AFP report, Jan 05, 2023COLOMBO : Crisis-hit Sri Lanka Wednesday announced its first nationwide elections since its president fled and resigned in the face of widespread protests, in what will be a test of popularity for his successor. Local government polls will be held before the end of February, officials said, after they were delayed by a year due to the pandemic. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who replaced his deposed predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa, faces potential embarrassment…
Posts tagged as “Sri Lanka”
Report in Daily FT, Jan 5, 2023Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) Convenor Wasantha Mudalige who is currently in remand custody after being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act has called on the Sri Lankan people to continue the fight to ensure their right to life. Writing an open letter from prison for the New Year, Mudalige noted that the expectations of the people’s struggle have not been fulfilled yet. Noting that the Aragalaya or…
by Mirudhula Thambiah in The Morning, Jan 2, 2023The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is currently holding discussions with other centre-left parties in the Opposition on the possibility of forming an alliance under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) or forming a new alliance altogether to contest the upcoming Local Government election. Speaking to The Morning, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday (1) that his party is currently negotiating with “independent” MPs, including Dullas…
report in The Island, Jan 1, 2023Sri Lanka is expecting companies from Japan, India, Japan, and New Fortress Energy of the US to jointly come up with a proposal to supply a liquified natural gas terminal, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said.Sri Lanka is building two LNG-capable 300MW-sized combined cycle power plants but has no terminal to unload the fuel. Minister Wijesekera claimed that a combined cycle known as Yugadanavi was already capable of…
By Rathindra Kuruwita in The Island, Dec 27, 2022About 497 Sri Lankans have been killed in violence during the first 11 months of 2022, according to crime statistics released by the police. Out of them, 223 deaths were caused by shooting and assault. About 3,596 instances of kidnappings with the intention of collecting ransoms have been recorded. This is a 2,800 percent increase from the same period last year, when there were only 835 such…
by Ruwani Fonseka in The Morning, Dec 27, 2022Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left Sri Lanka via the Bandaranaike International Airport(BIA) yesterday (26), The Morning learnt. The former President has reportedly left for Dubai together with members of his family on a 9-day private visit.https://www.themorning.lk/articles/q062JNcBDGCw4VdZnp24
report in The Island, Dec 25, 2022Fresh discussions between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the opposition TNA has focused on the release of political prisoners and lands in former conflict zones, a TNA legislator said.TNA parliamentarian M A Sumanthiran told reporters that the discussion followed an all-party meeting held recently on finding a permanent solution to Sri Lanka’s ethnic issue. “Last week we had an all party conference on reconciliation. We had a discussions with he…
by Buddhika Samaraweera in The Morning, Dec 22, 2022The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has admitted that the process of obtaining the approval of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Board of Directors for the desperately needed Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to provide funding for Sri Lanka may stretch beyond January 2023. Speaking on the Ada Derana Big Focus programme yesterday (21), State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said that the Government is however attempting its…
report in Daily FT, Dec 20, 2022According to Bloomberg, Sri Lanka is considering a “Favoured Creditor Clause” to fast track external debt negotiations. Sri Lanka may use a special clause to expedite its debt-restructuring negotiations – prolonged talks risk delaying a crucial bailout from #IMF. The ‘Most Favoured Creditor (MFC)’ could help with doubts among other creditors that China (holds 52% of Sri Lanka’s bilateral debt) could be offered better terms. Such a clause would…
report in The Island, Dec 17, 2022Ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has indicated that it was ready to consider contesting the next election, under a new symbol. Having obtained the Election Commission recognition in 2016, the SLPP won the 2018 Local Government polls, the 2019 Presidential, and the 2020 General Election, under its own symbol Pohottuwa (Lotus bud). Chief Government Whip, Prasanna Ranatunga, on Thursday (15), said that the SLPP would contest the next…
by Buddhika Samaraweera in The Morning, Dec 13, 2022SLPP Gen. Secy. says both parties policies’ should not be harmed, ready to lead any alliance for PCs Poll Stating that a relationship has been established between the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP), following the SLPP’s support to elect UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as President, SLPP General Secretary and MP Sagara Kariyawasam said that the SLPP is ready to work…