- Elections Commission calls for nominations for Local Government Elections from 18th to 21st January 2023.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe orders all state institutions to fly the National Flag at half-mast today as a mark of respect to late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose funeral is taking place.
- Central Bank says Headline inflation expected to decrease in 1H of 2023 and reach desired levels by end-2023: also says economy will contract by 8% in 2022 and a gradual recovery to take place from 2H of 2023: expects IMF facility to materialize in “early 2023”: previously, the CB Governor assured that the IMF facility would materialize by Q3 of 2022.
- Finance Ministry sources say the Japanese Contractor for the Katunayake Airport New Terminal Project has claimed a staggering Rs.8,000 mn as damages from the Govt for the termination of the contract: the contract had been terminated due to the Debt Default of 12th April 2022 leading to JICA withdrawing funding for the project.
- CB sources say the Monetary Board has enabled Central Bank staff to evade a part of the new taxes from Jan’23 onwards by paying the employees’ “unutilised leave encashment” on 30th Dec’22: Secretary Treasury Mahinda Siriwardene also said to be a beneficiary of that “tax evasion” measure: Siriwardene has been at the forefront in the effort to increase taxes and utility prices in the entire country.
- Cabinet approves the incorporation of a 100% Treasury-owned Holding Company to fast-track the re-structuring of SOEs.
- Minister Bandula Gunawardena confirms that 2 major loss-making SOEs (CPC and SriLankan Airlines) have paid bonuses to their employees despite the burden on taxpayers, while also ignoring Govt regulations.
- Hotels Association President M Shanthikumar warns many hotels will close if the debt moratorium is not extended for another year: also says the anticipated recovery remains elusive amidst rise in costs, especially electricity.
- Construction work of the Pentagon-styled Defence Headquarters building complex at Akuregoda, Battaramulla expected to be completed in 2023 after nearly 12 years of construction.
- UN Assistant Secretary General Kanni Wignaraja applauds Sri Lanka’s plans for social and political development: discusses “implementing necessary programs to achieve sustainable development goals, green economy, social harmony and social protection” with PM Dinesh Gunawardena: discusses debt crisis with State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe and assures “willingness to provide technical support in capacity building”
