News

Rajitha says 19A wholly civil society product, vows to save it from SLPP

Published

6 years ago

2020/10/2

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) lawmaker Dr. Rajitha Senaratne early this week revealed that a civil society outfit had prepared the 19th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in 2015.

Dr. Senaratne said that the government had accepted the document handed over by the civil society, the former minister said. The then government readily endorsed the proposals as it didn’t find any fault with them, Dr. Senaratne said.

The revelation was made at a special meeting called by the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) at Hotel Janaki, Colombo 05. Turning towards NMSJ Chief Karu Jayasuriya, who had served as the Speaker at the time Parliament overwhelmingly approved the 19th Amendment; Dr. Senaratne sought the latter’s consent to the contentious statement. Karu Jayasuriya nodded his agreement.

Addressing the gathering after Jayasuriya and SJB General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara vowed to scuttle the 20th Amendment, Dr. Senaratne declared that the 19th Amendment produced by the civil society was the best piece of legislation. The former minister declared that the 17th and then19th Amendment had been enacted for the benefit of the people whereas all other pieces of legislation were meant to strengthen the government or rulers.

The 54-member SJB parliamentary group in parliament is the main Opposition.

Comparing the 17th Amendment enacted in 2001 with the 19th, Dr. Senaratne paid a glowing tribute to the late Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wickrematunga, the then Ravaya Editor Victor Ivan and journalist Waruna Karunatilleke for their role in promoting the 17th Amendment.

Dr. Senaratne also appreciated the role played by the then JVPer Wimal Weerawansa in pushing for the 19th Amendment. Dr. Senaratne attacked the stand taken by the Federation of National Organizations (FNO) as regards the 19th Amendment. Referring to statements attributed to Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera, Dr. Wasantha Bandara and attorney-at-law Kalnananda Thiranagama, Dr. Senaratne questioned their efforts to portray the 19th Amendment as a piece of legislation inimical to the Sri Lankan State or against the Rajapaksas.

Dr. Senaratne lambasted them for following an agenda detrimental to the well-being of the country, in the guise of protecting and promoting so called patriotic interests.

Former Speaker Jayasuriya, in his speech declared that the draft Constitution prepared in 2000 during Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s presidency was the best solution ever agreed by those who represented parliament at that time. Recalling his role as a senior representative of the UNP delegation for talks with Kumaratunga’s People’s Alliance, Jayasuriya said the country wouldn’t have been in a current mess if consensus could be reached on the implementation of the year 2000 proposals.

Jayasuriya said that Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Nimal Siripala de Silva, R. Sampathan, V. Anandasangaree, Dew Gunasekera and Prof. Tissa Vitharana represented respective political parties. Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris coordinated the overall project. However, the process collapsed at the last moment as a result of the PA proposal that the proposed new Constitution would come into effect only after the end of Kumaratunga’s tenure. Recalling the UNP setting fire to the draft Constitution in parliament, Jayasuriya said on the following day he received a call from Kumaratunga who claimed she hadn’t been aware of the controversial clause. The one-time UNP Deputy Leader quoted Kumaratunga as having told him she wasn’t aware who included that line.

Kumaratunga wanted the process to continue, Jayasuriya said, though their efforts failed. Speaking to The Island following the event, Jayasuriya said that UNP and PA subsequently held several rounds of talks at a neutral venue though agreement couldn’t be reached. Responding to a query, Jayasuriya said that two factors primarily contributed to the eventual failure of deliberations. Jayasuriya said that the PA’s demand that in case of Kumaratunga being indisposed, premier Wickremanayake should succeed her and Wickremasinghe’s insistence that the appointment of the cabinet should be his prerogative caused the breakdown.

Jayasuriya said that the government project suffered a setback. The Attorney General, on behalf of the government submitting to the Supreme Court a set of amendments to the 20th Amendment, was a victory for those opposed to the dictatorial move. The AG’s move proved that there hadn’t been proper consultations at least among the government parliamentary group before the draft was sent to the Government Printer.

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Oil price falls back to pre-Iran war levels

Published

8 hours ago

2026/06/25

Priyan

The price of oil has fallen to levels not seen since before the Iran war as traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route gradually resumes.

Global benchmark Brent crude briefly fell below $72.48 (£55) a barrel, the price it was at the day before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, before edging up to $73.23.

Energy prices have been on a wild ride since Iran responded to the strikes by effectively closing the strait, a critical waterway for oil and gas shipments.

The cost of crude has been moving sharply lower since the US and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 17 June which set out a 60-day period for negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme and other measures to end the war.

Representatives from the two sides met in Switzerland last weekend for talks to end the war, which resulted in the US partially lifting sanctions on Iranian oil exports.

The number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz has risen significantly since the MOU was signed, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler.

