The Short News

1. President Sirisena due to commission USD 400 million Moragahakanda Hydo-electricity and Irrigation reservoir commenced in 2009, today: also due to commission USD 31 million Rajagiriya Fly-over which was conceived, planned and funds allocated in 2013 2. Transparency International requests Government not to use Rajagiriya Fly-over for electioneering purposes 3. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says a Commission needs to be appointed to search for the development work done by the UNP-SLFP Government after borrowing several trillions of Rupees 4. PM Wickremesinghe says that an investigation must be conducted into the Treasury Bond issues between 2008 and 2014: Analysts note that the massive Bond Scams which caused losses of around Rs. 1 Trillion, occurred in 2015 and 2016: Former...

1. Much awaited Fertilizer ship due 2 days ago, fails to arrive: new expected arrival date is Monday, 8th January: Farmers in utter distress 2. Former COPE Chairman D E W Gunasekera says that the UNP leadership must take blame for the Bond Scam 3. National Freedom Front leader and Joint Opposition MP Wimal Weerawansa says the Joint Opposition will move a Motion of No-confidence against PM Wickramasinghe 4. Tamil Tiger financiers to stand trial in Switzerland: none in Sri Lanka 5. Suspension of Primary Dealer licence of Perpetual Treasuries extended by further 6 months 6. Action on President Sirisena's Bond Comm statement starts: Central Bank commences forensic audit on the Treasury Bond issues from 2008 to 2014: No action yet on the main recommendations pertaining to the Bon...

1. President Sirisena who dissolved Parliament one day before the vital first COPE Report on the Bond Scam of Feb 2015 was presented to Parliament, which led to the even bigger second Scam to be carried out in March 2016, makes statement about the Bond Scam Report 2. Experts say nothing of any significance has been revealed, and that findings and recommendations do not seem to reflect evidence: President's statement suggests that "Hon PM" is broadly cleared: "RK" and "AM" are implicated: Perpetual Treasuries has been asked to pay back "financial advantage" of Rs.11.1 billion: No mention about the "Foot-notes" or Ministers who went to the Central Bank the day before the Scam: Overall loss grossly underestimated 3. Cash-strapped Government to raise a staggering USD 5 billion (approxima...

1. Major Financial system shock: Central Banks stops withdrawals of deposits by Depositors in two Finance Companies (ETI Finance Ltd and Swarnamahal Financial Services Ltd) for 6 months: says it is to "safeguard" the Depositors whose withdrawals are withheld: Places companies under 3-member expert panel 2. National Venereal Diseases and Prevention of AIDS project report says there are 7,500 persons "identified as gays in Sri Lanka": report also indicates large number of patients suffering from AIDS and VD are from Colombo, Gampaha, Galle, Kalutara and Kurunegala 3. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa launches election campaign of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna contesting under the "Pohottuwa" (Lotus Bud) symbol: says his photograph belongs to the "Pohottuwa", although all want it ...

1. While the Australian media has been reporting that the Australian Federal Police is investigating allegations that bribes have been given by Australian firm, Snowy Mountains to a close aide of (then) Irrigation Minister Sirisena, President Sirisena says that he, as the (then) General Secretary of the SLFP had told the Party's Local Government members "not to plunder" state assets 2. President Sirisena laments that his home District Polonnaruwa has the highest rate of suicides in Sri Lanka, and the second-highest in the world 3. President Sirisena laments that funds required to purchase fertilizer had not been released to the banks until his "intervention": hints that such lapse had caused the fertilizer shortage 4. SLFP Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera now takes up GSP iss...

1. The year 2018 to be the year where the Taxes to be paid by the people is to double from that of 2014: State Finance Minister Eran Wickramaratne proudly announces that the people were taxed Rs.1.6 trillion in 2017, as against Rs.1.0 trillion in 2014: also says he expects better performance in 2018 with new Inland Revenue Act coming into force soon 2. The Sri Lankan Rupee depreciates 2.5% in 2017: Rupee's fall cushioned to a great extent by the US Dollar weakening against many international currencies by about 10% during the year: the Rupee fell about 15% in the years 2015 and 2016 3. Department of Census and Statistics says that Inflation has risen by only 7.1% in 2017: also says that Average Inflation was only 6.6% during the year: Past annual inflation figures - 2014 (3.3%): 2015...

1. Although President Sirisena had claimed that he had spoken to "Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif" to arrange the import of 40,000 metric tons of urea, it is pointed out that Sharif had resigned as Prime Minister in July 2017, nearly 6 months ago: the present PM of Pakistan is Shahid Abassi 2. Another Minister set to join the world's largest Cabinet of Ministers early in the New Year: Wimal Weerawansa's NFF MP Weerakumara Dissanayake likely to be given Cabinet appointment by President Sirisena 3. Elections Watch Organisation Spokesman says 32 notorious criminals are among those who are contesting the upcoming Local Government elections: Kegalle district tops the list with 7, while Colombo has 5 and Gampaha 4 4. While UNP and SLFP are contesting separately at the Local Government e...

1. Massive new economic shock to herald New Year: USA's GSP Tax concession stopped from 31st December 2017: Serious implications likely for Sri Lankan apparel exports, as US is Sri Lanka's biggest apparel export market 2. UNP Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva, one of the greatest supporters of the GSP concession, now says the removal of GSP by the USA has no significant impact on Sri Lanka's exports to the USA 3. President Sirisena says the Pakistan PM has promised to send 40,000 MT of fertilizer following telephone conversation with him: no disclosure as to whether the normal Governmental procurement procedures have been followed in this mega multi-million dollar procurement 4. Driver and Cleaner of the Bulldozer that razed the ancient Chaitiya at Sampur to the ground, badly injure...

1. President Sirisena who dissolved Parliament one day before the vital COPE Report on the Bond Scam was to be presented in Parliament, says he will not spare even his kith and kin to clean up politics: EPDP leader Douglas Devananda and CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman stand by his side 2. Another Minister added to the world's largest Cabinet of Ministers: UPFA MP Piyasena Gamage sworn in as State Minister of Law and Order by President Sirisena 3. Sri Lanka continues to enjoy the lowest maternal deaths record in South Asia 4. Group of Jaffna-based lawyers file petition to prevent the last rites of the late Chief Incumbent of the Jaffna Sri Naga Viharaya, Ven. Meegahajandure Gnanaratana Thero being performed at the Jaffna Fort Sports ground: Jaffna Magistrate disallows petition 5. ...

1. Beleaguered former Finance and later Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake who resigned over allegations relating to the Bond Scam, says it is best that the UNP and the SLFP work together: says growth is coming down to 3.4% and inflation is up to 8.4% because the Central Bank is absolutely corrupt and inefficient 2. SLFP Minister Susil Premajayath says there is a possibility that SLFP will join SLPP, if SLFP comes first but is short of an absolute majority 3. Ardent Sri Lankan Cricket fan, Gayan Senanayake participates at Virat Kohli's wedding reception 4. Loss arising from ill-advised cancellation of Airbus aircraft orders by Sri Lankan Airlines on the instructions of the Government leads to loss of Rs.15 billion per year: Total loss from Hedging was Rs.12 billion (USD 89 million...