- Foreign media reports indicate the IMF is considering approving Sri Lanka’s bail-out without the formal assurance of debt-restructuring support from China, as contemplated by the IMF.
- Government Printer says it will not be able to print ballot papers required for the Local Government Polls if the Treasury is unable to release money: postal voting scheduled for 22, 23, 24 & 28 Feb postponed: new dates to be announced later says the Elections Commission.
- Appeal Court rejects Writ Application challenging the Cabinet decision to increase the electricity tariffs as proposed by the CEB.
- Colombo Additional Magistrate orders the appointment of a 5-member expert committee comprising Judicial Medical Officers to prepare a report as there are contradictions in the post-mortem reports of well-known businessman Dinesh Schaffter.
- Tea exports down by 9.4% from a year ago to 17.6mn kg in Jan’23, as the industry experiences the lagged effect of lack of chemical fertilizer and weedicide: however, due to the Rupee depreciation, rupee earnings rise 96% to Rs.17.7bn, while export earnings rise to USD 99.6mn in Jan’23 up from USD 91.9mn a year earlier.
- Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says that connecting the national energy grid of Sri Lanka with the Indian grid will not cause any risk.
- Rebel SLPP MP and former Foreign Minister Professor G L Peiris says the recent resignation of Ministers Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa & Ali Sabry from a Ministerial Subcommittee inquiring into the procurement of coal for Lakvijaya coal-fired power plant complex at Norochcholai reveals the failure on their part to take tangible action against corruption.
- Joint Apparel Assn Forum says its members are extremely concerned about the impact of the electricity tariff: asserts the move by the electricity regulator to approve another tariff hike has sent shock-waves across the nation: laments the massive hike will be detrimental for all sectors of the economy.
- Medical professionals allege the Ministry of Health had decided to postpone surgeries which the Ministry claimed to be non-essential and non-urgent based on medical advice in view of the shortage of pharmaceutical drugs and medical equipment, without consulting the relevant parties including general surgeons.
- Economists say the Govt will have to choose between increasing taxes further or borrowing more, when the “money printing” by the Central Bank is stopped under an IMF programme: assert the Govt is likely to opt for borrowing more which would lead to a further spike in the country’s interest rates.
