Priority in the distribution of the latest shipment of 3,500 metric tonnes of LP gas will be given to hospitals, hotels and crematoriums, says Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The payment for this LP gas shipment was made yesterday and it is currently being unloaded.
Unloading of a consignment of 3,600 metric tonnes of LP gas began today (June 14) after the balance payment of USD 2.5 million was settled.
The LP gas tanker was anchored for over six days off Thaldiyawatta coast in Kerawalapitiya as the balance payment was delayed.
Former President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed has dismissed the remarks made by Sri Lankan Opposition MP Harsha de Silva as inaccurate”.
Issuing a clarification on the matter, Mr. Nasheed said, I believe a number of countries are willing to help Sri Lanka and the assistance will come through.”
MP Harsha de Silva, addressing an event yesterday, stated that the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has rejected a request made by the former Maldives President to provide assistance to Sri Lanka.
The parliamentarian said he met with Mr. Nasheed, who told him that the Sri Lankan government has requested him to approach foreign leaders to help find US dollars for the island nation to ride out the economic crisis.
As per the request, the former Maldives President had approached the Saudi Arabian crown prince who told him that Sri Lanka does not have a proper plan in place, MP Harsha de Silva had said further.
He also stated that M. Nasheed had approached the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, who asked for a list of properties that Sri Lanka is prepared to sell.
The Adani Group today said it was disappointed” as it reacted to a massive controversy over an energy project in Sri Lanka awarded to the group, after a Lankan official’s claim that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa acted under pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Our intent in investing in Sri Lanka is to address the needs of a valued neighbour. As a responsible corporate, we see this as a necessary part of the partnership that our two nations have always shared. We are clearly disappointed by the detraction that seems to have come about. The fact is that the issue has already been addressed by and within the Sri Lankan Government,” said a spokesperson of the Adani group.
MMC Ferdinando, the chairman of Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), resigned today, three days after he claimed before a parliamentary panel that he was told by President Rajapaksa about PM Modi pressuring him to give the wind power project directly to the Adani Group.
The government has not reacted to the claim, which the official retracted on Sunday evening and which President Rajapaksa has emphatically denied.
The allegations involve a 500-Megawatt renewable energy project in Sri Lanka’s Mannar district. A video of Mr Ferdinando’s comment at the parliamentary hearing has been widely circulated on Twitter.
On November 24, the President summoned me after a meeting and said that India’s Prime Minister Modi is pressuring him to hand over the project to the Adani group. I said ‘this matter doesn’t concern me or the Ceylon electricity board and this consists of the board of investments’. He insisted that I look into it. I then sent a letter that the President has instructed me and that the Finance Secretary should do the needful. I pointed out that this is a government-to-government deal,” the official said in Sinhala in the video, addressing the panel.
On Sunday evening, following a strong denial by President Rajapaksa on Twitter, Mr Ferdinando also withdrew his comments, claiming he had been overcome with emotion” while facing questions that suggested wrongdoing by him.
President Rajapaksa had tweeted: Regarding a statement made by the #lka CEB Chairman at a COPE committee hearing regarding the award of a Wind Power Project in Mannar, I categorically deny authorisation to award this project to any specific person or entity. I trust responsible communication in this regard will follow.”
His office followed it up with a longer statement vehemently denying” the charge. The President has categorically stated that he had not at any time given authorisation to award a wind power project in Mannar to any person or any institution,” the statement said.
Sri Lanka is currently in an acute shortage of power and President desires to expedite implementation of mega power projects as early as possible. However, no undue influence will be used in awarding such projects. Project proposals for large-scale renewable energy projects is limited, but special attention will be paid to the selection of institutions for the projects, which will be carried out strictly in accordance with the transparent and accountable system by the government of Sri Lanka,” said President Rajapaksa’s office.
The controversy erupted a day after Sri Lanka changed its laws to remove competitive bidding for energy projects. The Adani group figured in the parliamentary debate on the Electricity Amendment Bill before it was passed amid opposition protests. The opposition accused the government of ramming the bill through parliament to facilitate large renewable energy deals to the Adani group, which signed an unsolicited government-to-government agreement to build the Mannar wind power plant.
The main opposition SJB in Lanka asserted that projects beyond 10 MW capacity should go through a competitive bidding process, but government MPs voted against it.
The Adani Group reportedly won contracts to develop two wind power projects, in Mannar and in Pooneryn, in December.
Gautam Adani had visited Sri Lanka in October and had tweeted about his meeting with President Rajapaksa.
In 2021, the Adani Group had signed a $700 million deal with the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to develop and run the strategic Colombo Port’s West International Container Terminal.
Every nation, some founded only a few decades ago have a national day in their calendar, celebrated with pomp and glory to mark their nationhood and inspire their people, particularly the younger generation for nation building even if they don’t have any longstanding heritage to commemorate.
But isn’t it a pity and a tragedy too, that we, in spite of the fact of having an unusually a long and illustrious history of more than 2500 years of a glorious past as a great nation don’t have any national day celebrations as if we are a nation without any history or civilization? The effect of this lethargy has a tremendous impact on nation building as it inhibits all inspirations that should be injected for the younger generation for nation building as a future robust and a vibrant nation in the world.
Talking about national days generally, it may be founding date of the nation or the date of independence, of becoming a republic, of becoming a federation. The national day for every country is often a public holiday. Denmark and the United Kingdom are said to be the only two countries without a national day.
We in this country, while still maintaining blind allegiance to the British Empire that has robbed our national wealth and destroyed the age old heritage, continues to celebrates it on the 4th of February, calling it the day on which we are supposed to have got independence, from British rule although we are still tied down to the colonial clutches of British rule.
In 1972 May 22nd after 24 years of so-called independence from the British yoke, under Sirimavo Bandaranayake’s Government, we declared ourself as an Independent Republic. Since then we celebrated the Republic Day as the national day ( although it was not called so) on the 22nd of May each year up to 1977. The unpatriotic government that was elected in 1977 again reverted this to Feb 4th the next year. Even the SLFP government that came to power under Mrs Bandaranaike’s own daughter in 1994 not only continued to celebrate feb 4th as the national day but also invited the aging Crown Prince Charles as the chief guest of the occasion displaying the mental servility inbuilt in her head as the leader of the nation, that is a common trait that has infested the heads of all our political leaders. Her successor Mahinda Rajapaksa who owes his entire political achievements to Mrs B, also continued with the same servility and had the national Day celebration on the 4th pf February. The pro-western UNP Government that followed continued the same slavish mentality and celebrated the national Day on the 4th of feb, calling it the Independence Day, an independence we never got up to date. Nevertheless if our politicians wanted to celebrate independence say as the National day they should have done it more appropriately AT LEAST on the 22nd of May, the day we got real political independence by becoming a fully Independent Republic
Pas for me personally I don’t agree for having the national Day, even on that day as it was only a transitory event of minor importance when we look in retrospect at the line of great events in the annals of this once glorious nation for over a period of over 2500 years. Of all historical events in nation making including the founding day of the Sinhala Nation in 543 BC I rate the Poson Poya Day dawned on 307 BC as the most important and culturally significant Day in the entire annals of history of this Island nation as, that was the day on which Buddhism was introduced to this nation. It was the advent of this Great religion on the Poson Poya Day in 307 BC that revolutionized the nationhood of this Island by laying the firm foundation of the Sinhala Buddhist Nation in this world. Thus. a new Nation called the Sinhala Buddhist Nation was born on this Day on this soil under the reign of King Devaanampiyatissa under the noble missionary and blessings of Arahath Mahinda Mahaa Thera. That pristine nation hood was jealously guarded and effectively protected by our ancestors up to 1505.
There after it was destroyed and vandalized by three colonial powers up to 1948 and by local lackeys of the former colonial masters since then up to date
I have been agitating for years demanding the governments to declare Poson Poya Day as the National Day of this Nation for the past so many years. But it has fallen on deaf years of all Governments. Nobody took any notice of that solitary call. It is no wonder that the governments and the general public takes no interest in such patriotic calls as we have ceased to be a patriotic nation long time ago thanks to the nefarious anti national activities of three successive Western colonial invaders. Portuguese, Dutch and finally, the British as from 1815 onwards up to 1948.
Isn’t it a big tragedy that none of our political leaders who were supposed to have ruled this country since the so-called independence in 1948 appears to have known that this country had a well- developed nationhood millennia before most of the present- day nations were even found?
I wish that the government that will be there next year at least will declare the Poson Poya Day as the National Day of this Island Nation.
Bewildered, reeling and confused, Sri Lankans are just beginning to pick up the pieces of the jigsaw to decipher the events of Black-Monday, 09 May 22, when America, with its all-too-familiar ‘false-flag’ operations, executed a lightning Coup, to take control of the strategic Island in the Indian Ocean.
Taking control of the Island-Nation was critical to the Americans to implement their re-chartered game-plan for the Indian-Ocean region; this plan, they were compelled to develop following the unexpected defeat of their proxy mercenaries in Sri Lanka.
A military-style appreciation was sketched-out by John Kerry in his report of Dec 2009 and subsequently fleshed out into an action- plan, code named ‘Pivot-to-Asia’, by President Obama.
Populist leader, Mahinda Rajapakse, an unrelenting thorn in the side of the Americans who consider Sri Lanka their holy-grail, was unceremoniously deposed as Prime Minister in a bizarre turn of events that began just five metres from the US Embassy in Colombo.
Intelligence reports suggest that ‘Operation Mahinda’ was a classic false-flag operation by the Americans, to rid Sri Lanka of her froward Prime Minister who had refused to budge to make room for Wickramasinghe, the IMF and the MCC.
Although Black Monday was successful in dislodging a major impediment to US policy in Sri Lanka, the plan to do a ‘Gaddafi’ on the charismatic Prime Minister, failed.
