News
JVP Leader highlights dire situation country is in
by Saman Indrajith
JVP leader Anura Kumara told Parliament yesterday that the time had come for people to cry in unison for the harm inflicted on the nation by rulers, since independence.
Participating in the third reading debate on Budget 2022, Dissanayake asked whether anyone could be proud of the way the country had been ruled so far.
“The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation owes USD 3,400 million to the People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon. What we have is an internationally bankrupt petroleum corporation. The monopoly on petroleum should be in the hands of the state for the sake of national security. Those who call themselves patriots in the government are now trying to break that monopoly. Because of their conduct, the state monopoly on petroleum is in danger,” Dissanayake said.
Dissanayake said that due to the debts of the CPC, stability of BOC and the People’s Bank was also in danger. “These are the burdens on citizens. When opening an LC through BOC and the People’s Bank to import fuel, there should be a three-percent guarantee on the LC from a foreign bank. This is the situation. What are you going to do to solve this crisis? Do you have any plans?” the MP demanded to know.
“A fuel ship arrived in Sri Lanka waters recently and it had to be anchored in the sea for nearly a week because Sri Lanka did not have dollars to pay for the oil. At last, the CBSL had to release USD from foreign reserves. When petrol should be bought on an emergency basis, no one submitted bids. This is the situation. What are you going to do now?”
Not only that, a Cabinet paper was submitted by Minister Udaya Gammanpila to get a loan of USD 2.5 billion from an American Company.
“The interest rate for the loan is three percent while the commission is seven percent. What kind of rubbish is this? According to this, the commission would be USD 175 million. How can the commission be higher than the interest on a loan? What kind of loan is this? Why are you taking loans to pay commissions like this?” the MP queried from the government.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
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