Sri Lanka needs Dollars. The quickest route to earning and owning dollars now are tourists and foreign remittances into the banking system , not to the money exchangers.
Each tourists on average brings $1000, dollars. 3000 tourists are worth 3 milion dollars , the money required to clear one gas ship at the harbour. 6000 tourists a, a diesel ship . In March ’22 we had 100.000 tourist, enough to clear 20 oil ships.In April this went down to 60,000, May 30,000 an in June less than 1000/day.
The reduction in tourist arrivals correlated well with the length of the gas and oil queues and the misery of the people, the young and old, some paying the ultimate price. .
While the frustration that prompted the Aragalaya is understandable, but please be mindful of the negative impact of these images in the world media have on the tourists arrivals and with it their own misery and that of their kith and kin. This is alll clear toes as shown above.
Use the images and publicity Aragala receives in the world media to send a message, with appropriate banners to the world that “Sri Lanka Needs Tourists and welcomes them‘. This is the best way to help themselves and the suffering masses in the queues. Lambasing the R’s won’t bring the tourist unless the “welcome tourist” message is combined with lambasting the R’s.
Also,if foreign workers send their remittances. via the banking system , (2018, $7 billion, ie. $ 700million /month .I e100 oil ships cleared/ month and no misery for the people. Money sent through the black market ,and money exchanges .stays with them makes the black marketeers have a lot of money but they don’t clear ships, so the misery only worsens. Please send the correct message to the SLs inforeign employment.
These two measures will eliminate queues and suffering of the masses .
Be smart with the protests.The answere is in every. body’s hands.
The Cricketing success against Australia and the CricketAsia Cup in SLAugust opens up monumental opportunities to end this suffering. Let us not miss this chance
This smartness does not go contrary to voicing the justifiable wrath agains the R’s and the calls for Go Gota Go”
Business magnate Dhammika, who took oath as a Member of Parliament this morning, says he is better at bringing in dollars than taking loans.
Speaking to the media, MP Perera said he would reveal his plans to bring in foreign exchange to the country within two weeks.
With regard to his decision to enter the parliament, MP Perera expressed confidence in finding solutions to the ongoing crisis by taking up the new position.
In response to a question on accepting a ministerial portfolio, the parliamentarian said he would do his utmost to contribute to whichever ministry he is assigned to.
MP Perera, stating that he is hopeful of his ability to bring in investments, also pledged to create more job opportunities in the country, recalling his tenure as the chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI) during the civil war period.
When asked if he thinks he boarded a sinking ship, MP Perera said he does not view the country as such.
The tycoon also said he submitted his declaration of assets and liabilities and tax clearance certificate to the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena before taking oath as a parliamentarian.
Sanjeewa Jayaweera | New Delhi Courtesy The Statesman
When employees are in fuel queues and not reporting to work, there is zero productivity.
The fuel shortage, currently being experienced across Sri Lanka, is causing severe distress and incredible frustration to the public. It has graduated to an extent previously not experienced nor seen in at least Colombo and the suburbs.
I believe most people have been in queues for as long as four to five days, and many have still been unable to purchase any fuel. That this is taking place when gainfully employed people should be at work with their shoulder to the wheel is outrageous. When employees are in fuel queues and not reporting to work, there is zero productivity. This will undoubtedly severely affect those engaged in business and the country’s economy.
The Government of Sri Lanka has decided to limit the working week of public servants to just four days, with no corresponding adjustment to their remuneration. Many working in the private sector, whose taxes foot the public sector salary bill, are not pleased.
The question is, where do we go next? Is it sensible to expect the situation to improve or further deteriorate? I recall reading and watching some TV footage about 18 months ago of the evolving fuel crisis in Lebanon, where people were waiting for several days to purchase 20 litres of fuel. There, too, people parked their vehicles in the queue and went home. Unfortunately, I believe the situation has not improved since then.
So, it may well be that we, too, in Sri Lanka, will need to learn and adapt to the fact that our dwindling foreign currency will never enable us in the future to drive to the fuel station whenever we want, pump whatever we need, and then to drive to our heart’s content.
Professor Amal Kumarage of the University of Moratuwa, a transport sector professional with over 35 years of experience in academia, government, and consulting, proposed, during a discussion on TV, that the country needs to develop a demand plan in line with supply. He suggested that the public need to reassess their travel needs, and arrive at a sensible requirement that will be in line with supply. According to the Prime Minister, the country will have fuel stocks to supply only 50 per cent of demand in the future.
In such a scenario, the requirements of industries supporting the economy need foremost priority, together with public transport providers like the Railways and Buses (government and private). We also need to ensure that the health services, be it hospitals and ambulances, fall within the priority sectors.
Whilst the above allocation must be done by the state, the most critical choices will need to be made by the public. The question is, how many of us would be willing to make that choice? Many of us have got used to dropping and picking up our children from school by either car or van. There is no doubt that in the future this will not be possible. I know most parents will find this an intolerable choice to make. This despite those of us who attended school before the 1980s traveling by bus. The world has since changed, and most parents with school-going daughters will find it difficult to reconcile with the thought of young girls having to parry away the sickos who harass females using public transport.
That many of us will have to forgo many journeys we undertook by vehicle is a fact. The sooner we accept it, the better it would be for our well-being. One can feel the raw tension when driving past fuel stations with long queues. Instances when those patiently waiting in the queue have been incensed by a few who try to jump the line, are rising. People have also resorted to blocking the roads and preventing vehicular traffic, which is not a desirable course of action. Whatever the frustrations might be, law and order need to be maintained.
A friend of mine who is a professional, has bought a cycle and pedals 14 kilometers to work, a couple of days a week. The distance is one way, and he mentioned that it takes him one hour to cycle whilst the car journey is 45 minutes. His wife, a medical practitioner, working in a hospital, does the same.
The big question is how many are realistic and sensible enough to accept the inevitable. No doubt most will not be able to cycle, but will need to depend on travelling by bus and rail. It is the responsibility of the government to improve such services. I recall an initiative to commence canal transport in Colombo a few years back. That either the government or the commuters did not vigorously pursue it is regrettable. There is no better time than now to recommence it. What priority should be given to the three-wheelers is a moot point for debate. It is a form of employment for nearly a million drivers who, in turn, will be supporting another two to three million of the population, requiring them to be considered for special treatment.
Hopefully, the industry will be better regulated, and drivers will be better disciplined.Getting back to those of us who own vehicles, the choices are limited. There has been a proposal by a former minister that vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 2000CC be banned from the road. The initial reaction of many might be adverse. However, given that the fuel consumption of such vehicles is less than desired, there is a need for greater discussion. Maybe the annual revenue license for such cars should be more than Rs. One Million? If we go that way, the President, Prime Minister, and all Ministers should be banned from travelling in such vehicles. There should be no option for them to pay the high revenue license as the taxpayer ultimately bears such expenses.
There is no doubt that whatever action is taken by the government and the public, it will be less than desirable. Many of us will be unhappy and question life’s purpose under these tough choices we will have to make. Our lifestyle will be taken back several decades. We may well need to accept that, as a country, we were pretending to live a lifestyle far in excess of our capabilities and wealth. The phrase the chickens have come home to roost ” is quite apt in the current circumstances.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the programme for a bailout package would be finalized by the end of July.
The first in-person talks with the IMF on Sri Lanka’s bailout request commenced in Colombo on Monday (June 20) and are going on for 10 days. PM Wickremesinghe met with the visiting IMF delegates who arrived on the island for talks on a bailout programme as Sri Lanka is battling its worst financial crisis since independence in 1948.
The only safe option before us now is to hold discussions with the International Monetary Fund. In fact, this is our only option. We must take this path,” he stressed, delivering a special statement in the parliament today (June 22).
He added that Sri Lanka has concluded the initial discussions with the IMF delegation and exchanged ideas on various sectors such as public finance, finance, debt sustainability, stability of the banking sector and the social security network.
PM Wickremesinghe also said the framework for Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring is expected to be finalized by the end of July following discussions with the financial and legal advisory firms Lazard Ltd. and Clifford Chance LLP.
Representatives of Lazard and Clifford Chance are now in Sri Lanka to assist us in our debt restructuring efforts. The framework for debt repayment restructuring is being formulated.”
Sri Lanka hired the two firms in May to serve as financial and legal advisors on debt restructuring as the country seeks a bailout from the IMF.
Speaking further, the Premier said three high ranking officials of the Indian government are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka tomorrow (June 23) for discussions regarding the loans offered to the island nations in the future.
We have sought more loans from India, but India cannot continue to lend us. We also need to formulate a system to pay off loans,” PM Wickremesinghe added.
