Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Tamil protestors block military surveyors
08 March 2016

Protestors in Jaffna blocked attempts by the Sri Lankan military to survey an area of land which was reportedly due to be taken over by the government.

Four acres of land in Senthankulam, Jaffna was due to be surveyed for possible appropriation by the Sri Lankan navy on Tuesday. However, once the surveyors arrived, flanked by Sri Lankan navy officers, demonstrating Tamils blocked them from accessing the area.

Though this attempt by the Sri Lankan military was unsuccessful, further surveying attempts are scheduled in the North-East for later this month.

SRI LANKA SENT A TECHNICAL TEAM TO SOUTH AFRICA TO STUDY TRC PROCESS

( Former South African President Nelson Mendela face reflected in a mirror, 2011; image The Hindu))

08/03/2016

A technical team has been sent to South Africa to study the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process established after the abolition of apartheid, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera told Parliament today.

However he said while there are many ideas Sri Lanka can take from South Africa, the final solution will be one which will address the needs of Sri Lanka.

The Minister also said that the Government is committed to address the issue on missing persons and will setup an office on missing persons.

He however said the Government has no intention of creating mechanisms simply to satisfy the international community or meet any deadlines.

The Minister said the Government is not meeting its commitments to its people to appease the international community but since it believes the country can move forward only by addressing the past. (Colombo Gazette)

The Story Of Two Graphs Drawn By A Tamil Man

By Mahesan Niranjan –March 6, 2016

Prof. Mahesan Niranjan

At the famous Bridgetown pub yesterday afternoon, a Tamil man showed me two graphs he had drawn on beer mats. He is none other than Sivapuranam Thevaram, the Sri Lankan Tamil fellow who is my regular drinking partner. Statisticians among you might recognize the graphs as representing some kind of probability densities. Let me tell you the story behind these graphs.

Thevaram’s first graph was a simple one, widely known by the familiar phrase the “Bell Curve.” It represents how some stuff — like the price of onions in the Jaffna market — is distributed. Around where the graph peaks, you will find the price most of the time. Occasionally, say as a result of heavy rains leading to a bad crop, the price will be at the higher end of the graph. And at times, for instance, when Lalith Athulathmudali — the former trade minister in President Pinocchio’s evil government — decided to import onions in large quantities from India to “teach the Jaffna man a lesson,” you might have found the price at the lower end of the scale.

Now, the bell curve has famously been used to show how intelligence is distributed among a population. Some have used this to argue that there is such a natural distribution of the stuff and that if you were born at the lower end of it, there is nothing much you can do to redeem yourself. “It is all in the genes,” goes that particular theory, from which its proponents jump to the conclusion that certain ethnic groups are so well represented at the lower end of the spectrum that there is no point in investing any resources in their communities. These theorists are oblivious to the fact that the instruments to measure this inherited substance are designed in such a way as to put the instrument-maker at the advantageous end of the scale.

‘Padeniya Chinthana’ on ETCA: Govt. should

fight it in intellectual forums, not in the streets

Management of Economic Policy 4

GMOA President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya

Tuesday, 8 March 2016

The crusader of good governance in healthcare system

Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya, Medical Specialist and President of the 18,000-member strong Government Medical Officers’ Association – better known in its acronym as GMOA – has always been a newsmaker.

He has led his professional body, standing firm despite attacks by critics, against what he has believed to be threats to his profession, state sector medical service, healthcare delivery, senseless bureaucratic and political interference in the country’s medical system – all relating to his professional field. In that sense, he has been a crusader of good governance in the country’s healthcare system.

His leadership skills have been amply demonstrated by his ability to organise and direct all Government medical professionals under the umbrella of GMOA to attain its goals. When GMOA led by him decides that its members should go on medical leave collectively, all Government hospitals, except emergency services, get paralysed. His track record is such that there is no single battle which he has led has ended up in defeat. Hence, he is feared by his opponents but loved by his members.

War against alleged Indianisation by GMOA

Dr.Padeniya’s latest battle field has not been in the medical profession but somewhere else. He and his GMOA have ventured into a new battle, supported by other professional bodies as well, against what has been termed as ‘Indianisation’ of the Sri Lanka’s economy.

