September 15, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has reported a 4.7 per cent increase in gross domestic product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2024, marking a notable fourth consecutive quarter of economic expansion after experiencing six quarters of decline since 2022.
The announcement was made by State Minister of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe, who attributed this rebound to the effectiveness of the government’s ongoing economic reforms.
Minister Semasinghe shared his optimism on social media platform ‘X’, indicating that the nation’s growth momentum is anticipated to sustain its strength.
Sri Lanka has recorded a 4.7% GDP growth in the second quarter of 2024, marking the fourth consecutive positive growth following six quarters of contraction since 2022. This recovery reflects the effectiveness of ongoing reforms. The growth rate is expected to remain strong, with… pic.twitter.com/wiybK732UG
He forecasted an annual growth rate of 4 per cent to 4.5 per cent by the end of the year, a figure that significantly surpasses the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) initial projection of 2 per cent for the country.
This revised outlook signals a faster-than-expected economic recovery, which is being seen as a validation of the government’s strategies to stabilise the economy.
September 15, Colombo (LNW): The Grade 5 Scholarship Examination started at 9:30 a.m. today (15) at numerous exam centres nationwide.
According to the Department of Examinations, around 323,879 students are expected to participate in this year’s examination, making it a significant event for young learners across the island.
Commissioner General of Examinations, Amit Jayasundara, has confirmed that the exam will be conducted at 2,849 centres, with all preparations in place to ensure a smooth process.
He also emphasised the importance of punctuality, advising that all candidates should arrive and be seated by 9:00 a.m. to avoid any last-minute disruptions.
In an effort to maintain an optimal testing environment, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa announced that the use of loudspeakers has been strictly prohibited during the examination period.
This directive aims to prevent disturbances around exam centres, ensuring that students can focus without external distractions.
September 15, Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts, with fairly heavy showers about 50 mm being likely to occur at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (15).
Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the evening or night.
Strong winds about (40-45)kmph can be expected at times over the western slopes of the central hills and in Northern, North-central, and North-western provinces and in Hambantota, Monaragala andTrincomalee districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimise damages caused by temporary localised strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Showers or thundershowers may occur at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle.
Winds:
Winds will be south-westerly in direction and wind speed will be (30-40) kmph. Wind speed can increase up to 60 kmph at times in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota and from Kankasanthurai to Puttalam via Mannar. Wind speed can increase up to about 50 kmph at times in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Trincomalee to Kankasanthurai and from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle.
State of Sea:
The sea areas off the coasts extending from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota and from Kankasanthurai to Puttalam via Mannar will be rough at times. The sea areas off the coasts extending from Trincomalee to Kankasanthurai and from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle will be fairly rough at times. Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasises addressing the North’s issues requires both political and developmental efforts: plans to strengthen provincial councils, accelerate development, establish a National Land Commission and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and resolve the issue of the disappeared: urges adherence to the IMF programme to ensure economic stability and criticises opposition leaders for lacking solutions.
SJB presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa criticises the government’s recent relief measures as a pre-election tactic, arguing they should have been implemented earlier: stresses these concessions should have been implemented at the start of the year, not at this late stage: dismisses claims by NPP’s Anura Kumara Dissanayake that his party intended to incite violence.
National Peoples Power (NPP) leader and presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the upcoming election would be a pivotal moment for uniting the country to overcome its challenges: emphasises the NPP remains as the sole political party that did not change the narrative of developing the country based on the electorate in which they hold public gatherings: criticises other parties for using certain political figures in a bid to match the audience at public gatherings, when in reality such figures, according to Dissanayake, are of contradictory political ideologies: also implicates that the racist propaganda launched against the NPP by putting Sri Lankan cultural values as bait depicts no difference compared to the racist propaganda launched in 2019 for the victory of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka’s GDP grows by 4.7% in the second quarter of 2024, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of positive growth after six quarters of contraction since 2022: Finance State Minister Shehan Semasinghe attributes this recovery to ongoing reforms, projecting a year-end growth of 4% – 4.5%, surpassing the IMF’s 2% target, signalling successful economic stabilisation.
The Commissioner General of Excise announces all liquor shops and wine stores across Sri Lanka will be closed on September 21 and 22 due to the Presidential Election.
Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approves an MoU between Sri Jayewardenepura University and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases to study a new tuberculosis treatment model: Tuberculosis is the country’s second most infectious disease: Supported by a $387,280 grant from IUATLD, the study aims to assess the model’s effectiveness under the national tuberculosis control programme.
The Grade 5 Scholarship Examination will take place today (15) at 2,849 centres across Sri Lanka, with 320,879 students participating: Commissioner General of Examinations Amith Jayasundara urges presidential candidates to avoid campaign activities near examination centres to prevent disruptions during the exam.
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha announces the delayed GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) results will be released within two weeks, and the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) exams are set for 25 November 2024: assures the 2025 school year will start on 2 January, with measures in place to prevent future delays in exams and school terms.
The Cabinet approves a proposal to amend the Penal Code to prohibit all forms of corporal punishment: The proposal, presented by the Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, will be published in the Gazette before submission to Parliament: The Attorney General has cleared the draft, following initial cabinet approval on 29 April 2024.
Outgoing ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) chief Alex Marshall claims elite cricket is mostly corruption-free but warns of threats from local T20 leagues outside ICC control: notes increased player reporting of corrupt approaches, highlighting efforts to maintain cricket’s integrity: Marshall’s tenure saw significant achievements, including tackling corruption in Sri Lankan cricket and ensuring stricter vigilance in the sport: proposes that Sri Lanka is in a much better place to keep corruptors away.
September 14, Colombo (LNW): Very Clear Ranil and Sajith will collect over 60% . But the JVP can come in on the 2 nd round. Do we need an untested communist leading President? The choose is ours? Why no one is requesting SJB voters to give their second preference vote to Ranil / AKD and Ranils voters to give their preference vote to Sajith/AKD ? Is it because of their selfishness and they value their personal agendas than the democratic values ? Whatever it is , we , the voters , must exercise our voting rights to make sure country at the end has a president who got the blessings of the majority of voters!
Both Sajiths camp and Ranils camp are fighting each other , claiming that one is ahead of other . But who is benefiting out of this ? AKD ! What should happen now is that Ranils camp must request Sajiths voters to vote their second preference vote to Ranil , if they prefer Ranil over AKD and Sajiths camp must request Ranils voters to do the same . Same goes with namals and Dilits voters too.
If any voter wants to vote for a particular candidate for any reason , let’s respect that choice but let’s encourage them to mark their second preference too . This way country will have a president who has the blessings of the majority of voters rather than having a president with just 35% of vote’s while 65% of the voters in the country is against that president ! That’s not the democracy?? And that will lead to lots of frustration among majority of voters.
This election has three main candidates ,AKD, Ranil , Sajith. Let one of them be the president but with the blessing of the majority of voters of this country! That’s the proper democracy!
If you agree and want to have a president with majorities blessing please mark number 1 to your first preferred candidate and number 2 for your alternate ( second preferred) candidate . This way you will make sure that your vote is not wasted and you will not regret of having a president who the majority of the voters do not want as their president. Wake up Sri Lanka do you want to be the next Bangaledesh or Myanmar?
September 14, Colombo (LNW): The Maldivian government has downplayed concerns over its current financial struggles, characterising them as “temporary,” and dismissed the possibility of seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Despite warnings of a potential sovereign default, the Indian Ocean nation, famed for its luxury resorts and celebrity visitors, insists it will navigate its fiscal challenges independently.
Speaking in Colombo, Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer reaffirmed the government’s strategy to tackle its debt obligations through tax reforms and restructuring state-owned enterprises.
“We have bilateral partners who are very sensitive to our needs and our situation,” Zameer remarked, adding that the Maldives is not in immediate talks with the IMF.
He attributed the financial strain to a “dip in reserves” but expressed confidence that the situation would improve with upcoming tax hikes and rationalisation efforts.
Accompanied by Finance Minister Mohamed Shafeeq, Zameer was in Sri Lanka for discussions with local central bank officials.
He emphasised that the Maldivian government is pressing forward with tax increases to meet its debt servicing obligations, anticipating that these fiscal adjustments would alleviate the current economic stress.
The Maldives counts China and India as its two largest bilateral lenders, with the nation’s foreign debt reaching $3.37 billion, roughly 45 per cent of its gross domestic product, in the first quarter of this year.
China holds approximately 20 per cent of this external debt, while India accounts for just under 18 per cent.