The speed of the unfolding drama was not lost on President Rajapakse; he colluded with matching alacrity and surprised nearly everyone, especially Government Parliamentarians, with his controversial selection of Wickremasinghe as his Prime Minister.
Wickramasinghe is an unrepentant American apologist who has pledged to be an active partner of the US in its ‘Pivot-to-Asia’ strategy; his policies are at variance with the policies of the current government, clearly enunciated in its Election manifesto of 2019, which ensured the Rajapakses an overwhelming majority in parliament.
Senior politicians assert that the President’s rationale in choosing Wickramasinghe is flawed and violates Article 43 (3) of the Constitution.
These politicians deride President Rajapakse’s view that Wickramasinghe is the person most likely to command the confidence of the 225-member assembly which paradoxically is dominated by the President’s own Party.
It is ironic that Wickramasinghe is the lone member of his Party in parliament, having suffered the ignominy of not being able to secure even his own seat; 54 members of his party, openly expressing their lack of confidence in the man, secured parliamentary seats at the General Elections after defecting from Wickremasinghe’s Party and contesting under their own banner.
Wickramasinghe made a sneak entry into parliament, through the National List.
If the parliamentarians had any plans to challenge the President’s selection of Wickramasinghe as PM, they were squashed by the terror unleashed on Black Monday.
With the breakdown of the State’s Intelligence and Security apparatus, the law-makers were petrified with fear; para-military mobs were allowed to roam untethered on the streets, unleashing violence and terror in their wake; unbridled anarchy reigned supreme; the entire county was set ablaze.
The President, responsible for the security of the Country and the personal safety of her citizens, failed very badly.
Organised groups of hoodlums, working on carefully choreographed patterns of arson and destruction, unleashed terror with military precision on the country’s Legislators, torching their properties, lynching some and attempting to create a ‘Gaddafi’ style scenario in Sri Lanka.
The Parliament which should reflect the sovereign voice of the people, communicated through the democratic exercise of their franchise, reflects today the anarchial voice of terror projected at ‘Galle Face’; Wickremasinghe has been appointed as the de facto leader of the ‘Pohottuwa’ government.
It was only two and a half years ago when Wickramasinghe, with his Americentric policies, was booted out of office by the people; the American apologist was, at the time, on the verge of signing the ‘MCC Compact’, one of the crucial components in Operation ‘Pivot-to-Asia’.
It was only public outrage that prevented Wickramasinghe signing the Compact; it had seemed that the bygone election was Wickramasinghe’s swan song.
That, was to disregard the many options the Americans had in their arsenal to destabilise and take control of Sri Lanka.
What happened on Black Monday was a coup d’état in which an American votary, rejected by the people, was installed as the Prime Minister with callous disregard to democracy, the Constitution and the sovereign will of the people.
This was done with the indispensable collaboration of President Rajapakse, an American citizen till two years ago, who is yet required to meet his obligations to the United States of America as the spouse of an American citizen.
Analysts say that with a conniving Executive and a terrorised Legislature, the Americans have seized control of this strategic Island; only the Judiciary remains, to be completely broken down.
Wickramasinghe publicly asserted that he would be changing the policies which brought President Rajapakse into power; he has already initiated measures in that direction.
Are the decisions and policies taken and implemented by a government brought into power by a Coup and sustained by a Legislature frozen by terror, valid?” This is the question on the lips of ordinary Sri Lankans.
They also ask, Could these policies and decisions be challenged and overturned when Democracy and Constitutionality is restored in Sri Lanka?”
Observers say that Black Monday has the hallmarks of the Ukrainian Coup of 20th Feb 2014, when the US executed a false-flag operation and stage-managed events to undemocratically unseat a democratically elected President and to thereafter unconstitutionally change the Constitution of the country, placing in power an American apologist.
There is commonality between what happened in Ukraine and the events in Sri Lanka; America’s F-bomb, Victoria Nuland, was here in Sri Lanka too.
Some questions are being asked. Are, unknown to Sri Lanka, para-military units being trained in urban warfare?”
Like in Ukraine, is the 33rd Brigade from Illinois involved in training elements like the 43rd Brigade?”
Minister of Education of Sri Lanka Susil Premajayantha led the Sri Lanka delegation for the 2nd Asia-Pacific Regional Education Minister’s Conference (APREMC-II), from 5th to 7th June 2022, in Bangkok. The Conference held on hybrid modality under the theme of ‘Education Recovery and Transformation towards more Responsive, Relevant and Resilient Education Systems: Accelerating Progress towards SDG 4- Education 2030’, was attended by Ministers of Education from across Asia at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok and was co-organized by the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education (UNESCO Bangkok), UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office (EAPRO), and the UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), and hosted by the Ministry of Education of Thailand with the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan.
The three-day Conference was inaugurated by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn with Minister of Education Treenut Thienthong, Deputy Minister of Education Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich. Director of the UNESCO Bangkok Office, Shigeru Aoyagi, Director of UNICEF Office Debora Comini ,Chairman of the UNESCO Executive Committee Tamara Rastovac Siamashvili and, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini addressed the gathering and UN Secretary-General Envoy on Youth Jayatma Wickramanayake made a virtual statement.
During the Ministerial roundtable discussion, Minister Susil Premajayantha stated that Under reforms to teaching and learning, the need for curriculum reforms for teachers and students alike to equip the teachers for professional development and to empower the learners to have the skills and flexible pathways required for life and work, to be employable and to contribute to changing socio-economic needs should be given due focus and attention”. He emphasized that to build back better post COVID-19 for adolescents and youth, education, training, and retraining systems needed to be strengthened and make more flexible for secondary level education through the establishment of multiple and flexible learning pathways and lifelong learning and training opportunities for General and Technical and Vocational Education and Training including the recognition of previous learning, validation of skills, career guidance and counseling. He further stated that Investments should also be made into the Rising Skills of the 21st Century, since as of 2020, 42% of the core skills required for a job will have changed. We therefore need to map out what our existing talent is capable of and investing into reskills early can help take the sting out of disruption. At the end of the Conference, the Bangkok Statement -2022 Towards an effective learning recovery for all and transforming education in Asia-Pacific” was adopted.
Minister Premajayantha had a bilateral meeting with Director of the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Bureau for Education Shigeru Aoyagi and explained the prevailing financial crisis in Sri Lanka followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and challenges faced by the Education sector and implementing digitalization and smart classrooms. Director Shigeru Aoyagi invited the active participation of the Minister in Preparatory meeting of UNESCO in Paris on 28th June 2022. Minister Susil Premajayantha also had bilateral discussion Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, and exchanged views on enhancing co-operation in the fields of Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation and Research with the UNESCAP.
From the Sri Lanka Mission in Bangkok Ambassador and Permanent Representative C.A. Chaminda I Colonne, and First Secretary A.W.S. Samanmali were included in the delegation and Director of the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka B.P. Vithanage joined the delegation virtually.
A just God must give a hearing to the prayers and cries of all species
Prayers are offered by believers on the assumption that these prayers will be heard by God (or Providence) and accordingly will be responded with relief.
With what assumption do animals in slaughter houses scream prior to death?
If God is meant to hear the cries of only humans and concomitantly ignore the cries of all other species, how just is such a God?
Aren’t the screams of dying animals in slaughter houses the moral equivalent of prayers of human beings, seeking relief to their problems?
Do animals have moral rights? Do they have a legal or even a moral right to protect their precious lives when confronted with death at the hands of humans?
There are millions of various species in this planet and more so in the cosmos.
Is God as interpreted by humans listening exclusively to the prayers of only one species i.e. humans, and ignoring the terrified cries of all other Siyalu Sathwayo ?
Natural Justice requires all to be heard and not the prayers of only one predatory species i.e. Human beings.
‘ Justice for Animals and Nature’ is the next big challenge for lawmakers all over the world.
Likewise the future lawyers of the world must fight for Justice not only for human beings but also for the rights of other species trampled by human beings.
Visit a Zoo and see the suffering of the victims of humanity. It is a Jailhouse for lifetime for non – humans who have done no wrong to anyone.
If a human has a conscience then his ( or her) conscience must be pricked at such a shameful sight.
Animals who are suffering at the hands of humans have a right to advocacy. This principle must be accepted as a start say begining with the larger animals such as Elephants.
Abuse of animals under the pretext of carrying out of religious ritual is no longer acceptable.
This issue can no longer be ignored even as a point of discussion in law schools.
What is the use of legal education if the sight of an animal suffering at the hands of humans does not evoke a response from the legal fraternity at least on moral principle to stop it ?
The legal systems of the Occident in the past ignored the human rights of the ‘other’, i. e., Black, Brown and Yellow Races, slaves, women, members of non – Abrahamic faiths and so on. Now there has been progress though much more needs to be done.
Animals are standing in this very same queue waiting for emancipation from man’s inhumanity.
The Natural Rights of Animals is a subject worthy of study in law schools.
1) Registrar is directed to convey this enjoining order to the Head of Air Navigation Services, the 2nd defendent.
2) Registrar is dorected to inform the Chief Trafic Controller by telephone and serve through the Fiscal also යන නියෝගද ඒවා අධිකරණය විසින් වෙනස් කරන තෙක් වලංගු නියෝග ලෙස සැළකිය යුතුය.
Chairman of Election Commission Nimal Punchihewa yesterday (11) said that there was no legal requirement for a National List MP to submit his or her asset declaration before the EC accepted nomination made by a political party.
Attorney-at-Law Punchihewa said so responding to The Island query whether he had received asset declaration from newly-appointed SLPP MP Dhammika Perera before the issuance of gazette notification pertaining to his appointment.
