- US Analysts say Sri Lanka will miss December deadline and will have to wait till March’23 to secure IMF loan of USD 2.9 bn over 4 yrs in 8 tranches: also say that’s because China which holds USD 7 bn out of the total debt of USD 36 bn, has shown little interest in “restructuring” Sri Lanka’s debt.
- Western-funded “Advocata Institute” in Colombo selected as recipient of USD 100,000 award granted by “Templeton Religion Trust”: Advocata has been regularly proposing privatisation and “debt restructuring”, and its key analysts have been leading the call for a debt default by Sri Lanka.
- Former Finance Minister and SLPP National Organizer Basil Rajapaksa returns to Sri Lanka after a USA visit: large group of SLPP members including several senior MPs and former Cabinet Ministers, welcome him at the airport.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe says measures to strengthen the economy under a 5-year plan have been proposed in Budget 2023: asserts these have the potential to bring about a “transformative economic change” between 2023 and 2027.
- CB Governor Dr Weerasinghe says Sri Lanka would not be in this situation if the economy had been managed by “knowledgeable” persons: analysts say Weerasinghe served as Senior Deputy Governor for over 9 years upto 2021: also say that, under his watch, from 2015 to 2019, ISBs of USD 10 bn (net) were issued at near 8% interest rates which led to the crisis.
- Former Transport Secretary and top Economist Dr Lalithasiri Gunuruwan says Sri Lanka borrowed a staggering USD 4.4 bn in ISBs in 2019 which caused the economy to become vulnerable: at that time, Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy was Governor and Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe was the Senior Deputy Governor.
- Former Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne says the Budget 2023 proposal to cultivate cannabis for export as medicine is a positive move: also says he submitted a Cabinet paper when he was the Health Minister to empower the Security Forces to do so.
- Agriculture Ministry Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe approves Gazette lifting the 7-year ban on Glyphosate: Glyphosate is used for weed-control in crops such as rice, maize, tea, and rubber.
- SLPP “independent” MP Professor G L Peiris says PM’s recently appointed National Delimitation Committee chaired by former Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya is illegitimate and lacks legal authority.
- Legendary Cricketer Kumar Sangakkara’s wife Yehali “testifies” at the Bethany Christian Life Centre that her husband’s victories and achievements were due to God’s blessings: says credit for Kumar’s performances must be attributed to God.
