#Srilanka#
Read MoreNPP One year- Balance Sheet
Category: Featured
The Palmyrah Profile
The Palmyrah Profile The first dominant sign of Jaffna peninsula is immune to change. In fact, such a transformation is simply unthinkable. Those towering trees stretch across the landscape. Just as the slender trunks and sweeping fronds of the coconut define the South, the Palmyrah stands tall in the North, with its fan-shaped leaves and rugged, column-like trunks. The Palmyrah are far more than just scenery. They are part and parcel of the northern region’s economy, culture, and daily life. The latest data reveal that total exports from the Palmyrah…
Read MoreConcessions and credibility
Concessions and credibility Last week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that a delegation of European Union (EU) representatives is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka next week to assess the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) tax concessions granted to the country. The EU is Sri Lanka’s second-largest trading partner. It goes without saying that for dollar-strapped Sri Lanka, the GSP+ concessions scheme is a vital economic lifeline. According to the Institute of Policy Studies, in 2023, Sri Lanka exported goods worth $ 3.63 billion to the EU and…
Read MoreConstitutional Reform for a Stable Sri Lanka
Constitutional Reform for a Stable Sri Lanka Constitutional reform has been a consistent demand of the citizens of Sri Lanka, most of whom firmly oppose an all-powerful president who is free of the checks and balances imposed by a strong parliament. Successive presidents have pledged to abolish the executive presidency only to renege on that promise once they were elected to power. However, since the presidential system was introduced by J.R. Jayewardene in 1978, it has consistently failed to deliver the political stability, economic prosperity and stable peace that the…
Read MoreExplainer: Sri Lanka’s key political risks after parliamentary elections
Explainer: Sri Lanka’s key political risks after parliamentary elections By Shihar Aneez Wednesday November 13, 2024 12:55 pm ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s President Anura Dissanayake faces a range of key political risks and challenges, particularly given his position as the leader of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP), a historically leftist alliance. The NPP is tipped to win the November 14 parliamentary polls, but it is uncertain what number of seats it will gain in the 225-member legislature. Dissanayake’s JVP has been involved in two insurrections…
Read MorePrepare a New Proposal to rationalize the Provincial Council System
Published on: October 22, 2024 Prepare a New Proposal to rationalize the Provincial Council System Provincial Councils Should Act to Improve the Living Conditions of the People – Says the President at the Governors Meeting President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed the Governors to prepare and submit a new proposal aimed at rationalizing the Provincial Council mechanism. The President also stated that, given the current government’s transitional period, the provincial councils must strive to deliver the best possible services to improve the living conditions of the people. President Dissanayake made these…
Read MoreHow important was India’s help to Sri Lanka in 2022?
How important was India’s help to Sri Lanka in 2022? The IMF program is to give Sri Lanka $ 3 billion over four years with conditions. India gave $ 4 billion in one year to Sri Lanka with no conditions. Also, the timing is important to note. The IMF program came in 2023 when Sri Lanka had stabilised to a large extent under President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Also, most of the toughest policies that were needed for Sri Lanka to achieve macroeconomic stability were already put in place by the former…
Read MoreBack on table: $5 billion road, rail link between India and Sri Lanka
Back on table: $5 billion road, rail link between India and Sri Lanka Discussions are in the final stages for a $5 billion road-and-rail link between India and Sri Lanka with India set to bear the cost of the strategic project, said the island-nation’s environment secretary Prabath Chandrakeerthi. This is the first big bilateral infrastructure project announced by the island nation since the recent election of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake amid efforts by New Delhi to counter Chinese influence. India is Sri Lanka’s largest trade partner and one of the…
Read Morendo-Lanka joint energy projects dominate bilateral talks between Jaishankar and Wickremesinghe
Indo-Lanka joint energy projects dominate bilateral talks between Jaishankar and Wickremesinghe Colombo, Jun 20 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe held bilateral discussions on Thursday, where joint energy projects, including a proposed petroleum pipeline linking the two countries, took centre stage. The two leaders focused on initiatives aimed at enhancing energy connectivity and developing the renewable energy sector. “Significant attention was given to plans for a Liquified Natural Gas supply, a proposed petroleum pipeline linking the two countries, and advancing oil and gas exploration…
Read MoreSri Lanka: Accountability needed for enforced disappearances
Sri Lanka: Accountability needed for enforced disappearances Sri Lanka must ensure accountability for decades of enforced disappearances – UN report GENEVA (17 May 2024) – Sri Lanka’s Government must take meaningful action to determine and disclose the fates and whereabouts of tens of thousands of people who have been subjected to enforced disappearance over the decades and hold those responsible to account, a UN Human Rights Office report released today says. It calls on the Government to acknowledge the involvement of State security forces and affiliated paramilitary groups, and to issue…
Read More