News
SJB wants April to Aug.‘unauthorised’ expenditure rectified
By Saman Indrajith
SJB Colombo District MP Harsha de Silva told Parliament yesterday (28) that the government‘s expenditure from April to August without a warrant from the House should be corrected so that such expenditure would not create a precedent.
Participating in the debate on Vote on Account, MP de Silva said: “We have a problem as to how these funds during the said period of time were allotted and spent without the authorisation of the House. The election was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, there were some legal issues concerning obtaining the funds, however, practically the government, we understand, had to obtain funds to fulfill the needs of people. We never questioned it. Now that we have brought the pandemic situation under control, we need to legitimise these expenses. If we make it reasonable, it shall not be a precedent for a future President. We don’t know what kind of Presidents shall be elected in the future.”
MP de Silva criticised the government for obtaining more than a trillion rupees as loans within a short period of six months upon its election. In addition, he said that the Vote on Account and some more outside funding had been requested and that would increase the country’s debt stock.
MP de Silva requested the government to be vigilant when obtaining repo loans against the Treasury bills and bonds in the US Federal Reserve. “I am not saying obtaining loans this way is right or wrong. But as a responsible Opposition, we would like to request the government to be vigilant when obtaining these loans. This facility was introduced for countries affected by the pandemic as a temporary solution.
Now when we issue ISPs in the open market, our sovereignty and jurisdiction are NY Courts. Therefore in case of our inability to repay they can use their jurisdiction or even administration. This government has a great challenge in obtaining loans. If not the above mentioned method, the other way is that the government should obtain loans from the International Monetary Fund. In that case, I would like to ask the government if it is planning to discuss with the IMF. I would also like to ask the government whether it has a plan to meet the debts due in the coming years.”
MP de Silva also requested the government to disclose the balance of the special account recently opened to cater to deposits in any currency such as dollars, yen or other.
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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
The National Building Research Institute [NBRI] has issued Landslide Early Warnings to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura valid upto 0900 AM on 23rd May 2026.
Accordingly,
LEVEL I [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Deraniyagala, Ruwanwella and Dehiowita in the Kegalle district and Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Horana, Bulathsinhala, Ingiriya and Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Pelmadulla, Kiriella, Elapatha, Kalawana and Nivithigala in the Rathnapura district.
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Mirigama and Divulapitiya in the Gampaha district, Agalawatta and Mathugama in the Kalutara district, Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle district and Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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Minor flood situation likely to occur within the next few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River
Based on the heavy rainfall currently being received in the Kalu River Basin and the analysis of water level data recorded at hydrological gauging stations maintained by the Irrigation Department within the Kalu River Basin, it is hereby warned that a Minor Flood Situation is likely to occur within the next
few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River.
The affected areas include the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ratnapura, Kuruwita, Ayagama, Elapatha, Kiriella in Ratnapura District.
The public residing in these areas, as well as motorists and passengers travelling through the affected regions, are strongly requested to act with utmost vigilance and to take all necessary
precautions. Disaster Management Authorities are requested to take necessary actions in this regard.
A considerable rainfall has occurred in the catchment areas of the Aththanagalu Oya Basin as atb5.00 AM today (22).
By analyzing the current rainfall situation and river water levels of Hydrological Stations on the Aththanagalu Oya, there is a possibility of a flood situation occuring in some low lying
areas of the Aththanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys situated in Diwulapitiya, Mirigama, Attanagalla, Mahara, Gampaha, Minuwangoda, Ja-ela, Katana and Wattala Div8sional Secretaries Divisions within next 48 hours.
Owing to this situation, there is a possibility of some of the roads running through these lowlying areas being inundated at some places.
The public residing in these areas, as well as motorists traveling through these regions, are requested to exercise extreme caution regarding this situation.
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Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
Minor flood situation likely to occur within the next few hours in the low-lying floodplain areas of the Kalu River
Flood warning issued to low lying areas of the Aththanagalu Oya and Uruwal Oya valleys
Flood warning issued to low lying areas of the Kelani River valley
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura
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