- Harvest purchase on a scientific method from next season
- President instructs to broaden rice storage facilities
The Cabinet Sub Committee on Cost of Living was convened for the first time under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, today (24).
During this meeting, special attention was drawn to provide essential food items for the public during the upcoming festive season at concessionary rate and ensuring that there is no any shortage.
Furthermore, President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to follow a scientific method to purchase harvest from next season.
The President pointed out that many issues arise during the process of paddy purchasing will be resolved through this procedure. Attention was drawn to broaden the rice storage facilities across the country.
President Rajapaksa also inquired about how the public will receive the benefit of rice prices controlled by the government.
The Consumer Affairs Authority revealed that selling rice at prices higher than the Maximum Retail Price is gradually decreasing and the raids on rice traders selling rice at higher prices have been broadened. Also, swift actions have been taken to apprise the traders in this regard.
An assessment was held regarding the steps taken by the government to control the wheat flour price as well as regarding the tax reliefs given for the other essential food items.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ministers and MPs including Chamal Rajapaksa, Ramesh Pathirana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Vidura Wickramanayake, Sanath Nishantha, Taraka Balasuriya, Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundara, Ministry Secretaries and public servants participated on this occasion.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he will commit himself to uplift the local art industry and welfare of the artistes during his tenure.
President Rajapaksa further said that the government will act according to a strategy in compliance with policy of protecting our own identity and culture.
The President made these remarks during discussion held with artistes at the President’s House, yesterday (23).
The event was organized to felicitate artistes who worked for the victory of the President at the Presidential Election.
President Rajapaksa said that he hopes to provide several facilities to artistes the in the future.
Ranminithenna Tele Cinema Village, which was built for the benefit of the industry had been abandoned without proper use during the past. The President requested the artistes to utilize this wonderful creation for the progress of the local art and cinema industry.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, several ministers, MPs and prominent artists participated at this event.
- President inspects several welfare centers
- Commence resettlement soon after floods recedes
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed the officials not to let circulars and regulations to obstruct relief operations.
If there are such hindering regulations, he instructed to amend them.
President Rajapaksa issued these instructions during a meeting to review the progress of the flood relief operation held at the President’s House in Anuradhapura today (23).
Later, the President visited several welfare centers in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa
President visited the welfare center at Sri Dutugemunu Viharaya in Rajanganaya and met affected communities.
President emphasized the importance of providing immediate relief measures to the affected without any discrimination.
Instructions were given to relevant parties to expedite the resettlement process once the floods receded.
The need to pay special attention to the health requirements of the people was also highlighted.
Chief Incumbent Ven. Mahamankadawala Dhammasiri Thero and several others were present on the occasion.
President Rajapaksa also visited the welfare center at Gemunupura Sri Bodhirajarama Viharaya in Rajanganaya.
President called on the Chief Incumbent Ven. Ihalamulle Chandajothi Thero.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited the dedicated economic center in Thambuththegama this evening (23).
President checked prices of commodities and their quality.
Upon meeting the traders and the consumers President inquired about the shortcomings at the center.
President Rajapaksa emphasized the importance of maintaining the economic center in order to supply high quality goods and to provide benefits to the public.
- Swift measures to rehabilitate damaged houses and tank anicuts
- Directives to reconstruct infrastructure facilities
- Data on crop damages collected
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited areas affected by floods in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa district today (23) to inspect relief measures provided to displaced people in the area.
President Rajapaksa who met the political authority and government officials at the President’s House in Anuradhapura this morning reviewed the welfare programme and instructed the relevant authorities to continue with providing assistance to the affected communities.
The relief programme been implemented under two phases; provision of relief during the disaster as well as post-disaster activities. President emphasized that the government acted with utmost responsibility in this process.
Floods caused by torrential rains have affected 10 out of 22 Divisional Secretariats in Anuradhapura district. The situation had left 5181 persons from 1561 families displaced. Around 2923 from 937 families have been provided shelter at welfare centers and measures have been taken to provide them with cooked food and dry rations.
President instructed the officials to inspect the damages caused to houses and take immediate remedial action. Cleaning activities have already begun where floods have subsided. Directives have also been issued to inspect the available health facilities. Attention has been drawn to rehabilitate tank anicuts and other infrastructure facilities.
As floods have also destroyed paddy crops, the President ordered officials to estimate the damage and take appropriate measures.