Right now, the battle has been against the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement or ETCA which the Government has proposed to sign with India. But the battle-cries of GMOA officials made in different forums indicate that it would not be limited only to ETCA; it has already been extended to Indian ambulance services, Indian doctors and Indian Government’s ventures in Sri Lanka (watch discussion at: http://youtu.be/hlLpJ1BgawI). Pretty soon, it would be extended to all other Indian interventions in Sri Lanka because GMOA considers them to be a threat to national security.

In fact, this was announced by Dr. Padeniya himself when he addressed a gathering of professionals who had been led by him in person in a march in the streets of Colombo to theopen theatre in Colombo’s Viharamahadevi Park (available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pWCRxBibWg). Dr. Padeniya’s speech on this occasion has portrayed his wisdomon trade and related matters which could be termed ‘Padeniya Chinthana’ on the subject.

The Quota for Women in Local Government: A pledge for parity and a parody in parliament?

Photo courtesy Women and Media Collective

by Chulani Kodikara
- on 03/07/2016

The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it up for Gender Equality”. A good day to reflect on the 25% mandatory quota for women in local government passed by parliament almost exactly one month ago amidst an uproar created by members of the joint opposition who walked in to the well of the house demanding that they be recognised as an independent group. The second and third reading of the bill amending the Local Authorities Elections Act to grant a quota for women was therefore punctuated by interruptions, slogans, shouting and even singing. Scant attention appears to have been paid by over 40 members of parliament to the substance of the bill under discussion. Together with the Prime Minister who presented the bill only five other Members of Parliament – Chandrani Bandara, Marvai Senathiraja Faizer Mustapha, Anoma Gamage and Ranga Bandara – got an opportunity to speak. The Prime Minister in his speech attempted to pacify members of the joint opposition by promising them additional time to participate in the debate. Yet the disruptions and shouting continued prompting him to ask “whether they are against increasing women’s representation? Faizer Mustapha seemed to want to believe that despite the screaming and shouting, none of the members of the joint opposition including Pavithra Wanniarachchi in fact opposed this bill. From newspaper reports it seems clear that only government members finally voted for the bill amidst the chaos and Parliament was adjourned three hours earlier than scheduled.

The theatrics in parliament that day can be seen as a parody of the inattention given to the issue of women’s representation in political institutions by politicians over the years. Indeed even if those members of the joint opposition were not against increasing women’s representation, their behaviour effectively trivialized and reduced it to a non issue. Those who supported the quota, could speak for no more than four minutes. The whole debate lasted no more than 35 minutes. Ultimately the (non)debate failed to adequately foreground the historical significance of the law that was passed as well as its limitations in furthering democracy and women’s political empowerment. The media coverage of the amendment the next day also failed in this task. Most newspapers tended to be preoccupied with the visit to Sri Lanka of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights or the antics of the joint opposition. Some newspapers had inside stories on the amendment but they simply quoted parliamentarians’ speeches or views without any attempt to contexualise or historicise the amendment. There was no reference to the long struggle waged by women’s activists and organisations or the National Committee on Women (NCW) going back almost 20 years, to secure this reservation. Nor was there any reference to the deeply patriarchal and male dominated political culture in Sri Lanka, which has systematically marginalized women from political power.

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Education Minister To Be Sued For Breaching Patient Confidentiality

March 8, 2016

A group of lawyers are looking at the possibility of suing Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, for his unacceptable conduct where he breached ‘patient confidentiality’ when he publicly announced that the mother of the 6 year old child from Kuliyapitiya was HIV+.

Education Minister – Akila Viraj Kariyawasam

Colombo Telegraph reliably learns that the lawyers are currently in consultation with several international organisations seeking advice to take legal action over Kariyawasam’s blatant disregard to safeguard the woman’s health condition by alleging that she was HIV+. Speaking to the media over the weekend in Kandy, the Education Minister claimed that the mother was HIV+, and thus there were chances the child can contract it from her, so he would get a court order to separate the mother from the child and hand over the child to probationary services.

Following this statement which resulted in an uproar with people taking to social media demanding Kariyawasam’s resignation, and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also reprimanding him, the Education Minister extended an apology and went on to blame the Zonal Education Director as the person who informed him that the mother was HIV+.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sankalpa Marasinghe, Medical Officer of the De Soysa Hospital for Women expressed his shock and shame over the current developments in Kuliyapitiya. “What shocks me the most is not the degree of ignorance revealed at the village in Kuliyapitiya but the level of complete ignorance shown by the Minster of Education. I’m pretty sure it’s not just the Minister of Education who lacks such knowledge in the parliament,” he said.

