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MONLAR rejects proposed National Agricultural Policy

Published

5 years ago

2021/05/22

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) yesterday alleged that the proposed National Agricultural Policy put forth by the Ministry of Agriculture had failed to address the concerns of Sri Lankan small scale farmers, which amounts to 90% of the country’s food producers.

Moderator of MONLAR, Chinthaka Rajapakshe said that the policy did not focus on livestock development. It was a serious concern as livestock was an important part of agriculture and especially sustainable agriculture.

“In the last few weeks, a high powered committee too had been appointed to transform our economy into a sustainable one. However, the proposed Agricultural Policy has not even made any substantial proposals on sustainable agriculture. This is the problem with our governments, successive regimes have tried to implement mutually exclusive policies at the same time,” Rajapakshe said.

MONLAR believes that any National Agricultural Policy must give priority to addressing issues such as the country’s overdependence on food imports, the dwindling health and nutrition of farmers (for example CKDu, other non-communicable diseases and malnutrition,) high indebtedness and the landlessness, human – wild animal conflict and bad institutional support to farmers. Unfortunately, the proposed National Agricultural Policy has completely ignored these and has proposed market-based mechanisms that will only make matters worse.

“Successive Sri Lankan governments have signed several agreements with the World Trade Organization. These have led to serious issues in the sector. Instead of learning from the past mistakes, the government is planning to sign more bilateral and multilateral agreements that will further challenge the sustainability of Sri Lankan agriculture. However, the proposed National Agricultural Policy does not look at these future challenges,” Rajapakshe said.

Sri Lanka’s National Policy on Climate Change, National Environmental Policy and Strategies, National Wetland Policy and Strategies, Sri Lanka’s Forest Policy and its Land Use Policies should be linked with a successful National Agricultural Policy. However, none of them had been considered when drafting the National Agricultural Policy, he said.

The MONLAR moderator added that “Women play an important role in the production of food by small holders. The role played by the women are important in ensuring regional development, ensuring food sovereignty at the regional level and when disasters strike. Their contribution is also vital for the development of the national economy.

“However, none of our agricultural policies recognize that the woman is an equal partner in agriculture. Thus, they face a lot of discrimination in the policy formulation. There are many land laws that are discriminatory towards women, i.e. land development ordinance. They also face difficulties in accessing agricultural subsidies and insurance schemes. Women in agriculture also find it difficult to access the market and access technologies. Due to the above mentioned factors, women in agriculture face a great deal of difficulties and are vulnerable to various actors. The proposed National Agricultural Policy too suffers from the same weakness,” he said.

The proposed National Agricultural Policy speaks in length about the need for public – private partnerships in agriculture. However, the last four decades show that this approach would not be beneficial to small scale producers, consumers, and our natural resources. By continuing with this same failed policy, the proposed National Agricultural Policy can only make matters worse, he said.

“Most Sri Lankan farmers are indebted. This is an indication of the failure of existing agricultural loan insurance schemes. Leasing and loan schemes have also been used to make the farmer buy agricultural equipment, which are not being used optimally. The proposed National Agricultural Policy has not paid attention to strengthening the economy of small holders that would automatically address the social issues created by indebtedness. Given these MONLAR has no option but to reject this draft policy in whole,” he said.

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Foreign warships commended for their assistance during weather disaster in Sri Lanka

Published

12 hours ago

2026/01/1

Priyan

Highlighting the spirit of global and regional cooperation, the Sri Lanka Navy acknowledged the invaluable support by foreign warships, which had arrived to take part in the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2025, extending much-needed Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, during the recent weather disaster in Sri Lanka.

The IFR 2025 was held off the Galle Face seas, marking the milestone 75^th anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Navy.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya graced the event and received the traditional naval salute from onboard SLNS Gajabahu, as the participating foreign warships paid their honours.

Eight (08) foreign naval warships arrived in Sri Lanka by 27 November to take part in the IFR under the theme “Sailing Strong – Together”. The participating warships included the Bangladesh Navy’s BNS PROTTOY, the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS VIKRANT and INS UDAYGIRI, Iran Navy’s IRIS NAGHDI, the Maldivian Coast Guard’s CGS HURAVEE, the Royal Malaysian Navy’s KD TERENGGANU, Pakistan Navy’s PNS SAIF and Russian Navy’s GREMYASCHCHY.

Due to the disaster-situation triggered by severe weather conditions across the island, foreign warships that arrived for the event were promptly redirected to support humanitarian efforts. Particularly, helicopters deployed from the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS VIKRANT and Pakistan Navy’s PNS SAIF played a praiseworthy role in search and rescue missions for affected communities.

Accordingly, the warships representing each nation joined the IFR, honouring proud maritime traditions and in acknowledgement of Sri Lanka and its Navy. Their participation also reinforced collective cooperation and partnership needed to address non-traditional maritime threats in the region, as well as natural disasters driven by climate change.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to a group of diplomatic officials, present on this occasion, for their support in the disaster relief operations. The officials, who were present on the occasion, represented the High Commissions and Embassies of Bangladesh, India, Iran, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Russia in Sri Lanka.

