News
Direction Sri Lanka calls for independent National Planning Commission

Civil society grouping Direction Sri Lanka has said that the country required an Independent National Planning Commission.
The following is the text of a statement issued by Direction Sri Lanka: “It is the considered position of Direction Sri Lanka that the neglect of evidence-based national planning in the Country now for over four decades has resulted in a highly distorted, imbalanced and unsustainable economy, leading to the collapse of many industries established after independence, compounded by social polarisation in the key social sectors such as Education, Transportation and Health. As apposite illustrations; • A fairly equitable system of education gave way to an unequal system of education where the well to do moved away their children from public education to private education dominated by private and public schools; • A mostly public transportation system gave way to a polarised system dominated by private vehicles which in turn contributed to a deterioration of public transport services in the Country; These and other changes encouraged many people in all parts of the Country to look for wage employment abroad, particularly in oil-rich Middle Eastern countries. With a widening of the trade gap due to rapidly increasing industrial imports, labour migration soon then became the leading exchange earner for the Country.
Labour migration post – 1977 resulted in labour shortages in vital sectors like agriculture forcing many small holding farmers to abandon labour intensive crop production in rural areas. Large numbers of school leavers also migrated to urban areas as informal sector workers, construction workers and three – wheeler drivers. Meanwhile, the importation of cheap substitutes for local products from many rural industries, eventually led to a decline of these industries. People engaged in such rural production activities eventually moved into other economic pursuits in urban areas. All of the above developments contributed to the loss of the rural – urban balance in population distribution, leading to increasing urbanisation, particularly in the Western Province. Many people migrated to this region not only for earning higher incomes but also to enjoy better amenities and services. Another significant development under post-1977 neo-liberal reforms was the compounding problem of public finance due to low tax regimes that were introduced. State revenue that was as high as 40% of GDP in the early 1970’s came down to about 12% of GDP, making it impossible to maintain a high level of public investment in critical areas such as education, health and public transport. The response of the governments at the time was to invite private sector investment. These investors established private hospitals, international schools and imported all types of vehicles for private transport and the roads were quickly filled with cars and other private vehicles. The rich and the other higher income generators began to use private services, while the poor had to manage with underfunded public services. Meanwhile, there was no diversification of export industries and the foreign income of the Country came from a few exports such as garments and tea. This was grossly inadequate to pay for the rapidly increasing import bill.
The easiest thing for successive governments at the time was to promote the export of labour. Foreign remittances from workers in the Middle East became the largest single exchange earner, reaching about USD 7.5 Billion and covered about 70% of the trade deficit. Tourism was identified as the next foreign exchange earner, reaching approximately USD 5 Billion at its peak. What was worse came soon thereafter, which was borrowing money from foreign sources to invest in projects, several of which subsequently became ‘white elephants’, not generating any return for the investment but adding to the rapidly growing foreign debt burden. With the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and traditional foreign inflows substantially declining, the situation aggravated to where the Government could not even pay for essential imports. To compound matters, the Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa made several policy blunders including the ban on fertiliser imports and drastic reduction of income taxes. As is now well understood, it is the developments outlined above that eventually prepared the ground for the unprecedented economic crisis that Sri Lanka is presently facing. What is clear from the above is that it has been due to a series of public policy failures and the mismanagement of economic and social affairs of the Country for over four decades that led to the present crisis. It is the considered view of Direction Sri Lanka that the absence of a well constituted policy planning body to provide guidance (like the National Planning Council that existed up until 1977 which accommodated the best brains in the relevant fields) and the resultant lack of policy coherence across sectors paved the way for a highly distorted, imbalanced and unsustainable economy and society in Sri Lanka.
In such a context, political leaders and their cronies drawn from their own political circles continued to mismanage the economy and the social sectors leading to the present disastrous situation in the Country. It is in these attendant circumstances that Direction Sri Lanka identifies the urgent need to establish an independent National Planning Commission with necessary legal sanction and adequate empowerment as soon as possible in order to take control over the national policy making process and come up with a recovery plan based on the best evidence available and through objective and unbiased decision making. Direction Sri Lanka calls upon the President, the Government, the Opposition and all Political Parties represented in Parliament to champion the cause of setting up an Independent National Planning Commission (with necessary legal sanction and adequate empowerment) that would be the apex authority in formulating and presenting national policies that would run across all governments and the political divide for a designated period of time.
News
Voter apathy grows as never before: PAFFREL

