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The Parliament Secretariat yesterday said that the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) found Lanka Sathosa had suffered a loss of Rs. 15.15 billion from irregular rice imports in 2014 and 2015, conducted in violation of procurement procedures.

The finding was made during a COPE meeting this week which examined the Auditor General’s reports for 2021 and 2022 and the current performance of the state enterprise. According to COPE, Sathosa incurred a cost of Rs. 27 billion on rice imports during the period, while sales revenue reached only Rs. 11.85 billion, resulting in the multibillion-rupee loss.

Committee members questioned whether a formal inquiry had been conducted into the matter. Officials said the Criminal Investigation Department had referred the case to the Attorney General’s Department to consider filing charges.

COPE also found that the company had yet to recover dues from 18 building owners who failed to complete construction projects properly. Despite instructions that advance payments should not be made for undeveloped land, Rs. 34.2 million had been disbursed for 29 contracts without proper estimates, and cases have been filed to recover Rs. 27.4 million.

The committee further noted that Lanka Sathosa had hired key staff on a contractual basis, leading to frequent turnover and weakening accountability. Officials said steps were being taken to extend employment terms to five years to address this issue.

COPE also raised concerns about allowances paid without Treasury approval and shortcomings in the expansion of the company’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, which had incurred high costs but failed to meet operational needs.

Trees. What are they? Are they mere inanimate produce of soil that man can control – birthing and killing according to monetary benefit – by planting and decapitating them at appropriate time – when they have grown to an extent sufficient to fund man his need, want or greed? If we are answering this question from the point of commercial forests, the answer is yes. These are forests that man creates for lucrative benefits where nurturing the trees are only for the sake of what they would eventually provide him – their lives.

While it can be argued that commercial forestry has its need, we in this piece of writing are going to focus on life of trees as they are lived in, within the sphere of their own autonomy and freedom. They are born as decided by them, mature, grow into love and regeneration at their own pace and bring up their ‘children,’ beautiful green babies, according to their own protocol. Man, his assumed superiority, (his delusions about knowing everything), his infant modern science and his preoccupation with merchandising everything in this planet do not contaminate the happiness of these trees.

The information provided in this article is based on the book – ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’ and is being produced in four segments to honour the months from October to December as the national months dedicated to reading. (Alongside, for the next few weeks we will feature knowledge from several books falling into the categories of nature, sustainability and comparative spirituality. This series is curated and facilitated by Sri Lankan writer and developer of integrated knowledge training, Frances Bulathsinghala. The books are provided through her Library of Healing where books are promoted as therapeutic agents of solace and comfort – and stimulus for genuine ‘thinking’ and ‘creating’ – from art to entrepreneurship – (not streams of texts to be jammed into the brain for the purpose of passing exams.

Note: This series is hoped also to serve as possible workshop material for national libraries in Sri Lanka. It was originally intended for a workshop that was to be carried out by an initiative the Harmony page was associated with, at the Nuwara Eliya Public Library on 19 September on invitation of the Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council and the Public Library of this district. Unfortunately, reflecting the collective national disinterest in befriending books and the wealth that they carry, the scheduled workshop had to be cancelled owing to lack of ‘readers’ of the library attending it.

The mental makeup of trees in natural forests

Let us now ‘read’ into the lives, behaviour, quirks, happiness, unhappiness, lifestyle, and family life of trees.

The Hidden Life of Trees is authored by forester, Peter Wohlleben, originally launched in German as Das geheime Leben der Baume. The Hidden Lives of Trees was first published in the English language in hardback by Greystone Books Ltd. in 2016 in Vancour, Canada. The paperback edition was published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by William Collins as an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers of London.

As per the applicable copyright regulations we are not directly quoting from the book. We will be explaining, interpreting and elaborating its essence, as relatable to the Sri Lankan context – and serving as an extended Harmony Page media intervention that is linked to promoting the understanding the psyche of rainforests.

https://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Exploration-into-Natural-Intelligence-of-a-rainforest/10523-782595

https://www.ft.lk/harmony_page/Relevance-of-forests-for-biodiversity-education/10523-782843

The earth is a tabernacle of sacredness – an enchanted mystery. Carved into human consciousness across time through varied images of the fantastical – many human childhoods have been shaped by man’s imagination chiselled through the many winding arms of the children of the forest – trees. This is pointed out in the foreword by Tim Flannery who explains the slow and longevity based time scale of trees. He uses as an example one of the oldest trees on earth, a spruce in Sweden which is more than 9,500 years old – around 115 times longer than the average human lifetime. This attention into the time factor difference that governs the lives of trees when contrasted and compared to homo sapiens sets a foundation that helps us understand the depths of the rationale of why trees ‘behave’ in such a different way as us.

