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

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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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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Monaragala

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The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide  early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Monaragala effective untill 2100hrs on 12th May 2026.

Accordingly,

Level II landslide early warnings have been issued to the divisional secretaries division and surrounding areas of  Passara in the Badulla district.

Level I landslide early warnings  have been issued to the divisional secretaries divisions and surrounding areas of Bandarawela in the Badulla district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Pasbage Korale,  Akurana,  Gangawata Korale,  Panvila,  Yatinuwara,  Ganga Ihala Korale,  Doluwa and  Udapalatha in the Kandy district, Mawanella,  Bulathkohupitiya,  Yatiyanthota,  Aranayaka,  Kegalle and  Rambukkana in the Kegalle district, Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, Rattota, Naula and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district and Badalkumbura and Wellawaya in the Monaragala district.

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Showers about 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, Southern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Trincomalee district.

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WEATHER FORECAST FOR 11 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 11 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

 

The low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around the next 36 hours. Therefore, the prevailing showery conditions over the island are expected to continue during the next few days.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in most parts of the island and Cloudy skies are expected, under the influence of the aforementioned system. Heavy showers about 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, Southern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Treasury theft: Speaker’s conduct brought to IPU’s attention: SJB  

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Dayasiri

SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has sought the intervention of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to pressure the JVP-NPP government to respect the rights of the Opposition.

MP Jayasekera told The Island that they wouldn’t allow the NPP to suppress the truth regarding the theft of Treasury funds amounting to USD 2.5 million. He accused Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne of depriving the Opposition of its legitimate rights, at the behest of the government.

Jayasekera said that the Speaker’s conduct regarding the action taken against Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne, too, had been brought to the notice of IPU and other international associations.

The text of MP Jayasekera’s letter to the Secretary general of IPU: “I respectfully submit this petition seeking the attention and intervention of the Inter-Parliamentary Union concerning a matter affecting parliamentary accountability, the rights of elected representatives, and the proper functioning of constitutional oversight within the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

On 06 May 2026, I Dayasiri Jayasekara MP submitted a formal request to the Hon. Speaker of Parliament seeking permission, under the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act No. 21 of 1953 and Standing Order 29(1), to raise a question of privilege regarding alleged constitutional and parliamentary violations by Mr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury of Sri Lanka.

The proposed privilege motion raised matters including:

1. Alleged violations of Articles 148, 149, and 150 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka concerning parliamentary control over public finance;

2. Alleged failure to report to Parliament concerning a controversial and unlawful transfer of approximately USD 2.5 million from the Treasury;

3. Alleged non-compliance with parliamentary committee procedures under the Standing Orders of Parliament;

4. Questions relating to constitutional eligibility under Article 91(1)(d)(xiii) of the Constitution concerning dual citizenship and qualification to sit and vote in Parliament;

5. A request that the matter be referred to the Parliamentary Ethics and Privileges Committee established under Standing Order 118.

 Despite the seriousness of the constitutional and parliamentary issues raised, the Hon. Speaker declined permission for the privilege issue to be raised in Parliament.

It is respectfully submitted that this refusal has the effect of:

•  Preventing an elected Member of Parliament from exercising his parliamentary oversight function;

• Restricting parliamentary scrutiny over matters involving public finance and constitutional accountability;

•  Undermining the privileges of Members of Parliament to raise matters of urgent public importance;

•  Limiting institutional transparency concerning allegations involving senior state officials.

The right of parliamentarians to raise questions of privilege and matters relating to constitutional governance is an essential component of parliamentary democracy and legislative independence. The refusal to permit even the presentation or preliminary consideration of such a matter raises serious concerns regarding parliamentary accountability mechanisms in Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, I respectfully request that the Inter-Parliamentary Union:

1.Take cognizance of this matter as one affecting the rights and functions of Members of Parliament;

2.Seek clarification from the relevant parliamentary authorities in Sri Lanka regarding the grounds upon which the privilege motion was disallowed;

3.Consider whether the refusal is compatible with internationally recognised principles of parliamentary democracy, accountability, and freedom of parliamentary speech;

4. Encourage the Parliament of Sri Lanka to ensure fair and transparent procedures governing parliamentary privilege motions and constitutional oversight.

I further request that this communication be placed before the appropriate committee or mechanism within the IPU dealing with the rights and duties of parliamentarians.”

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