The daily situation reports issued by the Health Ministry on the Covid-19 situation in Sri Lanka are not accurate whatsoever, alleged Upul Rohana, Chairman of the Public Health Inspectors’ Association.
In his comment, Rohana suggested that more daily cases of Covid-19 are being reported than those documented in the statistics, adding that having them entered to the National Statistics is being disproportionately performed.
The controlling of the pandemic in this manner could be very dangerous, Rohana went on, stressing that the false notion that the pandemic has been controlled has led the public to behave carelessly.
The situation was well evident in the recent past, the PHI Chief reminded, and he warned that the country may face another series of unfortunate events, should the crisis continue.
The commercial banks in Sri Lanka are suffering from a deficit of Rs. 455 billion, revealed former deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka W.A. Wijewardena.
In a tweet, the ex CBSL deputy governor pointed out that the crisis is due to the interest rates and exchange rates being artificially controlled.
Wijewardena urged that the CBSL should act immediately in providing funds to the banking systems without letting the commercial banks collapse.
MIAP
SL is to enter 2022 with double whammy:no forex & rupee liquidity in banks;net rupee deficit in banks have increased to Rs455bn requiring @CBSL to meet it daily under its standing lending facility at 6%;CB must fund now both Govt & com banks to keep system going
Land Minister S.M. Chandrasena responding to reporters yesterday (26) stated that all essential commodities have been imported to Sri Lanka and will not be of any shortage.
“The President, the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister and us the Cabinet will not slip away from these problems. We will be managing them at our best, facing the challenges and solving them in 2022 in a move of saving the country.
Although it has been said that there were 1500 containers, many of them were of exporting items. The figure is shown with them included.
Nevertheless, we have delivered the commodities required for the country. There is no shortage. No shortage, is there? Sugar, Dhal, Potatoes, everything is available in the market. The prices have soared a little bit because the prices went high in the global market. So, the price of every commodity has surged.”
Q: Do you not understand that the people are facing a difficult time?
“Difficult, alas difficult. We know that it is difficult. That difficulty is now being solved. We know, it is difficult.”
The country is at a ‘war against famine’ instead of the government’s proposed ‘war for cultivation,’ said Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa yesterday (26), inaugurating the “Manushyathwaye Charikawa” initiative introduced to listen to the sorrows of the people by visiting the people of Hambantota city and the surrounding market grounds.
The government that destroyed the country’s agriculture through its arbitrary decisions has driven country into a state where gas explosions occur from one house to another, Premadasa alleged.
Despite the promises by certain ministers of relief packages, the only relief package given to the people is the combination of depression, pressure, inflation, sorrows and pain, the Opposition Leader pointed out.
Unlike the natural disaster Tsunami that took away the lives of thousands 17 years ago, the current regime has orchestrated a disaster destroying the entire country, he added.
He went on saying that while collar robberies have spread across the country and that the only ‘deal’ he or the Samgi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has is the one with the people.
The Opposition Leader spoke to the people living in Hambantota and the traders doing business in the area and discussed their problems. He also distributed a leaflet mentioning “Family Governance – Destruction of the Country.”
The Registrar General’s Department has issued a circular making it mandatory for Sri Lankans marrying persons of foreign nationality to obtain a ‘security clearance report’ from the Defence Ministry.
The circular has been issued in accordance with an agreement reached in consultation with the Defence Ministry and the Department of Immigration and Emigration regarding the ‘impact’ of such marriages on ‘national security’ and the potential ‘social problems’ that may arise, the Registrar General’s Department said.
The bus fares will have to be increased by Wednesday (29), said State Minister of Transport Dilum Amunugama, speaking to a ceremony held in Ankumbura, Kandy yesterday (26).
“We may have to go for a revision of the bus fares next week. We are hoping to go for a minimum rise. We have to go for such a revision because there is a drop in the prices of fuel and there is a law on the number of seats available for passengers due to Covid. These, we are not allowed to remove.