The SLPP last Friday (10) nominated Perera to fill the vacancy created by Basil Rajapaksa’s resignation.Responding to another query, the EC Chairman said that the EC hadn’t received asset declarations from those who had been appointed National List MPs previously. Basil Rajapaksa, Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa, PC, Saman Ratnapriya and Jayantha Ketagoda hadn’t submitted their asset declarations to the EC.
In the absence of required constitutional or electoral provisions, the EC couldn’t even ask for asset declarations from National list nominees, Punchihewa acknowledged. According to the EC’s former Director Legal as well as one-time member of the Human Rights Council, the law pertaining to asset declarations didn’t impact on National List MPs.
The EC Chairman said that the Parliament would have to look into this matter. As regards Dhammika Perera, the Parliament would have to obtain his asset declaration. Punchihewa strongly denied Perera, widely believed to be one of Sri Lanka’s richest persons, received special treatment.
Punchihewa said that he was not aware of civil society activist Rajith Keerthi Tennakon requesting the EC to deny recognition until Dhammika Perera handed over his asset declaration.Tennakoon said that the EC lacked the courage to take a stand on this matter of utmost importance. The EC couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for being the guardian of the voters’ right, Tennakoon said, urging the Parliament and the EC to take tangible measures to scrutinize MPs. Pointing out that the National List had been introduced way back in 1989, Keerthi said that the claim appointed MPs were not required to submit asset declarations underscored the pathetic state of affairs.
MP Dr. Harsha De Silva said that Sri Lanka will have to wait until the end of this year to obtain a loan from International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Even though staff level meetings are underway it’s monetary board has to approve the loan.
“When I had a discussion with the Japanese Ambassador he said that they have lost their trust in Sri Lanka. They said that they could consider giving a short term loan if there’s an all-party government or else both the Opposition and the government should sign the loan agreement,” he said.
“I then met former Maldivian President Nasheed and he said that Sri Lanka has given him a contract to bring in some dollars. He had spoken to Mohammed Bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. But he has said that Sri Lanka doesn’t even have a plan to obtain financial assistance. He has then spoken to the ruler of United Arab Emirates who has requested Nasheed to send a list of things that Sri Lanka is willing to sell and that he would consider providing financial assistance.This shows that Sri Lanka doesn’t even have a representative to talk to MBS,” he added.
In a significant development, the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong met his U.S. counterpart Julie Chung in Colombo on June 13 and held discussions on broad topics of mutual interest” and pledged support in helping the island nation mitigate its crippling economic crisis.
Sri Lanka is currently facing its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.
The economic crisis has prompted an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and other fuel, toilet paper, and even matches, with Sri Lankans being forced to wait in lines lasting hours outside stores to buy fuel and cooking gas.
Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met with the U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung at the Chinese embassy on June 13 and had a friendly discussion on broad topics of mutual interest. China and the United States could work together to help Sri Lanka overcome current difficulties,” a tweet from the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka said.
Commenting on the meeting, U.S. Ambassador Chung said discussions centered on the current political and economic situation in Sri Lanka and asserted that there was an exchange of ideas on trade investment and development.
Both envoys agreed on the need to jointly come forward in helping Sri Lanka weather through the current economic and political crisis.
Pir-Hossein Kolivand, Head of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has said that the society is ready to send medicine and physicians to Sri Lanka.
Kolivand made the remarks in a meeting with the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran G.M.V. Wishwanath Aponsu, noting that the IRCS, in line with its high humanitarian goals, is able to offer aid after reviewing Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical needs.
If the Sri Lankan administration declares a need and considers a place for providing services, the IRSC can dispatch its health team, which includes volunteer medical personnel, to a deprived area of the country for some time and provide visits, medicines, and treatment services for patients.
The Sri Lankan envoy Aponsu, for his part, said that Iran is a manufacturer of medicines, and medical equipment, urging the IRSC to cooperate with Sri Lanka.(MEHR News Agency)
Sri Lanka is currently going through the worst economic crisis since gaining their independence in 1948 and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe believes that it is the fault of the previous governments and the politicians.
In an exclusive interview with WION’s Managing Editor Palki Sharma, Wickremesinghe called it a man-made economic crisis” and pointed out that the politicians in the country need to come together and change in order to rectify the current situation.
There is a man-made economic crisis. The politicians they say and certainly the governments that were in power earlier. I think most in the government carried on. Not only previous government, but the politicians are also responsible.”
Yes, in a way we have to admit we all have the responsibility for the downfall of the system, and we should change now. That is the challenge to all our members of parliament, that you are willing to change or not. Some are, others are not. So, the politics of Sri Lanka will be decided by those who are willing to change and come a new and those who are not,” Wickremesinghe said.
The Sri Lankan PM also provided a sneak peek into their plans for restructuring of the economy. He explained that Sri Lanka is open to loans from both donors as well as private investors and they will also be discussing the situation with India and China. We have to take restructuring loans both from the donors as well as the private investors. In case of the donors, we have to ensure, all of them agree to the restructuring program. Because only Japan is in the Paris club. China and India are out of the Paris Club. We got to get agreement. Matter has been taken up. I have not discussed it yet but will be discussing with China. There has been no response so far. Because Ambassador to Beijing is also discussing it with the government there,” he explained.
Wickremesinghe says that China has not shifted its focus on Southeast Asia and continues to be interested in South Asia.
Speaking exclusively to India’s WION, the Prime Minister said China has a lot of interest in the region, and you [India] will know better than us with the Himalayan border… I don’t think they have lifted their interest in (sic) South Asia, in Sri Lanka, in the Islands, in the Maldives, Seychelles, I think the interest is still there, otherwise, you [India] would not be moving troops around in Ladakh”.
Insisting that China has not abandoned Sri Lanka, Wickremesinghe said we focused on India [for initial assistance], I don’t think we could get much from China or Japan… we decided we will go along with India because India came up with the money first, it’s a question of who had less red tape”, adding that he will call Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to thank him for assistance.
Speaking about the politics at home, the Prime Minister said that has not faced any interference from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
I am not a CEO [appointed by the Rajapaksas]; I am a Prime Minister… I am an Independent Prime Minister… There is no interference [from Gotabaya Rajapaksa], if there are any differences, we have to sort it out in the cabinet”, Wickremesinghe said, adding that indeed there are differences of opinion”.
The Prime Minister said President Rajapaksa will be bringing in the 21st Amendment that empowers Parliament over the executive President.
There were earlier (sic) disagreements [on the 21st Amendment] within the ruling party, but this [agreement] was finally brought in… so far there has been no adverse reaction.”
The Prime Minister said he believes that Rajapaksa’s party, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will be on board, and he’s certainly the President too. It was still to his advantage, not to his disadvantage”, Wickremesinghe remarked.
Calling the economic crisis man-made”, Wickremesinghe said that the responsibility lies with the politicians, and the Mahinda Rajapaksa government.
About President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister said, he has publicly taken the blame, not once but twice, he’s not leaving office, you can’t throw him out of office… Under the proposals put by the bi-associations, there is no need for him [Gotabaya Rajapaksa] to leave office.”
The six-time Prime Minister said that his current stint is the most-challenging job I’ve ever had… someone had to take up the challenge to put the country’s economy into order”.
Wickremesinghe was first elected to office in 1994, he’s currently 73. What’s wrong with 73?’, the veteran leader asked, ‘After I took it [job] over, someone sent me a note and they said that Deng Xiaoping also started at 73, I am not the Deng Xiaoping of Sri Lanka”.
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister said, stabilisation and recovery will take about 18 months”, adding that the road ahead will include consensus-driven economic proposals, and 21st Amendment.
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has agreed to assist Sri Lanka and to promote investment after the conclusion of the talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
This was during a phone conversation with Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today
In a twitter message, the Prime Minister said that he briefed the US Secretary of State regarding the current economic situation in Sri Lanka and requested for both countries to work closer.
It was a pleasure speaking to Secretary of State @SecBlinken today. I briefed him on the current economic situation and requested for our countries to work closer. He assured his support to further promote US investments in Sri Lanka upon the completion of IMF negotiations,” he tweeted.
In an exclusive interview of Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesinghe with Palki Sharma on WION’s Global Leadership, he said, this is the most challenging appointment I ever had and someone had to take up the challenge.
Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that India helped the island nation way more than China while they were going through a major economic crisis. Wickremesinghe was made prime minister of Sri Lanka amid tremendous inflation and resulting protests. In an exclusive interview with Managing Editor of WION Palki Sharma, the Sri Lanka PM explained that China had a lot of red tape when it came to helping Sri Lanka and that is why they focused more on negotiations with India.
“They (China) helped in some ways, but big arrangements did not come through because we focused on India. I don’t think they could get much from China and Japan during that time. It is not a fault of Colombo as we decided to focus on India because India came up with the money. And that’s what we wanted. It is the question of who had less red tape,” Wickremesinghe said in the interview.
Wickremesinghe was quick to point out that the Sri Lankan government does not believe that China ditched them during tough times and made it clear that he will be speaking to China about the donor conference which is aimed towards the “Reconstruction and Development of Sri Lanka”
I don’t think they (China) have ditched Sri Lanka. Well, I think actually we should have negotiated with them (China) but we did not. I can’t understand why we did not. We just made a request.
With the crisis in Sri Lanka, they (China) have been silent from few months. I don’t know how much the previous government had negotiated earlier. But I intent to start talking with China. And get them to get into the donor conference. Which they have agreed to get into the donor conference and get help that way,he said while explaining his government’s future stance towards China.
On June 13, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung attended the signing ceremony for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture, for a $27 million project that aims to double the milk production of Sri Lankan dairy farmers participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food for Progress; initiative.
