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Those who bankrupted country should resign – Eran

Published

4 years ago

2022/03/3

The country has gone bankrupt due to shortages of fuel, electricity and essential commodities as there were no dollars, said SJB MP Eran Wickremaratne.

Addressing the media at the Economic Policy Centre at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, in Colombo, the Member of Parliament also stated as follows: When there is no war or terrorism in the country, there are long queues at petrol stations without diesel. The Central Bank does not have the dollars to bring in fuel from vessels anchored outside the port. But the Central Bank governor is saying there is no shortage of dollars in the country is an irony.

Also, people are suffering from not being able to buy gas, milk powder, wheat flour and other essential commodities. In addition, there has never been a crisis in the history of independent Sri Lanka where people have been left without electricity, for want of diesel to run power plants.

Meanwhile, education of schoolchildren may be disrupted as no arrangements have yet been made to refuel the more than 30,000 school vans and buses carrying children during the second school term starting on the 7th. This is another blow to school education, already affected by Covid-19

Since the government does not have dollars, oil is purchased on a reloading process. Now the country is bankrupt as there is now a dollar shortage event to buy on a reload system.

The Opposition realised from the beginning that this government, which is greedier for power than the country, has no solution to these problems.

Therefore, even though the Opposition told the government to give priority to spending foreign reserves to meet the country’s needs, instead of using it for debt repayments, the government’s priority was to repay the debts on time to its allies who had bought the international sovereign bonds in the secondary market.

Now a situation has arisen where investors do not come forward to buy our international sovereign bonds.

Under this backdrop, the macroeconomic system has become unmanageable and weakening the banking system, and making it vulnerable to external economic pressures as a country.

Wickremaratne stressed that those who are responsible for the collapse of the country’s economic icons, the Central Bank, and the Ministry of Finance, should be removed from their posts and sent home.

“The Central Bank officials instead of discharging their responsibilities of maintaining inflation and financial stability are engaged in having discussions on how to counter the Opposition views on economy.” he said

He added that instead of the influx of foreign investors, due to the current economic situation in Sri Lanka, there is a tendency for local investors to shift their investments to other countries.

He said it was unfortunate that Sri Lankan investors, engaged in the tourism sector, have now shifted their investments to the Maldives as the country did not see any improvement in the aftermath of the Corona epidemic.

The government, which tried to hide behind the corona about the bankruptcy of the country’s economy, is now making use of the Russian war for the same.

There is no response from the responsible parties of the government to the present economic crises. The Minister of Finance does not even come to Parliament to answer questions raised by the Opposition in Parliament.

When asked why he was not coming, it was said that he was preparing to go to India, but it is reported that Basil Rajapaksa has been informed by India not to undertake the visit to India at the moment.

Wickremaratne stressed that the government should give priority to meeting the needs of the people, even by delaying or restructuring the debt-repayment in order to rebuild the country, which was in crisis due to government giving prominence to settle the ISBs which is reported to have been purchased by its cronies in the secondary market aimed at 100 percent profit.

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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

The Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours commencing at 1200hrs today [08]

Accordingly
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy District, Wilgamuwa in the Matale District, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya District.

LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Meegahakiwula, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Lunugala, Badulla, Passara, Uva Paranagama and Hali_Ela in the Badulla District, Ambanganga Korale in the Matale District, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya District.

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Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area

Published

12 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

Deep depression Track. [Source: RSMC]

Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area.
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, Department of Meteorology at 10.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 for the period until 10.30 a.m. 09 January 2026

The depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka has intensified into a deep depression and is centered near latitude 5.4°N and longitude 85.3°E, about 420 km southeast of Pottuvil at 05.30 a.m. today (08th). The above system is currently (10:00 a.m.) located about 300 km southeast of Pottuvil.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards across the southwest Bay of Bengal and cross the Sri Lanka coast between Hambantota and Kalmunai between 5.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday [9th January 2026].

Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, NorthCentral, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance from today (08th).

For the Land area:

DAMAGE EXPECTED:
• Damage to huts, temporary shelters and light structures
• Destroy the roof tops/ sheets etc.
• Damage to power and communication lines.
• Breaking of tree branches and uprooting of large avenue trees.
• Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards.
• Damage to harbor yachts
• Flash flood
• Sea water inundation in low lying areas in the near coast.

Action suggested for the Land area:
• Coastal hutment dwellers are advised to move to safer places. Other people in the affected areas to remain indoors.
• People living in hilly areas (particularly landslide prone areas) and low lying areas in river basins are requested to be vigilant.
• Drivers and people using roads in the hilly areas are requested to be vigilant.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• General public is requested to be vigilant regarding impending extreme weather situation.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
• Requested to be attentive about future advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard.

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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas

Published

18 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 08 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The depression over the Bay of Bengal, located to the southeast of Sri Lanka, was centered near latitude 5.3°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 490 km southeast of Pottuvil, at 11:30 p.m. yesterday (07). It is expected to move west-northwestwards and towards the eastern coast of the island during next 24 hours. This system is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours.

Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva, Central and Southern provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the Island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces. Fairly Heavy showers about (50 – 75) mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island.

Strong winds about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over the Eastern slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo and Monaragala districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.