Page 10 - Sri Lanka

Lanka willingness to learn will take side a long way in T20 WC: Silverwood

Sri Lanka men's cricket team coach Chris Silverwood has said the players' willingness to learn and try new things were the two key aspects he saw could take the side all the way in the T20 World Cup

Lankan president issues gazette, revokes order on high security zones

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued an extraordinary gazette on Saturday, revoking last week's order that declared several key locations in Colombo as high security zones, after sustained pressure from the Opposition and country's human rights watchdog condemning his move. On September 23, Wickremesinghe declared the Parliament, Supreme Court complex and the President's Secretariat among others as high security zones, and banned any kind of protest or agitation near its premises. The move, which many see as a throwback to the restrictions imposed during the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) days that saw suicide explosions at such key locations, prevents even the parking of cars near the vicinity of key government buildings. By gazette number 2299/71 dated today, President Wickremesinghe states that he was revoking the said order, according to an extraordinary gazette notification issued by the Presidential Secretariat on Saturday. In a notification issued on ...

Sri Lanka slashes petrol prices by Rs 40; no change in diesel price

The Sri Lankan government on Saturday slashed the price of petrol by Rs 40 per litre, making diesel more expensive than petrol for the first time in the country. The price reduction came as opposition parties in recent days took the government to task for not implementing the price formula despite the lower global oil prices. The retail price of petrol has been reduced from LKR (Sri Lankan rupees) 450 per litre to LKR 410 per litre while the cost of diesel continued to remain the same at LKR 430. The new prices of petrol would be Rs 410 Sri Lankan rupees, Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said. With the move, the price of diesel for the first time in Sri Lanka is more than the price of petrol. Diesel is used widely for public transport and vehicles used for consumer trade which has a direct impact on cost of living. Following the government's decision, the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation has also said that it will reduce the petrol price along with the government price. Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's inflation zooms to 69.8% in Sept amid worst economic crisis

Sri Lanka's inflation has set a new record of 69.8 per cent in September, up from 64.3 per cent a month earlier, data from the state statistics office said on Friday, highlighting the challenge for the central bank as the island reels under its worst economic crisis in seven decades. The Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), a leading indicator that gauges inflation in Sri Lanka's biggest city, rose 69.8 per cent from a year ago, from 64.3 per cent in August. The contribution from the food sector was 30.82 per cent in September, the statistics department said. Based on the CCPI, the moving average inflation in September was 33.4 per cent over 28 per cent recorded in August. Most basic food items other than rice and eggs had seen increases. The government recently hiked utility services rates of water and electricity alongside the high cost of food. Import restrictions imposed in the ongoing economic crisis have caused scarcities. The worsening foreign exchange crisis in April cau

Only India helped Sri Lanka, Maldives during crisis: RSS Chief Bhagwat

It was only India which helped Sri Lanka and Maldives when these countries were in distress while other countries were interested in finding business opportunities, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said here on Thursday. Spirituality is the "soul of India", he said, addressing a program organized by Bharat Vikas Manch, an organization associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). "Spirituality is the soul of India. What does India need to do? It is to tell everyone how to live life on the basis of this spirituality through our own example," he said. "Living life without ego" was the soul of India, he added. Countries like China, United States and Pakistan turned their attention to Sri Lanka when they saw business opportunities there, he said. "But now when Sri Lanka is in trouble, who is extending help? It is only India. Who sent water to the Maldives when it was facing a water crisis? It was India which did. This is the spiritual India," he said. Talking about all-round ...

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy meets Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa brothers

Senior BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy on Thursday met Gotabaya Rajapaksa here, becoming the first foreign visitor to call on the ousted Sri Lankan president, following his return to Colombo after fleeing the country amidst unprecedented protests against his government's mishandling of the island nation's economy. Swamy, a close friend of the Rajapaksa family who is in Sri Lanka to attend a conference of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University on national security, also met with Gotabaya's brother Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday evening and attended the Navratri pooja at his residence, sources said on Thursday. "Swamy, a close friend of the Rajapaksa brothers attended the Navaratri pooja held at Mahinda Rajapaksa's official residence last night before calling on Gotabaya Rajapaksa this morning," sources said. Swamy has become the first foreign visitor to call on Gotabaya since he returned early this month after his self-imposed exile after facing a violent nationwide prote

Sri Lanka's Parliament to debate 22nd constitutional amendment next week

Sri Lankan lawmakers will debate next week on the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution aimed at empowering Parliament over the executive president. Party leaders agreed to take up the debate on the 22nd Amendment in Parliament on October 6 and 7, Communications Department of Parliament said on Thursday. The decision was taken at the Business Committee meeting held at Parliament Complex on Thursday morning chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. If enacted, the amendment would come to be known as the 21st Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka which was first adopted in 1978. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that the bill seeking the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution can be adopted with a two-thirds majority in the House but some clauses will require a nationwide referendum unless some of the clauses inconsistent with the Constitution are left out of the Bill. The government responded then saying that debatable clauses would be left out for its adoption in ...

