News
‘Crisis not solely due to pandemic’
BY Saman Indrajith
The failure of the government to solve problems facing the people was not solely due to the inabilities of the incumbent president, but also because of the failures of those surrounding him, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissnayake said yesterday.
Speaking at a meeting held at the Solis Hall, in Pitakotte, the JVP leader said the SLPP’s mammoth victory at the last presidential election and two-third majority at the general election subsequently were due to the people’s trust in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and the utter incompetence of the government from 2015 to 2019.
“However, one and a half years on, the people have realised they made a mistake and their hopes will not be realised under this government. Public outcry against the government is increasing because of the frustration caused by the failure of the government. The failure of the government is mainly due to the economic and political policies the country has followed for a long time. The current dispensation has aggravated the situation. Under these political and economic policies the people of this country have no future. We are heading towards the biggest ever economic crisis of this country. The Treasury is almost bankrupt and the total government revenue is not sufficient even for the settlement of loan installments. The government is printing money apace. It is said that the government after coming to power has printed over one trillion rupees. On a day of this week over 200 billion rupees have been printed,” Dissanayake said.
He said that the government was now seeking loans from China, India and even Bangladesh. “In the face of this crisis, the government has to either borrow for high interest rates or to sell off remaining national assets. Apart from this economic crisis, there are many social problems. There is a bleak future and we must come up with a plan to steer this nation out of this quagmire,” he said.
General Secretary of the United Left Front, senior lawyer Lal Wijenayake said: “The current crisis is not solely due to the pandemic. This is the result of the total sum of actions by the governments of the past 73 years and their economic and political policies. We must change these policies. We must make a course correction. In order to do so we need leaders who are willing to change the policies of governing the country. Socio-economic problems have created a social crisis and in the meantime corruption is increasing. People have lost faith in this system.
NPP MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said: “People have been duped continuously by the rulers. They got the votes of people by promising good governance in 2015 and today people abhor those concepts of good governance. In 2019, the people were promised national security, and today we do not see such a thing in existence. This is what has happened in this country for the past 73 years. We must stop repeating the same mistakes.
Prof Hiniduma Sunil Senevi of the Sabaragamuwa University said: “Since 1948 this country has been ruled by green and blue parties alternately but people have not gained anything except have lost their independence, dignity and rights. There is an agitation countrywide coming out of the frustration of people.
Prof Liyanage Amarakeerthi of the Peradeniya University also addressed the meeting.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a high-level dialogue titled “Tourism as Soft Power and Diplomatic Capital” held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin Davos, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on January 20.
The session explored how tourism functions as a strategic instrument of diplomacy by strengthening international trust, cultural exchange, and regional cooperation through mobility and people-to-people engagement. The Prime Minister shared the panel with Mr. Kuban Omiraliyev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States and Mr. Meshari Alnahar – CEO Aseer Investment Company, Saudi Arabia.
Addressing global trends, the Prime Minister emphasized that Sri Lanka is an example of hope, recovery and resilience in a world of conflict demonstrating how tourism can play a critical role in a changing global environment particularly amid climate shocks, geopolitical instability, and uneven economic recovery. She noted that tourism is not only an economic sector but also a vital diplomatic bridge that supports livelihoods, builds relationships and connects people.
Drawing on Sri Lanka’s recent experience, she highlighted the country’s strong tourism recovery despite multiple crises, including the impact of Cyclone Ditwah. Transparent crisis management and strategic engagement with international partners helped sustain visitor confidence, resulting in record tourist arrivals even in challenging circumstances.
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of green and climate friendly tourism infrastructure and underlined that Sri Lanka welcomes long term investment in tourism. She pointed out that tourism supports millions of jobs worldwide and that inclusive policies are essential to ensure fair opportunities, particularly for women and vulnerable communities.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 20 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized two (02) Indian fishing boats and apprehended seven (07) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan, Jaffna.
The seized boats and Indian fishermen was to be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a series of high-level bilateral meetings on January 20 on the sidelines of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
The Prime Minister attended a productive bilateral meeting with Mr. Jozef Síkela, European Commissioner for International Partnerships. During the discussion, both sides focused on strengthening Sri Lanka–EU cooperation and advancing mutual interests.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya also met with Mr. Masato Kanda, President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), at the WEF Congress Centre. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing engagement and future collaboration between Sri Lanka and the ADB.
In addition, the Prime Minister held discussions with Mr. Hassan El Houry, Chairman of Menzies Aviation, where opportunities for collaboration in aviation services and connectivity were explored.
The Prime Minister also participated in a high-level dialogue at the Global Tourism Forum held at the Euronews Hub, Piz Buin, Davos, as part of the World Economic Forum engagements.
Dr. Anil Jayantha, Minister of Labour, and the Deputy Minister of Finance were also present at these meetings.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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