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Herath questions significance of SLPP second convention

Published

2 years ago

2023/12/15

Thilina Walpola

Charitha Herath

‘Pact with Ranil makes whole exercise meaningless’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Dissident SLPP MP Charitha Herath yesterday (14) said that the ruling party would hold its second convention today against the developing crisis that threatened its very existence just eight years after its formation.

The general consensus was that the SLPP was under the thumb of UNP leader and President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Herath said, adding that it was the truth the party did not want to admit, Prof. Peiris said.

Herath said so when The Island asked him how he, as a dissident member of the government, viewed the SLPP’s second convention to be held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium today (15). He compared the SLFP-led 1956 coalition that collapsed in 1959 with the debilitating setback suffered by the SLPP last year. Perhaps, the SLPP should have undertaken a detailed examination of its rapid rise and unprecedented fall within eight years before calling for its second convention, the one-time Media Ministry Secretary said.

Herath is among 12 MPs elected and appointed on the SLPP ticket and National List respectively, who quit the government parliamentary group in July last year. The group included Prof. G.L. Peiris and Dallas Alahapperuma.

Responding to another query, MP Herath said that having secured nearly seven million votes at the last presidential election held in Nov 2019, the SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa failed to capitalise on an excellent opportunity to undertake comprehensive political reforms. Had President Rajapaksa tasked an appropriate team to undertake the project, he wouldn’t have had to face the 2022 public protest campaign that forced him out of office within four months, Prof. Herath said.

Unfortunately, the SLPP for some strange reason still touted 7 mn votes received at the presidential poll and near 2/3 majority secured at the parliamentary election in August 2020, Prof. Herath said. The ground reality is the parliament doesn’t reflect the actual political environment, the MP said, underscoring the irrelevance of the 2019 mandate against the backdrop of the UNP leader exercising the powers of the executive.

Commending Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s 2019 presidential election manifesto, Prof. Herath said that neither the President nor the party at least tried to implement the promises made. Instead, they resorted to strategies that ruined both the government and the country thereby paving the way for Wickremesinghe who couldn’t even retain his Colombo district seat at the last election to gain power, the MP said.

Prof. Herath said that today the SLPP had nothing to offer. Having elected Wickremesinghe as the President, the SLPP, on its own, abolished the right even to talk about the mandates received at 2019 and 2020 national elections. “There is no new narrative, therefore having a second convention is nothing but a meaningless exercise,” Prof. Herath said, asserting that the SLPP was experiencing leadership crisis.

Would the SLPP, too, end up like the UNP and the SLFP, Prof. Herath asked. At the last general election, the UNP was reduced to just one National List MP, whereas the SLFP secured 14 seats out of which only one was elected on the SLFP ticket. That, too, was in Jaffna, the MP said.

The remaining 13, including its leader Maithripala Sirisena entered parliament on the SLPP and today except for a few, others switched their allegiance to Ranil Wickremesinghe, MP Herath said. In spite of boastful claims, the SLPP is in a very bad wicket. A large section of its parliamentary group was most likely to throw its weight behind the UNP leader at the next presidential election, MP Herath said. “The SLPP is aware of that possibility. It doesn’t know how to respond,” Prof. Herath said, drawing public attention to President Wickremesinghe’s refusal to accommodate several SLPP nominees in the cabinet.

The MP said that the SLPP was much weaker after several groups left the parliamentary group. In addition to Prof. Herath’s group, the National Freedom Front (NFF/6 MPs), Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU/1 MP), Yuthukama (1 MP), Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya (1 MP), Democratic Left Front (DLF/1 MP) and four MPs led by Anura Priyadarshana Yapa distanced from the party.

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SJB: China, India taking advantage of Lanka’s unregulated oil market

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

Ananda Palitha

… questions why the price of a by-product like kerosene was jacked up

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) and Indian Oil Corporation Lanka (IOC PLC) have increased the prices of certain products significantly more than the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). However, the fourth player in the market R.M. Parks, a US company in collaboration with Shell that launched operations here in late February last year, has increased its prices in line with Ceypetco.

Convener of the Samagi Joint Trade Union Alliance, Ananda Palitha, yesterday (23) told The Island that foreign players had immensely benefited from the latest price revision at the expense of Sri Lankan consumers.

