President Gotabaya Rajapaksa overclaims change in economic growth

FactCheck evaluated the president’s claim in terms of real GDP growth in the post-war period, using data from the 2019 National Accounts Estimates of the Department of Census and Statistics and the Annual Report of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka 2019. From 2010 to 2014, the real GDP growth rate reported averaged 6.78%, which is a little below the 7-8% claimed. This results from the GDP growth being higher than 7% for 3 years in 2010-12, and unde

Co-cabinet Spokesperson Bandula Gunawardana: right on private deposit security

To evaluate this claim, FactCheck consulted the Monetary Law Act, Finance Companies Act and Sri Lanka Deposit Insurance Scheme Regulations. The legislative framework for deposit insurance in Sri Lanka is established by Sections 32A t

Mujibur Rahman on Covid-19 foreign financing: Right on amount, wrong on use

This fact check interprets the former MP’s statement as referring to the commitment of expendable financing—which is not limit

Pavithra Wanniarachchi makes healthy assessment on Covid-19 community transmission

In evaluating this statement, FactCheck understood the minister as claiming that there was no “community transmission” of Covid-19, in the period 01-20 May 2020. According t

Former Health Minister Senaratne correctly diagnoses underestimation of Covid-19 cases but overstates extent

Former Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne made the overall claim that the number of people reported as having Covid-19 in Sri Lanka is a significant underestimate due to three reasons. This FactCheck evaluates the former minister’s overall claim by evaluating the specific reasons and facts provided in support of the overall claim.

Udaya Gammanpila Gives President Sirisena False Immunity Boost

Former MP Udaya Gammanpila made this statement as part of a series of tweets with reference to the ability to prosecute former President Maithripala Sirisena for any alleged crime in relation to the Easter Sunday attacks.

Sajith Premadasa goes beyond formula on fuel price reductions

In his statement former Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa claimed that—based on the reduction in global fuel prices—domestic

MP Ranawaka overestimates revenue growth under the yahapalana government

FactCheck evaluated the MP’s claim using data from the Annual Report 2018 and the Weekly Economic Indicators published by the CBSL. At the time the MP made the statement, data for 2019 was only available for the first nine months (see Exhibit 1).

GMOA on relative rate of COVID-19 case growth in Sri Lanka: mistaken on both data and trajectory

In comparing Sri Lanka’s trajectory with that of Italy, the GMOA makes reference to the first ‘local’ case detected. This is a standard distinction made in counting cases, where those that contracted the virus outside the country and brough

MP Gamlath feeds false fears on Resolution 30/1

To check this claim, we evaluated the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 30/1 and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

MP Kiriella overreaches on recovery of bond transactions losses

MP Kiriella argues that the estimated loss of LKR 10 billion arising from irregular bond transactions post-January 2015 should not be considered a loss. His argument is based on over LKR 12 billion of counter-party assets being frozen in response to investigations. He contrasts this with the losses estimated for the 2002-2014 period where there is no asset freeze to support the recovery of losses.

MP Kanchana Wijesekera misidentifies beneficiaries of bond transaction losses

To assess this claim FactCheck consulted Report 1 (of the 5 reports) from the forensic audit at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. It investigates the issuance of treasury bonds from January 2002 to 28 February 201

In Sri Lanka 20 percent of children are having a mental or physical disability Gotabaya Rajapaksa Twitter

President misinformed on disabilityTo evaluate the president’s statement on Twitter made after the opening of the Ayati Centre, FactCheck consulted the most recent Population and Housing Census (PHC) compiled in 2011 by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCAS). The PHC uses a commonly understood definition of disability as mental or physical impairments that cause daily difficulty in at least one of six areas. The PHC finds the prevalence t

MP Ranawaka on airline debt: flying too high

The MP in his statement is attempting to quantify the net loss, through the state-owned airlines, which then translates into additional national debt.

MP Gammanpila out of tune on national anthem

MP Udaya Gammanpila claims that treating the national anthem as existing in any language other than Sinhala is a violation of the constitution because Article 7 of the constitution gives the national anthem as “Sri Lanka Maatha” in Sinhala. To check this claim, FactCheck consulted the constitution. The officially published versions of the constitution contain the name and words of the national anthem in two languages—Sinhala and Tamil. In Sinhala

MP Premadasa correct on his representation of women in politics

MP Sajith Premadasa makes three claims: (1) representation of women in the current parliament is 5.8%; (2) the number of women in parliament has been low over time; and (3) the 2015- 2019 government increased representation of women in local authorities to the level of 25%.