According to him, a team of representatives from the U.S. Department of the Treasury is expected in Sri Lanka next Monday.
We ensured that we created the background necessary for the immediate arrival of these three teams in Sri Lanka. We will conduct lengthy discussions with them. Their presence in the country will now allow us to hold meetings together with all three teams. It will only further assist us in expediting our programme.”
Speaking further, the Premier went on to point out that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is USD 700 million in debt and that no country or organisation in the world is willing to provide fuel to Sri Lanka as a result. They are even reluctant to provide fuel for cash.”
According to the prime minister, Sri Lanka is currently in need of USD 550 million to meet its monthly fuel needs. However, in the face of the economic crisis, we are experiencing difficulties in securing the necessary funds for this purpose. As a result of this, we will take steps to import the maximum fuel stocks possible based on our dollar income. Resolving the fuel shortages will take more time. Therefore I request you to economise when using fuel.”
PM Wickremesinghe also revealed that the government has also taken steps to import 100 000 MT of liquefied petroleum gas utilising a World Bank loan of USD 70 million and USD 20 million of the country’s own reserves. We will be able to eliminate the gas shortage once we receive these LPG stocks.”
Speaking further, the Premier said Sri Lanka has plans to organise a credit aid conference which will be led by India, Japan and China – the main lending countries of the island nation.
Through the credit aid conference, we hope to arrive at a general consensus on the lending processes, he explained.
However, there have been some conflicts and disagreements between us in the recent past. We are working towards resolving these and fostering friendly relations once again. Each country has different processes for granting loans.”
If we receive the IMF seal of approval, the world will once again trust us. It will help us to secure loan assistance as well as low-interest loans from other countries in the world. We are also currently holding discussions with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, the United States, other friendly nations and heads of state to secure interim short-term loans till we receive IMF support. We will be able to lay the foundation to ensure economic stability following the successful completion of these tasks. But this by no means will be the end. In fact, it will be the beginning of our journey. A new journey toward a stronger economy.”
Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman has assured Sri Lanka of her fullest support” and cooperation for its recovery from the ongoing economic crisis.
Sitharaman conveyed the assurance to Sri Lankan High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda when the envoy met her on Monday.
The Finance Minister of India assured the high commissioner of her fullest support and cooperation to the process of economic recovery in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan high commission said in a statement.
It was the latest in a series of meetings Moragoda held with Sitharaman on India’s economic cooperation and assistance to Sri Lanka in view of the economic crisis. He had last met her on May 27.
High Commissioner Moragoda once again thanked Minister Sitharaman for the continuation of assistance that India is extending to Sri Lanka, and particularly for expeditiously arranging a separate line of credit of USD 55 million granted on June 10 to import 65,000 MT of urea required for the present cultivation season in Sri Lanka,” the high commission said.
In response, Minister Sitharaman assured High Commissioner Moragoda of her fullest cooperation to the economic recovery process in Sri Lanka, while expressing the hope that Sri Lanka would recover very soon given the resilience of her people,” it said.
Moragoda also met with 15 European envoys based in New Delhi, who are concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka.
The ambassadors of Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine and the High Commissioner of Malta attended the meeting on Tuesday.
Moragoda briefed the heads of mission on the current economic and political developments in Sri Lanka, especially the plans for the stabilisation and recovery of the Sri Lankan economy, the high commission said.
Youth activists Rathindu Senaratne alias ‘Ratta’, Lahiru Weerasekara and five others have been remanded until July 01 by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
Social activist and YouTuber Rathindu Senaratne, the national organizer of ‘Youth for Change’ Lahiru Weerasekara and actor Jagath Manuwarna, who were wanted over the incidents unrest in early June, had surrendered to Maradana Police this morning (22).
On June 17, the Colombo Fort Magistrate ordered the police to arrest 09 suspects for their unruly and violent behaviour during protests at Colombo Fort and Thalangama on the 9th and 10th of June and to produce them before the court.
Several charges including criminal coercion, obstruction of duties of police officers, unlawful assembly, causing injuries and causing damages to public property have been levelled against them.
Demonstrators and government supporters clash outside the official residence of Mahinda Rajapaksa, in Colombo. AFP
An injured Sri Lankan Buddhist monk is being carried away who among many other anti-government protesters were injured after attacked by government supporters outside prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, May 9, 2022. Government supporters on Monday attacked protesters who have been camped outside the offices of Sri Lanka’s president and prime minster, as trade unions began a Week of Protests” demanding the government change and its president to step down over the country’s worst economic crisis in memory. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
Argentina gained independence from Spain in 1810. Like Sri Lanka, Argentina is rich in agriculture with vast fertile land. Unlike Sri Lanka, by 1913 Argentina became one of the world’s 10th wealthiest states. Like Sri Lanka, political instability became a factor for Argentina’s decline. Unlike Sri Lanka, Argentina was ruled by the military for 60 years. Agriculture production fell as a result of import substitution adopted by both governments. This created a large government, large wage increases, inefficient production & chronic inflation contributing to foreign debt for both nations. Measures taken by Argentina were to make its currency (peso) equal to US dollar & privatize state-run companies, which anyway led to default, then recovery, then again default in 2014 & 2020. Argentina has defaulted on its debt 9 times & currency devalued resulting in high inflation. Argentinians realize what went wrong & are demanding IMF be taken to international court.
Argentina like Sri Lanka had leaders following what suited their party policies instead of what the country & the people needed. The primary reasons for this was western governments & their proxies placing them in power to implement their agendas in exchange to ignore corruptions by these governments. West eventually used these corruptions as bribes to further advance agendas. Ultimately only countries & the people suffered.
Thus from an agriculture policy to industrialization to nationalism to corporate was a hallmark of governance in both countries. Argentina departed from a pro-West Catholic influence to a more state-controlled economy in the 1940s no different to what Mrs. Bandaranaike sought to achieve. That wasn’t allowed to last long.
Argentina could never control inflation on top of which an armed conflict arose in 1982 with UK over Falkland Islands just like Sri Lanka began its 3 decade of armed conflict against LTTE in 1983.
It was in 1982 that Argentina went to IMF for financial assistance just as Sri Lanka went to IMF in 1983 for a Standby Arrangement. Military dictatorship ended in Dec1983 with Raul Alfonsin elected as President who too began IMF discussions which failed. Argentina even changed its currency yet in 1986 it failed to pay debt though debt was renegotiated.
New IMF agreements were reached in 1987 & 1989 but failed resulting in high inflation leaving Argentina no choice but to privatize. Were these IMF failures part of the privatization agenda? Is this what is happening to Sri Lanka as well?
Argentina privatized almost every state owned enterprise except for a couple of banks. Privatization meant moving from public ownership to private profit and they raised prices to ensure their profits increased providing no solace to the people. These are areas that Sri Lanka has yet to experience and is likely to experience going blindly with the ‘privatization’ chant.
Argentina went again to IMF in 1999 for a $7.2b standby arrangement. Argentine debt was held in bonds & inspite of selling it could not meet debt payments. A situation no different to what Sri Lanka just experienced.
Argentina like Sri Lanka suffered an economic & political crisis. Value of the currency in both depreciated, unemployment in both countries increased, income poverty grew.
Privatization was not the answer that Argentina found out too late – they could blame economic neoliberalization because privatization proved a failure. Why is it then that the IMF worshippers and stooges of private organizations promoting privatization for Sri Lanka? It is only because a handful stand to benefit.
Privatization in Argentina was promoted by the Washington Consensus just as it is promoting same in Sri Lanka.
2002 saw Argentina appoint 2 Presidents in the space of 2 weeks, a likely scenario with the calls for present President of Sri Lanka to resign. President Kirtchner decided to liquidate Argentinian debt to IMF ($9.8b)in a single payment without refinancing with Venezuela buying Argentine bonds for $1.6b. By 2008 Venezuela held $6b in Argentine debt.
Fast forward to 2021 Argentinians are urging its government not to sign a debt restructuring deal with IMF – quite the opposite is happening in Sri Lanka.
People are protesting not to sign with IMF in one country and in the other country people protesting to sign!
The People of Argentina were well aware of the IMF & the misery it brought Argentinians with austerity measures. Argentina owed IMF $44b due since 2018. The agreement was to pay $19b each in 2022 and 2023.
IMF austerity measures generally hit only the majority poor of both countries & would be hardly felt by the richer which was why most of the upper echelons in both countries were quick to jump to accept IMF austerity measures. So long as it didn’t affect them, any bailout was acceptable.
