On Wednesday, the 18th of October, a crucial public consultation concerning the proposed increase in electricity tariffs is taking place at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) from 9 a.m. The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission Of Sri Lanka, Manjula Fernando, has disclosed that this consultation will involve discussions with 30 parties, including the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

In recent developments, the PUCSL expressed concerns to the CEB regarding the data presented for the proposed electricity tariff increase, indicating that it may not align with the current state of affairs in Sri Lanka. In response to these concerns, the CEB has provided the PUCSL with a document addressing these issues.

CEB Chairman Nalinda Ilangakoon emphasized that the CEB is currently facing an operating loss of 22% and has submitted proposals to the PUCSL to address this challenge. The PUCSL Chairman has underscored that a final decision on the revision of electricity tariffs will be made after the conclusion of the public consultation on Wednesday.

1. Govt Medical Officers Assn Spokesman Dr Chamil Wijesinghe says patients seeking treatment at the state-run hospitals are asked to buy almost all medicines from the private sector: also says there are “issues” with the quality of the drugs used in Govt hospitals and doctors & nurses are now afraid to administer drugs to patients.
2. PM Dinesh Gunawardena says 800 schools have been closed in the country: urges education officials to focus deeply on protecting & preserving existing ones: laments that these schools built by “elites” in distant regions have been closed.
3. Court Productions Room at the Hulftsdorp Court Complex broken into once again: the 2nd unauthorised entry in 1 month: authorities yet to identify those individuals responsible for the twin break-ins.
4. Minister of Justice Wijedasa Rajapaksha says there are no moves to scrap the Executive Presidency as it is “a difficult task”: asserts there is no way it can be done through the present Parliament: also says that however, a new electoral system has been proposed.
5. President Ranil Wickremesinghe appoints a 9-member Commission headed by former Chief Justice Priyasath Dep to prepare proposals for electoral reforms.
6. Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption informs Fort Magistrate’s Court that it will not pursue the discovery of Rs.17.85 mn cash from former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s room at the President’s House in July, 2022, because of lack of evidence.
7. Reportedly US-funded think-tank “Verité Research” raises concerns about SL’s IMF programme transparency & performance: highlights that, by end-September’23, only 40 out of 71 trackable commitments have been achieved: asserts this finding reveals a growing lack of transparency in the programme’s progress and a failure to meet the commitment to increase government transparency.
8. Excise Commissioner temporarily suspends the Soft Liquor Licences (beer, wine etc.) given to establishments registered with the Tourism Development Authority, with immediate effect.
9. Police Media Division announces that the public could now report incidents of Police personnel misconduct on the ‘118’ hotline: this hotline was initially established by the Ministry of Public Security to report crimes, but has now been extended.
10. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says although prices of chemical fertilisers including urea may increase due to escalating tensions between Russia & Ukraine, and Palestine & Israel, the prices of fertilisers provided to farmers in the country will not be increased.

Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, revealed the appointment of Surath Ovitigama as the Chairman of the Petroleum Development Authority. Minister Wijesekera introduced Surath Ovitigama as an energy sector expert with an impressive track record, boasting over 20 years of international experience. Ovitigama’s career has taken him to various energy hubs, including the UK, the Norway North Sea oil and gas sector, and South East Asia.

Notably, Surath Ovitigama had previously held the position of Director General of the Petroleum Development Authority starting in 2020. As the newly appointed Chairman, he will be entrusted with the crucial task of accelerating and executing the development and regulation of Oil and Gas exploration, offshore energy resources. He will also be responsible for establishing national policies, a roadmap, safety measures, and regulatory frameworks for the production, utilization, and export of green hydrogen.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized the significance of tropical regions in the context of biodiversity and climate change challenges. According to reports from the President’s Media Division, he proposed the launch of a dedicated program to assist tropical countries in addressing future climate change challenges.

President Wickremesinghe underscored that tropical nations are home to the world’s most biodiverse regions, citing that 80% of the world’s endemic plants and 50% of coral reefs and mangroves are concentrated in these areas. He further mentioned Sri Lanka’s proactive efforts toward establishing an international university with a specific focus on climate change, capitalizing on the unique ecological context it possesses.

