Socioeconomic
MP Weerawansa describes wealth inequality as income inequality
The wealthiest 1% in Sri Lanka enjoy 31% of the national income. Similarly, the 10% at the highest stratum of society, inclusive of that 1%, enjoy 64% of the national income […]. After that, the 50% at the bottom enjoy 4% of the national income.
Wimal Weerawansa's YouTube Channel | January 30, 2024
Posted on: 7 March, 2024
Partly True
State minister Siyambalapitiya on 4 Mn people paid monthly by govt.
[A group of] 4 million are watching the government expectantly. 2 million out of that are government employees and pensioners who are expecting an increase in salaries and the other 2 million are those who have been admitted to the social welfare process through Aswesuma.
Ranjith Siyambalapitiya’s Facebook Page | November 8, 2023
Posted on: 8 February, 2024
True
MP de Silva poor on the interpretation of the poor
The World Bank states that the poverty level which was at 13% in 2019 has by today, increased to at least 25%. The multidimensional Poverty Vulnerability of Oxford University and UNDP (sic) states that when considering education, health, and the economy altogether, 12.5 million out of the 21 million in our country, [that is] more than 56%, can be categorised as poor.
Parliament of Sri Lanka | November 15, 2023
Posted on: 14 December, 2023
Partly True
MP Hashim spells out the increase of poverty in Sri Lanka
“…by 2019…the poverty line[sic] of this country was 11%…it has grown to 25% by 2023. I believe it is more than that. But the World Bank has calculated that it is only 25%, which means that out of 22 million in this country, 5.5 million are poor.”
YouTube Page of Parliament of Sri Lanka | May 12, 2023
Posted on: 29 June, 2023
True
MP Ganesan right when he spoke, on the gap between the estate sector and the rest.
Food insecurity in Sri Lanka is highest in the estate sector at 51%, while it is 43% in the urban sector and 34% in the rural sector. The World Bank has reported that the country’s poverty rate has climbed to 26% and is at 53% in the estates.
Daily Mirror | November 21, 2022
Posted on: 12 January, 2023
True
AKD fumbles the numbers on higher malnutrition in Nuwara Eliya
…if you take Sri Lanka as a whole, the prevalence of low birthweight is 12.2% but if you take the Nuwara Eliya hill country community, it is 20%. Generally, in Sri Lanka, 7.4% of children below the age of 5 years suffer from wasting but among the hill country communities, it is 8.2%. Generally, at a national level, the prevalence of stunting is 8.2%; among the hill country communities, it is 17.4%...
Parliament live telecast | November 8, 2022
Posted on: 1 December, 2022
Partly True
Minister Pathirana: Numbers on malnutrition are under-nourished
Malnutrition, which stood at 27.4 percent in 2009, has dropped to 12.2 percent by 2021. This reflects a very clear development in our health sector.
Parliament Hansard | September 7, 2022
Posted on: 24 November, 2022
Partly True
Minister Lokuge: Not so strong on strength of EPF
The Employees Provident Fund has become the strongest fund in Asia today.
Parliament Hansard | February 9, 2021
Posted on: 22 April, 2021
False
Minister Gunawardana: Partly lost on Sathosa losses
[Sathosa] was an institution that did not incur losses before 2015. Sathosa has lost 20 billion rupees during the last five years (2015 – 2019).
Daily News | March 10, 2021
Posted on: 9 April, 2021
Partly True
Sajith Premadasa goes beyond formula on fuel price reductions
A litre of diesel is sold at Rs. 104 and this can be reduced to Rs. 61. A litre of 92 octane petrol is Rs. 137; it can be priced at Rs. 80.
The Island | March 11, 2020
Posted on: 6 May, 2020
Partly True
MP Dissanayaka on public transport: riding on Western Province data
Only 52% of our country uses public transport... 48% of the people use private transport.
Divaina | November 1, 2019
Posted on: 1 January, 2020
Partly True
State Minister Abeysinghe on the right track about passenger transport
As of now, the number of passengers travelling by train is about 400,000… In [bus] passenger transport, the private sector does about 75%, and SLTB buses do 25%.
Divaina | June 24, 2019
Posted on: 7 August, 2019
True
Minister of Health overestimates impact of tax policy
We have acted appropriately against the use of tobacco and imposed a 90% tax on tobacco in an attempt to reduce tobacco usage.
Daily News | February 20, 2019
Posted on: 14 March, 2019
False
Minister Sagala Ratnayaka exaggerates budget allocation for health and education
On 4 February 2019, Mawbima reported that Minister of Ports and Shipping and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayaka made the above statement. The 2017 Central Bank Annual Report shows that:
Mawbima | February 4, 2019
Posted on: 27 February, 2019
False
MP Dissanayake right on poverty of estate workers
“They [estate workers] spend 50 percent of their earnings on food."
Daily News | January 25, 2019
Posted on: 21 February, 2019
True
President wrong on undernourishment figures
Around 16 or 17 percent of Sri Lankans are undernourished.
Lankadeepa | October 18, 2018
Posted on: 9 January, 2019
False
Anura Priyadharshana Yapa: not quite correct on mobile phone taxes
When a mobile phone user in our country pays Rs. 5,000 [as the mobile phone bill], Rs. 1,600 of it goes towards paying taxes.
Divaina | October 26, 2018
Posted on: 20 December, 2018
Partly True
MP Handunnetti’s data on urbanisation: quoted correctly, interpreted wrong
74% of the population of Sri Lanka lives a rural lifestyle/in a rural setting.
Divaina | October 15, 2018
Posted on: 2 November, 2018
Partly True
Prime Minister quotes the Mercer Quality of Living City Rankings correctly
Colombo was the highest ranked South Asian city, but still only stood at 137 out of 231 cities. At least 15 Asian cities are in the bottom 50 of this ranking.
Daily News | July 10, 2018
Posted on: 19 September, 2018
True