Argentinians suffered much during the 2001 financial meltdown – currency was devalued, bank withdrawals were banned after Argentina defaulted on $93b debt. This is exactly what is happening to Sri Lanka in 2022 after Sri Lanka’s govt declared default. Both countries lacked dollars to trade. Argentinians do have dollars but they were in tax havens – this is the allegation being thrown in Sri Lanka too.
In looking at Argentina & IMF, Sri Lanka needs to realize that Argentina did not get anywhere from IMF bailouts on its advice. Argentinian economy did not improve – it just got worse.
In the case of Argentina, IMF was not interested in addressing the root causes of Argentina’s financial crisis, no different to the situation in Sri Lanka. Plastering the problem is not the solution, short or even long term. Both countries require to create production capacities to trigger growth.
Trade Unions, general public, human rights activists all joined with slogans against the IMF.
We don’t have to bow our heads and pay the Fund as the government of Alberto Fernández is doing.
We say that scams are not to be paid, and we say no to the impunity of those responsible for surrendering our sovereignty.
We’ve seen this story many times before in Argentina, and it always ends with an adjustment for working people.”
Myriam Bregman
IMF has given billions on credit but always with a condition – countries had to sell off valuable state assets & cut country budgets often only hitting the middle class and poor. Since 1956 Argentina has taken IMF funding 22 times as against the 15 times by Sri Lanka since 1965. Argentina took $57b in 2018.
Just like US-agents operating think tanks in Sri Lanka who had been former IMF officials and are pushing Sri Lanka to come under IMF control, Argentina’s $57b loan was as a favor because the president of the IADB was an ex-IMF board member.
Argentina’s loan came timed for elections to sway victory in favor of pro-US candidate and it will be interesting how IMF will drag discussions ahead of possible Sri Lanka’s elections in early 2023.
In Argentina, the pro-US candidate lost but it meant the winner was saddled with repayment of $20b no different to the good governance ISBs that the present govt ended up having to pay. The scenario was identical.
The IMF loan to Argentina enabled the wealthy to take their money out of the country. IMF was not bothered – they were happy that the government was agreeing to privatize and cut down on benefits to the people & IMF was not bothered that people were suffering as the government was not bothered too.
IMF issued an unprecedented report claiming its 2018 loan ($44.5b over 10 years) failed to ‘deliver on its objectives’. IMF even placed formal restrictions on Argentina’s fiscal response to Covid – 125,000 people died. Health, education, income of public workers are always what IMF wants govts to cut spending on.
Argentina then visited Russia and China & agreed to join China’s Belt & Road Initiative. That was when the trouble started just as was the case for Sri Lanka.
It is true governments are the cause, but these causes are invariably created by these international vultures who tempt governments to take loans as taking loans means their entities can give more loans as bailouts with interest.
The Argentinians are demanding IMF be held responsible for its financial colonialism and take Argentina’s case to the International Court of Justice to reclaim Argentina’s sovereignty. The People of Argentina are demanding international justice against what IMF has done & the success of this will encourage other nations to pursue same.
We understand with dismay that the Parliament of Canada has declared the 18th of May as The Tamil Genocide Day”. When this motion was introduced in the Parliament of Canada by MP Gary Anandasagari, he did not elaborate on the topic at all. The topic was not debated or discussed at all, no questions were asked, no concerns regarding the truth or accuracy were expressed before the motion was passed unanimously.
The Parliament of Canada showed total lack of concern and lack of responsibility for not looking for factual substantiation before such a drastic and unfair Bill was passed unanimously, we understand.
I wish to bring to your kind notice that the Liberation of the Vanni or the elimination of terrorism in the North of Sri Lanka, began when the Tamil Tigers captured Mavil Aru in June 2000”. This siege completely deprived water, a basic necessity of life for 30,000 people in the vicinity of Marvil Aru. No one can object to the government for making every possible effort to restore water to the affected unfortunate community living in this area. This military action against the LTTE at Mavil Aru, finally lead to the defeat of the LTTE, and the liberation of our country from a protracted war, spanning over 30 yearsYou will probably recall that it was the Sri Lanka Army who saved 294,00 Tamil civilians who were held as human shields by the Tamil Tigers in the last stages of the war. All these innocent civilians were brought from Tiger, controlled areas in Mullaiaikkal and Pudumathalan to the safety of government-controlled areas in the Vanni. This is the absolute truth, where the Tamils were saved, quite the opposite of the so called genocide of the Tamils”
It is strange that no genocide day has been passed by the Parliament of Canada with regard to the thousands of indigenous children who went missing in residential schools under the repression policies of the government of Canada many years ago. Possibly, such a motion should be passed in the Canadian Parliament without delay.Considering the total inaccuracies and prejudicial nature of the motion, and the negative image created against Sri Lanka, we urge the Parliament of Canada to retract this declaration with immediate effect in fairness to Sri Lanka. The elimination of terrorism has given all Sri Lankans the right of life and the freedom to live without fear.
Cambridge Analytica showed the world how personal information of people on social media is used to swing elections. Is the same being applied in Sri Lanka. Protests are a new norm. All types of people join affording opportunities for others who join for different reasons. What or who is psychologically motivating them deciding ‘enough is enough’?
How are people’s emotions aroused – if people are repeatedly shown footage of police attacking people, media is able to build a negative belief against the police. This is enhanced by interviews that describe the attacks. These messages either before or during a protest, automatically is able to build hate in the people against the police. Similarly, the reverse can happen too. The police can be negatively fed information about the protestors. The mind is being influenced in ways people are unaware of. It can even make the laziest of person want to go & defend whom media wishes to portray as ‘innocent’.
Social media can fan peace and protest – it depends on how it is used, by whom it is used.
It has turned into a money making operation – where people pay to manipulate people. It is a different form of marketing. It is building an ‘identification’ – what if the victim is oneself making people identify themselves with the victim.
Are we aware that our lives are being monitored & controlled digitally threatening our human rights?
What time you wake, your preference for food & beverage, what time you eat, leave home, what websites you visit are all known. Without you knowing, you have been digitally profiled.
Cambridge Analytica is just one company that manipulated people’s data from 87million Facebook accounts given by Facebook. Once a person is digitally profiled, messages are packaged adjusting to the person’s likes & dislikes. Social media is able to manipulate our emotions, it is aware of our psychological vulnerabilities & can sway our thoughts on who pays & how they want to influence people’s thoughts. Like-minded people are always profiled & packaged. Digitally profiled people pawns” to be influenced depending on who pays for what. Unknown to us, our lives have become ‘manipulative money-making’ tools. Facebook makes $22b annually.
Note the manner messages are being targeted even across Sri Lanka. The hora” theme has caught the nerve of all & no one cares about facts, evidence or requiring a court to prove guilty. Social media has become judge & jury. So if social media is being used to digitally influence people, the next question should be who is paying for it. The Trump campaign used Cambridge Analytica. The Brexit campaigners used Cambridge Analytica and there was news that Cambridge Analytica was also used by Sri Lanka in 2015.
What everyone needs to ask is
am I being psychologically manipulated”
is my social media being profiled”
when I use google maps, does it mean someone knows where I am going & who I meet”
am I a victim of fake news & false flags”
Listening to interviews by whistleblower Christopher Wylie who was the brains behind the Cambridge Analytica operation will shock you. Cambridge Analytica was used even in Kenyan election, Malaysia, Brazil & Mexico & India. The age-old honeytraps were used – sex, secrets & spies. Who to target – how to target is key. Knowledge of the Opposition & what their secrets are. Evoking people’s fears, conscious & unconscious.
Kenya’s Election: Mark Turnbull, MD of Cambridge Analytica We have rebranded the entire party twice, written their manifesto, done two rounds of 50,000 (participant) surveys……written all the speeches”…. we had staged the whole thing – so just about every element of his campaign”.
Whistleblower Wylie came to the open when his predecessor died under mysterious circumstances in a hotel in Kenya during the 2013 Kenyan elections.
Mark Zuckerberg was questioned by the US Senate for his role in the Cambridge Analytica & the use of personal data on FB to influence US presidential elections, UK’s Brexit referendum and other elections worldwide.
Trumps team wanted to create a Cultural weapon” for Trump’s victory. Each voter targeted as a personality not just a voter.
Cambridge Analytica provided that starting in 2014 & Trump won in 2016. What did they do?
They started drowning messages to people knowing the reaction they would get
Friends list were used to convey same message
Messages from facebook-owned WhatsApp was able to trigger ads (though we think our messages are encrypted (protected) – if a party can encrypt data – they can decrypt it too!
The expose came when Facebook failed to delete the information/emails used to manipulate people.