Sri Lanka backs India, Japan's bids for permanent status at UNSC: President

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday said his government will back the bids of India and Japan for permanent member status at the UN Security Council. President Wickremesinghe is currently in Japan to attend the state funeral of the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe. During a meeting with Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday, Wickremesinghe "appreciated the support extended by Japan (to Sri Lanka) on the international stage and expressed the government's willingness to support both Japan's and India's campaign to become permanent members of the UN Security Council, the President's office said in a press release. India has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the Security Council saying it rightly deserves a place as a permanent member of the UN body, which in its current form does not represent the geo-political realities of the 21st century. At present, the UNSC comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent mem

Lankan official blames poor quality oil imports for power plant's shutdown

A senior Sri Lankan official has blamed poor quality crude oil imports for the shutdown of a power plant, leading to extended blackouts amid the ongoing economic crisis in the island nation

Lankan govt designates high-security zones for ensuring stability: Official

The Sri Lankan government on Monday defended its decision to declare several key locations in Colombo as high-security zones, saying the move is aimed at ensuring stability and not curbing freedom of expression, amid mounting criticism from rights groups. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday declared several locations, including Parliament, the Supreme Court complex and the President's Secretariat among others, as high-security zones (HSZs), banning any kind of protest or agitation in their vicinity. HSZs are nothing new. We saw how the Presidential Secretariat came to be surrounded by groups recently. They blocked officials from functioning. If the main place where key decisions are made is blocked, we have to take decisions to prevent it, said Kamal Gunaratne, the secretary to the ministry of defence. Sri Lanka's Presidential Secretariat was stormed in July by a sea of anti-government protesters who had been demanding former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignatio

84 arrested in Sri Lanka as protests erupt in Colombo, state media reports

A total of 84 people have been arrested by Sri Lankan police as several protestors gathered in Colombo raising their voice against what they claimed was "suppression", media reports said

Lanka declares key govt building locations in Colombo as high security zone

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday declared several key locations in Colombo, including Parliament, Supreme Court complex and the President's Secretariat among others, as high security zones, banning any kind of protest or agitation in premises near to it. The move, which are restrictions to those of during Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) days that saw suicide explosions at such key locations, prevents even parking of cars in any of the areas near to the premises of the key government buildings. Significantly some of the designated locations were the sites for large public agitations which demanded the resignation of the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa between early April to mid July as civilians across the island nation agitated against Rajapaksha family for handling of Sri Lanka's economic crisis, which it even now is unable to recover from. In an extraordinary gazette notification issued on Friday, the President's Secretariat has declared key government

Bhutan reopens to those willing to pay $200 per day visitor tax: Report

Bhutan has increased its Sustainable Development Fee from $65 a night as part of a "renewed focus of sustainability" in the government's strategy to attract "high value, low volume" tourism

Indian envoy calls on Sri Lankan PM Gunawardena, discusses bilateral issues

Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay has called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and discussed wide-ranging bilateral issues, including investments, shared heritage and capacity building in the crisis-hit island nation. India has been the biggest provider of aid this year to its southern neighbour, which is fighting its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades and struggling to pay for imports. The Indian High Commission last week held the first round of talks with the Sri Lankan Government on restructuring the bilateral official debt of the island nation. The discussions symbolise India's support to early conclusion and approval of a suitable IMF Programme for Sri Lanka, for which financing assurances from creditors to make Sri Lanka's debt sustainable are required, it had said in a statement after the talks. "High Commissioner called on H.E PM @DCRGunawardena. Discussed broad ranging bilateral issues of common interest including investments, shared herit

Sri Lanka's inflation jumps to 70.2% amidst worst-ever economic crisis

Sri Lanka's inflation surged to 70.2 per cent in August from 66.7 per cent a month ago as the island nation is grappling with the worst economic crisis, according to official data released on Thursday. The National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) which determines how much people spend on a selected basket of goods and services grew 2.5 per cent in August with food prices rising 1.7 per cent and non-foods rising 3.2 per cent. The non-food inflation surged to 57.1 per cent in August from 52.4 per cent in July as there was a sharp hike in electricity tariffs. However, the monthly prices eased to 3.2 per cent, from 6.7 per cent in July. The core prices measured, leaving the volatile items such as food, energy and transport accelerated in August to 60.5 per cent, from 57.3 per cent in July. According to official data, food prices have risen by 84.6 per cent, compared to 82.5 per cent in July while the changes in prices measured monthly, decelerated to 1.7 per cent, from 4.6 per cent in ...

Amid economic crisis, Sri Lanka's inflation rate jumps to 70.2%

Amid the worst-ever economic crisis since the country gained independence in 1948, Sri Lanka's inflation rate jumped to 70.2 per cent in August, official data revealed on Thursday.

Fallen Rajapaksas back Wickremesinghe as Lanka's creditors seek answers

Much has changed since demonstrators drove Gotabaya Rajapaksa from office in July, the climax of months of protests after record-high inflation and depleted currency reserves bankrupted the nation

India starts debt-restructuring talks with Sri Lanka, vows support

"The discussions held in a cordial atmosphere symbolise India's support to early conclusion and approval of a suitable IMF programme for Sri Lanka," the High Commission said.

Sri Lanka to seek India or China's credit line for solar panel imports: Min

Sri Lanka intends to seek an Indian or Chinese credit line for the purchase of solar panels as a solution to mitigate the high cost of electricity tariffs, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said on Tuesday amid calls by the influential Buddhist clergy to protest against the rising electricity price. We have the problem of foreign exchange, making it difficult to pay for imports. One solution we have to think is to have a credit line from India or China as panels are imported from them," Wijesekara told parliament. In August, Sri Lanka hiked the electricity tariff by an average of 75 per cent, after nine years. The government is facing criticism from the Buddhist clergy, who claim that their monthly bills had reached unbearable levels. The influential Buddhist clergy has called on the public not to pay the electricity bills in protest. Wijesekara said there are over 48,000 consumer connections for religious places. Over 15,000 of them were consuming less than 30 units

Sri Lankan Navy apprehends 8 Indian fishermen near Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram

The Sri Lankan Navy has apprehended 8 Indian fishermen from near here, for alleged maritime boundary violation, officials said on Tuesday. The fishermen hailed from Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu. They were picked up by the Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in that country's waters between Mullaitheevu and Neduntheevu late on Monday, Fisheries officials said. One boat was also detained.