News

‘Lankan food crisis is taking a turn for the worse’

Published

4 years ago

2022/11/13

More than one half of Sri Lanka’s population, currently making use of food-based coping strategies and livelihood coping strategies since they do not have enough food or money to buy food, are likely to “resort to means that will have a higher negative impact on their medium long-term capacity to generate income,” says a UN report.

The report, titled ‘Sri Lanka: Multi-dimensional crisis -Humanitarian needs and priorities JUNE – DEC 2022’ by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on behalf of Humanitarian Country Team and partners, says that an estimated 13.5 million, or 61.1 per cent of the population, are using food-based coping strategies, and 47.7 per cent of households use livelihood coping strategies.

The food and livelihood coping strategies being adopted in response to the situation by the Lankans include cutting the number of meals consumed in a day, reducing meal sizes, spending savings, and purchasing food on credit, says the report originally published on Nov 8, 2022.

“About 5.3 million people, or 24 per cent of population, are reducing the number of meals, and the same percentage of the population are reducing adults’ consumption so that children can eat, with women being the last to eat in the household. The proportion of households with unacceptable diets is ten times higher compared to the end of 2021. About 8.7 million people in the country are reported as not consuming adequate diets; nearly 32.2 per cent of these households are in urban areas. The livelihood-based coping strategies that households are resorting to include spending savings, selling productive assets, reducing essential healthcare expenses, withdrawing kids from school, buying food on credit, borrowing money or pawning jewels. Once these least severe strategies are exhausted, households would likely resort to means that will have a higher negative impact on their medium long-term capacity to generate income and their food security. Informal income earners, unskilled casual laborers, and those who do not have home gardens or livestock are among the most vulnerable to food insecurity,” says the report.

It says: With the reduction in domestic agricultural production during the Yala 2022 season, the prices of food are expected to increase further and reliance on imported food will intensify. This, in turn, would continue to drive a severe reduction of food availability and food access, with negative effects on food and nutrition security during the upcoming lean season, which starts in October 2022. Unless there is a significant turnaround on field cultivation and intensified agricultural support is mobilized, the upcoming Maha 2022/2023 season will remain a challenge. Without a solid domestic production base, food insecurity will likely continue and those who will suffer the most are the poor and already vulnerable families.

“Prices of most commodities have increased considerably since the end of 2021, and food inflation was measured at 94.9 per cent in September 2022 compared to a year before, a further increase from 93.7 per cent in August. Based on the recently concluded Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission by WFP and FAO, nationally, 6.3 million people, or 28 per cent of the population, are found to be moderately or severely food insecure. Of particular concern are 66,000 people who are severely acute food insecure, 18,000 of whom are living in the estate sector such as tea plantations. In total, 57.1 per cent of severely insecure people in the country are in the estate sector, and 41.6 per cent in the Central Province. Characteristics most strongly associated with moderately food insecure households include female-headed households (at 39.8 per cent), heads of household with no education (at 43.1 per cent), households of Indian Tamil ethnicity (at 50.3 per cent) and beneficiaries of the Samurdi programme (at 41.3 per cent). A slightly different set of characteristics are associated with severe acute food insecurity, which include the estate sector (at 2 per cent), high dependency ratio11 (at 2.3 per cent), “assistance” as the main source of income (at 1.4 per cent) and having at least one member living in the household with a disability12 (at 1.2 per cent).”

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Theft of USD 2.5 mn from Treasury: CoPF accused of complicity in NPP cover-up

Published

18 hours ago

2026/06/15

Thilina Walpola

Harsha rejects what he called frivolous accusations

Chairman of Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) Dr. Harsha de Silva dismissed Free Lawyers’ claim that his Committee had helped delay a proper investigation into the theft of USD 2.5 mn (nearly Rs 1 bn) from the Treasury.

The Colombo District SJB MP said that he wouldn’t comment on frivolous accusations against his Committee. “We conduct ourselves in keeping with the highest standards of professionalism and responsibility.”

Dr. de Silva said so when The Island raised the Free Lawyers’ allegation that the Treasury and the Central Bank were using the CoPF as a tool to prolong investigations into the unprecedented theft of funds. Free Lawyers targeted the CoPF in a statement issued by Maithri Gunaratne, PC, and civil society activist Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon.

The other members of the CoPF are Harshana Rajakaruna (SJB), Ravi Karunanayake (NDF), Nimal Palihena (NPP), Wijesiri Basnayake (NPP), Thilina Samarakoon (NPP), Lakmali Hemachandra (NPP), Chathuranga Abeysinghe (NPP), Kaushalya Ariyaratne (NPP), Akram Ilyas (NPP), Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanikkyam (ITAK), Champika Hettiarachchi (NPP), Sunil Rajapaksha (NPP),

M. K. M. Aslam (NPP), Ajith Agalakada (NPP), Rauff Hakeem (SLMC), Chitral Fernando (SJB) and Nishantha Jayaweera (NPP).

Tennakoon said the theft of funds happened over eight months ago and the Parliament owed the country a clear explanation regarding the disappearance of USD 2.5 mn. The CoPF, instead of expediting the process, has conveniently granted time for those responsible for the loss to cover up their tracks. “Free Lawyers pursue the issue at hand vigorously as we were the first to reveal the loss of USD 2.5 mn. Those who knew it remained silent until our disclosure,” he said, alleging that Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne was yet to respond to their letter regarding the USD 2.5 theft.

