Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has held discussions with heads of missions from EU countries to inform them that the country’s political situation was returning to normalcy.
Ranil
The meeting comes in the wake of travel advisories issued by several countries cautioning their citizens about visiting Sri Lanla following the outbreak of the recent political crisis.
Minister Sagala Ratnayaka, in his capacity as the Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister, also joined the meeting and they requested the diplomats to encourage their citizens to visit Sri Lanka.
Ratnayaka has also held a meeting with US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Aliena Teplitz and discussed about strengthening relations between the two governments.
Informed government sources said Wickremesinghe decided to personally approach the diplomats as the country’s tourism industry severely suffered due to the prolonged political crisis.
They added Wickremesinghe also informed Foreign Minister Thilak Marapana to take necessary follow-up action to convey a positive message to the world through foreign diplomats in Colombo.
Although the industry recorded a 17% YOY growth in November, thousands of tourists cancelled their travel plans to Sri Lanka foraring political unrest. If not for the political crisis, 2018 would have been one of the brightest years for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector which operates on a three-year strategic plan (2017-2020).
Several countries, including France,, Germany and the UK have issued travel warnings to their citizens over travel to Sri Lanka, following the island’s plunge into political crisis.
Anonymous / December 23, 2018
I hope all the foreign diplomats refuse to Revoke Travel Advisories until action is taken against the leaders of CoupeLk and all those involved. They should be tried for treason.
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Amarasiri / December 23, 2018
Dear Foreign Dignatories,
Yes. The leaders and Co-conspirators of the constitutional coup are roaming at large, planning the next coup.
Please do not revoke the travel advisory until the coup conspirators and rounded up.
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soma / December 24, 2018
Aiyo Amarasiri aiya. Hari kethai. Why did you finally decide to reveal yourself?
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Soma
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Dilmah / December 25, 2018
Navaz Sharif former Pakistan, PM, Najib former PM of Malaysia has been imprisoned for the 1mdb Development BOND scam. When will Mahinda Jarapassa and Bonscam Ranil be held accountable for their Financial Crimes? Why is the IMF and so called international community that also funds Colombo NGOs turning a blind eye to high level corruption in Sri Lanka. IMF is supposed to do financial governance but has done nothing to put corruption Conditionalities. Instead it wants more taxes and fuel price formulas so that poor people pay for the greed and theft of national wealth by the rich.
Those named in Panama Papers are still scot free..
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Champa / December 23, 2018
Anonymous
Treason against who? It was the President who initiated the drama. If anybody to try in Courts, it should be him.
Your call for diplomats to refuse to revoke travel advisories BASED ON POLITICS is deplorable as it directly affects tourism, flow of foreign exchange and direct and indirect livelihood of many.
Your callous disregard for the country and other people’s adversity is sickening.
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Anonymous / December 24, 2018
Yes Maithripala Sirisena and his Rajapaksas Criminal friends will be charged for treason…
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Champa / December 24, 2018
Anonymous
Rajapaksa has nothing to do with it. Did he appoint himself? It was the President who should take fully responsibility of the short-lived stupid drama which was orchestrated to bring disrepute to Mahinda.
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Dinuk / December 23, 2018
Washington- backed Bondscam Ranil should be impeached for looting the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This is what the EU diplomuts should insist on as Sri Lanka is in a Greece like debt trap and crisis.
Ranil works for America First and the Global 1 percent and his Fake economic development policies that have put Lanka in the IMF debt trap and bailout business are designed in Washington DC.
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Ghan / December 24, 2018
MR brain washed Supporter, please don’t be fooled by the MR&MS false propaganda. If only Ranil involved in CB , why the president not releasing the bond scam inquiry report to public?????
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Analyst / December 24, 2018
Dear PM
Firstly you better sort your disobedient MPs who did not show up on Friday for the voting!
Their pay should be docked and ask for explanation.
What’s in the Parliamentary constitution on Absenteeism??
Every other organisation have a procedure in place for being Absent from work.
Why this Rule is not in Place in Parliament?? Please deal with it.
They’re ever so ready to claim from the state funds even to go to the toilet or before opening their precious mouths!
Why are they still Greedy?? Haven’t we exposed enough of their greed.??
One Minister says the Parliamentarians should be paid ” Extra ” ,
He says more be Paid For the Political Propaganda from the State Funds!!
W hat Sir!!
Don’t you get Paid Lavishly plus all the Luxurious Perks?? You name it ! You have got it! Including your family members, That’s right.
Are you lot Greedy for my Poor man’s money or just the habitual behaviours of all Parliamentarians?? GREED, MOSTLY!!
Go round the country in Rural Hospitals to see how ? and Why ? there’s no life saving Medicines to treat the sick and dying!
No machines to check blood results nor Brain scans or Body scans ect! ect! No urgent needs are available in these hospitals!!
