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SLCPI calls for fair pricing mechanism from new administration

The Sri Lanka Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) has called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister and Minister of Health Dr. Harini Amarasuriya to implement a fair and transparent pricing mechanism that considers foreign exchange fluctuations and streamlines state health sector institutions.
Such a mechanism would bring substantial benefits to the entire population and help salvage the industry, the SLCPI stated in a message congratulating the new administration.
Full text of the SLCPI message: The Sri Lanka Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry extends its warmest congratulations and best wishes to Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the newly elected Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, upon receiving the highest mandate from the people. We also extend our best wishes to Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, the newly appointed Prime Minister, who assumes the Ministry of Health among her other ministerial portfolios.
The pharmaceutical industry is beset by numerous challenges stemming from various political administrations. We fervently hope that the President, who is in constant touch with the masses, will recognize our industry as a key component in providing support to the people of our country. Implementing a fair and transparent pricing mechanism sensitive to foreign exchange fluctuations, along with streamlining state health sector institutions that directly interact with our industry, would benefit the entire population and help revitalize the industry.
The President’s principle of involving the nation’s intelligentsia in future policy planning could foster a thriving local pharmaceutical manufacturing industry that collaborates with importers of high-quality pharmaceuticals to meet the nation’s needs at affordable prices. We assure our steadfast support and complete cooperation in developing a pharmaceutical policy in collaboration with government health administrators and related academic fields. We believe that having a scholar of Dr. Harini Amarasuriya’s stature alongside the President will facilitate his efforts.
We reaffirm our commitment to the well-being of our people during this transitional period and pledge to work tirelessly to fulfill their aspirations through continuous and constructive engagement with the President and the appointed government.
Latest News
Accepting deposits for Local Authorities Election concludes

Accepting deposits from political parties and independent groups who intend to contest the forthcoming Local Authorities Election ended at 12noon today [19].
Deposits were accepted at respective District Secretariats from 3rd March 2025.
The Elections Commission has announced that the deadline for the accepting of nominations for the LA poll is set to conclude at 12:00 noon tomorrow (20).
Latest News
Former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court

It has been reported that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning (19),
The former IGP had been evading arrest after the Matara Magistrate’s court had ordered his arrest regarding a shooting incident that took place in front of the W15 Hotel Pelena, Weligama, Matara, in 2023.
News
Ex-Minister ordered to pay loan interest in arrears for 24 yrs

The government has begun recovering funds obtained by former Lands and Land Development, Environment and Wildlife Resources Minister SM Chandrasena for the Janatha Lanka Chilli Marketing Limited (JLCML), which he headed, Parliament was informed yesterday.
Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation Minister Namal Karunaratne said that as the Chairman of JLCML, Chandrasena had obtained a loan of Rs. 1,275,000 from the Mihintale Govijana Seva Bank in 2001.
The principal of the loan had not been repaid until the end of last year. “After we came to power, we demanded that the loan be settled. Then, we discovered that the interest on the loan had not been paid for the past 24 years, and attempts had been made to have the loan written off. We stopped that and are now in the process of recovering the interest of Rs. 1,975,233 on the loan,” Karunaratne said.
Karunaratne added that JLCML was registered as a company with the Registrar of Companies on March 21, 2001. As Chairman of the company, Chandrasena requested a loan of Rs. 10 million on April 19, 2001, for the purpose of purchasing chillies from farmers in 12 farmer colonies in the Mihintale Agrarian Service area.
The request was approved by the Mihintale Agrarian Service Committee on the same day and referred to the Anuradhapura District Agrarian Operations Committee, which approved it on April 23, 2001. However, the Agriculture Development Commissioner General recommended that a loan of Rs. 1.2 million would suffice for this purpose. JLCML took the loan and failed to repay it until the end of last year. When the matter was raised, the principal was paid, and we are now in the process of recovering the interest that was not paid for the past 24 years,” Karunaratne added.
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