- Foreign Minister Ali Sabry says SL expects to attract about USD 5 bn in foreign funds in the next 2 years after the re-structuring of SL’s overseas debt is finalised: as per the IMF programme report of 20th March’23, the aim was to negotiate a “write-off” of about USD 17 bn out of the Bilateral and Private debt of USD 28 bn, but that attempt seems to have failed so far.
- Bribery Commission to investigate alleged financial irregularities amounting to nearly Rs.30 bn in the import of fuel & crude oil for the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation in the 2022: investigations to be based on complaints made by the Electricity Consumers’ Association.
- A Senior official of the Suwa Seriya Foundation says many drivers & nurses of the “1990 Suwa Seriya ambulance service” have migrated recently: laments that almost 60% of the ambulances are not operating, as a result.
- Ceylon Institute of Builders President Dr Rohan Karunaratne says the Export Development Board must support the “export of the construction industry” to boost forex earnings: laments over 60% of the construction industry in SL has halted: laments further than many contractors are disqualified from securing overseas projects due to the Central Bank restrictions of granting cross-border guarantees & capital funding to establish ventures abroad.
- SJB Chairman Sarath Fonseka MP responds to SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa’s remark that those who criticize the party leadership & break discipline can leave the Party: says he did not have any other option but to voice his grievances in public when the party higher-ups are making unilateral decisions.
- Provisional data of the Tourism Development Authority indicates that 208,253 tourists arrived in January’24: less than the target set for the month of 241,962: also lower than the 210,352 tourist arrivals in December’23 which was the highest for a month since the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
- State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit says switching to “Daylight Saving Time” would reduce the country’s electricity night peak load demand by as much as a third, with consequent reduction in thermal energy generation.
- NPP & JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake meets with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar & National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in Delhi, at the invitation of the Indian Govt: NPP delegation includes NPP General Secretary Dr Nihal Abeysinghe and National Executive Members Professor Anil Jayantha & Vijitha Herath MP.
- SL Cricket appoints former Australian First Class Cricketer Craig Howard as the National Spin Bowling Coach.
- SL beats Afghanistan by 10 wickets in its “one-off” Cricket test played in SL:
AFG – 198 & 296: SL- 439 & 56/0: SL spin bowler Prabath Jayasuriya takes 5 wickets in each innings and emerges as the Man of the Match.
