News
Long on promises, but short on delivery: CP slams NPP

…demands explanation over fuel pricing formula, denial of relief to electricity consumers
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Communist Party lawmaker Weerasumana Weerasinghe warned the electorate not to expect the bungling National People’s Power (NPP) government to perform miracles.
Those who overwhelmingly voted for the NPP at the presidential and parliamentary elections must have realized their folly, the ex-Matara district parliamentarian said in a brief interview with The Island yesterday (03).
Having repeatedly promised a range of relief for those who had been struggling to make ends meet due to failures and shortcomings on the part of previous governments, the NPP was pursuing former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s economic strategy to the letter.
Declaring that JVP and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake accepted the IMF-led project that had been finalized during Ranil Wickremesinghe’s presidency, Weerasinghe said the country would be governed in terms of the Economic Transformation Bill endorsed by the previous Parliament.
Weerasinghe insisted that President Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, didn’t even bother to make a genuine effort to revisit the controversial IMF agenda.
Responding to another query, the CP representative said that the vast majority of those who had been elected to Parliament didn’t have any experience in Provincial Councils or Local Government administration. Therefore, in spite of excellent educational and professional qualifications, they may not be able to prudently address multiple and complex challenges faced by the country, Weerasinghe added.
The ex-parliamentarian cited the failure on the part of the NPP government to provide the much-anticipated relief to electricity consumers in terms of a Cabinet decision taken during the previous administration. “The government owes an explanation as to why the Cabinet decision to revise electricity tariff in this quarter didn’t materialize. The public aren’t worried about the ongoing dispute between the CEB and the Public Utilities Commission,” Weerasinghe said, adding that “NPP’s know all big talkers should be ashamed.”
Weerasinghe declared the recent decrease in the price of a litre of Octane 92 petrol from Rs. 311 to 309 exposed the duplicity of the NPP. Having vowed to bring down the price of petrol immediately after the change of government as the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa administration had been engaged in price manipulation for its benefit, the NPP continued with the same, Weerasinghe said. The bottom line is that the NPP was continuing with the same fuel pricing formula that had been practised by the previous government, Weerasinghe said, the way the government handled the issue at hand exposed its duplicitous conduct.
Weerasinghe entered Parliament for the first time at the 2020 General Election. The CP candidate contested the Matara district on the SLPP ticket. However, against the backdrop of the SLPP’s collapse, the CP fielded Weerasinghe on the Sarvajana Balaya ticket this time. That party had to be satisfied with one National List slot.
Weerasinghe said that the CP represented the people without interruption beginning with the State Council in 1931 and then Parliament. “We are out of Parliament for the first time,” Weerasinghe said, alleging that the NPP duped the electorate with what he called a web of lies.
Weerasinghe admitted that there had been a lot of mistakes and shortcomings on the part of previous governments. “There is no point in denying such accusations. But, the NPP exploited such shortcomings and weaknesses to their advantage. Having done so, the NPP is unable to push ahead with its plan because it didn’t have one,” Weerasinghe said.
Their recent declaration that 70,000 mt of naadu rice would be imported to meet the shortfall in the market exposed their duplicity, he said. In the run-up to both the presidential and parliamentary polls, the NPP vowed to cease rice imports except to meet requirements in the tourism sector, Weerasinghe said, noting that he had vast experience at Local Government level for over 20 years before he contested the parliamentary elections in 2024. But, the recent political tsunami had paved the way for newcomers without any experience at all at any level straight to the Cabinet of Ministers, Weerasinghe pointed out.
Commenting on perks and privileges afforded to members of Parliament as alleged by the NPP in the past, Weerasinghe said that the NPP parliamentary group contrary to much touted pledges would receive monthly salaries and whatever the other benefits previously provided.
Weerasinghe said that he honestly believed that the NPP lacked at least a basic plan as to how to overcome the challenge ahead. It wouldn’t be unfair to say the NPP was clueless and never actually contemplated nor realized the difficulties ahead when they promised to restore public faith in the political party system.
The former MP pointed out that praise heaped on President Dissanayake by UNP leader Wickremesinghe at a recent public function also attended by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and former Minister Sagala Ratnayake revealed the unholy alliance. That reflected the actual situation on the ground, Weerasinghe said.
News
Coconut auction volumes down

