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Nearly 350 specialists among over 1,000 docs who migrated since 2022 – Parliament

Published

2 years ago

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Champika

… many face severe difficulties abroad

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on State Financial Strategy (aka Committee on Ways and Means), tasked with inquiring into affected sectors, has revealed that since January 1, 2022, at least 1,198 doctors have migrated.

Among them were 348 specialists, the committee chaired by MP Patali Champika Ranawaka, the leader of Eksath Janaraja Peramuna said.

The Parliament appointed the Sectoral Committee on State financial strategy in late March 2023.

During Dec 13 proceedings of the Committee, involving senior representatives of professional associations, it transpired that over 1,500 doctors, including specialists, had migrated since the onset of the crisis in early 2021.

The Committee was also told of the closure of 20 rural hospitals and the vulnerability of 400 more hospitals and units due to dearth of qualified staff.

Members of the Committee, MPs Ashok Abeysinghe, S.M.M. Musharaff and Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda participated in the proceedings whereas non-members Anupa Pasquel and Dayasiri Jayasekra participated with the permission of the Chairman.

Referring to the banking sector, the Committee said that by June 2023 approximately 1,500 had migrated and by Sept 30, 2023 that figure doubled and the situation would worsen by end of this month.

The Committee and associations reached consensus that the salary issue and the increase in tax burden weren’t the only push factors. They agreed that overall economic vulnerabilities and uncertainty experienced by children contributed to the crisis situation.

During the proceedings, it transpired that some of those who had migrated since 2021 weren’t able to secure suitable employment and are experiencing difficulties today.

The number of CEB engineers who migrated during 2022 was placed near 100.

Professionals associations questioned the rationale in targeting them against the backdrop of the failure on the part of the government to collect taxes, penalties and interest due from various companies and individuals.

They asked whether the government wanted to collect taxes only from those who earned a fixed monthly income.

The Committee was also told how even arrears payments reimbursement of money spent on post graduate degrees, too, were subjected to tax.

At the onset of the proceedings, lawmaker Ranawaka explained measures taken by his Committee to streamline tax collection and instructions and directives issued to Inland Revenue Department, Customs and Excise.

MP Ranawaka told The Island that those responsible for revenue collection seemed to be pursuing their own agenda, regardless of further deterioration of the situation.


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Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts

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6 hours ago

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2026/03/26

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of  Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 25 March 2026, valid for 26 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 provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala 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.

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US dodges question on AKD’s claim SL denied permission for military aircraft to land

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6 hours ago

on

2026/03/26

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President

By Shamindra Ferdinando

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Colombo declared that the United States and Sri Lanka maintain a long-standing defence partnership, grounded in transparency, mutual respect, and shared interests.

The official said so in response to The Island query regarding President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent bombshell disclosure, in Parliament, that his government declined to allow the US Air Force to use the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, following the eruption of the latest West Asia war.

We sought views of the US on President Dissanayake’s claim against the backdrop of Sri Lanka being a party to the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) since 2007. Sri Lanka extended the ACSA in 2017, for another 10-year period, and its extension comes up next year.

The President revealed that the US had requested permission to use Mattala, between 04 and 08 March.

Claiming that the request had been made on 26 February, two days before the war began, President Dissanayake said that the US had sought to land two aircraft, carrying eight anti-ship missiles, but that the request had been turned down to maintain Sri Lanka’s neutrality. The President revealed that the aircraft were to come from a US base in Djibouti.

The US embassy pokesperson explained that questions related to operational movements, including ‘Operation Epic Fury’, should be directed to the Department of War (DOW) in Washington.

Camp Lemonnier is the primary base of operations for US Africa Command in the Horn of Africa. China, too, has its only overseas military base in Djibouti in the vicinity.

Military sources said whatever various interested parties said about US-Sri Lanka relations, the former provided significant intelligence support during last phase of the conflict that enabled the Navy to hunt down floating LTTE arsenals in international waters. Of the eight LTTE vessels sunk, the US backed four hits with specific intelligence, sources said.

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No decrease in remittances from workers due to Gulf conflict, but significant drop in tourist arrivals – CB Governor

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6 hours ago

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2026/03/26

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CBSL Governor

Sri Lanka’s worker remittances had not seen a decrease despite the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Central Bank (CBSL) Governor, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said yesterday.

“Based on currently available data, they have not seen a decline in remittances. In fact, according to that we have observed, is a slight increase in remittances in the past few days, ” the Governor said at a media conference held at the Central Bank head office in Colombo.

Governor Weerasinghe also mentioned that he had not seen any reports about Sri Lankans returning to the country from the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict.

The Central Bank Governor, however, acknowledged that there had been a decrease in tourist arrivals. He confirmed that tourist arrivals had decreased by around 17 percent due to the current volatile situation in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has decided to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at the current level of 7.75%, following its latest Monetary Policy Board meeting.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

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