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Crisis: Sabry faults ‘handful of persons’ but won’t accept charge of economic crimes

Published

3 years ago

2022/10/12

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has reiterated that a handful of persons who advised President Gotabaya Rajapaksa caused the unprecedented economic meltdown.

Sabry has alleged that politicians, officials, public sector as well as the trade unions are responsible for the crisis.

The Minister said so in response to ‘Hiru’ anchor Chamuditha Samarawickrema seeking an explanation regarding the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) taking up the contentious issue of economic crimes in Sri Lanka.

In a wide-ranging interview on ‘Salakuna’ on Monday (10), Sabry repeated the accusations that he had made in June in his capacity as the Finance Minister following talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington.

However, Minister Sabry declined to call those responsible ‘economic assassins’ or categorise their actions ‘economic crimes.’ But he acknowledged that as a member of the Cabinet-of-Ministers he had also been named a respondent in Court cases in this regard.

Sabry stressed that he didn’t believe that those who had been blamed for the crisis did so purposely though the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa acted recklessly, on advice received, without taking sufficient safeguards.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is among the parties to move the apex court over the unprecedented financial meltdown.

The panel of interviewers, comprising Chamuditha Samarawickrema, Madushan de Silva and Kalindu Vithanage, repeatedly pointed out that the denial of basic requirements could be considered violation of human rights.

When the panel pointed out that Minister Sabry essentially agreed with the views expressed by the international community, and other interested parties, as regards economic crimes, the lawmaker said that in spite of the deteriorating crisis, still those responsible continued to make promises, at the expense of economic stability. Minister Sabry cited the recent declaration of free mid-day meal as a case in point. Such promises were made without making required financial provisions, the Minister added.

Minister Sabry said that he wouldn’t under any circumstances,defend the indefensible and alleged that the country wouldn’t have been in this mess if not for arrogant conduct of the decision-makers.

Sabry compared how Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy in his capacity as the Governor of the Central Bank (June 2016-Dec. 2019) had successfully handled an impending crisis due to the response of those at the helm following the last presidential election, in Nov. 2019 before it developed into a catastrophe.

The Minister said that as the former Finance Minister he took the responsibility for the declaration of default status by Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe in the second week of April this year. Emphasising that there was absolutely no uncertainty regarding that decision taken, Minister Sabry said that in addition to the Finance Secretary, Mahinda Siriwardana, and Dr. Weerasinghe, the government had consulted a three-member committee of economic and fiscal experts of the Presidential Advisory Group, Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy, Prof. Shanta Devarajan and Dr. Shamini Cooray.

Minister Sabry cited the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) as one of the enterprises that had contributed to the deterioration of the national economy. He explained how the CEB engineers brazenly thwarted attempts to enhance renewable energy capacity on various pretexts. Calling them a Mafia organization, Minister Sabry pointed out how those who had blocked renewable energy projects, approved emergency power purchases, at exorbitant rates. Chamuditha Samarawickrema pointed out that there was no point in making such allegations. The Hiru team stressed the responsibility on the part of the government to address the issue at hand.

Commenting on the latest defeat, suffered by Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, Minister Sabry said that the country was paying a very heavy price for failing to fulfill the promises made by successive governments before the international community.

Declaring that Sri Lanka couldn’t accept hybrid courts to examine accountability issues, Minister Sabry decried the co-sponsorship of the Geneva resolution, in Oct 2015, during the Yahapalana administration. Responding to criticism that only seven countries voted, objecting the resolution moved against Sri Lanka, Minister Sabry said that of the 20 countries that voted against Sri Lanka, many represented the EU. Minister Sabry said that the proponents of the resolution believed they could secure more than 24 votes though ended up with 20.

Sabry reiterated their commitment to do away with the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) perhaps before end of this year to pave the way for a new law, in line with international standards.

Minister Sabry emphasised that the contentious issues of reconciliation and accountability should be addressed with appropriate mechanisms. Success of such projects depend largely on workable mechanisms, not individuals.

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

Published

5 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.

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CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

7 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 ✍️

News

Health Minister sends letter of demand for one billion rupees in damages

Published

7 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

Ondansetron controversy

Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa has sent a letter of demand for Rs. 1 billion in damages from YouTube content creator Dharmasri Kariyawasam, accusing him of disseminating false and defamatory material linking the Minister to the importation of Ondansetron and inciting public unrest.

The notice, sent through the Minister’s lawyers, states that investigations are currently under way into 10 medicines, including Ondansetron Injection, manufactured by India-based Maan Pharmaceutical Limited.

Ondansetron Injection was among nine injectable drugs recently suspended by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) following reports of patients administered with the drug suffering adverse complications.

Despite the ongoing investigations, Kariyawasam allegedly aired a widely viewed programme on his YouTube channel titled “The hidden story of the Indian drug that claimed lives, Mayor Balthazaar’s relative, and Minister Nalinda’s cover-up.”

According to the letter of demand, the programme falsely portrayed Minister Jayatissa as being directly responsible for importing the drug, colluding with the supplier, and attempting to conceal the issue, while depicting him as indifferent to public suffering.

The Minister’s lawyers maintain that these allegations are entirely false and defamatory, citing passages in which Kariyawasam allegedly accused Jayatissa of lying about the supplier, concealing facts related to PTC Medicals (Pvt) Ltd., the actual importer, and showing a lack of concern over deaths purportedly linked to the drug.

The programme also claimed links between the directors of PTC Medicals and family members of Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, implying political favouritism.