News
SJB MP sees flaws in President’s policy statement
The country had been plunged into darkness with power cuts within four hours of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa vowing to allow the importation of electric vehicles, SJB Matale District MP Rohini Kumari Wijeratne said in Parliament yesterday.
“Since then, we have been experiencing intermittent power cuts daily,” MP Wijeratne said, participating in an adjournment debate on President Rajapaksa’s policy statement on Tuesday to commence a new session of parliament.
“Electricity generation is now hampered. Coals stocks are sufficient for only three months. We have to come to a situation without food, without coal, gas, sugar, coconut oil and fuel, yet there is no lack of boasting,” she said.
MP Wijeratne said that the President in his policy statement missed speaking of the problems faced by the people.
“There are three main problems; the first is the cost of living problem, the second is the collapse of
agriculture and third is the deterioration of democracy and the rule of law. None of these was addressed by the President. After shutting down parliament for more than one month, the President came here to tell us that for the past two years he gave fertilizer free of charge to farmers. Is it true? I am telling you all to go and ask from the farmers whether they received fertilizer free of charge during the past two years. Farmers are on the streets demanding fertilizer. The government decreased importing of fertilizer by May 2020. In many places of the country fertilizer was not available even at the time of the 2020 Maha Season. The President said that he gave a certified price of Rs 50 a kilo of paddy. In Tissamaharama a kilo of paddy is being sold at Rs 110. In Akkaraipattu paddy sold at Rs 95 for a kilo wet weight. These are the results of the agricultural policy of this government. Paddy is being harvested at Ampara these days. The usual experience is that prices of paddy go down when the harvest is coming. But today the prices of paddy are increasing. The President could utter those words in this Parliament complex surrounded by the Diyawanna Lake and his security. I ask him to say the same if possible, during one of his sessions at Gama Samaga Pilisandara so that he would get the right answers from the farmers.
“The President also mentioned 16 crops including green gram, Undu and Cow Pea. These crops are cultivated in lands in the Matale District which I represent. They could not be grown without agrochemicals. Farmers complain that they cannot grow those crops without agrochemicals. We cannot fathom why this government cannot understand these facts.
This government’s agriculture policy is built on three main pillars: fraud, boasting and removing secretaries. The government very soon will establish a record by removing secretaries”, she said.
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.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
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At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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