Alleging that Sinopec and Lanka IOC PLC had become a law unto themselves, Palitha pointed out that the failure on the part of successive governments to establish an Independent Commission and Regulatory Authority for the petroleum sector had allowed Ceypetco and all foreign players to do as they please. Palitha said that in the absence of proper regulatory mechanism, CPC/Energy Ministry should ensure genuine competitiveness in the market.

Palitha said that the NPP government had exploited the ongoing Middle East war to earn unconscionable profits at a time the economy was reeling under the impact of the Hormuz Strait blockade. According to him, all four players increased Auto Diesel by Rs. 79 to Rs. 382 per litre, and Octane 92 Petrol by Rs. 81 to Rs. 398 per litre, while Sinopec and Lanka IOC PLC price list differed in respect of other products. At most filling stations Octane 92 was not available and only higher priced Octane 95 petrol was available.

Pointing out that since the eruption of the Middle East conflict, on 28 February, the NPP had twice increased fuel prices on 09 and 22 March, Palitha said that the government could have cushioned the impact by lowering taxes imposed on crude oil and refined petroleum products. Instead, the latest price revisions resulted in further increase of customs duties, VAT and Port and Airport Development Levy. Additional duties often apply, such as a surcharge tax, on diesel and petrol.

Since the entry of Lanka IOC into the market in 2003, Sinopec in 2023 and R.M. Parks in 2025 eroded the CPC share and, at the moment, it was down to about 57%, and the private players accounted for the rest. Palitha placed the number of filling stations players authorised to operate at Ceypetco (836), Lanka IOC (274) and Sinopec and R.M. Parks 150 each.

Palitha said Lanka IOC has increased Petrol Octane 95 to Rs. 487 a litre whereas the CPC priced the same at Rs. 455) a litre. Lanka IOC and Ceypetco have priced a litre of Super diesel at Rs. 572 and Rs. 443, respectively.

LIOC has also revised its premium fuel categories, with Xtra Premium Petrol priced at Rs. 465, Xtra Mile at Rs. 551, and Xtra Green Diesel at Rs. 588.

Claiming that the government had twice increased the prices of old petroleum stocks, procured at a maximum USD 70 a barrel, weeks, if not months, before the new war, Palitha found fault with the Opposition for not launching a sustained campaign against the exploitation of the public. Palitha said that the increase of a litre of kerosene by Rs. 13 on 09 March and Rs. 60 on 22 March was unjustifiable. “The people do not know that kerosene is a by-product in the process of refining crude oil. Sapugaskanda produces LPG, naphtha, petrol, diesel, kerosene and furnace oil.”

The price of a litre of kerosene to had been increased to Rs 255, Palitha said, adding that it could have been provided to the needy at a much lower rate. If those who represent Parliament bothered to study the issues at hand, they would be able to challenge the government on this disgraceful manipulation of the entire country, he said.

Palitha said that the Parliament owed an explanation as to why the Commission to regulate the oil trade hadn’t been appointed and whether some interested parties financially benefited at the expense of the country.

Palitha said that the introduction of the QR code to control fuel sales and the increase of the fuel quota last Sunday night had been used to deceive the public when those in power and their friends in the industry made money at the expense of the public.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

News

SL to redevelop Trinco tank farm expeditiously

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

Vijitha Herath

Sri Lanka is planning to fast-track the redevelopment of the Trincomalee oil tank farm as a long-term solution to its ongoing energy crisis, with backing from India and the United Arab Emirates, The Hindu has reported.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said the project, which involves restoring World War II-era oil storage facilities in the eastern district, is seen as a “permanent solution” to managing fuel supply challenges.

“Temporary solutions are not sustainable. We need a long-term strategy to deal with oil storage and distribution, given the global energy situation,” he told The Hindu.

The initiative follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2025 between Sri Lanka, India, and the UAE to develop Trincomalee as a regional energy hub.

Despite previous delays spanning decades, the project has gained renewed urgency amid the current global energy crisis, which has disrupted supply chains and driven up fuel costs.

Sri Lanka has already submitted a concept proposal to its partners, while technical aspects are being reviewed by the Energy Ministry before moving to the tender stage, according to the report.

The renewed push also marks a notable policy shift, as the ruling administration, led by the National People’s Power, had previously opposed Indian involvement in the project.

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western, North-central provinces and in Mannar and Vavuniya districts

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/24

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
at 3.30 p.m. on 23 March 2026, valid for 24 March 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western, North-central
provinces and in Mannar and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.