Ministers S. M. Chandrasena, Duminda Dissanayake, Governor of the North Central Province Prof. Tissa Vitarana, former Minister Tissa Karaliyadda, Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Major General Kamal Gunaratne, government officials, chiefs of armed forces and Police were present during the discussion.
President Rajapaksa is also scheduled to visit several welfare centers and meet displaced people during the day. Accordingly, he will visit Dutugemunu Viharaya and Bodhirajarama Viharaya in Rajanganaya.
A special discussion will be chaired by the President at the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat this evening to look into to the relief efforts in Polonnaruwa district.
Later, President will visit the welfare center in Elahara.
‘The Maha Sanga invoke their blessings and provide guidance towards the efforts being taken by the President to lead the country on the right path to make Sri Lanka a developed and prosperous nation’, Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thero said.
The prelate made this observation when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called on him at Dharmayathanaya in Colombo today (20).
Everyone must support the plan of action launched by the President to take the country forward. It is vital to select the most suitable persons in this journey, the Thero said.
An intelligence unit comprising the general public will be formed in the future to set up a mechanism to identify corruption fraud waste and weaknesses prevailing in the country and provide such information to the President.
Maha Sanga including the Anunayaka of Ramanna Nikaya Ven. Matale Dhammakusala Thero, Ministers Dinesh Gunawadene and Susil Premjayanth and several others were present on the occasion.
Later, the President visited Siri Vajiraramaya in Bambalapitiya and met Maha Nayaka of Amarapura Dharmarakshitha Chapter Ven. Dr. Thrikunamalaye Ananda Thero.
The Thero wishing the strength and courage to the President to build Sri Lanka as a virtuous country said it is only President Rajapaksa can fulfill this task.
The Thero also appreciated the admiration received by the President from the public during the past one month’s time.
Ven. Ananda Thero praised the commitment of the President to build a law – abiding and just society and said all the ministers and members of Parliament should extend their unwavering support to the President towards this end.
A set of proposals to build a developed nation was presented to the President by the Thero.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with the Foreign correspondents at the Presidential Secretariat on 19.12.2019. He opened the forum by welcoming the journalists and inviting them to asks the questions they wish. The journalists in turn had a myriad of questions ranging from current economic progress to the Swiss saga, renegotiation of the Hambanthota Port, stance on the Geneva Resolution 30/1 and TNA’s expectations of a political solution.
Elaborating on the new Administration’s progress within this one month, President Rajapaksa explained that during the elections, a detailed policy plan was outlined. This plan is now being implemented on a priority basis. As a first step, a complex tax structure had been replaced with a simpler, more transparent one. This move, especially the removal of PAYE has eased the business community a great deal.
Commenting on the Fitch ratings, PB Jayasundara who was also present at the briefing explained that the broader picture has still not being entertained by the rating companies. The new simpler tax system should help eliminate corruption and inefficiency to the private sector. This coupled with expenditure maintained at efficient levels across all ministries will in time help achieve the goal of reducing the National Debt to GDP ratio from its current 90 percent to a lower 70 percent.
In answer to how 100,000 jobs would be created, President Rajapaksa explained that the target is to provide employment to at least one member of each family that falls below poverty level. These people are mostly unskilled and without any particular talent. Hence, they do not have much employment opportunities. The main objective thus would be to provide a fixed income for poverty stricken families.
The Government sector has a requirement for unskilled labor. Therefore, these people can be easily absorbed into the work cadre and maybe even provided with the required training.
Commenting on the Swiss saga, President Rajapaksa explained the events that had since transpired. Swiss Ambassador was quite right to have taken up the issue with the Sri Lankan Government, especially as this concerns a Sri Lankan citizen. However, evidence established through technical support such as cctv footage, physical where abouts of the said employee and testimonies from reliable sources such as the UBER driver she had used clearly proves that this allegation is a mere fabrication.
This has been communicated to Ambassador Mock, who had accepted the evidence as legitimate. Since it has transpired that the said employee had not been truthful, it is only fair for the Ambassador to distance himself from the matter, noted President.
Commenting on the obvious miscommunication between actual events and the Swiss Government’s understanding, President noted that he too was summoned by the CID many times over the past few years. He obliged as that is the law of the land. This employee on the request of the embassy had been allowed to have a lawyer present, which is not a privilege usually given when being questioned by the CID.
