President Anura Kumara has announced that China will construct a state-of-the-art exhibition and convention centre at the Colombo Port City, aimed at boosting Sri Lanka’s capacity to host international trade summits and large-scale events.  

The new facility, funded entirely by China, will surpass the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in size and functionality.

“This convention centre will position Colombo Port City as a hub for global conferences and exhibitions, strengthening our role in international trade and diplomacy,” said the President.  

President Dissanayake also said that China had pledged a 500 million yuan grant (approximately Rs. 20 billion) to Sri Lanka, during his recent visit.

The non-repayable funds will be utilized to eradicate rural poverty and improve public services, the President added. (Newswire)

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Two individuals were reported dead in suspicious manners in two separate areas, including in Colombo, on Monday. 

An individual was found dead in a suspicious manner close to the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo 07.

According to the Police, the body of the individual was found early on Monday morning based on a tip-off received by the Cinnamon Gardens Police. 

The deceased has been identified as a 39-year-old man from Rawathawatte in Moratuwa. 

The body has been handed over to relatives following the completion of necessary legal formalities. The Cinnamon Gardens Police is conducting investigations into the death. 

Meanwhile, another individual was also found dead in a suspicious manner in a forest area close to the Niyadhawanaya area in Polpithigama. 

The deceased has been identified as a 53-year-old man from the Malasna area in Polpithigama. 

Police investigations reveal that the man was reported missing over the last few days and had been undergoing treatment for measles.

The Polpithigama Police is conducting investigations into the death. (Newswire)

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The Police have sought the assistance of the public to apprehend a suspect wanted for financial fraud of over Rs. 45 million committed through operating a fraudulent car dealership at the BMICH in Colombo. 

The man along with other suspects had rented an office at the BMICH under the name ‘Regal Sales’ and had advertised vehicles for sale in newspapers. Seeing the advertisements, two individuals had recently arrived at the office to purchase a car and a jeep and had been shown the vehicles.

Two individuals who had posed as the owner and manager of the organization had requested the buyers to make a payment before they prepared the relevant sales documents, and the two buyers had paid Rs. 12.5 million and Rs. 33 million to the owner of the company. 

However, the owner had told the buyers to wait until the relevant documents were prepared, while he had left with the money through the backdoor of the office.

Based on a complaint filed by the victims, the Cinnamon Gardens Police have launched an investigation to arrest the wanted suspect. 

Those with information on the wanted suspect have been requested to inform the Police on 071 – 8591588. (NewsWire)

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Members of an organized gang that had operated a fraudulent car dealership at the BMICH in Colombo have been apprehended. 

Reports state that the suspects had rented an office at the BMICH under the name ‘Regal Sales’ and had advertised vehicles for sale in newspapers.

Seeing the advertisements, two individuals had arrived at the office to purchase a car and a jeep and had been shown the vehicles.

Two individuals who had posed as the owner and manager of the organization had requested the buyers to make the payment before they prepared the relevant sales documents. 

According to reports, the two buyers had paid Rs. 12.5 million and Rs. 33 million to the owner of the vehicle. 

The Police said investigations have found that the owner had told the buyers to wait until the relevant documents were prepared, while he had left with the money through the backdoor of the office.

The defrauded individuals had then filed a complaint with the Cinnamon Gardens Police after which three suspects who had posed as high-ranking officials at the fraudulent firm had been apprehended.

The suspects are aged between 41 and 65 years and are residents of Pannipitiya, Maligawatte, and Mattakuliya. 

However, the chief suspect wanted over the financial crime has fled, while the Police have obtained an overseas travel ban against him and are conducting investigations to apprehend him. (NewsWire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasized that Sri Lanka will not support any work that hinders the unity of Asia, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

The President revealed this while participating in the ceremony held yesterday (10) to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, which is the first international conference hall, built in Asia.

The President pointed out that there are many differences between Asian geopolitics and the politics of the Pacific region and that we should recognize those differences and work to preserve peace and stability. ASEAN plays an important role and must ensure that ASEAN is further strengthened in the coming decades. The ASEAN outlook is one which also emphasizes the fact that while the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are two different, distinct oceans, they are interconnected now, which is of value because the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean is quite different from the Asia Pacific. As far as we are concerned, we have been free of the great power rivalry so far. We should not allow that to come into the Indian Ocean, the President said.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that in order to advance Sri Lanka as a country with a strong economy in the next decades, Sri Lanka can be taken forward by utilizing the non-aligned policy, the ‘Panchaseela’ and the Asian policy. Those general facts are still valid today and said that this Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall is a good example that can be pointed out regarding the unity of Asia.

A Coffee Table Book written on the history of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall was also presented to the President while a commemorative stamp worth Rs.25 was also issued to mark the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe further mentioned, “We received this as a gift. I would also like to say that we should continue to maintain unity in Asia. It should be remembered here that only the countries of the Indian Ocean have not experienced disharmony in the world power struggle.

With the ambition of becoming world powers, some groups have undermined the unity between the countries of the Pacific Ocean and dragged them into a state of war. We must work together to prevent this from happening to the Indian Ocean. I also emphasize that Sri Lanka will not support in any way, to break the unity of Asia.

Already we have a number of military bases around the Horn of Africa. They came in when piracy was at its height. And as far as Sri Lanka is concerned, we are of the view that they should work with the African Union, which is responsible for the regional security of the African continent,” he added.

Commemorative gifts were also given to the organizations that have generated more income for the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall from event and exhibition sectors during the past 50 years. The Book Publishers Association for the exhibition sector and the British Council for the event sector received commemorative gifts from the President.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Ministers Bandula Gunawardena, Vidura Wickramanayake, Minister of State Shantha Bandara, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka H.E. Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, Secretary of the Ministry of Mass Media Anusha Palpita, Secretary of the Ministry of Defence General Kamal Gunaratne (Retired), Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Director and the CEO of the BMICH Sunil Dissanayake and other officials were present on this occasion. (NewsWire)

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