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Avurudu Ulela at Hambantota International Port
National Drivers Association draws public’s attention to the dangers of re-grooving worn out tyres
DIMO Academy for Technical Skills honours graduates at 31st convocation
Bosch Sri Lanka inaugurates new corporate office in Colombo
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The National Drivers Association (NDA) has issued a press release warning about the dangers of reusing worn-out tires by cutting grooves into them. According to the NDA, this practice is one of the main causes of motor accidents and it poses a significant risk to drivers and passengers alike. The NDA emphasizes that high-quality tires are essential for safe driving. The treads on tires keep the rubber in contact with the road surface, providing good traction and preventing slippage. This is particularly important on the often-uneven roads of Sri Lanka, where deep grooves are necessary to keep vehicles away from skidding.
Unfortunately, some businessmen are encouraging motorists and riders to re-groove their worn-out tires, putting many lives at risk. While experienced drivers tend to avoid these re-grooved tires, many new drivers of motorcycles or three-wheelers are using them. “We urge everyone not to take such risks for the sake of short-term profit. Reusing worn-out tires is dangerous and we urge all drivers to prioritize safety for themselves and their passengers.
Your life and the lives of those who travel with you depend on the quality of your vehicle’s tires.”Secretary of the NDA Mr. Gayan Dharshana Perera stated. In summary, the NDA’s press release highlights the importance of using high-quality tires and avoiding the dangerous practice of reusing worn-out tires. By doing so, drivers can help ensure their safety and the safety of others on the road.

Avurudu Ulela at Hambantota International Port
DIMO Academy for Technical Skills honours graduates at 31st convocation