In close partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka, the project began in late 2017 and has already benefited 25,000 Sri Lankan dairy farmers, increasing their milk production by an average of 68 percent to date. An estimated 80,000 Sri Lankans will ultimately receive assistance from this program, as part of the United States’ continued efforts to support food security and economic growth in Sri Lanka. After unforeseen delays including the COVID pandemic, the U.S. Embassy and the Sri Lankan Department of Agriculture finalized this partnership agreement today.
Ambassador Chung stated, ;This $27 million contribution is a prime example of the United States multi-year commitment to promoting sustainable economic development in Sri Lanka. Not only is this support significantly improving production for the country’s dairy industry more important now than ever it is also equipping Sri Lankan dairy farmers with the resources necessary to compete, grow, and thrive.
Food for Progress Market-Oriented Dairy Project partners with a U.S. non-profit organization called the International Executive Service Corps to help Sri Lankan farmers increase dairy production by providing them with the skills they need to improve farm operations and management. It will also provide better access to financing, so farmers can expand their businesses and reach new markets.
In addition to assisting Sri Lankan farmers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year contributed US $26 million to a school nutrition program that benefitted over 453,000 Sri Lankans across the country, in coordination with Save the Children. Taken together, USDA initiatives to promote food security are benefitting over half a million Sri Lankans, ensuring schoolchildren have essential nutrition, and helping farmers increase productivity.
CEB Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando has tendered his resignation to the Minster which has been accepted.
Vice Chairman Nalinda Ilangaokoon has been appointed as the New Chairman of CEB. MEANWHILE INDIAN MEDIA HAD REPORTED THE MATTER , the following is the NDTV report.
In a spiraling controversy over an energy project contract in Sri Lanka awarded to Gautam Adani’s group, the Lankan official who had claimed that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa acted under pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has resigned.
MMC Ferdinando, the Chairman of Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), had yesterday retracted his claim that President Rajapaksa had told him PM Modi had pressured him to give the wind power project directly to the Adani Group. He had made this claim on Friday at an open hearing of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), a parliamentary panel.
The allegations involve a 500-megawatt renewable energy project Sri Lanka’s Mannar district. A video posted on Twitter appeared to show Mr Ferdinando making the claim at an open hearing of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). According to newspaper reports, Mr Ferdinando told the panel that Mr Rajapaksa “told me that he was under pressure from Modi”.
Three days after those comments, Mr Ferdinando has quit.
On Sunday evening, following a strong denial by President Rajapaksa on Twitter, Mr Ferdinando had also withdrawn his comments, claiming he had been “overcome with emotion” because of questions suggesting wrongdoing by him.
President Rajapaksa had tweeted: “Regarding a statement made by the #lka CEB Chairman at a COPE committee hearing regarding the award of a Wind Power Project in Mannar, I categorically deny authorisation to award this project to any specific person or entity. I trust responsible communication in this regard will follow.”
His office issued a longer statement “vehemently denying” the charge. The President had “categorically stated that he had not at any time given authorisation to award a wind power project in Mannar to any person or any institution,” the statement said.
“Sri Lanka is currently in an acute shortage of power and President desires to expedite implementation of mega power projects as early as possible. However, no undue influence will be used in awarding such projects. Project proposals for large-scale renewable energy projects is limited, but special attention will be paid to the selection of institutions for the projects, which will be carried out strictly in accordance with the transparent and accountable system by the government of Sri Lanka,” said President Rajapaksa’s office.
A day later, Mr Ferdinando was quoted by Sri Lankan daily The Morning as apologizing and saying that due to “unexpected pressures and emotions”, he was compelled to name the Indian Prime Minister.
The controversy erupted a day after Sri Lanka changed its laws and dropped competitive bidding for energy projects. Opposition parties accused the government of making the change to facilitate the Mannar energy project contract awarded to the Adani group.
The Adani group figured in the parliamentary debate on the Electricity Amendment Bill before it was passed amid opposition protests. The Opposition alleged that the government was rushing through the amendments to give large renewable energy deals to Adani group, which signed an unsolicited government-to-government agreement to build the Mannar wind power plant.
The main Opposition SJB in Lanka demanded that projects beyond 10 MW capacity should go through a competitive bidding process, but a majority of government MPs voted against the clause.
The Adani Group reportedly won contracts to develop two wind power projects, in Mannar and in Pooneryn, in December.
Gautam Adani had visited Sri Lanka in October and had tweeted about his meeting with President Rajapaksa.
In 2021, the Adani Group had signed a $700 million deal with the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to develop and run the strategic Colombo Port’s West International Container Terminal.
There was no term called Dravidian until a British missionary arriving in India in 1838 created it to serve several agendas of the Church. The next 40 years was spent in converting Hindu Tamils, promoting a fictitious history and setting natives against each other. Much of the conflicts, confusions and contradictions present today is as a result of the false history translated into English and notions spread among natives. If the Dravidian theory was artificially implanted by the Church, could it not be more than possible that the Church was instrumental in promoting the Tamil Eelam demand as well? Missionary-infused history was used in Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka to separate both along ethno-linguistic lines but indirectly to be controlled by the Church.
Bishop Robert Caldwell & the Church took pains to separate Brahmins from non-Brahmins. They coined the term Brahmanical Aryans” associating Indian Brahmins with Europeans. They took the low-caste Chanar people & referred to them as Dravidian” separating them from the Brahmins.
The missionaries laid the foundation by emotionally attaching Tamils to protect their language, culture & literature (all the ingredients presently used in UN Self-Determination objectives)
This was how the Church divided Indians to create a non-Brahmin movement in 1900s
The missionaries are responsible for propagating a false history.
Aryan vs Dravidians
Tamils vs non-Tamils
Brahmin vs Non-Brahmins
Increasing flock & creating foot soldiers via these divisions
Inspiring belief that Abraham” was a Dravidian
Inspiring belief that Saivism” was a branch of Christianity
Inspiring belief that the ‘whole world spoke Tamil’ in ancient times.
The Church had thus divide people and pretended to be the saviors of the low-caste & poverty stricken. This was the carrot to convert. It is a model being practiced today, while Evangelical movements are preying on the richer lost-souls!
Bishop Caldwell plugged the South Indian languages of Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada as Dravidian languages. Thus, a previously non-existent Dravidian language family was created.
This means the word Dravidian did not exist prior to Caldwell coining it.
Bishop Caldwells book A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South Indian Family of Languages”. Noteworthy is that his book traces the beginning of Tamil literature to not earlier than 10th century CE and is a major shock to those championing Dravidian ideology.
Thus the Dravidian” movement was led by a Christian & controlled by the Global Church. It was using the Dravidian Movement that the Church led demands for linguistic separatism of Tamils initially in Tamil Nadu & thereafter in Sri Lanka.
It is notable that Tamil Nadu is one of the biggest success stories of Christian Missionaries.
Dravidian Movement infused with missionary created history has a larger objective.
It was to incrementally divide & balkanize India and demand secessionism in Tamil Nadu while converting. This is the model that continues still. The Church rules Tamil Nadu far more powerfully than its State Government.
Robert Caldwell gave to Tamils a weapon by initially coining the term Dravidianism. However, illusory Dravidian or Tamil identity was, it Caldwell enabled it to be branded & eventually used as a launchpad for Tamil Eelam quest.
From 1900s – the project for a separate Tamil state continues & it is led not by Tamils but by the Church.
The Dravidian movement built the psyche of the Tamil speaking people of South India and in so doing aligned them with the Global Church.
Dravida Nadu, also called Deccan Federation sought a sovereign state for Tamil speaking people.
The justification for the call for a Dravida Nadu was the mandatory requirement for Tamil Nadu to learn Hindi in 1938.
The Official language Act in 1956 in Sri Lanka was also used to justify demand for Tamil Eelam.
The Justice Party passed a resolution in 1938 claiming Tamils had a right to a separate sovereign state under direct control of London.
Tamils wanted independence but didn’t mind being under control of the white man!
In December 1939 Dravida Nadu for Dravidians” for a separate sovereign & federal state was launched.
In June 1940 a Dravida Nadu map was released in Kanchipuram.
These movements” also conflicted with the Indian Freedom Movement.
The British refused to entertain appeals for a separate Tamil state.
However in July 1947, Tamil leaders in India created a Dravida Nadu Secession Day” passing a resolution on 13 July 1947 again demanding an independent Dravida Nadu. Both Mahatma Gandhi & Mohammed Jinnah opposed creation of a Dravida Nadu.
Yet again, on 17 September 1960 a Dravida Nadu Separation Day” was held.
Eventually Dravida Nadu was replaced with Tamil Nadu for Tamils” & later We Tamil Movement” & later changed to a demand for an Independent Tamil Nadu, which the Indian Govt shot down by legislation against secessionism in 1963.
All of these ‘secessionist’ movements originated & was promoted by the Church.
The Church artfully diverted Tamil speaking South India against North India/North Indians & thereafter transferred the same anger to Sri Lanka by Tamils living in Sri Lanka.
Isn’t it more than curious that S J V Chelvanayagam, a Christian came from Malaysia to stir the pot of Tamils in Sri Lanka to create a political party ITAK seeking a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka in 1949?
The demands for a Dravida Nadu are virtually the same as that which LTTE delegation & Tamil leadership demanded in Thimpu in 1985. Were these demands drafted by the same Church?
Having infused missionary-beneficial history amongst Tamils both in Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka, generating the inspiration to secede & separate, the next step was an armed movement. Dravida Nadu movement led to the creation of a Tamil Nadu Liberation Army while the Tamil Eelam movement in Sri Lanka created Tamil militant groups from which LTTE emerged victor to hijack a quest started initially by Tamil politicians.
The end aim is the balkanizing of both India & even Sri Lanka.
The Missionary objective kicked off by Bishop Robert Caldwell continues even after his death.
A hashtag movement #DravidaNadu was relaunched in 2017 around about the same time India foolishly became a QUAD partner.
