Courtesy The Daily Mirror

It was the private sector that demanded a tax cut soon after the present government came into power, Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament today. 

“No politicaian in the government wanted a tax cut, as it was the private sector that wanted it,” he said. 

The former Premier also found fault with the govenment officials and requested the minister of finance to work on his own and make his own statements in the House. “I also propose that all financial advisory committees as it is the Parliament which has power over finances,” he said. 

Also Mr. Wickremesinghe requested that Srilankan airlines should be told to halt leasing of 21 new aircraft till the House gives its approval for it. 

He also praised the Minister of Finance Ali Sabry saying he has been brave enough to undertake a daunting task of reviving the country’s economy. 

Courtesy Adaderana

Minister of Finance Ali Sabry, delivering a special statement in parliament today (May 05), revealed that Sri Lanka’s foreign liquidity reserves, which amounted to USD 7.6 billion by the end of 2019, have dropped to a critically low level below USD 50 million.

Speaking further, the lawmaker said the reserves declined to USD 5.7 billion by the end of 2020, as a result of gross inflows of USD 5.8 billion and outflows of USD 7.8 billion, including foreign currency debt service payments of USD 6.0 billion.

The reserves declined further to USD 3.1 billion by the end of 2021 consequent to the gross inflows of USD 7.9 billion and outflows of USD 10.4 billion, including foreign currency debt service payments of USD 6.8 billion and provision of foreign exchange of USD 1.2 billion to finance essential imports, the finance minister added.

Accordingly, as of now, the usable liquid reserves are at negligible levels,” he pointed out, noting that this is severely impacting the importation of essential items, including fuel, LP gas and pharmaceuticals. The government is struggling to find enough foreign exchange to finance these essential imports, he added.

Delivering his statement, Minister Sabry said Sri Lanka is battling an unprecedented socio-economic and political challenge at present, and the root causes of these challenges go back to several decades of economic history although more recent developments have aggravated the situation into an acute crisis.

Speaking of the substantial tax cuts introduced by the government in late 2019, the finance minister said the intended results of this measure were not realized with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, which aggravated the situation in Sri Lanka.

Further, the revenue foregone due to the tax cuts introduced in late 2019, which was estimated to be more than Rs. 500 billion, has resulted in sovereign rating agencies downgrading Sri Lanka to near default levels, he added.

The finance minister is of the view that these tax cuts should have been gradually reversed in the new environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic. What transpired instead was that the revenue loss led the Central Bank to print money and help the government to finance the deficit.”

With the government’s tax revenues depleted to 8.7% at present, Minister Sabry says the parliament must give priority to implement tax reforms to increase government revenue and rationalize expenditure whilst ensuring public investment in critical areas such as education, healthcare, and social protection.

The finance minister stressed that the time has come to follow a professional approach in resolving these issues rather than being swayed by ideological inclinations. I accept the fact that the aggravation of the issues was due to the delay in restoring fiscal and debt sustainability and failing to preemptively address the decline in foreign reserves. Sri Lanka should have focused on regaining capital market access by establishing a credible path of macroeconomic stabilization, supported by institutions such as the IMF.”

With regard to the decision to seek the assistance of IMF, the finance minister said it is important in this context. An IMF programme will be a catalyst to undertake the much-needed reforms and will provide a signal to the rest of the world that Sri Lanka is serious in addressing its economic difficulties.

But we must realise that the economic reform programme we embark upon must be a programme with Sri Lankan ownership. We must put forward a professional and analytically robust economic plan, where the IMF will also provide technical assistance and then endorse. Without that Sri Lankan ownership, and without broad consensus of the legislature, we would not succeed in providing permanent solutions for our longstanding economic issues.”

Speaking further, the minister said the fundamental macroeconomic weaknesses in the economy have been decades in the making. The recent shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict have exposed the underlying weaknesses such as fiscal instability, accumulated debt overhang, low productivity and persistent current account deficits. However, we should also be humble enough to admit that this situation has occurred due to some of the misaligned and imprudent policies implemented in the recent past as well.”

It is time for Sri Lanka to establish a broad political consensus on the economic path forward for the country, Minister Sabry said further, explaining that every time there has been an attempt to establish long term solutions, these are reversed in the next election cycle with a promise of short-term benefits and relief. 

The adverse outcome of these stop-go policies are experienced today, he added.
Noting that we should understand the root cause of the issue such as the unsustainable fiscal policies adopted by many successive governments, the finance minister stated that We, as a country, have lived beyond our means.”

Without proper checks and balances, all governments have spent much more than what they earned, of course with the approval of the parliament, under which the responsibility for public finances falls, he continued.

Minister Sabry also revealed that the government intends to present a new budget proposal in the parliament soon, through which the income taxes are expected to be increased.

Download this PDF

https://www.scribd.com/embeds/572769516/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-uulw46CKEULxr6mKC6Zc

Financ

Courtesy Adaderana

The Fort Magistrate’s Court has issued a court order for the removal of all the structures, vehicle and belonging of protesters near Temple Trees in Kollupitiya, that cause obstructions to the pedestrians using the pavement and inconveniences the public.

However, the court order further says that it does not impede the protests carried out in a peaceful manner, Ada Derana reporter said.  

Fort Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake had issued the directive today after considering a request made by the police seeking an order to remove the protesters as they inconvenience the general public who use the pavements.

Meanwhile it is reported that police officers have informed the protesters near Temple Trees of the court order and have given them a couple of hours to move the said obstructions, based on the court order. 

Delivering the order, the magistrate emphasized that this order is not be an impediment to peaceful protests carried out in a manner that does not cause inconvenience to the public using the pavement and the public using the road.

Courtesy Adaderana

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, addressing the rumours circulated on the resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, said the reports are baseless.

He made these remarks speaking to the media following the meeting of the parliamentary group of the ruling party today (May 04).

When asked about the rumours stating that the prime minister is expected to step down from his position after delivering a special statement in the parliament, Minister Gunawardena said no such decision has been taken.

The parliamentarian, however, stated that the prime minister intends to deliver a statement tomorrow or the day after, on the ongoing issues in the country.

Courtesy Adaderana

UPDATE: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has announced the official exchange rates of the US Dollar.

Accordingly, the selling rate of the USD is listed as Rs. 350.05 and the buying rate is Rs. 362.99, according to the central bank. 

Several licensed commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (May 04) announced their selling rate as Rs. 370 per US Dollar.

The selling rate of US dollar per Sri Lankan Rupee according to the daily exchange rates of several licensed commercial banks is as follows:

BOC – Rs. 366
People’s Bank – Rs. 359
Sampath Bank – Rs. 370
Commercial Bank – Rs. 370
NDB – Rs. 370
Amana Bank – Rs. 360

In the wake of the Central Bank’s decision to float the currency, the buying and selling rates of the USD have been fluctuating daily.

On March 07, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka announced that greater flexibility has been allowed in the exchange rate with immediate effect. However, the Central Bank had said it is of the view that the rate will not exceed Rs. 230 per USD.

Australian News

In one of the video reports, the person by the name of Nimal Perera does not want to answer the interviewer’s question about the mysterious British-Virgin Islands-domiciled company called Sabre Vision Holdings and walks away giving the impression to the viewer that there is something fishy going on. However, in 2016, this same person (when the UNP was in power and determined to jail the Rajapakse’s) confessed to collecting money for Namal Rajapaksa and his confession led to Namal Rajapaksa bieng arrestd (see page 7). However this allegation was not proved in a court of law and Namal Rajapakse was finally aquitted. The million dollar question is Why does Nimal Perera walk away now when the Austarlian journalist asks akward questions whereas in 2016 the same person came forward to get Namal Rajapaksa arrested? Isn’t this typical “Manufacturing Consent” ? see also:

https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/04/27/u-s-congress-to probe-assets-fleecing-by-us-citizens-of-sri-lankan-origin/

KAMALIKA  PIERIS

United Nations held its first Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS I)  in 1956.The second Conference (UNCLOS II)  was held in 1960. The Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III)   was convened in 1973  and went on till. 1982.   The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) prepared in 1982, came into force in 1994.

This Convention let to the creation of three institutions  dealing with  the  Law of the Sea.  First,

The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, to consider the limits declared by a State and make recommendations thereon Second the International Sea-bed Authority, to see to management of the mineral resources of the deep seabed beyond national jurisdiction. Third, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea consisting of 21 judges empowered to resolve any dispute concerning the Convention

UNCLOS III is important because it greatly increased the sea area which came under the control of sovereign states.  A state was now in control of the sea around it, up to 200 nautical miles. This sovereignty extended to the air space over the territorial sea as well as to its sea  bed and subsoil. This right was however, subject to the conditions in the UNCLOS Convention and the rules of international law.

A coastal state  now had control over four extents of sea, measured from a carefully defined  baseline. The four extents of sea were Internal waters, Territorial waters, Contiguous Zone and Exclusive Economic Zone.

Internal waters  meant all water and waterways on the landward side of the baseline. Foreign vessels have no right of passage within internal waters.

.Territorial waters   extended to 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from the baseline. The state could regulate use of this area and could use any resources in it. However,   vessels belonging to other state   had the right of innocent passage through territorial waters.

Contiguous zone consists of a further 12 nautical miles beyond the Territorial waters. . A state can enforce laws in four specific areas in this zone. The areas were customs, taxation, immigration, and pollution. 

Exclusive Economic Zone  extended for200 nautical miles from the baseline. Within this area, the coastal nation has sole exploitation rights over all natural resources. Foreign nations could travel on this sea and could fly in its airspace, but subject to regulation from the coastal state concerned. Foreign states could  lay submarine pipes and cables in this Zone.

On becoming a Party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Sri Lanka, as an island State, was required to establish its maritime boundaries in accordance with the rules prescribed by that Convention.

During the  negotiations Sri Lanka established  its boundaries for the different areas. the territorial limit   of 12 miles  had been declared in Sri Lanka’s  Maritime Zones Proclamation of January 1977. This  was confirmed in the 1982 Convention. The 12 miles was drawn from the baseline and is the low water mark of ordinary spring tides along the coast. The other three areas were also no problem.

What remained to be established was the extent of Sri Lanka’s Continental Shelf. The Convention sets limits to the extent of the ‘Continental Shelf’ that a State may legally claim, together with its natural resources, e.g. an outer limit of 350 miles from the baseline.

Because of the peculiar configuration of Sri Lanka’s Continental Shelf, application of the Convention’s ordinary depth and distance limits to the Continental Shelf would have deprived Sri Lanka of submarine areas and their natural resources in comparison with the extent permitted to other coastal States under the Convention. 

The actual extent of sea that a  state can claim was  based on  Article 76  of the Convention,, which said The continental shelf of a coastal State comprises the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance. A baseline  is defined as the low water line of the maritime country that is normally used for surveying purposes.

A maritime state can demarcate its outer edge of the continental margin using one of two formulae provided in paragraph 4(a) of the Article 76.

The first formula is known as the sediment formula or Irish formula and it allows a maritime state to claim the adjacent sea area up to a boundary where the thickness of oceanic sediments is 1% of the distance measured from the foot of the slope. This boundary should not exceed 350 nautical miles from the baseline mentioned above.

The second formula which is known as the Hedberg formula  states that a maritime country can claim the adjacent sea area up to a distance not more than 60 nautical miles from the foot of the continental slope. This boundary should not exceed 100 nautical miles. In both these formulae, the foot of the continental slope means the point at which the maximum change in slope occurred.

The Sri Lanka team  found that Article 76 of the Convention would, if applied to Sri Lanka, result in the loss of more than half of its continental shelf. They informed the Conference. The Conference then prepared a separate document to be attached to the Convention and binding on all countries.

That document, negotiated by Sri Lanka with the interested states, was adopted by all the States at the Conference, and now forms Annex II to the Final Act of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, and bears the title ‘Statement of Understanding’ (SOU). Sri Lanka is entitled to claim for an extended area of seabed where the thickness of the sediment layer exceeds one Km.

 A special method of establishing maritime boundaries for countries south of the Bay of Bengal was agreed on. This allowed Sri Lanka a special calculation applicable to its adjacent submarine areas and resources, that would not be governed by the Convention’s ordinary limits and conditions, but only by the limits and conditions contained in that document.

Conditions in that document were, at India’s request, extended to India as a ‘neighboring State’, where the configuration of its Continental Shelf resembled that of Sri Lanka. The Conference agreed that the SOU should extend to India as a ‘neighboring State’ in the southern part of the Bay of Bengal.

Government of Sri Lanka  then   set up a special project under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to carry out scientific surveys related to the demarcation of maritime boundaries of Sri Lanka. An inter-departmental Committee titled the National Ocean Affairs Committee (NOAC) consisting of scientific and legal experts was set up.

This committee  used experts from the United States, Russia, Norway, New Zealand) as well as Sri Lankan experts. With the help of a group of dedicated geologists, geophysicists and hydrographers, some of whom were working on a voluntary basis, initial planning of the seismic survey was carried out.

This involved determining the approximate boundary of the outer edge of the continental margins using results of single channel seismic work carried out over the region by geophysical institutes in the USA, Germany and Russia.

NOAC also used data from UK’s DEOCOM project (Delimitation of the Outer Edge of the Continental Margin of Sri Lanka) of 2007 and the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) of the USA.  To this was added the interpretation of satellite gravity anomalies carried out by local geophysicists. According to the results of these studies Sri Lanka can claim an oceanic area almost equal to twenty-five times of its land area.

Sri Lanka’s written   submission to CLCS on the extent of its Continental Shelf    was prepared by a group of local scientists and legal experts with the assistance of several foreign experts who had been involved in the preparation of similar claims for their own countries.

