Breaking News 148

COLOMBO (News 1st): The rate of children admitted to hospitals after contracting the COVID-19 virus has risen sharply, the Ministry of Health said on Monday (Jan. 24).

There is a rapid increase in the rate of COVID-19 infections among all age groups, Dr. G. Wijesuriya, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services told News 1st.

Whilst pointing out that children are more likely to contract the virus from parents and adults, as opposed to from other children, Dr. Wijesuriya urged parents to practice caution with their children.

“There is a significant number of children infected with COVID-19 currently receiving in-house treatment. The rate of critical infections is minimum. More than 50 children are receiving in-house treatment at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH), while around 10 to 15 COVID-19 cases are directed for treatment daily,” he noted.

Deputy Director-General of Health Services, Dr. G. Wijesuriya pointed out that the prevailing situation may further worsen towards mid-February and urged everyone above the age of 12-years to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and those over the age of 20-years to receive booster shots as early as possible.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The United Kingdom’s State Minister for South Asia, United Nations and the Commonwealth, Lord Tariq Ahmad said that Sri Lanka’s programme to empower human rights is making great strides.

He further stated that Sri Lanka will be able to resolve all issues pertaining to human rights by moving forward with a pragmatic approach to further strengthen it.

Minister Ahmad made these remarks when he called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday morning (20).

As Minister of State for South Asia, the United Nations and Commonwealth, Lord Ahmad has been entrusted with a number of responsibilities including co-operation with the Indian Ocean region, Central Asia and the Commonwealth.

Responding to a request made by the President to assist Sri Lanka in achieving its goals in the renewable energy sector by overcoming technical hurdles, Lord Ahmad said he would look into the matter as soon as possible when he returns to his country and extend all possible assistance in this regard.

He pointed out that facilitating investments in Sri Lanka could attract more investors, adding that people living in the United Kingdom belonging to different ethnic groups were looking forward to making new investments in Sri Lanka.

An agreement has been already signed with the United Kingdom to provide employment opportunities for Sri Lankan healthcare workers. Lord Ahmad also promised to explore the possibility of developing cooperation in the economic sphere.

The Government aims to solve all the issues faced by Sri Lankans and create an environment where all Sri Lankans can live as one people. The President expressed the willingness to work with the Sri Lankan Diaspora in the United Kingdom in this regard and requested Lord Tariq Ahmad to provide an opportunity for discussions with the Diaspora.

Lord Ahmad said that the United Kingdom is always ready to work in harmony as a close and pragmatic friend of Sri Lanka.

The year 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka. A celebration is planned to be held to mark this milestone. Discussions were also held to promote the cultural and artistic aspects of the two countries and to enhance the relationship between the people of the two countries during these celebrations.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The adjournment debate on the Government’s Policy Statement presented by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is due to commence on Wednesday (19).

The Head of State presented the Policy Statement on Tuesday (18) with the beginning of the 2nd session of the 9th Parliament.

Earlier, it was decided that the Adjournment debate on the Statement of Government Policy presented by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, will be held on January 19th and 20th.

During Tuesday’s (18) meeting, Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando had requested for the debate to run until Friday (21) as most government MP’s had wanted to express their views.

Accordingly, the Prime Minister had instructed to allocate Friday (21) for the debate after informing the Speaker.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila has warned that if the fuel imported to the country is released to the Ceylon Electricity Board for electricity generation, there will be a shortage of fuel for vehicles.

“We were compelled to reach a decision to only release fuel to the CEB if they deliver payment in USD,” the Minister told News 1st adding that Sri Lanka does not have oil deposits or large stocks of fuel to be given to the CEB.

“We can only procure fuel for the CEB if they can provide us with payment in USD,” he said.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has already delivered 1,500 metric tons of diesel per day in the last two days.

“At present, there are two tankers anchored at sea with a total of 76,000 MT of diesel. If the (CEB) can provide us with the US Dollars to unload one of them, we can deliver diesel to the Ceylon Electricity Board,” he told News 1st while denying that he will be held accountable for any power-cuts that may arise over the shortage of fuel to generate electricity.

Minister Gammanpila said he is NOT vested with the responsibility of sourcing US Dollars for the country, adding that he has no power to even print US dollars.

“The issue is not the fact that the CEB owes the CPC over Rs. 90 Billion. The issue is that we have no foreign exchange to procure the fuel,” he elaborated adding that even if the CEB repays its debt in its entirety, the CPC is not in a position to deliver fuel in the absence of US dollars.

