September 29, 2006 Varatharasa conspired with Haji Subandi, Haniffa Osman and Erick Wotulo to export state-of-the-art firearms, machine guns and ammunition, surface to air missiles, night vision goggles and other military weapons to the LTTE to be used to fight against Sri Lankan Government Forces.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Claymore explosion targeting government minister ; 11 wounded- Ja-Ela
A claymore bomb has been triggered off targeting a VIP motorcade carrying a non-cabinet minister of Nation Building, D.M Dassanayake, at Ja-Ela around 10.35 this morning, January 08.
According to the available information the motorcade was plying towards Colombo along the Negombo - Colombo (A-3) main road when the explosion occurred near the Rukmani Devi junction, defence sources said.
Latest information said that minister D.M Dassanayake and four others who sustained severe injuries are now being treated at the Intensive Care Unit at Ragama Teaching hospital. The Director of the Ragama hospital speaking exclusively to defence.lk said six others were also admitted following the explosion.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Boost for Lanka-Maldives ties
Maldivian Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah Shahid who arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday on a two-day official visit, called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama.
The discussions with the Sri Lankan leaders centered on a range of bilateral issues including further strengthening of the growing bilateral ties between the two countries.
Further, matters of common interest within the framework of SAARC and 15th SAARC Summit to be held in Sri Lanka also featured in the discussions.
The leaders expressed satisfaction over the rapidly increasing interaction between the two countries, especially since President Rajapaka’s state visit to the Maldives in 2007, which was followed by a number of Ministerial and officials’ level visits between the two countries.
Dr. Abdullah Shahid was appointed as the Foreign Minister in August 2007 and this is his first official visit to Sri Lanka as Foreign Minister.
The discussions with the Sri Lankan leaders centered on a range of bilateral issues including further strengthening of the growing bilateral ties between the two countries.
Further, matters of common interest within the framework of SAARC and 15th SAARC Summit to be held in Sri Lanka also featured in the discussions.
The leaders expressed satisfaction over the rapidly increasing interaction between the two countries, especially since President Rajapaka’s state visit to the Maldives in 2007, which was followed by a number of Ministerial and officials’ level visits between the two countries.
Dr. Abdullah Shahid was appointed as the Foreign Minister in August 2007 and this is his first official visit to Sri Lanka as Foreign Minister.
Govt. to present political proposals soon
The Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is fully capable of presenting a set of political proposals that satisfy and receive the consent of all. The Government will present this set of political proposals shortly, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said.
Addressing the media at his office in Colombo yesterday, Minister Bogollagama said the main objective of the Government is achieving sustainable stability and peace.
The APRC is now in its final stage of drafting proposals. The Government is not focusing on banning the LTTE at the moment and the doors are always open for talks, he said.
Explaining the background and related issues to the abrogation of the CFA, Minister Bogollagama said the abrogation of the CFA does not mean that the facilitation extended by the Norwegian Government to the Sri Lankan Government also ends with it.
The Government immensely values the contribution of the facilitators, Co-chairs and the international community towards negotiations, the Minister said.
The diplomatic community understood the facts and agreed with the Government’s decision to abrogate the CFA, he said.
The Government decided to abrogate the CFA after carefully considering the ground realities, all unfolding events and acting honestly in a realistic way.
Addressing the media at his office in Colombo yesterday, Minister Bogollagama said the main objective of the Government is achieving sustainable stability and peace.
The APRC is now in its final stage of drafting proposals. The Government is not focusing on banning the LTTE at the moment and the doors are always open for talks, he said.
Explaining the background and related issues to the abrogation of the CFA, Minister Bogollagama said the abrogation of the CFA does not mean that the facilitation extended by the Norwegian Government to the Sri Lankan Government also ends with it.
The Government immensely values the contribution of the facilitators, Co-chairs and the international community towards negotiations, the Minister said.
The diplomatic community understood the facts and agreed with the Government’s decision to abrogate the CFA, he said.
The Government decided to abrogate the CFA after carefully considering the ground realities, all unfolding events and acting honestly in a realistic way.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Cancer Institute gets new ward complex
Urban and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardana inaugurated the construction of the three storeyed ward complex for Maharagama Cancer Institute which was estimated to cost Rs. 60 million. Australian High Commissioner Greg French also participated.
The patients of the Cancer Institute are undergoing immense difficulties due to the lack of sufficient beds and rooms. Over eight hundred cancer patients are receiving residential treatment in the Cancer Institute but there are only 600 beds, the hospital sources said.
The construction of new ward complex will accommodate more patients and ease the prevaling congestion.
The patients of the Cancer Institute are undergoing immense difficulties due to the lack of sufficient beds and rooms. Over eight hundred cancer patients are receiving residential treatment in the Cancer Institute but there are only 600 beds, the hospital sources said.
The construction of new ward complex will accommodate more patients and ease the prevaling congestion.
Forces' Chiefs predict Tiger extinction in 2008
The Tri-Forces Commanders yesterday expressed confidence that 2008 would be a decisive year in their effort of eliminating terrorism from Sri Lanka since they were already on course towards accomplishing this task by next year.
Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka who has already announced his intention of shifting the current battles to a decisive phase in August next year, expressed confidence of achieving the mission by reducing the existing number of Tiger cadres to 2,000.
"Considering the number of Tiger cadres that get killed each day in the Wanni front and in Jaffna, this task can be achieved soon," the Army Commander added.
"We can bring the war against the LTTE to a turning point once we are able to destroy the LTTE capabilities to operate in bunkers and FDLs," he added.
"Then it would be a case of hunting down the Tiger cadres in the jungles", the Army Commander added.
He said it would be difficult for Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to engage in a game of hide and seek for long since the Air Force is taking each and every hideout of the LTTE in the Wanni.
He also explained that the Army was ready to take on this task with the formation of five offensive Divisions in the Army to face an estimated 5,000 Tiger cadres left in the Wanni.
Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunatilleke also expressed confidence that the task of totally defeating the LTTE in 2008 was high.
Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka who has already announced his intention of shifting the current battles to a decisive phase in August next year, expressed confidence of achieving the mission by reducing the existing number of Tiger cadres to 2,000.
"Considering the number of Tiger cadres that get killed each day in the Wanni front and in Jaffna, this task can be achieved soon," the Army Commander added.
"We can bring the war against the LTTE to a turning point once we are able to destroy the LTTE capabilities to operate in bunkers and FDLs," he added.
"Then it would be a case of hunting down the Tiger cadres in the jungles", the Army Commander added.
He said it would be difficult for Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to engage in a game of hide and seek for long since the Air Force is taking each and every hideout of the LTTE in the Wanni.
He also explained that the Army was ready to take on this task with the formation of five offensive Divisions in the Army to face an estimated 5,000 Tiger cadres left in the Wanni.
Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunatilleke also expressed confidence that the task of totally defeating the LTTE in 2008 was high.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)