The government has launched repression targeting selected groups and is maintaining a silent policy over the investigations launched into such events, said Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, speaking at the discussion held with electrical engineers regarding the current energy crisis and the excessive increase in electricity tariffs at the Opposition Leader’s Office two days ago (26).
Premadasa said the government should think about whether Sri Lanka will receive help from the world at this time when it is carrying out repression, emphasising that the ongoing repression and penalisation must be stopped.
The US government has donated a consignment of dry food with the aim of enhancing the nutritional level of school lunches in Sri Lanka.
The consignment was officially handed over to Education Minister Susil Premajayantha by US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung.
Accordingly, Sri Lanka has received 890 metric tonnes of pink salmon and 2,000 metric tonnes of lentils under the grant. These dry foods will be added to the lunch of school students.
Sri Lanka has ranked 06th in terms of child malnutrition in the world, revealed UNICEF.
Sri Lanka has also ranked second among the South Asian countries facing malnutrition, noted George Larry, Director of the South Asian Region for UNICEF, who is currently on a tour in Sri Lanka.
The rising cost of living spawned by the economic crisis in Sri Lanka has contributed to the decline of diet and the people have severely been affected from the rising food prices, pushing them to skip their daily meals, he added.
The additional stocks of all types of fuel will be distributed to the public in a move to curb the existing fuel queues, said Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara.
He noted that loading delays, shortages in delivery, delays in paying for orders by filling stations have contributed to the formation of fuel queues, adding that the distribution of additional stocks will be carried out after reviewing the matter and accordingly, the existing long queues may systematically decline.
Currently there is a severe shortage of wheat flour in the country and the two main companies importing wheat flour have restricted the release of stocks to the market, revealed the All Ceylon Bakery Owners Association, speaking to a briefing yesterday (27).
Accordingly, those bringing wheat flour to Sri Lanka from India have raised the price of a kilo of wheat flour to Rs. 350, said Union President N.K. Jayawardena.
“There is a severe shortage of wheat flour in Sri Lanka today. The country’s flour requirement was filled by two companies. Those two do not receive the dollars required to import wheat seeds. Therefore, they distribute only 25 per cent of the country’s total flour demand,” the Union President said.
He added: “Then it made a deficit of 75 per cent. As a solution, wheat flour was imported from India and Turkey. Private traders brought in such imports and calmed the situation. The day before yesterday, India temporarily banned the export of wheat flour. At the same time, businessmen who had brought flour from India to Sri Lanka have raised the price of flour which was at Rs. 200 – 210 up to Rs. 350 now. This is very unfair. Are we to continue like this, we may not see even a piece of bread in the future. A loaf of bread may cost Rs. 250 – 300.”
The battle to free former MP Ranjan Ramanayake is not yet over, as he is still deprived of his civic and political rights and right to contest elections, reminded Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, addressing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Authority Board meeting in Nikaweratiya yesterday (27).
The event was organised by SJB Nikaweratiya Electoral Organiser Sumith Athapaththu and was attended by a lot of people.
The former MP has been granted only half the freedom he deserves, which under Section 1(c) of Article 34 of the Constitution is a mere removal of the prison sentence he had served, the Opposition Leader pointed out.
Despite Ramanayake being entitled to his freedom under Section 2 of Article 34 of the Constitution, such a freedom has not been granted, and the President, therefore, must ensure his full freedom, Premadasa added.
The Opposition Leader also noted that he as the Leader of the SJB still considers Ramanayake as a member of Parliament and therefore, will call him in to every SJB parliamentary group meeting, adding that the former MP will also be given permanent membership of the party parliamentary group and the executive board.
He revealed that Ranjan Ramanayake will also be appointed as the Chief of the SJB Anti-Corruption Movement, pledging that he will be fully committed to the former MP’s full freedom.
Despite the President’s calling in for an all-party government, what happens in reality is the formation of a government that devours everything, Premadasa went on, adding that there are three debt traps befallen the country which must be solved in order to build it. The government has not revealed any programme to accomplish that goal to date, he alleged.
Considering the producers of egg as well as consumers, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says that it is acceptable to grant permission to sell an egg at a retail price of Rs. 50.
The Minister mentioned this at the discussion held today (27) with the egg producers.
Consequently, Mr. Amaraweera said that when the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) conducts raids in upcoming days, the law should be implemented on those who sell eggs for more than the price Rs.50.
Further declaring that through the discussion with the Minister of Trade in the next week, Amaraweera will place a guaranteed price for eggs.
The Minister said that it is inappropriate to import eggs and that necessity should be converged through the producers of the country.
On May 9th, 06 persons who allegedly attacked the house of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, lawyer Premanath C. Dolawatta in Kaduwela Nawagamuwa and damaged the property have been arrested.
The arrest was made by the officers of the Western Province South Crime Division.
It is said that the arrested persons are aged 19, 20, 24, and 29 and reside in Welivita and Homagama areas.
These suspects are scheduled to appear before the Kaduwela Magistrate today (27).
Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, says that the temporary ban on the import of 305 non-essential goods is a necessary step in view of the current foreign exchange shortage in the country.
“At a time like this, we as a country have to decide whether we will use the limited amount of foreign exchange we get to buy oil, gas, medicines, or buy telephones, cars, refrigerators, and televisions. Such things can be postponed. If the people can buy essential things instead of that money, it will be a great convenience for the people, especially in a situation like this. That is one of the reasons that recently the Ministry of Finance has banned some kinds of goods which are not essential at this time. These are actually temporary things. Because of that, some businesses have some effects, it is done without really knowing it. But it is important to use the limited resources available at this time in a more efficient and useful way. After the situation is calmed down, these restrictions can be gradually removed.”
Nandalal Weerasinghe said this while addressing a meeting held yesterday (26).