The power of the Church is shown in different ways.
In 2021 a Christian Pastor in Tamil Nadu declared we are not 3.5%, we are 35% of the population” of India and urged the Crypto Christians to come out and admit they were Christians instead of hiding it.
Tamil Nadu politics is heavily influenced by the Church – it uses its global networks & NGOs to act as pressure groups against projects. We have seen this in Sri Lanka too.
The Church & Evangelical movements play a silent but powerful role in Tamil Nadu involved virtually every sphere – who people should vote for, projects that should be allowed or rejected, even what should be filmed or not (the Church got the DMK govt to ban screening of Da Vinci Code in 2006). Coastal areas are completely under Church control, a similar situation in Sri Lanka too.
No wonder the famous educationist of Tamil Nadu, Chithbavananda declared that the Dravidian movement was a time bomb set by the Church.
The Church is accused of providing tactical support to internal separatist conflicts in India. It should not surprise anyone how the Church openly supported the LTTE separatists.
The Church supports division of both Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka’s North along lingo-religious lines to enable them to have a bigger stake.
Rev. Jegath Gaspar Raj the Catholic priest is accused of secularizing Hindu folklore.
“Father “Gaspar Raj is a Sri Lankan LTTE Terrorist wanted by FBI of US. A warrant has been issued for him. But he escaped from US where he used to smuggle arms to LTTE before 2009. Now he is hiding in TN under the protective cover of Kanimozhi DMK MP and stays often Tuticorin pic.twitter.com/anc4PbvQlI
Other Church members supporting LTTE & associated with its fronts are Father Emmanuel, Father Karunaratnam and late Bishop Rayappu Joseph.
Father Savary Muththu Bhaskaran, rector of St. Martin’s Seminary in Jaffna, was arrested in 2020 when organizing an event to commemorate LTTE.
An American Jesuit priest – Father Miller – disclosed to U.S. Embassy officers in Colombo that the orphanages where the LTTE recruited its child soldiers were run by churches.
Priests who were inside the No Fire Zone in Mullaitivu have also been accused of helping LTTE by forcibly recruiting hundreds of underaged children. Some 600 children had been sent to a Catholic Church located iN Walayarmadam – LTTE had arrived at this Church on 24 March 2009 and taken the children. This was not the only time the priest had been associated with helping LTTE.
LTTE’s radio station Voice of Tigers” was located inside St. Sebastians Church Mallavi in 1999 and inside Madhu Church as well. Voice of Tigers collaborated with the Catholic broadcasting station Radio Veritas run by the Asian Catholic Bishops Conference. The Tamil service of Radio Veritas is managed by Tamil Catholics in Tamil Nadu.
Dravida Nadu and all of its offshoot movements were artificially created by the Global Church for their own agendas.
If the map of Dravida Nadu was also created by the Church, is the map of Tamil Eelam a Church creation as well?
If Global Church controls these movements & their people, the bigger question is, who controls the Global Church?
ඒවෙනුවට, UNO වලතමන්ගේමටයිගර්කොඩියසහිතඊළම්රටක්පිහිටුවාගැනීමටලංකාවේඋතුර–නැඟෙනහිරපලාත්දෙකදීමටකැමතිවෙනවානම්, ඒසඳහාසිංහලපක්ෂදේශපාලකකළුසුද්දන්ට, අයථාක්රමවලින්ප්රභාකරන්විසින්ආරම්භකලඅරමුදලින්ගෙවන්නටඔහුගේපිටරටවසනගෝලයින්දීමටසූදානම්අල්ලසඩොලර්බිලියන52 කි.”
ලංකාවේ ප්රධාන ගංඟා ද්රෝණි හත හා ඊළම් දේශ සීමාව
(Source of Map of River Basins: Professor C. M. Madduma Bandara, Seven river basins 1. Yalpanam, 2. Rajarata, 3. Dambadeni, 4. Mahaveli, 5. Deegavaapi, 6. Kelani, 7. Ruhunu (published in Chapter 4, in Fifty years of Sri Lanka’s Independence: a socio-economic review, edited by A.V. de S. Indraratna, 1998, p.83).
Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA)
Summary
The political and economic crisis that the country has been facing for the past few months has intensified. The state’s attempt to suppress dissent has brought much violence and exacerbated the prevailing crisis. Following the events of May 9, when violence was unleashed on peaceful protestors leading to widespread protests across the country, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called on Mr. Wickremesinghe to become the Prime Minister. This flies in the face of all the democratic demands of the multitude of people protesting. The appointment of Mr. Wickremasinghe, an arbitrary, unilaterial and undemocratic action of the President is a grave contravention of the principles undergirding the people’s protests. At this stage, it does little to promote confidence or stability. The economic crisis continues to deepen with lengthening queues for fuel and gas, shortages in medicine and skyrocketing food prices. The people’s struggle for greater accountability in governance and economic management will continue. In this context, FUTA recommends a set of principles and actions that need to be followed as priorities in the task of alleviating misery and rebuilding the country in the long term.
The Economy
Negotiations with the IMF, including any conditions agreed to must be transparent. Such conditions should not further burden the poor, and should not undermine people’s sovereignty and their access to resources. The process should not create a greater debt trap for the future.
Ensure food security and continued government spending on health and education at least at current levels.
Eliminate corruption patronage and cronyism. Establish independent anti-corruption mechanisms and streamline and professionalize the public sector.
Introduce a robust tax policy for the country, which increases government revenue while unburdening low-income categories from additional indirect taxes; introduce a progressive wealth tax, curtail wastage and reduce expenditure on national defence.
Secure worker rights and protect the natural environment.
Ensure the protection of essential services like education and health, two key areas that provide the people with some measure of social cohesion, social mobility and security of life.
Upgrade the Agricultural sector, empower livelihoods, import substitution where possible and enhance the industrial sector for exports.
Politics and Governance
The government must acknowledge its loss of legitimacy. A credible interim government should be established. The president should immediately resign. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe’s working with the support of the discredited SLPP alone is not viable.
Abolish the Executive Presidency and revert to a parliamentary system of government through a 21st Constitutional Amendment.
Given that the government has lost legitimacy, formulate a mechanism to enable a people’s council with which the elected officials will be able to consult in policy formulation and implementation.
Ensure that majoritarianism and special privileges are replaced by equal citizenship and equal participation of all communities. Ensure that mechanisms are in place to prevent marginalization of communities and individuals at all level on the basis of ethnicity, religion, caste, gender, gender identity, disability and sexual orientation.
Do away with the excessive power held by line ministries by strengthening power sharing mechanisms and devolution of power that enable greater participation of people in governance.
Ensure freedom of expression and association, including the free functioning of social media.
FUTA will set up its own mechanisms to monitor and ensure greater accountability on the part of those in authority and support all calls for change and greater democracy in the name of the people and in the name of people’s sovereignty.
The Proposals
The GOTA GO HOME campaign and the widespread citizen-led protests all over the country against the economic failures of the government have opened up discussion on the vital issues of economy and governance, pressing for socio-political change within the Sri Lankan polity. We too, as members of FUTA, are moved by the intensity of the anger and the uncompromising demand for change in the political order expressed by the long-suffering Sri Lankan public. As part of the protesting community in the country, we join the rest of the people in standing against the arbitrary and undemocratic actions of those in power today, in suppressing protest and dissent and for the role they played in bringing the country to the current economic and political impasse.
The economic crisis precipitated by the dollar shortage and its knock-on effects will result in difficulties for the people over an extended period. The crisis therefore requires policy interventions but also community mobilization for collective action and support in the immediate, medium, and long term. As a trade union representing the country’s academic community, FUTA sees the need for a holistic economic and political analysis as well as related interventions that will help put the country back on its feet short term, and on the path toward healing, stability and development in the long term. In this regard, we hope to engage with the political class as well as civil society, including trade unions, community bodies and the people at large, in an urgent and long-term productive collaboration.
The Economic and Political Impasse
We are extremely concerned by the hardships faced by the people. The numbers of those severely affected are increasing daily and it is likely that the future of a generation may be impacted by the growing crisis and the coming deprivation. A student population affected by two years of Covid are now impacted by a shortages of essential goods. Women, engaged in care work within households are shouldering the greater burden of these shortages. There are reports of pregnant and lactating mothers’ nutritional needs not being met and it is likely that this would have a dire impact on the well-being of children in large numbers. The social impact of such suffering could be divisive, particularly the inciting of ethno-religious tensions, despite the fledgling demands for respecting pluralism emerging from the protests.
The current economic crisis is the combined outcome of the failure of long-term economic policies and economic mismanagement of successive governments. The current regime’s alleged corruption, their preoccupations with familial and dynastic rule, and their disregard for democratic and participatory governance coupled with their colossal failures in policy and implementation are also to be blamed. Any attempt to pull ourselves out of the crisis therefore, requires that we treat the spheres of politics and economics as connected. Politically, we should hasten to transform a system where the centralization of power enabled corruption at all levels of governance. We should analyse the nature of our governance culture – the non-transparent connections between those in positions of power and those in production and distribution – as well as the fundamentals of our economic policies to arrive at a comprehensive picture of what went wrong. We must thereby bring about a socio-political order based on social justice and equality that is democratic and accountable to the people. Such an order should reject discrimination and marginalization on the bases of ethnicity, religion, gender/sexual identity, social status, disability and similar grounds, and be founded on the principle of socio-economic egalitarianism.
In this policy document we build on the principles already articulated in the FUTA statement of 19th April 2022 in relation to the upcoming IMF agreement, the 17th IMF agreement contracted by this country in its postcolonial history. These are principles that the political class should adopt towards democratic governance and economic action. Here we detail the ways in which these principles could be activated by initiating a dialogue on these matters with all concerned.
