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Opposition Leader vows to launch democratic people’s riot against corrupt regime

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Opposition Leader vows to launch democratic people’s riot against corrupt regime

A democratic people’s riot will be launched against the government’s conduct of dragging the country to a severe tragedy, pledged Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, speaking to the commencement of the first phase of a series of discussions with political parties registered with the Election Commission on building the country in the face of the current crisis organised by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) at the Opposition Leader’s Office today (28).

The Opposition Leader noted that he was in discussions with all parties to establish a massive political movement in this regard and that the people’s struggle would not end until the government is ousted.

The event was attended by members of the Nava Lanka Nidahas Party, the Purawesi Peramuna, the Eksath Wamanshika Peramuna and the Ape Jana Bala Party.

Premadasa added that the government’s only essential service would be the protection of the chairs of the President, the Prime Minister and the Ministers, while the people of the country are suffering immensely. Therefore, the incapable government should be stepping back, he went on, adding that a SJB-led government that builds the country will be formed.

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Health trade unions to launch strike over fuel shortage

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Health trade unions to launch strike over fuel shortage

In the shortage of fuel and disruption of passenger transport, the majority of health workers are unable to report for duty, revealed trade unions. In the backdrop, the trade unions have concluded not to report for duty tomorrow and the day after.

The strike action is being endorsed by 08 units responding to the health sector including public health inspectors, midwives, laboratory technicians ad entomologists representing the Supplementary Medical Services United Front, said Union Chief Upul Rohana.

The government yesterday (27) declared that fuel will be issued only to essential services from midnight and as the health sector being declared as an essential service, fuel should also be issued to health workers. However, the trade unions disclosed that the distribution of fuel for health workers is not being carried out properly.

Most of the passenger buses are out of service and only the buses of the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) are in operation. In the backdrop, it has not been possible to report for duty using public transport, Rohana noted.

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Contempt of Court: Cabinet approval granted to amend law

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Contempt of Court: Cabinet approval granted to amend law

The Cabinet has granted its approval to amend the laws pertaining to Contempt of Court. A Cabinet paper in this regard was tabled by Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa.

Given the poor definitions interpreting contempt of court in the Sri Lankan law, certain trials cannot be proceeded methodically, Rajapaksa pointed out in his Cabinet paper, denoting that the limits of interference in the judicial process and the limits of freedom of expression should be clarified.

The Justice Minister emphasised that a preliminary draft has already been prepared by the Legal Commission in view of the shortcomings in the consideration of contempt of court-related cases in the recent past, adding that new laws should be adopted based on the draft.

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Roads empty amid fuel crisis..

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Roads empty amid fuel crisis..

Following the government’s decision to stop the issuance of fuel to private vehicles from today (28), many roads in Colombo and nearby crowded ares are seen to be empty.

Roads in Dematagoda and Nugegoda areas which were heavily congested on regular weekdays are seen as follows this morning.

Nugegoda
Dematagoda

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Conjuring not needed. Step down: Opposition Leader tells Govt. (VIDEO)

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Conjuring not needed. Step down: Opposition Leader tells Govt. (VIDEO)

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa in a statement said that the government does not need to apologise via Twitter for failing to fulfill the wishes of the people but shall be stepping down, whereas the country will be taken over by capable parliamentarians of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), paving the way for Sri Lanka to be restored to its former status within the next five years, in acceptance of the democratic views of millions of people.

The Opposition Leader pointed out such restoration will not allow fraud and corruption.

All the false drama played by the government to bring in a ‘super’ Prime Minister and build the country has now been exposed and despite such a situation, government ministers who lied to the people for their own survival are now leaving for foreign tours in a fake play asking for gas, fuel and milk powder, Premadasa alleged.

He further pointed out that it is the responsibility of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (CoPE) to divulge those who had pressured the Committee to conceal information.

The Opposition Leader also urged the government to stop playing the fake game of building the country in five-to-ten months and listen to the views of the people to restore Sri Lanka’s lost dignity.

In view of finding solutions to the worse economic, political and social crisis befallen Sri Lanka, a National Programme for Reforms has been established by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to achieve consensus on the social transformation demanded by the people to create a modern Sri Lanka and an affiliated Secretariat operating from the Opposition Leader’s Office. The Secretariat was opened yesterday (27) under the patronage of Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, followed by public representatives and civil society representatives.

MP Buddhika Pathirana serves as the Chief Secretary of the newly-built Unit.

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Decision to restrict issuance of fuel not a ‘lockdown’: Harin (VIDEO)

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Decision to restrict issuance of fuel not a ‘lockdown’: Harin (VIDEO)

The decision taken by the government to stop the issuance of fuel to private vehicles leading to the situation from midnight yesterday (27) shall not be misunderstood as a ‘lockdown,’ said Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, speaking to the special briefing held in the Department of Government Information yesterday.

