Sri Lanka to seize part of IOC's oil depot after UN vote
21 MAR, 2013
Sri Lanka to seize part of India oil depot after UN vote
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka today announced plans that it would partially take over a strategic oil storage depot in Trincomalee from the Indian OilBSE -0.27 %Company's local arm after India voted in favour of a US-sponsored resolution against Colombo at the UNHRC.
There had been unconfirmed reports in the local media that the government was eying the 99-tank storage facility in the north-eastern port district of Trincomalee, but Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella todayannounced at the weekly cabinet press briefing the plans to take back unutilised tanks from Indian Oil Company's local arm known as Lanka IOC.
Rambukwella said there were provisions to re-possess tanks that were not used by the Indian Oil Company's local unit, Lanka IOC, which bought one third of the government's retail oil business in 2003.
In line with the privatisation, Sri Lanka gave the World War II tank farm of 99 storage tanks in the north-eastern port of Trincomalee to Lanka OIC which is using 15 of them and refurbishing two more.
The minister said the new petroleum minister Anura Yapa after assuming duties in January was keen to expand the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation(CPC) business and wanted to increase the CPC's storage capacity.
"If they are not using these tanks, the CPC wants to take them back and put them into good use," Rambukwella told reporters here.
"If Lanka IOC is not using them and they have no future use for them, the CPC wants them. After all, this is for our country," he said.
The decision was announced as India voted with the US at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva criticising Sri Lanka's rights record, but Rambukwella said the decision to partially take back the tank farm had nothing to do with the UNHRC vote.
Lanka IOC head Subodh Dakwale said they were unaware of the government decision. He said they were refurbishing two more storage tanks at a cost of 17 million dollars.
"Sri Lankan government has been negotiating with us for some time. I would say its been a few months. We have'nt heard anything from the government," Dakwale told PTI.
By Cheranka Mendis- March 21, 2013
Sri Lanka is now looking at implementing a residency system prior to issuing dual citizenship to a person, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.
The new scheme will support foreign nationals who want to work or start a business in the island.
21 MAR, 2013
Sri Lanka to seize part of India oil depot after UN vote
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka today announced plans that it would partially take over a strategic oil storage depot in Trincomalee from the Indian OilBSE -0.27 %Company's local arm after India voted in favour of a US-sponsored resolution against Colombo at the UNHRC. There had been unconfirmed reports in the local media that the government was eying the 99-tank storage facility in the north-eastern port district of Trincomalee, but Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella todayannounced at the weekly cabinet press briefing the plans to take back unutilised tanks from Indian Oil Company's local arm known as Lanka IOC.
Rambukwella said there were provisions to re-possess tanks that were not used by the Indian Oil Company's local unit, Lanka IOC, which bought one third of the government's retail oil business in 2003.
In line with the privatisation, Sri Lanka gave the World War II tank farm of 99 storage tanks in the north-eastern port of Trincomalee to Lanka OIC which is using 15 of them and refurbishing two more.
The minister said the new petroleum minister Anura Yapa after assuming duties in January was keen to expand the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation(CPC) business and wanted to increase the CPC's storage capacity.
"If they are not using these tanks, the CPC wants to take them back and put them into good use," Rambukwella told reporters here.
"If Lanka IOC is not using them and they have no future use for them, the CPC wants them. After all, this is for our country," he said.
The decision was announced as India voted with the US at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva criticising Sri Lanka's rights record, but Rambukwella said the decision to partially take back the tank farm had nothing to do with the UNHRC vote.
Lanka IOC head Subodh Dakwale said they were unaware of the government decision. He said they were refurbishing two more storage tanks at a cost of 17 million dollars.
"Sri Lankan government has been negotiating with us for some time. I would say its been a few months. We have'nt heard anything from the government," Dakwale told PTI.
Residency system before dual citizenship for foreign nationals
By Cheranka Mendis- March 21, 2013 Sri Lanka is now looking at implementing a residency system prior to issuing dual citizenship to a person, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.
The new scheme will support foreign nationals who want to work or start a business in the island.
Addressing the SLASSCOM CXO briefing yesterday, Rajapaksa stated that the old dual citizenship process was currently being reviewed as many have not used the citizenship in a manner which benefits the country.
He stated that the draft laws to amend this were now with the legal draftsman and that until approved, the applications of those who had applied earlier were being processed the old way.
“Even though dual citizenship was introduced in Sri Lanka, there is no proper pattern to it,” Rajapaksa said. “Under the existing rule, the citizenship is just given to people who apply and then not use it when received. In some other countries there is a period where the countries grant those interested a residency period (approximately five years) before issuing the dual citizenship. This is what we hope to implement soon.”
He stated that the draft laws to amend this were now with the legal draftsman and that until approved, the applications of those who had applied earlier were being processed the old way.
“Even though dual citizenship was introduced in Sri Lanka, there is no proper pattern to it,” Rajapaksa said. “Under the existing rule, the citizenship is just given to people who apply and then not use it when received. In some other countries there is a period where the countries grant those interested a residency period (approximately five years) before issuing the dual citizenship. This is what we hope to implement soon.”
The residency scheme to be introduced will also help foreigners from countries that do not allow their nationals to be citizens in two countries, he added.