The money provided have they been Squandererd by the Middle men and women sir??
Then the MPs too shares the LOOT.
WE KNOW HOOW YOU GREEDY. PEOPLE WORK!!
Go see the Rural schools to see whether the poor kids have Books , computers , Chairs and tables to sit , and a Non leaky Roof too, on the subject Of working toilets and washing facilities they too are very , very essential?!!!!
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Amarasiri / December 23, 2018
Dear Foreign Dignatories,
Do not revoke travel advisories. Ranil has a crook called Ravi Penthouse in the Cabinet.
Ask Ranil to remove the crook Ravi, and keep the cabinet to 30 as required by the constitution.
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Real Revolutionist / December 23, 2018
Amarasiri
My foot
Expecting the whale crook to remove sprat crooks!
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Amarasiri / December 23, 2018
Real Revolutionist,
Sirisena appointed Whale crook Mahinda Rajapaksa and cronies, unconstitutionally and illegally Ranil is following tradition, on a small scale This is a 2,500 year-old civilization, with 2,300 years of pristine ‘Sinhala” Buddhism.
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Real Revolutionist / December 24, 2018
Amarasiri
3 1/2 years wasted, MR & cronies are free. Whose fault?
Time’s out now.
What’s that tradition he followed?
He’d been impotent
He set MS & rode on his back
Became the PM(of a minority govt.)
Mandate was to go together with MS (but later violated)
Did nothing to deal with MR
Instead looted/helped looting the CB
19th amendment in deceptive way to handcuff MS
Set MS to withdraw
(So the mandate came to end)
Violated democratic tradition of seeking fresh mandate @ such juncture
MS attempted to set him to get required mandate by dissolving the house.
19th amendment barred it.
UNP MPs unanimously support him(knowing no way to win @ least for the time being)
(party solidarity came 1st making country 2nd)
Now mud slinging @ MS.
What a pity
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rbh / December 23, 2018
following the island’s plunge into political crisis.
Island did not plunge into political Crisis, the leaders did If it is island all sri lanka is to be blamed.the tourist will be in dual thoughts, It reflects like the whole country is in violence. Since no violence happened now the announcement should be of constitutional dispute.
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Jay Kotte / December 23, 2018
Is this all the economic plan we have under the ‘new’ government? if so, God save us at this festive time.
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We can never stand up as a nation by getting our youth to spread beds for foreigners whose travel plans are affected by economic problems in their own countries. Then we have hundreds of old male Europeans abusing our male youth, destroying them for life.
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This ‘kalakanni’ government does not care. They keep licking boots of America. What a disaster!
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Fahim / December 24, 2018
Those tourists bring in the badly needed revenue. We don’t have or produce our own oil nor gas, but have natural beauty and tropical weather, also an exotic culture which we can sell. Tourists flock to our country when it is cold and wet in their own countries. They bring along currency to spend and that helps us to keep our economy afloat. Maldives biggest revenue come from Tourism industry. Their currency is very strong. US Dollar. 1 = 15.45 Ruffiyah. They don’t send their women to work in Mid-East like we depend on a janitorial labor workforce to sustain our economy. We have just 23 million population and have still not been able to turn our country around to prosperity, whereas India and China with more than a billion people are virtually the next super powers. On the other end of the scale, Maldives 436,330 population also has prosperity for its citizens and a strong economy. Why are we in the doldrums?
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PARAGON / December 23, 2018
Foreign visitors have no voting rights in sri lanka to worry about RAVI AND THE PENT HOSE DEAL.just because RAVI did some thing which is not yet proved in court of law please do not connect this mater with the request for REMOVING TRAVEL BAN TO SRI-LANKA.I AM NOT IN ANY WAY A SUPPORTER OF RAVI OR UNF.BUT MUST THING ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE HOTEL OWNERS AND TRAVEL AGENTS.
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Siri / December 23, 2018
When President JR met PM Lee senior of Singapore after his 1977 election victory, the advise he gave was to develop tourism for the fast development of the country and economy, it’s cost less and fast, and it’s the world’s biggest industry, employing the largest numbers of workers. Countries like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Vietnam, France, Italy, Turkey, Dubai etc thriving with millions of visitors and billions of earnings. The spanking mutlibillion dollars new Bangkok airport too stretched to it’s limits now, so much visitors to that country. Sri Lanka’s tourism just sketch the surface, it’s has long and huge potentials. All the Islands around the country should be indentified, and develop in a eco-friendly manner for the high end and high income luxury tourists with seaplane landing like in the Maldives. Colombo needs an entertainment district like Rigga Road in Dubai, Bukit Bintange in KL etc for the tourists sun, beach, nature and culture are not enough, they come for fun and relaxation, and need entertainment too. In the evening Colombo becomes almost dead where as most of the cities in above countries become alive in the night. The Magapolis ministry should think of developing the D.R. Wijiwerdene Mawathe and surrounding area as an entertainment district for all the major hotels are around it.