 The deadline imposed by the UN Commission for maritime countries to make their submissions was 13th May 2009. Sri Lanka  managed to make its submission on 8th May 2009. Sri Lanka‘s  submission, consisting of considerable volume of documents and maps, was deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, on 8 May 2009 within the prescribed time schedule, observed Pathfinder Foundation.

However, over forty two maritime countries had submitted their claims before Sri Lanka  and the date on which Sri Lanka’s  claim will be considered by the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) will be delayed as a result of this. It is estimated that Sri Lanka’s  claim will not be taken up for consideration before 2025.

We should have a group of competent Sri Lankan scientists and legal experts ready by then to defend our claim said D.A. Tantrigoda. Sri Lanka can satisfy the criteria  given in Annex-II. For this it is necessary to determine the boundary at which thickness of sediments lying in the Indian Ocean region around Sri Lanka is one kilometer. Multi-channel seismology was considered the most suitable method for this purpose. The gravity and seismic data collected around Sri Lanka during the survey carried out by the DEOCOM can be used for this.

 Sri Lanka must take urgent steps to train and equip a new generation of negotiators, who would successfully argue Sri Lanka’s case before the CLCS, when Sri Lanka is invited to present its case, said Pathfinder Foundation.

MCM Pinto, said that  the Sri Lanka team handing this matter in the UN should be recognized. It was their tireless efforts that secured for Sri Lanka and India the specific method of establishing the outer edge of their continental shelves. He  named first of all,  Ambassador H.S. Amerasinghe, the first President of the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea.

Dr. Hiran Jayewardene,  recognized the inequity that would be caused by application to Sri Lanka of the continental shelf limits provided for in Article 76, and convinced the Conference that the solution lay in adoption of the Statement of Understanding” and its incorporation in the 1982Convention through Article 3 of Annex II to the Convention which established the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, said Pinto.

 Dr. Jayewardene continued his pioneering role by establishing the National Aquatic Resources Agency (NARA) of Sri Lanka, and  also functioned as Secretary-General of the Indian Ocean Marine Affairs Co-operation organization. Three other members of Sri Lanka’s delegation to the Conference   should also be remembered ,said Pinto,  Ambassadors Susantha de Alwis, Karan Breckenridge and Rodney Vandergert..  ( Continued)

KAMALIKA  PIERIS

The ocean resources of Sri Lanka are in the process of expanding due to the relatively new UN Law of the Sea,  announced the media.   The Territorial and Continuous areas will add a sea area 8 times our land area. Sri Lanka will thereafter acquire 200 nautical miles as an Exclusive Economic Zone, (EEZ) when its claim is considered. This would extend to about 350 kilometers or more from the shore. This would increase our sea area to more than 27 times the landmass we have.  The total area will resemble a fan around the island.

Sri Lanka will have the exclusive right to enjoy and manage the resources in this Zone. This  ocean area  will be the  most valuable economic asset of the country, said experts. The future prosperity of this country lies in the sea which surrounds it.

This EEZ has minerals and hydrocarbons, oil and gas of great economic value, as well seaweed farming, extended fisheries said analysts. In addition, Sri Lanka can promote oceanic recreational opportunities such as surfing, whale and dolphin watching, deep sea diving, sea entertainment and sea sports.

This area has a thick sediment cover having a high potential of hydrocarbon accumulation. Therefore this sea area should have tremendous potential for oil and gas. It is considered  highly  probably that there is oil and gas on the west and east coasts. Minerals such as titanium, zirconium, thorium, potassium, cobalt, nickel, copper manganese have been discovered.

Over     600 coastal and nearly 100 pelagic fish have been reported. Some 60 species of sharks, over          20 species of demersal fish and shell fish have been reported. However at present we lack the fishing vessels to get at these.   Also sea weed has great economic potential.  Promising spies of Garcilaira, Ulva and Sargassum have been found in these coastal waters.

A best part of this EEZ  will go to  Eelam, if we are not careful, warned  critics.  Eelam start at Puttalam, goes up to Jaffna, down past Trincomalee and Batticaloa to Ampara. The oil and gas reserves of the west and east  will become part of Eelam..  (Continued)

MAP OF TAMIL EELAM.

KAMALIKA  PIERIS

India, Sri Lanka and Maldives  are located in the same area of the Indian Ocean. Therefore it was necessary to  decide on the territorial boundaries  of the sea between these three countries. Maritime  boundary agreements  between India and Sri Lanka were signed in 1974 and 1976 . This was necessary to avoid conflict, in the waters particularly in Palk Strait.

The first agreement was regarding the maritime boundary in waters between Adam’s Bridge and the Palk Strait, and came into force on July 8, 1974. This demarcated the waters from Adam’s Bridge to Palk Strait. The boundaries were drawn by connecting by straight lines two terminal points and four turning points which have been plotted by the system of drawing arcs of great circles from points on the baselines of the two countries and taking the point of intersection as the required point. The baselines  followed  the low water mark of the seaward edge of the islands off the coastline.

The  1974 Agreement stated that each country shall have sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction and control over the waters, the islands, the continental shelf and the subsoil  which falls on its side of the boundary.  Vessels of India and Sri Lanka will enjoy in each others’ waters as they have traditionally done.

The  1974 Agreement  also said that if there is any single geological or natural gas structure or field straddling across the boundary, the two countries should seek to reach an agreement on the manner in which the structure or field should be most effectively exploited and the manner in which the proceeds deriving there from shall be apportioned.

The second agreement,  which entered into force on May 10, 1976, defined the maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Mannar and the Bay of Bengal.^. This was followed by a third agreement in 1976,  between India and Sri Lanka to  extend the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Mannar. A fourth agreement  was signed in 1976. This was  an  agreement for the Determination of the tri-junction point between India, Sri Lanka and Maldives in the Gulf of Mannar

In 1977, Issues connected with boundaries with India and the Maldives, as well as with the politically sensitive matter of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over the island of Kachchativu, were  settled by agreement.

Sri Lanka ‘s  Maritime Zones Law No.22 of 1976  provided  for  the historic waters of Sri Lanka. The Law stated that Sri Lanka exercises sovereignty, exclusive jurisdiction and control in and over the historic waters, as well as the islands and the continental shelf, and the seabed and subsoil thereof within such historic waters.

 Sri Lanka declared that the areas of sea in the Palk Strait, Palk Bay, and the Gulf of Mannar up to Kalpitiya on the Western coast, and Point Pedro on the Northern coast were the historic waters of Sri Lanka . Palk Bay had been claimed as historic waters on the basis of Sri Lanka’s use of the pearl and chank fisheries there..

The Maritime Zones Proclamation of 1977, declared that the historic waters in the Palk Bay and Palk Strait shall form part of the internal waters of Sri Lanka and that the historic waters in the Gulf of Manner shall form part of the territorial sea of Sri Lanka.   The Palk Strait which provides the entrance to Palk Bay was declared internal waters. Analysts noted that The UN Convection did not apply to   historic bays.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea makes provision for delimitation of the sea when states have overlapping or adjacent coasts. This is to be decided under the provisions of Article 83 of the Convention.

There are overlapping claims in the Bay of Bengal between Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Bangladesh and the Maldives.  In 2016, Bangladesh had objected to United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) regarding Sri Lanka’s claim of the continental shelf.Bangladesh objects to Sri Lanka rights where it overlaps with Bangladesh.  The Bengal fan is believed to have rich hydrocarbon and mineral resources. One solution is to have joint ownership ,  the other is to draw boundaries, said NOAC  

Pathfinder Foundation said that as there are other countries ahead of Sri Lanka in the ‘queue’ awaiting invitations to present their submissions to CLCS it is urgently necessary that Sri Lanka have consultations with India as joint beneficiary under the SOU, that would safeguard our (and India’s) interests. After consultation with India, Sri Lanka should also discuss with Bangladesh and Myanmar  on their claims, if any, to be entitled to the dispensation provided to Sri Lanka (and India) by the SOU..

Pathfinder recommended that  Sri Lanka take urgent action to discuss the situation first with India and thereafter with other countries aspiring to take advantage of the SOU.  Sri Lanka must alsotake urgent steps to train and equip a new generation of negotiators, who would successfully argue Sri Lanka’s case before the CLCS, when Sri Lanka is invited to present its case. (Continued)

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM Wellington NZ

Several of my Kiwi patients and medical colleagues have asked me repeatedly

why Sri Lankans are washing their dirty linen in public and driving off

potential tourists and investors from going to Sri Lanka, when this is

precisely what Sei Lanka needs now.!

On a personal note the latest Gota Go Gama in Parliamentary Square in

Westminister London,i s precisely where the Tigers were camped for over 12

months after their defeat on 19/5/09 with one of them infamously going on a

fast that made the London Metropolitan police provide personal protection at

a significant cost, only to find out later that the guy was being fed by his

colleagues on the sly.That was “Koti Gama” then!

During that period in November ’09, on one of our visits to London,, the

Tigers were one of the many groups camped out for months  on this square as

the Police could not drive them off because there was a dispute ( now

resolved)as to  whether this square was under the jurisdiction of HM the

queen or the UK parliament. When I walked there one morning , I saw a

placard outside the ” Tamil Tiger tent “, referring to the camps housing the

300,000 human shields rescued from Tiger clutches a few months earlier,

saying, ” what was once a concentration camps now an extermination camp”

Charged up,I crossed the road to confront who ever was inside for spreading

baseless allegation to find it empty. In frustration complained , to one or

two of the Metropolitan Policemen  patrolling this area,  that by allowing

this type of false baseless allegations in the name of free speech , my

human rights was being violated by being made the butt end of completely

baseless , maleceous allegations.

A few days later, when I went there again to confront who ever might be

there, I was pleasantly surprised to see both the tent and the placard gone!

I wish this new breed of placard waving heroes who dared not show their face

then,  would have at least have some  placards making it known that SL is

open for tourists , so as to provide some immediate relief to the suffering

masses whom they claim to be ‘aragalaying” for.!

Is not doing so  stupidity or hypocrisy ?

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM

Wellington NZ

ආචාර්ය සුදත් ගුණසේකර

ප්‍රථම්යෙන්ම එවැනි යෝජනා කරන අයගේ මොලේ තියෙන්නේ කොහේදැයි වහාම පරීක්ශා කළයුතුය.

මන්ද දැනට රටතුල පවතින ආර්ථික,දේශපාලනික සහ සමාජ අසහනය අනුව විපක්ශ නායකයා සහ අනුර දිසානයක ඇතුලු ඇතැම් අය කියන පරිදි මැතිවරරණයකට යාමට මේ අවස්ථාව කිසිසේත්ම සුදුසු නොවන බැවිනි..

මන්ද පළමුවෙන්ම පාර්ලිමේත්ව විසුරුවා මැතිවරණයකට යාමෙන් අද රටේ පවතින දේශපාලන,ආර්ථික හා සමාජ අර්බුධ තවත් උග්‍ර වෙනවා මිස ඒවාට කිසිසේත්ම විසදුම් නොළැබෙන නිසාය.

දෙවනුව මැතිවරණයක් පවත්වා අවසාන කිරීම සඳහා අවම වශයෙන් මාස 5 ක් වත් ගතවීම, රටතුල පවතින අර්බුධකාරි තතවය නිසා සාධාරන මැතිවරණයක් පැවැත්වීමේ දුස්කරතා, මැතිවරණයකට වැයවන රුපියල් කෝටි 1500 පමණ විශාල වියදම සහ එය සොයාගැනීමේ ඇති අපහසුතාව, පවතින සමාජ අසහනය යටතේ පාක්ශිකයින් අතර මැතිවරණයකදි ඇතිවිය හැකි ගැටුම් නිසා විශාල ගණනක් මියයාමට වුවද ඇති ඉඩකඩ, මැති වරණයක් තිබ්බද කිසිම පක්ශයකට රජයක් පිහිටුවීමට ප්‍රමාණවත් ආසන සන්ක්යාවක් නොලැබීම නිසා අනිවාර්යෙන්ම එකිනෙකට පරස්පර අදහස් හා අරමුණු ඇති පිරිස් සමන්න්ඝ හවුල් ආණ්ඩුවකට යාමට සිදුවීම නිසා බලලෝභී, ආත්මාර්ථකාමි දේශපාලකයින් ඕනෑම පාවාදිමක් කොට ආණ්ඩුවක් පිහිටුවනු ඇත.එසේ වූ විට බෙදුම්වාදීන් සහ ජාතිවාදීන් අතට පාලන බලය නැවතත් යාම නිසා සින්හල බෞද්ධයින්ගේ අයිතිවාසිකම් තවත් අහිමිවීම සහ පක්ශ දේශපාලනය නමැති මළපුඩුවේ මේ රට තව තවත් හිරවී ඉන් මිදීමට ඇතී ඉඩකඩ මුළුමනින්ම ඇහිරීයාම  ආදී හේතු මැතිවරණයකට විරුද්ධව ඉදිරිපත් කළ හැක. එසේම සමස්ථ සමාජයම, අවිනිස්චිත භාවයෙන් සහ පීඩනයෙන් අවුල්වූ මනසින් වික්ශිප්තව සිටින මෙවැනි අවස්ථාවක පවත්වන මැතිවරනයකින් හැඟීම්වලින්තොර බුද්ධිමත් තීඉරණයක් ගැනීමටද මිනිසුන්ට අපහසුය.එබැවින් බල ලෝභයෙන් උමතුවි ගිනිගෙන දැවෙන අනුන්ගේ රැවුලෙන් තම සුරුට්ටුව පත්තුකර ගැනීමට දඟලන බඩගෝස්තරවාදි බලලෝබී දේශපාලකයින් හැර සිහි මොලේ ඇති කිසිවෙකු මේ අවස්ථාවේදී මැතිවරණයක් පැවැත්වීමට එකඟ නොවනු ඇත.

