- President Ranil Wickremasinghe says ragging in Universities will be completely banned from next year: asserts new laws for this purpose will be enacted.
- Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena urges all MPs to extend their fullest support to the policy decisions taken by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to overcome the on-going economic crisis.
- Former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal says it’s now 9 months seeking IMF support but not a single dollar has been received from them or any other lender, although many IMF “conditions” are now being implemented: points out that during his 6-1/2 month term, USD 3,800 mn bi-lateral inflows were secured, while the pipeline at the time of his departure was USD 10,700 mn.
- Joint Trade Union Alliance Convenor Niroshan Gorakanage warns the JTUA would not
allow the Govt to privatise the Eastern Container Terminal of the Colombo Port: asserts port workers are opposed to it: says the President wants to sell the ECT as per IMF conditions, but has no mandate to do so. - Free Trade Zones Investors Assn General Secretary Dhammika Fernando says the new 30% income tax and 100% increase in electricity tariffs have led to a massive crisis amongst Apparel Manufacturers: also says many of their factories are now being closed down.
- Senior SLPP MPs inform National Organizer Basil Rajapaksa that they will not agree to MPs from other Political Parties being appointed Ministers by the President, unless they are first appointed Ministers.
- Public Utilities Commission Chairman Janaka Ratnayake says the President has been misled about electricity tariff determinations as well as about his hotels and apartments: emphasizes the PUC has still not formally received a request from the CEB for a tariff revision for 2023.
- Temperatures plummet across Sri Lanka due to the combined effects of smog and winds off the East coast: many areas experience extremely unusual cold weather: schools across Sri Lanka closed on Friday.
- State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe says purchase of condominiums will now be subject to a 15% VAT as per the new VAT Act, and companies with annual turnover of more than Rs.80 mn will also be liable for VAT: earlier, the threshold was Rs.300 mn turnover per annum: changes to be effective from 1st January 2023.
- Navy announces that 222 Naval Officers and 3,548 other ranks have been promoted to the next rank on the Navy Commander’s recommendation, in view of the Navy’s 72nd anniversary.