He emphasized that the National STD/AIDS Control Programme (NSACP) draws a five year national policy on HIV and AIDS prevention, and the current policy which concludes in 2017 rests on two main pillars, which are; patient confidentiality and non-discrimination of HIV infected patients.

Marasinghe noted that these policy decisions are taken in order to protect patients from discrimination.

According to him, it was apparent that the Minster of Education and the other officials involved in this issue keep walking deep in to the wilderness rather than out of it. “On the above context, it is certainly within the rights of the mother and child to seek justice from the court of law sighting the violation of fundamental rights and patient confidentiality,” Marasinghe added.

Interestingly none of the country’s big time NGOs, who receive foreign funding for HIV/AIDS awareness have come out condemning the minister’s statement.

Meanwhile Dr. Natasha Balendra, chairperson of the National Child Protection Authority and Dr. Deepika Udagama, chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka in a joint statement said that the health status of the boy’s parents is irrelevant and it was the government’s duty to recognize the child’s right to education.

The Human Rights Commission and the National Child Protection Authority also reiterated that no question has arisen about the proper care and custody of the child.

“The health status of the mother must be viewed as a personal matter, which therefore requires the sensitivity of all parties concerns. Just as our own medical records are confidential – so are hers. According to the National HIV AIDS Policy it is the sole duty of all political leaders, government officials and media institutions to respect this confidentiality and honour the privacy of the child and his family,” the joint statement added.

The following statement issued by the Civil Society in Colombo, Sri Lanka

“Let us all declare this International Women’s Day, the 8th of March, and the full Month of March, as Dark Days”

(March 8, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In our country violence against women and children, particularly sexual violence has been increasing horrendously. Often times there has been no justice for women and children.

Thousands of women, their families and activists who have been fighting for their rights have lost faith and hope to wait for justice. For the case of the 18-year-old schoolgirl raped and murdered in2015 In Jaffna (Punkudutheevu), island wide we protested and asked justice. In Batticaloa in 2009, a 24-year-old woman was raped and murdered, her mother is still going to the court and asking for Justice. In Hatton (April 2015) a 5-year-old girl was raped, in Puttalam (January 2016) 26-year-old woman faced attempt to rape, in Gampaha (February 2016) 18 years old woman raped, In Gampalai (February 2016) Mother of 7 months child, raped by 10 men, In Vavuniya (February 2016)14 years old girl raped and murdered. Likewise all over the country and daily women and children are facing sexual violence.

Therefore, this year, let us all declare this International Women’s Day, the 8th of March, and the full Month of March, as Dark Days.

1. To declare violence against women and children, particularly sexual violence and murder, as a national crisis.

2. To enact pressure on all levels of government to put in place reforms and processes to ensure timely (we propose 3 years as the maximum duration for a trial to be conducted) Justice for sexual violence against women and children.

To immediately appoint special teams to handle the cases that are pending in the AG’s Department to bring them to trial.

Allocate sufficient resources to state services to strengthen preventative measures to reduce violence against women and children.

Specifically, we demand to provide strong powers and resources to the National Task Force on Violence Against Women established by the Prime Minister’s office on the 8th of March 2015 for the International Women’s Day to drive and oversee this process.

We also call for compliance with a guiding standard of victim-centeredness to be required for all judicial, law enforcement and service providing officers (including JMOs) to secure the safety, protection and dignity of women and ensure equal access to available services.

We are not accepting this anymore!

A country that is violent against women is dark

So, we all declare this March 8 as Dark Day

• We do not accept violence against women and children in our communities.

• We will not be those who commit violence against women and children.

• We will not allow our men to be perpetrators of violence against women and children.

• We will not stop until we get justice for violence against women and children.

In support of this pledge, we will fly black flags in our homes, shops, and offices starting on the 8th of March for the full Month of March.

On the 8th of March, we will wear black clothes and tie black armbands.

In the future, we wish to see a society free of violence against women and children

Men, women and their relationship

We should start from the basics of giving more life skills to both boys and girls in our education by gradually moving to mixed educational settings in all our leading schools

Wednesday, 9 March 2016

The first International women’s Day was held in 1911. After more than 100 years, we women look better statistically, but, we are not any better in reality, in the Sri Lankan context at least.