By Nisheni Atapattu
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s coconut auction volumes dropped to 21,569 nuts, with 89,687 nuts offered, recording an all time low at this week’s auction, Coconut Development Authority data showed.
The auction was conducted at a fixed price of 140,000 rupees for a thousand nuts for the fourth straight week on February 13.
It is uncertain why all the nuts offered were not bought at the auction.
Last week 177,362 nuts were offered, down and 173,007 nuts were sold.
Volumes offered at the auction have moved down after a fixed price of 140 per nut was agreed.
Wholesale prices of a nut were listed at 200-210 rupees for a large nut and 180-190 rupees for a small nut in the local market on January 13.
Coconut oil local wholesale price was 830,000 to 850,000.00 rupees per metric ton.
Coconut shells were 50,000 to 51,000 rupees per metric ton.
Coconut shell charcoal was 178,000 per metric ton.
News
New Catholic Bishop of Mannar to be ordained on Feb 22

by Norman Palihawadane
Episcopal Ordination of Anthonipillai Gananpragasam as the Bishop of Mannar is scheduled to be held next Saturday (22) at 9.30 am at Our Lady of Madhu shrine.
Bishop Anthonipillai was born on July 12, 1965, in Adampan in Mannar diocese and studied philosophy and theology at the Saint Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Jaffna.
He was ordained a priest on April 7, 1994, for the clergy of Mannar.
After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar of Murunkan (1994-1996), secretary to the bishop (1996-1999), parish priest of Cheddikulam (1999-2003), parish priest of Pallimunai (2003-2006), parish priest of Vankalai (2006-2009), rector of the diocesan minor seminary (2014-2018), and parish priest of St. Sebastian Cathedral (2018-2021) and Pesalai (2021-2023).
After obtaining a licentiate in religious education from Fordham University in New York (2010-2014), he attended a course in youth pastoral care in India (2022). Since 2023, he has served as administrator of the Our Lady of Madhu National Shrine in Mannar.
News
SJB’s primary aim is to unite the right in SL: Marikkar

SJB Colombo District MP SM Marikkar says that the primary aim of his party’s discussions with the UNP is to create a united right-wing political platform, bringing together all right-wing forces in the country.
Addressing the media at the SJB headquarters in Colombo last Thursday, Marikkar said that the focus is not simply on forming an alliance, but rather on uniting right-wing ideologies. He noted that divisions within the right-wing political camps have led to approximately 2.5 million people abstaining from voting.
He said that while the SJB is committed to uniting the right-wing, they will not align with corrupt individuals. Even if the SJB faces defeat in elections, Marikkar assured that the party consists of only clean, non-corrupt politicians.
He said that the NPP came to power by capitalizing on public discontent and promising to arrest all corrupt individuals and fraudsters within 24 hours.
However, during the 2015 Yahapalana government, significant relief measures were implemented within just a month, including reduced fuel prices, allowances for pregnant mothers, salary increases for government employees, and lower gas cylinder prices. Genuine promises should result in immediate action upon gaining power, yet the current government is failing to govern effectively and is merely offering excuses.
“Moreover, despite securing a two-thirds majority, the current government is displaying arrogance. Both Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa once held two-thirds majorities, only to be defeated in subsequent elections. While a two-thirds majority can pave the way for long-term success if used wisely, its misuse can lead to inevitable downfall. The people placed great trust in this government, granting it a massive mandate. However, the government is now deceiving the public. We urge the people to remember the promises made during the election and the extent of the mandate they gave, and to vote against this government in the upcoming local government elections,” Marikkar said.
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