News

Tamil parties sceptical of Ranil’s outreach

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/20

Thilina Walpola

Effort lacks sincerity, only to show international community’, contend Tamil MPs

BY MEERA SRINIVASAN

Reaching out to Tamil parties in Parliament on Nov 10, President Ranil Wickremesinghe invited them for a discussion this week, and pledged to resolve their pending issues before the island nation’s 75 th Independence Day falling on February 4, 2023. However Tamil politicians, who are yet to receive a date for the said meeting, are highly sceptical.

Many Sri Lankan leaders have in the past promised, and invariably failed, to deliver a political solution to the island’s Tamil national question. Most recently, the Maithripala Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration, in power between 2015 and 2019, attempted to draft a new constitution but did not complete the task, much to the disappointment of Tamils who backed their government. “Let us all get together and make it a point to solve this problem by our 75th anniversary of Independence. We don’t need others to intervene in our country’s matters. We can solve our issues,” Wickremesinghe told Parliament last week.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the largest grouping of legislators from the north and east, welcomed his call and expressed readiness to “fully cooperate”. TNA Leader and 89-year-old parliamentarian R. Sampanthan, who has been trying to negotiate a constitutional settlement with various Sinhalese leaders for decades, has said that he hopes the President’s pledge is genuine this time. The southern leadership must be prepared to do away with the unitary constitution, former Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran has said, ahead of the possible meeting with the President.

TNA spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran said despite known differences among Tamil parties, the TNA invited them for a discussion this week, “as we all share the objective of achieving meaningful power devolution under a federal set up”. The meeting of Tamil parties did not materialise as planned. “We are hopeful of holding it,” he said, while raising doubts about President Wickremesinghe’s “seriousness”. Sumanthiran said he asked President Wickremesinghe, at the tea party following the Budget on Nov 14, about the said meeting. “The President told me that he was coming to Jaffna in January. When I asked him about this week’s meeting that he had announced, he said that if we wanted, we could meet this week. It [his responses] showed there is no seriousness to do anything in earnest,” the Jaffna MP said.

The need for greater power devolution and a political solution have also been central to Indian engagement in Sri Lanka. In the September session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Indian delegation noted “with concern the lack of measurable progress” by Sri Lanka on their commitments of a political solution to the ethnic issue. India has consistently urged Sri Lanka to “fully implement” the 13th Amendment in the Sri Lankan constitution, even though Tamil parties in Sri Lanka frequently point to its inadequacies.

While sharply critical of the TNA’s positions, Jaffna legislator Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, who leads the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), said the TNA’s recent invitation to other Tamil parties for a discussion was welcome, for it put federalism “back on the agenda”. In his view, even if President Wickremesinghe were to convene the meeting, “there is no point in engaging” unless he openly commits to basing the discussion on a federal constitution.

Recalling a conversation with the President in parliament, Ponnambalam said the President “just rejected federalism”. “So, what are we going to discuss with him? He simply wants to show the world that his government is legitimate, stable, and that he is talking to all actors. He just needs us to be at the negotiating table,” Ponnambalam told The Hindu.

“If he [President] is sincere in his pledge to resolve the Tamil question, federalism should be a pre-condition for these talks. He should be open about it, and not lie to the Sinhalese people.”

Although Ponnambalam did not sound upbeat about the President’s invitation to Tamil parties, he is optimistic that the economic and political crisis this year has presented “a real opportunity for Sri Lanka to soul-search” and decisively address the long-pending concerns of Tamils. “People of the south feel let down. They see that their leaders fought a war in their name, pursued racist policies in their name…and for the first time since 1948 [year of Sri Lankan Independence] they are calling into question all that they have been told by [Sinhalese] leaders. If we can get our act together now as a country, we can certainly set things right,” he said. (The Hindu)

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National SME Strategy Framework 2026 is critical because it brings policy consistency and stability to the sector – PM

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/15

Priyan

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the 2nd day of the dialog on “National SME Strategy Framework 2026” organized by the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development held on Thursday [14th of May].

The official launch of the “National SME Strategy Framework 2026” to empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), was held on Wednesday (13) under the patronage of the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, and Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe.

The Framework has been developed by the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry, with input from the SME Advisory Committee and key system stakeholders in line with the national manifesto of “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.”

This framework creates the opportunity for the entrepreneurs to easily register their businesses, access modern technology, and obtain specialized financial facilities along with the advisory services that directly support the growth of entrepreneurs, departing from the traditional method free of charge.

The second day marks the dialog on the “National SME Strategy Framework 2026” focusing on the discussion into implementation and strategy to action featuring series of panel discussions.

During the event National SME Strategy Framework 2026 was presented to the Prime Minister by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe.

