News
Lanka’s ‘Royal’ mess explained by old boy
By NAMAL SUVENDRA
ECONOMYNEXT –The unprecedented economic crisis in Sri Lanka may have its genesis at Royal College Colombo which has produced an impressive list of politicians contributing to the country’s steady decline.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing students at his alma mater this week made an unintended confession that old boys of Royal College were in the forefront of politics for 163 years.
“I have come here to address you at a very difficult time,” Wickremesinghe told students and a small group of past pupils of Royal. “A situation we have not seen in the last 400 years. A complete collapse of the economy.”
He noted that the 1972 republican constitution which shed the country’s secular nature was drafted by old Royalist Colvin R de Silva. It abolished a civil service commission dealing the first blow to the country’s independent civil service commission.His class-mate Junius Jayewardene did one better introducing the 1978 statute, blamed for much of the political, economic and social woes since.
“Royalists have done it so well that no one else can change it,” the 73-year-old Wickremesinghe said referring to his uncle Jayewardene’s constitution.
However, a few minutes after this remark Wickremesinghe appeared to contradict himself, vowing to have a new constitution that will last a century by dumping his uncle’s 1978 statute.
“Today, we are a country which has only Afghanistan below us. We don’t know what the future is. So when we build this future, it’s an economy that must last for 25 years. It must be a new Constitution that must last for 100 years.”
He said Royal College has produced four Prime Ministers and two Presidents. “This is an outstanding record for any school,” he said. Wickremesinghe and his prime minister Dinesh Gunawardena have also set their almost unbreakable record.
Both men have known each other from the age of three years and are from the “Group of 60,” the Form 1 batch of Royal College and were classmates along with the late Anura Bandaranaike, who became Speaker of the House, and a former minister, Malik Samarawickrema.
Wickremesinghe asked present-day Royalists to follow the “oath of the young men of Athens” which required them to ensure a “greater and more beautiful city” for the next generation. It would have been better to ask them to stick with the original “Disce aut discede,” (learn or depart), something the alumni seem to have forgotten.
Latest News
Food Policy and Security Committee recommends importation of rice to ensure an uninterrupted supply
The Food Policy and Security Committee has recommended the importation of rice in the near future to ensure an uninterrupted supply for consumers.
A notable increase in rice prices has been observed in the market, along with reports of shortages of certain rice varieties, despite the current harvest season.
Given this situation, discussions were held regarding the need for the Cabinet to prioritize the maintenance of sufficient stock, through rice imports.
The Committee, chaired by Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha and Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Vasantha Samarasinghe, convened for the fifth time at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (01). The meeting aimed to formulate policy decisions to ensure food security.
During the discussions, it was revealed that due to excessive rainfall this year, crop damage occurred on two occasions, leading to a significant reduction in the expected harvest.
Furthermore, during the meeting it was stated that the improper use of rice for animal feed is another major reason contributing to the rice shortage. As a result, the Committee also focused on the importation of broken rice for animal feed and the use of alternative feeds to mitigate the impact on livestock production.
Accordingly, the Food Policy and Security Committee approved the formation of a Committee, led by the Director General of Agriculture, to oversee the importation of the required quantity of broken rice through proper mechanisms.
Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara, and other members of the Food Policy and Security Committee, including Ministry Secretaries, participated in the discussions.
The People of Myanmar are facing immense hardships caused by the devastating earthquake on 28th March and as reported by the international media reports the death toll is over 2,700. Furthermore, it has been reported that many people are missing while, a large number of individuals have been injured and are receiving treatment.
Considering the long – term close relationship between the two nations as two Buddhist states, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to provide,
• A sum of United States Dollars One Million
• Transportation for the dry rations collected by Buddhist clergy and other donors
• To have a group of medical officers and health staff on standby for immediate departure to Myanmar if necessary
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Cabinet appoints ministerial committee to submit report on sanctions imposed on 04 Sri Lankans by the United Kingdom
Attention of the Cabinet of Ministers have been drawn on the decisions taken by the United Kingdom to impose sanctions on four Sri Lankan individuals recently, and have decided to appoint a committee comprised of three ministers to submit a report with recommendations on the further measures to be taken after studying the facts in the regard and to empower the committee to obtain the service of any officer/intellect deemed to have subject expertise in the relevant field and considered essential.
The committee will comprise of :
– Vijitha Herath Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
– Attorney – at – Law Harshana Nanayakkara Minister of Justice and National Integrity
– Aruna Jayasekara Deputy Minister of Defence
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