The diesel price will be slashed by Rs 20 per litre, thus the new price will be Rs 440, and the price for super diesel will be Rs 510 a litre following a reduction of Rs 10…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) have reduced the retail price of fuel.
The two state-owned oil companies reduced the retail price of fuel from Sunday evening, Xinhua news agency reported.
The price of a litre of Octane 92 petrol will be reduced by Rs 20, and the new retail price will be Rs 450 ($1.25).
Octane 95 petrol will sell for Rs 540 per litre, down by Rs 10.
The diesel price will be slashed by Rs 20 per litre, thus the new price will be Rs 440, and the price for super diesel will be Rs 510 a litre following a reduction of Rs 10.
The Ministry of Power and Energy also introduced a new digital system to systematise the distribution of fuel from July 21. Both the CPC and the LIOC will take part in the scheme.
Sri Lanka has been facing crippling fuel shortage since February.
In late June, CPC suspended distributing fuel for private vehicles.
CPC will start fuel distribution from July 21, following the arrival of petrol and diesel shipments. (1$ equals 361 Sri Lankan rupees).
A lion heart committed to democracy and against expansionist powers may yet emerge in Colombo, writes Prof. Madhav Nalapat
The shark is a predator that presents a danger to the unwary. As are loan sharks. Millions of citizens in India have had to give away the family home and jewellery in order to satiate loan sharks from whom they sought financial accommodation. Many years ago, while still very young, this writer was walking on the lakeside in Kolkata and came across an elderly individual, one of the lenses in whose pair glasses was broken, politely asking for alms. His dress, although dirtied through continuous use and lack of cleaning, was the attire of a middle class individual.
When asked about why he was in a situation very different from that which he was seemed to have been born into, the reply was that he had fallen into the hands of a loan shark, who in the beginning seemed a caring friend. Money was freely given, stamp paper after stamp paper was signed without the victim ever glancing at the fine print, for after all, a friend would never cheat. Soon afterwards, the attitude of the loan shark towards his victim changed.
Police officers queue up for fuel at a fuel station in Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 30, 2022, as the country has been facing crippling fuel shortages. (Photo by Gayan Sameera_Xinhua_IANS)
Threats and abuse became commonplace, followed by physical violence that the local police seemed indifferent to, when asked by the wife and daughters to intervene. Ultimately, goons took over the home of the victim, and afterwards, local records showed that the place had been transferred to a nominee of the loan shark, at a price much in excess of what had been given as loan. Once thrown out of their home, his wife took their daughters to the home of her parents in a different town, while the victim himself was too ashamed to join them, preferring to eke out an existence seeking alms in a hesitant manner by the lakeside.
After a few weeks of living on the streets, he acknowledged that staying with his family at the home of his in-laws was a better option than the emotional decision he had initially taken to be on his own sans any money at all, and he would relocate there soon, once he had scrounged enough money for a rail ticket.
The problem facing Sri Lanka and the other countries that have fallen into the habit of drinking at the fountain of predatory loans given by the PRC is that there are few countries willing to play the role of its in-laws, now that bankruptcy and its attendant chaos has occurred. Most major democracies would balk at giving assistance to Sri Lanka, a country that has mortgaged its ports and other assets to a power hostile to many of them, and which shows no sign of reclaiming its sovereign rights.
It is unclear what form of government will be formed in Sri Lanka, but given its present parliamentary configuration, the new PM is unlikely to take the lion-hearted decisions needed to escape the ditch into which the country has fallen. The only way out of this crisis is to take back control of Hambantota and Colombo ports. Rather than be unhappy at the crisis in Sri Lanka, folks in Beijing may be looking towards scooping up huge amounts of physical assets across Sri Lanka in a distress sale, now that the country is in free fall.
Only a leadership that is not in any way beholden to Beijing would be able to assert its sovereign authority to (a) repudiate clearly unsustainable loans, and (b) seize assets taken over through 99-year leases by the PRC. This is feasible, provided the Quad stands by the island country and protects it from the PLA and GHQ Rawalpindi. While India, Japan and Australia are resolute in ensuring that Sri Lanka become another pillar in the evolving architecture of security of the Indo-Pacific, the US is witnessing an effort by a Europeanist State Department and NSC to wrest control of strategy in the Indo-Pacific from the Pentagon. Should that effort of the State Department succeed, the White House may be advised by a Russia-obsessed State Department to look askance at those in Sri Lanka striving to shed the coils of a loan shark but to China.