Minister Udaya Gammanpila noted that the existing stocks of fuel are sufficient for domestic usage, industries, and vehicles, and if the fuel is delivered to the CEB, the CPC will face a shortage of delivering fuel for domestic usage, industries, and vehicles.

He said that in September 2021, the CEB was informed that if they require diesel of furnace oil they need to source the foreign exchange required for the procurement, however, the CEB had responded that they would not require fuel until the end of January 2022.

“However, on the 7th of January they told us that they need 3,000 MT of Furnace Oil daily and we have started to deliver it to them,” he said, adding that the stocks will be delivered until 22nd January 2022.

“But, on the 11th of January, they informed us that they require diesel from the 13th of January. At a time when we do not maintain large stocks, we do not produce oil and when we do not have the foreign exchange to procure the oil, how can be delivered when they inform us all of a sudden?” said Gammanpila.

‘If we deliver, the country would stop. Electricity is something that can be controlled. However, when it comes to the transportation sector, there are only two things. We have fuel or we do not have fuel. Hence, we will have to give priority to the transportation sector over power generation.” said the Minister.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) is perturbed over the announcement by S&P Global Ratings to downgrade Sri Lanka, at a time when the GOSL has diligently lined up adequate funds to repay its maturing foreign debt liabilities and its repeated assurances over the strong commitment to oblige its debt service payments, including the International Sovereign Bond (ISB) maturing on 18 January 2022, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) states.

The credit rating agency, Standard & Poor’s (S&P) lowered long-term sovereign credit rating on Sri Lanka from ‘CCC+’ to ‘CCC’ on increasing external financing risks on Wednesday (12).

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka, issuing a statement in response, states that this move demonstrates repetitive nature in which S&P and other rating agencies acted to initiate rating actions just prior to the settlement of ISB obligations.

S&P’s action also fails to recognize the positive developments taking place in Sri Lanka, in an environment in which the entire world is grappling with repeated waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CBSL states.

The sense of urgency on the part of an internationally recognised rating agency is inconceivable, particularly since S&P was being constantly updated by the Sri Lankan authorities on the latest developments in all sectors of the economy and many measures to shore-up foreign exchange inflows. In fact, these repeated rating actions, which have undermined and delayed the efforts of authorities’ to augment foreign exchange inflows, have negatively affected investor confidence, potential investment inflows and the gradual build-up of official reserves of the country. Recent rating actions also negated momentum of reserve-build-up and adversely affected investors who acted over such announcements.

As against the S&P’s claim on unforeseen positive developments, major economic and financial indicators are aligned in line with the measures and plans unveiled in the recent Budget announcement of the GOSL and the Six-Month Road Map announcement by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), it further reads.

Moreover, CBSL states that the near-term funding arrangements are being finalized by the GOSL and the CBSL with various bilateral sources, which are due to be materialized. Following several headwinds faced by the Sri Lankan economy in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are strong signs that economic activities are now returning to normalcy with all leading indicators signalling positive momentum. Tourism is on the rise and exports are continuously increasing. A number of measures introduced to enhance workers’ remittances are also yielding anticipated results. Government to

Government financing initiatives, including liquidity facilitations and trade financing, and central bank swap arrangements are negotiated with neighbouring countries through high-level engagements. These facilities are expected to strengthen and fast track the recovery of the Sri Lankan economy.

With the expected inflows materializing as envisaged in the Six-Month Road Map, at the end of 2021 the reserve position amounted to over US dollars 3 billion level and such level is expected to be maintained in the near-term with gradual build-up with both non-debt and financing inflows. In addition, during the recent past, foreign currency debt exposure has been reduced due to various measures taken by the GOSL and the CBSL. Thus, taking the absolute value of reserve levels only into consideration against the overall exposure of the country’s debt portfolio is inappropriate.

Hence, S&P’s assessment to downgrade the rating has clearly failed to recognize the recent progress made by the Government and the CBSL in securing foreign exchange inflows to meet the government’s forthcoming debt obligations.

Against this backdrop, the Government wishes to re-assure all stakeholders, including the international investor community, that Sri Lanka remains committed to honoring all forthcoming obligations in the period ahead and maintain its unblemished record of debt servicing. The Sri Lankan authorities also welcome direct engagement with investors and invite investors for regular one-on-one discussions without being distracted by such unfounded announcements by external agencies.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police says a hand grenade was discovered at a church in Borella situated close to the Welikada Prison.

Police Spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Attorney Nihal Thalduwa said, Three people have been arrested, and the Police Special Task Force has been called in to defuse the ordinance.