When the law is lifted, we may have to revise the fare by a small amount by Wednesday, on the condition that it too will be removed. We are not doing these willingly,” he said.
With the country currently being hit by a severe foreign currency crunch, it appears that even companies registered with the Board of Investments of Sri Lanka are exploring every possible loophole in its system to stay afloat during this foreign crisis.
The LNW’s team of investigative journalists have uncovered as to how a particular company registered under the BOI and owned by an Australian father and son duo named Peter Norman Hill (father) and Robert Andrew Hill (son) are currently in blatant violation, firstly of the country’s immigration laws and from a business operational perspective have been noted for even violating Central Bank issued guidelines and even flouting the proper payments of income tax in conducting their existing businesses.
For starters the son Robert Andrew Hill despite being on a BOI issued visa for the purpose of running the registered BOI business named Auto Group International Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Overseas Vehicle Sales Pvt Ltd), is also running a private business as well named South Pacific Agencies Pvt Ltd (formerly known as Auto Group Pvt Ltd) and self claims to be the Chairman of this business. The swapping of the names of their BOI registered company to a locally registered business and vice versa could also create some sort of confusion even though the swapping of names or re-registering the existing business with a newer name is permissible.
The Chairman Robert Andrew Hill (son) who runs the local arm of the business, strangely doing so whilst being under a BOI issued visa, in his boldness even states so on his LinkedIn profile where he claims to be the importer of products under the brand name Tovi Foods and also runs a restaurant and reception hall in Kaduwela.
It has further been uncovered that even certain incoming receivables for invoices raised by AutoGroup International Pvt Ltd which should be received in US Dollars is being paid in Sri Lankan Rupees by their local business operation.
In the past gaping loopholes being existent in the BOI system then, led many companies to take advantage of the six month period to show foreign revenue recognition on invoices raised.
However this same practice continues to be flouted even today, providing certain BOI registered companies to continue exploiting this loophole.
Industry professionals say that this six month period must be reduced immediately to prevent such irregularities being practiced by these certain companies.
A BOI official, when questioned regarding these issues pertaining as to how the Hill duo of father and son are running their businesses in this manner, chose to remain tight lipped.
Sri Lanka has fallen into a situation where nobody is willing to support to alleviate it from the current economic crisis due to corruption, theft, waste and irregularities and power being held by a handful of people, former President and SLFP Leader MP Maithripala Sirisena said, speaking to the Party’s Electoral Board Meeting in Kotte yesterday (26).
“A lot of people are asking why the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is not sought, in the belief that a relief would be provided to solve the economic crisis of this country.
The powerful figures of the government say that they will never seek the IMF’s support. I served as the President for a period of five years, minus a month and a half. I worked with the IMF in the entire period,” Sirisena said.
He added: “The IMF did not impose any serious conditions to me. Any body of that nature, dear friends, are extending their support based on the nature of the country’s administration. I know now that the conditions imposed to me by the IMF will never be imposed to this government.
What is the reason? Not only our country, for any country seeking support, they are inquiring into whether it holds democracy, values human rights, considers law and order to be impartial, holds an independent judiciary and holds an independent police.
We have seen that people were being acquitted from cases. These are the matters eyed by the International Community. These are the matters for which we are scored. Who is going to save us? We might have been saved, if we were real people. We are living in a very bad state.
Nobody is willing to support this country to alleviate it from the current economic crisis due to corruption, theft, waste and irregularities and power being held by a handful of people. No matter how hard we cry, that is the truth.”
The water supply has been cut in several areas around Colombo since last (26) night due to a breakage of the power system at the Ambatale Water Treatment Plant, revealed the Water Supply and Drainage Board.
Accordingly, the water supply has been cut to Colombo, Kotte, Kaduwela, Dehiwala – Mount Lavinia, Maharagama, Boralesgamuwa and Kolonnawa urban councils and Kotikawatta and Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabhas.
The water supply cut will be effective for a period of twelve hours from 9 pm yesterday.
