News

Gammanpila asks govt. to reveal CPC losses since 2008

Published

4 years ago

2022/10/22

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The government must reveal the losses incurred by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) since 2008 due to the prevention of cost-reflective pricing, and tell the people how it planed to recover the losses, former Minister of Energy, and leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU), Udaya Gamnapila, said.Gammanpila said that CPC trade unions alleged that the government could reduce the price of petrol and diesel by Rs. 50 to Rs.100 rupees.

“The government can say they could have reduced more, given the drop in world market prices. However, because the price had not reflected costs since 2008, losses have accumulated. They can say that they want to recover losses. This is a valid argument,” Gammanpila said.On the other hand, Sri Lanka had started paying a premium for fuel in recent months, he said. The premium is the difference between the market oil price and the estimated price a country receives the fuel. This can include insurance and shipping costs, he said.

“Until quite recently, we had paid around 1.5 US dollars a barrel as a premium. Now, we pay 24.5 US dollars a barrel as premium. We don’t carry out competitive bidding. We accept unsolicited proposals. If we are not reducing prices because of these self-inflicted losses, then there is no justification for keeping the prices up.

“When Mangala Samaraweera was the Finance Minister, he introduced a price formula. I wanted to secure his formula and they didn’t give it.”

The PHU leader said he had tried to convince the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration from October 2020, that the country would face a foreign exchange crisis, which would bring about an energy crisis and destroy the economy.

“I kept on warning, but they didn’t care. In June 2021, I increased the price of diesel by seven rupees and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Secretary brought a no-confidence motion against me. Then, we went before the public and warned them that there was a looming foreign exchange crisis and that we needed to reduce consumption and get ready. I presented numbers and evidence. Some ministers then attacked me mercilessly. Minister Johnston Fernando said that Sri Lanka had enough dollars and that Gammanpila was scaring people. I was making mountains out of mole hills, they said. Now, we know who was telling the truth,” he said.The Sri Lankan government was the country’s biggest company, he said. It employed close to 1.5 million people and the annual expenditure amounted to trillions of rupees, Gammanpila said.

“The Cabinet is the board of directors of this company. When it is manned by the least bright people, it is obvious that things will go pear-shaped. I can understand some ministers not seeing the coming crisis. However, when someone warns you about the coming crisis with evidence, and you keep on denying the reality, you shouldn’t be a decisionmaker. Now, I hear Johnston is desperate to come into the Cabinet again and that he is pressuring the President,” he said.

Gammanpila said that from 2021 he had insisted that Sri Lanka must reduce non-essential imports and focus on ensuring a continuous supply of fuel, gas, food and medicine.

“If we can’t ensure a smooth supply of the above-mentioned items, nothing will work. Others MPs, academics and unionists also warned. I wanted to introduce a quota system for fuel in November 2021. I was not the first to suggest this. The then Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara suggested this a few months before. Basil Rajapaksa discarded my proposals. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa removed three He apparently didn’t want people to panic.”

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Related Topics:Basil Gotabaya Udaya Gamnapila

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

50 mins ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

54 mins ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]