Sri Lanka’s situation – By Dr Harold Gunatillake
A proposal from the budget on cannabis
The budget has proposed to look into the possibility of producing the ‘Triloka Wijayapathra’ (hemp) crop for export only. Finance Minister and President Ranil Wickramasinghe said that while presenting the budget speech to the Parliament, it is proposed to appoint a committee for that purpose through the 2023 budget.
Meanwhile, a tax of Rs. 2 for cannabis has also been proposed in the budget presented today. Diana was pleased with the budget proposal to promote growing Cannabis State Minister Diana Gamage today said she was happy about the proposal made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to grow Cannabis in Sri Lanka.
“I am thrilled that the President has realised the value of this medicinal herb. It is an industry which can provide many employment opportunities. This is why I promoted it. I am hoping to bring in investments worth over two billion dollars through cannabis plantation next year,” Gamage said. “I made this proposal some time back,” she recalled.
POLICE ON TRIAL: Exercising Authority without Accountability
“Police officers don’t believe they will ever be held accountable for what they do on the streets.”
• Officers are rarely prosecuted for misconduct, including the brutal use of force on citizens. In rare cases, officers found guilty are given minor disciplinary punishments or given warnings.
• It is observed that the commission has failed to fulfil one of the complementary functions — transforming the Sri Lanka Police into an efficient, transparent, and responsive service that upholds Human Rights, ensures public accountability, and adheres to the Rule of Law.
For the first time in history, special guests came to the budget speech
For the first time in the history of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, the youth community, including school students, participated in the budget presentation.
The photos show school students and the youth community attending the President’s presentation of the budget speech today.
‘Sri Lanka, Towards a New Beginning’
President pledges to introduce new economic order to suit new world order President Ranil Wickremesinghe promised to introduce a new economic order to do the new world order and highlighted that Sri Lanka will embark on this new path through the 2023 budget.
“The economic order which was introduced in 1978 is no longer valid. Our aim now is to take the country towards a new economic order. Sri Lanka will move towards a social market economy through the budget,” the President said.
“To ensure a better future for the youth of our country, let’s create a new economy tailored to meet the expectations of the youth through a new approach that goes beyond traditional protests, revolts and strikes,” the President stressed.
“We aim to convert the capital deficit into a surplus in the coming years; We also intend to increase tax revenue. It is currently around 8% of the GDP. Sri Lanka’s tax revenue is one of the lowest in the globe. We need to rectify this situation.
The 2023 budget has proposed to restart the paid ward system in government hospitals.
Presenting the budget speech, Finance Minister President Ranil Wickramasinghe said that it is proposed to restart this system in national and base hospitals under its first phase.
Although this system existed earlier, with the expansion of private hospitals, the design of paid wards in public hospitals was discontinued.
However, the president said he would submit this proposal as this request was received from many parties with the rapid increase in the fees of private hospitals.
You Can’t Beat the Sri Lankan Smile අපරා�ත ලංකා�නහව
Sri Lankans may go through hardships, including the kids, but that smile of theirs will cheer up the world.
Govt. denies reports of domestic debt restructuring.
The Government has not decided to restructure domestic debt, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe clarified today (17). In a Twitter message, he said this was so as negotiations of treatments on external debt are
still being discussed with external bilateral and commercial creditors. “The Government of Sri Lanka has no intention to impose any treatment on domestic debt which will hurt the domestic banking sector, insurance sector, and superannuation funds,” he said.
State Minister Semasinghe further said there is no basis for recent speculation announced on restructuring domestic debt.
The comments come at a time when Sri Lanka reached a Staff-Level Agreement with the IMF on a four-year program supported by the Extended Fund Facility in September.
The agreement is to support Sri Lanka’s economic adjustment and reform policies with a new 48-month Extended Fund Facility with a requested access of about SDR 2.2 billion (equivalent to US$2.9 billion).
The new EFF arrangement will support Sri Lanka’s program to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability while safeguarding financial stability, reducing corruption vulnerabilities, and unlocking Sri Lanka’s growth potential.
President met with another president at Katunayake Air Force Base
According to the Presidential Media Division, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Sri Lanka for a short visit.
Surprise birthday celebration for South African President at BIA
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was entertained on his birthday with a celebration organised in Sri Lanka.
According to video footage, President Ranil Wickremesinghe had participated in the celebrations.
An event was organised at the Katunayake Air Force Base last night (16) to celebrate the South African President’s birthday.
Budget – 2023 fraught with full of ideas but no practical solutions – Eran
The Finance Minister’s 2023 Budget is full of ideas but no practical plans incorporated within the budget. As a result, the budget has made the Parliament and the country’s people walk in a dream among the stars. But when we wake up from sleep, it seems that the whole country has been pushed towards abysmal, said SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne, speaking on the second reading debate of Budget 2023 in Parliament today (16)
I hope you get a glimpse of what is happening in Sri Lanka today, and this video presentation was helpful.
Stay safe, and goodbye for now.
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