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Friday March 31st, 2023

Classist, aristocratic cabal in Sri Lanka conspiring to prevent Premadasa presidency: MP

ECONOMYNEXT – Classists and ‘radalawaadin’ (backers of aristocracy) in different camps have teamed up to prevent Sri Lanka opposition leader Sajith Premadasa from becoming president, opposition MP Nalin Bandara said.

The main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP told reporters on June 09 that the government may be hoping to use Prime Minister Ranil Wikcremesinghe to weaken the opposition.

“It was [government minister] Mahindananda Aluthgamuge who was bragging the most about Wickremesinghe entering parliament,” he said.

The former prime minister has been speculated to enter parliament through the one national list seat his party is entitled to after a spectacular defeat at the parliamentary polls in 2020.

The increasingly crisis-riddle government may be planning to appoint Wickremesinghe to its cabinet in an attempt to overcome their perilous state, said Bandara.

“Or perhaps they dream that after Wickremesinghe enters parliament, the opposition will split into two. When you see that you’re losing you’re grip on power, it is natural to grasp at straws,” he said.

“The government’s plan is to latch on even to Ranil if they have to, just to weaken the opposition and strengthen their own ranks,” he added.

Bandara said the SJB has no objection to the government’s taking Wickremesinghe into their fold.

“He is an experienced politician with his own personal diplomatic ties. We have no objection.  But the opposition will not be weakened. Ranil is one. There are over 50 of us in the SJB,” he said.

The MP said the government is also using people like Wickremesinghe and model Piumi Hansamali who was recently involved in a quarantine scandal to distract the public from the real issues.

Without using the word ‘caste’, Bandara claimed that the opposition faced by Premadasa is nothing more than an issue of social status.

“We know that [former president and the SJB leader’s late father) President R Premadasa faced by many obstacles in his road to the presidency. He came from Kehelwatte; not from Colombo 07; not from an aristocratic family,” he said.

Bandara claimed there was a cabal of classists in Sri Lanka who cannot bear the thought of a Premadasa presidency.

“These people have teamed up, unconditionally, and made deals,” he said.

Commenting on a remark by Minister Aluthgamage that Wickremesinghe could potentially be made opposition leader with the support of 15 SJB parliamentarians who according to him will readily switch loyalties, Bandara said: “Yes, that is their dream. We have to wonder if Wickremesinghe is being controlled by the government.”

The SJB issued a statement on June 08 that the party’s parliamentary group has unanimously expressed their support for Premadasa’s leadership, amid speculation that all is not well with Sri Lanka’s main opposition party.

Bandara said the elitist cabal he alluded to have a “game plan”.

“We know they’ve all teamed up. They’re all on the same side. But we can guarantee that it’s not a plan that will succeed,” he said. (Colombo/June09/2021)

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Sri Lanka tax hike: no response from president, professionals to discuss next steps

GMOA Secretary Haritha Alutghe

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s trade unions and professional associations who have been agitating against an International Monetary Fund (IMF) backed progressive tax hike will meet to discuss further union action after a letter to the president went unanswered.

Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) secretary Dr Haritha Aluthge told reporters on Friday March 31 that the unions will meet as the self-styled Professionals’ Trade Union Alliance (PTUA) collective which have so far been organising strikes and demonstrations demanding a revision of the taxes.

The PTUA has been awaiting a promised meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe for some days now. Aluthge previously said on Monday that if the meeting did not materialise, the unions would be compelled to go on strike.

The issue has become stagnant due to government inaction, said Aluthge at Friday’s press conference.

“The PTUA informed the president in writing yesterday for the last time to please understand the gravity of this situation and to immediately give us a meeting and present the government’s interim solution, through which the government can take measures to ease the sense of tension among professionals,” he said.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss an “interim solution” to the professionals’ grievances over the progressive income tax hike until a reported revision that’s due in six months when the country’s recently approved 17th IMF programme comes up for review.

“Sadly, there has still been no response,” the GMOA official said.

All unions and professional associations will meet Friday evening together with a number of other unions to discuss further action, he added.

The privately-owned English-language weekly newspaper The Sunday Times reported on March 26 that the IMF had indicated the possibility of revising some of the taxes imposed as part of the IMF’s staff-level agreement with Sri Lanka when the programme comes up for review in six months.

According to the newspaper, IMF officials had conveyed this to representatives of trade unions during a virtual roundtable held last Friday March 24. The virtual meeting was held on the initiative of the IMF and was attended by trade unions and professional associations representing the PTUA including the GMOA. (Colombo/Mar31/2023)

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Sri Lankan transport associations cut haulage and transportation fees after fuel price cut

ECONOMYNEXT –  Sri Lanka Association of Container Transporters and fuel bowser owners has decided to reduce the haulage charges and transportation fee, after the government cut the auto diesel prices by 80 rupees, association officials said.

“Due to the recent reduction in Auto Diesel price from March30, 2023, the committee has decided to reduce haulage charges by 7 percent,” association said.

Sri Lanka Private Petroleum Tanker owners has also decided to reduce the transportation fee of fuel by 8 -10 percent from April onwards.

“We will be meeting with the association members and will be deciding on exactly how much we will be reducing,” the General Secretary of the association Nimal Amarasekera told EconomyNext.

“We hope to reduce it by 8-10 percent and will be applied.”

Meanwhile United Lanka Fuel Transport Bowser Owners Association said, the price reduction will be done, and the specific amount will be calculated using the cost per kilometer for a transporting bowser.

“We have different types of bowsers such as 13,200 litre and 19,800 litre likewise,” Association President K.W. Charles told EconomyNext.

“So the cost per kilometer per bowser is different and after we calculate only we can give a specific percentage.

“It will come to effect from this month and the payments for the next month will be based on the new prices.”

Charles said, this is only based on the price reduction of fuel, however several costs as maintenance and spare part costs should also be considered when deciding the transportation cost, which is also being discussed with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.

Sri Lanka slashed fuel prices with effect from Wednesday (29) midnight, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said, after a protest by trade unions of state-run fuel retailer Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) resulting in queues at filling stations due to supply disruption.

The price of Petrol 92 Octane will be slashed by 15 percent or 60 rupees to 340, Petrol 95 Octane 95 will be reduced by 26.5 percent or 135 rupees to 375, Auto Diesel by 19.8 percent or 80 rupees to 325, and kerosene by 3.3 percent or 10 rupees to 295. (Colombo/ March31/2023)

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Sri Lanka’s shares edge up in mid day trade

Stock Market. Free public domain CC0 image.

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s shares edged up in mid day trade on Friday, Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) data showed.

All Share Price Index was up 1.09 percent or 100.69 points to 9,329.19, while the most liquid index was up 1.23 percent or 32.86 points to 2,697.12.

The market generated a turnover of 895 million rupees.

Top gainers during mid day trade were Commercial Bank, Hatton National Bank and Expolanka. (Colombo/Mar31/2023)

 

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