Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Senior police officer implicated in the businessman's murder in Sri Lanka

Sun, Jun 9, 2013, 10:55 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

June 09, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) may arrest a senior police officer soon over the murder of a Muslim businessman in Colombo, a local newspaper reported.
The CID may arrest the Colombo North Deputy Inspector General Vass Gunawardena over the murder of Mohamed Shyam, a businessman in Bambalapitiya after he was abducted from the that area last month. His body with gunshot wounds was found in the Dompe area on May 22.
According to police sources, the CID is waiting for the instructions of the Inspector General of Police N.K. Ilangakoon who is scheduled to return to country tomorrow from a visit to Russia.
The CID already has arrested four police personnel including a sub inspector who were members of the special unit operating under DIG Gunawardena.
Preliminary Police investigations have revealed that the businessman's murder was a contract killing undertaken for a fee of Rs. 3 million.

Sri Lanka seeks $600 million loan from Japan to set up coal power plant in South
Fri, Jun 7, 2013, 11:01 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

June 07, Colombo: Sri Lanka plans to set up another coal power plant in the Southern Province with assistance from Japan as a measure to lower the electricity costs while meeting the growing power demand.
The Power and Energy Ministry Secretary M.M.C. Ferdinando has told Reuters Friday that the country is in discussion with Japan to obtain a US$ 600 million loan to fund the construction of a 600 MW coal power plant.
"We have had discussions with the Japanese government and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)," Ferdinando told Reuters.
According to Ferdinando, the Ministry is considering to set up a super critical coal power plant which produces no ash and smoke. The latest-generation coal-fired power plants are more efficient than conventional designs.
"The cost is estimated at $600 million. This will be from a 40-year concessional loan. We have proposed a 600 MW capacity plant. But all will be decided after the feasibility study," the Secretary has said.
A Japanese team is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka for the feasibility assessment in two weeks, according to the Secretary.
Sri Lanka raised electricity tariff sharply in April to cover the losses at the state-run power monopoly Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). The rate hike set-off countrywide protests and agitations campaigns demanding to bring down the tariff hike.
As Sri Lanka's hydropower generation is no longer able to meet the country's daily requirement, the CEB increasingly relies on costly imported fuel oil for generating power and the losses incurred by the Board are mounting.

India's National Thermal Power Corporation and Sri Lanka's state-run electricity board are also in talks regarding construction of a 500 MW coal power plant in Sampur on the east coast.