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Thamizh / December 24, 2018
Yes, Sri Lanka should build these resorts for tourists, where the local poor masses will be forbidden. They can legalize prostitution like Thailand where the poor again will be exploited to bring some cash. Elephants in captivity, mostly due to deforestation, can entertain the tourists. Who cares about ethics or morality as long as cash flows…so srilanka! where mass graves dot the island. I just hope they spare the North and east of these exploitive human activities.
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hancho pancha / December 23, 2018
If it is not for the Great Central Bank heist with all the blessings from Ranil Wickremesinghe this situation would never ever have had happened. RW is a leopard in a sheep skin.
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Mallaiyuran / December 23, 2018
Hakeem is asking for General Election. Ranil wants to use the Hakeem the Camel for a National Unity Government. One guy out of 6 MPs is SLMC candidate. All others are UNF candidates.
There is saying “Kattaiyum Vandiyil Pookum, Vandiyum Kattaiyil Pookum. ” The ferry goes on the cart, when the path is land- cart goes on the ferry when there is water. But there is nothing telling ferry and cart both riding on each other’s back at the same time. When one person SLMC substantiates the National Unity Government to create more than 30 ministers and state ministers, Ranil and Hakeem going to travel on each other’s back. Country is going to sink in the water quagmire.
Let’s be clear:
Old King and New King do Unconstitutional Coup.
But but is Ranil who does the Constitution Coup”
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J / December 23, 2018
Dear Digitaries. IT is a blessing in disguise if your Tourists do not come.Among many other things they want, cheap prostitution both the girls and boys, free HIV-AIDS and other venereal (STDS), /simply destrucitve western habits, just like a Drunkan woman hanging wth strangers, become Sri lanksan culture.
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JD / December 23, 2018
There are LAtin american countries that western tourists like, I heard now some countries are free of torusts because, Those countries are no longer desirable for them. So, only thingleft is local or domestic tourism. I heard Dignitories talks involved leasing the WELISARA SATHOSA Stores too. They had said, they would flood the country with cheap goods including Rice fro vietnam.Ranil had informed that to Maithri too Any not al Civil society aka Open Society aka Civic Alliences members commented yet.
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JD / December 23, 2018
In the mean time, Inside the parliament, othe rinteresting things had happened during no PM and No Cabinet time. One Jayathissa and one Jayakody had removed TEA and Sugar from the PArliament Kitchen STORE. They say, Jeyaraj also removed, saying Ane, Ayyo, not because I don’t have money to buy these stuff are good. She would further, I did not take every day but only enough for these three months. I here, they have a business(s) in enderamulla too (God Vishnu and goddess Paththini)
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Ilanamas / December 23, 2018
Why does this Pig headed Mule always have to run after foreign Diplomuts ?????????????????
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K.Pillai / December 23, 2018
RW used the opportunity to tell the Diplomats “Thank you for the help”.
He might have added “Your help will be needed again soon”.
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Real Revolutionist / December 23, 2018
K.Pillai
As a matter of fact
His personal pilgrimage to the selected diplomats substantiates his dependency.
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Mohamed / December 23, 2018
If I were a foreign diplomat, I would ask “What surety you got to assure the normalcy would prevail in a country where the constitution was neglected and rejected merely because of a personality conflict between the President and the PM?”
.
Would follow with next question, “What have you done to address the root cause before asking us to lift the warning?”
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Real Revolutionist / December 23, 2018
It’s natural for travelers to be cautious when there’s an unexpected development.
They need not be advised & they don’t care for such advice.
From the people’s point of view there’s no bad development in Sri Lanka though some’re trying their best to explain it as crisis.
The so called crisis time gave Sri Lankans a rare opportunity of enjoying maximum freedom & no doubt visiting tourists as well enjoyed that rare opportunity.
We pray for the gods in the heaven to give that chance for people again & again forever; to live without ruling hands over the head.
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Fathima / December 24, 2018
RR,
.
It is Sri Lankans and typically South-Asians who don’t care for such advices, not the Europeans. Because human lives are worth there.
.
How come not to be worried when President and PM of the country, both spoke about “bloodbath”?
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Ayathuray Rajasingam / December 23, 2018
Until all those who participated (including their agents) in the Constitutional coup are put in jail and their assets confiscated, I have my doubt whether Foreign Diplomats will revoke the Travel Advisories. Even now Mahinda is activating Maithiripala by way of remote control and has been a barrier to Ranil Moreover, Ranil should reconsider some of the Ministers (who are notorious and have links with foreign terrorism) who are a threat to foreigners.
