Colombo (LNW): President Ranil Wickramasinghe in his capacity as the Finance Minister is set to table the 2024 Budget to Parliament on November 13, 2023.
Post-presentation, a debate on the budget’s second reading will commence on 14th November, running for seven consecutive days until 21st November.
This debate will culminate in a vote at 5:30 pm on the 21st.
The third reading, or the committee stage debate, is slated to start on 23rd November and will stretch until 13th December, with a final vote on the budget scheduled for 5:30 pm on the 13th.
The Chief Government Whip’s Office has communicated to all government MPs the necessity of their presence during these debates and urged them to prioritise these sessions over other commitments.
Colombo (LNW): The U.S. Treasury sees signs of potential improvement in sovereign debt restructuring, with countries like Zambia, Ghana, and Sri Lanka making progress in the past year, Reuters reported.
Treasury Assistant Secretary Brent Neiman expressed hope for Ghana’s external restructuring agreement in the upcoming weeks but emphasised the need for swifter actions.
Neiman, speaking at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies, noted the global attention to debt issues and mentioned the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable’s efforts in achieving common terms for debt.
Discussions have also touched on state-contingent debt instruments, which could be pivotal when creditors have disagreements on a borrower’s prospects.
Neiman highlighted the significance of restructuring domestic debt but warned against a stringent approach that might hinder the process.
“We clearly haven’t gone far enough or fast enough and much more work remains,” Neiman said.
“The critical test of any progress will be whether it is sustained when, as seems likely, more countries come forward requesting debt treatments,” he went on, pointing out that nonetheless, he is hopeful that their recent efforts are yielding some movement toward an improved international debt architecture that can help low- and middle-income countries when they need it.
Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Cabinet has greenlit a pilot project allowing visa-free entry for tourists from seven nations, including India, China, and Russia, until 31 March 2024, said Tourism Minister Harin Fernando.
This visa exemption applies to travellers from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand, effective immediately, the Minister wrote on his X.
“Cabinet approved visa free to India , China , Russia , Malaysia , Japan , Indonesia and Thailand as a pilot project till 31 March with immediate effect,” Fernando wrote.
Cabinet approved visa free to India , China , Russia , Malaysia , Japan , Indonesia and Thailand as a pilot project till 31 March with immediate effect. #visitsrilanka#srilankayoucomebackformore
Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in most provinces of the island after 01.00 p.m., and fairly heavy showers about 75mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (24).
Showers may occur in Western, Southern and Eastern provinces during the morning too, the statement continued.
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces during the morning.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Sea Areas:
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle and Hambantota.
Winds will be south-westerly or variable in direction and wind speed will be 20-30 kmph.
The sea areas around the island will be slight.
Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.
19 October 2023: The violence and harm to civilians in Gaza and Israel are unprecedented, horrific and gruesome. We condemn all killings of civilians and targeting them to violence by parties to the current conflict.
The current round of hostilities began with Hamas attacking Israel and its people. We condemn Hamas for taking civilians hostages. In the same vein, we also condemn Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of Gaza; the prohibition of food, water, medicine and electricity into Gaza; and the military lockdown of the West Bank.
How can Israel settle this issue by imposing collective punishment on an entire population? Israel and its backers should focus on addressing the root causes of this conflict, rather than using food, water, medicine and electricity as weapons of war, which is legally and morally abhorrent.
The latest incidents of this tragedy are the bombing of the Al-Ahli hospital and the Americans vetoing a Brazilian Security Council call for a ‘humanitarian pause’ in the war. As usual, Israel is deflecting blame with the full backing of western leaders and media. Biden, Sunak and Albanese back Israel to the hilt, saying Israel is ‘not responsible’ for the hospital bombing.
We need to understand this escalation and the ensuing tragedy in the context of 55 years of Israeli military occupation of Palestinian land and the 75 years of dispossession and oppression of the Palestinian people. In 1947 the United Nations adopted Resolution 181 that divided Great Britain’s former Palestinian mandate into Jewish and Arab states at the end of the British mandate. The mass expulsion of Palestinian Arabs from their land during Israel’s creation is known as the ‘Catastrophe’ or the ‘Nakba’ in Arabic.
Palestinian civilians were massacred leading to a mass Palestinian exodus. More than 400 Palestinian cities, towns and villages were razed to the ground. Buildings, including homes, shops and religious sites were demolished to prevent Palestinian owners from coming back. As a result, 78 percent of the Palestinian land was turned into Israel. Most Palestinians were expelled, ethnically cleansed, forcing them to become refugees in neighbouring countries.
Palestinians were replaced by Jews from around the world with Israel offering instant citizenship. In 1967 Israel expanded its occupation by annexing East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Since 2015, the UN General Assembly has adopted 140 resolutions critical of Israel regarding the treatment of Palestinians, among others.
A recent UN resolution was about Israel’s “prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of Palestinian territory.” However, those resolutions are never enforced and cannot be enforced. Benjamin Netanyahu openly said Israel does not care about those resolutions. Israeli lobbies control the politics and media of many western countries including those of America and the UK.
How can the international community remain silent while the Israeli regime maims and kills so many? Instead of freedom, Palestinians receive bullets, tanks, missiles using Apache helicopters and F-16 bombers. All state actors have a far wider responsibility for upholding human rights. Israeli negotiations are made in bad faith and always end up expanding the occupation further, controlling borders, airspace and even the seas. Palestinian lands are increasingly occupied by establishing more settlements and numerous military checkpoints.
