News
Farmers already brainwashed by agrochemical lobby – CEJ

By Rathindra Kuruwita
Over 70% of the artificial fertiliser used by Sri Lankan farmers ended up in water sources, Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) Hemantha Withanage said yesterday.
“Sri Lankan farmers were given a considerable fertiliser subsidy and our farmers use four times the amount of fertiliser used by their regional counterparts. Successive governments have failed to establish a good extension service and farmers now depend on the advice of fertiliser and pesticide sellers. Sometimes they even use several pesticides at once,” Withanage said.
The farmers had been misled because Sri Lankan governments in the last 40 years had allowed the agrochemical industry to formulate our agricultural policies, Withanage said.
“Our farmers use excessive amounts of fertiliser for several reasons. Being exposed to propaganda is one, another serious issue is that tonnes of topsoil per acre, in certain agricultural lands in the central province, is washed away annually. This is because the farmers do not know about soil management,” he said.
Moreover, the hybrid seeds imported from countries, like Malaysia, needed chemical fertilis er. Export crops like tea also needed a lot of fertiliser.
“Making our agricultural organic is not easy or something that can be done overnight. Converting large scale tea plantations into organic farms is exceedingly difficult. In the last 45 years we have used so many toxins, soil in most agricultural zones are infertile. There are no natural bacteria or insects in these soils. It will take some time to restore the soil,” he said.
Withanage said Cuban farmers had told him that it took between three to five years to successfully introduce organic agricultural practices to a farm. The government must also look at restoring the diversity of our seed and plant varieties, the CEJ Executive Director said.
Sri Lanka, which once had 3,000 paddy varieties, 700 banana varieties and 60 kurakkan and gingelly varieties, now was left with only hybrid seeds in abundance, he said.
“We can’t import compost. Alien micro-organisms will enter the country and the impact of these new entrants will have devastating impacts. Importing urban waste is not a good idea because these contain a lot of toxins. We can’t win farmers over to organic agriculture by song and dance, the government has to send instructors who know about organic agricultural methods to farms,” he said.
CEJ Executive Director said that the yahapalana administration spent Rs. 250 million to promote organic agriculture. However, since there was no mechanism to educate and encourage the farmers, people became more skeptical about organic agriculture. The Gotabaya Rajapaksa government should be mindful of it and half-hearted and ill planned initiatives would only make people distance themselves further from organic agricultural practices, he said.
News
Sacked PUCSL Chairman fights back, writes to Prez

By Rathindra Kuruwita
Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) Janaka Ratnayake yesterday wrote to President Wickremesinghe denying all allegations levelled against him.
Earlier in the day, Ratnayake received a note informing of his removal from the PUCSL.
“I write in response to your above captioned letter dated 22 March 2023. At the outset I strongly deny all and singular the several allegations contained against me in your letter under reference,” he said.
The PUCSL Chairman said his letter contained a detailed response..
“I was given an extremely short period of one week, despite the serious consequences that could flow from the misconceived allegations made against me,” Ratnayake said.
He said that the PUCSL was not a rubber stamp for proposals put forward by the Electricity Industry including the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
“But the PUCSL should duly exercise its powers and functions as an independent regulator even when the consequent decision reached by it may be one which is not desired by the CEB or the Government,” he said.
Ratnayake said that the PUCSL acting independently has resulted in the Minister of Power and Energy being unable at times to act at his whim and fancy.
“This appears to have irked the Minister of Power and Energy, and also the President. In May 2022, the secretary to the President had phoned my personal assistant instructing her to “ask the Chairman of the Commission to refrain from making any announcement or statement contradicting the speech made by the Prime Minister.”
News
Singer Sri Lanka bags top awards

