CID initiates probe over child trafficking
The Human Trafficking, Smuggling, and Maritime Crime Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has initiated a probe into the alleged smuggling of children from Sri Lanka to other countries via Malaysia.
The investigation was launched in response to a complaint received by the police.
It has been uncovered that children under 18, primarily Tamil nationals from the Northern and Eastern areas, are being sent to Malaysia.
These children utilize legitimate passports for their travel to Malaysia but reportedly obtain fake passports once there, subsequently being sent to France and the UK.
Police reveal that approximately 13 children have been sent to Malaysia so far, and an intermediary smuggler is implicated in the operation.
Investigations are underway to apprehend the suspects, police said.
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It was revealed in the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Increasing Export of Goods & Services that ethanol, which is a by-product of sugar factories, is currently in excess. Accordingly, the officials pointed out the need to prepare a program to export the ethanol in accordance with proper standards.
This was discussed when the Committee on Sectoral Oversight Committee on Increasing Export of Goods & Services met in Parliament on 21.11.2023 under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament – Buddhika Pathirana.
Benefiting from Ethanol import ban
It was revealed in the committee that sugar factories are currently benefiting due to the ban on the import of ethanol. Officials stated that it is more effective to issue alcohol production licenses to those sugar factories as this ethanol, which is a by-product of sugar production, is used for alcohol production.
The officials pointed out to the committee that the requirement of sugar in this country is about 600,000 metric tons. However, it was revealed in the committee that only 10% or 60,000 metric tons are produced in Sri Lanka for that need. Accordingly, the committee instructed the officials to prepare and submit an action plan to increase sugar production in 2024 within three months.
Creating awareness on sugar consumption
Also, since the knowledge of the people of this country about sugar consumption is at a very low level, the committee instructed the officials to prepare a formal programme to educate the people.
Officials said that although there is a good demand abroad for palmyrah arrack and other types of alcohol produced in Sri Lanka, the market has not been able to expand due to the weaknesses in the standards. Accordingly, the officials also pointed out the importance of taking necessary measures for the export of alcohol products in Sri Lanka in accordance with the proper standards.
Given the consideration of the performance report of the Department of Project Management and Monitoring, the current status of Foreign Investment Projects was taken up for discussion where it was disclosed that only 31 projects out of 179 Foreign Investment Projects are efficacious.
The inquiry into this took place when the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans met in Parliament recently (21) under the Chairmanship of Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Member of Parliament.
Whilst it was disclosed that approximately 2.6 trillion rupees have been received for Foreign Investment Projects from foreign funded institutions, the Committee emphasized that it is very regrettable that the foreign loans and grants obtained for the country’s capital expenditure through such projects are not properly implemented to achieve the desired results through the related projects.
The Committee pointed out that the expected objectives are not being achieved through these projects and that the foreign debt of the country is increasing rapidly, and the reason for this is the weakness of the relevant Ministries and their operating institutions as well as the project monitoring units established for the implementation of these projects.
Accordingly, the Committee instructed the officials present to submit a report in this regard within one month. The Committee also approved the performance report of the Department of Project Management and Monitoring.
Following the said discussions, 4 performance reports including the performance report of the Department of Project Management and Monitoring and 3 annual reports were considered in the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economy and Physical Planning.
Accordingly, the Performance Report of Department of Public Finance 2022, Performance Report of the Department of National Planning 2022, Annual Report of the Ceylon Industrial Development Board 2020, Annual Report of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Fund 2020, Performance Report of Local Loans and Development Fund 2021, Performance Report of Ministry of Plantation Industry 2022 were considered at the Committee meeting held.
Re-scrutinized results of the 2022 (2023) Advanced Level Examination were released today (Nov.24).
In a media release, the Commissioner General of Examinations, H.J.M.C. Amith Jayasundara said the re-scrutinized results can be viewed via the exam department’s official websites: www.doenets.lk / www.results.exams.gov.lk.