Economic Concerns
FUTArecognizes that the current foreign exchange crisis is causing severe difficulties for the population and has placed considerable stress on banking sector. Crippling shortages of petrol, diesel, electricity, and cooking gas are causing suffering to working people and disrupting businesses and industries. Additionally essential goods such as food and medicines are running out, and it is likely that we will soon face severe food shortages. Therefore, addressing the problem of financing, including bridge financing, is the urgent responsibility of the government. However, we urge the government to ensure that any conditions that it accepts from lenders including but not limited to the IMF, be people centric. The difficulties that people are facing should not be further exacerbated through ill-considered austerity measures.
We recommend the following economic priorities:
The IMF Agreement:
As we enter into a new IMF agreement, with little bargaining power on our side, it is important to have a clear understanding of how it would impact on the wellbeing of the people. Some of the conditions laid out below are fundamental.
IMF loan conditions must be transparent, and the people must be made aware of them. These conditions should not further deepen the economic burden and suffering of economically and socially deprived communities, which may currently include sections of the middle class. Furthermore, the process should not accumulate more debt creating severe debt traps in the future.
The IMF policies should not in any way undermine people’s sovereignty and their right to their land, occupations, health, education and access to resources in the real sense of the term, and force the government to sell off state assets and natural resources including land. In the case of IMF loans and borrowing from other sources, a transparent performance-auditing system should be made public.
Social Safety Net:
In view of the fiscal discipline that is expected along with IMF conditionality, a strong and secure safety net that protects vulnerable groups, including the poor, the near-poor, children and the elderly is essential. Where possible universal social welfare measures, a legacy of our progressive history of human development, should be enhanced and/or created.
The existing Samurdhi Programme should be restructured to rectify problems of leakage and under-coverage, especially the latter. Identifying the poor and near poor should be based on the most recent data that provides information on their geographical and sectoral distribution. The updated Samurdhi Programme should not be used as an instrument of patronage.
Ensure food security for all. No decision or policy should adversely affect this principle. Agricultural policies that are consistent with this principle should be followed.
Protect government spending on the health and education sectors, at least at current levels, in real terms.
Elimination of Corruption, Patronage and Cronyism:
Establish independent anti-corruption mechanisms which should begin by revealing to the public the extent to which corruption has contributed to the economic crisis, and to ensure that wrong doers are prosecuted.
Establish a zero-tolerance policy on corruption in any of its forms, at all levels, and ensure that it is implemented.
Abolish any form of special government licenses, as they promote patronage and corruption.
Streamline and professionalize the public sector, including by increasing accountability and productivity, and by ensuring a culture of personal and institutional integrity.
Taxation and Expenditure:
Indirect taxes should not be increased, while the tax base and the rates of direct taxes should be augmented, making transparency and accountability in spending tax income a key requirement. What is required, therefore, is a tax commission that would create a robust tax policy for the country, which increases revenue to the government while unburdening low-income categories from additional indirect taxes.
Implementation of a viable PAYE taxation system.
Implementation of a progressive wealth tax.
Reduction of government expenditure on national defence, and increase expenditure on food security, health, education and other basic needs. General reduction of wasteful and ad hoc expenditure through open and accountable processes.
Securing Worker Rights and Protecting the Natural Environment:
Secure and implement labour rights for all categories of workers, both in the formal and informal sectors.
Ensure that all workers are entitled to and receive a living wage.
Envision and provide pensions and/or universal retirement benefits for all workers.
Develop a more holistic understanding of sustainable development, since neoliberal policies, dispossession and extraction in Sri Lanka have accelerated the destruction of the environment, recognizing that while global warming and environmental pollution affects everyone, the poor and vulnerable are at greatest risk.
Upgrade the Agricultural sector towards food and nutrition security, empower livelihoods, import substitution and enhance the industrial sector for exports:
Mobilise the agricultural sector to increase production, support home gardening within households, address the food security needs of the country and enhance rural livelihoods.
Stop the import of locally available agricultural products, address the fertilizer crisis and enhance support to farmers and fishers.
Promote locally-oriented farming and fisheries, deploy new technology and create access to global markets where possible. Interventions should be based on short and long-term planning and strong mobilising programs.
Remove barriers to the industrial sector and establish new export industries particularly in value-added industries using available raw materials, while introducing an appropriate import substitution policy and relevant administrative mechanisms.
Support sectors that can bring in foreign earnings.
Political context and the basic requirements for governance and social cohesion
The success of the GOTA GO HOME protests and the Strike and Hartal actions indicate that people from all walks of life, are united in clamouring for change in governance. The fact that students and youth are spearheading the protests speak to the vibrancy of the movement. As stated above the economic crisis was precipitated by the incompetence and authoritarianism that pervades governance. A Governing class and system disconnected from the people, unresponsive to their needs and distanced from global and local developments are now unable to pay loans and attract sufficient foreign currency to ensure supply of essential goods for the people. In response to the protests, the President enforced a state of emergency and there was violence unleashed on peaceful protestors by the regime on May 9th. The regime can no longer claim any legitimacy to govern. Therefore, it is of the utmost urgency that an interim governance arrangement is formulated that includes representation from those protesting. The appointment of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister by the President is yet another instance of political sleight of hand against which the people are protesting. It remains undemocratic and may undermine the democratising trajectory of the country, leading to repeated and deeper political crises in the future.
We recommend the following political steps:
The government must acknowledge its loss of legitimacy. A credible interim government should be established. The President should immediately resign. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe working on the basis of support from the SLPP is not a viable option.
Abolish the Executive Presidency and revert to a parliamentary system of government.
Given that the government has lost legitimacy, it is important that a mechanism is formulated to enable a people’s council with which the elected officials will be able to consult in planning, policy formulation and implementation. It must act as a permanent or semi-permanent body that critically interrogates policies and aids and provides feedback to political bodies on economic and political policies and implementation of those policies. Such a process is essential in the immediate term but it must also be considered for the longer term.
Introduce economic, social and cultural rights (in particular, the right to food security, equal access to the highest attainable healthcare, holistic education for all, and the right to an adequate standard of living) through the 21st Constitutional Amendment.
Ensure freedom of expression and association, including the free functioning of social media.
In formulating the 21st Amendment, bring back strengthened formulations of the positive features of the 19th Constitutional Amendment. The Constitutional Council must be re-established with a majority of citizens over MPs. All independent commissions should be immediately reconstituted.
Re-establish the rule of law and an independent judiciary, ensuring redress for past human rights violations and other proven grievances, after due process is followed. The 21st Amendment must also facilitate the independent functioning of the Attorney-General’s Department and the Police.
Address core ideological issues, ensuring that majoritarianism and special privileges are replaced by equal citizenship and equal participation of all communities. Ensure that mechanisms are in place to prevent marginalization of communities and individuals at all level on the basis of ethnicity, religion, caste, gender, gender identity, disability and sexual orientation. An open public dialogue which engages with all communities should form the basis of a new national consensus.
Do away with the excessive power held by line ministries by strengthening power sharing mechanisms that enable greater participation of people in governance. This should include devolving powers to the regions, provinces and local government bodies so that minorities, communities on the peripheries and historically marginalized people have a greater say over social, economic and political issues that affect them.
Conclusion
In taking forward the above plan, we as FUTA will form our own expert committees, and will engage with trade unions, the legal fraternity, the administrative service unions, local government and other bodies working closely with the people to ensure that the academic expertise of the FUTA membership is mobilized through an inclusive, consultative and community friendly process. FUTA will mobilise its network of sister unions across the country to enable close engagement with communities at the regional level.
The ferocity of the confrontation in Ukraine shows that we’re talking about much more than the fate of the regime in Kiev. The architecture of the entire world order is at stake.” Sergei Naryshkin, Director of Foreign Intelligence
Here’s your ‘reserve currency’ thought for the day: Every US dollar is a check written on an account that is overdrawn by 30 trillion dollars.
It’s true. The full faith and credit” of the US Treasury is largely a myth held together by an institutional framework that rests on a foundation of pure sand. In fact, the USD is not worth the paper it is printed on; it is an IOU flailing in an ocean of red ink. The only thing keeping the USD from vanishing into the ether, is the trust of credulous people who continue to accept it as legal tender.
But why do people remain confident in the dollar when its flaws are known to all? After all, America’s $30 trillion National Debt is hardly a secret, nor is the additional $9 trillion that’s piled up on the Fed’s balance sheet. That is a stealth debt of which the American people are completely unaware, but they are responsible for all the same.
In order to answer that question, we need to look at how the system actually works and how the dollar is propped up by the numerous institutions that were created following WW2. These institutions provide an environment for conducting history’s longest and most flagrant swindle, the exchange of high-ticket manufactured goods, raw materials and hard-labor for slips of green paper with dead presidents on them. One can only marvel at the genius of the elites who concocted this scam and then imposed it wholesale on the masses without a peep of protest. Of course, the system is accompanied by various enforcement mechanisms that swiftly remove anyone who tries to either break free from the dollar or, God help us, create an alternate system altogether. (Saddam Hussein and Muammar Qaddafi come to mind.) But the fact is– aside from the institutional framework and the ruthless extermination of dollar opponents– there’s no reason why humanity should remain yoked to a currency that is buried beneath a mountain of debt and whose real value is virtually unknowable.
It wasn’t always like this. There was a time when the dollar was the strongest currency in the world and deserved its spot at the top of the heap. Following WW1, the US was the owner of the majority of the world’s gold” which was why an international delegation decided that the world’s currencies would no longer be linked to gold but could be pegged to the U.S. dollar, because the greenback was, itself, linked to gold.” Here’s more from an article at Investopedia:
The arrangement came to be known as the Bretton Woods Agreement. It established the authority of central banks, which would maintain fixed exchange rates between their currencies and the dollar. In turn, the United States would redeem U.S. dollars for gold on demand….