Today, a day after Women’s Day, after all the speeches are made, l think we should get down to the real issue of men, women and the not-so-healthy relationship between the two genders in Sri Lanka. In fact, if I could, I would name the day as ‘Men & Women Day,’ a day to reflect on our relationships with each other – at home, at work and in society.

In our grandmothers’ or mothers’ time, when men sat around talking politics or anything that was non-domestic, it was natural that women talked about children and other strictly domestic issues. Ironically, that seems to be the case still.

Social gatherings in Sri Lanka, irrespective of class, will degenerate into a segregated affair where men gather around bottles hard liquor, talking politics and other seemingly-important stuff, while women choose the fizzy sweet drinks to fret about the children, their schooling and difficulties of getting help in the kitchen.

High court judges, corporate lawyers, director of this and that, it does not matter, we all play a script handed down to us from our grandmothers’ time. Listen to both sides carefully and conclude for yourself. The quality of the conversation on both sides can improve with some mixing.

An uphill task

But, it is an uphill task. In the corridors of power in Sri Lanka, corporate or political, women’s influence is still largely through pillow talk, the illicit kind in particular. Scandals, in the past or the present, are always flavoured with sex. Sexual exploits of ageing politicos rejuvenated with power as the aphrodisiac make the news. Seen as the norm, these behaviours are now beginning to be questioned.

It’s time to rethink the feminist agenda!

Photo courtesy Hispanichorizons, via SoundCloud

by Lionel Bopage

- on 03/08/2016

Today is the International Women’s Day. It is 41 years since this day came out as a result of an event the Socialist Party of America organized. The Feminists have been mostly focused on balancing the gender numbers, getting women to important positions in the political and bureaucratic hierarchy. There has been some success. For example, the proportion of women in workforce has substantially increased and comprise about 46 percent of the Australian workforce. Women hold about 40 percent of the senior executive positions in the Australian Public Service. About 39 percent government board positions are held by women. Despite achieving formal legal equality, and some success in the numbers game, women have not been so far able to put a stop to the misogynistic approaches prevailing in male chauvinistic environments.

A struggle that commenced as part and parcel of the struggle for social justice and equality simply became inwardly focused. It became a gender power game of getting numbers and positions rather than driving an agenda for social justice that was inclusive of an entire gamut of fellow sufferers. In the numbers and positions game there has been some success. There have been several women Prime Ministers, a number of Ministers and many Members of Parliament. However, it appears those who have been in the women’s numbers and positions game, have also become entrenched and trapped in the world views of the ‘male dominated’ political world. Many of they appear to have become part and parcel of the oppressive system of governance. Those who have not succumbed to these neo-liberalist, self-focused, market-driven trap are those enlightened women, who still consider themselves belonging to the layers subjected to oppression.

Demand for gender equality against macho-culture was so self-centred that they almost excluded wider social equity issues affecting the workers, farmers, students, migrants, NESB, LGBT people etc. How can one forget that the very same women who fought for gender equity were the ones who supported incarceration of asylum seekers and their children off-shore? They simplistically equated social progress with gender equality, which was exactly what macho-dominated, neo-liberal oriented, market-driven forces focused on saving the unjust and unfair system of privileges and interests wanted. The women in powerful political and bureaucratic positions have become mirror images of their male counterparts. How many of those women in positions of power and influence are willing or committed to changing the status quo, or implement any social and cultural changes? Problematic, isn’t it?

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Devote Solid Funding, Courageous Advocacy, Unbending Political Will to Achieving Gender Equality, Secretary-General Urges in International Women’s Day Message

sri lanka war-

29 FEBRUARY 2016

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message on International Women’s Day, “From the Glass Ceiling to a Carpet of Shards”, to be observed on 8 March:

As a boy growing up in post-war Korea, I remember asking about a tradition I observed: women going into labour would leave their shoes at the threshold and then look back in fear. “They are wondering if they will ever step into those shoes again,” my mother explained.

More than a half-century later, the memory continues to haunt me. In poor parts of the world today, women still risk death in the process of giving life. Maternal mortality is one of many preventable perils. All too often, female babies are subjected to genital mutilation. Girls are attacked on their way to school. Women’s bodies are used as battlefields in wars. Widows are shunned and impoverished.

We can only address these problems by empowering women as agents of change. For more than nine years, I have put this philosophy into practice at the United Nations. We have shattered so many glass ceilings we created a carpet of shards. Now we are sweeping away the assumptions and bias of the past so women can advance across new frontiers.