Sri Lanka’s present PM too claimed Cambridge Analytica approached him (UNP) also in 2014 prior to the 2015 Presidential Election. The PM says the UNP did not use them. Then former Secretary to Mass Media, Dr Charitha Herath claimed via tweet that the Rajapakse camp was helped by BJP’s top IT strategist Arvind Gupta but it proved a failure. That tweet was deleted.
Social media has negatively impacted harmony in Sri Lanka. It has been intentionally used to build hate between communities via false FB accounts and trolls. The flipside of this is when the creators end up the one’s bringing new laws that curb people trying to expose the truth and not prevent those spreading hate. Almost all times, counter-measures end up creating more problems than providing solutions.
Anyone trying to raise awareness against possible misadventure or informing the real dangers of agreements etc gets ‘reported’ and their account is either blocked or suspended for a time period, which is usually until that topic is done & dusted or forgotten.
In the case of Sri Lanka, notice how much pro-LTTE, separatism and anti-Sinhala/Buddhist posts never fall into the community standards” and blocked but the moment any responds nullifying the pro-LTTE, separatism etc – they get reported and are blocked by FB and other social media.
The real success of this company can be tested if they can use their manipulative tools to make the present PM the President of Sri Lanka by an electoral victory for the payment they take!
The manner a foreign company can manipulate a foreign election and digitally intimidate voters & their emotions is not only shocking but scary.
Every campaign is done subtly so even protestors do not think they are being manipulated but they are, this is what everyone needs to take cognizance of. Sri Lanka’s protests are no different to protests that are now staged all over the world for which someone somewhere is funding for a reason.
ෂුමාකර්ගේ ස්මෝල් ඊස් බියුටිෆුල් (Small Is Beautiful: Economics as If People Mattered, Ernst F. Schumacher, 1973) යන අදහසෙන් ආරම්භවී, කර්ක්පැට්රික් සේල්ගේ හියුමන් ස්කේල් (1980), හා Human Scale Revisited: A New Look at the Classic Case for a Decentralist Future (2017) මතවලින් ඉදිරිපත්වූයේ මිනිසාට මේච්චල් කරගත හැකි භූමි ප්රදේශවල මිනිසාගේ කටයුතු පරිපාලනය කරගැනීමට ඉඩ සළසා දීමේ යෝග්යතාවයය. තිරසර සංවර්ධන මාවත එයය. ෂුමාකර් බෞද්ධ ආර්ථික විද්යාවක් ගැනත්, මහජන සුභසිද්ධිය පිළිඹඳවත් ඉදිරිපත් කල අදහස්, ගාන්ධිගේ සරල දිවි පැවැත්මට අදාල ප්රායෝගික දර්ශනය සමඟ හොඳාකාරවම ගැලපුණේය. ඉන්දියාවේ ප්ලෑනින් කොමිෂමට වාර්තාවක් සපයමින් ෂුමාකර් 1962 දී පෙන්වා දුන්නේ ශ්රම බලකාය බහුල එහෙත් ප්රාග්ධනය හිඟ රටවල් තෝරා ගතයුතු <අතරමැදි කාර්මික තාක්ෂණ> intermediate industrial technology ක්රමවේද බවය. දැන් මෙය සුදුසු, <ගැලපෙන> appropriate technology ක්රමවේද යනුවෙන් හැඳින්වේ.
ගම අගය කල කර්ක්පැට්රික්, අවුරුදු 50 ක් පුරාම ලියුවේ ලෝකය, ලෝකය විසින්ම විනාශ කරගන්නා ආකාරය ගැනය. ඔහු සැළකුවේ UNO එක නිෂ්ඵල ආයතනයක් ලෙසය. 2020 වනවිට ආපදා තුනක එකතුවක් සිදුවනවා යයි ඔහු 2020 දී ලියූ ‘The Collapse of 2020’ යන කෙටි, සැර, පොතේ සඳහන් කර ඇත. ඒවා නම්, ලෝක මුදල් ආර්ථිකය කඩා වැටීම, දුප්පතුන් හා පොහොසතුන් අතර යුද්ධ හා විශාල පරිමාණයේ පරිසර ආපදාත් ය. …Sale believes the world is destroying itself. In a piece for LewRockwell.com Sale wrote, the government we have in this country is too incompetent, inept, corrupt, wasteful, and inefficient, too centralized, undemocratic, unjust, and invasive, and too unresponsive to the needs of individual citizens and small communities, and all because it is too big.”
Map Source: Inviting Failure – Nature of the spatial unit of devolution, V. K. Nanayakkara, Island, November 8, 2017, (දුඹුරුපාට-වියළි කලාපය, දම්පාට-අතරමැදි කලාපය, කොළපාට-තෙත් කලාපය)
The fuel and gas crises continue unabated. People stay in unending queues not for hours but days without drinks or food. A few have died in the queues and the crowds are becoming to be restless and violent. There is no light at the end of the tunnels. This tragedy is not due to a natural disaster or a sudden occurrence but due to a lack of vision and political expediency of our rulers over decades. The immediate scarcity of dollars blew it up. It is useful to examine the calamity from the angle of availability of fuel and gas the management of the scarce resource and the series of poor decisions which aggravated the problem.
India began exploration of hydrocarbons in the Cauvery Basin, in 1958 and found both oil and gas. The closest oil well in the Indian sector is only 24 km West from the Sri Lanka maritime boundary in the Mannar basin, Petroleum exploration in Sri Lanka began approximately late 1960s. The explorations done by Russia during that time were not successful. The next effort in oil and gas exploration of 2D seismic surveys were conducted in Mannar basin only in the next century during 2001 and 2005 and the first international licensing round was held in 2007 for three exploration blocks (M1, M2 and M3) in 2007, and one exploration block was awarded in 2008 to Cairn Lanka Pvt Ltd, subsidiary of Cairn India.
For the first time, two natural gas discoveries were made in two wells out of the three wells drilled in Block M2 by Cairn in 2011.
Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS) with the assistance of regional experts estimated that the Mannar basin alone could have the potential to generate over two billion barrels of oil and over nine trillion cubic feet of natural gas(9 TCF), which would be sufficient to fulfil a substantial portion of Sri Lanka’s energy needs for the next 60 years.
It took another 10 years to enact Petroleum Resources Act, No. 21 of 2021 to provide for the establishment of the petroleum development authority of Sri lanka; the formulation of a national policy on upstream petroleum industry and regulation and management structure capturing the maximum economic value of domestic petroleum resources.
The present estimate of the Mannar Bay oil and gas resources is claimed at US$ 267 billion. Cabinet approved the proposal of the then Minister of Energy to invite investors to exploit the resources on a fifty/ fifty basis. He was planning to present the proposal to a forum of oil explorers on the 15th of March 2022 but before that the Minister was sacked.
It is noted that the government policy and action on oil exploration was entirely erratic. The last act of preventing the presentation of the present proposals to the international oil interests at this moment when oil prices at their peak is criminal.
We should have offered one well in 2011 to an investor for 20 years on a Build Operate and Transfer basis. This was the formula for FDI that Gunnar Myrdal suggested to SWRD in 1957. When this well was in operation other investors could have been invited on our terms.
So, the present crisis is a result of all governments from 1960 onwards for lack of a vision and inability to exploit a proven resource.
Another failure in the determination of development priorities was on the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery built in 1969 with a capacity of 35,000 bbl/d. This was expanded thereafter to a processing capacity of 50,000 bbl/d to meet the domestic requirement of Petroleum fuel. Singapore, which does not produce a drop of crude oil, developed a refinery capacity of 1.51 million bpd by 2018. Our vision was to build a refinery capacity to meet only the domestic demand whereas Singapore went into the export of refined products.
Sapugaskanda refinery also had a facility for the production of urea.It had a capacity for an annual production of over 294,000 tons of granulated urea valued at US $ 79 million. This facility was sold to an Indian buyer and it is mentioned that there is no information in the public domain as to how much this urea plant was sold by the Sri Lankan Government to the Indian company. (https://www.ft.lk/Agriculture/The-saga-of-the-fertiliser-industry-in-Sri-Lanka/31-700789)
If all the refined petroleum products could be produced in our own refinery we would have cheaper products and avoid waiting anxiously the arrival of a refined products ship.
On the management of resources Sri Lanka had a golden opportunity of holding a reserve of crude oil which even the USA does, using the Trincomalee oil Farm which we got for a pittance from the British. While Sri Lanka did not realize the vital importance of the Oil Farm India was so cognizant that in the subterfuge of the Exchange of Letters in the Indo Sri Lanka Accord It was included at item three as -III) The work of restoring and operating the Trincomalee Oil Tank will be undertaken as a joint operation between India and Sri Lanka. Yahapalanaya gave the Oil Farm to India on a platter.
