News

SJB agrees tough economic reforms a must but insists on cash handouts to poor people

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/26

Thilina Walpola

Party stance to be revealed in parliament on Monday

By Akitha Perera

Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) would reveal on 29 August its stance on the recent price increases , SJB MP Harsha de Silva told the media in Colombo yesterday.

“We are trying to reach a staff level agreement with the IMF and we need to carry out economic reforms. The government is implementing certain reforms. These include the electricity tariff hikes and huge increase in the price of kerosene. How do we view these as an opposition political party and what is our view on the economic reforms? Are we going to criticise the government for everything, or should we start a discussion with the people? We have had a lengthy discussion in the party, and we will reveal our stance at the Parliamentary debate on Monday. We are of the view that economic reforms are a must,” he said.

MP de Silva said there were many problems with the way the government were carrying out the reform process. The burden of reforms was not felt by every alike and the government must give cash handouts to the vulnerable sections of society.

“We are opposed to the price hikes without the cash handouts to the poor. While we support reforms, we insist that the concerns of the poor must be addressed. Reforms can’t be done in a high-handed manner”, he said.

The SJB MP said that an IMF delegation was in Sri Lanka and that the government believed that there would be a staff level agreement by the end of the month. However, the country had not started discussions with the creditors.

“The Central Bank Governor said that these discussions would be held after an IMF agreement. This is problematic. Before we reach a staff level agreement with the IMF, we have to present a plan on how to reduce our debt to sustainable levels. So, I don’t know how we can present such a plan to the IMF without talking to the creditors. I won’t criticise the Central Bank Governor, but, I think if the government is transparent in what is going on, everyone will be happy and there will be more buy-in from the people”, he said.

Meanwhile, MP Eran Wickramaratne said that even the members of the middle class were reeling from high food inflation. He said that Sri Lanka was among the top five countries with the highest food inflation in the world.

“Some reports say six million Sri Lankans have only a single meal a day. The price of food increases on a weekly or even on a daily basis. People are not taking protein, which is vital for our development. Fish and meat are unaffordable”, he said.

MP Wickramaratne said that most people had shifted to kerosene to cook food due to the cooking gas shortage.This was especially seen in urban areas, he said. “Now the price of kerosene, which was 87 rupees is 340 rupees. This has affected the fisheries sector and now the price of fish has increased even more,” he said.

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Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in Mannar seas

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/24

Priyan

During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 22 Feb 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended twelve (12) Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, in the sea area south of Mannar.

The seized boat and the Indian fishermen were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Dikovita for onward legal proceedings.

News

Families of those sentenced to death for killing MP Atukorale seek AKD’s intervention

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

FSL assures legal backing for them

Families of those sentenced to death by the Three-member Gampaha High Trial-at-Bar, over the killing of SLPP MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale, and his police bodyguard, met a senior official of the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday (23), to seek backing for their move to appeal against the verdict.

Having made representations, they addressed the media, outside the Presidential Secretariat, where they declared their intention to move the higher court against the decision.

The SLPP MP and his security officer were killed by an Aragalaya mob on 09 May, 2022, at Nittambuwa. The same day Aragalaya mobs unleashed violence against the then government MPs across the country, torching dozens of their properties.

The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday said that they would help the families of those sentenced to death to move court against the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar decision. Responding to The Island queries, FSP spokesman Pubudu Jayagoda said that their representatives had already met the families and necessary work was being done to move the Supreme Court. Twenty three persons were acquitted and four handed six-month prison terms, suspended for five years

Jayagoda said that one of the HC judges differed in the ruling. Asked whether they received backing from any other political party and groups that had been involved in the 2022 protest campaign to defend those who had been found guilty, Jayagoda said such support was lacking.

The JVP/NPP played a significant role in the violent protest campaign that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down. Pointing out that the Attorney General, too, was appealing against the court decision on the basis that the number of persons sentenced to death should be much higher, Jayagoda said that the Nittambuwa incident couldn’t be examined in isolation without taking into consideration the SLPP goon attack on Galle Face protesters on 09 May, 2022. (SF)

News

OPV leaves Baltimore, expected in Colombo in May

Published

12 hours ago

2026/02/24

Sahan Weerasooriya

SLN officers wave to those on the shore as the newly acquired P 628 departs Baltimore, US (pic courtesy SLN)

Offshore Patrol Vessel P 628 of the Sri Lanka Navy departed Baltimore, USA, for Colombo, on 20 February.

The ex-United States Coast Guard Cutter, USCGC Decisive was officially handed over to the SLN on 02 December, 2025, as the latest addition to the SLN fleet, under the Pennant Number P 628.

Measuring 64 metres in length, this ‘B-Type Reliance Class 210-foot Cutter’ is equipped with advanced technological systems and facilities, capable of conducting extensive surveillance operations spanning up to 6,000 nautical miles per patrol.

The vessel’s voyage to Colombo is historic, possibly marking the longest-ever passage undertaken by a Sri Lanka Navy ship. Covering approximately 14,775 nautical miles, the journey will see the P 628 navigate from Baltimore through the Atlantic Ocean, the Panama Canal (a first for a Sri Lankan naval vessel), the Pacific Ocean, and into the Indian Ocean, via the Straits of Malacca. The ship is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka during the first week of May, 2026.