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Home » NewsSri Lankan national hero stamp in India
India’s President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday presided at a ceremony to issue a postal stamp to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Lankan nationalist Anagarika Dharmapala, the first Sri Lankan to be so honoured abroad. Also present was India’s Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Oil prices falling but CPC signs long-term deal
Against the backdrop of plummeting world crude oil prices, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is extending forward contracts with two Singapore-based companies for the import of fuel. This is being done on the basis that long-term arrangements are essential to ensure supply stability in view of turmoil in West Asia and procurement issues arising from United States’ [...]
Special boards to deal with NE land issues
The setting up of special mediation boards to resolve more than 140,000 disputes related to state land in the Northern and Eastern provinces is being proposed by the Justice Ministry. Justice Ministry Additional secretary Anusha Munasinghe said that in line with a recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) the ministry had proposed to [...]
Northern travel ban provokes international warnings
A number of countries have revised their travel advisories to reflect recent Defence Ministry restrictions on foreigners wishing to go north of Omanthai. Among them are the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Australia and Japan. Most European countries have advised their citizens to exercise caution when visiting Sri Lanka with some urging them to [...]
Vehicle prices slashed by 25 per cent
Prices of some vehicles are set to plunge by an average of 25 per cent with immediate effect, Deputy Treasury Secretary S. R. Arttygalle said. Following a budget proposal to reduce taxes on vehicle imports, taxes on all vehicles would be reduced regardless of engine capacity. The tax on a 1000cc vehicle will be reduced [...]
Pope’s visit: Catholic Church in Catch 22 crisis
Senior police and government officials and Catholic Church representatives will meet early next week to discuss security and other arrangements for the visit of Pope Francis in mid-January amidst continuing security concerns if the visit coincides with a possible Presidential election. A senior church official told the Sunday Times arrangements would have to be finalised [...]
Strong Indo-Lanka bonds will continue to our mutual benefit- Indian President
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday released at a commemorative postage stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala, the Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist and national freedom fighter at a ceremony at Rashtrapathi Bhawan in New Delhi. “The release of the commemorative postage stamp on Anagarika Dharmapala will contribute towards further strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka [...]
Moved by Buddhist monk’s work at Yala, family donates bowser
Moved by the plight of the animals at the Yala National Park a family from Nawala, Rajagiriya has donated a brand new water bowser to the park. Elephants, deer and monkeys were badly affected by the nine-month drought prevalent in the Hambantota District. Many died of thirst and their carcasses were found in different parts [...]
Kalpitiya -tourism and encroachers
It’s been over a decade since government undertook to transform Kalpitiya into a tourist destination. The Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Project is easily one of the biggest tourism projects undertaken by any government to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist destination. Under the project industries are to be established in 14 fishing islands in Kalpitiya. [...]
Drought or deluge: Farmers must learn to adapt
Leading climatologists say Sri Lanka’s farmers must adapt to increasing intensity of weather patterns, whether heavy rains or severe drought, both of which are now simultaneously hitting the agricultural sector. The current combination of drought and heavy rain is producing tons of unsaleable rotting vegetables in some parts of the country while in drought-hit areas [...]
Fishermen want probe into big timers’ practices posing threats to their jobs
Fisheries associations have asked President Mahinda Rajapakasha to probe allegations that large vessel operators were involved in illegal unreported and unregulated fishing methods posing a threat to the jobs of thousands of fishermen. The request came during a 90 minute meeting with the President at Temple Trees where fisheries association representatives raised a range of [...]
Ambulance officials allege burst tyre shows truck was at fault
A probe into last week’s ambulance accident in which a doctor and another hospital employee were killed in Puttalam after a collision with a truck has taken a twist with strong protests by health sector workers that police had failed to carry out a proper investigation. Police initially blamed the ambulance driver for the accident, [...]
Presidential polls ahoy — All hands on deck at the SLPA
Opposition parties have charged that the misuse of state property has already got under way with the unofficial announcements that early presidential elections were due. Misuse of state property to prepare election propaganda material and the summoning of state sector employees to Temple Trees, were considered preparations for elections. Already, nurses, pirivena teachers and Child [...]
Flies, rats and cats have a good feed, but not us
The half-full food cabinets of the small restaurant near the Pettah Railway Station are open and flies fly in and out to visit the exposed food. Right under the water boiler, massive tea strainer, stained black after repeated use and a pile of teacups is the uncovered rubbish bin. The diner is free to pick [...]
