News
Country heading in the opposite direction – UNP
Sri Lanka is travelling back into the stone age while all other countries of the world are moving ahead in technology and science, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said.
He was speaking at a function held on behalf of declaring open the Siyambalapewatte Mithuru Children’s Park which was built with personal funds of Wijewardene and the Biyagama, Siyambalapewatte Village Development Association. Wijewardene said that the problems of the country are aggravating gradually.
He said Power Minister Gamini Lokuge went around giving voice cuts that there would be an uninterrupted power supply, but the CEB was implementing scheduled power cuts.
The UNP deputy leader demanded to know whose words should people believe. “Should we believe the words of the Minister or the CEB? Since the day the Minister was making that promise, power cuts are effected throughout the country, region wise. People are now in the queues to buy candles. The government is ushering this nation towards the stone age it seems,” he said.
“There are shortages of all food items. We have gas, milk powder and kerosene oil queues. The latest is going to be the queue for candles.
“The CEB has obtained the permission of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for power cuts until July this year.
The CEB General Manager has told the media that they have obtained permission but they would not implement power cuts strictly. In the meantime, the Minister says that there would be no power cuts. However, there had been many instances of power cuts during the day time and night time. How can a country go forward in this manner? Will the investors come to a country with scheduled power cuts?” Wijewardene queried.
“People are wondering how they can survive. A situation has arisen where food items cannot be purchased tomorrow for the same price they were bought at today,” he said.
All essential services of the people have collapsed. The CEB says that the reason for this power crisis is that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) not issuing furnace oil for them and that they are forced to impose power cuts. The CPC says they are not releasing furnace oil since payments have not been made for years on behalf of oil issued. The fact that is apparent here is the weak management of the government and due to those problems have arisen in every field of the country.
Several power plants have become inactive. We have doubts whether power plants are even being maintained properly. It has been decided to close the Oil Refinery at Sapugaskanda due to the lack of dollars. It is at this refinery that furnace oil required for power plants are being produced. When that is shut down, there is no way furnace oil can be imported. There are signs of dry weather in the immediate future and as a result we cannot trust in hydropower either,” Wijewardene said.
Chief Incumbent of the Sri Sambodhi Vihara of Siyambalapewatte, Ven Hambegamuwe Sashanasiri Nayaka Thera, Asanka Wijayalath of Siyambalapewatte Rural Development Society, Biyagama Electorate Manager Indrasiri Jayasinghe, Opposition leader of the Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha Prasanna Sampath, Biyagama PS member Mali Algama were also present.
Several ex-Cabinet ministers questioned; Ranil, Sajith, too likely to be summoned
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has initiated an inquiry into the shifting of the Agriculture Ministry situated at Rajamalwatte, to a building belonging to the D. P. Jayasinghe Group of Companies, at Rajagiriya, during the Yahapalana government.
The building was rented for a five-year period at a cost of over Rs 1 bn by the yahapalana government within months after the then President Maithripala Sirisena declared opened the 10-storey building complex.
The CIABOC yesterday morning recorded former yahapalana minister Gayantha Karunatilleke’s statement in connection with the investigation. Later in the day, CIABOC recorded the statement of SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabanadara. Earlier CIABOC summoned former ministers Thalatha Atukorale, Wajira Abeywardena and Lakshman Kiriella. At the time of the finalisation of the deal, KIriella was in the UNP.
Sources said that former PM and President Ranil Wickremesinghe, too, was likely to be questioned in this regard. Responding to The Island queries, sources pointed out even SJB leader Sajith Premadasa was expected to be questioned.
The then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is on record as having said that the building was rented in keeping with a decision taken by the government and not Parliament.
The UNP-SLFP coalition shifted the Agriculture Ministry to accommodate 16 Sectoral Oversight Committees therein.
Although the government paid as much as Rs. 21.5 mn monthly rent to D.P.A. Jayasinghe Company, the Agriculture Ministry failed to move in for over a year. The then Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake sought Cabinet approval on Dec 1, 2015 to rent the building.
According to inquiries conducted earlier by the Presidential Commission appointed to probe state sector corruption, the Agriculture Ministry sought Cabinet approval for a new building after the then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe submitted a cabinet proposal on 21 September, 2015, to use the Agriculture Ministry building for Parliament’s sectoral oversight committees.
PM Wickremesinghe’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake has told the Commission that public funds could have been saved if the several vacant floors of Suhurupaya belonging to the Defence Ministry had been made available to the Agriculture Ministry.
By Shamindra Ferdinando ✍️
Railway sources said that the damages caused to railway tracks could be more than USD 300 mn.
According to UNDP Rapid Crisis Assessment Sri Lanka’s railroad system, over 278 km of railways were exposed to cyclone-related flooding, including 35 railroad bridges nationwide. This figure reflects flooding only, but other hazards (such as localised debris, landslides, or damage to a single bridge) can also disrupt operations, meaning that even relatively small obstructions can render long stretches of railway non-operational. Like road exposure, railway exposure limits mobility and the capacity of affected populations to access key services and infrastructure.
At the level of divisional secretariats, Colombo and Thimbirigasyaya in Colombo District, Ja Ela in Gampaha District, as well as Mannar Town and Nanaddan in Mannar District all registered over 10 km of exposed railways each.
Commissioner-General of Essential Services B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi is on record as having said that only 478 kilometers of Sri Lanka’s 1,593-km railway network were currently usable following extensive damage caused by the recent cyclone.
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker arrived in Colombo yesterday (11) to underscore US interest in defence, trade and maritime security in line with their Indo-Pacific strategy.
The US embassy here issued the following statement: “Under Secretary Hooker will meet with Sri Lankan counterparts to discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, focused on deepening economic and commercial ties, strengthening defence cooperation, and supporting Sri Lanka’s economic and maritime sovereignty.
The United States and Sri Lanka share a strong and enduring partnership rooted in our mutual commitment to regional security, economic growth, and prosperity for our peoples. Through close cooperation on defence, trade, and maritime security, we are working together to advance a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.
As we continue to build on our strategic partnership, the United States also stands with the people of Sri Lanka as they respond to the devastating impacts of Cyclone Ditwah. We remain committed to working together to address both immediate challenges and long-term opportunities for our two nations, reflecting our ongoing commitment to the U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership.”
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