News

UNP says govt. will not solve prevailing shortages but made hash of things by using police, tri forces to raid rice mills, warehouses

Published

4 years ago

2021/09/15

Zhang Yingbao, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo handing over a stock of medical equipment to UNP Chairman, former Minister Wajira Abeywardena, at the Embassy. The Chinese government sent the consignment on a request of UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

By Piyasena Dissanayake

Sending police and tri-forces to raid rice mills and warehouses would not solve the prevailing shortages in the market, UNP Chairman and former Minister Wajira Abeywardena said on Monday.

Speaking to journalists outside the Chinese Embassy in Colombo, where the UNP Chairman accepted a stock of medical equipment sent by the Chinese government in response to a request by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Abeywardena said that such raids could be shown on TV, but would not have helped bring down the prices in the market.

“In order to control the market prices the government should work in accordance with a national economic plan, developments in the world market and the decisions and actions of the World Food Programme. Without doing so, the government has no way out of this predicament. It would push further the lives of people into the path of suffering. We can see the situation worsening in the coming days. Raiding and sending flying squads to stores of the leading rice millers is not a solution. It is nothing but an eye-catching pseudo-event enacted to show people that the government is doing something.

“The rice millers were created by the government that came to power after 1994. The governments prior to that had the power to control paddy and rice. The amounts of paddy purchased by the rice millers could be found easily without conducting raids on their warehouses. All you have to see is how much money they had borrowed from leading banks for that purpose. A simple calculation of the amounts borrowed and repayments by those businessmen would show you the amounts of paddy purchased and how much they have in stores. We must understand the fact that we need businessmen. Sending police and tri-forces to their homes and business places will only dishearten them,” the UNP Chairman said.

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Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in northern waters

Published

8 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 01 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan of Kareinagar, Jaffna.

The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the Northern Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Kovilan.

Meanwhile, compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of one Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (11) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.

Latest News

Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

14 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.

The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.

News

CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

16 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.

According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.

Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.

The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.

In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.

The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.

The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.

By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️