President Biden seems not to able to shed the mindset that he had while in the US Senate, despite the hugely changed circumstances facing the world and his country. His withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened those within the Central Military Commission who seek to follow the example of Russia in Taiwan, now that Washington and its NATO allies are enmeshed in a quagmire largely caused by their own faulty tactics.
The PRC is seeking to hold on to its illicit conquests at the expense of countries that favour a free and open Indo-Pacific. The betting in Beijing is that Biden (and therefore Kishida) will step back from militarily confronting the PLA on the field of battle, were China to follow the example of Russia and invade Taiwan.
The hesitant, cautious Biden won because his persona is the opposite of Trump’s, but having won, voters in the US wanted to witness a transformation in office of Joe Biden that has yet to occur. Politics in a democracy can work in welcome ways. Roosevelt and Churchill were thrown up as the leaders of their respective countries, US and UK, during wartime. Narasimha Rao became PM at the time when the Indian economy was stumbling towards what Sri Lanka has now become.
In 2014, Narendra Modi got the popular support needed to become PM in a country that had tired of the discriminatory policies of the UPA. A lion heart committed to democracy and against expansionist powers may yet emerge in Colombo, and if she or he does, deserves the assistance of India, the US, the EU and Japan as the new leader wrests back control of Sri Lanka’s destiny from a predatory power that conceals a gun behind its chequebook.
The emergency has been declared in a proclamation by Acting President Wickremesinghe in terms of Article 40(1)(C) of the Constitution…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a nationwide state of emergency with effect from Monday.
Acting President Wickremesinghe declared the emergency in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community, a special gazette notification said.
The emergency has been declared in a proclamation by Acting President Wickremesinghe in terms of Article 40(1)(C) of the Constitution, by virtue of the powers vested in him by Section 2 of the Public Security Ordinance (Chapter 40), as amended by Act No. 8 of 1959, Law No. 6 of 1978 and Act No. 28 of 1988, Daily Mirror reported.
Nominations for the presidential candidates will be held on Tuesday and the new President of Sri Lanka will be elected on July 20.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned after fleeing the country to Singapore via the Maldives, amid a severe crisis in the island country.
Sri Lanka’s average paddy production which is usually 24 million metric tonnes reduced to 16 million metric tonnes in 2021…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lankan acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has revealed that the G7 alliance on global food crisis has offered the country US$ 14 billion aid to spend on food.
During an international conference on food security, acting President Wickremesinghe said, “The G7 global alliance on food security of which World Bank is also a member had offered us US$14 billion to acquire food. We are grateful to them. The government has also embarked on a good security programme.”
Sri Lanka’s average paddy production which is usually 24 million metric tonnes reduced to 16 million metric tonnes in 2021, due to which it will have to import one third of its need for rice but the exchange rate crisis prevents this, Daily Mirror reported quoting the acting President.
He said high inflation has put food out of reach of people.
Claiming that war in Ukriane and sanctions imposed by EU are affecting Sri Lanka, he called for resolving the issues between the warring nations peacefully.
Wijesekara introduced a fuel rationing scheme titled the “National Fuel Pass” scheme….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera on Saturday said that his government is in discussion with Russia for the purchase of fuel amid the raging energy crisis in the country.
Addressing a press conference here, Wijesekera lauded the Indian government for giving a credit line for purchasing fuel as the economic crisis continues to affect over 20 million Sri Lankans.
“We have made requests (for fuel) to different countries. So, any country that comes to help us, we appreciate that. Right now, the Indian government is the only country that has provided us with a credit line,” said Wijesekera.
“We are in discussion with the Russian Government as well…The initial meetings have taken place in Russia. We have given our requirements and we are working on it. We are waiting to hear what sort of facility will be accommodated to Sri Lanka,” he added.
Wijesekara today introduced a fuel rationing scheme titled the “National Fuel Pass” scheme.
The new pass will guarantee the allocation of fuel quota on a weekly basis. A QR code will be given for each National Identity Card number (NIC), once the Vehicle Identification Number and other details are verified.
People with registered vehicles will get their turns based on the last digit of their registration number. Amid the ongoing fuel crisis, tourists and foreigners will be given priority to take fuel in Colombo.