“As a country we are a team that has made a lot of sacrifices at this moment. As a country, we believe that the public and private sectors will support us. This is especially due to the complicated situation that has arisen in the country over the recent shortage of fuel stocks we have ordered. Therefore, we are mainly thinking of collecting and managing in the next few days all the fuel needed to run this country in normalcy after July 10 and distribute them as required. Speaking of essential services, they include the distribution of food and beverages, intermittent transport, the health sector, as well as the services related to aircraft and travelers, which require fuel supply. Also, please do not misunderstand this situation as a lockdown. This is but work from home until July 10. So what we need is to stay in that area. During your stay, your grocery store, pharmacy and every other service operate as usual.”

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Minister Dhammika Perera’s duties and institutes gazetted

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Minister Dhammika Perera’s duties and institutes gazetted

The duties and institutes embodied to Minister of Investment Promotion Dhammika Perera have been declared via an extraordinary gazette.

Accordingly, seven institutes including the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, the Colombo Port Economic Commission and the Department of Immigration and Emigration will be under his ministry.

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Sri Lanka Exports recorded 5-billion-dollar Mark in Five Months

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Sri Lanka Exports recorded 5-billion-dollar Mark in Five Months

For the first five months of 2022, merchandise exports increased by 9.7% to US$ 2.4 billion compared to the corresponding period of 2021. Major product sectors except Tea, Rubber-based products and Spices & Concentrates; Apparel & Textiles, Coconut based products, Electronics & Electronic Components, Food & Beverages, Seafood and Ornamental fish recorded increased exports.

Apparel & Textile exports increased by 16.3% to US$ 2,400.6 Mn during the period of January to May 2022 compared to the same period of 2021. Except Gloves, Mitts & Mittens of Textile (-2.61%) and Made-up Clothing Accessories (-9.99%), Yarn (-32.7%) and Made-up Textile Articles (-3.04%), exports of other sub categories of Apparel & Textiles sector increased.

For the period of January to May 2022, export earnings from Coconut & Coconut based products expanded by 10.4% to US$ 350 Mn from the same period last year. Earnings from all the major categories of Coconut based products increased in the period of January – May 2022 compared with the corresponding period of 2021 due to the improved performance in export of Liquid Coconut Milk, Coconut cream, Cocopeat, Mattress Fiber, Activated Carbon, Coconut Oil and Desiccated Coconut.

Meanwhile earnings from export of Electrical and Electronic Components (EEC) increased by 14.6 % to US$ 188.3 Mn in the period of January to May 2022 compared to the corresponding period of 2021. Export of Insulated wires increased by 19.71 % in during the period of January to May 2022 to US$ 33.04 Mn compared with the corresponding period of previous year.

In addition, export of Switches, Boards & Panels, Electrical Transformers and Other Electrical & Electronic Products increased by 4.43%, 34.58% and 9.97 % respectively during the period of January to May 2022 compared with the corresponding period of previous year.

Export earnings from Seafood increased by 16.7% to US$ 105.8 Mn in the period of January to May 2022 compared to year 2021 due to the better performance in all the sub categories; Frozen Fish (8.64%), Fresh Fish (45.92) and Prawns (56.55%).

Further, earnings from export of ornamental fish increased by 19.7% to US$ 7.1 Mn during the period of January to May 2022 compared to year 2022.

However, export earnings from Tea decreased by 12.5% to US$ 460.9 Mn during the period of January to May 2022 compared with the corresponding period of 2021. Exports of all the sub categories of tea sector except Tea Bags; Tea packets (-14.2%), Bulk Tea (-10.95%,), Instant Tea (-23.42%) and Green Tea (-31.43%) decreased during the period of January to May 2022 compared with the same period of 2021.

Export earnings from Rubber & Rubber finished products decreased by 2.4 % to US$ 414.3 Mn in January – May 2022 compared with the same period of 2021 attributed to lower exports of Industrial & surgical Gloves (-18.4%). However, exports of Pneumatic & Retreated Rubber Tyres & Tubes increased by 6.83% during the period of January to May 2022 compared with the same period of 2021.

Govt opens international oil companies to operate in the country

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Govt opens international oil companies to operate in the country

The crisis-ridden Government is to allow international oil companies to operate fuel import and distribution in Sri Lanka ending the oligopoly of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and Lanka Indian Oil Company, a senior energy ministry official said.

This decision has been taken after a recent attempt of opening the fuel importation for six private companies did not materialise as the first such shipment ordered by a selected firm with a connection to foreign fuel supplier has failed to fulfill its obligation, he revealed.

The Energy Minister will present a Cabinet paper today to grant permission to international oil players like Shell , Caltex, Esso and other international companies to supply and distribute fuel for Local Ceypetco fule filling stations on credit basis for six months or one year obtaining necessary dollar funds from their parent companies, he added.