මේ අර්බුධයෙන් රට ගොඩ ගැනීමේ ඒකායන ක්‍රමය

එමනිසා වර්තමාන  අර්බුධය විසඳීමට ඇති  අවස්ථාවෝචිත හා සුදුසු එකම  ක්‍රමය මහජන මතයට කන්දී  ජනාධිපතිවරයා සහ අගමැතිවරයා වහාම ඉල්ලා අස්වී පවතින පාර්ලිමෙන්තුවට විවස්ථාවෙ 40 වන වගන්තිය අනුව නව ජනාධිපතිවරයෙකු පත්කොට ගැනීමට ඉඩ සලසා පාර්ලිමෙන්තුවේ සිටින සියලුම දේශපාලන පක්ශවල නායකයින්ගෙන් සහ ඉන් පිටතින් නව ජනාධිපතිවරයා විසින් තෝරාගණු ලබන දේශපාලනය, ආර්ථිකවිද්යාව, මේ රටේ කෘශිකර්මාන්තය,කර්මාන්ත, මූල්ය, විදේශප්‍රතිපත්ති, පරිපාලනය, වෙළඳ හා වානිජ කටයුතු,  සෞක්ය වැනි ශේස්ත්‍ර පිළිබඳ විසේසඥ දැනුමක් සහ ප්‍රායෝගික දැණුමක් ඇති දේශප්‍රේමී බුද්ධිමතුන් කීපදෙනකුගෙන් සමන්විත විධායක බලතල සහිත 17 දෙනකුගේ පමණ අන්තර්කාලීන කුඩා ඇමති මන්ඩලයකින් රට පාලනය කරන රජයකින් පමණි. වර්තමාන ඇමති මන්ඩලයේ මෙන් මෙම නව ඇමති මන්ඩලයේ, මැටි  ඇමති, මිරිස් ඇමති, රතුලූණු ඇමති,වේවැල් ඇමති,පිත්තල ඇමති, එලවුළු ඇමති,පලතුරු ඇමතී, බතික් හා, හා බුලත් සහ හුණු ඇමති  වැනි විකාර උප ඇමති හා රාජ්ය ඇමති තවාන්ද නොතිබිය යුතුය.එසේම බලය රැකගැනීමේ එකම අරමුනින් කැබිනට් අමතිවරුන් යටතේ නොවැටෙන ඊට වග නොකියන රාජ්ය ඇමති වරුන් නම් වූ විකාර ඇමති වරයින්ද මෙහි නැත

නව ඇමතිමන්ඩලය ජනතා අපේක්ශාවන්ට අනුකූලව සකස්කෙරුණු ජාතික ප්‍රත්හිපත්ති මාලාවක් ක්‍රියාත්ම්ක කිරීමටද  එකඟ විය යුතුය. ඊට එකඟ  නොවන කිසිවෙක් එම ඇමති මන්ඩලයේ සිටීමට සුදුසුකම් නොලබයි. තවද 2025 මැතිවරණය දක්වා එම ඇමති මන්ඩලය පැවතිය යුතු බවද මම යෝජනා කරමි.

පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ සිටින සෙසු මන්ත්‍රිවරුන් සියලු දෙනාම අමාත්යාන්ශ 17 ට අදාල  කමිටු 17 කට බෙදා එකී අමාත්යාශ වල කටයුතු අධීක්ශනය කළ යුතුයයිද තවදුරටත් මම යෝජනා කරමි.

යෝජිත ඇමති මන්ඩලය.

නව ජනාධිපති වරයා විසින් තුන් අවුරුදු කාලසීමාවකට උපරිම වශයෙන් 17 දෙනකුට නොවැඩි අන්තර්කාලීන සර්වපාක්ශික අමාත්ය මණ්ඩලයක් පත්කළ යුතුය. (මෙම ඇමති මන්ඩලයේ නියෝජ්ය ඇමතිවරුන්ද නැත )

නව අමාත්ය මණ්ඩලය පහත සඳන් පරිදි විය යුතුයයි මම යෝජනා කරමි.

 යෝජිත අමාත්ය මණ්ඩලය

ජනාධිපති; අමාත්ය මණ්ඩලයේ ප්‍රධානියා, ආණ්ඩුවේ ප්‍රධානියා සහ සන්නද්ධ සේවාවන්හි ප්‍රධානියා

1අග්‍රාමාත්ය, රාජ්ය ආරක්ශක,  බුද්ධසාසන හා සන්ස්කෘතික කටයුතු

2 මුදල් හා හා රජයේ වැඩ

3 ඉඩම්, වාරිමාර්ග සහ පරිසර සන්රක්ශන

4 කෘශිකර්මාන්ත, වැවිලි කර්මාන්ත සහ කුළුබඩු

5 කර්මාන්ත, බලශක්ති හා තාක්ශන 

6 අධ්යාපන සහ ක්‍රීඩා

7 අධිකරණ, නිතිය හා සාමය

8 සෞක්ය, ආයුර්වේද සහ සමාජසේවා

9 නිවාස, පලාත්පාලන හා ජලසම්පාදන

10 වෙලඳ හා නාවික 

11 විදේස සහ ජාත්යන්තර (මෙම ඇමති ධුරයට නිතරම පත්කලයුත්තේ ශ්‍රි.ලන්. වි.සේ  විශිස්ඨතම නිලධාරියෙකි- ජාතික ළැයිස්තුවෙන්)

 12 ධීවර සහ සමුද්‍ර සම්පත් –

13 කම්කරු හා රැකිරක්ශා –

 14 ගමනාගමන, මහාමාර්ග හා ගුවන්සේවා 

 15 ප්‍රවුර්ති, ගුවන්විදුලි, රූපවාහිනී සහ ජනමාධ්ය

16`උඩරට ගැමි පුනරුත්ථාපන සහ කන්ද උඩරට (ජාතියේ හදබිම ) සන් රක්ශනය 

17 ස්වදේශ කටයුතු රාජ්ය පරිපාලන හා ග්‍රාම සන්වර්ධන (මෙම ඇමති ධුරයට නිතරම පත්කල යුත්තේ ශ්‍රි.ලන්.ප.සේ විශිස්ඨතම නිලධාරියෙකි

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදලේ නව වෙබ් අඩවිය සහ යූ ටියුබ් චැනලය අන්තර්ජාලයට එක්කිරීම අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාගේ සුරතින් අද (03) පෙරවරුවේ අරලියගහ මන්දිරයේදී සිදු විය.

දේශීය සහ විදේශීය වශයෙන් මෙරට සංස්කෘතිය පිළිබඳව ප්‍රචාරයක් ලබා දීම හා සංචාරක ආකර්ෂණය වැඩි කිරීම මෙහි අරමුණයි.

ccf.gov.lk වෙබ් ලිපිනය ඔස්සේ මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදලේ නව වෙබ් අඩවිය වෙත පිවිසිය හැකි අතර “අපේ උරුමය” (Our heritage) නමින් නව යූ ටියුබ් චැනලයට පිවිසිය හැකිය.

මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදල ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සංස්කෘතික උරුමය කළමනාකරණය කරන ප්‍රධාන ආයතනයක් වන අතර ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ප්‍රධාන පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථාන ආරක්ෂා කිරීම හා සංරක්ෂණ කිරීම, පර්යේෂණ සිදු කිරීම, බිතු සිතුවම් සහ වෙනත් පුරාවස්තු සංරක්ෂණය කිරීම, පුරාවිද්‍යා ක්ෂේත්‍රයේ මානව සම්පත් සංවර්ධය කිරීම එහි ප්‍රමුඛ කාර්යය භාරයකි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සංස්කෘතික සංචාරක ව්‍යාපාරය මෙහෙයවමින් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ආර්ථීක සංවර්ධනය සඳහා මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදල සිය දායකත්වය සපයයි.

පළමුව සංස්කෘතික ත්‍රිකෝණය පාදක කරගනිමින් ප්‍රධාන පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථාන 6 කින් ඇරඹි මෙම ආයතනය නව සහශ්‍රකයේ උරුම කළමනාකරණ කටයුතු පුළුල් කරමින් එහි කටයුතු දිවයිනේ අනෙකුත් ප්‍රදේශ වෙත ද විහිදුවා තිබේ.

ඒ අනුව මේ වන විට දිවයින පුරා ප්‍රධාන පුරාවිද්‍යා ස්ථාන 24ක මෙම උරුම කළමනාකරණ කටයුත්තට මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදල දායක වෙයි.

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය ලේකම් අනුර දිසානායක, බුද්ධශාසන,ආගමික හා සංස්කෘතික කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශයේ ලේකම් මහාචාර්ය කපිල ගුණවර්ධන, මහා භරකාරතැන්පත් නීතිඥ ගනේෂ් ධර්මවර්ධන, පුරාවිද්‍යා අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල්  මහාචාර්ය අනුර මනතුංග, මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදලේ අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජනරාල් මහාචාර්ය ගාමිණී රණසිංහ, එහි ජාත්‍යන්තර කටයුතු අධ්‍යක්ෂ උපුල් බණ්ඩාරනායක, මාධ්‍ය අධ්‍යක්ෂ ලලිත් උදේෂ මධුභාණු මහත්වරු ඇතුළු පිරිසක් මෙම අවස්ථාවට සහභාගී වූහ.

ෂම්මි උයනගේ පරිගණක මෘදුකාංග ඉංජිනේරු

නීත්‍යානුකූලව ඡන්දයකින් පත්වූ ආන්ඩුවක් හෑෂ් ටැග් වලින් ගෙදර යැවිය හැකිද? පසුගිය 2019 වකවානුවේ දී පැවැත්වූ මැතිවරණ නීත්‍යානුකූල නොවූයේනම් අද ඇතිවන තත්වය මීට වඩා හාත්පසින්ම වෙනස් ස්වරූපයක් ගනී. එසේ වූවානම් නම් තීරණාත්මක බලවේගය වන්නේ හෑෂ් ටැග් නොව මහජනතාවගේ අරගලයයි. ඊනියා නිර්පාක්ෂික අරගලයේ  #GotaGoHome2022 හෑෂ් ටැග් ප්‍රමාණය ලක්ෂ 5 කට ආසන්න වී ඇත. යම් හෑෂ් ටැග් එකක්, එක් අයෙකුට යොදාගත හැක්කේ එක් වරක් පමණක් ද? සාමාන්‍යයෙන් ඡන්දයකදී නම් එක් ඡන්ද දායකයෙකුට සිය ඡන්දය එක් වරක් පමණක් භාවිතා කළ හැකි වුවද මේ ඩිජිටල් ක්‍රමයේ එක් අයෙකුට ඕනෑතරම් හෑෂ් ටැග් ප්‍රමාණයක් දැමිය හැක.

ව්‍යවස්ථානුකූලව පවත්වන ලද  මැතිවරණයකින් ලබාගන්නා ඡන්ද ලක්ෂ 69 යට වඩා නොනිළ හෑෂ් ටැග් ලක්ෂ 5 සැලකිය යුතු බලයක් පෙන්නුම් කර තිබේ. 2/3 ක බලයක් ලබා පිහිටුවා ගෙන තිබූ පොහොට්ටුවේ විද්‍යාත්මක කැබිනට්ටුව පැය 24 න් ගෙදර යැව්වේය. ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම සිදුවූයේ නහය තෙක්ම ගිලෙන තුරු වගේ වගක් නැතුව හිටපු වත්මන් ආණ්ඩුවේ අදේශපාලනික ක්‍රියාමාර්ග තවදුරටත් අල්ලාගෙන සිටීමට නොහැකි වූ “මගීන්” එක එකා බැගින් ඉන් ඉවතට පනින ලදී. විමල්, ගම්මන්පිල ඇතුළු එකොළහේ කණ්ඩායම ස්වාධීන වීම මෙහි එක් සිද්ධියක් පමණි. ඇතිවූ තත්වය සම්බන්ධයෙන් ජනතාව ඒකරාශී වීම මා හිස මුදුනෙන්ම පිළි පිළිගන්නා අතර අවසානයේ අරගලය අවජාතකවීම පිළිබඳව ඇත්තේ මහත් පිළිකුලකි. අර්බුදය සහ අරගලය පිළිබඳව විමර්ශනාත්මකව බලන පුද්ගලයකුට ඒ පිළිබඳව යම් කිසි වැටහීමක් ලබාගත හැකිය.

අරගලය අවජාතක වීම පිළිබඳව එක් එක් කරුණු වෙන වෙනම ගෙන විමර්ශනය කිරීම ඵලදායක නැත. ඉන් අරබුදයට විසඳුමක් හෝ අරගලයට ජයග්‍රහණයක් ලැබේ නම් පමණක් ඒ පිළිබඳව කාලය යෙදෙව්වා ට කම් නැත. ඇඟිල්ල දිගුකර සඳ පෙන්වූ විට ඇඟිල්ල දෙස නොව සඳ දෙස බලන්න. අර්බුදය විසඳීමට ඇත්ත වශයෙන් ම උවමනාවක් ඇත්නම් තෝරා බේරා ගත් සටන් පුවරු පමණක් කියවන්න. වෙන වෙන කුණුහරප සටන් පුවරු අවශ්‍ය අයට, අවශ්‍ය පරිදි, අවශ්‍ය තැනක, අවශ්‍ය කාලයක් ප්‍රදර්ශනය කිරීමට ඉඩ දීම අරගලය අල කිරීමට ඇති හොඳම මාර්ගයයි. අරගලකරුවන් අරගල භූමියෙන් ඉවත් කළ ද ඔවුන්ගේ සටන් පුවරු සමාජ මාධ්‍ය තුලින් ඉවත් කිරීම එතරම් ලේසි නැත. කරනවා නම් හොඳම ක්‍රියාව වන්නේ එම සටන් පාඨ වල “වටිනාකම” ජන සමාජය තුළ නිෂේධනය කර දැමීමයි. වෙනත් අයුරකින් කියනවා නම් ජන සමාජයක තුළ, එම සටන් පාඨ වලට තවදුරටත් වලංගු භාවයක් නොමැති වන සේ අර්බුදය විසඳා දැමීමයි.

