- State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe says the Inland Revenue Dept will start a mobile service to reach people to open tax files to meet the 2024 revenue target committed to the IMF: aim is to boost tax revenue by a massive 47% in 2024 to Rs.3.82 trn.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Govt express joy after the IMF approved the 2nd tranche of the loan amounting to USD 337mn: so far, in the 21 months since reaching out to the IMF, SL has received USD 670 mn: in contrast, in the 18 months before seeking an IMF programme, SL had received USD 4,950mn from bilateral creditors.
- Judicial Service Commission decides to transfer 54 judicial officers, including judges, district judges & magistrates with effect from 1st Jan’24: JSC Secretary H S Somaratne issues transfer orders based on service requirements for annual rotations.
- Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles says more than 83 drug racketeers, including 45 wanted suspects, have been arrested so far during a special operation.
- Veteran cartoonist and creator of the newspaper cartoon character ‘Gajaman’, Camillus Perera, 84, passes away.
- Health Ministry laboratory reports disclose that there were no detectable levels of immunoglobulin in the counterfeit human immunoglobulin consignment purchased and paid for by the Ministry: reports also reveal that the medication was not sterile and contained bacterial endotoxins.
- SJB MP & “Economic Guru” Harsha de Silva says all parties & politicians need to stop deceiving people with “fairytales” and that 2024 will be a difficult year for the country: Silva has been at the fore-front in calling for a tough IMF programme, floating the currency, increasing taxes, increasing interest rates, & announcing a “Debt default” by the Govt, which have all led to major hardships being heaped on people.
- SJB leader Sajith Premadasa vows neither he nor anyone in his party would join any future political alliance which is to be led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
- Govt mulls a moratorium on granting diplomatic permission for foreign marine scientific research vessels in 2024 & beyond: previously, SL had issued a Standard Operational Procedure to grant “diplomatic approval” for foreign warships, aircraft and research vessels to traverse SL waters, airspace, and to call at local ports.
- Top SL all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga likely to be an attractive “buy” at the IPL auction after being excluded by IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore: cricket watchers say several other IPL teams could very well bid for Hasaranga’s services because of his ability to bat in the middle-order and his lethal variations in bowling.
