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Sunday October 1st, 2023

Sri Lanka puts Ayurveda, Hela Osu under international spotlight

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is hosting an international conference on Ayurveda, a traditional South Asian medical system and the island’s own Hela Osu practices as global interest is intensifying, kindling a growing medical tourism trend, organizer said.

“It is both a wonderful opportunity and a huge challenge to be a co-host at this first of kind symposium where the world’s Ayurveda specialists’ attention will be focused on our nation and its great heritage in indigenous medicine,” Asoka Hettigoda Managing Director of Sri Lanka’s Siddhalepa, an eastern healthcare group said.

“As a pioneer and leader in the Ayurveda industry, it will be our task to make it an annual event on the international Ayurveda calendar so that the profound benefits of our ancient discovery of indigenous medicine can be widespread among people of today…”

The international symposium will be held on October 05, at the Siddhalepa Ayurveda Resort, Wadduwa Sri Lanka.

https://www.sayussl.org/

Sri Lankan experts and Ayurveda practitioners from UK, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Austria, and USA are billed to speak at the conference.

A former Sri Lanka administrative officer, who has developed a narrative on Hela Osu, medical practices that are believed to pre-date the island’s Indianized culture will also speak at the conference. (Colombo/Oct04/2019)

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Sri Lanka National Christian Council opposes Online Safety Bill

ECONOMYNEXT – The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) in a statement on the Online Safety Bill, said that the existing legal regime is adequate to deal with instances of harmful speech, making it unjustifiable to enact such “stringent laws”.

The Council called upon the government to withdraw the bill immediately.

The body expressed “deep concern” over the proposed bill, detailing its potential to curtail freedom of speech and how, according to the Council, the piece of legislature is inconsistent with the principles of democracy.

“The bill proposes the establishment of an entity named the Online Safety Commission without provisions to guarantee its independence and impartiality,” the statement said.

Chapter 3 imposes restrictions on online communication of certain statements, many of which are vague and overbroad, leaving room for executive control and the curtailing of legitimate criticism and dissent that are basic features of democracy, the statement said.

“The laws granting wide discretion to the executive and its investigative agencies with expansive reach have been misused in the past.”

The Council said that the bill was not drafted with the process of public consultation and discussion, which might have ensured the bill would be less draconian in nature.

“The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka calls upon the government to withdraw this anti-human rights and anti-democratic bill immediately.” (Colombo/Sep30/2023)

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Sri Lanka to implement new vehicle revenue licence issuing system

ECONOMYNEXT – A new system of issuing vehicle licences called eRL 2.0 is to be implemented in 5 provinces, excluding the Western Province, from 3 October onwards.

The new system is to be implemented beginning in the North West, South, North Central, Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces, respectively. The existing vehicle licence issuing system eRL 1.0 will continue to be used in the Western Province.

The issuing of revenue licences islandwide at Department of Motor Traffic head offices and regional branches will be temporarily halted on October 2.

The facility of obtaining vehicle permits online will also be temporarily halted on 6 October till midnight.

The Sri Lanka Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and the Provincial Motor Traffic Departments are working to modernize the current vehicle revenue license issuance system.

The implementation of the new eRL 2.0 system is expected to be an important step in the digitalisation of Sri Lanka. (Colombo/Sep30/2023)

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Sri Lankan Airlines flights cancelled as aircraft grounded

ECONOMYNEXT – State-run SriLankan Airlines has apologized to passengers who were stranded as multiple aircraft were grounded at the same time.

The airline said it has strict procedures which requires aircraft to be grounded when technical issues are discovered.

“Unfortunately, in this case we suffered a number of groundings at the same time,” the airline said.

“We apologize for the disruption and inconvenience caused and assure all our loyal customers that we are working diligently to minimize such occurrences moving forward.”

The airline said it was booking passengers on other airlines while some have been accommodated at hotels. (Colombo/Sept30/2023)

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