A government with a vision could have made use of these tanks to stock oil when the prices were down.
During the last few years fuel consumption has swelled rapidly due to the surge in the import of vehicles, mainly high-powered gas guzzling vehicles. It is known that more vehicles were allowed to be imported to collect a higher amount of customs duty. The surge of imports and the over concentration of economic activities in the city has led to a severe traffic congestion. It was estimated in 2005 that the average speed on Colombo roads falls below 15 kms per hour. It must be much lower today. At such speeds, fuel consumption doubles, consequently increasing air pollution as well. In addition to the direct cost of fuel there is also the opportunity cost to the commuter of the time lost on the roads.
Colombo roads have been widened as much as possible and it is impracticable to widen the present roads any further. There are several actions that could be taken to ease the traffic congestion marginally. These include introducing flexi hours in officers thus smoothing the traffic peak. In many countries heavy goods vehicles are kept away from the center during peak hours. Charging a fee on single passenger vehicles induces passengers to use vehicle pools. Another method is the use of park and use of public transport is being presently tried out. The improvement of public transport is perhaps the best way to wean away commuters from using private vehicles.
When all countries in the world were encouraging the use of electric vehicles, Sri Lanka in the 2015 interim budget’ imposed a prohibitive tax on hybrid vehicles of 92 per cent of the total value of the vehicle. One wondered whether it was a scam to induce the import of Indian makes. It is estimated that if all vehicles in Sri Lanka were to move to hybrid, we could save 25% (or more) on the total import value of fuel for motor vehicles.
In Sri Lanka motor cars have become a status symbol. In India until recently all political VVIPs used the India made unostentatious Hindustan. Some of the luxury vehicles cannot be accommodated on our narrow roads. A poor country like Sri Lanka cannot afford to have a plethora of makes and provide funds for their spares. A sensible proposition is to standardize in a few makes and move for the progressive manufacture of those vehicles in the country. In the current it should be on electric cars.
In 1964 when Anil Moonesinghe was the Minister in charge of CTB all new purchases of buses were standardized in three makes and the Fiat company agreed for the progressive manufacture of small buses and cars in Sri Lanka.
But all these measures are only short-term solutions. When the transport system is made more efficient more commuters will use the system producing a vicious circle.
It is time that long term sustainable solutions to the traffic and fuel problems be planned now. In radical terms what is required is to dismantle Colombo by removing the over concentration of Administrative activities from Colombo which should be developed only as a commercial city. Unfortunately, our first step in moving out the Administration out of Colombo was colored by the anxiety to perpetuate the name of a living national leader. The capital city was located in a new city named the Jayawardhane Pura, in a marsh, at a short distance from Colombo. This move has not reduced the population or traffic congestion.
In this context there are two main measures which need careful attention.
First is to locate the main government Departments in the Districts where the relevant activities are dominant. For example the Irrigation Dept and the Mahaweli Authority should be located in Anuradhapura. Paddy Marketing Board could be moved to Polonnaruwa. More Departments could be moved to District centers. What is the logic of the Department of Surveys or the Malaria Control Division being located in Colombo District? It should be noted that the Department of Agriculture, a major Department has been functioning effectively in Peradeniya from British times. Such a move would also meet the objectives of the decentralization of governance.
The other strategy is to establish satellite secretariats in the periphery of the Colombo City. There is already a working model in the Kacheri system (now District Secretariats) where several Departmental units operate under the nominal supervision of the Government Agent. The large Departments and other Public Enterprises in the City could locate sub units in such a common secretariat. With fiber optic communications and advanced technologies most of the work could be done online. If physical monitoring is a must CCTV systems could also be installed. Such offices could reduce the time wasted in travel by office workers at least by 50%,and drastically reduce traffic congestion. The cost of time wasted by road users is not normally considered, but it is enormous.
Other than the attraction of Colombo as the business, cultural, health and recreational center, the location of the best schools in Colombo generates the worst traffic congestion with one way traffic towards Colombo in the morning and a reverse movement in the afternoon. One good example was the sophisticated Panagoda Army cantonment which was underutilized due to Army Headquarters being located in the heart of Colombo. At least now it has shifted to Akuregoda still in the capital city. Improvement in the schools in the periphery will attract children to those schools and reduce the traffic congestion and also the grueling time in crowded vehicles spent by young children .
In the long run, Colombo should be dismantled by developing regional centers. This is where the development of Hambantota with the infrastructure and other facilities is well justified. Such regional development should be considered as investments for the future.
Any move to dismantle Colombo will be strongly resisted by vested interests who like to retain the advantages of living in Colombo. Investment in satellite secretariats and shifting major departments to the districts will be cheaper than investing in mass transport systems.
Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of India Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman assured the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, Milinda Moragoda of her fullest support and cooperation to the process of economic recovery in Sri Lanka.
The Finance Minister of India gave this assurance when High Commissioner Moragoda called on her (20th June) evening at the Ministry of Finance in New Delhi.
This was the latest of a series of meetings High Commissioner Moragoda has had with Minister Sitharaman on Indian economic cooperation and assistance to Sri Lanka in the context of the present crisis. He had last met her on 27 May.
High Commissioner Moragoda once again thanked Minister Sitharaman for the continuation of assistance that India is extending to Sri Lanka, and particularly for expeditiously arranging a separate line of credit of 55 million USD, granted on 10 June to import 65,000 MT of urea required for the present cultivation season in Sri Lanka.
In response, Minister Sitharaman assured High Commissioner Moragoda of her fullest cooperation to the economic recovery process in Sri Lanka, while expressing the hope that Sri Lanka would recover very soon given the resilience of her people.
Earlier in the day, High Commissioner Moragoda had also met with the External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S. Jaishankar to discuss the way forward with regard to Indian assistance in stabilizing and recovering the ailing Sri Lankan economy.
China’s envoy to Bangladesh has applauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership for building Padma bridge with the country’s own finance and described the Awami League-led government’s achievements in Bangladesh during the last decade as “extraordinary.
Li Jiming, the Chinese ambassador in Dhaka, has lauded Prime Minister Shekh Hasina’s decision to proceed with the Padma Bridge project using local money despite the failure of outside funding, expressing doubts that an average leader of any country could have done so.
He emphasized Bangladesh’s progress and development during Hasina’s 12 years as Prime Minister, including economic growth, infrastructure development such as the Padma Bridge.
‘I wonder, I truly doubt, if any typical leader of any country could have made such a difficult decision as she did,’ he told a small gathering of journalists at the Chinese consulate in Dhaka on June 19.
Without mentioning names, the ambassador stated that several international development partners did not believe the Bangladesh government could ever build such a megastructure with its own funds.
“Despite all the uncertainties, pressures, and claims,” he continued, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opted to build the bridge using Bangladesh’s “own money, 100 percent Bangladesh’s own money.” The decision, according to the ambassador, needed “extreme courage and a great sense of political responsibility” on the part of any government leader.
The ambassador stated that under the leadership of Bangladesh’s prime minister, the bridge became a solid reality arising from a vision, and that “nobody will ever question that Bangladesh can achieve it.”
Chinese ambassador has uttered and unveiled the truth. Thank you, China, for showering praise on a reality. On July 4, 2001, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lay the foundation stone for the Padma Bridge, which will benefit more than 30 million people in 21 districts throughout southern Bangladesh. The 6.15-kilometer bridge, which includes a four-lane highway and a one-lane railway, is now a reality.
PM Sheikh Hasina made it a reality today in the face of hundreds of difficulties, obstructions, bogus claims, and World Bank machinations.
On July 8, 2012, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated unequivocally in this great National Assembly that the Padma Bridge would be built at Bangladesh’s own money. Leadership is critical in all areas of life where human resources are utilized, including organizations, entrepreneurship, corporations, politics, societies, and states. Leaders perform the most important function at the state level in setting directions, encouraging people, boosting morale, allocating responsibilities, and improving satisfaction in order to steer a nation forward. The people of Bangladesh are fortunate to have a leader who has nearly all of these characteristics and has been guiding the country in the path of realizing her father’s dream of becoming the country ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal). Sheikh Hasina’s imaginative, daring, indomitable, and cautious leadership is exemplified by the construction of the Padma Bridge.
