- “Hot-money” investors in Govt T-Bills & Bonds continue “fore-warned” exodus after making enormous gains at the Govt’s expense: Forex investment in T-Bills & Bonds reduces by about USD 40 mn last week, from approximately USD 604 mn to USD 564 mn: analysts say further exits are likely over the next few weeks, putting severe pressure on the exchange rate.
- Ministry of Power and Energy Secretary M P D U K Mapa Pathirana says the Govt will appoint a committee to evaluate the proposal submitted by the Indian Oil Corporation for an oil distribution pipeline from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu to Trincomalee and Colombo: proposal comes days before President Ranil Wickremesinghe is to visit New Delhi on the invitation of Indian Premier Narendra Modi.
- Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva says if all SriLankan Airlines pilots leave the country for greener pastures, the Govt will get foreign pilots to run the national carrier: also says those who have no love for the country might leave it for better foreign employment opportunities and this scenario is common with doctors, engineers and other professionals, as well.
- Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says the batch of injections implicated in the death of a young woman (21) at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, has been temporarily withdrawn from use.
- Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa claims the Parliamentary Select Committee chaired by MP Sagara Kariyawasam to investigate the causes of the country’s bankruptcy, is bogus: says the Opposition has decided to appoint a “genuine” Committee to investigate the causes for the country’s economic collapse.
- Sources at the CPC express concerns over the storage capacities available for petroleum products in the country, with the Naphtha tanks at the Sapugaskanda Refinery reportedly nearing over-flowing levels.
- Cabinet decides to grant local and foreign unpaid leave to Govt officials, without affecting their seniority and pension.
- Senior officials of the Wildlife Conservation Department reveal that 146 villagers had been killed by wild elephants in 2022: also say at least 375 wild elephants had been killed in 2021 and 439 in 2022, and that wild elephants had been killed by laying electric traps, “hakka patas” explosive devices & spiked planks, and by poisoning.
- Urban Development Minister Prasanna Ranatunga says people want to implement a program to get the country out of the economic crisis rather than conducting an election at this juncture: also says present public opinion is that President Ranil Wickremesinghe with his international connections is the most experienced and mature political leader who can accomplish the task of rebuilding the country: asserts that those who clamour for elections should join hands with the Govt.
- Secretary of the Inland Revenue Dept Staff Officers Association and Deputy Commissioner J T Chandana says it will require huge amounts of human and physical resources for the IRD to open tax files for all Sri Lankans over 18 years, by January 2024: also says there are significant shortages in both human and physical resources at the IRD, making the accomplishment of the task difficult.
