News
Vehicle importers tell govt. to talk to them before relaxing import restrictions
By Rathindra Kuruwita
President of Vehicle Importer’s Association of Sri Lanka, Indika Sampath Merenchige, on Monday (14) urged the government to have a discussion with them before relaxing restrictions on vehicle imports.
Sri Lanka would relax restrictions on imports of vehicles required for transportation of goods and passengers this week, State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said on Sunday.
“There was a relaxation of vehicle imports in mid-2021 when the government allowed the import of freezer trucks. There was a rush to buy those vehicles, and we overpaid for them at vehicle auctions. A lot of foreign currency went out of the country. We think the government should have spoken to us and come up with some guidelines before allowing imports,” he said.
Merenchige said that there was confusion about whether the government would also allow the import of reconditioned vehicles. “There is a lot of pent-up demand here and people are keen on importing. The price of brand-new vehicles, in Japan, won’t change because of our demand. However, the prices of reconditioned vehicles can fluctuate, based on demand. We must do this systematically to ensure we don’t blow a hole in our economy,” he said.
In 2019, Sri Lanka spent about 815.7 million US dollars on vehicle imports. In 2018, the country spent 1.5 billion dollars on them. Vehicle imports were restricted in March 2020.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
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