Everyone is familiar with the bridge’s history. Because of the prime minister’s unwavering determination to achieve her objectives, the bridge is now visible. She did not limit herself to giving commands during the entire era, from the planning of the bridge to the present day; rather, she became involved in the megaproject and provided vital counsel when needed, as well as boosting the morale of the project’s workers. Now, with the bridge ready to open to the public in a few months, the prime minister has paid a personal visit to the bridge and walked for two hours across it.
Her choice to build the bridge on the country’s own funds gives the Bangladeshi people the much-needed motivation to overcome obstacles and grows themselves without relying on outside assistance. It has and will continue to assist the country in becoming self-sufficient in all areas. She has successfully instilled in the general public the concept that we can do anything if we have a strong will and resolve to do so, which is undoubtedly a significant victory for her as a leader. At the same time, having a dreamer as a leader is a question of pure luck for a country.
“We know that if Bangladesh claims they’ll do it with your money, they’ll be able to do it… “Do we believe that and that we are correct?” he stated “Not everyone is thrilled, but Chinese people are,” the envoy said, adding that some people may not like seeing Bangladesh’s historic achievement over the bridge.
The envoy expressed his pride at the bridge, not only because it was built by a Chinese company, but also because it will serve as a watershed moment in China-Bangladesh cooperation and serve as an everlasting connection of brotherhood between China and Bangladesh and two peoples by heart, guiding the route to common prosperity and a shared future.
No one can deny it, and everyone recognizes that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s heroic action has transformed the Padma Bridge from a dream to a reality. Sheikh Hasina’s bravery has undoubtedly resulted in the construction of the Padma Bridge. The Padma Bridge is the most significant gift commemorating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, the Father of the Nation. It is not simply the bridge across the Padma; it has raised the Bengali nation’s confidence to such a level that they can achieve anything. And it was their bold Prime Minister who reawakened this confidence. The father provided independence for the country, while the daughter provided prosperity.
China praised the Premier for successfully completing the much-needed bridge despite all the intrigues. China knows to evaluate the right person.
PM Sheikh Hasina announced the construction of the Padma Bridge during the country’s acute image crisis following the World Bank’s loan cancellation due to corruption allegations.
Bangladesh has proven to the world its capacity under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership by building a 6.15km bridge over the country’s second-toughest river using its own money. Bangladesh’s finance ministry gave Bangladesh Bridge Authority with a credit of 3 billion USD.
The construction of the bridge is viewed as the most significant achievement of the Awami League government, which has had to deal with “conspiracies” that led to the World Bank canceling a pledged fund in 2012 due to a corruption charge that was eventually proven untrue.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on the other hand, has been able to clear up all of the ambiguity while also overcoming all of the financial and technical obstacles.
The Padma Bridge is made of more than just concrete. It combines People’s love and pride. It was built with its own money by Sheikh Hasina. She has bravely put it into action for the love of people.
Bangladesh’s dignity in the world has improved as a result of the bridge’s building using its own funds. The bridge has brought the Bengali nation’s dignity and respect to the world’s attention.
True happiness comes from the satisfaction of well-done deeds and the excitement of creating something new… well done, Bangladesh, under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s capable and vibrant leadership. Congrats! She’s put in the finest effort…China’s praise on Bangladesh PM for building Padma bridge is recognition of Bangladesh success story.
Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, on Sunday, told the media that giving the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) the monopoly over the oil industry was a mistake and the government was taking steps to allow multinational oil companies to recommence operations in Sri Lanka. The petroleum sector was nationalised in the early 1960s and the CPC was given a monopoly.
Addressing the media in Colombo, the Minister said that several other companies must get involved in fuel distribution in the country as it had become obvious that the CPC couldn’t do it alone.
We need a few companies like Lanka IOC. Soon, I will present a Cabinet Paper on this matter. Not only the CPC and the LIOC, but also companies of other oil producing nations must be given the chance to supply and distribute oil. Companies like Shell and Caltex were in Sri Lanka earlier. We made a serious error when we gave the CPC a monopoly,” he said.
The Minister also insisted that many oil companies had shifted to Singapore after Sri Lanka nationalised the petroleum sector. The Minister said that Singapore had become a petrochemical hub thereafter.
” We want a company which can give us oil at least for one year on credit––a company that could use its own funds to import fuel. The purpose will be lost if they too start tapping into the dollars that local banks have. If the IOC wants to expand, we must allow that to happen. We have taken a decision to allow oil producing companies to start operations in Sri Lanka,” he said.
The Minister also said that two ships carrying petrol and diesel would arrive on the 23 and 24 June. Sri Lanka had enough stocks of diesel for 10 days and the CPC was supplying to the market more than it usually does, he said.
The LIOC has 10,000 MT of petrol in its stores in Trincomalee. It only issue 300 MT a day but we asked it to release 1,000 tonnes a day in the coming days. We urge people not to queue up for petrol in the coming four days unless it’s an emergency,” he said,
The Minister also insisted that the CPC officials were following procurement guidelines to the letter when making fuel purchases, as they feared that they would be hauled up before various probe commissions and therefore they were hesitant to take prompt action. The Cabinet is now contemplating laws to give officials some legal cover to protect themselves, when officials take proactive decisions during emergencies.”
The minister said: The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) needs fuel to ensure that power cuts do not exceed three hours. The train services also need 150 tonnes of diesel a day. State and privately owned buses, engaged in public transport, need 600 tonnes of diesel a day. We have instructed depots to pump diesel to buses with route permits from Sunday (19). The police have been instructed to provide security. Tourist coaches, staff transport services and school services, too, can queue up at sheds. There is fuel for everyone. I urge drivers of these vehicles not to queue up in gas stations from now on.”
The Minister also said that in the next week the police and divisional secretaries would come up with a list of full-time three wheeler drivers and allocate them specific gas stations for refuelling.
We will divide the vehicles so that each vehicle has two days a week to obtain 20 to 30 litres of fuel. Health workers can also get fuel to their vehicles at selected gas stations every Friday. We will get three crude oil shipments on 29 June and 10 and 14 July,” the minister said.
The Supreme Court has rejected granting leave to proceed with the five fundamental rights (FR) petitions challenging the appointment of business magnate Dhammika Perera as a Member of Parliament.
The petitions were taken up by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, Yasantha Kodagoda and Arjuna Obeysekera.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, who leads the three-judge bench, said that it would not grant leave to proceed with the petitions pursuant to the decision of the majority the bench.
Earlier this month, several individuals and organisations including the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director had filed FR applications challenging the appointment of Dhammika Perera to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Minister Basil Rajapaksa, as a Member of Parliament elected under Article 99A of the Constitution (the National List).
Later, Dhammika Perera undertook not to take oath as a Member of Parliament or a Minister until the Supreme Court decides on granting leave to proceed with the petitions filed before courts against his appointment to the parliament.
The overall rate of inflation as measured by the National Consumer Price Index on Year-on-Year basis is 45.3% in May 2022, according to Sri Lanka’s Department of Census and Statistics.
The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) on Tuesday released the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) and the inflation rate for the month of May 2022.
The NCPI for all items for the month of May 2022 is 208.7 and it records an increase of 18.4 in index points compared to the April 2022.
The overall rate of inflation as measured by NCPI on Year-on-Year basis has increased to 45.3% in May 2022 from 33.8% in April 2022. The moving average inflation for the month of May 2022 is 16.3%.
Core Inflation increased to 37.7% in May 2022 from 27.9% in April 2022. The general price level has increased by 108.7% compared to the base year (2013).
Year-on-Year Food inflation is recorded as 58.0% while the Year-on-Year Non-Food inflation is 34.2%.
The NCPI is a macroeconomic indicator compiled to measure inflation which is defined as a sustained increase in the general level of prices for goods and services and it is measured as an annual percentage increase by NCPI.
The government of the United States has announced the third tranche of new funding today to address the immediate needs of people hardest hit by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
This humanitarian assistance, totalling USD 5.75 million, will provide cash assistance, short-term jobs, and agriculture supplies such as seeds directly to crisis-affected people to meet their basic needs, the U.S. Embassy in Colombo said in a press release.
This new grant funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) builds on last week’s announcement of USD 6 million in grants through USAID and USD 120 million in new loans through the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to meet the needs of Sri Lankans during the economic crisis.
The recent United Nations appeal to international donors warned of an ‘unfolding multidimensional food security crisis’ in Sri Lanka,” explained U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung. The new assistance that we’re announcing today will address some of those complex issues. We are working hard to ensure that these funds directly reach the Sri Lankans who have been most severely affected by this crisis.”
The funding announced today will also support microenterprises in communities that traditionally experience high poverty rates and are especially impacted by the crisis.
In addition, it will provide for community-based disaster management committees to help prepare for, respond to, and ultimately recover from crises.
