Politics

Sri Lanka president, main opposition SJB to hold talks on August 05

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe during the 2019 Presidntial campaign

Friday August 5, 2022 12:36 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s main opposition the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) will hold talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe Friday August 05 afternoon, SJB MP Ashok Abeysinghe said.

“We’re taking part in this discussion as the main opposition, and the people of this country must know that as the main opposition we’re extending some support to eliminate the ongoing crisis,” the MP said at a press conference Friday morning.

“The government must present a programme for an all-party government. We need to know what that programme is.

“The main opposition must definitely be included in an all-party government. An election must be held after an interim period, perhaps six months or a year,” he said.

Abeysinghe added that no corrupt politicians must hold a cabinet position in the all-party government thus formed.

Presdient Wickremesinghe in his inaugural address to parliament on Wednesday August 03 repeated an invitation to all parties represented in parliament to form an all/multi-party government to see Sri Lanka through.

During the president’s speech, endorsing his remarks, SJB MP Dr Harsha de Silva called for a united, multi-party government to “work towards creating this new Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka opposition MP endorses president’s views on reform, calls for consensus

On Tuesday August 02, SJB parliamentarian S M Marikkar said that the party will support an economic recovery programme that will see Sri Lanka put on the right path, but it has no desire to take up positions in the cabinet. The party does not wish to burden the public with a 40-minister strong cabinet, he claimed.

That same day, Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa writing to the President said the party accepts his invitation to discuss the proposed restoration of the 19th amendment to the constitution and parliamentary oversight committees. (Colombo/Aug05/2022)

FILED UNDER: ashok abeysinghe,crisis,economy,Harsha de Silva,parliament,politics,president,Ranil Wickremesinghe,Sajith Premadasa,SJB,SOEs,Sri Lanka,state owned enterprises

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Debt Restructuring

Sri Lanka cabinet approves President’s proposal to resume Japanese LRT after soared ties

Tuesday May 30, 2023 12:57 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to resume the unilaterally cancelled Japan funded Light Rail Transit (LRT), cabinet spokesman said, as the island nation is in the process of mending ties with Tokyo.

However, any such deals are likely to take place after the debt restructuring and Sri Lanka starts to repay its foreign loans to come out of default, analysts say.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa unilaterally cancelled the 1.5 billion US dollar LRT and East Container Terminal (ECT) projects in 2021. Japan agreed to fund the LRT project while it was one of the tripartite members of the ECT project along with India and Sri Lanka.

The abrupt cancellation hit the diplomatic ties between the two countries and Sri Lankan government officials have said Japan had given the project to Sri Lanka at a very lower financing cost.

President Wickremesinghe returned from Japan late last week after having met top officials of the Japanese government including its prime minister.

“In recent history, due to the stopping of several agreements and proposals suddenly, President Wickremesinghe went to Japan after creating the background to clear some of the worries we have,” Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena told the weekly media briefing.

“Before he went, he got the approval from the cabinet to resume the discussion on the light railway project. He got the approval from the cabinet to get parliament approval for bilateral agreements signed or any other investments project. Any change or cancellation of a project could be done only with the approval of the parliament.”

Japan has backed Sri Lanka under Wickremesinghe’s presidency after the island nation declared sovereign debt default. (Colombo/May 30/2023)

Legal

Sri Lanka to tighten grip on television with broadcast law

Tuesday May 30, 2023 12:52 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has formulated a broadcast authority law to regulate electronic media which will be made public soon, Cabinet spokesman Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.

“The draft prepared by a cabinet subcommittee under Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa has discussed with various parties will be given to all media institutions and broadcast media,” Gunawardana said.

“We do not have to hide or force anyone. A legal framework that can be acceptable to all for all sectors.”

“In a week or two Minister Wijedasa will discuss with state and private stakeholders.”

At the moment Sri Lanka has issued frequencies without conforming to an “international procedures”, he said.

In Sri Lanka television frequencies are issued under a state television act.

Successive administrations in Sri Lanka has since around 1980 mis-used state television duopoly which including for conducting elections according to critics.

Private television as well a raio emerged around the 1990s and has since over shadowed state media.

There have been calls by ruling party politicians from time to time to control private media. There is now calls to control social media.

At a Committee on Public Accounts meeting of the Department of Government Information, ruling coalition legislators called for regulation of television content. (Colombo/May30/2023)

Bonds & Forex

Sri Lanka rupee at 296.75/297.25 to dollar at open, bond yields steady

Tuesday May 30, 2023 9:37 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee opened at 297 /297.50 against the US dollar in the spot market on Monday, while bond yields were steady, dealers said.

The rupee closed at 296.75 /297.25 to the US dollar on Monday after opening around 296.50 /297.50 rupees.

A bond maturing on 01.09.2027 was quoted at 26.50/75 percent steady from Friday’s close at 26.50/65 percent.

Sri Lanka’s rupee is appreciating amid negative private credit which has reduced outflows after the central bank hiked rates and stopped printing money. (Colombo/ May 29/2023)