Its latest data suggests 284 vessels have made the transit from 18 June, the day after the deal was signed, although that is is still well below the pre-conflict average of some 138 crossings each day.

The ships passing through the waterway in recent days include those carrying crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), fertiliser and other goods, Kpler told the BBC.

The US and Iran had also formed a “communication line” to prevent misunderstandings “with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz”, mediators Qatar and Pakistan said in a joint statement on Monday.

There has been a “tremendous shift” with far more ships using the strait in recent days, said Dimitris Maniatis, the chief executive of Marisks, a maritime risk advisory firm working with ships stuck in the region.

A limited number of ships can cross a northern passageway with the permission of Iranian authorities, he said.

The US navy has also provided guidance for vessels to travel through a southern route that is safe from mines and other obstacles that has been laid out since the war, Maniatis said.

But the number of ships crossing the strait is still below levels seen before the war, when it was used by more than 100 ships a day.

Hundreds of ships still appear to be waiting in the Gulf.

A line chart showing how Brent crude oil prices have fluctuated since the USA and Israel attacked Iran on February 28th. The price rose rapidly above $80 from early March and peaked at just below $120 in April. The current rate as of 25 Jun 2026 is back down to below $80, similar to before the Iran war began.

Fuel prices at the pump rose sharply when the Iran war began, and now the focus is on how quickly they will fall.

“On the back of the lowest oil price since before the Iran war started, drivers should see the average price of petrol fall below 150p [a litre] in the next week or so,” said Simon Williams, head of policy at UK motoring group the RAC. He added the price of diesel “ought to go back under 160p.

Petrol peaked at 159.53p a litre on 28 May, according to the RAC, while diesel has fallen from a high of 191.54p on 15 April.

The average price of regular gasoline in the US has dropped to around $3.93 a gallon after reaching $4 a gallon in April, its highest since 2022, but is still well above pre-war levels.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered an investigation into major energy companies, accusing Shell, ExxonMobil and other firms of “gouging” drivers by not reducing fuel prices even as oil costs fell.

“Oil prices have come down so much and we are not seeing anything at the pump by comparison the way they should be,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The American Petroleum Institute, which represents the oil and gas industry in the US, said fuel prices “don’t move in lockstep with crude oil”.

British energy firms have faced similar accusations of unfairly hiking petrol prices since the Iran war.

The UK competition watchdog said last month that there was no widespread evidence of this, adding that average profit margins were “broadly unchanged” between February and March

(BBC)

News

Representatives from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce meet PM

Published

16 hours ago

2026/06/25

Priyan

Representatives from the ’The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce’ met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Wednesday [24th of June] at the Parliament premises.

During the meeting, discussions focused on the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2026 (SLEIS 2026), which is scheduled to be held on 12 and 13 October 2026. Attention was also given to digitalization initiatives, the introduction of digital technologies in schools under new education reforms, and the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sri Lanka’s education sector.

Representatives of the Chamber noted that the summit would serve as an important platform for encouraging both local and foreign investment, while also contributing to the shaping of the country’s future economic policies.

The meeting was attended by Krishan Balendra, Chairman of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce; Vinod Hirdaramani, Deputy Vice Chairman; Shiran Fernando, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer; Aliki Perera, Deputy Secretary General and Chief Operating Officer; and Anagi Rodrigo-Weerasekera, Chief Economist and Head of Economic Intelligence, along with several other representatives.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Progress of Housing Project for Malayagam Community families funded by India reviewed

Published

16 hours ago

2026/06/25

Priyan

A discussion to review the progress of the housing project under which 4,700 houses are being constructed for the Malayagam community with Indian assistance was held this afternoon (24) at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabath Chandrakeerthi.

Under this housing programme, 2,026 houses are to be provided to families identified by the National Building Research Institute (NBRI) as being at disaster risk. The remaining houses are expected to be allocated to eligible workers residing in the plantation sector.

Accordingly, the houses will be provided to Malayagam community families living on estates belonging to 22 Regional Plantation Companies, as well as estates under the State Plantations Corporation, Janawasama and Elkaduwa Plantations.

For the construction of each house, the Government of India has allocated Rs. 2.8 million, while the Government of Sri Lanka has contributed Rs. 400,000.

During the discussion, Chandrakeerthi instructed officials to ensure that the housing project is completed before the end of this year. He further directed that land identified for the construction of houses be released without delay and that the National Building Research Institute provide the necessary reports to identify suitable land for the project.

The housing project is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation and the Plantation Human Development Trust.

Among those present were Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, K. S. Wijayakeerthi; Director General (Engineering), N. D. N. Pushpakumara; Director General (Planning), W. A. K. S. Damayanthi; the Secretary General of the Planters’ Association; and officials from the National Housing Development Authority, the State Engineering Corporation, relevant institutions and plantation companies.

(PMD)