Jul 8 (TM) SL’s usable reserves have dwindled to $ 250 million, stated the Central Bank during the press briefing for the Monetary Policy Review No. 5 of 2022, which was held yesterday. CBSL stated that gross official reserves, as at end-June 2022, are estimated at $ 1.9 billion, including the swap facility from the People’s Bank of China equivalent to around $ 1.5 billion, which is subject to conditionalities on its usability. These conditions, which were established on the provision of more..

Jul 8 (DM) Central Bank (CB) yesterday has provided the banking sector with a broad guidance to grant concessions for the next six months to borrowers hit by the on-going economic crisis while a similar guidance is expected to be issued to non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) shortly. “We have provided a broad guidance as to how to address loan repayments of borrowers who have come under financial strain including more..

Jul 8 (DM) Sri Lanka Railway will revise its ticket fares from next Tuesday morning, Railway Dept said. They said the gazette notification on this revision will be out shortly. As such, the train fares will be increased equivalent to half the bus fare for the identical distance. Otherwise with the expenses incur on fuel, it would not be possible to increase train trips, the department said. According to the govt printers, they said the relevant gazette notification (2287/25) was sent to printing. more..

Jul 8 (TM) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said yesterday that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has requested Rs. 217 billion from the Treasury Department for fuel imports. “The CPC has requested Rs. 217 billion from the Treasury Department as they need rupees to purchase US dollars (USD) for fuel imports. If the Treasury cannot provide this, they send this request to the CBSL. The Monetary Board has to decide whether to accept or reject the request,” more..

Jul 8 (TM) Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) has refuted the allegation levelled by SLTB Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka that fuel provided to private buses through the depots belonging to the SLTB is being pilfered and then sold to other parties. LPBOA President Gemunu Wijeratne said: “Ranawaka has claimed that there are cases where private bus owners sell the fuel provided for private buses to other people. I say with responsibility that no such pilfering is going on. more..

Jul 8 (AD) Litro Gas Lanka Limited has strongly denied the allegations and media reports that a financial misappropriation took place during the company’s liquefied petroleum (LP) gas purchases. Issuing a statement to clear the air about the claims, the newly-appointed Litro chairman Muditha Peiris emphasized that the company has not misled the Cabinet of Ministers or the general public. As a state-owned enterprise (SOE), Litro Gas is committed to ensuring transparency and more..

Jul 8 (TM) Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) is struggling to purchase tyres and other spare parts for its buses due to the increase in market prices, it was revealed at the recent meeting of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). COPA met recently under the chairmanship of MP Prof. Tissa Vitharana to examine the plans developed under the Ministry of Transport and Highways to provide efficient transport services to general public more..

Jul 8 (DM) The programme of the opposition political groups to mislead the people at a time when successful solutions have been achieved to the existing problematic situation was very sad and unpleasant, Prez Rajapaksa said. PMD said in a statement that after a long and well-planned effort, the country was now reaping its benefits. It said the essential medicines have already been received and the required fuel, gas and ordered essentials will continue to be received from July 12. more..

Jul 8 (TM) Women Parliamentarian’s Caucus urged that pregnant Govt officials be assigned to work stations close to their residences, considering the transportation issues arising from the ongoing fuel crisis, and that they be allowed to perform their duties online on a work-from-home basis if this could not be done so that they could continue to work without interference. This request was made by Caucus Chairperson Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, in writing, to Minister of Public Administration, more..

Jul 8 (OHCHR) Ahead of what is expected to be a large demonstration in Colombo on Saturday (9), we urge SL authorities to show restraint in the policing of assemblies and ensure every necessary effort to prevent violence. At the same time, we appeal to the organisers of the protests and their supporters to engage in peaceful means of protest and not to impede essential medical or humanitarian services. more..

Jul 8 (CT) US Ambassador to SL Julie Chung said Sri Lankans were duped by disinformation and fake news and missed the opportunity to accept the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) offer from the U.S. She also stressed there will be no MCC grant for SL to consider. “I hope someday in the future, but at this time there are no plans for such a grant for SL.” “The issue created around the MCC was really disappointing and if USD 500 million was approved it would have brought great benefit more..

Jul 8 (DM) Police curfew will be imposed in several police divisions in the Western Province with effect from 9 pm tonight until further notice, police said. Accordingly, curfew will be imposed in the Negombo, Kelaniya, Nugegoda, Mount Lavinia, Colombo North, Colombo South and Colombo Central police divisions. Police said the law will be strictly enforced on those violating the police curfew. Traveling through the areas where police curfew is in effect is completely prohibited and police more..