Hambanthota Port will not be renegotiated as it is a commercial contract. However, it is important that the security aspects pertaining to the agreement analyzed. It is important that the Sri Lanka Government has the control of all Security aspects just as with the other ports in terms of the ships that enter the Port and matters concerning the boarder controls. This concern is understood by the Chinese Government who are willing to work with the Sri Lankan Government on this regard. President stressed that commercial contracts cannot be changed with the governments.
The Geneva Resolution cannot be entertained in its current standing, noted President. It is not possible for the Government to act against its own country. After serving as the Defense Secretary during the last defining years of the conflict, he stressed that is not possible to allow any harm to the soldiers or the independence of the country.
President noted that the devolution had been politicized and that is the reason for its failure. Without the consent of the majority, it is not possible to implement any form of power sharing political solution. He also observed that the real needs of the people such as economic opportunities had not been addressed and this must be the point that needs to be addressed.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) that immediate steps be taken to enforce the declared Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) and ensure uninterrupted market supply of essential goods during this festive season which times consumers are vulnerable to market manipulation. Recently, the Authority has gazetted a MRP on rice at Rs. 98/kg. This decision was arrived at by the Cabinet of Ministers having consulted the major suppliers and verified stock positions in the country.
Major millers agreed that they will mark this price at their rice packets and ensure their retail distribution network will sell such rice at this price. However, there are complaints that this is not complied with in several places. Therefore, the CAA is instructed to check the market supply situation to deploy a team to check the stock and daily releases at rice milling supply stations. The CAA should also initiate immediate actions to check the rice suppliers at Pettah and other major markets.
Further, rice millers and traders should appreciate that the government is making its best endeavors to develop the rice industry and it is the responsibility of the millers and traders to ensure supply conditions in the market without compelling undue import of rice or other form of government interventions to the market operations. Since 2019-2020 Maha cultivation Season has begun and the harvest is expected from late January 2020, the farmers must be given maximum comfort to expand their cultivation while consumers are given the opportunity to have affordable prices at this festive season. There is no reason to fear supply shortages.
The government has also relaxed the restriction on import of wheat flour with a view to promote market competition and availability of wheat flour at affordable prices particularly in support of urban and plantation working community during this season.
The government has already reduced VAT rate from 15 percent to 8 percent, removed 2 percent NBT and several other indirect taxes with a view to reduce the high cost-of-living on the one hand and to create business friendly environment to promote supply activities in the country on the other. Rice millers and traders will also benefit from the removal of Economic Service Charge (ESC) and concessions announced by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
However, observations have been made that prices of some commodities have not come down satisfactorily. Prices of all food items, cosmetics, building materials and many other items must reflect corresponding price reduction. Therefore, CAA have been instructed to summon all sector groups involving supplying such commodities and request them to pass down this benefit to the consumers and also to communicate to the market effectively on a regular basis.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa went on an inspection tour in the special economic center in Narahenpita this evening (18).
President paid attention to the impact that tax concessions have had on essential consumer goods.
Contacting the officials of the Ministry of Finance from the site, President instructed them to be vigilant if the benefits of tax reductions are been received by the consumers and the businessmen.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed International Relations expert Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage to the post of Additional Secretary to the President for Foreign Relations.
Admiral Colombage served the Sri Lanka Navy for a period of 36 years and retired as the Commander of the Navy on 01 July 2014. Admiral Colombage is the 18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy. He was decorated for gallantry and commended for exceptional service to the Navy.
Upon retirement from the Navy, Admiral served as the Director for Indo-Sri Lanka Initiatives and Law of the Sea Centers at the Pathfinder Foundation, which is a premier think-tank and research center, based in Colombo. Admiral has represented the Pathfinder Foundation and Sri Lanka in many bi-lateral, regional and international fora, presenting papers, participating in panel discussions and chairing sessions on international politics, strategic and maritime security related fields.
Admiral Colombage has been a guest lecturer in few universities and training institutes in Sri Lanka, India and China. Admiral has also been an editor and reviewer of number of internationally renowned Academic journals.
Admiral Prof. Colombage holds a PhD from General Sir John Kotalawela University, Master of Science in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Master of Arts in International Studies from Kings College, London. His PhD thesis “Asymmetric Warfare at Sea; the case of Sri Lanka” has been published by Lambert Academic Publishing in Germany. Admiral is also a fellow of Nautical Institute of London.