Responding to queries, Tennakoon said that political parties represented in the CoPF should be held responsible for the developing situation. “The Committee on Public Accounts Committee (CoPA) headed by SJB MP Kabir Hashim too, should explain its failure to deal with the USD 2.5 mn theft. Both CoPF and CoPA led by two SJB MPs should act now. Dr. de Silva and Hashim are answerable to the public, particularly because they represent the main Opposition.”

The CoPA consists of Kabir Hashim, Maj. Gen. Aruna Jayasekera (NPP), Sugath Thilakaratne (NPP), Anton Jayakody (NPP), Chandana Sooriyaarachchi (NPP), Ruwanthilaka Jayakody (NPP), Nalin Hewage (NPP), Oshani Umanga (NPP), Manjula Suraweera (NPP), Sagarika Athauda (NPP), Janaka Senarathna (NPP), K.Illankumaran (NPP), Dinidu Saman Henanayake (NPP), Susantha Kumara Navaratna (NPP), Lal Premanath (NPP), Aravinda Senarath (NPP), Thushari Jayasinghe (NPP), T. K. Jayasundera, Ajantha Gammeddage (NPP), Sundaralingam Pradeep (NPP), Kavinda Jayawardena (SJB), J.C. Alawathuwala (SJB),Hector Appuhamy (SJB), Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran (ITAK), Chamara Sampath Dassanayake (NDF), Rohitha Abeygunawardena (NDF), M.L.A.M. Hisbullah (SLMC), M.A.M. Thahir (ACMC), Chanaka Madugoda (SLPP) and Sunil Ratnasiri (NPP).

Tennakoon said that both CoPF and CoPA were dominated by the NPP though the SJBers headed them. However, as heads of the two parliamentary committees, Dr. de Silva and Hashim, should be held responsible for lapses on the part of the committees or any deliberate omissions, Tennakoon said, questioning the rationale behind giving the Treasury and the CBSL six weeks to submit their findings to the CoPF.

Free Lawyers alleged that USD 2.5 had been released in spite of JP Morgan Chase and the Federal Reserve in the United States warning Sri Lanka about the suspicious nature of those foreign transactions via SWIFT messages. Tennakoon emphasized investigators should closely inquire into the decision taken to release funds regardless of such high-profile warnings.

Tennakoon said that the integrity of two key parliamentary committees is at stake. The civil society activist said that the country was in a highly critical phase of debt restructuring following a severe economic crisis. Tennakoon pointed out in terms of a condition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan programme, the government’s debt management functions, previously carried out by the CBSL, were recently transferred to a new institution established under the General Treasury—the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO).

by Shamindra Ferdinando

News

Viral diseases on the rise

Published

18 hours ago

2026/06/15

Thilina Walpola

The number of patients hospitalised due to viral illnesses, including dengue fever, had increased significantly, health officials said yesterday, adding that there had been a rise in daily dengue-related admissions.

Acting Director of the National Dengue Control Unit Dr. Kapila Kannangara said Sri Lanka had recorded 41,144 dengue cases as of Saturday (13).

He said more than half of the reported cases—around 51 percent—were from the Western Province.

According to Dr. Kannangara, the number of dengue patients admitted to hospital daily had reached 750, but it had declined to around 630. However, he cautioned that infection levels remained “very high,” despite the slight drop in hospital admissions.

The dengue death toll has risen to 24, prompting several hospitals to issue red alerts amid continued pressure on wards treating incoming patients.

Health officials warned that the situation could worsen if case numbers continued to rise. Dr. Kannangara noted that the growing burden on healthcare facilities could eventually exceed system capacity.

The public has been urged to take preventive measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and to seek prompt medical attention if dengue symptoms develop.

by Chaminda Silva

News

Ranil warns of another economic crisis, calls for Opposition unity

Published

18 hours ago

2026/06/15

Thilina Walpola

Former President and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has warned that Sri Lanka is heading towards a severe economic crisis, alleging that the current administration is steering the country towards “total collapse.”

Addressing a meeting of the UNP Working Committee at the party headquarters on Flower Road on Thursday, Wickremesinghe claimed that the government was facing mounting difficulties on multiple fronts, with the economy continuing to deteriorate.

He also accused the administration of pursuing policies that, he said, marginalised war heroes and Buddhist monks.

Wickremesinghe expressed concern over what he described as an erosion of fundamental and legal rights, citing the arrest and alleged ill-treatment of former State Intelligence Service Chief Suresh Sallay as an example. He said the rising cost of living had emerged as one of the main concerns of the public.

Commenting on the political situation, the former President said the Opposition had not been able to forge unity among the anti-government forces and called for greater coordination among Opposition parties and groups. He advocated a phased mobilisation strategy, beginning at village and electorate level, instead of attempting to address all issues simultaneously.

Wickremesinghe also announced a series of political campaigns and rallies aimed at strengthening the Opposition movement. The programme is scheduled to commence in Kandy this weekend, with subsequent events planned in Kurunegala and Kalutara.

He said the UNP was engaged in discussions with several political parties and organisations, including those led by Minister Jeevan Thondaman, with a view to forming a broader political alliance.Wickremesinghe urged party members to expedite discussions and arrive at a collective decision on the way forward to address the country’s challenges.