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By Sanath Nanayakkare
Speaking to the media on April 15, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya hinted that debt restructuring and recovery path the country has taken is not as pleasant as it seems.
“The journey ahead for Sri Lanka is not a bed of roses and the country would have to deviate from its traditional economic norms and practices,” he said.
Meanwhile, the IMF has indicated that Sri Lanka would require USD 17 billion to repay its loans between 2023 and 2027.
Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department said at a recent press conference that the financing deficit of Sri Lanka would be about USD 24 billion during these four years, and Sri Lanka would have to raise an amount of USD 17 billion from international financial institutions.
However, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe who represented Sri Lanka at the Spring Meetings with the IMF and the World Bank held from April 10 in Washington DC, said that IMF had reiterated its support for Sri Lanka to overcome the economic crisis.
“We re-affirmed our commitment to complete the IMF programme while continuing to implement our ambitious reform agenda to achieve debt sustainability and restore economic stability. We also reiterated our dedication at this historic time to build a prosperous country with the support and trust of our international partners by building on the lessons learnt from the crisis. And the officials told me they would further extend their support to Sri Lanka for its economic stability.”
Striking a similar optimistic chord, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that Sri Lanka’s efforts in rebounding its economy have received international approval.
“The IMF programme that Sri Lanka has entered into is the recovery programme the international community recognizes. That is why the finance ministers of India, Japan and France said at a recent press briefing that if Sri Lanka moves ahead on this path, it won’t persist in the difficulty of unsustainable debt. So, the country is on the right track in the direction of recovery. But let me say that the journey ahead is not a bed of roses. We may have to deviate from our traditional economic norms and practices,” he said.
“Today, we have been able to get the first tranche of assistance from the IMF and we are creating the background for obtaining the second tranche. We are not lost anymore. We are on the right track having earned international confidence in our debt sustainability and reforms programme,” he said.
Meanwhile, according to Reuters, a committee of Sri Lanka’s international private creditors sent its first debt rework proposal to the country’s authorities regarding over $12 billion in bonds outstanding, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
It is the first bondholder proposal after Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt a year ago. It is a first formal step to engage with the country’s authorities, Reuters report said.
Bondholders and government officials met in Washington last week, with legal and financial advisers for both sides present.
The group of about 30 creditors included global investment companies Amundi Asset Management, BlackRock, HBK Capital Management and T. Rowe Price Associates.
Separately, the Paris Club of creditor governments said last Friday that it aimed to start negotiations to restructure Sri Lanka’s bilateral debt after a committee was set up by French, Japanese and Indian finance ministers, and representatives of Sri Lanka.
However, China – Sri Lanka’s biggest bilateral creditor- did not join the announcement.
Further according to Reuters:
Japan, India and France last Thursday announced a common platform for talks among bilateral creditors to coordinate restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt, a move they hope would serve as a model for solving the debt woes of middle-income economies.
“To be able to launch this negotiation process gathering such a broad-based group of creditors is a historical outcome,” Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki told a briefing. “This committee is open to all creditors,” he said, voicing hope China will join in the effort. French Director General of the Treasury Emmanuel Moulin told the briefing that the group was ready to hold the first round of talks “as soon as possible.”
Sri Lanka’s Central Bank Governor had told Reuters last week that having a single platform for talks would be a welcome move that would make it easier to discuss and share information.
Japan’s top currency diplomat Masato Kanda told reporters the group has sent an invitation to all of Sri Lanka’s bilateral creditors, including China, and hopes to hold the first round of talks at the earliest date possible.
Sri Lanka owes $7.1 billion to bilateral creditors, according to official data from its government, with $3 billion owed to China, followed by $2.4 billion to the Paris Club and $1.6 billion to India. The government also needs to renegotiate more than $12 billion of debt in eurobonds with overseas private creditors, and $2.7 billion on other commercial loans.
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Fasmin Jayah, Accounts Assistant and Henry Liu, Executive, Commercial and Marketing of Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) were judged Avurudu Kumari and Avurudu Kumaraya at the Sinhala and Tamil new year festivities at the port this year.
The Hambantota International Port (HIP) Avurudu celebrations were held in traditional style, at the port premises with all Sri Lankan and Chinese staff members participating. The event named ‘Nav Thote Avurudu Ulela’ was filled with all the usual New Year activities and a grand dinner for all stakeholders providing services to the port followed. The festivities ended with a colourful fireworks display during which the company distributed ice-cream to the surrounding community.
“It was heartening to see all our employees come together to celebrate this important occasion after a four-year hiatus.  We could not hold the event because of the various security and health-related risks in the country. As a company that respects local culture, celebrating the Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a key employee engagement event on our calendar. I am pleased to note that this year’s celebrations were conducted with utmost dedication, showcasing Sri Lankan traditional customs, and arranging various traditional new year games, which were enjoyed by everyone,” says Johnson Liu, CEO of HIPG.
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DIMO Academy for Technical Skills (DATS) recently held its 31st Convocation ceremony at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall to honour the graduates of the year 2022. The ceremony was a proud moment for the institute as it produced yet another batch of globally recognized Automobile Mechatronics technicians for the country.
The students who successfully completed the German Diploma in Automobile Mechatronics and Certificate course in Automobile Mechatronics were awarded at the ceremony. DATS is the first and only Vocational Education and Training (VET) institute in Sri Lanka to offer Automobile Mechatronics, which combines the Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, and IT aspects of an automobile into a single comprehensive competence.
Holger Seubert, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Sri Lanka was the Chief Guest of the convocation ceremony, which was also graced by the presence of Ms. Marie Antonia von Schönburg Chief Delegate of The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK), and Stefan Winkler, Director of the Goethe- Institute Colombo. The event was also attended by Mahendra Kumarasinghe, Director of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, T. Senthuran, Director-Planning, Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission Sri Lanka, Ranjith Pandithage, Chairman & Managing Director of DIMO, Gahanath Pandithage, Group Chief Executive Officer of DIMO, Ms. Dilrukshi Kurukulasuriya, Executive Director/ CHRO of DIMO, and other officials as well.
Ranjith Pandithage, Chairman & Managing Director of DIMO said, Developing vocational education is a critical factor for the Economic growth in the country. DATS plays a significant role enhancing vocational education in the country through its dynamic training courses from Automobile Mechatronics, Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Technology to plant engineering. Fuelling the dreams and aspirations of the youth in Sri Lanka DIMO aims to empower them with the correct skill sets as their perfect talent partner.
This program is recognized as identical to the German equivalent, and its graduates are eligible to work in Germany. The certificate in Automobile Mechatronics is offered free of charge at DIMO’s Colombo and Jaffna Centres. .

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