Over the coming months, the United States plans to add to its significant ongoing investments and assistance projects in Sri Lanka that help the people of Sri Lanka meet their immediate and long-term needs, the embassy said further.
These efforts build on six decades and over USD 2 billion of foreign assistance from the American people that have strengthened tourism, small businesses, renewable energy, climate adaptation, and civil society in Sri Lanka.
Arrangements are being to dispense fuel volumes to vehicles of health sector employees every Friday at 74 filling stations island-wide, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella says.
In a tweet, the lawmaker posted the list of filling stations allocated for the employees of the health sector to obtain fuel.
Earlier this month, the representatives of the Health Ministry, with the participation of all stakeholders, held a meeting with the Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, to explore the possibility of ensuring the continuous supply of fuel for the staff members of the health sector during the ongoing crisis situation in the country.
According to Minister Rambukwella, an agreement was reached at the meeting to ensure adequate amounts of fuel for identified filling stations all over the country.
In a letter directed to Minister Wijesekara on the criteria to ensure the continuous supply of fuel for health sector employees recently, the health minister noted that these identified filling stations are dedicated to essential services including the healthcare service staff for a particular day of the week (every Friday).
Accordingly, all healthcare staff members who are seeking this facility should be in possession of proof of identity such as the Department Identity Card, which should be produced at the filling station if necessary.
All heads of health institutions are instructed/authorized to issue a letter/document certifying the individual as a staff member of a particular health institution, which should be produced at the filling station as proof of identify.
The letter should include the following details: • Name of the Health Institutions • Name of the Health Staff Member • Designation • NIC Number • Type of Vehicle and Registration Number
The Supreme Court has determined that some clauses in amendments proposed by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) for the 21st Amendment to the Constitution require a referendum and need to be passed in the parliament with a special majority.
Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today (June 21) conveyed the Supreme Court’s determination on the petition against the constitutional amendments proposed by the SJB, during the parliamentary session.
Dr Chula N A Rajapakse MNZM CONSULTANT RHEUMATOLOGIST Ropata Village Medical Centre Lower Hutt NZ
The Chairman,
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
Dear Sir
Exploiting the Potential of Several Daily A 380 Emirates Flights From Australia To Dubai Flying Over Mattala Airport Paying For emergency Landing Rights at Mattala.
I right following the viewing of an inspiring program on Ada Derana Big Focus a few days ago, where in you and your colleague laid out your plans and vision for return of tourists in increasing numbers in the immediate and medium turn. I commend you on your vision and efforts.
As a resident of NZ for over three decades, I have on many occasions travelled to Europe , using one of the three nightly A380 Emirates flights from , Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and one directly from Auckland. During these flights I have always wondered about the potential for one of these planes dropping off tourists from ‘down under’ at Mattala, which is in their flight path and has a runway long enough to land an A 380 & to which airport they pay $2000/= per flight for emergency landing rights.
In fact, I have been on flights where the captain has pointed out the Mattala Airport, when it was newly opened , which is right under it’s flight path as a potential emergency stop over .I have spoken to the crew about the potential of a drop off stop at Mattala , to which they have had a positive response.
One of the biggest impediments to travel to SL from down under to SL is, access. The daily flight of the Sri Lankan from Melbourne , and now the one from Sydney too has been a great boon for this access. These flight also can be promoted as the cheapest access to London and Europe , using Sri Lankan connections to these destinations , with a 12 hour stop over in Colombo, for which Sri Lankan provides hotel accommodation. too That would be another way to attract tourists en route to Europe.
I urge you to include these two suggestions in your commendable deliberations to increase tourists arrivals to Sri Lanka, for which the potential is huge.
Russian state companies are reportedly giving crude oil at lower prices to countries that can afford to pay.
Sri Lanka has reached out to several Russian companies to purchase crude oil, said Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera on Sunday, as the country is going through an acute fuel shortage amid its worst financial crisis.
He said Sri Lanka has approached companies suggested by Russia’s embassy in Colombo for crude, in an attempt by the debt-ridden island nation to get oil on credit to keep its only oil refinery running. Wijesekera on Thursday said the country only has fuel stock until Tuesday, according to Reuters.
Wijesekera told the media that the Russian ambassador in Colombo “asked me to send the replies of the company, and he will also intervene in the process”.
He said he had replies from the Russian companies suggested by the ambassador, Sri Lanka’s Economy Next news portal reported.
“Also we have sent the message to the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Russia, Janitha Liyanage,” the minister said, adding that the process was taking time.
Sri Lanka has already bought one shipment of Siberian crude from Dubai-based Coral Energy in the international market, officials have said. However, the Russian state companies are reportedly giving crude at lower prices to countries that can afford to pay.
Sri Lanka’s sole refinery is now running with the last Siberian crude shipment.
Sri Lanka is currently facing its worst economic crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. Due to monetary instability triggered by central bank money printing, Sri Lanka has forex shortages, making it difficult to find dollars at fixed prices for large import bills.
The economic crisis has prompted an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and other fuel, toilet paper, and even matches, with Sri Lankans being forced to wait in lines lasting hours outside stores to buy fuel and cooking gas.
Lanka is trying to get crude on credit as it had done during previous currency crises when the central bank printed money and triggered forex shortages. Sri Lanka’s oil bill has risen to $550 million a month by June 2022 and the energy ministry has been talking to the central bank to get dollars.
The central bank has run out of reserves after two years of money printing but the agency is yet to shift to a free float which will balance outflows to inflows.
Sri Lanka owes oil firms $730 million for oil imported on credit, and they are unwilling to supply fuel without upfront payments or deposits, Wijesekera said.
He said, “For crude oil also we have contacted several countries,” Wijeskera said, adding that he had discussions with embassies of several other countries.
“Even though we have requested firms, due to the financial situation and the ratings of the banks in the country most companies do not agree to get into loan schemes to get oil.”
India has helped Sri Lanka with thousands of tonnes of diesel and petrol, apart from food and medical supplies, to help ease the acute fuel shortage in the debt-ridden island nation.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Wednesday no country except India is providing money to the crisis-hit island nation for fuel.
With the Sapugaskanda refinery being reopened, the available crude stock is being used in the minimum amount to continue the operations of the refinery.
The subcommittee also permitted the import of another four ships of crude oil, Wijesekara said.
“We can use them in the refinery to increase the current capacity. Until then we are keeping the production at a minimum level,” he said.
According to Wijesekara, currently around 350 MT Petrol and 600 MT Diesel are being produced by the refinery along with furnace oil and LP gas.
“A ship needs around USD 80 million. We have got one company through the tender process for three ships,” Wijesekara said, adding that he had given the permission for three other companies to import crude oil.
He added that only one company has however agreed to export two ships on June 28 and 29.
Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera says that Letter of Credit (LCs) for USD 90 million have been opened for a shipment of petrol and diesel.
Speaking during a press briefing in Colombo today (19), he said that the shipment of petrol is expected to reach the island June 23 while the diesel shipment is scheduled to arrive on June 24.
He therefore urged the public not to queue up for fuel in the next three-four days, until the fuel shipments arrive.
Meanwhile the minister requests private bus operators to obtain their fuel requirements from the nearest Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depots where necessary arrangements have been made.
He therefore urged the private bus operators not to proceed to other filling stations.
He added that school, staff and tourist transport vehicles can also obtain their fuel requirements from the nearest SLTB depots.
Minister Wijesekera said that steps will be taken to issue fuel for essential services from selected filling stations on Friday starting next week.
He said three-wheelers and motorcycles will be issued fuel on dedicated days bases on the last digit on the number plates.
The minister also requested the private sector to encourage employees to work from home due to the prevailing fuel crisis.
We urge the public to restrict their travel for leisure activities and other non-essential travel. This is something we must do. In the public sector, we have issued a circular to work from home. As the Minister of Energy, I request the private sector to do the same. Direct your officials and employees to work from home if they can. Without calling them for certain meetings in vehicles, if you can do it online. We did it during the Covid-19 pandemic. All those institutions have that facility, have telephone facilities, have computer facilities. We request you to work through those modes.”
The minister added that they looking at providing uninterrupted power supply during the day and that even the Minister of Education has requested to impose power cuts after 1.00 p.m.
Accordingly, he said they are discussing with the Public Utilities Commission on imposing power cuts after 1.00 p.m. from tomorrow.
The Bank of Ceylon (BoC) has reported a net Pre-tax Profit of Rs. 43 billion, according to the President’s Media Division.
This was revealed when the Bank of Ceylon’s Annual Report 2021 was presented to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House in Colombo.
