Sri Lanka lurches from one crisis to another

SRI LANKA came to a near standstill recently when more than 1 000 government and private sector trade unions, representing almost all sectors from transportation to banking, went on strike. They are demanding the government’s resignation.

Trade union members, who protested in front of their places of employment, then marched to the president’s office.

“We have given the government until May 6 to resign and if the government does not listen to the people, we will have to have a hartal (strike) on May 6,” said Ravi Kumudesh of the Collective of Trade Unions and Mass Organisations.

“If the government is not willing to leave, we will have to kick them out,” said Joseph Stalin, the general secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union.

Trade unions have demanded that action would be expanded if the government decided not to leave.

As the nation faces its worst-yet economic crisis in its post-independence history, with price hikes of essential items due to dollar crunch and inflation, people have taken to the streets demanding the Rajapaksa government step down.

Pressured by public protests, economic crisis and demands from religious leaders, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to form an all-party government. This was after cancelling the cabinet headed by his elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He invited all political parties to meet to start the discussion on an allparty government. However, Gptabaya Rajapaksa insists on remaining in power. He said he would be the head of any new government to be formed.

On Friday, India supplied a consignment of medical aid to Sri Lanka. Gopal Baglay, the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, handed over 107 types of critical lifesaving medicines to Channa Jayasumana, Sri Lanka's Health Minister. Due to the urgency, the consignment was delivered using the Indian Naval Ship Ghariyal.

Sri Lanka’s economic crisis has led to a medical crisis. Hospitals have postponed surgeries and medical trade unions declared a national health emergency over a shortage of life-saving drugs.

Sri Lanka’s real gross domestic product growth for 2022 is projected at 1%, according to the latest report by the central bank. The country's economic growth was 3.7% in 2021 and per capita GDP was $3 815 (about R60 000).