කෙසේ හෝ අප ඇස් පනාපිටම අවජාතක හෝ විජාතික හෝ අරගලයක් ඇති වී තිබේ. ගින්නක් නැත්තං දුමක් නගින්නේ ද නැත. ගින්න ඇතිවූ විට එය නිවා දැමීම සඳහා ගිනි නිවන භටයන් සිටින්නා සේම එයට පිදුරු දමන එන්ජීඕ බත්බැලයන් හතර අත මතුවෙමින් ඇත. ඔවුන් හඳුනා ගැනීම බොහෝ අපහසුය. සමහරු නිරාගමික ය. පසුගිය තිස් අවුරුදු ත්‍රස්තවාදී අරගල සමයේදී ඔවුන් සිහිමුර්ජාවෙන් පසුවිය. බොහෝ දෙනා එම කාල පරිච්ඡේදයේදී ඉපදී වත් නැති අතර ඉතුරු ටික ඕපපාතිකය. ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදය යනු පාලකයන් තමන්ට අවශ්‍ය දේ මහජනතාවට ලබා දීමේ පාලන ක්‍රමයයි. කෙසේ නමුත් පාලකයා අන්දමන්ද නම් මහජනතාව විසින් පාලකයාට Go Home” කියනු ඇත. පසුගිය යහපාලන රජය පත් වී මාස ගණනක් ඉක්මයාමටත් මත්තෙන්ම මහජනතාව Go Home” කීමට පටන් ගත් නමුත් ඔවුන් ගෙන ගිය මර්දනකාරී සහ උපක්‍රමශීලී ක්‍රමවේදය එම ආණ්ඩුව වසර 5 ක්, එනම් ඊළඟට පැවැත්වූ පළමු නිල ඡන්දය දක්වාම පවත්වාගෙන යන ලදී  (2019 දක්වා). එදා යහපාලන රජය පලවා හැරීමට ජනතාවට හෑෂ් ටැග් අවශ්‍ය නොවූ අතර එකාවන්ව එක පෙළට රටේ ජනතාව, ආගමික නායකයන්, බුද්ධිමතුන්, ජාතික සංවිධාන, මහ පවුරක් වී, මහ බලයක් වී මේ රට ජාතිය රැක ගත්හ.

විමල් ඇතුළු පිරිස ගිලෙන නැවෙන් අවසාන මොහොතේ හෝ පැන ගැනීම සාමාන්‍ය සාමාර්ථයක් හෝ ලබා දීමට තරම් වටින ක්‍රියාවකි. කෙසේ නමුත් විමල්ලා, ගම්මන්පිලලා, වාසුලා නහය දක්වා ගිලෙන තෙක් සිහිසුන්ව ආණ්ඩුව ඇතුළේ සිටියේයැයි මම විශ්වාස නොකරමි. ඔවුන් තමන්ට හැකි පමණ (scope) ආණ්ඩුව තුළ සිටිමින් ආණ්ඩුවේ වැරදි පෙන්වා දෙන්නට උත්සාහ කළ බව, ඔවුන් ප්‍රකාශ කර ඇත. නමුත් ආණ්ඩු ප්‍රධානීන්ට සිහිමුර්ජා වී තිබුණි. විමල්ලා නැවෙන් පැන්න බව ඔවුන් දැනගත්තේ පත්තරෙනි. දඩිබිඩිගා විමල් සහ ගම්මන්පිල ඇමති ධුරවලින් ඉවත් කලේ 195 ක් විතර අතේ තියෙන මහා චන්ඩීන් ලෙසිනි. අහෝ සිදු වූ කරුමය! ඊට ටික දිනකට පසු ආණ්ඩුවේ විද්‍යාත්මක කැබිනට්ටුව ම සතුටින් විසිර ගියෝය. නැවෙන් පැන්න විමල් Netflix බැලීම සඳහා ගෙදර ගිය අතර කොල්ලො කුරුට්ටො බෝඩ් උස්සාගෙන ගෝල්ෆේස් පැමිණියහ. එහි ප්‍රතිඵලයක් වශයෙන් සිය පවුල් ප්‍රශ්න සඳහන් පෝස්ටර් උස්සාගෙන සිටි හුදී ජනයාට අරගලයේ ක්‍රෙඩිට් එක නිකම්ම ලැබුණි.

විමල්ලා, (විමල් ලෙස තනි පුද්ගල නාමයක් භාවිතා කළ ද මේ සමගම ඔවුන් සමඟ සිටින අනෙකුත් දේශපාලන නායකයන්ගේ නම් ද කියවන්න) ආණ්ඩුවෙන් ඉවත් වීම, මේ ඇතිවූ සමාජ, දේශපාලනික, ආර්ථික කලබගෑනියට හේතුවක් නම් ඔවුන් එසේ ඉවත් වීම යනු ජාතික අපරාධයකි. නමුත් සිදුවූයේ එය නොවේ. විමල්ලා කරේ පෙර සඳහන් කළ පරිදි ගිලෙන නැවෙන් එළියට පැමිණීමයි. ඒ වන විටත් සමස්ත රාජ්‍යම කඩා වැටී තිබුණි. ඉතාමත් ව්‍යාකූල තත්වයක් නුදුරේම හටගන්නා බව ද, රාජ්‍ය මෙහෙයවන්නන්ගේ අසමත් ක්‍රියාකාරකම් පිළිබඳව ද විමල්ලා තැන් තැන්වල කතා කර තිබුණි. එහිදී මේ රජය පත් කිරීම සඳහා වෙහෙස මහන්සි වූ සමාජ ක්‍රියාකාරකයින් කීපදෙනෙක් ඔවුන්ගෙන් විමසා සිටියේ “ඇයි ඉතින් ඕවා අපට කියන්නේ… අපි ඔයගොල්ලන්ව පත්කරලා යැව්වෙ ඕවා විසඳන්න නේ… ඔයගොල්ලෝ ඕව කතා කරලා විසඳගන්න” ලෙසයි. ඒ වන විටත් ආණ්ඩුව තුළ යම් අරගලයක නිරත වී සිටි ඔවුන්, ඔවුන්ට හැකි පරිදි, ප්‍රශ්නය සමාජගත කිරීමට උත්සාහ දරන ලදී. එදා සමාජ ක්‍රියාකාරකයින් උපහාසයෙන් ඔවුන්ව ප්‍රතික්ෂේප නොකර ඇතිවී ඇති තත්වය දීර්ඝව විශ්ලේෂණය කිරීමට කතිකාවක් ආරම්භ කළා නම් අද තත්වය මීට වඩා හාත්පසින්ම වෙනස් වීමට ඉඩ තිබුණි. විමල්ලාට කළ හැකිව තිබුණේ එපමණකි. කොල්ලෝ කුරුට්ටෝ ටික එකතු වී “Gota Go Home” ගම හැදුවේ නැත්තං සිද්ධ වන්නේ එවකට ආණ්ඩුවේ සිටි අඳ, ගොළු, බිහිරින් ටික එකතු වී “Wimal Go Home” ගම සෑදීමයි. විමල්ට හොඳ සද්දයක් තිබේ. විමල්ට ඒ සද්දය භාවිතාකළ හැක්කේ තමාට පාර්ලිමේන්තු යාම සඳහා සහ වෙනත් අයෙකු ජනාධිපති කරවීම සඳහා පමණි. වගේ වගක් නැතුව සිටි ජාතික සංවිධාන වලට අද දක්වාම මේ ප්‍රශ්නයට අවතීර්ණ වීමට නොහැකි වී ඇත්තේ අවශ්‍ය මොහොතේදී සිදු කළ යුතුව තිබූ තාත්වික මැදිහත්වීම සිදු නොකළ බැවිනි. මේ ආණ්ඩුව පත්වී මුලින්ම සිදුකරන ලද අමන ක්‍රියාව වූයේ, ආණ්ඩුව පත් කිරීම සඳහා අමිල මෙහෙවරක් ඉෂ්ට කරන ලද ජාතික සංවිධාන නිහඬ කරවීමයි. ඒ බව මේ ලිපියේ සඳහන් නොකිරීම එක පැත්තකින් ජාතික සංවිධාන වලට කරන  අසාධාරණයකි.

දැන් අශ්වයා පැන ගොස් අවසානය. ජාතික සංවිධාන කෙසේ වෙතත් මේ ප්‍රශ්නයේ ප්‍රධාන පාර්ශවකරු වන ආණ්ඩුවට ද විසඳුම්ක් නොමැතිව අන්දමන්ද වී ඇත. ආතල්ගමේ අරගල කාරයන්ට ද මේ සම්බන්ධව විසඳුමක් නැත. ඔවුන්ගෙන් සමහරෙක් පවසන්නේ මේ ආණ්ඩුව ගෙදර යන ලෙසයි. කරවටක් ගිලී ඇති මේ වෙලාවේ ඉන්පසු කුමකින් කුමක් සිදු වේදැයි සිතා ගැනීමටවත් නොහැක. මේ ආණ්ඩුව එළවා දමා යූඑන්පී හෝ ජේවීපී ආණ්ඩුවක් ඇති කිරීම සඳහා මෙම ලියුම්කරු එක වචනයක් වත් නාස්ති නොකරන බව අවධාරණයෙන් ලියා තබමි. එදා 88/ 89 කාලයේ දී ගොවිජන සේවා මධ්‍යස්ථානයකට ගිනි තැබීමට නියෝග කළ සහෝදරයන්ගෙන් “ඊටපස්සේ මොකද කරන්නේ” යැයි භූමි තෙල් බෝතලයක් අතින් දරා ගෙන සිටි කිරිසප්පයෙක් විමසන ලදුව ඔහුට පිළිතුරු වශයෙන් ලැබුණේ “පළමුව ගිනි තබනු. ඊට පසු වන දේ පසුව බලමු” යන්නයි. මේ ආණ්ඩුව ගෙදර යවා යූඑන්පී, ජේවීපී ආණ්ඩුවක් ගෙන ඒමේ කිරිපණුගායක් අද සමාජයට නොමැති අතරම මේ ආණ්ඩුව ගෙදර යවා මේ බිහිසුණු අවස්ථාවේ ආණ්ඩුව භාර ගැනීමේ උවමනාවක් සජිත්ට හෝ අනුර කුමාරට ඇති බවක් ද නොපෙනේ.

ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම එජාප ආණ්ඩුවක් බලයේ සිටියේ නම් අද මේ ඇතිවී ඇති දුක්ඛදායක තත්වය අත්විඳීමට සිදු නොවනු ඇති. එසේනම් රනිල් ප්‍රමුඛ එජාප විජාතික නඩය දවසට එක බැගින්, තිබෙන සම්පත් එකින් එක විකුණා දමා ආතල්ගම වැසියන්ට කන්න බොන්න ලබාදෙනු ඇත. උන්මත්තක ආතල්ගමේ වැසියන් ඉල්ලා සිටින්නේ ද එයයි.

ෂම්මි උයනගේ

පරිගණක මෘදුකාංග ඉංජිනේරු

shammie@email.com

Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, March 28 (Sunday Observer): The pulse of a nation beats through its traditional knowledge. This holds true for ancient civilisations such as Sri Lanka. For nations such as ours to wipe out that which is indigenous and create a socio-economic path for its people on totally alien lines can only spell disaster.

This is the post-colonial economic reality that we are witnessing today. A frog does not feel it when it is in a pan of water atop a fire rising in temperature that is slowly bringing the pan to boiling point.

The ignorant frog will adjust itself to the temperature until it is too late for it to jump out. By the time it tries to get out, it is dead. This is what has happened to us. We have been ignorant frogs cooked atop the fire of over technologised, over modernised, over concretised, over immunised and over industrialised global economy upon which we have been scorching for 73 years without dying and without having the common sense to jump out.ADVERTISEMENT

Saving ourselves would mean creating a far-thinking economic model that suits us and makes us master the global economy and not the other way around. To do that a nation should have the guts not to blindly imitate the neighbours, however near or far or rich or opulent they may seem to be. To thus stand strong and steady a nation needs to mould its policies around its own resources and blend the past with the present. But if a nation is clueless about its national and value-based resources or its past and only focuses on the present, then it is sure to sink.

Sri Lanka’s pre-colonial past is linked to its traditional knowledge. This encompasses a vast realm of facets and cuts across the material and the immaterial, both of which are inter-connected. These realms fall under Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and its economic importance is not realised because it seemingly appear to be out of the boundaries of finance.

Yet such knowledge can be a goldmine for the economic stability of a nation. Young nations such as those in the West that we term as prosperous had no inherited national knowledge.

With their commitment to developing Western science, on the lands they occupied of indigenous people and thus created modern ‘Western’ countries, they had to a large extent borrowed the gamut of non-Western expertise they gathered from other cultures during the pre-renaissance time period.

It is a fact that Western nations are today putting to use age-old sciences of traditional societies to modern use and even having international university courses on it; for example astrology/universal/ nature energybased agriculture techniques that ancient Lanka had mastered (but learnt to scoff at after imbibing the Western science addiction.

But this universal energy based agriculture is taught in Western lands under the tag line ‘biodynamic agriculture.’ The irony is that Sri Lankans are paying dollars to study such courses from foreign lands while scoffing at this knowledge and refusing to put it to practice in their own country.

Just think, we could have created our own indigenous universities for global audiences using all the knowledge that we have learnt to laugh at, considering it non scientific, if we had not squandered the consciousness of our ancient forefathers.