Jul 9 (DM) With the Rajapaksa Govt facing an unprecedented Aragalaya or public revolt and the protests going on in most parts of the country for three months, SL desperately needs a statesperson who will work for the next generation and not for the election. Unfortunately, we have seen few if any such statespersons since independence in 1948. Leaders like former PM Dudley Senanayake came close to achieving such status but the people rejected him & his party in 1970 gen. election more..

Jul 9 (DM) A way out of the current economic crisis is not within sight. The govt has sought financial assistance and support for debt restructuring from the IMF but the progress of that programme also seems to be slower than expected. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who seems to be steering the programme said in Parliament on June 22 that a staff-level agreement is expected to be finalised with the IMF delegation that was in the country by the end of June, but it was not realised. more..

Jul 9 (CT) While the general public is burdened with the fuel shortage and preparing to hold mass scale protests claiming that it would be the final battle to send both Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the govt home, the President said he had held a teleconference with Russian Prez Vladimir Putin Wednesday (6) and had requested for credit support to import fuel to Sri Lanka to overcome the present economic challenges. more..

Jul 9 (WP) The war in Ukraine may still dominate international headlines. But it’s a country far from the battlefield that has turned into a kind of crucible of the global moment. For months, Sri Lanka has been in an economic death spiral: A public debt crisis, exacerbated first by the toll of the pandemic and then the disruptions provoked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has led to shortages in food, fuel, cooking gas, medicines, cash and other essential commodities. more..

Jul 9 (CT) July 9th 2022 is the day the final siege of the Gotabaya governance garrison begins. It may end on that day or it may not, but end it will and it can end only one way: with his departure. What we do not know is the timeline, but it is not going to be anything remotely approximating what he dreams it can be, namely the ending of his full term. With a whole society straining every nerve to liberate itself from Gotabaya rule, July 9th 2022 may bring him down also if, against all evidence, more..

Jul 9 (CT) US Ambassador Julie Chung met senior journalists for a roundtable meeting on 7 July, to discuss concerns regarding the SL govt’s interactions with its citizens and the outside world, particularly in regard to the IMF, Russia, and China. Q: What do you think about deploying military personnel to control tense situations islandwide? A: We’ve called on peaceful protests from the very beginning when we saw more..

Jul 9 (CT) They don’t need any political leadership, for the existing one is either shamelessly corrupt or hopelessly incompetent. They don’t need any motivation as the excruciating, psychological pain is enough to drive them to places where they had never been before. They don’t need any summons either. History has summoned them; the current circumstances have conspired to assemble them together as one single family, as one single community of Sri Lankans. more..

Jul 9 (CT) Over six million people or 30 per cent of SL’s population are hungry or in danger of going hungry due to the economic crisis, the WFP in a recent report warned. Govt needs to address this crisis urgently, prioritising it over other crises, including the fuel crisis. Hunger is a key cause for mass social unrest, an example being the 1789 French Revolution. It is expected that the key focus in the revised 2022 Budget, to be presented by PM Wickremesinghe shortly, will be all about more..

Jul 9 (Island) Can the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka be replaced without recourse to article 82 of the existing Constitution? In other words, can it be replaced extra-legally and extra constitutionally? Yes, it is possible in certain circumstances. Revolutionary constitutionalism is possible where it is connected with a political struggle. Have any countries adopted extra-legal Constitutions? Yes, there are plenty of examples. First, what is a revolution? It is a successful attempt by more..

Jul 9 (Island) The govt of the Rajapaksas by the Rajapaksas for the Rajapaksas not only destroyed the economy but also created conditions for the ruination of democracy. Current political upheavals which have the potential to plunge the country into anarchy would not have come about if President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had heeded calls for the formation of an all-party interim administration instead of trying to perpetuate the family rule by appointing a puppet govt. more..

Jul 9 (CI) Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith made important centuries in Galle, as Australia continued to torment visitors SL, moving to 298 for 5 by stumps on day one. For Labuschagne, who had passed fifty only once in Pakistan, this return to home soil brought a particularly welcome century, as he used his know-how on spinning pitches to hit 104 off 156. He swept often & frequently made trips down the pitch. more..

Jul 9 (FT) The purchase of spare parts including tires for SLTB buses is in a problematic situation in the current competitive market due to the increase in prices, the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) was told recently. This was revealed when the Committee met under the chairmanship of MP Tissa Vitharana to examine the plans developed under the Ministry of Transport and Highways to provide efficient transport services to the general public under the current economic crisis in SL. more..

