News
We can’t change the past’: Harsha
SJB MP Harsha de Silva, speaking about the Chinese investments in Lanka and its relation to the current economic and political crisis during an interview with India Today has said that the only thing left to do is to figure out a way out of the debt trap.
Speaking to India Today, the SJB MP said: “What is done is done. We can’t undo the projects now. What we can do now is to figure out a way to come out of the debt. We have to restructure it and we have to talk to the Chinese and come to a solution.”
For years together, Lanka has been borrowing heavily from other countries due to years of budget shortfalls and trade deficits. The country also saw several infrastructural projects that were built using foreign investments, failing to bring in any revenue. This pushed the country further into debt.
Many of these projects, like the Rajapaksa airport, Hambantota port, a conference hall, the Colombo Lotus tower are funded by China and Chinese businesses and at the same time, these projects now stand as reminders of mismanagement of funds.
The Belt and Road Initiative of the Chinese government has been criticised by several experts around the globe as an initiative that targets vulnerable countries and leads these nations into debt traps.
According to reports, 10 percent of the $51 billion external debt that Sri Lanka owns is to China and it is believed that the amount will be much higher if the loans given to state-owned firms and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka are also considered.
During the Lankan civil war, it was China who lended a helping hand, but this was not just a neighbour helping another neighbour in crisis but a well chalked out strategy to get a strategic upper hand in the Indian ocean region.
This is very clear from the Chinese investments in Hambantota, the home district of the Rajapaksas. The Hambantota sea port, envisaged as one of the world’s busiest east-west shipping lanes, only proved to be a disaster with very few takers. The port project was mired in controversy with allegations of corruption against the Rajapaksa family members. The Rajapaksa airport too failed to generate desired results.
In 2017, Hambantota port was given to a Chinese state-owned company on a 99-year lease as Sri Lankan government was struggling to repay the loans. A port city project being built on 665-acre land, with the aim of becoming a financial hub in the capital of Colombo, is also seen as one which might push the island nation further into debt trouble.
“Some middle ground where we can manage our debt repayment sustainably. We can’t change the past,” Silva said of the many infrastructural projects that failed to bring revenue.
A specialists committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation adhering to the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 29.12.2025 for submitting appropriate recommendations analyzing the provisions of the draft bill formulation in regard to Animal Welfare.
Based on the recommendations of the said Committee, the Legal Draftsman has been instructed at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 18.05.2026 to prepare the final bill on the animal welfare.
Wherefore, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the draft bill and the clearance of the Attorney General has been received in the connection.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to publish the said draft bill in the
Government Gazette Notification and subsequently forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Under the legal provisions for elections in this country since 2004, it is mandatory for voters who come to mark their votes to verify their identity through a valid identity card, and it is also mandatory for all such voters to be marked with an appropriate mark using indelible ink. The dual purpose of these two functions is to prevent a voter from voting more than once in a single election.
It has been observed that having to follow two different
methods at the same time to achieve the same objective hinders the efficiency of the duties performed at the polling stations and also incurs additional costs to the government.
Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate to remove the legal provisions regarding the use of indelible ink and marking the voter with the appropriate mark from all election acts.
Accordingly, the development activities of the province, as well as national security, will benefit. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the
President to take necessary steps to remove the legal provisions
• Section 36 of the presidential Election Act, No 15 of 1981
• Section 38 of the Parliamentary Election Act, No 01 of 1981
• Section 36 of the Provincial Council Election Act, No 02 of 1988
• Section 53 A of the Local Government Elections Ordinance (262 Authority)
• Section 21 of the Referendum Act No 7 of 1981
News
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 24 JUNE 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 24 June 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
Several spells of showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 p.m.
Fairly strong winds about (30-40) kmph can be expectedat times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern 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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Animal Welfare Draft Bill to be Gazetted
Legal provisions on marking voters using indelible ink during elections removed
Showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts
Court vacancy row throws Parliament into turmoil; sittings disrupted
Climate, pollution, forest loss now hitting economy: BASL chief
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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