This is not to say we should not have used modern science. We should definitely have mastered Western science and used it to promote and prove the validity of our own ancient knowledge and not the reverse. Not to validate our knowledge in a condescending way to ourselves but to place what is ours on a global platform where Westerners whose understanding is limited, would enhance their comprehension.

For example, we could have dissected (through modern knowledge) how in ancient Lanka controlling elephants were done through the manthra shasthraya which was common everyday knowledge to the then citizens. We could have done the same to uphold our Sinhala Wedakam (Deshiya Chikitsa) Wisawedakama relating especially to snake bites which are also heavily dependent on so-called non-Western scientific’ methods including the manthra shasthraya, all of which had worked accurately in ancient times.

All this could have been used in creating university programs related to indigenous knowledge in wildlife management and woven it around the theme of sustainability. But no. Even for concepts such as sustainability which is practically virtually webbed into our DNA through our ancient practices, we are today looking to the Western world for solutions.

These solutions and so-called expertise is not free. It costs money. Dollars to be precise. And there are traps in every grant or loan or whatever a hand out is labelled. Today with the human-elephant conflict at its worst, just a handful of persons would knowhow certain words and tone (as in a manthra) accompanied by basic gestures could tame an elephant as done through the ‘Ali mantras’ that we had.

Electric fences

Having dumped these kinds of knowledge in modernity’s waste paper basket and considering it rubbish we are spending millions of rupees on electric fences as solutions for the human elephant conflict and once even had shooting at elephants as a last resort.

Today with former Western colonies such as Sri Lanka becoming more and more ‘non-local’ and forever looking for Western or non-Lankan ‘expertise,’ from anything from water resource management, wildlife conservation, food preserving technology, soil nutrition, medical science and even national unity – to name a few vital areas for a stable survival, there is absolutely no introspection or even basic common sense based comprehension on the need to revive the concept of traditional knowledge and heritage in practical terms for mainstreaming this into the economic wellbeing of the nation.

Every aspect mentioned above has economic consequences. We are paying billions for the global chemical industry that has by now made our soil dependent on synthetic solutions the same way the pharmaceutical industry has done with our bodies.

Basic productivity is ‘maintained’ with arduous and artificial effort. The Covid pandemic is being controlled in the West through vaccines alone although it is known that human body, like the soil, has a limit in responding to synthetic solutions.

Sri Lanka which had a host of traditional physicians/ traditional medicine researchers who had treated thousands of Covid patients and cured them in less than three days Sri Lanka, did nothing to tell the world of its expertise.

Why? Because Sri Lanka considered their own traditional methods ‘unscientific’ and overwhelmed by the fancy term Covid given to what traditional physicians termed in the following manner; an immunity destroying semprathishyawa that could be cured easily, with limited effort if the body does not have health complications.

Yet the word of the traditional physician was not taken seriously and we considered expensive Western solutions as the ‘legitimate’ (and exorbitant) answer, without realising that the West itself was helpless with this one and only health solution for pandemics which also have its limitations.

It has taken us a few centuries of colonisation and seventy three years of post colonisation to take us to the dependency dug pit we are in now. It may seem as if we are at the end of a tunnel with no light. Yet, there is.

We have to admit that we have forgotten or been brainwashed to act as if we have forgotten or been lethargic or indifferent and wasted in the drain of corrupt party politics all of that which the ancestors of this nation held sacred.

We have been duped or coerced or happily donated our minds to be wiped clean of the relevance of all our inherited national expertise. Until we realise this no one political party can bring a solution to this economic malaise.

Even in this pitiable condition that Sri Lanka is in now, it is lamentable that there is no national discourse on the connection between national indigenous knowledge and national economic wellbeing.

It is also surprising that those who are busy wasting scarce fuel by bringing hordes of buses to Colombo are totally oblivious to how the economic significance of traditional national knowledge is the missing piece in the puzzle of why our economy has been devoid of progress.

Lankan students queue in hordes to get education in foreign lands which has cost the nation billions of rupees. Yet these young people remain clueless on how and why this nation was referred to as a highly respected, progressive and self-sufficient civilisation.

Although schoolchildren may learn about our ancient kings (even this is doubtful amongst the craze for international school education) they would not learn about the ancient policies that these monarchs had in place to ensure the sustainability and self-respect of the land and people.

Human survival

The preservation and fostering of that vita resource from mother earth, water, to ensure the flourishing of national agriculture and the health of forests (any nations’ heartbeat is its natural heritage) to safeguard the richness of the soil are some of the basic needs for human survival.

If our water is depleted we have to buy water or get into further debt dependency by asking for grants for purchasing water. Sri Lanka would not have thought of this reality when we bypassed the advice of veteran ecologist Dr. Ranil Senanayake in the 1960s and allowed foreign ‘experts’ to moot the cultivation of water depleting pine trees on our mountain tops for ‘reforestation.’

When Senanayake suggested growing indigenous plant varieties on mountains so that the villages below could also benefit from them he was asked to show where such a ‘global model’ existed.

So today as a result of that decision we have hundreds and thousands of pine trees and pine nettle carpeted soil (where nothing else can grow) and vast areas of water depleted lands. The villages below the mountains have not benefited from this dubious reforestation and hundreds of our indigenous plants and herbs and yams have gradually become extinct.

Then comes our current battle with trying to reverse the chemical agriculture menace which certainly cannot be done overnight. Here again, we had cowed down to Western ‘expertise’ in the 1960s when the so-called green (poisonous) revolution was heralded by international organisations.

Organic fertiliser

We have perfected the art of being foreigners in our own land. In pre-colonial Sri Lanka it would have been blasphemy to think that we would come to a position where we would be clueless how to enrich our soil and have to pay other nations vast sums for ‘organic fertiliser.’

Although we like to think that we received what is elaborately called ‘independence’ from the British, this has not been reflected in either our education system or our general policies. We have failed to recognise that the global education system that we have is tilted to think that only one set of people hold a particular set of ‘superior’ knowledge.

Africa would be a fantastic country to learn so many things from, but yet Africa, realistically the wealthiest place on earth with gold and gems and many other resources that are precious, have been ‘made poor’ largely due to the same reasons why we are ‘poor.’ Ignorance that they are rich in so many ways.

For traditional nations to create an indigenous education sector that is attractive and useful to themselves the world would first need to have us recognising and appreciating what is ours. Not because the UN says so but because our ancestors said it.

Our ancestors did not have foreign university degrees but they created a country that was economically sustainable by using all existing national resources. Can we say the same of ourselves?

END

By P.K.Balachandran Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, May 3: China, which had expressed displeasure over Sri Lanka’s approaching the IMF for a bailout without consulting it first, and had warned that its relations with Sri Lanka would depend on the conditions set by the IMF, has now revised its stand.

Beijing has realized that it cannot turn a blind eye to Sri Lanka’s plight and should join the rest of the world in helping it pull its economy out of the woods.ADVERTISEMENT

The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong said told Lankan Finance Minister Ali Sabry on Monday that China would fully support Sri Lanka in securing the assistance of the (IMF). As a major shareholder of the IMF, China is willing to play an active role in encouraging the IMF to positively consider Sri Lanka’s difficulties and reach a proper agreement as soon as possible, Ambassdor Qi told Sabry.

China’s earlier stand would have alienated it from the bulk of Sri Lankans who expect the world to help them tide over an unprecedented economic crisis created by a severe shortage of forex.  

The Standoff

It is generally acknowledged that while India rushed to Sri Lanka’s help with funds and material aid, China was an idle spectator. China had cold-shouldered Sri Lanka’s appeal for debt repayment restructuring. The Chinese appeared to be making use of the crisis to get some of their long standing demands met. They probably thought that Indian help would run out in a few months, the IMF’s conditions would be painful and that the Sri Lankans would have to come back to China for funds in the not-too-distant future on China’s terms.  

Sure, the Chinese have genuine grievances against Sri Lankan regimes which need to be addressed. And China has its lending policies to keep in mind also.  But the lack of response from Beijing to pleas from Sri Lanka was depleting China’s political and social capital among Sri Lankans. It had eroded whatever soft power China had in the island nation.

Instead of debt restructuring, China had offered a US$ 1 billion loan to repay loans already taken from it, plus US$ 1.5 billion as credit for buying goods from China. When President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, in January this year, that it would be a great relief” if China re-structured the repayment schedule, Wang did not commit himself. Instead, he stated that Sri Lanka should provide necessary conditions for Chinese investments, make the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota port engines of Sri Lanka’s industrial growth” and resume talks for an early conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement.

Recently, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said that China would await the results of Lanka’s negotiations with the IMF, and went on to warn that Sino-Lankan bilateral relations would be shaped by the outcome of the negotiations with the IMF. He might have said this in the context of the IMF’s possible disapproval of Chinese loans which, in the West’s view, pushed developing countries into debt traps. The Ambassador then repeated Wang’s call for an early movement towards a Sino-Lankan FTA.

Pointing to another issue troubling Sri Lanka, the Lankan cabinet spokesman Nalaka  Godahewa said that the West’s reaction to any deal between Sri Lanka and China would also have to be considered by the Lankan government.  

Sri Lanka was thus caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. While it desperately needed IMF’s help, China could not be sidelined either. China and Japan are the second largest bilateral lenders to the island nation.

Views from China 

After Wang’s visit in January, the Chinese Communist Party-run Global Times quoted Song Wei of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, as saying that only interest-free loans” are eligible for debt relief and that loans raised through the market are not.   

However, Song added that China may negotiate equity cooperation and rescheduling,” thus indicating the existence of a window of opportunity for debt rescheduling.

According to Sri Lankan diplomats, talks with China on rescheduling and related matters would start after the current holidays in that country. In addition, the Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, that Sri Lanka will begin working on restarting talks on the FTA which had been suspended in 2018.  

China lends to Sri Lanka for interest, although the rates are generally low (at 2% according to economist Umesh Moramudali). There are no interest-free loans. And grants have been few and far between. Therefore, China will have difficulty finding ways to restructure its loans to Sri Lanka. But it has compromised on its principles earlier in the case of some other countries, especially Africa.

According to Deborah Brautigam and Yinxuan Wang (Global Debt Relief Dashboard: Tracking Chinese Debt Relief in the COVID-19 Era, China Africa Research Initiative (CARI), Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Version 1.6, January 2021), Chinese debt relief falls into four categories: the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI); debt cancellation under the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC); ad hoc debt relief; and contributions to the IMF’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust.

Debt relief can involve renewal/refinancing by which the outstanding balance of a loan is transferred to a new loan agreement; re-profiling /rescheduling (extending the repayment time, but not reducing the net present value of the debt – all DSSI treatments fall into this category); restructuring (changes in the terms that result in a reduction in the net present value) or debt forgiveness (reductions in the principal, which can be partial or complete).

Four Chinese lending institutions have participated in debt restructuring so far: The Export-Import Bank of China (Eximbank) China Development Bank; (CDB); Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC); and China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).

According to the Jubilee Debt Campaign UK, China has suspended US$ 5.7 billion in debt, accounting for more than half of the world’s total.

But Sri Lanka is not entitled the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI). However, Ecuador, which was not eligible for DSSI, received a grace period on a loan with the China Development Bank in August 2020, which allowed the postponement of US$ 417 million in payments for one year. Ecuador also reached an agreement with the China Eximbank to defer US$ 474 million in payments between September 2020 and the end of 2021.

Venezuela was also not eligible for DSSI. But according to Reuters, in August 2020, Venezuela reportedly won a grace period until the end of 2020 from Chinese banks on some of its US$ 19 billion in oil-secured loans. This deferred US$ 3 billion in 2020 loan repayments, mainly to the China Development Bank.

Chinese banks renewed maturing commercial loans to Pakistan. China also renewed its three-year bilateral currency swap with Pakistan to support Pakistan’s debt sustainability. But Beijing refused to restructure terms for several Belt and Road Initiative (CPEC) power plant projects with Chinese investment. According to Deborah Brautigam and Yinxuan Wang, the China Development Bank reportedly increased a credit line by US$ 700 million and lowered the interest rate and delayed the repayment timeline by two years.”

Therefore, there are chances of China’s considering ways and means of helping Sri Lanka face the unprecedented crisis it is undergoing. Ambassador Qi Zhenhong’s assurance to Minister Ali Sabry on Monday, is an early sign of that.

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Peoples’ Responsibility Center, a civil organization staged a protest near the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka calling for the Sri Lankan government to purchase fuel from Russia. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel 

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The JVP revealed that former Minister Namal Rajapaksa has received money from two Companies – ‘NR Projects’, a Netherlands company and ‘Aspen Medical’, an Australian Company through Nimal Perera connected to the construction of the Nuwara Eliya and Hambantota Hospitals.

Convenor of the Voice Against Corruption Wasantha Samarasinghe said this fraud came to light during the investigations into a complaint they lodged over the Krrish Deal.

He said according to the B report of the case over the Krrish Deal, Namal Rajapaksa had admitted that he had received Rs. 60 million and that he had donated it to a Rugby tournament. However, the Rugby Federation has said that they had not received such a donation from him,” he said.

Samarasinghe said further investigations into the case revealed the fraud and corruption involving the construction projects of the Nuwara Eliya and Hambantota Hospitals worth Euro 82 million undertaken by the NR Projects a Netherlands company.

He said NR Projects a Netherlands company and Aspen Medical an Australian Company had deposited money to Nimal Perera’s Sabre Vision Holdings Account in Singapore from which money had been channeled to Namal Rajapaksa’s account.

He said Netherlands company-NR Projects had deposited Euro 4.33 million and Aspen Medical Company had deposited US$ 555,000 to Nimal Perera’s Singapore Account.