The President delivered these remarks during his address at the high-level conference, “Green Silk Road for Harmony with Nature,” which took place at the China International Conference Hall on October 18. This conference was held in conjunction with the 3rd “Belt and Road Initiative” International Forum. Notably, the conference was chaired by Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China. Distinguished figures, including the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and leaders from various participating countries, also shared their insights on the crucial subject of climate change and environmental harmony. President Wickremesinghe’s proposal underlines the growing global awareness of the need to protect and preserve the world’s biodiversity-rich tropical regions in the face of climate change challenges.

Showers or thundershowers will occur over most parts of the island after 2.00 p.m.

Fairly heavy showers above 75 mm can be expected at some places in Western, Northwestern, Southern, Central and Eastern provinces.

Showers will occur in Western, Southern, Northwestern, and Eastern provinces during the morning too.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Saudi Arabian Ambassador Khalid bin Hamoud Alkahtani held a meeting with Sri Lankan Education Minister Susil Premajayantha in his office at the Ministry of Education. The discussion covered various issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening the amicable relationship between the two nations.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Pakistan Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar engaged in bilateral discussions in Beijing yesterday afternoon (17). This meeting took place on the side-lines of the ‘One Belt – One Road’ international conference in China.

During their meeting, both leaders emphasized the global imperative of cultivating a harmonious society free from animosity, prejudice and anger arising from racial, religious or ethnic differences. They stressed the paramount importance of addressing the challenge of fostering a unified society based on shared humanity, where divisions driven by race, religion or ethnicity give way to unity and mutual understanding.

Subsequently, President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar engaged in an extensive discourse concerning the economic crises that affected both Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with a particular focus on strategies for recovery.

Moreover, the leaders deliberated on the critical developments unfolding in the Gaza Strip. In this regard, a consensus was reached to issue a joint statement, reflecting their common stance on the matter.

This pivotal meeting was further enriched by the presence of distinguished delegates, including Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Shamshad Akhtar and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Ali Sabry.

State Minister of Trade S. Viyalanderan, expressed the need for Tamil political leaders to collaborate with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s flexible approach to achieve national unity and address the challenges faced by the Tamil population.

State Minister Viyalanderan emphasized that the economic difficulties experienced by the people during the recent past have begun to see some relief. He stressed the importance of everyone rallying behind the continuous and effective advancement of the President-led government’s program aimed at a complete economic recovery for the nation.

State Minister Viyalanderan made these remarks during a press briefing held at the Presidential Media Centre on the 17th, under the theme ‘Collective Path to a stable country’.

The State Minister further elaborated:

“The country is gradually emerging from its economic downturn, but the process is not yet complete. We cannot claim that the financial burden on the people has been entirely lifted. However, considerable progress has been made in mitigating the hardships faced by the people during the preceding economic crisis. Further measures are required to alleviate these hardships.

Relevant ministries, led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, are diligently working towards this objective. The effort must be on-going and highly efficient, requiring collective engagement. As the Minister of State overseeing this matter, it is our responsibility to further reduce the prices of essential commodities in the country.

The escalation in the cost of essential goods directly impacts the everyday lives of the people in our country. Thus, it is imperative to lower the prices of commodities to meet the public’s expectations. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Commerce is taking decisive steps to ensure the availability of essential goods at affordable prices.

Despite price reductions in many essential goods, certain traders have yet to adjust their pricing. Some items continue to be sold at higher rates. Consequently, we have instructed the officials of the Consumer Affairs Authority to initiate legal action against those responsible.

In addition to economic challenges, we are actively working to find resolutions to the ethnic issues and foster national harmony. In this context, President Wickremesinghe has convened multiple rounds of discussions with members of both the ruling and opposition parties, both inside and outside parliament, to deliberate on matters such as the 13th Amendment and related topics. These discussions are on-going, with diverse opinions being voiced. However, our commitment remains to meet the expectations of the people.

It is worth noting that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed a Tamil person as the Governor of the Eastern Province for the first time. We express gratitude to the President for this significant step. The current President is particularly dedicated to addressing the concerns of the Tamil community and President Wickremesinghe’s flexibility provides an opportunity for Tamil leaders to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve our issues. This should be regarded as their shared responsibility.

We must actively involve Tamil leaders and civil society activists in discussions concerning our challenges. This process must be expedited.

It is essential to acknowledge that, within the brief period available, we have initiated numerous projects. Furthermore, we will continue implementing development initiatives, including road construction, bridge projects and improvements in agriculture and fisheries, as well as enhancing the livelihoods of our citizens. Measures have also been taken to combat unauthorized sand mining in the Eastern Province, with a focus on environmental preservation and resource conservation.”

 PMD