I appointed the first-ever female Force Commander of United Nations troops and pushed women’s representation at the upper levels of our Organization to historic highs.Women are now leaders at the heart of peace and security — a realm that was once the exclusive province of men. When I arrived at the United Nations, there were no women leading our peace missions in the field. Now, nearly a quarter of all United Nations missions are headed by women — far from enough, but still a vast improvement.

I have signed nearly 150 letters of appointment to women in positions as Assistant Secretary-General or Under-Secretary-General. Some came from top Government offices with international renown, others have moved on to leadership positions in their home countries. All helped me prove how often a woman is the best person for a job.

To ensure that this very real progress is lasting, we have built a new framework that holds the entire United Nations system accountable. Where once gender equality was seen as a laudable idea, now it is a firm policy. Before, gender sensitivity training was optional; now it is mandatory for ever-greater numbers of United Nations staff. In the past, only a handful of United Nations budgets tracked resources for gender equality and women’s empowerment; now this is standard for nearly one in three, and counting.

Confucius taught that to put the world in order, we must begin in our own circles. Armed with proof of the value of women leaders at the United Nations, I have spoken out for women’s empowerment everywhere. In speeches at parliaments, universities and street rallies, in private talks with world leaders, in meetings with corporate executives and in tough conversations with powerful men ruling rigidly patriarchal societies, I have insisted on women’s equality and urged measures to achieve it.

When I took office, there were nine parliaments in the world with no women. We helped to drive that number down to four. I launched the UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign in 2008; today, scores of leaders and ministers, hundreds of parliamentarians and millions of individuals have added their names to the action call. I was the first man to sign our HeForShe campaign, and more than a million others have joined since. I stood with activists calling for the abandonment of female genital mutilation and celebrated when the General Assembly adopted its first-ever resolution supporting that goal. I am echoing the calls of many who know women can drive success in achieving our bold 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and advancing the Paris Agreement on climate change.

On this International Women’s Day, I remain outraged by the denial of rights to women and girls — but I take heart from the people everywhere who act on the secure knowledge that women’s empowerment leads to society’s advancement. Let us devote solid funding, courageous advocacy and unbending political will to achieving gender equality around the world. There is no greater investment in our common future.http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sgsm17569.doc.htm

WOMEN AND GENDER ISSUES

Dark March - Women boycott IWD and meet the PM

Mar 08, 2016

“Let us all declare this International Women’s Day, the 8th of March, and the full Month of March, as Dark Days”

In our country violence against women and children, particularly sexual violence has been increasing horrendously. Often times there has been no justice for women and children.

Thousands of women, their families and activists who have been fighting for their rights have lost faith and hope waiting for justice. For the case of the 18 year old school girl raped and murdered in2015 In Jaffna (Punkudutheevu), island wide we protested and asked justice. In Batticaloa in 2009, a 24 year old woman was raped and murdered, her mother is still going to the court and asking for Justice. In Hatton (April 2015) a 5 year old girl was raped, in Puttalam (January 2016) 26 year old woman faced attempt to rape, in Gampaha (February2016) 18 years old woman raped, In Gampalai (Feruary 2016) Mother of 7 months child, raped by 10 men, In vavuniya (February 2016)14 years old girl raped and murdered. Likewise all over the country and daily women and children are facing sexual violence.

Therefore, this year, let us all declare this International Women’s Day, the 8th of March, and the full Month of March, as Dark Days.

We are not accepting this anymore!
A country that is violent against women is dark
So, we all declare this March 8 as Dark Day

• We do not accept violence against women and children in our communities.

• We will not be those who commit violence against women and children.

• We will not allow our men to be perpetrators of violence against women and children.

• We will not stop until we get justice for violence against women and children.

In support of this pledge we will fly black flags in our homes, shops, and offices starting
On the 8th of March for the full Month of March.

On the 8th of March we will wear black clothes and tie black arm bands.

In the future we wish to see a society free of violence against women and children.

- North, south, east and up country women's collective -

Women's Day marked in North-East with demonstrations against sexual violence

08 March 2016

Marking International Women's Day, women's organisations held a demonstrations in Jaffna and Batticaloa on Tuesday, demanding an end to sexual violence against women and children. The demonstration comes after a number of incidents of sexual violence against Tamil girls by Tamil men in the North-East.
Batticaloa

Holding placards and black flags, demonstrators demanded an end to sexual violence against women and girls.