‘Behaviour’ of trees

This ‘behaviour’ of trees was over time observed by Peter Wohlleben when he was managing the Eifel mountains in Germany. In the introduction of The Hidden Lives of Trees he reveals that why he wrote the book was because he wanted to list out what the trees that he lived amidst as part of his work, taught him. Here he points out that when he wrote the German version of the book the readership response showed him the relatability of what he wrote based on one patch of earth – on the high mountains in Germany – with all other locations of natural woodlands. What he cites here resonates in the human world in a manner where we can say that all those who wear human skins – whether they be yellow, black, white or brown has one main humane construct that is the same whatever sphere of the earth they occupy.

Likewise, the author brings note to the fact that we are not the only ones engrossed in our own unique dramas. There are apparently more interesting and epic ones being played out in the tree and forest world. His familiarity with the struggles and strategies of beeches and oaks as they chart out their existence amongst the ‘natural’ masses of other tree beings is made in sharp paradox to forests planted by man for commercial gain. It is possibly like comparing free man going about his joy in what he wants to do freely, at his own comfortable pace and for the purpose of the holistic, as opposed to man held in chains and ordered to produce tasks as demanded and under specific regulations that determine how he lives and how he dies.

In tracing the psychology of natural forests, the author shows the power of the collective – of trees – when they exist together rather than as a singular presence and how undisturbed and completely naturally evolving masses of plant-life; forests, is the determining factor of the future of humans and planet. In the first chapter titled Friendships it is shown how trees are greatly philanthropic and selfless, supporting each other with nutrition from bases of roots when necessary. One stark example given is how the gnarled tree stump felled about five hundred years was kept ‘alive’ with a greenish layer – found only in chlorophyll which is stored in living trees. The conclusion that Peter arrived at is that the ‘sugar’ that living tree cells must have as food – as consumed by those around, were being shared with the ancient tree stump. This forces us to think out two other comparisons between trees and humans.

Nature based sugar is a lifeforce for humans and so it is for trees. The contrast however in assessing how the ancient tree stump was kept alive by other trees by sharing their own nutrients, is that unlike man who is obsessed by individual survival at the cost of others’ lives (as in our wars), that trees display the opposite. Trees then could be decreed as being distinctly wiser than man in recognising the importance of life and sharing lifeforce.

The author also writes how scientists in the Harz mountains in Germany vouched for this interdependence – where ‘food’ was exchanged in times of need. Kind and selfless humans behave in the same manner as we see around us – possibly to a lesser extent that trees!

However, it is emphasised that trees in planted forests do not have his empathy.

They adopt the persona of loners and are incapable of relating to each other – because their roots are damaged when planting. Thereby Peter Wohlleben notes that planted forests – most of the coniferous forests in Central Europe ‘behave more like street kids.’ This is indeed how street kids would behave – when their familial ‘roots’ are damaged due to them being ‘disconnected’ or ‘uprooted’ from what is natural and forced to be ‘planted’ elsewhere.

The language of trees

Chapter 2 of this book covers The Language of Trees.

Once again it is astonishing to know how similar we are to trees in the world of communication. No, they do not have voices – but do humans only communicate through sound? Why then would we spend enormous amounts of money on perfumes? As the book The Hidden Lives of Trees point out, trees communicate through scent just as humans do by olfactory stimulus. In another parallel to humans as we functioned with our authentic senses from ancient times it is shown by quoting scientists on how humans chose who they would like to procreate with through the instinct of the natural odour of their body. The trees as a mass are like humans ‘scent’ centric beings.

In one incredible example it shows how in the African Savanah the umbrella thorn acacias the giraffes were feeding on got so irritated with this feasting liberty that they produced toxic substance into their leaves and also ‘communicated’ to neighbouring trees not to allow an adjoining giraffe buffet by emitting a warning ‘gas.’ Similar examples are given in how many plants get miffed when some creature choose to nibble upon its tresses. It is also stated that when a caterpillar munches on a leaf that it sends out an irate electrical signal just as a human would (if say for example an insect chose our cheek as a snack spot).

The defence mechanism of trees is apparently the ability to produce different compounds that serve the need of the hour. For example, they can call out to predators that eat up insects – if these insects become a nuisance to the trees. The trees then like humans share the ability to identify who our friends and foes are! It is stated in the book that the entire animal world is wired into the communication network of the trees so that they recognise and respond to the alarm calls of trees. Those who feed on critters who attack trees enthusiastically flock to the rescue of a desperate tree, happy also to fulfil their own gluttony.