It was revealed that the Aspen Medical Company had not undertaken any projects in Sri Lanka.

However, Namal Rajapaksa had tweeted that once again a documentary has surfaced with allegations that myself & my family are connected to a transaction between 2 companies that we have no clue about, the Yahapalana Govt accused me of many things for which I am still going to court. None have any connection to this!” (Ajith Siriwardana)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Former President Maithripala Sirisena today strongly rejected the allegation made by Wasantha Samarasinghe, the convener of the Voice Against Corruption, that a portion of the money allegedly stolen from the Central Bank bond fraud had been given to former President Maithripala Sirisena and his family members.

In a media release, the former President’s private secretary Sameera de Silva stated that Blaming innocent people without any basis for political gain was not a moral political act and that all possible action would be taken in the future regarding this malicious statement.”

This is a completely untrue statement and the commitment of former President Maithripala Sirisena to appoint a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Central Bank Fraud and a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Forensic Audit and to investigate the Central Bank Bond Fraud is a fact that is appreciated by many and it is a matter of respect at home and abroad,” the statement added.

Courtesy Adaderana

Former Governor of Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, in response to the allegations levelled by JVP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has said the payments made to Pakistani American political donor Imaad Zuberi have been made on official written instructions of the government, and not on the wishes of a single person.”

Earlier today, at a media briefing convened to expose past corrupt deals of Sri Lankan politicians, MP Dissanayake alleged that Cabraal had wired USD 6.5 million in total to Zuberi in 2014 to rehabilitate Sri Lanka’s image in the United States.

Zuberi was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a U.S. court for lobbying and campaign contribution crimes, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice.

According to the U.S. State Department, Zuberi had been in 2014 to rehabilitate Sri Lanka’s image in the United States, which had suffered because of allegations that its minority Tamil population had been persecuted. A press release issued by the State Department last year read that Zuberi had promised to make substantial expenditures on lobbying efforts, legal expenses, and media buys, which prompted Sri Lanka to agree to pay Zuberi a total of USD 8.5 million over the course of six months in 2014. Days after Sri Lanka made an initial payment of USD 3.5 million, Zuberi transferred USD 1.6 million into his personal brokerage accounts and used another USD 1.5 million to purchase real estate.”

Pursuant to the contract, Zuberi had received USD 6.5 million in total from Sri Lanka.

In his statement, Cabraal said, As the banker to the government, the payments made by the Central Bank on behalf of the government in 2014 have been made on the official written instructions of the government, and not on the wishes of a single person.”

He noted that such payments included those made to Imaad Zuberi and his organizations that were engaged by the government in respect of communication programs in the United States.

In that regard, it must be stated that all payments on behalf of the Government had been made based on the official written instructions and approval of the relevant government authorities.”

Further, the respective payment protocols and procedures had been followed by the Central Bank in the normal course of business when making these payments, Cabraal explained.

The former Central Bank governor reiterated that there has been no procedural or other violation by the Central Bank in making the payments totaling USD 6.5 million to Zuberi and his organizations, on behalf of the government.

Nevertheless, as it is now observed, there are certain groups of politically motivated persons who had been alleging that these payments have been made by me personally in a fraudulent manner, thereby causing a loss to the country.”

Cabraal pointed out that these same groups had these transactions investigated in detail for 5 years from 2015 to 2019, and after doing so, it had not been possible to point out any lapses or violations of any law on his part.

As a result, no action was instituted against me by any law enforcement authority during that period of 5 years. Nevertheless, these politically motivated groups have once again begun to hurl false allegations against me in order to tarnish my reputation and provoke public hatred upon me.”

While vehemently denying those allegations, Cabraal stated that I would respond to what he called despicable actions” through the legal process and also institute action against the perpetrators of these falsehoods” at the appropriate time in order to hold them accountable for their abusive actions.

Courtesy Adaderana

The government of China has decided to provide another grant of Chinese Yuan (CNY) 300 million to Sri Lanka to help in the supply of medicine, food, fuel and other essentials, the Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement issued today.

The grant comes after a telephone conversation held between Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in late April.

During the earlier phone conversation, Premier Li told PM Rajapaksa, China feels for Sri Lanka for the difficulties and challenges you face, and we want to do our utmost to provide help to improve the people’s livelihoods in your country.” 
Upon learning of this decision, PM Rajapaksa has reiterated Sri Lanka’s gratitude to Premier Li and the Chinese Government for their continued support to Sri Lanka. 

This latest grant will bring the total amount of China’s grant aid to CNY 500 million (approximately USD 76 million).

Courtesy Adaderan

The go-ahead of the Cabinet of Ministers has been given to provide a special cash allowance for a period of three months to identified low-income families affected by the ongoing economic crisis.

Relevant proposal was tabled by the Minister of Finance and Minister of Samurdhi.

As the low-income families entitled to Samurdhi, Elderly, Kidney and Disability allowances have been severely affected by the current economic crisis in the country, the government has identified the need for immediate relief to those families and their families on the waiting list.

Contingent Emergency Response Component in projects funded by the World Bank Group will provide the necessary funding for this, the Department of Government Information said in a statement.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal to hand over a special cash allowance to identified families from May to July.

Mainly, more than 3 million family units will receive the relevant allowance and a monthly cost to the tune of Rs. 4,455 million has been estimated for this, Minister Shehan Semasinghe said addressing the media briefing to announce Cabinet decisions.

Courtesy Adaderana

The Mahanayaka Thero of the Malwatta chapter of Siam Nikaya, Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thero has decided not to allow any politicians to meet with him.

The decision has been taken by the Mahanayaka  Thero as no responsible persons have still responded to the proposals by the Chief Incumbents of the three Buddhist Chapters, on resolving the current issues of the country. 

The Mahanayake Theras of the three chapters recently submitted a letter to the President, the Prime Minister and the political party leaders, which contained six proposals including the formation of a temporary interim government to save the country from the crisis with the full consent of the monks.

It is stated that the decision was taken due to the fact that no one has responded positively to the document so far.

When the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa had arrived in Kandy recently to present the document containing the proposals submitted by the ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya’ for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution to the Chief Prelates, he had not received permission to meet the Chief Prelate of Malwatta Chapter.

Due to that he had to visit only the Chief Prelate of Asgiriya chapter and present the relevant document.

A group of backbenchers of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) also visited the Chief Prelate of Malwatta on the 29th and requested permission to present a document containing their proposals regarding the crisis.

It was reported that the Mahanayake Theras of the three Chapters have decided to convene a meeting with the leaders of all party represented in Parliament to discuss the current situation.

Courtesy Adaderana

he Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong today (May 02) reiterated China’s fullest support for Sri Lanka in securing the assistance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overcome the ongoing financial crisis.

Mr. Zhenhong made these remarks during a meeting with Minister of Finance Ali Sabry.

As a major shareholder of the IMF, China is willing to play an active role in encouraging the IMF to positively consider Sri Lanka’s difficulties and reach proper agreement as soon as possible, Mr. Zhenhong added

Courtesy Adaderana

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has announced maximum retail prices for three local varieties of rice.

However, the new maximum retail prices are not applied to rice stocks released to the market at concessionary prices by the Paddy Marketing Board, a special gazette notification published by CAA Chairman Shantha Dissanayake noted.

According to the communiqué, the directive comes into effect from today (May 02).

New maximum retail prices imposed on three local rice varieties are as follows:

White/Red Nadu (steamed/boiled) – Rs. 220 per kilogram
White/Read Samba (steamed/boiled) – Rs. 230 per kilogram
Keeri Samba – Rs. 260 per kilogram

Courtesy Adaderana

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa may decide to step down from his position in consideration of the request made by the chief prelates of the three chapters, MP Basil Rajapaksa has reportedly commented during a meeting held with the independent parliamentarians.

However, if this happens and a committee of party leaders calls for nominations for the position of prime minister, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will not nominate anyone else except Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name, he has said further.

Speaking further, MP Basil Rajapaksa explained that the SLPP would not nominate anyone else’s name for the position, as PM Rajapaksa received the mandate at the previous election.

Shenali D Waduge

In October 2020 the former head of State Intelligence Service Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena told the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that nearly 15,000 people were aware of the Easter Sunday attacks 10 days BEFORE THE ATTACKS (11 April 2019) & this included diplomatic missions & Parliament. What a shocking number. Does this include the Church hierarchy as well? It certainly did include Catholic Minister of the then ruling government HarinF. What is the legal position for anyone knowing about an impending crime & not doing anything about it while making noise now to cover up their guilty conscience? Has the members of the Church hierarchy been questioned if they too knew? Is this why they were not present at the Church on Easter Sunday & not a single Church father died.

Final death toll was 269 (excluding the attackers).

38 foreigners are among the dead – including British, Indian, Danish, Dutch, Swiss, Spanish, US, Australian and Turkish nationals.

Over 500 injured.

The 15000 who knew about a likely attack by religious extremists included Diplomatic Missions & Parliament – are they all not accountable for these dead?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48002169

8000 officers in the Western Province. Over 5000 in the STF. Diplomatic Missions were aware of it by 20^thApril. Entire Parliament had to have known as their security were informed but the ‘decision makers of this country say they were not privy to this information”.

Former SIS Head Nilantha says he will take responsibility for events until 7 April 2019 only.

• SIS had given information about Zaharan to the foreign intelligence services & foreign intel was briefed with SIS head functioning as translator during these briefings.
• SIS head informed the court that they had raised the red flag about Zaharan since 2016.
• SIS informs that even Zaharan may have also been aware of the intelligence warnings IF 15,000 were made aware of it.
• SIS informs that the VIP Security Division was allocated 2 personal security officers per parliamentarian & so 450 security personnel would have been also aware of an attack. If some Ministers have 7 to 10 personal security officers – a total 800 personal security would have been aware.
• If the foreign intel went to the Senior DIG Western province then 8000 police officers in the western province would have been aware
• That the Embassies were also in the know by 11^th April 2019 was when they had asked if what was sent on the 20^th was the ‘same piece of information sent before”.
• The SIS head informed that 340 reports to seek arrest of Zaharan Hashim & other religious extremists had been submitted from 2015 to 2019 (intelligence gathered from Wanathawilluwa weapons cache, damages to Buddhist statues in Mawanella & other intelligence)
• SIS Head also informed that he had repeatedly informed the Ministers in charge of police at the Security Council meetings.
• Former SIS head had in writing dated 7 April 2019 communicated of a possible terror attack to the then Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendia – Information of an alleged plan of attack”. One of the documents had mentioned that Rishard Bathurdeen’s brother had helped Zahran flee to India & former SIS head had stated that the incident would turn into a political issue – which it did.

It has been convenient for all in the know to pass the buck to the SIS Head claiming they did not know – when they did.

While many attempts are being made to single out officers who were made aware of impending attacks, these officers had in fact made the information known to the people who had to give the orders for prevention of such an attack. That orders were not given, when the one’s who had powers to give orders knew of an impending attacks, makes them far more guilty than the officers who knew of it.

To this list of people in the know is a former Minister whose father had been briefed by one of the 15,000 in the know & who advised his son HarinF not to attend church. Is it not unusual that none of the 225 MPs in Parliament who were Catholic attended Mass nor did their families? They have committed a constitutional failure in not fulfilling their duties Article 42 (1) (2) (3)

The President was Maithripala Sirisena

The Prime Minister was Ranil Wickremasinghe & after 19a had entire government under his control (Cabinet & Government)

Minister of Law & Order in charge of Police was Sagala Ratnayake – a close confidante of the PM.

The Commission of Inquiry report states ‘The lax approach of the Prime Minister towards Islam extremism was one of the primary reasons for the failure on the part of the government to take proactive steps towards Islam extremism. This facilitated the build-up of Islam extremism to the point of Easter Sunday attacks.’ – P. 277.

Dr. Muhamad Zufyan Muhamad Zafras was the one who helped Zaharan’s brother Rilwan get treatment for his injury in Colombo after experimenting in Sainamarathu. AG has been instructed to institute criminal action against Dr. Zafras under S.5 of PTA for withholding information.

– working at the National Hospital, Colombo who has helped Zaharan’s brother Rilwan to get admitted to Colombo National Hospital for treatment as a person injured in a gas cylinder blast, hiding the fact that he was injured in a blast while experimenting with explosives. The COI has recommended the AG to consider instituting criminal action against Dr. Zafras under S. 5 of the PTA for withholding information.

Are the one’s in the know, now trying to put wool over our eyes and try their best to cover up their guilt by pointing fingers and crying ‘political conspiracy’ to blame others & hide their own guilt.

Shenali D Waduge

Sri Lankan Canadian Action Coalition 

Aubowan ,

This is the hour of need for Sri Lanka! As those that have left Sri Lanka for better lives in Canada, we need to first accept that as Canadians or ex-patriots we can do more! Your 5 minute effort for this task will go a very long way!

Canada has helped many countries and we also can request their help via your Federal Minister on or before 5pm, Thursday 6^th May 2022. Please use the available Canadian political instrument to request help to Sri Lanka at this time as follow-up with your MP. If there are any questions, please email info@srilankancanadian.ca.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: Find-out your MP contact information using this link : https://www.srilankancanadian.ca/findmp

Step 2: Edit the sample email provided below as well as an attachment and fill in the yellow areas and email it to or hand deliver to your MPs office. If emailing, please include  your MP email address, melanie.joly@parl.gc.ca, justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca, info@srilankancanadian.ca

Step 3: Please call, email and follow-up after one week with your MP on the progress. Please don’t vote your MP if they cannot do this help to Sri Lanka. In the meantime we will be also lobbying with the received(CCd) emails from the community.

Thank you!