Minister Rambukwella on past GDP growth: Correct but also misleading

Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s figures present a fourfold increase in GDP during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency. The minister is correct in the figures he cites. However, this fact check will go on to explain why stating GDP in USD instead of LKR could be misleading. FactCheck evaluated the claim using data from the Special Statistical Appendix of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Annual Report 2018 and National Accounts Estimates of the Depa

MP Dissanayaka on public transport: Riding on Western Province data

To check this claim, FactCheck consulted the Urban Transport System Development Project for Colombo Metropolitan Region and Suburbs (CoMTrans) report published in 2014 which is publicly available on the Ministry of Transport website. The survey data used in this report is limited to the Western Province. CoMTrans reports the share of trips (not distance) that each mode of transport accounts for in the Western province. If the MP is referring to

MP Bandara partly overstates the reduction in crime

FactCheck assessed the MP’s claim using the latest data from the Grave Crimes Abstract (GCA) from the Sri Lanka Police and the Prison Statistics of Sri Lanka report 2019. Exhibit 1 shows that the numbers provided by the MP are mostly correct, barring some small deviations. The numbers compared are misleading, however, because he was claiming an improvement during the 2015-2018 period; but using two of the three reference points from 2012, instea

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa correct on the higher education of women

To check this claim, first we consulted the University Grants Commission (UGC) 2018 statistics on undergraduate enrolment in universities and higher educational institutions. This provides statistics only for institutions established under the Universities Act. No. 16 of 1978. There are a number of institutions, both government and private, that don’t fall within this Act.

Nimal Lanza misinterpreted by the press

On 5th December 2019, FactCheck published, in the Daily Mirror, a statement reported as being made by State Minister Nimal Lanza in the Divaina newspaper on 6 September 2019. FactCheck classified Minister Lanza’s statement as FALSE. It has been brought to our attention now, that the Minister’s statement was reported incorrectly in the press. In his statement, original

MP Gammanpila messes up the math on demographic change

​In the above statement, MP Gammanpila makes two claims: that (i) the Muslim (Sri Lankan Moor) population will exceed 12% of the total population in the next 10 years (i.e. by 2029); and (ii) the Sinhala population is declining and is under threat of extinction by the rapid growth of the Muslim population. The MP’s claim is based on the growth of the

MP Weerawansa falsely attributes to the USA/MCC, plans for an east-west economic corridor published by his ministry in 2011.

The claim cited from last week has been often repeated by MP Wimal Weerawansa, including in parliament on July 31st, where he implies that the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the United States has proposed an economic corridor in Sri Lanka from Colombo to Trincomalee.

MP Anura Kumara Dissanayaka correctly quotes statutory rape statistics

To assess this claim, we used data from the Grave Crimes Abstract (GCA) from the Sri Lanka Police. Since the MP specified “girls”, we considered reported cases of rape of women under 16, which is classified as statutory rape. GCA data records the number of statutory rape cases reported from 2015 to 2018 in a range from 1,438 to 1,686 per annum. The average reported cases of statutory rape during this period was 1,556. The MP’s claim of 1,600 ali

Gotabaya Rajapaksa overstates land released under MR government

In his statement, SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa claims that the Mahinda Rajapaksa government released 90% of military occupied land, after the end of the war. To verify this claim, we consulted data published by the Secretariat for Coordinating Reconciliation Mechanisms (SCRM), as well as consulting the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to confirm the numbers provided.

Minister Abeysinghe claims a healthy increase in health budgets

In the above statement, State Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation provides statistics to claim that there has been a large increase in the present government’s budget commitment to free healthcare, and that it is as a significant proportion of state revenue.

Minister Bathiudeen: satisfactory on export statistics

Minister Bathiudeen claims creditable export performance by citing USD 1.3 billion in export revenue from three sub-sectors. We checked this claim using data available from the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB). Even though export statistics are available for up to 2018, the latest data available for all of the three sub-sectors quoted by the minister is for 2016 — for later years there is no revenue data available for “printing and packag

Minister Sajith Premadasa cites outdated statistics on income disparity

Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs Sajith Premadasa’s statement suggests that the gap in income share between the richest and poorest quintiles in the country is 50% of total household income.

MP Gunawardana raises false alarm on borrowing limits

In the above statement the MP claims that by passing the Active Liability Management Act the government can: 01.Obtain foreign loans without any annual limit. 02.Borrow any amount outside [the provisions of] the budget.

MP Namal Rajapaksa incorrectly uses incorrect data on education

On 11 July 2019, Mawbima reported MP Rajapaksa making the above statement which claims with specific numbers that starting with 560,000 candidates sitting the G.C.E. (O.L) exam, only 28,000 (that is about 5%) succeed in gaining university entrance.