President Mohamed Muizzu, who assumed office a year ago, initially campaigned on reducing Indian military presence in the Maldives and strengthening ties with China.
Despite some initial “rough patches,” Zameer noted that the Maldives has since “cleared misunderstandings” with India, maintaining robust relationships with both China and India.
China has pledged further financial support following Muizzu’s ascent to power, with the President expressing gratitude for Beijing’s “selfless assistance” during his state visit shortly after taking office.
This commitment comes in the face of recent economic setbacks, including a Moody’s credit rating downgrade to Caa2, signalling high credit risk. In June, Fitch also downgraded the Maldives, citing declining foreign currency reserves and a mounting debt servicing burden of $409 million this year.
Despite these warnings, Zameer conveyed optimism that ongoing reforms and strategic partnerships would enable the Maldives to weather its current financial difficulties without external bailout interventions.
The Maldivian government’s stance suggests a focus on self-reliance and regional partnerships, aiming to stabilise the economy through domestic reforms and bilateral support rather than resorting to international financial aid.
September 14, Colombo (LNW): Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has directed Agriculture and Plantation Industry Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and Trade, Commerce and Food Safety Minister Nalin Fernando to promptly ensure a guaranteed price for mung beans. This action comes as a highly successful mung bean harvest enters the market, the result of efforts by food security and economic regeneration committees to encourage farmers to grow the crop during the intermediate season.
District Secretaries have reported that wholesale prices for mung beans remain reasonable. However, with a larger volume of crops expected to flood the market in the coming weeks, the Prime Minister expressed concern that prices could drop, leaving farmers vulnerable.
In his letter, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for an immediate intervention to prevent a collapse in market prices and instructed the Ministries to hold discussions and announce a guaranteed price for mung beans as soon as possible.
September 14, Colombo (LNW): In response to the unexpected weather conditions, emergency contact numbers have been introduced to assist students sitting for the Scholarship Examination. The Disaster Management Center (DMC) has provided several hotlines for students or their guardians to report any difficulties caused by the adverse weather.
The DMC emergency hotline is 117, and additional contact numbers for the Special Unified Emergency Operations Center are: 0113-668020, 0113-668100, 0113-668013, 0113-668010, and 0763-117117. Further information can be found on the DMC’s official website (https://www.dmc.gov.lk/).
These measures aim to ensure that students facing weather-related challenges during the exam can receive timely assistance.
September 14, Colombo (LNW): The National People’s Power (NPP) has firmly rejected recent media reports that implicated the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a core partner of the NPP, in the recent altercation at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
The incident had led to the temporary closure of the university.
Former NPP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa addressed the media, emphasising the party’s detachment from the situation.
“Various parties are attempting to pass the blame onto the NPP, to which we have no connection,” he stated, distancing the NPP from the allegations.
He suggested that these accusations reflect the growing unease amongst opposing factions ahead of the forthcoming Presidential Election.
“This is a clear sign of how opposition camps are agitated by their imminent loss in the upcoming election,” Dr. Jayatissa added, hinting at political motivations behind the allegations.
The situation at the university remains tense, with the administration having suspended all activities following the clash. Whilst some have pointed fingers at various groups for their alleged involvement, the NPP’s response indicates a broader narrative of political tension in the lead-up to the election.
September 14, Colombo (LNW): President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced the establishment of the National Land Commission and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) under his administration.
Speaking at a public gathering in Jaffna, the President revealed that Justice Nawaz would lead efforts within the TRC to address the longstanding issue of disappeared persons, aiming to bring closure to affected families over the next five years.
Emphasising the complexities in the Northern Province, President Wickremesinghe stressed that challenges in the region go beyond political concerns.
He underscored the critical need for development initiatives to prevent the northern areas from falling behind other provinces.
“If we focus solely on political solutions without addressing development, the north will continue to lag as other regions advance,” the President said.
This move signals a broader governmental approach to the issues facing the Northern Province. Whilst political reconciliation remains a priority, the President’s comments indicate an integrated strategy that also prioritises economic growth and infrastructure development.
The goal is to ensure that the northern regions are not isolated in terms of progress, aiming for a holistic uplift that encompasses both political and developmental dimensions.
The formation of the National Land Commission and TRC aligns with the government’s commitment to address historical grievances and promote unity. By tackling land-related issues and pursuing truth and reconciliation, the administration hopes to foster a sense of inclusivity and justice.