The U.S dollar was officially crowned the world’s reserve currency and was backed by the world’s largest gold reserves thanks to the Bretton Woods Agreement. Instead of gold reserves, other countries accumulated reserves of U.S. dollars. Needing a place to store their dollars, countries began buying U.S. Treasury securities, which they considered to be a safe store of money.
The demand for Treasury securities, coupled with the deficit spending needed to finance the Vietnam War and the Great Society domestic programs, caused the United States to flood the market with paper money….
The demand for gold was such that President Richard Nixon was forced to intervene and de-link the dollar from gold, which led to the floating exchange rates that exist today. Although there have been periods of stagflation, which is defined as high inflation and high unemployment, the U.S. dollar has remained the world’s reserve currency.” (How the U.S. Dollar Became the World’s Reserve Currency”, Investopedia)
But now the gold is gone and what’s left is a steaming pile of debt. So, how on earth has the dollar managed to preserve its status as the world’s preeminent currency?
Proponents of the dollar system, will tell you it has something to do with the size and strength of the U.S. economy and the dominance of the U.S. financial markets.” But that’s nonsense.
The truth is, reserve currency status has nothing to do with the size and strength” of America’s post-industrial, service-oriented, bubble-driven, third-world-sh**hole economy. Nor does it have anything to do with the alleged safety of US Treasuries” which– next to the dollar– is the biggest Ponzi flim-flam of all time.
June 06, 2022 marked the fifty years of bilateral ties between Cambodia and Bangladesh. Cambodia established friendly relations with Bangladesh on June 06, 1972. The bilateral relations were established in 1972 through the late King Sihanouk of Cambodia and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh. But full-fledged formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1993. Over the past three decades, relations between the two countries have deepened and both countries have been cooperating with each other in bilateral and multilateral arrangements.
Bangladesh and Cambodia cooperate in various sectors. In 2014, the two countries signed an agreement to establish a joint commission to explore new areas of cooperation and strengthen the existing cooperation in various sectors.
Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Cambodia was only $5.57 million in 2016, of which Bangladesh’s export was $5 million and import was $0.57 million. Cambodia’s exports to Bangladesh have seen a steady increase in the past five years except 2016.
Bangladesh and Cambodia cooperate in various fields. in 2010, the two countries agreed to set up a joint commission for bilateral cooperation between the foreign ministries. In 2013, they signed a visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic passports. Bangladesh has expressed interest in hiring Cambodian human resource development teachers. In 2014, a joint commission was set up to explore new areas of cooperation between the two countries. An agreement was signed to strengthen existing cooperation. In 2014, an agreement on cultural cooperation was signed between Bangladesh and Cambodia. The signed 10 deals in 2017 are expected to enhance bilateral ties and strengthen economic cooperation between the two developing countries.
Bangladesh has proposed a long-term land cultivation agreement for farms in Cambodia by Bangladeshi nationals. Bangladesh is keen to sign a long-term rice import agreement with Cambodia. Bangladesh Cambodian students have been awarded scholarships by Bangladesh Agricultural University. The two countries jointly conduct agricultural research. In 2014, Bangladesh and Cambodia signed an agreement for scientific and technological cooperation in the agricultural sector.
At the same time, Bangladesh-Cambodia has started work to expand bilateral trade, increase investment, and develop the apparel. agricultural and tourism industries.
Cambodia and Bangladesh have committed to strengthening labour agreements between the two countries to manage the migration of workers, share labour recruitment information and combat labour exploitation.
According to a Cambodian media reports, the commitment was made between labour minister Ith Samheng and Mohammed Abdul Hye, the Bangladeshi ambassador with residence in Thailand, on May 31.
Samheng said Cambodia and Bangladesh have had a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which covers the labour and vocational training sector in place since 2017. A working group had worked closely in the spirit of the MoU until their progress was interrupted two years ago by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The labour markets in the two countries are similar. Both countries produce and export garments, so both sides can share experiences and exchange information on the labour and vocational training sector,” Samheng was quoted as saying.
The minister told the ambassador that there are currently about 400 Bangladeshi nationals who hold work permits in Cambodia. They have a healthcare programme, as well as occupational risk coverage by the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), just as Cambodian nationals do.
He said that although working conditions in Cambodia are linked to its exports – a correlation that could play into the hands of investors – the Kingdom’s rising wages, while a boon to the livelihoods of workers, present a conundrum for employers.
Samheng praised Bangladesh for their technical training and their progress on agricultural techniques, another area in which he had requested Bangladeshi help.
According to the ministry, the ambassador expressed his appreciation for Cambodia’s cooperation in the labour and training field, as the two nations renewed their MoU.
He said that during his visit to Cambodia, he had met Bangladeshi nationals who worked in many different areas, including service, construction, hospitality and banking. They had all received strong support from the Cambodian government, which allowed them to open businesses.
Cambodia signed the labour-related MoU with Bangladesh on December 4, 2017. The MoU is effective for five years.
This time the government is working to get duty free market facility for the export of these products. Cambodia is becoming increasingly important in increasing regional trade. As a result of various official initiatives, Bangladesh’s trade relations with that country will be further strengthened. The government is playing an important role in increasing trade and investment by maintaining friendly relations between Bangladesh and Cambodia.
According to Commerce Ministry of Bangladesh, In the last fiscal year, Bangladesh exported goods worth $5.39 million to Cambodia and imported $0.4 million worth of goods. The government of Bangladesh is thinking of increasing it further. Apart from this, the government is also thinking of providing various facilities to bring investment to Cambodia.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Bangladesh in 2014 and sent congratulatory messages to Bangladesh on March, 2021 to mark the birth centenary of Its Founder Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence. He met with Premier Sheikh Hasina in 2017. Bangladesh Prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited Cambodia in 2017. This type of Visits accelerated the ties between the two countries. 10 MoUs were signed during her visit to Cambodia in 2014 to boost up economic, cultural ties. Bangladesh and Cambodia have signed 10 instruments, including nine memorandums of understanding (MoUs), to boost trade and investment between the two countries. The instruments were signed with the aim of enhancing cooperation in various fields like tourism, agriculture, civil aviation, ICT and technical education.
Even, Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen praised the digital transformation of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and emphasized on increasing trade and expanding the scope of business between the two countries. He lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in tackling the Covid-19 epidemic. He expressed interest in increasing bilateral trade.
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina is very keen to strengthen ties with the South East Asian State. Bangladesh and Cambodia should take effective steps to strengthen bilateral relations to connect the South East Asia with South Asia. Both states should strengthen their business interest for serving the mutual benefit.
Professor Dr. Bijaya Gouri Khanal. from Kathmandu, Nepal
South Asian neighbors Bangladesh and Nepal share common regional platforms such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Nepal recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign state in 1971 and the bondage between the two nations started from that time. Bangladesh, on its part, has always evinced interest in Nepalese culture, its agricultural development, extraction of stones, production of hydroelectricity, besides tourism.
The first Bangla poetry (Charjapad) was discovered in the library of Nepal’s King by a famous linguist Haraprasad Shastri. This collection of mystical poems shows the age-old ties between Nepal and Bangla. Buddhist priests, also known as Charjaguru, opened up the historical linkage.
Nepal and Bangladesh are a short distance apart. The Siliguri corridor – also called the Indian Chicken Neck – in the northern part of India’s West Bengal state stands geographically between Bangladesh and Nepal.
The Nepal-Bangladesh ties have a lot of potentials. Bangladesh’s economy is booming day by day, and analysts feel It is going to be a South Asian superstar. Current rulers Bangladesh Awami league are trying to carry out massive industrialization to make it a high-income country by 2041.
Nepal is also a prosperous country. Its people are peace-loving and hard-working, just like those in Bangladesh. Bangladesh and Nepal can connect to raise the living standards of their people.
Hydropower potential
Nepal is a huge source of hydroelectricity, and the Himalayan nation can supply it to Bangladesh to help the latter meet its demands. Bangladesh needs more electricity to run its factories. Nepal can thus play a significant role to boost Bangladesh’s economic strength. Nepal will also benefit as its electricity market would grow.
For this, the power transmission line has to be installed and Bangladesh, Nepal and India have to work jointly. India also stands to benefit, and as the South Asian big brother, it should play a positive role to boost Nepal-Bangladesh ties and trade. A trilateral trade scheme can be initiated alongside the border markets. Bangladesh will be able to export its ‘surplus’ electricity to Nepal during the dry season.
In June 2021, Bangladesh’s state minister for energy Nasrul Hamid announced the country will import around 700 megawatts (MW) of hydropower from Nepal to meet its future electricity demand. Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen said a deal was in the final stages with Nepal and India allowing his country to import hydropower from the Himalayan state.
According to Bangladeshi Media, Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nepal in 2018 to oversee investment, development and trade in hydro-electricity between the two countries. Under this arrangement, Bangladesh will import up to 9,000 Megawatt of hydropower from Nepal by 2040. Bangladesh is also keen to invest in Nepal’s hydropower sector.
Vistas of cooperation
Recently some Nepalese media reports said Bangladesh wanted to export its apparel and fertilizer to Nepal. A total of 52 thousand metric tonnes of urea imported from Bangladesh arrived in Nepal in July.
Tourism, tackling Covid-19, counter-terrorism measures, microfinance, exchange of expertise for training and education sectors are some areas in which the two nations can work. Bangladesh can export agro-products and medicines to Nepal.
Bangladeshi conglomerate Walton Group, which deals in electronics, telecommunication, automobiles and computers, is active in Nepal. International NGO Brac and other Bangladeshi NGOs can play definitive roles to develop the mass education and health sectors in Nepal.
