The government has taken steps to address shortages of fuel and gas to some extent when compared to the earlier situation which had long queues that stretched for kilometres outside fuel and gas stations. But a well-planned recovery plan still cannot be seen that can address the long-term food security issues.
The government has taken steps to address shortages of fuel and gas to some extent when compared to the earlier situation which had long queues that stretched for kilometres outside fuel and gas stations. But a well-planned recovery plan still cannot be seen that can address the long-term food security issues.
“We wanted to go for a roadshow in India, it won’t be a flamboyant roadshow, it will be a pleading roadshow to get Indian tourists to start coming back to Sri Lanka,” Harin Fernando, the country’s newly appointed minister for tourism, was quoted as saying by Daily Mirror.
On Saturday morning, Aeroflot announced suspending commercial flights to Sri Lanka for an indefinite period, citing the “unreliability of the situation in terms of ensuring unhindered flights of the airline’s aircraft to Sri Lanka”. The row, if not resolved quickly, could hurt Sri Lanka’s already troubled economy as Russia is its third top source market for its tourism industry.
During his discussions with the UN officials, Wickremesinghe informed that the officials were devising a food security program, expected to be unveiled next month, in the wake of the situation. UN officials expressed their support for the initiative.
With the economic crisis and the shortage of forex, the Indian credit line of USD 500 million for fuel imports has provided a lifeline to the island nation, which is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948. With long lines for fuel, cooking gas, essentials in short supply and long hours of power cuts, the public has been suffering for months.
“In the near future we may have to stay in the queue and return home without fuel,” he warned, requesting people to grow whatever crop they can grow in their home garden, a bizarre suggestion the country’s Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amarweera also repeated.
Sri Lanka will require fertilizers worth over $500 million this year and the government has sought fertilizers both from India and China. New Delhi had earlier assured of all possible help. While New Delhi has extended assistance worth over $3 billion this year, China has yet to extend any significant help despite Colombo’s repeated request.
The impact of the crisis is so severe that the government has been left with no revenues even in rupees, forcing it to print another trillion just to pay off the salaries of public sector employees.
The new cabinet headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe granted approval for the proposal submitted by the Minister of Electricity and Energy to obtain a series of short-term loan facilities worth another $500 million with the assistance of the export-import bank of the Indian government in order to purchase petroleum products required by the country settling the foreign exchange shortage existing at the moment, the government said in a statement.
After coming to power in 2019, the Rajapaksa government passed the 20th Amendment, concentrating more power in an executive presidency at the cost of weakening parliament and the cabinet
The United States government has forecast a global food shortage and identified Sri Lanka and Afghanistan as two countries that are likely to be badly hit by the crisis.
"There is direct evidence against the two MPs and that is why they were arrested," the official said. This is the first significant action by new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who relies on the support of the SLPP, in pacifying the demands of protestors.
“Although these facts are unpleasant and terrifying, this is the true situation,” he said, mincing no words while describing the state of the economy, which has all but collapsed
Since assuming office last week, Wickremesinghe has been quite honest while describing the challenges faced by the country, admitting the situation may get worse before getting better. However, he assured the country the supply of critical and basic needs like food, fuel, and medicines will be ensured
The Indian government has decided to supply this quantity of urea immediately to Sri Lanka at the request of the Colombo despite a ban on the export of urea from India. Sri Lanka is the only country after Nepal to receive such assurance
