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Take from super-rich to come out of economic rut brought about by pandemic, suggests FSP

Published

5 years ago

2021/02/6

By Anuradha Hiripitiyage

The only way out of the economic crisis, brought about by COVID-19, was to use enormous amounts of money and assets that were hoarded by the super-rich, Education Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Pubudu Jayagoda said.

Jayagoda said that it was not only a solution for Sri Lanka but for the entire world.

Sri Lanka needed to change its entire state policy if it wanted to get out of the economic crisis it now faced, he added.

Jayagoda said that the entire state policy was geared to satisfy major companies and powerful individuals and the issues faced by the people were ignored.

“For example, this government reduced the tax imposed on companies by 50% but has increased taxes that affect the average person. This is not something this government alone has done. This is what all governments have done.”

Governments around the world should change their policies so that they could use the assets in the possession of the super-rich, Jayagoda said.

“All the wealth of the super-rich has come from the surplus value created by workers. We need to redistribute that wealth. But the current government policies are aimed at doing the opposite.”

The FSP Education Secretary also said that the spread of COVID-19 was about to spiral out of control. The health sector carried out about 13,000 PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests a day and between 700 and 900 tested positive, which was between 5-6%.

“According to the WHO this is a serious situation. It is true that we can’t keep the country open and protect people but I don’t think letting people die or suffer to keep the economy going is an acceptable solution. We can easily take a fraction of the wealth hoarded by the super-rich and use that to protect the people. But governments around the world are on the side of the rich.”

Jayagoda said that the price of rice were an example of how the powerful businessmen and the government had got together to fleece the average citizen. A kilo of Samba rice was over Rs. 100 and the average price of a kilo of Nadu was about Rs. 96.

“However, the paddy production in 2020 was 1.2 million metric tonnes more than 2019. Surely, this is not a problem of short supply. The prices have increased because the mill owners are manipulating the prices and the government has no distribution mechanism. Other government policies are the same. That’s why we need to overhaul the state policies to come out of the economic rut.”

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INS NIREEKSHAK makes port call in Colombo

Published

7 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

The Indian Navy Ship (INS) NIREEKSHAK arrived in Sri Lanka for Operational Turnaround (OTR) and a training visit on 21 Apr 26.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship at the port of Colombo in accordance with time-honoured naval traditions.

Commanded by, Commander Sailesh Kumar Tyagi, this Diving Support Vessel is set to conduct a training programme with the diving professionals of the Sri Lanka Navy.

The crew is also scheduled to participate in several activities organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit some tourist attractions within the country.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts

Published

9 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities

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Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake

Published

11 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).

The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.

Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:

01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)

02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)

03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)

04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See

05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan

06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait

Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.