Bangladesh signed a Preferential Trade Agreement with Bhutan on December 06, 2020. A Preferential Trade Agreement with Nepal is also at the final stage and is likely to be signed soon. This would enable duty-free access to products of both countries.
As an addition to the Protocol of the Nepal-Bangladesh Transit Agreement signed in 1976, a letter of exchange has been inked between the two countries to include the Rohanpur-Singhabad Rail Link between India and Bangladesh.
Nepal is also interested in using Chattogram, Mongla and Paira Seaports because it is a landlocked country. Bangladesh has agreed to work on the modalities for this during the visit of Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari in March.
Nepal has also expressed its interest to use the inland waterways of Bangladesh. Besides, Nepal is also keen to use the Saidpur Airport in Bangladesh’s Nilphamari district for direct flights to Biratnagar (the capital of Nepal’s province no.1). Bangladesh is open to it.
BBIN minus Bhutan?
Bangladesh and India have to work mutually to give Nepal access to seaports. Bangladesh can be an open-source for connectivity with Nepal.
India has already agreed to sign passenger protocol under the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal (BBIN) Initiative Nepal is expected to give the nod to it soon. But with Bhutan opting out of the BBIN connectivity project, India, Nepal and Bangladesh have to work together to start an alternative. In the current age, connectivity is synonymous with development. So Nepal and Bangladesh have to be connected through India.
For implementing the BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal, the four nations are exploring some new routes other than the existing ones. The agreement would permit the member states to ply their vehicles in each other’s territory for transportation of cargo and passengers, including third-country transport and personal vehicles
India, Nepal and Bangladesh should have a holistic diplomatic approach to bolster their connectivity project. There are many gains for all parties, and none stand to lose.
It is over 50 days since the ‘GotaGoHome’ campaign kicked off. The campaign which started off as non violent protests by groups of residents in Colombo against the lack of fuel, cooking gas, shortages of medicinal needs and a skyrocketing cost of living. The situation has become so desperate, hospitals have begun cutting back on surgeries as vital stocks of medicament ran out.
The protest took a different turn when what started as protests by individual groups, of a few hundred protestors, coalesced into a huge mass of desperate citizens surrounding the president’s personal residence demanding he resign which in turn led to the occupation of Galle Face Green – a permanent ‘Gotagohome’ protest site. With the situation worsening, a permanent ‘Myna Go Home’ camp sprang up opposite Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s official residence, while a third brother Basil (nicknamed ‘kaputa’, the then Finance Minister) was ridiculed and blamed for the financial crisis
On May 9, hooligans emerged from the PM’s official residence, the Temple Trees and attacked unarmed protestors while police looked askance at the two permanent protest sites. PM Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to resign and a new Premier was appointed. A few days ago ex-Finance Minister Basil resigned his parliamentary seat. Sadly, the situation on the ground continues to worsen, It raises the question as-to-whether name changes alone, will bring relief to the financial mess and peoples’ problems.
Today the protest sites do not attract as many protestors. Perhaps fatigue has set in, or perhaps the financial strain is telling on the protesters. Or it could be protestors were satisfied with the small victory won via the eviction of the premier. The reality however is, that name changes are insufficient to change the situation which led to the financial meltdown.
There is a drastic need for systems change. One classic example is the system of education. Our system of higher education must adapt. Education must cater to suit the needs of gainful employment. There is a chronic shortage of doctors. But archaic mindset prevents the setting up of private medical universities. Government by itself cannot cater to the need. Presently Sri Lanka has 15 state universities, but only about 30,000 students are admitted annually out of the 350,000 who sit the university entrance examinations.
As a result, thousands of our students head overseas for higher studies. According to International Consultants for Education and Fairs. The number of Sri Lankan students abroad have swelled in recent years, roughly doubling in the five years leading up to the pandemic to reach more than 30,000 students abroad in 2019.
The average traditional private university student spends, according to Education Data Initiative – a total of US$ 53,217 per academic year — a huge drain on hard-earned foreign exchange. At today’s rupee value this costs Rs. 19,215,062.19 annually! More private universities in country would save this huge sum of scarce resources leaving our shores. In fact the new universities will also bring in scarce foreign exchange via foreign students.
Sadly entrenched interests hold the country to ransom, preventing the opening of private universities. As pointed out by government leaders themselves, our universities and higher education institutions still continue issuing degrees based on needs of a colonial era. For instance our universities churn out more ‘Arts’ graduates whereas the need is for personsqualified in specialist trades.
An example staring us in the face is that of a large multinational bank opening its regional office at Rajagiriya. Today a large percentage of its expert staff have to be recruited abroad as Sri Lanka is unable to meet the criteria. Examples are too many to be covered in a short column, suffice to say the country and people need a changed mental outlook, especially in the field of education.
Large number of students seek employment in the state sector and follow ‘degrees in the Arts faculty’. Unfortunately employment in the state sector is limited. So large numbers of graduates remain either unemployed or underemployed, only to be used by opportunistic politicians to fulfill their personal agenda.
Unless there is a radical change in our mindset, whoever or whatever the colour of the next regime, the economic crisis will not go away. We need to find ways and means to counter the outflow of precious exchange reserves. We will also need to understand that the subsidies we enjoy will be curtailed. Yet to make this happen, the government needs to ensure its citizens are provided wages sufficient to meet escalating prices. If not it may lead to situations we faced in 1971, 1983 and 1989.
With over 2,500 years of recorded history, those in search of archaeological and cultural treasures in Sri Lanka soon learn the Pearl of the Indian Ocean more than lives up to its name.
Get ready to experience Sri Lanka’s version of a full moon party,” warned Viraj, my story-loving guide, as we headed deep into the ancient citadel of the island’s first capital, Anuradhapura. Founded in the 4th century BC, the city continued for 1,300 years as Sri Lanka’s foremost urban centre, and my gaze was pulled in every direction as we drove the remains of one of the largest monastic citadels the world has ever seen on a busy holy day.
This was just the start for me. I was on a journey that would take me to some of Sri Lanka’s finest treasures, on a route navigating the Cultural Triangle linking the ancient capitals of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy, ending at the island’s historic commercial gateway, Galle.
You’re very lucky to be visiting Anuradhapura, one of the holiest places for Buddhists on the island, on a Duruthu full moon Poya,” said Viraj as we drove past dagobas and palaces. Every full moon in January, Buddhists commemorate the first visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka (around 528 BC), and I’d arrived in time to see the festivities.
We headed first to Mahavihara, the oldest of the city’s monasteries. It was thronged by thousands of worshippers drawn to the holy Sri Maha Bodhi tree, said to be grown from a cutting of the original tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Dressed in all-white, pilgrims carried colourful exotic flowers as offerings while loudspeakers blasted pirith chanting, to help with their quest for spiritual contentment.
It’s a little louder than usual with the use of speakers, but it really does help with meditation,” Viraj affirmed, acknowledging my surprise at the scene.
It wouldn’t be a party without loudspeakers, after all,” I smiled back at him.
While the scale of Anuradhapura’s ancient citadel is extraordinary, nothing prepares you for that first view of the colossal dagoba of Jetavanaramaya, taking over a gargantuan square platform of over 233,000 square metres. Erected in the 3rd century AD, it is still the largest brick-built monument in the world and a highly revered site by Buddhists everywhere.
A dagoba, also known as a stupa, is a dome-shaped shrine containing relics of the Buddha or a Buddhist saint. Anuradhapura boasts several fine examples, including the first built in Sri Lanka, the Thuparama dagoba.
First resigns from the boards of a clutch of quoted companies
Mr. Dhammika Perera, who was widely tipped to enter Parliament on the SLPP National List, on Friday tendered is resignation from a clutch of public listed companies where he served as chairman or director – both executive and non-executive – with effect from June 10.
Shortly threafter his appointment as an SLPP National List MP was gazetted by the Elections Commission. He was thereafter appointed one of two new ministers – the other being Ms. Pavithra Wanniarachchi – with responsibility for Technology and Investment promotion with a wide range of subjects, previously under the Defence Ministry, assigned to him.
Former Minister Paithra Wanniarachchi has re-entered the cabinet as Minister of Women’s ad Children’s Affairs, Social Empowerment and Samurdhi.
Speculation that Perera would shortly enter the government was fueled by his resignations from quoted company boards notified to the Colombo Stock Exchange and published on its website.
Subjects assigned to Perera include a large area under the umbrella of Investment Promotion and Technology. Many subjects previously under the Defence Ministry held by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been assigned to him.
These include Department of Registration of Persons, Immigration and Emigration, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, SLT and its subsidiaries, Sri Lanka Standards Institute, BOI and Colombo Port City Economic Commission.
The listed companies he resigned included those of his own Vallibel Group, Hayleys Group of Companies (Hayleys, Dipped Product, Haycarb, The Kingsbury and several more), Royal Ceramics, Lanka Tiles and Lanka Walltiles Group (including Horana Plantations), LB Finance, Singer Sri Lanka etc.
Perera has gone public with the claim that he’s the country’s largest taxpayer.
The Walasmulla Magistrate on Thursday directed the Weeraketiya Police to launch an inquiry into the complaint that the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Weeraketiya Police Kelum Sangeeth has received death threats warning him not to investigate the charges filed against SJB MP Dilip Wedaarachchi’s son and daughter-in-law.
Ravindu Wedaarachchi and his wife Nethmi Harindika Silva were arrested on Monday (6) for obstructing the duties of police officers at the Bedigama interchange on the Southern Expressway and committing criminal violence.
When the case was taken up before the Magistrate on Thursday, the Weeraketiya Police informed the court that OIC Sangeeth had been threatened via mobile text messages that his house would be torched if he continued to investigate the charges against the suspects.
Then the Magistrate ordered the police to inquire into the complaint.