SLCAC Action Team

P.s. FB Post for reference is:

https://www.facebook.com/SriAction/posts/1013391289317612

————————————TEMPLATE START———————–

1^st May 2022

Name of YOUR MP
Address of YOUR MP office

Hon Mélanie Joly
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada)
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
K1A 0A6

To: The Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs,  & Global affairs, via my MP

Urgent appeal where Canadian aid can now make a hundred-fold impact in delivering  in strengthening the Energy, Food and Pharmaceuticals supply of a beleaguered commonwealth country – Sri Lanka

Executive summary
The COVID pandemic followed by the sudden Ukraine war has sent the cost of fuel and fertilizers into an upward spiral that has impacted us even in Canada. Its impact on many developing nations like Sri Lanka, Peru, Pakistan etc., has been catastrophic. We as Canadians who immigrated to Canada from Sri Lanka  are aware of the anarchic situation that has arisen in Sri Lanka with a near collapse of the civil administration. The Canadian government too would be fully aware, through its high commissioner, of the current catastrophic situation in Sri Lanka without electricity, food or pharmaceuticals.  Its revenue sources like tourism and export of agricultural products, apparel have halted due to lack of fuel. Here we, as a knowledgeable immigrant community, propose to the Canadian government an inexpensive but highly effective low-cost means of how to help at the very grass-roots level.

We commend Canada’s aid and developmental assistance in response to COVID-19 pandemic. We want to highlight the recent support to Sri Lanka by other countries:
1. Equivalent of CAD 470,000 by Italy
2. India providing a USD 1 billion as a line of credit and USD$500 million fuel to Sri Lanka along

3. Australia providing $2.5 million to boost food security through the World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

In brief we propose the following:

(i) The grass-roots delivery of a package of agrochemicals (e.g., Fertilizer) and a quantum of fuel to members of the farming communities to kick-start their on-coming planting season so that there would be food in the fall.

(ii) The quantum of fuel” can be in the form of a solar panel that will help the farmers to run their irrigation water pumps. Also quantities of fossil fuel is needed to help start the economic processes.

(iii) Pairing of ten major hospitals in Sri Lanka with ten hospitals in Canada so that pharmaceutical links can be established.

(iv) Attaching a list of drugs that are critically needed in Sri Lanka
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rrUF8ajtEkWsbaeTykPRriB7EWKORZXs?usp=sharing

(v) Indicating urgently needed medical items in Sri Lanka

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rrUF8ajtEkWsbaeTykPRriB7EWKORZXs?usp=sharing

(vi) Address food shortages in Sri Lanka via World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Need of the Hour: Your Assistance to Deliver Essential Medical Equipment and Strengthen the Agri-Food Supply Chain in Sri Lanka

We have migrated to this beautiful country from Sri Lanka and have been contributing to this wonderful place which we call home now. Sri Lanka, an island nation of 22 million, is currently facing an economic and political crisis with crippling inflation sending the cost of basic goods skyrocketing. Sri Lanka then had to fall back on its foreign exchange reserves to pay off government debt, shrinking its reserves from $6.9 billion in 2018 to $2.2 billion this year. From socio-economic point of view, all these had led into the facts that, globally, the rating agencies to downgrade Sri Lanka to near default levels, meaning the country lost its access to overseas markets to receive much essential inputs to maintain its essential health services and commercial agricultural systems to defend food and health security at the level of a household. For Sri Lankans, the crisis has turned their daily lives into an endless cycle of waiting in lines for basic goods – there are no exceptions for prescribed drugs and much needed agricultural inputs and many of which are by now being rationed. Topping all that, the government in March floated the Sri Lankan rupee, a move that has appeared aimed at devaluing the currency to qualify for a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and encourage remittances. The exchange rate of a Canadian Dollar has, in consequently, been soared from LKR 160 to almost 280 within the month of April 2022.

Supply of Primary Medical Services is in Danger

The country imports around 85% of its medical supplies. But with foreign currency reserves running low, essential drugs are now difficult to obtain. The medical experts in Sri Lanka have warned that a catastrophic number of people could die as the crisis-hit country’s healthcare system teeters on the edge of collapse amid crippling power cuts and shortages of life-saving medications. It has been reported that drugs to treat heart attacks and tubes to help newborn babies breathe are in short supply nationwide, while blackouts are forcing doctors in rural Sri Lanka to stitch wounds and treat snakebites in the dark. Further, changes in consumption and lifestyle have increased the incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer. Communicable diseases like dengue fever, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, as well as the possibility of a flu epidemic, still pose significant health security challenges for Sri Lanka. All these highlights that the essential healthcare services are going to collapse unless there’s immediate relief”, or in other words, they fear a health catastrophe, if international help doesn’t arrive soon

Reestablishment of Much Affected Agricultural Supply Chain

The Government of Sri Lanka was in a move to transform the local agricultural system that heavily dependent on synthetic imported plant nutrients” (mainly in the form of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium) and protectors” (to control pest and diseases) into one using organic products (i.e. ‘organic agriculture’). Although this goal was stated in election manifesto to be achieved over a period of 10 years, the government made a significant mistake by imposing a nationwide ban on the importation and use of synthetic fertilizers and other agro-chemicals on ad-hoc basis without caring of expert advice. This led 2-million farming community involves with paddy, other field crops, fruits and vegetables cultivation as well as plantation crops such as tea, rubber, coconut and spice crops to go organic”, which was not locally available in adequate quantities and in right quality standards. Faced with a deepening economic and humanitarian crisis, Sri Lanka, has, however, called off” this ill-conceived national experiment in organic agriculture this winter. The outcome of this decision was, nevertheless, brutal and swift. Against claims that organic methods can produce comparable yields to conventional farming, domestic rice production fell 20 percent in just the first six months. Sri Lanka, long self-sufficient in rice production, has been forced to import $450 million worth of rice even as domestic prices for this staple of the national diet surged by around 50 percent. It has been reported that a reduction in average agricultural productivity by 20% could cause a decrease in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 3.0% suggesting an overall contraction of the economy with the implementation of the import ban. In the light of those, when it comes to now, it is much needed to strengthen the weakened agricultural systems, especially those small to medium-scale agribusinesses along the agri-supply and value chain that uses those ‘specialized’ plant nutrients and protectors in recommended quantifies and quality. 

Your Assistance is Warranted

When it comes to now, country does not possess, in terms of health services, adequate amount of essential drugs and other basic equipment to maintain health services at its minimum level, and in relation to the agricultural systems, the specialized fertilizer and other plant nutrients especially to be used in protected agricultural systems, including green houses. There is a severe fuel shortage as well. Since most of Sri Lanka’s electricity grid is dependent on fossil fuel, this has impacted daily living due to power cuts sometimes amounting to 12-24 hours. The lack of availability of those ‘essential inputs’ to maintain the country’s most important living systems, i.e. health and agriculture, has led to life of those poor rural and urban communities into a threat and breaking down of supplying of basic food to those communities and up to high quality food and vegetables to international markets and specialized entities like hotels. Although government has come up with plans to manufacture them locally, such is not possible immediately and until such time it is much needed to enrich the relevant authorities with those products in need.

As a citizen, I urge from you and the Canadian Government to come forward to assist our country at this critical juncture by extending its helping hand to fulfill those needs. Please be a friend to Sri Lanka. What we expect at this moment is to delivery of a fair stock of those essential medical drugs and equipment and plant nutrients and protectors that can directly be used on those agribusinesses effectively to re-establish the system into the normal rapidly. Please assist with the rejuvenation of the economic value chains. Those affected communities across the country and agri-entrepreneurs, especially those small to medium, are not in position to purchase those highly specialized products from the local markets at this juncture and even if they are available they are heavily priced and limited quantities are available. So, the authorities in Sri Lanka or your nominated parties would come up with an incentive-mechanism to distribute those into the hands of they are truly required. At this time I am concerned of your willingness to help and I leave it at the capable hands of our Canadian government to help.

Please call me or contact me to discuss this request.
Thank you,

Your name,
Phone number and address (must)

Mahinda Rajapaksa Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 

Eid-Ul-Fitr

I extend my congratulations to the Muslim community in Sri Lanka who are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr with Muslims all over the world.

During the most important month of the Muslim calendar, it is a great task for all of you to take a spiritual step away from worldly life in order to understand life.

Your goal is to achieve an ideal life by focusing only on the good deeds during the fasting month of Ramadan. Therefore, it is commendable that during the fasting period of Ramadan, you do focus only on good deeds.

Understanding the pain of a starving person and the value of charity are the precious life values gained during fasting.

You have successfully completed the fasting period of Ramadan following the noble virtues associated with fasting according to the Qur’an and it is my belief that now the opportunity is yours to socialize its spiritual essence.

I urge all of you to be sensitive and generous to other people in the society at this time when the whole country has started to face a challenging time.

Happy Eid-UI-Fitr to you all with the blessings of Allah!

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka 

Shenali D Waduge

In 44 years of the executive constitution, Sri Lanka has seen nothing but political debacles. It is when we reach a stage of chaos that inspires us to think of ways to change and adopt new systems with the consent of the people. Therefore, people’s consensus is important. Nothing should be decided by foreign governments, foreign funded local NGOs – only the people of Sri Lanka.

Let us consider a 20 year development plan.

Political Parties

We have a multi-party system in Sri Lanka.

There are 79 registered political parties in Sri Lanka.

12 political parties are dedicated to Tamil & Eelam (by name)

2 political parties with Muslim name

2 political parties with Sinhala reference

All these parties denote an exclusive reference to only one ethnic-community & is counter-productive to any national plans for unity. 

Since 1978 we have seen a plethora of cross-overs, all for selfish political gain or to cover up corruptions and serving no purpose to the people who voted for them. The reducing of entry from 12.5% to 5% further eroded governance by enabling small timers to enter Parliament with hardly any votes & end up kingmakers during crucial times. These ugly practices has only increased and turned Parliament into an auction house – with MPs being virtually bribed’ and bought’ over to join the ruling party or cross over to the Opposition – all to make the necessary numbers.

This is not healthy democracy & is one of the main reasons for the collapse of good governance that is expected from the people’s representatives.

The 2 main political parties are United National Party & the Sri Lanka Freedom Party while the new comer Sri Lanka Podujana Perumuna that contested for the first time in 2020 is now in power. There is not much ideological differences currently in any of the parties as most are swaying away from nationalistic policies that were a hallmark of parties prior to 1977. When political parties and their representatives sway to neo-imperial policies – it removes their nationalistic duties & they soon become pawns of international & private lobbies. Therefore, other than their registered party names – all of these parties do not follow their promises made to the people when they begin governing the country. In such a scenario, do we need a bogus multi-party system of 79 or more parties wasting paper during elections?

Can we consider having a no-party system for an interim period of 20 years until Sri Lanka can properly get on its feet sans political googlys and political auctioning. A set of people contesting elections wanting to draft national policy – who do not require money or funding to contest.

We need to have a team of patriotic individuals prepare a national policy plan for 20 years that has policies and programs to secure Sri Lanka’s food security / energy security / political security / defense security / economic security etc. 

These national plans must be broken down to workable goals & given to local bodies / private sector & individuals including children & graduates to achieve & must become part of their respective duties to the nation on a daily basis & monitored by a national team appointed specifically for this task.

The constitution can be kept on hold & a simple document prepared to be valid throughout the 20 year period that covers law & order / penal code rules regulations & punitive measures / instructions to the judiciary & legal framework taking stock of all of the loopholes and maladies that currently exist and addressing these. A team of former judges should be co-opted for this task (ensuring they are not compromised to foreign parties)

A new voting system for a no-party system

We currently have 9 provinces and 25 districts. The present preferential voting system is a proven failure. The people’s choice is always selecting the lesser evil from the bandwagon of people selected by a political party in their nomination list. Campaign funding and money for campaigning denies good people wanting to serve the nation from contesting & getting selected. Others end up pawning themselves to individuals and businesses to help fund their campaign & payback in bigger doses is demanded after winning. The circle of corruption should be now understood by all.

Province-District-Level Elections

Ballot Paper

Election Commission accepts nominations for every district (no dual citizens & nomination paper must include affidavit by candidate assuring they are not dual citizens) The eligible names are numbered & made available to public before elections.

Interim period of development plan will remove all perks & privileges currently enjoyed by MPs & the remuneration will be revised which will automatically demotivate the corrupt from attempting to enter.

Given that the 43MPs are to be formulating national policies for the 20 year period – the qualifications & expected criteria needs to be formulated.

Elections can be held in respective municipalities/local government offices over a period of a week so it saves unnecessary costs. Election staff will have to be stationed in these sites with police & systems to ensure no vote rigging/fraud or intimidation takes place.

The President will be elected separately.

This 43 MPs who are voted on first-past-the-post system will be formulating policy as per key ministries & 13 persons from this 43 MPs will serve as Cabinet members to make the final decision along with the elected executive President.

The basic objective is to come up with a workable policy plan that would look at immediate-short term-mid-term-long term goals and initiatives. 

The National policy formulation team of MPs must also invite private sector and general public for their proposals & suggestions as well.

People are voting not based on political parties but individuals.

Individuals send their applications to the Election Commission.

Election Commission decides eligibility of candidates.

For 20 years Sri Lanka departs from political party system as this has been a key catalyst for catastrophe in Sri Lanka.

Shenali D Waduge

KAMALIKA  PIERIS

Officials look back fondly on the economic policy followed immediately after independence. R.K.H.M. Fernando, formerly a Director in the Treasury, said that at Independence the Soulbury constitution provided for an Appropriation Act as well as the Financial Regulations, which provided an adequate controlling framework with proper check and balances. All the monies collected by the government went to  a single Consolidated Fund..

The top administrators  in the Ministries,   were  the Permanent Secretaries appointed by the Governor General. The government ‘s policy was carried out  by the public servants,   led by the Permanent Secretary. These public servants were under the Public services Commission  and were therefore   free of interference.

