News

JVP predicts dark days with shortages and sharp price increases

Published

5 years ago

2021/09/29

Sahan Weerasooriya

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Monday

By Saman Indrajith

The JVP predicts darker days ahead for consumers with sharp increases in rice prices soon.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Monday, party’s General Secretary Tilvin Silva said that there was continuous skyrocketing of prices of essential goods and there were also shortages of many food items. “It is a big joke to expect a dollar-starved government being able to import rice enough to cover the demand. The government may tell people so but the problem is it does not have sufficient dollars to import to replenish markets to bring about price stability. Before speaking of importing rice to control price increases, the government has to solve its forex crisis,” Silva said.

He said that people fear long queues at retail stores soon if the trend continued further. “The government does not have policies to run the economy and has resorted to experimentation. It banned import of many items, including food, turmeric and chemical fertiliser telling people that it would encourage local farmers and organic farming. Their bans created more problems than solving any. It was an urgent and not well-planned import ban. It could not halt the problem of forex-outflow, but resulted in creating multiple crises at different levels, from the farm to the food table,” Silva said.

The JVP general secretary said that rice prices would increase sharply in the coming weeks and months. “Farmers do not have fertiliser to cultivate for the Maha season. No agrochemicals are available. Therefore it is clear that there will be a poor harvest and resultant shortage of rice followed by price increases. Some Ministers boasted that they will allow rice imports to control such price increases. The government has no dollars to import oil or at least to get the goods stuck in the harbour cleared. Some other ministers speak of promoting local agriculture and industries to cut down dependency on foreign products. Some of them have been harping to the same tune that milk powder is not healthy. But none of them speak of a plan to promote fresh milk among people. The same government that says milk-powder is not good for health opens liquor shops even though there is a lockdown,” Silva said.

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News

Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted

Published

4 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.

Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.

Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.

News

Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed

Published

4 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.

It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.

Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.

Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions

• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981

News

Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts

Published

4 hours ago

2026/06/24

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.

Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.

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