3 houses in Beruwala damaged by landslides caused by heavy rains
Three houses in Beruwala were damaged as the threat of landslides continued due to heavy rains in the region this week. Families living in high risk areas were evacuated for fear of earthslips bringing down rocks and boulders. The three damaged houses were located on high mounds, said Beruwala Divisional Secretary Janaka Sri Chandraguptha. He [...]
Infrared cameras soon on trains to prevent elephant deaths
New thermal cameras are to be installed on trains to detect elephants 1km away and prevent collisions, and the Railways Department is taking cognisance of driver suggestions during a pilot project to have an effective system running next year. The resumption of train services to the north has increased the risks of collision with elephants, [...]
Pay US$ 100 to enter a casino
An entrance fee of US$ 100 will be charged from casino patrons, announced President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the Budget speech on Friday. “I also propose to levy a US$ 100 per person entrance fee to premises where casino entertainment activities take place, and raise the Gaming Levy to 10 per cent of turnover, to raise [...]
Agrochemicals: The right use and not abuse
There is much cause for concern about agrochemical residues in vegetables and fruits that Sri Lankans eat. How many though have taken concrete steps to keep the men, women and children of Sri Lanka informed on the ways and means of minimising the intake of residues of agrochemicals including pesticides, herbicides and weedicides and also [...]
UNP ready to support passing of 19th Amendment, says Ranil
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that the United National Party (UNP) was prepared to extend its support to pass the proposed 19th Amendment to the Constitution, presented by Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera, on scaling down the powers of the Executive Presidency. Mr. Wickremesinghe said he was seeking clarification on the issue following reports [...]
Something for everybody to ensure everything for somebody
President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented an incentives-filled Budget on Friday, targeting middle and lower income groups with an eye on Presidential election in early January. Many commentators and analysts said that the plethora of offers including a wage hike for public and private sector workers, pensions for migrant and garment workers, creation of 50,000 new jobs [...]
Northern lands: NPC chairman writes to President
Northern Provincial Council chairman C.V.K. Sivagnanam has written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa about implementing constitutional provisions regarding lands in the province. His letter points out that on October 9 the provincial council adopted a unanimous resolution to implement the provisions as set out in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Mr. Sivagnanam told the Sunday [...]
Clarification
Last week, we inadvertently titled our story on an agreement for Hambantota port signed between Sri Lanka Ports Authority and a Chinese joint venture as “China gets controlling stake in Hambantota port”. The factual position, which is evident in the story, is that a joint venture comprising of two Chinese State-run companies has secured a [...]
Business Times said most of it
The Business Times has over the past few weeks revealed many of the budgetary proposals that were eventually presented. BT report on October 5, 2014 2015 Sri Lankan Budget bag-full of election goodies The possibility of revising the salary of government servants numbering 1.3 million is also under consideration. The public sector salary is to [...]
Budget highlights at a glance
- Casino entry fees US $ 100 per person; increase of Gaming Levy to 10 per cent of turnover to raise further revenue of Rs. 2,500 million. …………………………. – Judiciary, Tax Department and default taxpayers to assist settlement of disputed tax and EPF payment arrears within 6 months. Property of such tax defaulters to be [...]
Lanka at the tipping point
It is late evening and the rain is pouring outside. Nishantha Jayalath, 43, is playing with his two little children while listening to a Sinhala song. From his house we can faintly smell the stench from the garbage mountains nearby. Mr. Jayalath is living within 500m of the Karadiyana Waste Management Facility (KWMF). When he [...]
Debutants in Parliament: Doing better in the Opposition
As many as 87 (39%) of the 225 MPs in the current Sri Lanka Parliament are debutants – that is, they are first time Members of Parliament. The question is, who are they batting for, and how are they doing? Most new MPs batting for the UPFA: Almost three fourths, 62, of the debutants are [...]
Budget 2015: Education sector never had it so good
The Education sector received a series of benefits including promotions to teachers, increase in Mahapola Scholarship and an allowance to students from low income families, from the Budget presented in Parliament by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday (24). Presenting the 2015 Budgetary allocations, President Rajapaksa also said that they hope to aid students and youth [...]
Grade 5 Scholarship exam candidates exceeding Cut-off mark declines
Grade 5 scholarship exam candidates who qualified to receive bursaries and become eligible to apply to established schools, has been on the decrease in the past few years, Education Ministry statistics reveal. According to statistics, of the 327,648 candidates who sat for the exam in 2014, nearly 32,750 or 9.99% obtained above the cut-off marks, [...]