Singer Sri Lanka PLC clinched the People’s Brand of the Year and Durable Brand of the Year Awards for the 17th consecutive year at the SLIM-KANTAR Awards held at the Monarch Imperial on 27th March, 2023. Singer Sri Lanka PLC Chairman Mohan Pandithage receiving the award from Chief Guest, Sri Lanka Test Cricket Captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Guest of Honour, Past President-SLIM Kalana Ratnayake at the glittering ceremony. Singer Sri Lanka PLC CEO Mahesh Wijewardene, Marketing Director, Shanil Perera, Marketing Manager, Piyum Jayathilaka and other senior officials were present. Pic by Kamal Bogoda
News
SJB trade unionist calls for significant fuel price reduction

By Shamindra Ferdinando
Convenor of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) trade union wing, Samagi Joint Trade Union Alliance, Ananda Palitha yesterday (28) said that with the appreciation of rupee against the USD and comparatively lower crude prices in the world market, the government could reduce the price of litre of petrol (92 Octane) and diesel by as much as Rs 100 and petrol (95 Octane) by Rs 125.
The trade unionist said that the price of a litre of kerosene, furnace oil and naphtha, too, could be decreased by Rs 100 each.
Responding to The Island queries, the former Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) employee said that fuel prices should be revised as fast as possible for the benefit of the public.
Lanka IOC should follow the new pricing formula, the former UNP trade union leader said, strongly urging the government to re-examine the petroleum sector. It would be pertinent to mention that petroleum and water sectors, too, should be brought under the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in terms of PUC Act No 35 of 2002, Ananda Palitha said.
Former Power and Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said that he was out of the country.
Therefore, I couldn’t comment without studying the latest developments.
Ananda Palitha found fault with political parties represented in parliament for the inordinate delay in fully implementing the Act that was meant to regulate three vital sectors. The PUC received authority to regulate the electricity industry, in terms of Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009, Palitha said. However, respective Acts, pertaining to Petroleum and Water, were yet to be passed by Parliament, the trade union leader said pointing out that the delay on the part of the parliament seemed deliberate.
Asked whether they opposed the further liberalisation of retail market with the entry of more foreign companies, Ananda Palitha said that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government was exploiting the current political-economic-social crisis to advance the original agenda of Wickremesinghe.
“We are facing a frightening situation,” the SJB activist said, urging political parties represented in parliament to review rapid developments taking place. The entry of four foreign entities should be examined against the backdrop of Lanka IOC further expanding its operations here, Ananda Palitha said.
The outspoken trade unionist warned against moves to gradually weaken Sapugaskanda oil refinery to pave the way for increased import of refined products. “The refinery that launched operations in 1969 during Dudley Senbanayake’s era received the attention of President J.R. Jayewardene and Ranasinghe Premadasa. But, since then no President paid attention to the facility,” Ananda Palitha said. Instead of enhancing its capacity, successive governments were working overtime to weaken it for obvious reasons, the trade unionist said.
According to him, all were attacking Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera over the continuing crisis in the petroleum sector. “We should question President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Cabinet-of-Ministers headed by the President and the relevant Sectoral Oversight Committee,” Ananda Palitah said.
Ananda Palitha said that political parties as well as some trade unions should accept responsibility for the pathetic situation in the petroleum sector. For want of a cohesive action plan, politicians and interested parties regardless of on and off setbacks were able to pursue their agendas detrimental to Sri Lanka, he said.
-
Features5 days ago
Happy Birthday dearest Mrs. Peries !
-
News4 days ago
Mano says LG and PC elections equally important
-
News6 days ago
Decorated gunship pilot blacklisted for appearing on political stage
-
News6 days ago
No more selling of Hajj visas, assures Minister
-
Breaking News7 days ago
Property tax to be replaced with Wealth Tax, Gift Tax and Estate Tax – President
-
Sports6 days ago
Sri Lanka’s flawed ODI strategies
-
Features3 days ago
‘A Jaffna-man, an eminent surgeon with an European reputation’
-
News4 days ago
Teacher trade unionist asked to explain how he received salary for 23 years without teaching