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rajash / December 23, 2018
RW is also had a meeting with the Rating agencies Moodys Standard & Poor to appeal to them to upgrade Sri Lanka’s credit rating. Apprently they refused….fro obvious reasons
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JD / December 24, 2018
Ratings come down early next year. They never say yes. I hear, VERIZONE wants Kokkawil communication tower and MOBITEL.
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JD / December 23, 2018
It is amazing it is the Same international community that supported and FED LTTE, and are supportng the LTTE Brigadiers living in their countries that support DEmocracy and the human rights, even after accusation of their involvement in the PArliament, they openly continue interfere with Sri lankan affairs. They wanted the Instigator of the bond Scam PENTHOUSE RAVI reinstated as the finance minister and the Deputy LEader.. I am pretty sure, they want Ranil out. With the NGO/Open socoety antiques of PEOPLES PROTESTS with the placards that can read well by foreign toursits aka journalists, they are preparing for same type of TRUMP election meetings in Sri lanka. I hear they have more Antiques in storage.
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JD / December 23, 2018
Goddesses Saraswathi and MahaLAkshmi from Batticaloa informed that the Internatioal comunity has talked TO Maithripala sirisena too and they are willing to them too. I know they gave weapns to LTTE and Sattallites photo of LTTE ships SL-NAVY.
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Edward / December 24, 2018
Dear Dinuk,
Ranil work for America, Let it may be as it may. But what do you think of our good men who have sworn allegiance to another country? I mean dual citizenship holders. they have their swindle wealth from us deposited in foreign lands, their Children in a foreign land. To which country they are loyal? Can you honestly answer? As for the Bond Scam Do you think only Ranil is Guilty? There were so many other Scams. With prejudiced mind, we will vote for this side or other the cycle will keep going. The so-called leaders will laugh at and they will be good friends. Remember future generation will have pay for our sins.
How can we make our LEADERS understand they playing with the future of the country and the poor people’s money?
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anonymous / December 24, 2018
“Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has held discussions with heads of missions from EU countries to inform them that the country’s political situation was returning to normalcy.”
False statement by you Mr.Prime Minister.
“I hope all the foreign diplomats refuse to Revoke Travel Advisories until action is taken against the leaders of ‘Coup-Lk’ and all those involved. They should be tried for treason.”
True. Agree with you Anonymous.
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Mano / December 24, 2018
No time to waste. RW wants as many Foreign Cows as possible to milk and hoard as much of dole as possible in Foreign Coffers.
We all must understand the pitiable condition of RW .His days in political leadership are numbered and fast running out. Let himn nake sum fast Bucks .
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Sena / December 24, 2018
They should develop fast the cruise tourism by building a dedicated terminal for it in the Colombo Port. Also the Port for the thousands of Yoates and other pleasure crafts sailing up and down the ocean lanes. Should develop the Inland, and Offshore – shallow and deep sea fishing, in the Maldives they charge over few thousand dollars per day for a deep sea fishing craft. Also Cables cars in the upcountry. Should improve the Railways and public transport systems and work to get the road congestion eliminated as soon as possible to drive the tourism to greater heights, and give the good benefits of it to the people
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citizen / December 24, 2018
Now srilanka is going again to the Somalian era of unp . unp the failures in economic management who are unable to uplift the srilankan economy at least up to 15 billion USD even less than the Somalian economic size during the 1977- 1994 . we are asking that sort of economic management failures unp to do this 80 billion USD economy which was architected by the greatest economic managers of slfp and mahinda government which was only a small economy while they took only 20 billion In 2005. Now all srilankan business people are frustrated since the unp the economic management idiots come back again ,unp will talk a lot again but will not do any thing see the share market now . with out the parilinent majority among those huge Parliament crisis under mahindas rule stock exchange was 6052 not it gradually droping. Unp will lend money every where now all the business are going to collapse again ,the same starvation under unp governments, no business again, no money circulation . mahinda removed all business taxes during his short time period on business people then again unp will impose all the tax again on Business people then the unp government comes as usual business people have to beg on streets. We can’t thing like a small group of unp people who are write on behalf of unp even they do not have a food to eat under unp governments. If any one wants to argue with me that unp has at least 1% ability in economic manage ment of slfp master managers has please show us economic performance records of unp.
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Lester / December 26, 2018
What a joke. Sri Lanka is safer than Paris, many parts of Sweden, and even Germany, which have seen terrorist attacks, head choppings, and throat slittings, courtesy of so-called “migrants.” An ex-soldier was beheaded in broad daylight in London! These tourists should consult actual Sri Lankans for potential travel plans, not their paranoid embassies.
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Mano / December 27, 2018
All Tourists please come to our ISLAND OF PARADISE in your thousands and see our HEAVENLY LIFE FOR YOURSELF TO BELIEVE.
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