Mr. Kanchana Ratwatte, Bank of Ceylon’s Chairman presented the report to the President.
The objective has been achieved by expanding credit systems and providing a closer service to clients covering all levels island-wide, the release said.
The Bank of Ceylon Chairman Kanchana Ratwatte said that these benefits will be returned to the public understanding the responsibility of a state-owned bank.
Bank of Ceylon General Manager K.E.D. Sumanasiri, Additional General Manager Russel Fonseka, Deputy Managers Y.A. Jayathilaka, Mr. Piyal Silva and Mr. Ruwan Kumara were also present at the occasion
Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar in a tweet says “Chaired a Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting on the situation in Sri Lanka. A good discussion held in a positive atmosphere on various issues ” India’s role.” Unanimous support on the need to stand with our neighbor in this difficult time”
Sri Lanka’s economic debacle is a collective result of embracing capitalist consumerism, importing more than exporting, spending more than earning, taking loans to continue artificial lifestyle & taking more loans to pay the loans & not utilizing loans for viable alternative return-on-investments. Alongside this reality was another more important & ignorant fact. Elected governments could not lead because they lacked the will to stand up to or form a strategy to deal with geopolitical bullies interfering in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka & dictating how Sri Lanka is run. The outcome of this has resulted in Sri Lanka being distanced from its traditional non-bullying friendly nations, local pimps in various public & private positions choking Sri Lanka’s development & forcing Sri Lanka to pursue what benefitted geopolitical interfering parties.
This is what took place in 2015 after pivot to Asia took a new twist, with West & India adding another set of debacles to what Sri Lanka experienced since 1948 with their covert/overt nod of approval
Tamil leadership quest for devolution to later become confederal
Catholic Action that continues still
JVP rebellion using Sinhala youth to kill Sinhalese
LTTE terrorism to eliminate nationalist leaders (Sinhala/Tamil)
Communal divisions
Political instability
All that was missing was economic instability.
With LTTE eliminated, external influencers lost a key tool, they turned to UNHRC however that did not prove too successful, then regime change in 2015 stepped the tempo
India signing to QUAD
Sri Lanka signing ACSA with SOFA and MCC lined up
2015 Regime change returned Ranil to power after a gap of 10 years as Opposition Leader.
2022 Aragalaya returned Ranil as PM.
If regime change was meant to bring ‘their’ man to be PM, it is obviously with ‘their approval’ that the rest of the team was appointed & entire economy was put under ‘their PM’.
Their PM” had the Central Bank brought directly under him from the Finance Ministry with Governor reporting directly to PM.
‘Their PM” became the Minister of Policy Planning, Economic Affairs & with CBSL they were to liaise with the international donors and financial institutes. CBSL no longer had exclusivity in planning policy.
The Monetary Law Act, Exchange Control Act, Banking Act & Loans Recovery Act were all brought under ‘their PM’.
The Governor CBSL was ArjunaM former BOI head when RaniLW was PM in 2001 who exiting after 2 Bond Scams.
Indrajit Coomaraswamy became Governor (Jul2016-Dec2019). He too was advisor to PM Ranil in 2001, as well as advisor to Milinda Moragoda Minister of Economic Reforms, Science & Technology (2001-2004) & head of Pathfinder where Coomaraswamy was a key member. Coomaraswamy was also alumni of LIRNEasia chaired by Prof.Rohan Samarajiva & special advisor to Malik Samarawickrema Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade in 2015 before becoming Governor. He & his sister Radhika Coomraswamy are non-executive directors of John Keells, ADANi’s partner in Sri Lanka for West Terminal.
Coomaraswamy & Nandalal sold USD 5 billion in total between 2015 to 2019 to defend the exchange rate using borrowings with IMF blessings
Thus the entire monetary apparatus placed under control of PM Ranil from 2015-2019 functioned on advice of IMF and other international monetary advisors.
It was under their watch that a plethora of corruptions took place and internal systems were exposed & made vulnerable.
Inspite of 2 Bond Scams the foreign friends propped Sri Lanka’s ‘income status’ to meet criteria required to sign MCC after the Easter Sunday shockwave.
Did regime change operators handover Hambantota Port to China for $1.12b for 99years as a consolation prize against what US & India were planning to secure?
Did these external parties & international monetary institutes who were closely associated with the ‘experts’ in the yahapalana govt & CBSL advise taking $12b ISBs as part of a bigger plan to economically stifle Sri Lanka?
In this context it is baffling why the same experts Coomaraswamy & S Devarajan who are architects of the failed Pathfinder post-covid economic plan for Sri Lanka would be picked as Presidents economic advisors?
As we understand, even after covid outbreak, Sri Lanka paid loans, paid interest, paid roll-over maturity debt, paid for fuel, coal, medicine, gas, food & cleared imports in 2021.
So what was the problem in 2022?
We are also made aware that out of $7b loan payment due in 2022, Sri Lanka paid $1166m in March. Sri Lanka was due to pay $1033m (for April-May-Jun) What was the problem paying this when Sri Lanka’s export earnings were $750m & there was a roll over SLDBs of $363 & China was to provide a cash loan of $1b & trade loan of $1.5b as well as an Indian credit line of $1b and an additional $500m?
Have regime change operators tapped present government as well.
Was regime change operators responsible for the 12th April 2022 declaration by Finance Minister Sabry & new CBSL Governor Nandalal to unilaterally declare default payment of all loans without monetary board recommendation, without Parliamentary or Cabinet approval especially when Parliament had approved repayment of forex debt in 2022 budget?
Who gave the nod for Minister Sabry & Governor Nandala to virtually declare Sri Lanka bankrupt completely bringing Sri Lanka to naught and triggering a shocking effect on our nation. Both must take individual responsibility for the shame placed on Sri Lanka for declaring Sri Lanka bankrupt. Was this intentional or were they made to say so & why?
Did they not think that by declaring there was no forex to pay loans, this meant there was no forex to buy essential supplies too?
Their declaration resulted in nullifying confidence in Sri Lanka to pay, triggering rating agencies to place Sri Lanka at default status, no country/supplier was ready to give us anything without paying upfront, banks had lost credibility to borrow and the twosome had stopped any avenues for Sri Lanka to seek loans and people were left in queues.
While Sri Lanka has to pay $7b in 2022, Sri Lanka is seeking $3b from IMF which is hardly likely to solve Sri Lanka’s problem and it is baffling why from the Governor downwards can only say Sri Lanka should have gone to IMF”.
Do we need a CBSL or Finance Ministry or PM if their only solution is ‘go to IMF’?
Sri Lanka has gone to IMF 16 times and followed advice of IMF and worked its budgets according to IMF, but where has IMF taken Sri Lanka?
IMF mantra has never changed – cut subsidies for the poor, privatize, depreciate rupee as conditions for loans. IMF loans end up a bitter solution with greater repercussions & prevents nations from finding viable alternatives to address debt. The situation is made worse when Ministers in charge and CBSL also chant IMF” too. Let us also not forget that every budget is also given nod by international monetary institutions or perhaps even drafted by them
We have a situation where a govt elected via a regime change who installed puppets to carry out a larger agenda (maximizing on an already piling historical budget deficit), precipitated another with the issuance of $12b ISBs, then came covid & Easter Sunday attacks, which left Sri Lanka with $1.93b reserves & revenues going haywire in 2021 & yet even in April exports had hit $915.3m with things looking up for Sri Lanka.
Yet stage was set for an economic crisis part of which was the takeover of assets & turning Sri Lanka into a vassal state with people having nothing to defend and brought to the level of not wanting to or able to defend their resources because hunger was more important. The attacks on the politicians was a subtle message of what to expect if they did not toe the line.
Depreciation of Rupee (Free floating of rupee – pre-requisite of IMF – Article 4) resulted debt serving increased, cost of living increased, inflation, increasing taxing,
Cost of inflation & production increased
Cost of debt increased
Significant losses to banks running negative open positions to finance imports of SL
Interest impact hit banks – hit their investments in treasury bills and sovereign bonds as these had to revalued.
Hiding gravity of IMF ‘restructure’ & fooling people with words.
12 April declaration of default on debt interest payment of $50b to foreign creditors by Minister Sabry & Governor Nandalal – damaged investor confidence, made it difficult to borrow money from international markets, banks suffered losses, access to trade comes to standstill, every monetary line is frozen.
Did the regime change operators also prevent Sri Lanka from going to China, Russia and other friendly nations to secure a relief package & instead wanted Sri Lankans to suffer further entering as ‘saviors’ to buy off all our assets to obtain loans for which we have nothing to make revenue to pay interest.
