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Power cuts: UNP leader draws govt.’s attention to plight of A/L candidates

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By Saman Indrajith

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday called on the government to heed the impact of ongoing power cuts on children sitting the GCE A/L examination.

Making a special statement in Parliament, the UNP leader said that the ongoing power cuts might have serious negative repercussions on the future of children facing the advanced level examination which was considered to be a major turning point of their lives.

Wickremesinghe said that the power cuts had a serious impact on students and it would reflect on their Z-scores on which their university entrance was determined. There was a possibility that some affected parties would petition the Supreme Court since their fundamental rights were violated. “These students have been inconvenienced due to power cuts and it is not fair for them. They can even file Fundamental Rights petitions. Therefore, it would be better if the power cuts could be prevented until the examination is concluded in March,” Wickremesinghe said.

Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena said his ministry was conducting discussions with the Commissioner General of Examinations, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) and the Ceylon Electricity Board to prevent power cuts until the Advanced Level Examination was concluded. A discussion regarding the matter was held on Tuesday (22) night.

Minister Gunawardena thanked Wickeremsinghe for raising the matter in the House.

“The Education Ministry has commenced discussions with the Commissioner General of Examinations, the PUCSL and the CEB regarding this. One such discussion was held on Tuesday (22) night. We hope to find a favourable solution to this,” he said.

Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said allocating funds to purchase fuel had become a problem to the country at the moment.

He said that the Government had invited foreign ambassadors in Colombo representing countries that produce fuel for a meeting to be held on March 15 to discuss the possibility of purchasing fuel on long-term credit.

Minister Gammanpila said that during an emergency Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday (22) evening, it was thoroughly discussed on increasing the fuel prices and decided not to increase the prices right now. He said that there were no shortages of fuel, medicine and other necessities in the country, but a shortage of US dollars.

“However, the Cabinet decided to release funds to obtain fuel shipments. Following that, payments have been made to three shipments that were berthed at the Colombo Port and fuel stocks from two petrol and diesel shipments are being carried to the land since Monday (21). There is another shipment berthed and we hope the Treasury will release the funds as soon as possible, as agreed at the emergency Cabinet meeting,” he said.

Gammanpila accepted that there was a diesel shortage in the country at the moment. “That is because we had to limit diesel stocks released to the filling stations until finding funds to release the said diesel shipment”, he said.

The Minister pointed out that some filling stations hid petrol and diesel following the statements made by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman that fuel prices would have to be increased by a large margin and price increase of Lanka IOC.

“Sri Lanka has the lowest fuel prices in South Asia. We are ranked 22nd among the countries that supply fuel for lower prices. The other 21 countries produce fuel by themselves on a large-scale.”

Owing to the Russia – Ukraine tensions, fuel prices are expected to increase in the global market in coming days. When we increased fuel price last time on 22 December 2021, a crude oil barrel was priced at USD 72. But now, it has increased to USD 99. It is expected that a crude oil barrel will be priced at USD 115 by March. Therefore, we have invited Ambassadors of the countries that produce fuel for discussions on 15 March, to determine whether it is possible to obtain fuel from their countries on long-term credit, the minister elaborated.



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Presidential secretariat launches initiative to install sanitation facilities at fuel stations under “Clean Sri Lanka”

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In a landmark move to promote public hygiene and accessibility, the Government on Wednesday (14) launched a national-level initiative to install modern sanitation facilities at fuel stations across the country under the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme.

The official launch was held at the Presidential Secretariat, with the participation of top government officials and key industry stakeholders.

The initiative aims to transform fuel stations into clean, safe and inclusive spaces by providing essential sanitation infrastructure accessible to all segments of the public, particularly women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.

An MoU was signed between the Presidential Task Force on Clean Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Energy and the island’s four major fuel providers: Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Lanka IOC PLC (LIOC), Sinopec Energy Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and RM Parks (Pvt) Ltd.

Under the three-year programme, 540 modern public sanitation facilities will be established at selected fuel stations islandwide. The timeline for rollout is as follows:

Company 2025 2026 2027
CPC 25 50 50
LIOC 25 50 40
Sinopec 25 50 75
RM Parks 25 50 75
Total 100 200 240

By the end of 2025, at least 100 of these facilities are expected to be operational, providing clean and user-friendly amenities to travellers across the country.

Speaking at the event, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake stated, “This is not just a policy commitment but a promise to build a healthier, cleaner and more dignified Sri Lanka. The Clean Sri Lanka initiative seeks to deliver long-term public services that meet modern hygiene standards.” He also highlighted that this partnership between the public and private sectors sets an example for delivering effective and sustainable services. Plans are in place to encourage further participation from large-scale private sector entities, such as retail chains, to extend the reach and impact of the programme.

The event was attended by Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, Prof. Udayanga Hemapala; Senior Additional Secretary to the President,  Russell Aponsu; senior executives from the four fuel providers; and officials from the Clean Sri Lanka Presidential Task Force.

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Financial assistance from the President’s Fund for next of kin of victims of the Kotmale bus accident disbursed through Divisional Secretariats

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On the instructions of President Anura Kumara Disanayake, the funds allocated from the President’s Fund for those who lost their lives in the recent bus accident in the Garandiella area, Kotmale have now been forwarded to the relevant Divisional Secretariats.

Accordingly, a sum of Rs. 1 million will be provided to the next of kin of each individual whose life was lost in the accident, and the funds will be handed over to their respective family members.

These funds have been released to the Divisional Secretariats of the following areas—Tissamaharama, Lunugamvehera, Welimada, Haldummulla, Ella, Kundasale, Bamunakotuwa, Paduwasnuwara West, Polpithigama, Wanathawilluwa, Chilaw, Buttala, Thanamalwila, Wellawaya, Kanthale and Rambewa where the 22 individuals who lost their lives in the accident were residents.

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USD 6.9 mn loss due to fertiliser imports: Mahindananda seeks anticipatory bail

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Mahindananda / Shasheendra

Shasheendra, too, is to be questioned soon

Former Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has filed an anticipatory bail application in the Fort Magistrate’s court in a bid to prevent the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) from taking him into custody in connection with the ongoing investigation into the importation of a stock of allegedly substandard organic fertiliser from China during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali has asked the CIABOCt to present its position regarding the issue at hand to the court on May 19.

The CIABOC has asserted that the transaction caused Sri Lanka a loss of USD 6.9 mn.

The CIABOC arrested former Additional Secretary (Development) to the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mahesh Gammanpila on April 28, 2025, over his role in the deal with China’s Qingdao Seawin Biotech in 2021.

At the time Mahesh Gammanpila served as the Secretary to the State Ministry of Agriculture, Shasheendra Rajapaksa had been its Minister. Gammanpila is the current Chief Secretary of the Uva Provincial Council.

Aluthgamage had been the Cabinet Minister at the time the government finalised the questionable deal with the Chinese company.

CIABOC, on May 5, told court that the investigations were continuing and the ministers who decided on the importation of fertiliser from China, too, would be arrested and produced in court.

According to the CIABOC website, Mahesh Gammanpila has caused approximately USD 6.9 million loss to the government by issuing orders to open the suspended Letters of Credit to import the substandard organic fertiliser consignment from Qingdao Seawin Biotech, China, in 2021.

Although Fort Magistrate granted bail to Gammanpila on May 5, he continued to be in remand as he couldn’t meet the bail conditions. The court has also imposed a travel ban on him. (SF)

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