News

Administrative Service Association airs its concern about present crisis and proposes reforms

Published

4 years ago

2022/04/19

Text and pictures
by PRIYAN DE SILVA

The Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association (SLASA) yesterday (18) aired its concerns about the present crisis the country is facing and submitted its proposals for the economic and social resurgence to a gathering comprising of clergy, members of Parliament, trade union leaders, officials of non-governmental organisations, the media and its members, at the Mahaweli Centre.

President of SLASA, Rohana de Silva, addressing those present, said that wrong economic and social policies had been the root cause of the present situation and admitted that a number of administrative lapses had aggravated it.

He said that the guidance extended to the lawmakers, both individually, and as a union, from time to time, had had no effect at all. Hence the Association had been compelled to present the proposals to others in the public service and the general public before the ongoing economic crisis worsened.

The SASA President said that since 1972 the public service had become subject to the control of the Cabinet-of-Ministers and the public service had been acting according to the whims and fancies of politicians. He added that it was imperative that the public service be an independent professional service to overcome the present crisis.

Among the changes proposed are that the 19th Amendment to the constitution be reinstated, the staff of the President limited, and a 10-member constitutional council be formed to appoint all independent commissions, including the National Procurement Commission, to limit the number of Ministers to twenty five (25) and the number of Deputy Ministers to be limited to 25, as well.

That all Cabinet papers should be approved by a ‘Policy Council’ comprising of persons competent for policy formulation before they are submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers.

SLASA recommends the introduction of provisions to the constitution to strengthen the Commission to investigate allegations of bribery or corruption. SLASA also recommends that the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Public Enterprise be strengthened further to streamline the control of public finance.

Among the proposals for economic management are the reintroduction of the PAYEE tax system, and that all officers who are subject to pay PAYEE tax should pay it from their salaries and not through their institutions. The reintroduction of the Withholding Tax, immediate suspension of tax exemptions, revision of the qualifying level for payment of Personal Income Tax and Value Added Tax, exemption of corporate income tax to be done under a proper methodology.

Recommendations were also made for the agriculture, education, energy and industry sectors.

Welcoming the proposals submitted by SASA, trade union leaders present aired their displeasure that the SASA had not objected to persons outside the service being appointed to administrative posts. It was also suggested that the members of SASA should refuse to carry out orders given by a government which has not been democratically elected or has lost the trust and mandate of the masses.

NGO head Manjula Gajanayaka, who was in the audience, said that it was an encouraging sign that members of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service had openly voiced their concerns.

Gajanayaka added it was the first occasion that the association had stood by the public.

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Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

5 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.

The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.

News

CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

7 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.

According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.

Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.

The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.

In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.

The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.

The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.

By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️

News

Health Minister sends letter of demand for one billion rupees in damages

Published

7 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

Ondansetron controversy

Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa has sent a letter of demand for Rs. 1 billion in damages from YouTube content creator Dharmasri Kariyawasam, accusing him of disseminating false and defamatory material linking the Minister to the importation of Ondansetron and inciting public unrest.

The notice, sent through the Minister’s lawyers, states that investigations are currently under way into 10 medicines, including Ondansetron Injection, manufactured by India-based Maan Pharmaceutical Limited.

Ondansetron Injection was among nine injectable drugs recently suspended by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) following reports of patients administered with the drug suffering adverse complications.

Despite the ongoing investigations, Kariyawasam allegedly aired a widely viewed programme on his YouTube channel titled “The hidden story of the Indian drug that claimed lives, Mayor Balthazaar’s relative, and Minister Nalinda’s cover-up.”

According to the letter of demand, the programme falsely portrayed Minister Jayatissa as being directly responsible for importing the drug, colluding with the supplier, and attempting to conceal the issue, while depicting him as indifferent to public suffering.

The Minister’s lawyers maintain that these allegations are entirely false and defamatory, citing passages in which Kariyawasam allegedly accused Jayatissa of lying about the supplier, concealing facts related to PTC Medicals (Pvt) Ltd., the actual importer, and showing a lack of concern over deaths purportedly linked to the drug.

The programme also claimed links between the directors of PTC Medicals and family members of Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, implying political favouritism.