SL’s biz community urges President to step down

The Joint Chambers of Sri Lankan business together with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka has urged the President to take immediate steps to appoint a competent person as the interim Prime Minister and a small Cabinet of Ministers. It has also said the President should resign after an interim cabinet is formed.

The cabinet appointments should be done in consultation with the (new) Prime Minister acceptable to all leading political parties represented in Parliament. This must be done with immediate effect in order to take urgent action to restore law and order and economic activity in the country, they said in a joint statement.

Shippers Council: “Don’t disrupt economic activity”

The Sri Lanka Shippers’ Council, this week urged those involved in protests and strike actions, to refrain from disrupting the activities of the Sri Lanka Port, Sri Lanka Customs, Board of Investment and the airports to ensure their uninterrupted day-to-day operations, as they are essential services which are critical to the country and its economy.

“The smooth operations of these institutions will ensure the continuous flow of the import of essentials such as food, fuel, medicines, inputs-for-exports and exports - which will facilitate and ensure the inflow of much needed foreign exchange to sustain the country’s economy in these difficult times,” it said in a statement.

Disruptions to these services will add to the burdens already faced by the people with devastating consequences in the future, the council said while expressing its grave concern at the violence unleashed on peaceful protestors in Colombo on Monday.