- Former PWC MD Sujeewa Mudalige says the tourism industry’s outstanding debt has swollen to an unsustainable level of Rs.700bn due to high interest rates: asserts the situation needs an urgent response from the Govt & banking sector: also says the interest rate policy of the Central Bank hurt several sectors very badly & the tourism sector will never be able to recover from the record interest rates of 2022/23.
- SJB spokesman Mujibur Rahman alleges a section of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa Govt seem to be raising funds for the next Presidential election at the expense of the country: points out that the recent increase in the Levy on imported white sugar from 25 cents per kg to Rs.50 was done immediately after the clearing of 8,500MT of sugar by certain importers.
- United Postal Trade Unions Front convenor Chinthaka Bandara says their Unions have decided to launch a 48-hour strike in response to the Govt’s decision to sell the buildings where the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya post offices are located.
- Secretary to the Ministry of Environment Dr Anil Jasinghe says the Chairman of the Central Environment Authority Supun S Pathirage who was arrested by the Bribery Commission has been suspended from service with immediate effect.
- All-Island Private Pharmacy Owners’ Assn President Chandika Gankanda says the AIPPOA has called on the Govt to eliminate price controls on 60 identified medicines & implement a unified pricing formula for all medications based on their Cost, Insurance & Freight values: warns that if this is not done, SL is at a significant risk of losing access to high-quality pharmaceutical products.
- Assn of Srilankan Airlines Licensed Aircraft Engineers says an unprecedented demand for skilled professionals from abroad, has resulted in an exodus of 25% from ALAE’S workforce in recent months: calls upon all stakeholders involved in the management of the national carrier to collaborate on a workable retention plan.
- Dept of Information says the Govt has requested the public to update their mobile phone SIM Card registration to ensure that the details are accurate: say this is to be done ahead of a move to introduce a unique identity card to facilitate digitalization in taxation and other Govt services: SL has nearly 8mn more registered mobile phone numbers than its 22mn population.
- All-time fast bowling great Waqar Younis says the performances of SL’s left-arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka is one of the silver linings in the SL team’s dismal performance at the Cricket World Cup 23.
- SL Cricket Consultant-Coach Mahela Jayawardene attributes much of the team’s struggles to the types of pitches produced for domestic cricket in SL: laments these pitches didn’t allow batters to be in top hitting form on the flatter pitches in India: also laments the pitches didn’t teach the spinners how to handle conditions that required them to “work harder” for their wickets.
- Cricket Captain Kusal Mendis says his team is apologising to the cricket-loving public of the country: insists that the team was not under any threats or external pressures to underperform during the World Cup.