Over 30,000 students go overseas for Higher Education: SB
More than 30,000 students leave the country for Higher Education annually, due to its lack of opportunities for students who failed to gain admission into State universities, said Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake. “The local Advanced Level exam is highly competitive and the pass rate is increasing gradually, with only 25,000 students gaining admission into [...]
Academics’, undergrads’ Innovations to be promoted on SLRC
Innovations of academics and undergraduates will be promoted with the objective of attracting a commercial market locally and internationally, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr Sunil Nawaratne told the Education Times. He said that, currently, some of the research and innovations of undergraduates and lecturers do not go beyond the university, for want of a mechanism [...]
‘Innovative ICT Classrooms’ worth Rs 50 m from South Korea
South Korea has donated Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) classrooms worth Rs 50 million to Sri Lanka’s students. The Education Ministry says that this is one among many other projects that will develop between the two countries. Pilot project of the “Innovative ICT Classroom” kick-started at the Mahinda Rajapaksa College in Pitipana, Homagama, this Tuesday. [...]
Teachers, principals threaten sick note campaign for promised promotion circular
Teachers and principals islandwide threatened to go on a sick note campaign next Thursday (30) till a circular regarding their promised promotions is issued. The Government has failed to give teachers of State-run schools promotions for four years and principals for six years. Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union Secretary, Mahinda Jayasinghe, said that, out of 235,000 [...]
Students under 13 to be assessed for Sports: Education Ministry
The Education Ministry has instructed school and national Sports Development Officers to prepare Sports Assessment for students under 13 years. Deputy Minister of Education, Mohan Lal Grero told Parliament recently that schools have been told not to compel students aged 5-13 into competitive sports. “Schools have been requested to focus on body preparation by assessing [...]
External degrees of a protesting kind
Undergraduates protest outside the Parliament complex in Kotte, against a series of incidents including attacks on students.
Russia awards Undergraduate Scholarships to 32 Sri Lankans
Russia awarded 32 scholarships to Sri Lanka students to pursue their Masters in a Russian university. These scholarships are for various fields in which these students have excelled, whereby 12 students for Medicine, 14 for Engineering, 4 for Commerce & Management and 2 for Service & Tourism were selected by the Higher Education Ministry for [...]
WP to conduct mobile services to resolve issues within schools
The Western Province (WP) will conduct mobile services to resolve issues of schools, teachers and students within its three districts- Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara, said WP Education Secretary M.A.B. Daya Senarath. He said the first of them was due to be held yesterday at the Kalutara Madya Maha Vidyalaya (MMV), followed by a mobile service [...]
CASL Students Gavel Club hosts 4th Officer Installation Ceremony
The Chartered Accountants Sri Lanka (CASL) Students Gavel Club held its 4th Officer Installation ceremony on October 2, at the CASL auditorium. The Chief Guest was Toastmasters (TM) International 2nd Vice President, Arunasalam Balraj. The Guest of Honour was CASL President, Arjuna Herath. The CASL Students Gavel Club, a brainchild of the late Senior Chartered [...]
SL’s soaring suicide rate demands in-depth study of Psychology
With an alarming increase in suicides in Sri Lanka, Psychology should now be considered a relevant subject for studies, as the growth of a country depends greatly on the mental development of its people, observed world-renowned Professor of Psychology Graham Turpin. Prof Turpin, the keynote speaker at the three-day International Conference on Applied Psychology, held [...]
Young Royalists’ ‘Saga IX’ on Nov.5
‘Saga IX’, a musical show of east and west, organised by young Royalists, for the ninth year, will showcase the students’ talents. It will take place at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Wednesday, November 5, at 6 pm. The musical show will feature Bathiya ‘n’ Santhush (BNS) with Ashanthi, Umaria, Randy Withana (Randhir), Kasun Kalhara, Senanayaka [...]
National Reading Month seminar ‘Improving Reading Skills’ in Batticaloa
In view of “National Reading Month”, the Education Ministry and the Sri Lanka National Library organised a seminar titled “Improving Reading Skills” at Batticaloa Vincent Girls High School on Thursday. Eastern University’s Senior Librarian and Library Science Lecturer Theesan Jeyaraj was the Chief Resource person, while National Library and Documentation Board Assistant Director W.M. Aravinda, [...]