The Public Accounts Committee was expected  to  examine all public expenditure. There were no areas of expenditure which did not come under its purview. Its reports were followed up by the Treasury. Hence there was a comprehensive system covering the entire spectrum of public finance.

Local authority funds were controlled by statute.. These funds had a better system of control with surcharges, unparalleled even in the central government , concluded Fernando.

After independence, Sri Lanka had two budgets, a Foreign Exchange Budget and a Local Currency Budget, said Garvin Karunaratne. The Foreign exchange  budget had to manage all our foreign expenditure, while the Local Currency Budget was managed with tax collection  and local currency. 

The incoming foreign exchange,  mainly from exports, was carefully handled and spent with great care, for essential goods and items that were required for national development. 

I was  in charge of allocating foreign exchange for small industrialists in Sri Lanka, said Garvin. We registered them after inspection where we carefully looked into what they produced, whether it was required for our country.  In case their production required any item imported- raw material or machinery, an allocation of foreign exchange was allowed. Anyone could apply for foreign exchange for travel or imports. Each case was looked into in detail by the Controller of Exchange of the Central Bank.

No allocation of foreign exchange was made for foreign studies, unless the study could not be done in the country or the study was required for national development. A budget deficit was not heard of. A small deficit in any year had to be covered in the next year. It was a strictly controlled situation because the country had to manage with the foreign exchange it had. We had no other option whatsoever, concluded Karunaratne.. 

Sri Lankan growth experience is unique in South Asia.  We had better initial conditions conducive to achieve fast economic growth than all other South Asian countries. Sri Lanka did not have the  poverty and other social issues  rampant in  the  rest of South Asia. But that good start with superior socioeconomic status was not properly utilized, observed  economist Srimal Abeyratne. Instead the government started to follow contrasting and fluctuating economic policies, never giving enough time for any one policy to show results, added critics.

 PB Jayasundera, former Treasury secretary, said the economy in early 1950s enjoyed external assets equivalent to 1 month of the country’s import requirements. Sri Lanka was economically second only to Japan in the entire Asia.

Then came short term populist policies, experimenting with extreme development models by different political parties, lack of a long term national vision for the country and inability to position the country in the proper global perspectives. Sri Lanka had a dismal rate of growth of 3%  by mid 1970s, concluded Jayasundera.

Countries in East Asia and South East Asia that were behind Sri Lanka in the 1950s and 1960s have overtaken us. Many countries that had a lower per capita income in the 1950s have much higher per capita incomes now said economist Nimal  Sanderatne. 

A much-discussed issue is why Sri Lanka that had a good potential for economic development at Independence was overtaken by other countries. Although most South and South East Asian countries were less developed and their infrastructure weaker than ours, they have surpassed Sri Lanka’s economic achievements, continued Sanderatne.

Among the reasons that have been given have been the adverse terms of trade, regular changes in economic policy, the adoption of inward-looking restrictive policies, rapid population growth, and inappropriate economic policies. Ethnic violence and the civil war too were important reasons for the country’s underdevelopment, said Sanderatne.   Domestic savings  were always low,  added others.

However, economists say that despite these fluctuations, Sri Lanka has managed to achieve considerable economic development .Despite a prolonged conflict Sri Lanka has achieved three decades of sustained growth averaging close to 5% annually since 1977,  said Nilakshi de Silva The economy has been transformed from an inwardly looking policy focused on self sufficiency to a competitive export oriented economy. Sustained economic growth coupled with modest population growth has resulted in a doubling of per capita incomes over the past three decades.

The Sri Lanka had performed surprisingly well in the economic sphere, despite the   Eelam war and frequent commodity price shocks,  said economist  Ramani Gunatilaka.

 My own analysis of household income and expenditure survey data for provinces outside the north and east for the period 1980-2002 show that average incomes rose for every income deciles during the period. This means that everybody enjoyed a higher level of consumption at the end of the period than at its beginning. Also there were more people in the middle to upper incomes ranges at the end of the period than at its start, continued Ramani.

 Incomes grew mainly because the government provided better and more widespread education and infrastructure services to its citizens. More houses got electricity from 24% in 1985 to 67 by 2002, met entirely from the government grid.  Those with A levels rose from 3.3.to nearly 10%.  Decline in poverty however has been modest.

A representative survey of rural and urban industries in Sri Lanka  under taken  in 2005 by the world bank and ADB  stated that Sri Lanka  stands out among developing countries for its good governance and firms benefit from the low level of red tape and corruption.’

 While the country is said to be falling apart the reality is quite different. Sri Lanka is far from being a failed state. Economically it has performed surprisingly well despite daunting challenges. It is time the Sri Lanka took pride in their achievements and their remarkable resilience, concluded Ramani Gunatilaka in 2006.

Sri Lanka’s economy was not in a mess said an analyst in 2012. Sri Lanka has had more than 8% growth for two years consecutively in 2010 and 2011. Our unemployment rate is just 4.2% the lowest in our history. Poverty levels have plummeted and today it is less than 5%.  Every two minutes a motor cycle is registered, every three minutes a three wheeler is registered, all newspapers carry more advertisements than before.

There are more than 105 telephones for every 100 persons. Imports are mainly of small cars which shows that these are bought by the middle income group who did not have cars before this. .Rural electrification has taken place rapidly. Election participation has gone up from 72% to 92%. There are more than 10,000 kilometers of concrete village roads that have been constructed over the past four years, concluded this analyst.

Sri Lanka  has been able to show  economic growth of around 4%. This was inadequate to meet the aspirations of the society and was below the country’s capacity and potential,  but it was  not a mean achievement, said Nimal Sanderatne.

In spite of this low growth, the country has had significant economic and social achievements in the post independent years. Poverty has declined. The official poverty count has fallen to 4.1% and unemployment is at about 5%.  There has been a fourfold increase in per capita incomes.. The country achieved the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) set for 2015, continued Sanderatne.

At the time of independence, the nation imported about half its requirements of rice and many of its food requirements. Nearly half of import expenditure was on food. That was for a population of 7 million. Today, in 2019, with a population of 21.5 million, we are more or less self-sufficient in rice and has a lesser dependence on imports of other food needs. In recent years total food imports have been less than 10 percent of import expenditure, said Sanderatne.

There has also been a significant diversification of the economy. The services sector is both the largest contributor to GDP and the highest growth sector in recent years.  Services contributed about 55 % of GDP; manufacturing (including construction) contributed 38% of  GDP. Agriculture was only 7 % of GDP. 

The most impressive achievements after independence have been in the country’s social development, continued Sanderatne. There have been significant improvements in literacy and school enrolment, reduction in mortality rates, an increase in life expectancy and significant improvements in social amenities such as housing, potable water, sanitation,  and access to electricity and telephones. 

Life expectancy at birth increased from around 55 years at the time of independence to 75 years today and is higher for females at 77 years than for males at 72 years.

There have been significant improvements in maternal mortality, infant mortality and under 5 mortality. Under 5 mortality decreased from 560 per one hundred thousand live births at the time of independence to 100 in 2015. Infant mortality declined from 82 to 8.5 per thousand in 2015. Most communicable diseases have been eradicated, but non communicable diseases are increasing.

Adult literacy increased from 57.8% in 1945 to 93% in 2017. School enrolment of children between the ages of 5-19 increased from 54.1 percent (1945) to 75.2 percent in 2016.

The Consumer Finance and socio economic survey of 2003-4 stated that 83% of urban families and 95 % of rural families own their own homes.

But  there are  significant regional disparities and urban-rural differences continued Sanderatne. There is a vast disparity of incomes among regions. High levels of poverty persist in districts such as Moneragala, Nuwara Eliya and in the Eastern Province. There is low literacy and school enrolment, high rates of diseases associated with poverty and poor living conditions. Further, the quality of health and educational services leaves much to be desired in certain locations.

Progress in social indicators could have been much better in recent years, if economic growth was more rapid, concluded Sanderatne. The reasons for the inadequate economic performance are many. These include the ethnic violence and civil war, distraction from economic concerns to political and cultural issues, the frequent changes of government and the consequent changes and uncertainty in economic policies, preoccupation with politics and religion rather than a serious concern in economic development.

Sri Lanka had some good rankings in the past decades. In 2010 Economist Intelligence Unit, has ranked Sri Lanka as the 8^th fastest growing economy in the world.

Legatum Prosperity Index known as the World Prosperity index, announced  in 2010 that Sri Lanka had the highest ranking among south Asian nations. Sri Lanka is ranked 59 among 110 nations.

In 2008 Commercial Bank of Ceylon was ranked among the Top 1000 Banks of the World on capital adequacy and soundness.

World Bank survey on Sri Lanka’s uses of financial services,  2012, indicated that account ownerships was high, 69% of Sri Lanka had accounts at a financial institution such as bank, finance company. This is much higher than the average of 33% for South Asia and 41% for developed economies.  67 % of adult females had accounts. This was higher than the average of 25% for South Asia.

In 2017 despite Sri Lanka’s low position in the World Bank Corruption Perception Index, Sri Lanka was viewed positively in terms of financial reporting systems and competency.

Sri Lanka was the first country in south Asia to introduce mobile phones in 1989 first to roll out a 3Gnetwork in 2004 and first in the region to unveil a $G network in 2014. In 2015 Sri Lanka ratified UN electronic communications conventions. This is a first country in south Asia and   2nd country after Singapore to become a state party to the convention.

In 2014 Sri Lanka was well placed in rankings. Sri Lanka ranked above almost all SAARC countries in many of the international economic evaluations and this is an important achievement. Only India is ahead of Sri Lanka at number 71.

 In 2014 Sri Lanka was placed high in the region in Global Infrastructure Index, Economic Freedom Ease of doing business Index, and Global Competitiveness Index. Rule of Law Index and the Global Peace Index  placed Sri Lanka on top in South Asia.

 In 2014, Human Development Index ranked Sri Lanka among the top 10 in the Asian region.  Sri Lanka was at 0.743 (2015) and ranked 99th of 177 countries in the Human development Index, in 2015. This is higher than the south Asian average. It is the only south Asian country in this bracket of high human development.  India and Bangladesh are in the medium human development category and the rest are in the low human development category, reported the media.

Sri Lanka has been described as the star performer of SAARC In 2014, said the media. Sri Lanka leads in life expectancy at birth, infant and under five mortality rate, maternal death, total fertility rate, access to improved sanitation and infant immunization indicators. Sri Lanka has shown that a country can improve its social indicator without waiting for an economic boom because it has allocated   resources in key social indicators like education and health.

Sri Lanka also leads when it comes to   studying accountancy and  marketing.  Media reported in 2014 that Sri Lanka presently commands the second highest number of   accountant students in the world, second only to UK.

Sri Lanka is our largest market outside the UK, said Chartered institute of Marketing, UK in 2022.  Sri Lanka was  the first international branch  of CIM. CIM has had a formal presence in Sri Lanka for over 20 years, with our qualifications being taught in the region for significantly longer. The CIM community in Sri Lanka is the largest outside of the UK. 

The government budget was thoughtfully implemented in 2014, said the Treasury. The 2014 budget was not an election budget. It linked with the previous budgets and has a clear development policy. When allocating to the line ministries there was an emphasis on science and technology. Technology was introduced as a subject to schools, and provision made for recruitment of 50,000 teaching assistants for rural schools for science, mathematics and English.

 Nenasala were set up in every Grama niladhari division. An engineering and technical faculty was established at University of Sri Jayewardenepura. IT was started at University of Kelaniya, livestock and agriculture at Sabaragamuwa and Ocean studies at Ruhuna.  Emphasis was on knowledge services. The 2014 laid the foundation for this, said the Treasury.

Sri Lanka has risen from a low income country to a middle income country. The per capita GDP which was USD 120 in 1950 reached USD 899 by 2000 and increased further to USD 947 by 2003 and Sri Lanka  joined the lower middle income earning category.

in 1999 UNDP said that Sri Lanka is now in the medium development category, ranking 90 among 172 nations, ahead of India (132) Pakistan (1380 Nepal ( 144) and Bangladesh(150) it is the only south Asia country ranking ahead of India,  with a higher standard of living among its population despite a crippling 13 year war, observed the media.

In  2006 Sri Lanka was no longer considered a Low Income Country with a per capita income less than USD 875; it is already in the Upper Lower Income Country (ULIC) status and would soon move into the category of Middle Income Country with a per capita income of USD 876, said World Bank.

 In 2007 Sri Lanka became a middle income country with rising per capita income, currently at USD 1350 and some presence felt in the globe. Our business conglomerates are now on the fast track for investing overseas. We see this happening with companies like Hayleys, Munchee, Commercial bank, Aitken Spence group, said the media. In 2009 it was reported that Sri Lanka‘s per capita income grew from USD 1,000 to USD 2000 within the last few years.

In 2019 Sri Lanka moved to the ‘Upper-Middle Income’ category from the ‘Lower-Middle Income’ under a revision to the Gross National Income (GNI) classification thresholds by the World Bank.

According to the World Bank data, Sri Lanka’s GNI per capita has increased from USD 3,840 in 2017 to USD 4,060 in 2018. As per the new classifications, upper-middle income economies are defined as those with a GNI per capita between USD 3,996 and USD 12,375

Under the new categorization, Sri Lanka is in the upper-middle income bracket along with 59 other countries also including China, Russian Federation, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico Fiji, Cuba and Brazil. Argentina, Georgia and Kosovo too have been newly upgraded to the status of an upper-middle income country along with Sri Lanka.

In the South Asian region, only Sri Lanka and the Maldives come under the upper-middle income group, whereas Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar and Pakistan come under the lower-middle income group and Afghanistan and Nepal come under the low-income group, World Bank said in 2019. (Continued)