Sunday Observer

19 June, 2021 0

“Price structure, not unreasonable”

Lanka’s fuel prices lower than regional countries - Ajith Nivard Cabraal

State Minister of Money and Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms, Ajith Nivard Cabraal said even after the recent fuel price hike, our petroleum prices are far lower than those of countries in the region particularly India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. “The per capita income of those countries is half of ours, as such the burden on our consumers is far less than the burden in those countries.”“No...

19 June, 2021 0

Travel restrictions to be relaxed from June 21

* Inter-provincial travel restrictions to remain, * Permission to conduct last rites on non-Covid 19 deaths...

It has been decided to relax travel restrictions from 4 am on June 21. However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed the officials not to relax the inter-provincial travel restrictions. Travel restrictions will be re-imposed and continue from 10 pm on June 23 to 4 am on June 25.The restrictions imposed on public gatherings will continue as before. In addition, the heads of institutions in both public...

19 June, 2021 0

MV X-Press Pearl disaster

“Sea mammals will suffer long term effects”

Environment Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe said the deaths of marine creatures, whose carcasses have ended up on shores is believed to be due to the inferno on board the toxin laden merchant vessel X-Press Pearl. His comments put to rest a heated social media debate whether the sea creatures died due to other reasons.In addition to the high-water temperature, marine life would have suffered burns due...

19 June, 2021 0

Coronavirus taught us issues

The most hackneyed question concerning post-independence Sri Lanka’s growth trajectory is the comparison to Singapore coupled with the query “how come Lee modelled the country on Sri Lanka and got ahead of us so fast.”It shouldn’t have been a difficult question to answer if the people had their antennas up — crude ones even. Singapore didn’t have a divisive ethnic issue that morphed into a full blown war...

19 June, 2021 0

PRESIDENT’S BIRTHDAY TODAY

A passionate statesman and a fervent professional

Long live the President of Sri Lanka!President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, sails past his birthday today, June 20 - the three score years and twelve, amidst the rambling coronavirus pandemic.In the eyes of millions of his fellow citizens, he earned a lasting niche as a fervent professional, following his brave and exemplary leadership to eradicate the cruelest terrorist organisation in the world, the LTTE, from...

19 June, 2021 0

Opposition fishes in fuel price hike muddied waters

The central topic in media circles during the week was that General Secretary of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Sagara Kariyawasam has demanded Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila to accept the responsibility for the recent fuel hike and resign from his portfolio. A statement issued by MP Kariyawasam said the fuel hike has heaped the burden on the public who are facing economic hardships due to Covid-...

19 June, 2021 0

Bungling and delays deprive Sri Lanka athletes of Tokyo passage

Sri Lankan track and field athletes who were eager to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics will be kicking their heels as they will not be able to travel to Kazakhstan for an international meet.They only way they could qualify was by way of earning more ranking points at international meets.Five athletes, 400m runners Kalinga Kumarage and Nadeesha Ramanayake, javelin thrower Sumedha Ranasinghe, 800m runner...

19 June, 2021 0

Losing GSP+ a double whammy to the economy - Economists

Losing the GSP+ trade concessions at this crucial time is a double whammy to the economy which is in perilous state, said top economists who also noted that it is hilarious to want other countries to open their markets for our exports and even give us concessions when we have shut doors for their exports.Former Central Bank Deputy Governor Dr. W.A. Wijewardena said the EU is the second largest export...