Crisscross of information systems

To describe the ‘mass communication’ of the collective, the interesting term ‘wood wide web’ is used by Peter Wohlleben. This collective includes trees, shrubs, grasses and fungi – creating a crisscross of information systems operating above and below earth. Fungi meanwhile are said to nurture their own ambitions but ‘amenable’ to conciliation. Being cut off from the fungal filigree could isolate a tree keeping it away from the latest news, the book reveals. (Just as we would, say if we flee to the moon because the arid, forestless earth is no longer inhabitable (we would miss the news that there is no earth to return to).

Meanwhile, it is explained that if trees are weakened their conversational skills deteriorate and that insects and pest seek out these health compromised trees. Just as viruses (both natural and lab created) would seek out humans with weak immunity.

Chapter 3 of the book is titled Social Security where it is shown that tree species of natural forests bond through caring and sharing – where trees synchronise their photosynthesis performance so that they are ‘equal’ in their wellness. In contrast to the survival of the fittest mode attributed to humans, the existential edicts of trees seem to be the opposite. Apparently there are many volunteer ‘tree nurses’ in the forest who cannot bear to see anyone struggling with illness. It is the sense of ‘community’ that apparently keeps their happiness intact. Trees have realised what humans have not. That divided – when one singular tree become feeble and die – that this loss is significant in the plural – that each singular loss impact the entire body of the forest.

Note – This article will be continued till the entire book is covered. Thereafter we will be formulating a summary of recommendations on how some of this information could be used for a training for children and youth on the life patterns of rainforests. We would be then sending out the training modules to the Forest Department of Sri Lanka after we publish it in this page.

As the 17th death remembrance of Music Maestro Premasiri Khemadasa approaches, daughter Gayathri Khemadasa, an accomplished musician in her own right, shares her vision for realising what her father envisioned for the next generation.

‘Imagine a seven-year-old interpreting the symphony of Golu Hadawatha as a kind of music which reverberates across the universe,’ reflects Gayathri Khemadasa. The internationally reputed composer and musician who strives to keep the legacy of her father – Music Maestro Premasiri Khemadasa alive, through the Khemadasa Foundation, is riveted by the musical talent she discovers each day in the backwaters of the island through her school workshops. ‘On another occasion a youngster commented that perhaps the composer of Golu Hadawatha symphony himself may have been heart-broken,’ chuckles Gayathri. Having pursued her music studies at the Prague Conservatory and Masaryk University in Czech Republic, when Gayathri could have made musical strides anywhere in the world, she returned home to continue the good work of her father’s. Today she is an accomplished musician in her own right.

‘My father’s biggest dream was to give a chance to the next generation, a chance he never had because as a youngster he didn’t have the kind of teachers, mentors or educators that he was looking for or who would have taken him to that next level of music appreciation, to help think out of the box. But he would relentlessly search for that kind of experience. This is why he started what was then called Manjariya in the 60s (which later evolved into the Khemadasa Foundation (KF) in 1992) way before internationally reputed organisations such as Carnegie Halls’ Weill Music Institute (WMI) or El Sistema which provide free music education to children came into being. My father strived to enable a platform for creativity, to foster the musical talents of youngsters, especially those coming from underprivileged parts of the country,’ remarks Gayathri who is presently heading the Foundation.

All trainings are offered completely free of charge by the KF, and since its inception, the Foundation has trained hundreds of singers and musicians who have become notable performers across the country. Several of them have performed major compositions even abroad. Built on the mission of creating an alternative vision for the nation, one which can generate a socio-cultural transformation and eliminate the barriers and animosity between ethnic groups, KF’s uniqueness lies in its strong commitment to upholding human dignity, respect and championing team work vital to music and the performing arts.

Gayathri who revived the Foundation upon her return to the island, is today dedicated to its ‘artistic bridge-building’ exercise. The music workshops she conducts in the underserved schools across the country, completely free of charge, together with her students from the KF, is her latest labour of love. These sessions as Gayathri explains, are essentially interactive where Gayathri, other members of KF, children and teachers merge into one harmonious collective space. ‘Children create their own songs and they also interpret what we play- symphonies of my father’s they have never heard before such as Golu Hadawatha theme music or ammawarune for instance. What we discover at every place is simply amazing and each time I see these kids, I feel my father must have been one of them long time ago,’ remarks the musician.