The Prime Minister stated that the country is implementing its transformative agenda during a period of global instability and disruptive global context stressing the importance of adaptation, sustainability and building resilience, particularly within the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector in such context.

Underscoring the importance of the SME policy framework, the Prime Minister further stated that the government’s role is to ensure consistency, stability and collaboration within the sector.

The event was attended by the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Australian Deputy High commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ms. Ruth Baird and Secretary to the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Mrs. J.M. Thilaka Jayasundara and develop and develop partners and representatives from business community.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Opposition accuses govt. of weaponising tax laws

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/15

Thilina Walpola

Sajith

… calls for modernising Inland Revenue Dept.

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday criticised the government’s proposed amendments to the Inland Revenue Act, claiming that a new provision in the draft legislation could unfairly lead to criminal action against ordinary citizens and small business owners over administrative tax-related matters.

In a statement, Premadasa said the public was “not angry about paying taxes” but was frustrated by what he described as unfair treatment under the proposed law.

He alleged that Section 185A of the proposed bill could make delays in filing tax returns or registration-related issues criminal offences, warning that struggling small-scale entrepreneurs could be treated in the same manner as individuals deliberately evading millions of rupees in taxes.

“That is wrong,” the Opposition Leader said.

Premadasa further accused the government of resorting to criminal action against people instead of reforming and modernising the Inland Revenue Department and simplifying tax compliance procedures.

He also questioned the government’s commitment to tackling corruption and financial crimes, asking why stronger measures had not been taken against money laundering, financial fraud and those accused of misappropriating public funds.

“Go after the corrupt. Punish real fraudsters. But do not weaponise the law against the common man,” he said.

Premadasa added that the Opposition would continue to resist legislation that undermined “fairness, proportionality, and the constitutional rights of the people.”

News

Floods, landslides affect 3,475 people

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/15

Thilina Walpola

Adverse weather conditions prevailing across the country have severely affected 3,475 persons belonging to 1,113 families in seven districts, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).The DMC said 1,310 individuals from 489 families had been relocated to eight temporary safety shelters due to the deteriorating weather situation.

The DMC also confirmed one death from the Koralepatthu South area in the Batticaloa District.

As of 10 am yesterday (14), a total of 88 houses and one business establishment had sustained partial damage as a result of the adverse weather conditions.

Authorities have urged the public in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and follow safety instructions issued by disaster management and local officials as heavy rains continue to affect several parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) yesterday extended landslide warnings for several districts across the country due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions.

According to the NBRO, Level 2 landslide warnings have been issued for Neluwa in the Galle District; Agalawatte, Baduraliya, Matugama, Horana and Walallawita in the Kalutara District; and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura District.

Level 1 landslide warnings remain in effect for several areas in the Badulla, Galle, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts.

The warned areas include Bandarawela, Passara and Hali Ela in Badulla; Thawalama, Elpitiya and

Niyagama in Galle; Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in Kalutara; and multiple Divisional Secretariat areas in the Kandy District, including Poojapitiya, Deltota, Udunuwara and Pathahewaheta.

Warnings have also been issued for Bulathkohupitiya, Mawanella, Kegalle, Aranayake, Yatiyanthota, Warakapola and Rambukkana in the Kegalle District; Ridigama in Kurunegala; Rattota, Naula and Ambanganga Korale in Matale; and Wellawaya, Badalkumbura and Bibile in Monaragala.

In the Nuwara Eliya District, the warning covers Norwood, Ambagamuwa Korale and Kotmale, while Eheliyagoda, Kalawana, Kuruwita, Godakawela, Kiriella and Ayagama in the Ratnapura District have also been placed under alert.

The NBRO said the warnings were extended in view of further rainfall forecast by the Department of Meteorology and urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and follow instructions issued by authorities for their safety.

Meanwhile, the water levels in several major river basins that had risen due to recent heavy rainfall are now receding following a decline in rainfall over the past 24 hours, the Department of Irrigation said.

Director of Irrigation (Hydrology and Disaster Management) L.S. Sooriyabandara said water levels in the Nilwala River, Gin Ganga, Kalu Ganga and Attanagalu Oya basins were showing a downward trend as rainfall eased.

He noted that water levels were declining in most areas, with the exception of the Millakanda area in the Kalu Ganga basin.

However, Sooriyabandara warned that the current improvement could be temporary, as the Department of Meteorology has forecast further rain in the coming days.

According to the Department, 18 of the country’s 73 major reservoirs are currently spilling over, while another 18 medium-sized reservoirs are also discharging water.

He stressed that the release of water does not indicate a major flood situation at present, but urged the public to remain vigilant and follow future advisories issued by authorities.

By Norman Paliahwadane and Chaminda Silva