The island nation has been reeling under a major economic crisis that has created acute shortages of food, fuel, medical supplies, and left the country teetering on the edge of economic ruin, having entered discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over an emergency bailout.
The UN mission in Sri Lanka has urged senior politicians to ensure a peaceful transfer of power in line with the national Constitution, following weeks of protests that finally saw the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday.
“The United Nations in Sri Lanka urges all stakeholders to ensure a peaceful transition of power in full respect for the Constitution,” said United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer, in a statement issued on Friday on behalf of the UN in Sri Lanka.
She said it was “imperative that the transition of power is accompanied by broad and inclusive consultation within and outside Parliament”.
This statement comes as Rajapaksa offered his resignation after fleeing the country and arriving in Singapore, having first flown to the Maldives on Wednesday after tens of thousands of protesters stormed his official residence in the capital Colombo earlier in the week. (ANI)
The Acting President further said that he will inform the activists about the measures being taken to fight corruption…reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to implement an urgent relief programme to provide fuel, gas and essential food items to the public who are struggling due to the economic turmoil.
He has taken this decision following discussions held with Ministers and Members of Parliament on July 16. In addition, it has been decided to use the additional money for this from the relief budget that will be presented in August.
The Acting President advised to speed up the implementation of the food security programme. Special attention was paid to provide fuel and fertilisers regularly and promptly.
Also, during this discussion, plans have been made to prepare the necessary environment for businessmen to run their businesses without any hindrances. Wickremesinghe said during the discussion that the plan handed over by the peaceful protesters has been recognized as a good plan.
The Acting President further said that he will inform the activists about the measures being taken to fight corruption.
Earlier, on Friday, Sri Lanka’s main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa announced that he will contest the Presidential elections.
As the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned from office, in accordance with the Constitution, the Parliament will meet next week and take steps to elect a new President, read a special statement by acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
This comes as Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Supreme Court has issued an interim order that prevented former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country without the court’s permission until July 28.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday was sworn in as the interim President after Parliament Speaker Abeywardena accepted the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted his resignation letter Thursday after arriving in Singapore, officially vacating the post of President.
Nominations on Tuesday
The Sri Lankan Parliament announced that the nominations for the Presidential elections will be held on Tuesday and the new President of Sri Lanka will be elected on July 20.
It is interesting to note that main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa is going to contest the presidential elections. Terming the scenario of him winning the Sri Lanka’s presidential elections an “uphill task”, Premadasa on Friday said that he will contest the elections as he is convinced that the truth will prevail.
Taking to Twitter, Premadasa wrote, “Dates decided for the election of the President as announced in parliament today. Nominations on Tuesday. Elections on Wednesday. 225 voters in parliament will decide the destiny of approx 22 million Sri Lankans. GAME ON!”
Moreover, Premadasa earlier wrote, “I am contesting to be the President. The electorate is confined to 225 MPs with the GR (Gotabaya Rajapaksa) coalition dominating the numbers. Even though it is an uphill struggle, I am convinced that truth will prevail.”
Sri Lanka’s National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake also said that he will contest for the President’s post after parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena accepted Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation. (ANI)
In the crisis-ridden island nation, people have been waiting in line for days for essentials such as cooking gas, kerosene, gasoline, sugar, milk powder, and medicines, reports Asian Lite News
With the political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka continuing to worsen, supermarkets in the capital city of Colombo are rapidly running out of food and other essential commodities.
In the crisis-ridden island nation, people have been waiting in line for days for essentials such as cooking gas, kerosene, gasoline, sugar, milk powder, and medicines. According to UN agencies, 5.7 million Sri Lankans, including about 2.3 million children, now require immediate humanitarian assistance.
Many shelves in supermarkets in Colombo are half empty, according to China Central Television (CCT). Numerous daily essentials, especially eggs and bread, are in short supply as food and transportation costs have risen rapidly.
“The food prices are very high. In the early days of this year, it means 2022, like in January, February and March. After that, the price increases are very high, and the normal food prices got high. And after May, the food prices went up. With the fuel prices, food prices increased. Then transportation prices came to very high,” said Nuwan a local resident as quoted by CCT.
Adding to the food shortage is a serious shortage of fuel, which has dealt a particularly heavy blow to the transportation industry.