Prior to Hamas’ atrocities against Israeli civilians, Netanyahu’s right-wing regime stoked further tensions. The regime placed Palestinian towns under siege, confiscated their lands, destroyed their olive groves, demolished their homes while expanding Jewish settlements. It is heartbreaking to witness the loss of innocent lives and the destruction of homes and livelihoods.
There are many Australians who talk about Indigenous dispossession, and quite rightly so. But how can they use a different tongue and a voice about Palestinian dispossession? Isn’t it hypocrisy at its highest level?We need to understand that the ongoing conflict is because of a process of continuous and expanding Israeli occupation of Palestinian land under apartheid conditions.
Can anyone be surprised that Palestinians are frustrated, angry, desperate, and feeling hopeless? Their children are traumatised with lasting effects that could lead to the emergence of a new generation of militants.
The destruction of Israeli lives needs to be deplored. In a similar vein, or even in a graver sense, we need to deplore the historical and ongoing destruction of Palestinian lives, homes, lands and their livelihoods for the last 76 years by the regimes in the US, UK, France and Australia and their likes morally, materially and militarily aiding, abetting and backing the Israeli apartheid regime. This shows moral bankruptcy.
All Palestinians should be allowed to settle on their original land. Under the Israeli regime, some of the current partners want the West Bank also annexed without granting equal rights for the Palestinians. Some of them vehemently oppose coordinating with or strengthening the Palestinian Authority.
Time and time again, it has been proven that there is no military solution to this conflict, and there cannot be. Palestinian society has been shattered at every level. Many of those who became refugees, including their descendants, are still waiting in camps waiting to return home back to what is now called Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Peace and coexistence can only come with an end to occupation, the granting of equal rights for all to live in dignity as human beings. Otherwise, these cycles of violence will continue.
Our task will be to encourage and press all parties to the conflict to find a solution through negotiations. This will enable them to live peacefully as responsible neighbours.
We call for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages held!
The siege of Gaza needs to end. Live and let the Palestinians also live their lives peacefully.
Yours sincerely
Signed
Dr Lionel Bopage
President
Australian Advocacy for Good Governance in Sri Lanka (AAGGSL)
Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia has requested an inquiry into the suspicious death of a Sri Lankan woman named Sandamali, who reportedly died on July 18 2023.
Spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) Gamini Senarath Yapa highlighted that the embassy was only informed of her passing on October 15, a concerning delay of nearly 87 days.
Given the circumstances, the Sri Lankan Embassy has specifically sought clarification from the Saudi Foreign Ministry and has urged a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the reporting delay.
Colombo (LNW): President Ranil Wickramasinghe this (23) morning conducted a cabinet reshuffle at the President’s Office.
Mahinda Amaraweera took on the role of Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, while Keheliya Rambukwella became the Minister of Environment.
Dr. Ramesh Pathirana was appointed Minister of Health and Industries, and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, in addition to his existing role as Minister of State for Finance, was named the Non-Cabinet Minister of State Plantation Enterprise Reform.
Colombo (LNW): The National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) recorded a drop in overall year-on-year inflation, moving from 2.1% in August 2023 to 0.8% in September 2023, as per the Department of Census and Statistics.
Conversely, food inflation rose slightly from -5.4% in August to -5.2% in September 2023.
For September 2023, the NCPI-based year-on-year headline inflation rate was calculated at 0.8%, down from the 2.1% seen in August 2023.
The report highlighted that the food group and non-food group contributed -2.4% and 3.2% respectively to September’s inflation rate.
When assessing monthly year-on-year variations, food group inflation climbed from -5.4% in August to -5.2% in September 2023.
Meanwhile, non-food group inflation decreased from 9.0% in August to 5.9% in September.
Regarding month-on-month shifts, September 2023’s NCPI (with a 2021 base of 100) grew to 203.5 from August’s 201.9, marking an increase of 1.6 index points or 0.8%.
This increase was attributed to rises in both food and non-food items, contributing 0.41% and 0.36%, respectively.
Additionally, September 2023’s core inflation, which excludes the volatile sectors of food, energy, and transport, reduced from 4.1% in August to 1.7%.
Colombo (LNW): Proposals regarding the restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will be tabled before the Cabinet next week, said Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera.
On Sunday (22), Finance State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said efforts are being accelerated to restructure public entities.
Semasinghe emphasised that the overhaul of loss-making state institutions is progressing well, aiming to address the ongoing economic challenges.
Earlier in the year, discussions revolved around the CEB undergoing management reforms to bolster renewable energy generation in Sri Lanka, supported by both government-led and public-private partnerships.
On 17 April, the Cabinet gave the green light to the proposed roadmap and timeline for the CEB’s restructuring process.
Colombo (LNW): The public is being alerted to the rising spread of three infectious diseases in the country, attributed to the current adverse weather conditions.
People are specifically being warned about the proliferation of eye conditions, diarrhoea, and respiratory illnesses, often accompanied by high fevers.
The public is encouraged to take all necessary precautions and maintain good personal health practices.
Upul Rohana, Chairman of the Public Health Inspectors’ Association, highlighted the crucial role of personal hygiene in combating these diseases, adding that a marked rise in dengue cases across the country, particularly as floodwaters recede from areas recently inundated due to heavy rainfall.
