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IUSF students occupy ownerless "Malwana estate house"
It is reported that Colombo Port City, the Ministry of Finance, the Department of Immigration and Emigration and the Sri Lanka Police have jointly launched investigations to trace foreigners involved in cyber crimes. The investigations follow suspicions that a number of foreign nationals arrested in recent times over alleged involvement in cyber crimes had obtained visas through companies registered under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act. The immediate trigger appears to have been a case heard before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court on the 6th, during which lawyers appearing for 37 Chinese nationals informed court that the individuals had obtained visas through a company registered under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission. As the relevant company does not yet have office premises within Port City, it is reportedly operating from the Koswatta area in Talangama North. Meanwhile, Director General of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, Raven Wickramasuriya, has told the media that the police had requested information last Thursday regarding several individuals holding specific permits, and that steps had been taken to provide the requested information. He further stated that additional information had also been provided to the police the following day and expressed confidence that the information would assist ongoing police investigations. He also said that an internal inquiry has been launched to determine whether any institution operating under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission had been connected to these incidents. It is also reported that measures have already been introduced to examine criminal records, security clearance documents from the country of residence, employment contracts, passport details and intended duration of stay when registering individuals with specific permits within Colombo Port City in the future. However, Raven Wickramasuriya noted that the final authority for issuing visas to investors and employees rests with the Department of Immigration and Emigration. In recent times, foreign nationals from a number of countries, including China, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, Nepal, Malaysia, Madagascar and the Philippines, have been arrested over allegations related to cyber crimes. Among them was also a Peruvian national who had worked as a Chinese-Spanish language translator and was arrested in the Colombo 02 area, according to media reports.
IUSF occupies 'ownerless' Malwana estate, demands land for universities
Marking a significant milestone in the digital economy, the official announcement on the expansion of PayPal services in Sri Lanka was made on Saturday (16) morning at the Galle Face Hotel under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya. The Prime Minister, welcomed the initiative by Sri Lankan banks to collaborate with PayPal. PayPal services will soon be made available in Sri Lanka through initial banking partners Bank of Ceylon, Commercial Bank of Ceylon and Sampath Bank PLC, with additional banks expected to join in the coming months. The announcement marks a significant step in ongoing efforts to strengthen secure and trusted cross-border payment access for Sri Lankan consumers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and businesses. Sri Lanka’s digital economy agenda is focused on enabling inclusive growth, supporting digital entrepreneurship and strengthening the country’s connectivity with international markets. The expansion of cross-border payment services is expected to play an important role in advancing this vision by enabling Sri Lankan small businesses, start-ups and enterprises to participate more actively in global commerce. Sri Lanka’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are estimated to contribute approximately 52% of the country’s GDP, underscoring the importance of improving global market access for the sector. Freelancers, entrepreneurs, small businesses, start-ups and digital service providers are expected to benefit from improved payment interoperability and more secure and trusted methods of transacting with customers worldwide. Addressing the event, the Prime Minister said; “This is indeed a moment of celebration, and I think one that is testament to the fact that Sri Lanka’s role in the digital economy is finally being recognised, and that we are able to position ourselves both regionally and globally. As many of you know, we have ambitious targets for our digital economy, and this is expected to become one of our primary areas of growth and job creation. We also have many talented freelancers in this sector, and establishing a system of transparent and secure financial services is absolutely important to our growth strategies and to establishing ourselves in this space. The SME sector, online services, e-commerce and the digital economy are all closely linked, and I believe this is a rapidly expanding sector where we can expect some of the most exciting growth opportunities in the months and years ahead. I think ...
Protest continues at Malwana property linked to Basil Rajapaksa
A protest initiated by the Inter-University Students' Federation (IUSF) continues at the house in Malwana, which was reportedly owned by former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and subsequently taken over ...
PM to Hold Talks With IUSF Representatives Residing at Abandoned ...
A group of IUSF students entered the residence in Malwana on May 14, claiming that the property previously belonged to former minister Basil Rajapaksa and had since been abandoned.