These companies will be given Ceypetco fuel storage and other logistic facilities for their local operations which will not be a burden for the Sri Lanka government. he disclosed,

The selected international companies will be given at least 200 each of Ceypetco fuel filling sheds numbering1190 countrywide.

” The selected company should supply fuel for at least for one year on credit––a company that could use its own funds to import fuel, ” he said, adding that the purpose will be lost if they too start tapping into the dollars of local banks.

He disclosed that Lanka IOC has made a request from the government to hand over atleast 50 Ceypetco fuel filling stations for them to expand their operations further to ease man –made fuel crisis.

The CPC is facing financial constraints including the cash flow, debts to banks and fuel suppliers along with dollar issues, a senior official of the energy ministry told the Business Times.

It has to settle US $725 million in overdue payments to suppliers and also struggling to open letters of credit in state banks for future shipments as the corporation is indebted further $ 355 to those banks. ,

Sri Lanka’s monthly fuel bill is around $ 311 million per month but it has increased to $ 700 million in April this year due to the payment of demurrages for shipments, middlemen’s transactions and spot purchasing.

This fuel bill could be easily maintained at $ 500 million per month by resorting to a term tender by awarding it in a proper procedure, several former CPC chairpersons said. .

The annual fuel import bill could be brought down to $ 4 billion by minimising irregularities, corruption and waste, he added.

The country’s export revenue has increased $15.72 billion in 2021 from $10.05 billion in 2020.

The export revenue in March 2022 was $ 1.057 and it came down to $ 915.3 million in April and again increased to $1.2 billion in May, Finance Ministry data showed.

Accordingly an assumption could be made that the country will be able to save at least $ 500 million per month even after making all import payments.

Foreign remittances have varied as the country received $205 million in February, $ 318 million in March, $ 248.1 million in April and 304.1 million in May 2022.

According to these data it is surprising that the country is struggling to find dollars to pay for emergency fuel imports as present foreign inflows were sufficient for this purpose.

The Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has agreed to pay the outstanding payments due to the relevant companies for the fuel supply with a plan.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed the officials to take immediate action to import fuel using the existing funds available until then.

The President made these remarks at a discussion with the representatives of the main companies that have been importing and supplying fuel to Sri Lanka for a long time, on Monday (27) at the President’s House in Colombo.

It was decided to provide funds from the Central Bank and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to restore the supply of fuel.

Sri Lanka to face unprecedented fuel and food crisis

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Sri Lanka to face unprecedented fuel and food crisis

Sri Lanka is now facing unprecedented fuel and food crisis paralysing the whole country and the people will have to starve as a result of the break down in the supply chain with in the next few weeks, traders and food commodity transporters claimed

With nearly 5.7 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, Colombo faces a serious challenge with food shortages, fall in agricultural production and destruction of livelihoods.

With only a few container transporters in operation, the food commodity stock trasportaion has become stand still due to shoartage of disel and priority should be given to this sector in providing disel that is vital in resuming trasportaion of food commodity stocks between the port and the export zonesas well as key markets countrywide.

The All Island Container Transport Owners Federation Chairman Sanath Manjula noted that for about several weeks there has been an acute shortage of diesel as a result of which only a few of their container transporters are in operation in the Western province specially Colombo at present.

He noted that currently they are operational only within Colombo since they do not have any fuel available outside of the commercial capital.

Fuel distribution has become stand still except the supply to Ports , Ceylon Electricity Board , SL Army and bus depots

The World Food Programme’s (WFP) situation report on Sri Lanka has presented some alarming details on the ongoing food security crisis in the island nation.



With almost 4.9 million out of Sri Lanka’s 22 million population currently facing food insecurity, the economic crisis in the country is threatening the life and livelihood of the masses.



According to the Sri Lanka situation report released by the WFP on June 14, an estimated 5.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 25 districts across the country after months of economic meltdown.



The United Nations (UN) and the WFP have jointly launched an emergency response called ‘Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan’ targeting assistance for 1.7 million people in the country.



Another report, released on June 9 by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), has highlighted the country’s “multidimensional crisis” marked by high levels of food security coupled with a debt and balance-of-payments crisis.



The Ceylon Petrolium Corporation(CPC) is now not ina position to meet the daily disel demand of 6000 MT and 3500 MT of Petrol, official sources confirmed.

The current balance stock of fuel at Kollonnawa and Muthurajawela storage terminals was 10,000 MT of disel and1000 MT of 92 octane petrol and 4000 MT of 95 octane petrol and 11 fuel distribution centres of Ceypetco have been keeping closed.

25 percent of power generation is still being carried out using thermal power generators and the public transportation has become near standstill.

Paddy harvesting of Batticaloa and Ampara paddy fields is ready to commence but harvesting machines cannot be operated without diselas thr was no supply to these areas up to now, several agrarian officials said.

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