Jul 9 (DN) "Age is not a barrier to get Test status while my experience of playing more first-class matches and SL 'A' matches paved the way to get success in the debut Test match against Australia", said leg spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Jayasuriya a product of Christ Church Matale and Lumbini College, bowled well to finish 3 for 90 after 28 overs. At one stage, his bowling spell read 58 for no loss after his first 12 overs. However, he came back strongly to get three vital wickets to finish as more..

Jul 9 (Island) A delegation consisting of seventeen students from the University of Lincoln, UK, arrived on a short visit to SL in order to study the lifestyle of the people of SL, culture, heritage and tourism experiences offered by the destination. They also visited the SL Tourism Promotion Bureau on their visit, in order to gain more information for their studies on SL as a tourism destination and get further insight for their queries regarding steps being taken in a post pandemic environment more..

Jul 9 (ST) Susal de Silva of Nalanda College became SL’s youngest International Master (IM) after his performance of winning the gold medal at the Western Asian Youth Chess Championships 2022. Susal, the most promising youth chess player in the country, won the SL National Chess Championships consecutively in 2021 and 2022. He has claimed more awards to his account during the few years of his chess career. Susal is the third International Master of chess in Sri Lanka more..

Jul 9 (FT) A host of multi-religious and civil society leaders yesterday signed a six-point resolution calling on the Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa-led Govt to step down immediately. Titled Senkadagala Statement, multi-religious and civil society leaders pledged their support to establish an all-party Govt and to help SL to seek int'l aid and provide relief to people suffering from the worst economic crisis in its history. more..

Jul 9 (EN) Stocks edged up on Friday (08), rising for the first time in five sessions by market heavyweight Expolanka with strong export businesses ahead of June quarter earning, brokers said. ASPI closed 0.32% or 22.83 points up at 7,080.69, rising from its lowest close from April 26. “Though market gained today, still the outlook is negative due to rate hike and political risks,” a market analyst said. On July 07, the central bank raised interest rate at which overnight money is printed for banks by more..

Jul 9 (MFA) ​Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris met with the ​Ambassador of the European Union Denis Chaibi in Colombo at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 06 July 2022. During the discussion, Minister Peiris briefed the EU Ambassador on developments related to the current economic situation, review of the list of proscribed organizations and individuals under the UN Regulation No. 1 of 2012, release of detainees being held under PTA, progress made by more..

Jul 9 (EN) Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa promised to solve the shortage of essential goods including fuel, gas, and medicines within a few days ahead of a people’s protest that is expected to continue until the president steps down. Thousands of people marched to capital Colombo on Friday for the July 9 protest near Prez’s official residence demanding Rajapaksa to resign due to his failure to ensure essential supplies due to acute more..

Jul 9 (EN) SL will impose power cuts of up to 3 hours from July 9 and 15, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said. On July 09,10 and 13, all areas (ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW) will have power cuts of 1 hours and 40 minutes between 10.20 am and 06.00 pm and 1 hour 20 minutes power cuts from 6pm to 10pm. On July 11,12,14 and 15, all areas (ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW) will have power cuts of 1 hours and 40 minutes between 1pm and 6pm and 1hr20m power cuts from 6pm to 10 pm. more..

Jul 9 (FT) SL Collective Against Torture (SLCAT) is gravely concerned about the statement issued by Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) dated 30 June 2022 titled HRCSL condemns the false media broadcast made by the President of the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners. Commission, at the conclusion of its inquiry into the allegation made by Senaka Perera, President of Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners, that imprisoned persons were used on 9 May 2022 to more..

Jul 9 (CT) Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has been compelled to withdraw a Cabinet Paper, following a revelation about an attempt to loot money through fertiliser imports has come to light following the intervention of the audit unit of the Ministry. The audit unit has revealed to the Minister that the Cabinet Paper drafted by an additional secretary with the approval of the Ministry’s pricing committee contained two provisions that have been tactically included, specifically to loot money. more..

Jul 9 (AD) CEB has decided to introduce three new methods to issue electricity bills, instead of the existing method of pre-printed bills. Accordingly, any consumer who wishes to receive a physical bill will be issued a bill printed using thermal paper during the monthly bill metre reading. Consumers can also opt to receive the bill via SMS to the mobile phone number registered with the CEB. They can obtain the assistance of the CEB’s meter reader who visits their residence for the registration process. more..