Author: TELO Admin

The International Monetary Fund announced on Tuesday (07) that Sri Lanka has received financial assurances from all its major bilateral creditors. This paves the way for the IMF Board to consider the approval of the Staff Level Agreement for financing under the Extended Fund Facility on March 20.

Earlier in the day, China gave assurances that it will support Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring, clearing the biggest hurdle for the nation to secure a USD 2.9 billion bailout from the IMF.

The IMF approval for a USD 2.9 billion loan depended on financial assurance from all Sri Lankan creditors. India and members of the Paris Club initially expressed their willingness to provide financial assurance verbally. Some of the tools discussed by creditors include debt moratoriums and refinancing. The IMF approval is considered to be vital as means of reviving the country’s ailing economy.

Sri Lanka’s 6th Periodic Review under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) will be held on 8 and 9 March 2023 in Geneva, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It is recalled that Sri Lanka acceded to the ICCPR on 11 June 1980. Currently, 173 countries have ratified the ICCPR. In addition to the implementation of the Covenant, all States Parties to the Covenant have undertaken a voluntary obligation to submit periodic reports to the Committee and participate in periodic reviews.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka has submitted 5 Periodic Reports in 1983, 1990, 1994, 2003 and 2013 and has participated in 5 Reviews in 1983, 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2014.

The 6th Report was submitted on 22 February 2019 to the Human Rights Committee. The Human Rights Committee is a body comprised of 18 independent experts that monitor the implementation of the ICCPR. The Reviews of all countries are conducted by the Committee.

At the request of Sri Lanka, the 6th Review will be conducted in hybrid format and will be led by Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Himalee Arunatilaka, the ministry said.

The Sri Lanka delegation also comprises senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Public Security, Attorney-General’s Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva participating in person.

Senior officials from Colombo will join the Review virtually representing the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Ministry of Health, Department of Prisons, Department of Police, Office on Missing Persons (OMP), Office on Reparations (OR) and Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR).

In addition to Sri Lanka, the following countries will also be reviewed by the Human Rights Committee during its 137th session to be held from 27 February to 24 March 2023: Egypt, Turkmenistan, Zambia, Peru, and Panama.

While stressing that the date for the Local Government (LG) polls remain in the hands of the Treasury, the Election Commission (EC) ruled out yesterday the possibility of holding the election before the Sinhala and Hindu New Year which falls in mid-April.

EC Chairman, Nimal G Punchihewa told Daily Mirror that even if the treasury releases funds for the election immediately based on Friday’s Supreme Court ruling the election has to be held between 5 – 7 weeks from the day of declaration of the polls. Hence, the LG polls have to be held in the second half of April, 2023.

Punchihewa told Daily Mirror last morning that the EC was ready to announce a short date for the LG polls if the Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardene promises to release adequate funds to the EC to conduct polls at the meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow morning at the EC also attended by the IGP, Chandana Wickramaratne and Government Printer Gangani Liyanage.

“I can’t give you an assurance whether the EC could hold the LG polls or if that is the case when. All depends on the availability of enough funds to the EC. If the Treasury takes the responsibility to release sufficient funds at tomorrow’s discussion, we are ready to hold the LG polls on a nearest possible day. The ball is in Treasury’s hands” Punchihewa emphasized.

“However, the Treasury can also tell us that it is more than happy to release funds to the EC but they don’t have enough cash to do so at the moment. They can release funds only in a few months only. But I don’t think this kind of scenario would arise tomorrow at the discussion,” he added.

If the EC failed to obtain a firm pledge from the Treasury immediately for sufficient funding to conduct much delayed LG polls, there will be another legal issue. The highest court in the country has given ruling to the Secretary to the Treasury not to retain funds allocated to the EC from the budget 2023. Therefore, the Treasury is officially and legally bound to release funds to the EC. If not, it will amount to contempt of court. The EC does not want to involve in another legal battle. The petitioners either who obtained this court ruling will need this, Punchihewa stressed.

If the Treasury promises to release funds immediately, the EC will try its best to release the gazette notification indicating the day of the polls through 25 District Returning Officers (DROs) on Wednesday (8) and unless on Thursday.

Commenting on the remarks coming from certain quarters that he did not call the all-important meeting at the week-end, Punchihewa said it was a long week-end and many public servants go out of the city and also they are officially not bound to attend officials meetings.

A group of opposition Parliamentarian are due to discuss the date related to the Local Government Election with members of the Election Commission tomorrow (7).

A letter in this regard signed by nine MPs was directed to the Chairman of the Commission.

The opposition MPs have requested the Election Commission to take prompt measures to conduct the election in line with the determination by the Supreme Court on the 3rd of March.

The letter has been signed by MPs Vijitha Herath, GL Peiris, Mano Ganesan, Rishad Bathuideen, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Rauff Hakeem, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, MA Sumanthiran and Dayasiri Jayasekera.

The MPs have called for the Local Government Election to be held before the 20th of March.

The letter accordingly called for a round of discussions in this regard to be held at 9am tomorrow at the Election Secretariat.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, the Government Printer and the Inspector General of Police have been summoned before the Election Commission to discuss the conduct of the Local Government Election.

Members of the Election Commission are also due to hold a round of talks tomorrow (7).