South Asian Island Archives

Sri Lanka-News as of 24th June 2022 – By Dr Harold Gunatillake Sri Lanka’s economy ‘has completely collapsed’, says despairing PM Transcript: India stands ready to help Sri Lanka in quick economic recovery through promoting investments, connectivity and strengthening economic linkages,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi posted on Twitter. Sri Lanka’s prime minister says its debt-laden economy has collapsed after months of food, fuel and electricity shortages, and the South Asian island nation cannot even purchase imported oil. “We are now facing a far more serious situation beyond the mere shortages of fuel, gas, electricity and food. Our economy has completely collapsed. That is the most serious issue before us today,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Wednesday. “Currently, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is $700 million in debt,” he told MPs. “As a result, no country or organisation in the world is willing to provide fuel to us. ...

Reinforcing 74 years of Australia and Sri Lanka diplomacy By Arundathie Abeysinghe Australia and Sri Lanka have a robust and enduring bilateral relationship of 74 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in May 1947. The Asia Pacific Nation and South Asian Island have close foreign relations from May 1947 to date. In 1946, the Federal Minister for External Affairs, Commerce and Agriculture recommended to the Australian Parliament that Australia should be represented by a Commissioner in *Ceylon, as there was a likelihood of Ceylon being granted independence after India. Thus, in 1947, Mr. Charles William Frost, a Tasmanian ex-Labor Member of Parliament was posted as Australia’s first Commissioner to Ceylon. Sri Lanka also set up a High Commission in Canberra, Australia and Mr. J.A. Martensz, an appointed Member of the First Parliament of Ceylon assumed duties as the first High Commissioner of Ceylon in Canberra, Australia. With the ...