News
A working majority in Parliament will not help tackle crisis – Ranil
Urgent action needed to prevent collapse of banking system
By Chaminda Silva
A working majority in Parliament would not help solve the present crisis and therefore the leaders of political parties should not worry about securing 113 seats there, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.
Addressing the UNP’s Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya May Day ceremony at New Town Hall in Colombo Wickremesinghe said that the rulers, instead of worrying to secure numbers in Parliament, must talk to the international community and seek its assistance to get the country out of the present crisis. “Having 113 MPs in Parliament is no longer the solution for the present problem. The country is facing an economic crisis of unprecedented proportion. The national economy has almost collapsed. Agriculture is in death throes without fertilisers. Fishers have no diesel. Many have lost their jobs. Companies are downsizing at the expense of their workers. Some have already been closed down. Thousands of more jobs are likely to be lost. Medium scale enterprises have collapsed and small-scale enterprises are facing the same predicament. The value of money deposited in the banks has been lost by around 50 percent. The value of the savings in the EPF and ETF has decreased by around 50 percent. There are protests and demonstrations all over the country. People are asking the government to go home. The government has lost its mandates received at the 2019 and 2020 elections.
The government is divided on who should go—whether it is the President or the Prime Minister. Priority should be given to solve the economic crisis.
“The prevailing problems cannot be solved by mustering 113 seats in Parliament. The problem, however, could be solved. For that purpose, income taxes have to be increased. Fuel prices and electricity prices would have to be increased. The value of the US dollar which was at Rs. 185 rupees is likely to reach Rs 400. Therefore, the government expenses have to be cut down. In the meantime, the government should talk to the international community to secure its assistance.
“The government should take immediate action to control the prices of essential goods. It should pay attention to saving the banking system from collapse. We saw how the banking sector collapsed in Greece and the same happened in Indonesia in 1998. The government should speak to India, China, Japan and South Korea to seek help,” Wickremesinghe said.
A meeting between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), was held today (21) at the Presidential Secretariat.
During the discussion, Admiral Paparo extended his best wishes to President Disanayake and the new government on their planned initiatives. He also acknowledged Sri Lanka’s continued support in ensuring the security of the Indian Ocean region and maintaining a peaceful maritime environment.
Furthermore, Admiral Paparo reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening the enduring bilateral ties between the two nations and expressed support for Sri Lanka’s new governmental policies.
President Disanayake conveyed his appreciation for the assistance provided by the United States in enhancing human resources within Sri Lanka’s defence sector. The President also acknowledged the longstanding support extended by the U.S. in this regard.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony C. Nelson of the U.S. Army, and Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the United States Indo-Pacific Command David Ranz were also present at the meeting.
SriLankan Airlines has announced that SriLankan Airlines flights UL 503 (Colombo to London Heathrow), scheduled to depart at 12:50 hrs and UL 504 (London Heathrow to Colombo), scheduled to depart at 20:40 hrs today [21 March 2025], have been cancelled.
Passengers requiring assistance are encouraged to contact the SriLankan Airlines Customer Centre at 1979 (within Sri Lanka), +94117 77 1979 (international) or +94744 44 1979 (WhatsApp chat) or reach out to their nearest SriLankan Airlines office or their travel agent.
The United Kingdom’s Heathrow airport has closed until midnight on Friday due to a power outage, throwing the plans of tens of thousands of travellers into chaos.
London’s main airport, which is Europe’s busiest gateway, said on Friday that it had suffered a “significant” power failure due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the facility.
“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March,” Heathrow airport said in a post on X.
“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 said the shutdown would affect “at least” 1,351 flights.
“We’re trying to stop passengers from travelling to the airport, and then work with airline partners on flights that are delayed, diverted, or cancelled,” a Heathrow spokesperson told Al Jazeera. “Passengers can reach out to airline partners to work on rebooking.”
Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull, reporting from London, said the roads leading to the airport were blocked, causing “traffic chaos locally”.
“But local traffic disruption is nothing compared to the air traffic disruptions that will be spreading around the world,” he said.
Heathrow is one of the most globally connected airports and regularly ranks among the top five busiest gateways worldwide.
The airport serves more than 200 destinations in nearly 90 different countries and territories, and last year handled nearly 84 million passengers, the largest number on record.
[Aljazeera]
Commander of USINDOPACOM Admiral Samuel J. Paparo calls on President Dissanayake
IPL 2025: Demerit Points System explained, Pandya’s suspension to continue
Nawaz slams maiden ton as Pakistan chase 205 in 16 overs
-
Foreign News6 days agoSearch continues in Dominican Republic for missing student Sudiksha Konanki
-
Sports4 days agoSri Lanka to compete against USA, Jamaica in relay finals
-
News7 days agoDPMC unveils brand-new Bajaj three-wheeler
-
Features6 days agoThe Royal-Thomian and its Timeless Charm
-
Features6 days ago‘Thomia’: Richard Simon’s Masterpiece
-
Business14 hours agoCargoserv Shipping partners Prima Ceylon & onboards Nestlé Lanka for landmark rail logistics initiative
-
Business4 days agoAffairs of SriLankan Airlines could be turned around using local expertise – former CAA chair
-
Features14 hours agoThe Vaping Veil: Unmasking the dangers of E-Cigarettes