The protest took place by the Mahatma Gandhi park in Batticaloa.

Mapping Street Harassment This Women’s Day

Featured image courtesy Streetharassmenthurts

by Raisa Wickrematunge
- on 03/08/2016

“Virtually unreported, condoned and invisibalised”. These are the words used in Women and Media Collective’s December 2015 Country Profile on Universal Access to Reproductive Rights to describe street-based sexual harassment.

Yet it is a daily reality for most women in Sri Lanka.

The latest published statistics on street harassment date back to 2011.

Deputy Minister of Transport, Rohana Dissanayake alleged in July 2011 thatone in four women are subject to sexual harassment in public transport on a daily basis. A survey conducted by the Legal Aid Commission (LAC) in 2011 revealed that 70% of women between the ages of 15 and 45 years have experienced sexual harassment while using public transport. Amarasinghe et al (2004) in a study at Maradana railway station found that as many as 94% of women – from school girls, to working women and girls studying in higher educational institutions – had experienced harassment in public transport.

There have been numerous events conducted to raise awareness against street harassment, and in the social media era, people’s stories are quick to reach a wide audience.

Recently, a father posted a story online about his two young daughters (aged 13 and 17) and a group of drunk beachgoers who passed lewd comments at them, much to his discomfort and anger. What was interesting was one response to this article, by a young man who claimed that ‘boys will be boys’ and suggested that the women secretly felt ‘psychologically validated’ by the attention.

March 8 (Tuesday) marks International Women’s Day, and this yearGroundviews decided to highlight the widespread nature of street harassment, by mapping it.

Each marker tells a story – a story of a woman trying to go home, to work, or just about her day – only to be made to feel uncomfortable, or even unsafe.

View the map directly here:

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Govt. imposes taxes for fiscal consolidation

To avoid “debt trap,” imposes Capital Gains Tax, increases VAT, but insists essential goods will be exempt

Wednesday, 9 March 2016

In an effort to avoid a “debt trap,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in a special statement to Parliament yesterday revamped several taxes including the Value Added Tax (VAT) and reintroduced the Capital Gains Tax to revise Budget 2016 and keep deficit and debt controlled.

The seven-page statement slammed the previous Government of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for concealing debt accumulated by State-Owned Enterprises and other public companies, which had to be added to the consolidated fund by the Wickremesinghe-Sirisena administration.

The Prime Minister also outlined how the new Government decided to allow a forensic audit by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ahead of a possible program between the two entities to increase fiscal consolidation. A new tax system likely to be implemented in 2017 is also under discussion between the Government and the IMF. Under the new measures Wickremesinghe announced that VAT would be hiked to 15% from 11%, while capital gains would be taxed for the first time since 1987. However, he insisted VAT increases would not be imposed on electricity bills and essential goods.

The new tax rates were decided at a special Cabinet meeting over the weekend where VAT exemptions to telecommunications, private education and the health sector among others was ruled out to simplify the system.

Wickremesinghe told Parliament the Government owed Rs. 9.5 trillion ($65.6 billion) or 74.9% of GDP, as he revised some of the main Budget numbers presented in November. He noted the former Government headed by Rajapaksa had not included Rs. 1.04 trillion in borrowing by State enterprises in the national debt, which was estimated at Rs. 8.48 trillion at the end of last year.

The Prime Minister, also the Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development, said the country has to pay Rs. 1.21 trillion on its debts this year, including Rs. 562 billion in interest.

“The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is in Rs. 365 billion of debt, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) owes Rs. 260 billion and SriLankan Airlines Rs. 211 billion. The list is very long. The amount of debt might increase, it might even hit Rs. 10 trillion,” the Prime Minister warned lawmakers.

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has failed to pay Rs. 23 billion of provident funds to its employees while Government departments and ministries have tacked up debt of Rs. 58.4 billion. The Highways Ministry alone is Rs. 24 billion in debt, stated Wickremesinghe, slamming the previous Government on its infrastructure development policies.

Sri Lanka’s finances are under scrutiny after ratings agency Fitch last week downgraded its sovereign rating by a notch to “B+”, spurred by a ballooning fiscal deficit, rising foreign debt and sluggish growth prospects that have been highlighted numerous times by economists.