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I invite you to step into 2026 with renewed energy, hope, and determination – PM

Published

14 hours ago

2026/01/1

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya in her New Year message invited all Sri Lankans to step into 2026 with renewed energy, hope, and determination.

The PM’s New Year message:

“As we move forward to the New Year of 2026, it is timely to reflect on the year 2025 that has passed. The year 2025 can be granted as a year having made a number of decisive and progressive steps with a people oriented government.

I am confident that, within a new political culture, we were able to strengthen transparency in state governance and lay the foundation for an efficient and corruption free public service.

We can be satisfied with the progress achieved in several key areas during 2025, including economic stability, the increasingly positive and optimistic international perception towards our country, the establishment of transparent systems of governance, and the strengthening of the sovereignty of the legislation system.

However, the unfortunate disastrous situation we experienced towards the end of 2025 was a challenging period for our nation. While it deeply moved us all, the spirit of solidarity, compassion, and collectivity shown by Sri Lankans during that difficult situation received admiration across the world.

As we step into the New Year 2026, we hold commitment to overcoming those challenges, healing from the disaster, and restoring the lives and livelihoods that were affected.

Moving forward with the goals such as initiating qualitative and sustainable transformation in the education sector, digitalizing all sectors of the public service, creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, artists, and creators with innovative ideas to rise on the global stage, and building a compassionate, environmentally friendly society free from drugs and harmful substances I would like to remind, at this moment, that the responsibility of rebuilding this nation rests upon the entire nation, together with the government, transcending differences of ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation, and united by a strong Sri Lankan identity.

Transforming all the challenges we experienced in the past year into sources of strength, I invite you to step into 2026 with renewed energy, hope, and determination.

I extend wishes for a victorious New Year filled with peace, happiness, and prosperity.”

News

National Audit Office reveals NHSL lapses

Published

17 hours ago

2026/01/1

Thilina Walpola

Reagent scandal:

Deputy Director of the National Hospital, Dr. Rukshan Bellana, has been interdicted by Health Service Committee (HSC) of the Public Service Commission (PSC) following a preliminary inquiry into several complaints received against him, government sources said.

They said certain matters referred by the Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya, too, had been taken into consideration.

A Health Ministry official said there was no truth in Dr. Bellana’s claim, as reported in the 30th December edition of The Island, that the Health Ministry had sacked him on the approval of the HSC of the PSC over him taking up the massive Rs 900 mn fraud involving the supply of chemical reagents to the laboratory of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) in Colombo, which is the premier hospital in the country.

Sources said that there was absolutely no basis for this allegation. The official said that Dr. Bellana had been interdicted for issuing statements that caused controversy and turmoil among the public. That’s the most serious offence that had been taken into consideration when the decision to interdict him was taken, sources said. “There will be a spate of charges in the charge sheet to be issued soon.”

The interdiction of medical officers could not be carried out by the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, as the Ministry was not vested with disciplinary authority, sources added.

Dr. Bellana said he stood by what he revealed and had evidence to support his claim.

Health Ministry sources acknowledged that the National Audit Office (NAO) on June 6, 2025, had called for information in respect of chemical reagents procured by the National Hospital Colombo NHSL laboratory from 2022 to 2024.

Responding to another query, sources said that a separate investigation by the Internal Audit of the Ministry of Health was on into issues raised by the Audit query pertaining to the lab of the NHSL.

Having pointed out that the government paid Rs. 894,186,168 (2022), Rs. 713,652,615 (2023) and Rs. 936,152,767, totalling Rs 2,543,991,550 for chemical reagents during that period, NAO sought an explanation from the Health Ministry as to how Rs 12,894,697 worth of chemical reagents past expiry dates were found in six laboratories at NHSL during examination carried out on April 7,8,10,21 and 22 in 2025.

The NAO also raised the failure on the part of the relevant authorities to secure the approval of the Medical Supplies Division (MSD) before placing orders with local suppliers for chemical reagents.

The Health Ministry was questioned over the absence of proper stock keeping regarding Rs 2544 mn worth chemical reagents issued to NHSL laboratories. The NAO ascertained that Financial Regulations 751 had been violated. As a result of the absence of credible stock keeping, the NAO hadn’t been able to ascertain whether shelf-life expired chemical reagents were misused, the government authority stated.

The NAO asked for an explanation regarding the payment of Rs 912,838 over the required amount to a local private supplier (NAO named the supplier) for chemical reagents obtained.

In one of the most serious observations, NAO pointed out that shelf-life expired chemical reagents had been used for tests. The NAO raised this while pointing out the Health Ministry violated a key prerequisite in the procurement of chemical reagents that their shelf life should be at least 85% at the time of receiving consignments. Instead, all stocks procured had less than six months shelf life, NAO stated.

NAO declared that some suppliers refrained from mentioning the date of manufacture and the time of expiry.

The above mentioned were some of the issues that had been raised by Audit Superintendent Y.M. Sugathadasa on behalf of the Auditor General who is the head of the NAO. The post of AG remains vacant since December 8, 2025. Earlier incumbent W.P.C. Wickremeratne retired on April 8, 2025 after having served as AG for several years. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Constitutional Council haven’t been able to reach consensus on a permanent appointment yet.

By Shamindra Ferdinando ✍️