KF’s music workshops are beyond providing music education or learning to sing in the correct pitch; it’s also about being empowered, to help children navigate sensibly in their chosen disciplines. ‘I think it’s high time we focused on asking children the question- what kind of issues they would like to address and what their solutions would be instead of asking what they would want to be. We have so many accomplished professionals, despite that the world is becoming scarier each day and it’s time we encouraged the future leaders to be problem-solvers,’ reflects Gayathri. Parallel to the music workshops, KF strives to champion a civic-conscious generation of youth, sensitive to the environment around them. A big-time animal lover herself, Gayathri indirectly cultivates compassion in children towards animals as well. ‘I get kids to make little videos about plastic pollution, careless garbage disposal etc. so that it becomes a holistic experience.’

The workshops are full of pleasant surprises says Gayathri with a smile. Watching passionate teachers navigating ‘niyaras’ and mud-paths, literally walking an extra mile to assure that children become part of the workshops is simply heart-warming and inspiring she says. ‘I’m deeply inspired by these teachers who don’t shut down by 1.30 p.m. but regard teaching to be more than a job.’ Despite economic disparities, the connectivity children experience through digital platforms is also encouraging, says Gayathri who also notes that along with this advantage, children should ideally be having a proper direction in terms of music appreciation. ‘Sometimes the information could be overwhelming and they may not be able to comprehend what is good and what should be filtered for which they need constant mentoring.’

As means of mitigating the gap and building bridges, KF also ensures that the creative labours of it are witnessed by children from these rural schools. This way, they get to see how international artists work, says Gayathri who is also planning a performance by participants of her school workshops. ‘We can have a brilliant vision but if we don’t have a team which doesn’t believe in it, it becomes futile,’ says the musician who counts her blessings for having a supporting group of KF- members drawn from various ages and backgrounds. Yet, it’s an uphill task for the KF which is totally self-funded. ‘If not for Darley Butler and Co Ltd., we would not have been able to travel the length and breadth of the country conducting these workshops. I’m immensely thankful to them for coming forward to finance our transport expenses.’

Doyen of Sinhala cinema, Dr. Lester James Peries referred to Premasiri Khemadasa as ‘the innovator of Sri Lankan music – an experimentalist, as one who extended the frontiers of Sri Lankan music from a rural, folklorist, parochialism to the dynamic rhythms of the modern age’. Eminent musician Lakshman Joseph de Saram once wrote: ‘In a country littered with self-marketed cultural dilettantes and desperados, Premasiri Khemadasa stands out with his remarkable talent, uncompromising artistic integrity and undeniable relevance to the cultural avant-garde of Sri Lanka.’ Veteran journalist Ajith Samaranayake paid homage to the Maestro as the ‘Sri Lankan music-maker for the universe.’ The best way music-loving enthusiasts or organisations supportive of creative arts can perpetuate the name of this musical genius who is an inherent part of the Lankan heritage, is by supporting the Khemadasa Foundation to help realise Maestro’s dream of enabling a space for gifted musical minds.

Yesterday (17 October) marked the 60th birthday of one of the greatest batsmen Sri Lanka has ever produced and one of the finest the world has ever seen. Much time has passed since he lit up the cricketing world during the 1996 World Cup and gave all Sri Lankans a magnificent reason to celebrate at a time when there was little to cheer back home. Even cricket fans who were just babies at the time or were born thereafter would have heard of that amazing run. No cricket fan alive today can say ‘I have not heard of Aravinda de Silva.’

I was one among hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans who were glued to the television on that historic day when Aravinda scored a century to defeat Mark Taylor’s Aussies in Lahore.

I had the privilege of knowing Aravinda de Silva as a close friend for many decades. For nearly four to five years of my life we were even flatmates. During that time, I came to know him not just as a cricketer but as a man driven by an extraordinary will. Aravinda thrives on challenges. Whether it is cricket, business, or love. Put simply, he never gives up until he gets what he wants. His determination borders on the relentless and his self-belief even in the face of adversity is truly something to behold. I saw it all, first hand.

I once heard Sri Lanka’s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga say that there will never be another batsman like Aravinda, that there is and always will be only one Aravinda. It is a sentiment that every Sri Lankan cricket fan, regardless of background or allegiance and regardless of which era he or she was born, will share. He is, without question, the most naturally gifted batsman our country has produced; elegant, fearless, and original. He soaked the praise, he suffered the occasional insult and remained humble and unfazed through it all. Focused on his cricket. From the first day he donned the Sri Lankan cap until the day he retired.

