- Marumalarchi DMK General Secretary & Indian Rajya Sabha Member Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy (Vaiko) calls on the Indian Govt to approach its relationship with SL with care in the light of China’s increasing presence in SL: emphasises the strategic significance of China’s construction of a port in Hambantota: draws attention to the alleged attacks on Tamil fishermen by the SL Navy: urges the protection of lives & property of Tamil fishermen.
- Analysts expect private consumption to slowdown in 1Q2024 due to higher taxes, thereby delaying any recovery in economic activity: also expect inflation to remain high amidst skyrocketing prices of vegetables & fuel: since 2Q2022, SL’s GDP growth has been recording high negative values, with soaring unemployment, business failures, poverty, inflation, interest rates, NPLs, and debt build-up.
- Atlas Network VP Dr Tom Palmer says the current high-tax regime backed by the IMF could potentially impede economic recovery & constrict the tax base in SL: asserts countries that successfully recovered from debt crises often embraced simplified, low tax rates, diverging from the high tax rates prescribed by the IMF.
- SLPP MP Shasheendra Rajapaksa appointed State Minister for Irrigation & Water Resources Management by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
- CPC fuel prices revised once again: Petrol 92 increased by Rs.5 per litre to Rs.371 per litre: Petrol 95 reduced by Rs.8 to Rs.456: Auto Diesel increased by Rs.5 to Rs.363: Super Diesel reduced by Rs.7 to Rs.468: Kerosene increased by Rs.26 to Rs.262: in March’22, Petrol 92 was Rs,177, Auto Diesel was Rs.121, & Kerosene was Rs.87 per litre.
- Census & Statistics Dept says overall rate of inflation measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI) on YoY basis increased to 6.4% in January’24 from 4.0% in December’23: Food inflation increased to 3.3% in January’24 from 0.3% in December’23.
- Former Army Commander, SL Ports Authority Chairman & Ministry Secretary General Daya Ratnayake joins SJB led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa: appointed as a senior adviser of the Party on “Public Policy”: SJB Chairman & former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka expresses disgust at the new appointment and publicly criticises the new appointee, Ratnayake.
- SJB MP Kabir Hashim charges the Govt has drawn up plans to divest the profit-making Litro Gas Company, thereby creating a duopoly in gas distribution: previously, Hashim and SJB economic guru Harsha Silva had been ardent advocates of an IMF programme which has now led to the Govt’s privatisation effort.
- Hambantota International Port announces that over 300 oil & gas cargo vessels visited the Port in 2023, recording a 132% increase in vessel calls compared to 2022: improved performance attributed to the Port’s bunkering partner, Sinopec.
- Former Editor in Chief of the Sunday Observer & Observer (Daily) and veteran journalist H L D Mahindapala, 93, passes away: Mahindapala belonged to a different era in journalism and shared the limelight with legendary figures in the newspapers, such as Denzil Pieris and Clarence Fernando.
