As usual today (31st) long queues and crowds were seen in front of Colombo, to buy milk powder and gas shops.
The people are suffering due to the shortage of these essential commodities and at present, they are blaming the conduct of the government. They strongly allege that the rulers have no understanding of the plight of the common people.
They also say that they elect Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to become helpless.
202 billion worth of currency was been printed on the 29th. This is the first time money has been printed since October 14th.
With this 202 billion, the total value of banknotes printed in 2021 is 825 billion rupees.
Opposition political groups, as well as economic experts, accuse the rupee of depreciating sharply in the face of continuous printing. However, the only option left for the government to cover the expenses in the country is to print money.
Udaya Gammanpila, Minister of Energy said that steps will be taken to develop 61 tanks in the Trincomalee oil tank complex in collaboration with Lanka IOC.
This was stated at a media briefing held at the Ministry a short while ago today (31).
The Minister said that steps will be taken to develop these tanks through a new company to be set up in which the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation will have a 51% stake.
About 14 tanks currently used by the IOC are expected to be leased to them for another 50 years.
The remaining 61 tanks will be handed over to Trincomalee Petroleum to be 51% owned by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the remaining 49% to be owned by Lanka IOC. The company is a subsidiary of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), which appoints four of the seven members of the Board of Directors.
Buddhi Marambe, Senior Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya states that a food shortage is inevitable in the future and that the harvest of the Mas season can be predicted to be reduced by about one third.
Marambe pointed out that on the one hand there is a shortage of imported food items due to the dollar crisis and on the other hand that the food items produced in the country are declining by one-third, adding that people should be prepared to face a food shortage.
The professor points out that due to the lack of adequate nitrogen nutrients, which are crucial for the photosynthesis process required for food production, the crop turns yellow and yields are reduced.
Meanwhile, loans have been requested from India and Pakistan for the purchase of essential food items. It is reported that the loan request has been made by the Ministry of Trade.
Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena has already commenced discussions with the Indo-Pakistani Trade Ministers.
Most of the essential food items including rice, onion, potato, and potatoes are imported to Sri Lanka from India and Pakistan.
Indian politician, economist and statistician Subramanian Swamy has castigated his Government for the failure to
extend critical support to Sri Lanka at her neediest hour.
“If India wants an ally for the Indian Ocean long term, then India must give deferred interest $ 10 billion loan to the Rajapaksa Government now or face China getting one more junior partner,” Swamy tweeted.
“Modi Govt. has failed in so many foreign policy issues. Let not Sri Lanka be another,” he added.
Swamy is no stranger to Sri Lanka, nor is his support to Rajapaksa unknown. In October, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa celebrated Navratri with his ‹long-time friend and colleague› Swamy, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.
Swamy is a staunch advocate for a strong, friendly relationship between Sri Lanka and India.
DAILY FT
Dr. Chandima Jeewandara of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura says that 41 cases infected with the Omicron covid strain have been identified in the country.
Accordingly, the total number of Omicron infections identified so far in the country has increased to 45, he said.
A survey done among a pool of our readers to identify the top 3% among people representatives in parliament among the 225 who had contributed to the ongoing debate constructively and intelligently from the quality of healthcare to education to industrial output, from the pandemic management to public sector governance to poverty alleviation .
Also People Representatives who stood firmly to protect good governance and won the confidence of the public. The following eight parliamentarians representing the key parties got the top marks. a few others Dr Rajitha Senaratne and Sudarshini Fernandopulle were fearless voices during the height of the pandemic. Harin Fernando, Kumara Welgame, SM Marrika, M Nanayakkara and M Rahaman raised issues fearlessly . Also Sajith Premadasa on grassroots issues and Harsha de Silva on the economy .
They all deserved to be mentioned. The public who pays for their upkeep wants representatives with some intelligence and tenacity to fulfill their responsibilities effectively.
Many are throughly disappointed with their contribution. More than 60% of the MPs most people have no recollection of their names or faces. That sums up their pathetic contribution of that 60+%.
The Milk Powder Importers Association says that despite the increase in the price of milk powder, the shortage of milk powder in the market will remain at a certain level.
Now here are two points. The main reason for the price increase is that we have to import at the new price, we have a competitive position in the world market. But the problems of importing milk powder have to be solved in the future. The problem here is that there is a delay in the issuance of letters of credit by the banks due to the shortage of dollars. That problem must be solved in the future. Only then will this supply be continuous. So until then, there could be a problem. The increase in the price of milk powder is due to the global market trend, but there is still difficulty in importing milk powder. That means milk powder is being imported, but the quantity is not enough. It is difficult to get the required quantity because of the dollar problem. ”
This was stated by the Media Spokesman of the Milk Powder Importers Association Ashoka Bandara.
Litro Gas announces that it expects to release 180,000 gas cylinders in the next few days.
The company also says that it will be able to supply gas to the market without any delay in the future as its daily filling and distribution operations are operational 24/7.
State Minister of Transport Services and Community Police Dilum Amunugama says that President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has decided to take tough decisions regardless of who crosses the line from next year and not to reverse those decisions under any circumstances.
Q: There were reports in the media that the losses incurred during the train strike would be recovered from the strikers. Is it true?
“No, it’s not going to happen. How can we recover that from strikers? It can’t be done. The strikers also need to know what will happen to them in the end, if their department is brought down like this. There were some justifiable aspects to this strike, but it would have been better if we had not been notified and informed before the strike. However, the strike was called because they did not inform the administration and resolve the issue.
However, if such departments continue to strike, we will make tough decisions this year, such as whether to keep them in the hands of the government or transfer them to someone else. We need to be clear, we have made a decision to take serious decisions regarding loss-making institutions. If they are boycotted we will stop their services and implement those decisions. We will not reverse those decisions. We have made a big mistake. In the recent past, our fraternal parties and various groups have called off some of our decisions due to strikes and various decisions. The government has suffered a serious loss as a result.
If we talk about the East Jetty, now the decision has been reversed. What has happened now? Now there is no money to build the jetty and no foreign investors are coming, The strikers are happy. But the country does not have that money, the jetty is not developing, nothing is there now, there is no profit. So this is the situation. As such, the government will take such decisions in the future. They will not be withdrawn under any circumstances.
We also had discussions with the President yesterday. If anyone cannot agree with the collective decisions, we do not have a big problem with two-thirds, we have to implement those decisions. If not, we could face the accusation that the people did not get what they expected from Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. When asked, no one comes forward to answer them. Now some of the decision-makers and advisers are nowhere to be found. Therefore, some tough decisions will be implemented in the coming year.
The Railway Department is a loss-making institution. SriLankan Airlines is a loss-making company. If the people in these institutions do not show us that they are trying to make a profit, what else can we do? Now the SLTB is also a loss making institution. We spoke to them and discussed facts, and they have shown us that they are trying to make a profit. Or there is no way to pay salaries amidst this pandemic without taking it from the treasury. When we do that we see that there is an attempt by these people. But in some organizations, if there is no profits, if there are continuous losses, if there are strikes and protests continously, decisions will have to be made in the future about those institutions. I am not talking about one institution, I am talking about it in general”
Minister of State Dilum Amunugama stated this while participating in the opening ceremony of the new Aladeniya Police Station yesterday (30).
