Friday 22 April 2022

Sri Lanka Update

Following our last update on the situation in Sri Lanka, the peaceful protests in Colombo continue with many leading Corporate and sports personalities, and artists taking on stage to lead the protesters against the government. 

There has been an enormous support for the peaceful protesters where donations were made by the local communities as well as Sri Lankans living overseas. Many Sri Lankans based in London, Liverpool, Toronto, Milan, Melbourne, Paris, New York, California, Tel Aviv and many cities worldwide joined the protests against the government.
 
A new Cabinet and State Ministers were sworn in replacing those who resigned as a result of the two-week protests. A team led by the newly appointed Finance Minister, the Governor of the Central and the Treasury Secretary are currently in Washington to meet with the IMF on the debt restructuring and funding mission. Fuel stocks are now in the distribution along with domestic gas whilst the power cuts have reduced from 17 hours to just 3hrs a day.

A further increase in fuel prices resulted in thousands of demonstrators taking to the roads in many district-wide protests since Monday the 18th of April which resulted in a brief clash with the police. The protests are demanding the resignation of both the president and prime minister who should take immediate responsibility for the policies resulting in the fuel crisis and the hike in the cost of living.

One such protest in Rambukkana (Central Sri Lanka - 40 Km’s West of Kandy) turned violent when Police fired live bullets at Protesters, and as a result, 14 of the protesters were injured whilst one of them succumbed to his injuries. This is very unfortunate and we are saddened by the loss of an innocent life.

Roads in some parts of the Island were blocked by the protesters which resulted in delays but reports coming out mention that tourist vehicles are allowed through the towns where the protests are being staged. We are closely monitoring the situation and have been in constant contact with our chauffeurs, guides on tour and our regional staff to plan alternate routes to circumvent the protest areas in major towns.

As your local partner, we are reiterating no cause for concern at this stage and looking forward to keeping our partners apprised at regular intervals.

Warm regards,
Team at Authenticities

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