He always had the support of his fans. He was and is revered as a legend. On the other hand, he would probably count his family as his greatest strength and if asked would say that they, more than anyone else, shaped his indomitable spirit. Among them, naturally, is his wonderful father in Uncle Sam (the late Sam de Silva), his gracious mother in Aunty Rani, his devoted sister Araliya and loving wife Anushka.

As he turns 60, Aravinda will be surrounded by the near and dear. They will all celebrate. I, unfortunately, will not be there to share in the celebrations. My thoughts however are with Aravinda. May he continue to bat on healthily, steadily, and joyfully for many, many more years to come.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said he was pleased to welcome Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya in New Delhi, where the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.

In a post on X, Modi noted their talks focused on education, women’s empowerment, innovation, development cooperation and the welfare of fishermen, underscoring the depth and diversity of the partnership between the two nations.

‘As close neighbours, our cooperation holds immense importance for the prosperity of our two peoples as well as the shared region,’ Modi added.

Dr. Amarasuriya is currently in New Delhi for a series of high-level meetings aimed at advancing collaboration in social and economic sectors, as both countries seek to further strengthen their longstanding partnership in the Indian Ocean region. It is her maiden official visit to India since assuming office.

The Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Series 2025 will reach its highly anticipated conclusion today and tomorrow, at the Race Course ground marking the return of top-tier Asian Sevens rugby to Sri Lanka after an eight-year hiatus. This much-awaited finale promises world-class action, passionate crowds, and a celebration of the sport’s resurgence in the region.

Following the exciting opening leg in Hangzhou, China, where fans witnessed elite Sevens rugby at its best, Colombo now sets the stage for the ultimate showdown that will crown Asia’s champions. With 12 Men’s and equal number of Women’s competing, this event will see Asia Rugby’s growing confidence in Sri Lanka’s ability to host premier international tournaments once again.

The Men’s division will feature powerhouse teams such as Hong Kong China, Japan, China, UAE, Malaysia, South Korea, Taipei, Uzbekistan, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and hosts Sri Lanka. Each side will battle not only for regional supremacy but also for critical qualification points toward the World Rugby Sevens Division 3 pathway.

In the Women’s division, the competition will be just as fierce, with Japan, China, Hong Kong China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, India, UAE, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, and hosts Sri Lanka.

The newly elected Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) President Pavithra Fernando welcomed the global rugby community, saying, ‘We are proud to host this prestigious event. This is a statement of intent Sri Lanka Rugby is ready to rise again. Our goal is to host more world-class events and inspire a new generation of players and fans.

Kavindu Perera will lead the Men’s outfit who ended in number 4 in the first leg while Randika Kumudumali will lead the Girls outfit ending number 9 in the first leg in China.

Men’s will play Uzbekistan (12.40 p.m.), Singapore (5.04 p.m.) and China (9.50 p.m.) on the opening day on 18 October. Meanwhile in the women’s segment Sri Lankan girls will meet Thailand (10.28 a.m.), Hong Kong China (3.14 p.m.) and Singapore (7.16 p.m.).

Port City Colombo has been named the ‘Best Knowledge Zone – Asia Pacific Region’ and received a ‘Highly Commended’ citation for Sustainable Zones in the Global Free Zones of the Year 2025 rankings by fDi Intelligence, an imprint of the Financial Times (UK).

The annual Global Free Zones of the Year awards by fDi Intelligence recognises the most promising free zones around the world-those that demonstrate exceptional potential in fostering foreign direct investment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth. Port City Colombo’s recognition underscores its growing reputation as South Asia’s premier Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and a catalyst for knowledge-based industries and investment.

CHEC Port City Colombo Managing Director Xiong Hongfeng said: ‘Being recognised by fDi Intelligence is a testament to the strong foundations we are building at Port City Colombo not only as a hub for international business, but also as a model for sustainable, knowledge-driven urban development in the region.’

Port City Colombo was awarded, ‘Best Knowledge Zone – Asia Pacific Region,’ based on the SEZ’s progressive regulatory framework that offers prospective investors an environment conducive towards enhancing the ease of doing business in South Asia. The judging panel specially highlighted the Colombo Port City Special Economic Zone’s assortment of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, the International Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre that reinforces investor confidence, and the focus on driving the development of service-based sectors including IT/IT-es, professional services, maritime and logistics, and so forth.

The ‘Highly Commended’ mention for sustainability further underscores Port City Colombo’s commitment to environmentally responsible urban growth with infrastructure projects prioritising green spaces, energy efficiency, and coastal resilience.

fDi Intelligence is the specialist Foreign Direct Investment publication of the Financial Times, UK. Its annual Global Free Zones of the Year rankings benchmark excellence in investment promotion and sustainable economic zone development worldwide.