Continuing the support to the people of #SriLanka, Consul General @dipinprIFS in presence of Mr. H.P. Sumanasekara, District Secretary and other officials commenced distribution of rice, milk powder in #Hambantota District today. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/NqUrM4hcaS
“I did not do any business with my vehicle. Because zero fuel token. The last two months, mean 60 days, the only oil we can get (is) 10 to 12 litres. Ten to 12 litres only covers my personal use only. Then how can I do my business, It’s completely zero,” said Jeevana Aarajji, a Tuk Tuk driver.
After days of uncertainty, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday sent a resignation letter after flying to Singapore. He had first fled to the Maldives on Wednesday to escape a popular uprising over his role in the economic mess of the island nation.
As things stand, Ranil Wickremesinghe is the acting President now. On Friday, Sri Lanka’s ruling party said they would nominate interim President Ranil Wickremesinghe to the presidency when the parliament elects a new president on July 20.
General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Sagara Kariyawasam said that the SLPP would nominate Wickremesinghe and support him in the vote. (ANI)
The Parliament would be summoned on Saturday (July 16) to take nominations for the next President and then to have an election among 225 MPs….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn-in as the interim President of the island nation on Friday.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was sworn-in before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Daily Mirror reported.
Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena officially announced the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The Speaker said, “As one of the oldest democracies in South Asia, I urge all the political parties and the people to assist to follow the democratic practices and take necessary steps to resolve the current situation,” the Speaker said.
The Parliament would be summoned on Saturday (July 16) to take nominations for the next President and then to have an election among 225 MPs.
Gotbaya Rajapaksa had e-mailed his resignation to the Speaker, moments after he arrived in Singapore.
The island nation saw months of protests over food, fuel shortage and mishandling of economny. Inflation in the crisis-hit country is more than 50 per cent.
The injured included protesters who were outside the prime minister’s office as well as those who were outside parliament later in the evening on Wednesday….reports Asian Lite News
One person died and 84 others injured in anti-government protests in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, media reports said.
The 26-year-old man died from breathing difficulties after police lobbed teargas at protesters to disperse them, BBC reported.
The injured included protesters who were outside the prime minister’s office as well as those who were outside parliament later in the evening on Wednesday.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as acting President of the country, triggering further protests.
The government has imposed a curfew in Colombo district from 12 noon on July 14 (Thursday) to 5 a.m. on July 15 (Friday).
The island nation has been witnessing months of protests over food and fuel shortage. Inflation in the crisis-hit country is more than 50 per cent.
A final decision on whether Sri Lanka would be retained as the venue for the six-nation Asia Cup will be taken by the Asian Cricket Council on Friday…reports Asian Lite News
A final decision on whether Sri Lanka would be retained as the venue for the six-nation Asia Cup will be taken by the Asian Cricket Council on Friday…reports Asian L
Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva is hopeful of hosting the Asia Cup, scheduled to start in late August, despite the ongoing political turmoil and unrest in the island nation.
The civil unrest has escalated in Sri Lanka in the last one week as protestors barged into the Presidential building demanding the resignation of both the acting president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. President Rajapaksa has reportedly fled to the Maldives and his luxurious residence has been taken over by the general public.
However, Sri Lanka recently hosted Australia successfully amid the political and economical crisis and as per De Silva, cricket has remained immune from the trouble.
The Australians arrived in June for a tour comprising T20Is, ODIs and two Tests, which finished with Sri Lanka levelling the series 1-all in Galle in surreal circumstances as protestors stormed the nearby Galle fort as cricket was played in the backdrop.
Another reason De Silva remained optimistic about the Asia Cup was the Pakistan contingent arriving recently to play a two-match Test series. The Pakistanis have already played a warm-up match and the PCB has confirmed the visitors had not been affected by the political strife outside.
A final decision on whether Sri Lanka would be retained as the venue for the six-nation Asia Cup will be taken by the Asian Cricket Council on Friday.
“As far as we are concerned, we are still very confident of hosting the tournament in Sri Lanka. We have just hosted the Australian tour with two Tests in Galle, and Pakistan are in the country as well,” de Silva told ESPNcricinfo on Thursday.
When asked if there has been any pressure to move from the ACC, he said: “not really”.
The 2022 edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be a T20I tournament, with the main event running from August 27 to September 11, following a Qualifier that is also scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka, from August 20 to 26.
Hong Kong, Kuwait, Singapore, and UAE are set to contest the Qualifier, from which the top team will join the five Full-Member Asian teams — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – in the main draw.
