Ranga Sirilal

Sri Lanka refused the United States permission to station two missile-armed warplanes at Mattala International days before the Middle East war broke out, @anuradisanayake told parliament today. Sri Lanka’s neutrality is non-negotiable.

Spooky Spy: A police intel operative “infiltrated” the govt’s first “awareness programme for foreign journalists” organised by the Info Dept today. He gave a live demo on buying narcotics via WhatsApp --and claimed he was a local TV reporter too. Foreign hacks are now fully aware

From @anuradisanayake’s office: The President briefed the US delegation on Sri Lanka’s position on the Middle East conflict and the challenges now facing the country because of it. Translation: always nice when the people causing the crisis stop by to discuss the consequences.

President @anuradisanayake uses his Eid-ul-Fitr message to express hope that the Middle East war will subside, while urging Sri Lankans to back his efforts to manage the fallout. “I call upon everyone to unite with this national effort and extend their steadfast support.”

@ramishkad I suppose you don't know that I am an EV user! Initially a LEAF, now a BYD. It is cheap running for me, but not good for the ecnomy.

@rangaba Its obvious you have a pre determined hate about EV and whatever I say here wouldnt change that. So lets agree to disagree.

Encouraging electric vehicles by granting lower duties has backfired on the country. A friend described the policy missteps as follows: ඔබට තේරුනා ද ඔබ කළ පව් දුර දිග නොබලා

@ramishkad Long-lived ICE cars fill the treasury; EVs don’t. They cost twice the forex to import and pay less than half the duty. With EVs, taxpayers lose -- plain and simple.

@rangaba @1Cryptokatz Mate do you realize a vehicles usage is long term? You keep highlighting low EV tax at the point of purchase ignoring the long term benefits to the economy.

@udendra @numberslka This is not an EV-vs-ICE efficiency debate in Sri Lanka. It is an economic one: whether subsidised EV imports make sense for a cash-strapped state running peak-hour power on coal and diesel.

@numberslka @rangaba

EVs, ICE vehicles, and energy ⭕ EVs are 3x to 4x more efficient than ICE vehicles. ⭕ If you took a full tanker of fuel and burned it in Sri Lanka’s 🇱🇰 most expensive, least efficient thermal power plant to charge EVs, those EVs would still travel double the distance of petrol cars using that same tanker of fuel. #SriLanka #Energy

@ramishkad @1Cryptokatz Ask Numbers.lk to cite its source. In Sri Lanka, this is not an EV-vs-ICE efficiency debate. It is an economic one: whether subsidised EV imports make sense for a cash-strapped state running peak-hour power on coal and diesel.

@rangaba @1Cryptokatz x.com/i/status/20344… please read and get educated. You may have a certain opinion of EV, but that doesnt mean its fact.

.@gautam_adani 's Colombo West International Terminal at the Port of Colombo handled one million containers in its first year of operations -- a major milestone for the JKH-Sri Lanka Ports Authority joint venture.

Spoke with HH Sheikh @TamimBinHamad, Emir of the State of Qatar, yesterday (18) on the evolving Middle East situation. I inquired about the wellbeing of ~150,000 Sri Lankans in Qatar and appreciated assurances of their safety. Emphasised diplomacy, stability & energy security, during the telephone conversation.

A US special envoy is visiting Sri Lanka today to discuss “advancing cooperation” in the Indian Ocean -- two weeks after sinking an Iranian frigate just 19 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s shores and expanding the Middle East war.

@ShamirCader Thank you for your engagement, but no one is forcing you to follow my posts. If facts bore you, perhaps look elsewhere for fairy tales.

@rangaba With due respect to you, Ranga, it's now high time you stop your personal vendetta against EVs. It's becoming boring now..

@ramishkad @1Cryptokatz See my response to your previous question.

@rangaba @1Cryptokatz As a journalist, you better present data with measured impact to back your claims rather than trying to create an 'anti-ev' trend based on your feelings.

@nadunkodikara From the time of CBK, successive governments offered tax concessions for EVs. She started with Reva, a two seater which failed! Then Mahinda removed all duty on EVs and the first LEAF came in. RW allowed EVs at a time when all other imports were banned.

@rangaba Could you explain which government encouraged EVs in SL? This was a missed opportunity for sure. But I am not sure how any government encouraged EV in the past few decades

@ramishkad @1Cryptokatz You asked what is more beneficial for the country. The answer is right before you.

@rangaba @1Cryptokatz You didnt answer my question. I asked about the energy consumption projections for these vehicles. You seem to have a personal hate towards EV more than anything.

@ramishkad @1Cryptokatz EVs enter the country at less than half the duty of petrol cars and a third of diesel. Petrol taxes (100%) fill the treasury; EVs run on electricity from subsidised diesel/coal. Good for the rich, a drain on the economy.

@1Cryptokatz @rangaba This doesnt prove anything. Im not saying EV dont consume energy. Im asking how much fuel would be consumed if these vehicles were all Petrol cars for example. What is more benefical to SL at this time? These cars charging from the grid or if these were using up Petrol instead?

President @anuradisanayake exposes the “green” EV myth: charging at night adds 300 MW, powered by coal and diesel. He urges owners to unplug after 6 pm.

@RohitLadda_ The situation in Sri Lanka is no different from that in Mumbai. Needless to say, transport costs have risen, as they have everywhere else in the world.

@rangaba Hi @rangaba planning to visit Sri Lanka along with kids on Thursday, staying until 29th, wondering how the situation is for tourists especially considering I am traveling with kids. Kindly advise, really appreciate your response.

Sri Lanka's losses from the Middle East war, due to a decline in tourist arrivals this month, amount to $40 million, Deputy Tourism Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe says. He expects a 20–25% drop in arrivals in March.