- Fitch Ratings downgrades SL’s Long-Term Local-Currency Rating to ‘RD’ (Restricted Default) from ‘C’: analysts say SL’s Local Currency ratings is now the same as that for the Foreign Currency, as a result: analysts also say it would now be highly challenging for SL to retain the Forex investment in the local T-Bills & Bonds, as well as attract local investment into the “default status” T-Bills & Bonds.
- UNP Chairman MP Wajira Abeywardene says the officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank had no authority to declare bankruptcy on 12th April’22: says a probe by the Intelligence Service must be carried out to find out as to who was behind this conspiracy.
- Former CB Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal says the declaration of bankruptcy was not a sudden event, but the outcome of a highly organised campaign to push the country to an admission of bankruptcy, although it was not warranted: queries as to how such a crtitical decision as announcing bankruptcy could have been made by the CB Governor and Treasury Secretary in just the second day of their office, unless it was pre-planned.
- The Monetary Board, as the “custodian” of the workers’ EPF decides to opt for the Govt’s Debt Exchange offer, which would have been approved by the Monetary Board as the “Economic Advisor to the Govt” : claims it was done in the “best interests” of the members of the Fund: many trade unions and workers’ groups have already expressed acute opposition to the move to cut the EPF balances by about 20%: notwithstanding opposition, the EPF tenders Rs.2,668bn face value of T-Bonds for Debt Exchange on the MB’s instructions.
- SL economy contracts by a massive 3.1% YOY in the 2nd Qtr of 2023 on the back of the huge contraction of 8.4% in the 2nd Qtr of 2022: follows the contraction of 11.5% shrinkage in the 1st Qtr of 2023 which was on the back of a lower shrinkage of 1.6% in the 1st Qtr of 2022: in the 2nd Qtr of 2023, Agriculture sector grew 3.6%, Industries contracted 11.5% & Services dropped 0.8%.
- Govt Midwifery Service Assn President Devika Kodithuwakku expresses concern about shortages of maternity staff with 3,000 vacancies, islandwide: says the shortage has badly affected maternal care and is taking a heavy toll on the families they cared for.
- People in the Kuchchaveli area, along the Trincomalee coast, are deeply concerned about sand exploration activities conducted by the Geological Survey & Mines Bureau, as the sand exploration is ultimately geared towards selling highly valuable heavy mineral sands to foreign entities.
- Appeal Court orders the CID & other respondents not to remove Nadun Chinthaka alias ‘Harak Kata’ from the place of his present detention, without informing the Judiciary & the Attorney General, until his petition is heard.
- British Foreign Office says the SL High Commission owes £652,120 as “congestion charges”: historians say the British Govt owes billions of Pounds as “the value of plundered & stolen assets and reparations”, to Sri Lanka.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe appoints a 3-member Committee to investigate the allegations in the documentary aired by UK’s Channel 4 on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attack: Committee to be chaired by retired SC Justice S I Imam, and to consist of retired Air Force Commander Jayalath Weerakkody & Harsha Soza, PC.
