Three Chinese loans requested to be considered as state loans!

Published

2 years ago

February 6, 2023

editor

The Finance Ministry has submitted a proposal to the Cabinet seeking approval to consider loans obtained from China for three projects as state loans.

The three projects are Mattala Airport, Norochcholai Power Plant and Hambantota Port.

The purpose of this proposal is to transfer the loan amount obtained from the China Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank of China) to the balance sheet of the Government of Sri Lanka.

As at the end of 2022, an amount of USD 93 million from the loan obtained for the Mattala Airport was still to be paid.

The Finance Ministry said that USD 591 million has to be paid from the loans obtained for the Norochcholai Power Plant project while USD 742 million has to be paid for the Hambantota Port project.

Due to the release of Hambantota Port on a long-term lease basis, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority has removed the relevant loan and asset reports from the financial statements.

Furthermore, the Auditor General has also informed the ministry that eight project loan agreements signed with the Exim Bank have not been included in the government’s financial statements.

2 drownings today

Published

10 hours ago

May 13, 2025

editor

Two drowning incidents have been reported today (May 13).

In one incident, one person had drowned while 03 others were reported missing while bathing in the sea off Wennappuwa today (May 13).

Police said four persons from Nuwara Eliya were reported missing while sea bathing and that one body was later recovered.

Search operations are continuing.

Meanwhile, two girls who had gone to bathe in the Palukadawala Tank in Galgamuwa, Kurunegala, have also drowned.

The girls, aged 12 and 17 had gone bathing while they were visiting a relative in the area.

Police assure that belongings of Kotmale accident victims are safe

Published

10 hours ago

May 13, 2025

editor

Kotmale Police have stated that luggage, mobile phones and other belongings of the passengers on the bus that met with a tragic accident at Gerandi Ella are safe with them/

Kotmale Police OIC Chief Inspector Vajira Ratnayake stated that the villagers who assisted authorities at the time of the accident handed over the passengers’ belongings to the Police.

The OIC also stated that 35 mobile phones, luggage and other valuables have been kept safe at the police station and can be obtained after the identities of the claimants are verified.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the bus conductor’s ticket book and the money he had collected could not be found.

The OIC had also stated that the exact number of passengers on the bus could not be ascertained due to the death of the driver and the fact that the conductor was receiving treatment in hospital.

PSL 2025 to resume on May 17

Published

10 hours ago

May 13, 2025

editor

PSL 2025 will resume on May 17, with the final on May 25. The announcement confirms the league will end a week after it was originally scheduled to conclude.

The four remaining group games will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground, with the playoffs and final in Lahore. Aside from one afternoon game in Rawalpindi – between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators on 18 May, all fixtures take place at night, with evening games starting at 7:30pm local time.

“HBL PSL X picks up from where it left off,” he wrote in the post,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on X (formerly Twitter). “6 teams, 0 fear. Get ready for 8 thrilling matches starting 17th May, leading up to the Grand Final on 25th May. Best of luck to all the teams!”

The league, which was postponed due to increasing cross-border tensions with India, has eight games left.

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