Public’s interest in the upcoming Provincial Council elections remains low, according to the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL).
PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi told The Island that there was an urgent need to encourage voter participation, noting that a higher voter turnout is essential for a functioning democracy.
Hettiarachchi said that the current level of political campaigning has been relatively subdued, with fewer aggressive or violent activities than seen in previous elections—a trend he described as a positive development.
He, however, stressed that local councils play a vital role in the lives of citizens, from birth- to death-related services, and also contribute to the legislative process. As such, voters must understand their importance and engage in the electoral process.
Despite the peaceful nature of the campaign so far, PAFFREL has received 20 complaints regarding the misuse of state resources and 15 complaints related to physical assaults. Hettiarachchi, however, added that no major incidents have been reported to date.
By Chaminda Silva
News
Many foreign diplomats witness sacred relic exposition on first day

A group of 44 diplomats, including those from Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Netherlands, India, Myanmar, Palestine, France, New Zealand, Cuba, Egypt, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Canada and South Korea, headed to Kandy, by train, yesterday morning, to witness the sacred relic exposition.
The group travelled to Kandy in a special observation saloon of a train that departed from the Colombo Fort Railway Station around 7:00 am.
The ‘Sri Dalada Vandanawa’, a special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, commenced yesterday (18), and will continue till 27 April.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake, along with the ambassadors, high commissioners and other diplomats, participated in the inaugural event.
“This initiative aims to convey a message to Sri Lanka’s friendly nations that the country is recovering economically, overcoming previous challenges, and fostering national harmony. The event also seeks to strengthen international support for Sri Lanka,” the PMD said.
Yesterday (18), on the opening day, the public had the opportunity to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm From today (19) onwards, it will open for public veneration, daily from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm.
News
Ahungalla shooting ordered from Dubai for failure to carry out contract killing

Police investigations have revealed that the shooting of a 27-year-old man in Ahungalla on Thursday night was a revenge attack. The motive is said to be his failure to carry out a contract killing assigned by a prominent underworld gang leader currently hiding in Dubai.
The 27-year-old victim, who was seriously injured in the attack, is currently receiving treatment at the Balapitiya Hospital. Investigations have further revealed that the attack was ordered by an underworld figure, known as “Abrew,” who is reportedly hiding in Dubai.
It has come to light that Abrew had given the young man a contract to kill a rival. However, since the contract was not carried out, the attack is believed to have been an act of retaliation.On the night of 17 April, around 9:48 pm, the young man received a phone call from an individual who instructed him to come and collect a packet of ice (a term commonly used to refer to crystal meth).
Accordingly, the 27-year-old arrived near the Revatha Primary School, in Balapitiya, Ahungalla in a three-wheeler. At that location, a hired gunman, who had arrived in another three-wheeler, fired three shots at him and fled the scene.
Despite being injured by one of the bullets hitting him, the young man managed to reach the Ahungalla Police Station in the same three-wheeler he had come in. Police officers then arranged for him to be admitted to Balapitiya Hospital for treatment.
By Hemantha Randunu
-
Business6 days ago
Members’ Night of the Sri Lanka – Russia Business Council of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
-
Features6 days ago
Liberation Day tariffs chaos could cause permanent damage to US economy, amid global tensions
-
Features6 days ago
Minds and Memories picturing 65 years of Sri Lankan Politics and Society
-
Sports6 days ago
Lankan legends, Modi and the Jaffna dream
-
Opinion6 days ago
End of an Era: Passing away of Raja Uncle (Mr. Rajapaksha)
-
Features6 days ago
Repentance Leads to Passion
-
Features6 days ago
Recollections of two past Aprils
-
News6 days ago
Rs. 200 Bn tutoring industry contributing to teacher shortage crisis