- Election Commission Chairman R M A L Rathnayake confirms the next Presidential Election will take place on a day between 16th Sep’24 and 17th Oct’24: says the specific date for the election would be decided & officially announced in Jul”24 (as per the 2-month advance notice prior to the commencement of the stipulated election period).
- Differences between the Opposition hamper the appointment of the 10th member to the Constitutional Council: leads to the CC activities being hamstrung: current vacancy has existed for more than 1 year: it is reserved for a member of the 3rd-largest party in Parliament, not represented either by the PM or the Opposition Leader.
- Sri Lanka’s & Ghana’s international bonds take a major tumble on the news that Zambia’s USD 3bn bond re-work deal has collapsed: collapse raises doubts about the very framework designed to get bankrupt nations back on track.
- President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris refutes President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s comment that he (Pieris) had ambitions to become the Prime Minister prior to 9th May”22.
- Sugar prices in the retail market increases amidst shortages: some shops claim they had run out of stocks: some shops raise their prices to be between Rs.300 & Rs.350 per kg after the maximum retail price for sugar was removed this week.
- Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera says the Cabinet has approved the provision of MOP fertiliser for the ‘Maha’ season at the subsidised rate of Rs.9,000 per bag as against the current price of Rs.19,000.
- Reports state that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has lost a staggering USD 17 mn solely in demurrage last year: CPC insiders say this is due to “mismanagement” by officials.
- Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans chaired by MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage instructs the Department of Project Management & Monitoring to submit a progress report as it was disclosed that only 31 out of 179 foreign investment projects are “efficacious”.
- Apparel Exporters Association Chairman Indika Liyanahewage calls for strategic partnerships with Japan & India to boost & diversify markets to steer through challenges posed by economic downturns in traditional export destinations: notes that 30% of garments are shipped to Europe & 40% to US: laments these markets have seen a dip due to economic challenges.
- Discussions during a recent meeting of the State Revenue Unit with President Ranil Wickremesinghe focuses on possibility of providing Rs.5,000 of the proposed pay increase of Rs.10,000 from Jan’24, followed by the balance from Apr’24.
