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Mr. Deshapriya, do it right

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya, a key figure in whose hands the country’s fate may be lying, greeting international election monitors who arrived yesterday from several countries. He met them at the Rajagiriya Elections Secretariat for an initial briefing. Pic by Amila Gamage

Move to dissolve Parliament when presidential poll ends

A possible dissolution of Parliament as polling ends for the presidential election on Thursday is worrying those at the highest levels of the opposition. They fear such a move would stymie the 100 day manifesto of National Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Maithripala Sirisena if he should emerge the winner. Mr. Sirisena is giving high priority to [...]

Not deterred by Govt. malpractices as the people support us: Maithripala Sirisena

New Democratic Party Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena yesterday declared that, despite malpractices by the government, the public will not be deterred in defeating President Mahinda Rajapaksa at next week’s presidential election. Mr Sirisena, in an interview with the Sunday Times, expressed confidence that the Elections Commissioner and his department will conduct a free and fair [...]

Migrant workers must produce passports to vote

Sri Lankan expatriate workers who return to the country shortly before Thursday’s polls will have to produce their passports along with the National Identity Card (NIC) before they are allowed to vote, an elections official said. Additional Elections Commissioner M.U. Amaradasa said the passport which would indicate the date and time of arrival in the country [...]

Postal voting: Must for staff, says premier hospital director

Postal voting should be made essential for hospital employees in the State health sector to ensure the smooth functioning of hospitals on election day, National Hospital Sri Lanka (NHSL) Director Dr. Anil Jasinghe said. He said releasing a large number of staff members for voting could impede the proper functioning of a hospital and the [...]

MR, MS rev up for final stretch

More than 14.5 million Sri Lankans are eligible to cast their votes at Thursday’s crucial presidential election, the seventh since the introduction of the executive presidential system in 1978. Incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and New Democratic Front (NDF) Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena are the main contenders though 17 others are also in the fray. The [...]

Desperate CEB goes to NSB for Rs. 10 b

The cash-strapped Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has secured a Rs. 10 billion facility from the National Savings Bank (NSB) on December 31 to overcome an urgent cash-flow crisis, NSB union officials said. The facility has been obtained either as a loan or a bond and it is the first time the NSB has given such a [...]

Probe on ballot papers given out at UPFA rally

The recovery of a ballot paper or a specimen of a ballot paper in the Balangoda area is being probed by the Elections Commissioner, an official said yesterday. An Assistant Superintendent of Police has been assigned to carry out the inquiry following a directive from the Elections Commissioner, Additional Commissioner M. U. Amaradasa said. He said [...]

3,000 supervisors with power to cancel polling

For the first time at a presidential election, more than 3,000 officers will be deployed to supervise the 12,324 polling booths and to monitor the conduct of the poll, a senior Elections Department official said. Accordingly, they will be monitoring the process from the opening of the poll until the transfer of ballot boxes is completed, [...]

Catholic Bishops pray poll would be free and non-violent

In a statement on the upcoming Presidential election, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka said it is their utmost hope and prayer that the poll would be free, fair and absolutely violence-free and that “it would open the nation to paths of greater freedom and prosperity maintaining sound economic, moral and cultural principles that [...]

So do we allow uncertainty to win over certainty?

My unseen friend Viruddha Pakshikaya has embarked on a long tirade against President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s campaign last week and the thrust of his argument appears to be that the numerous cross-overs from the government to the Opposition indicates a victory for Maithripala Sirisena. Honestly, Viruddha Pakshikaya, I couldn’t be more pleased with some of the [...]

Importing Bollywood stars and campaigning in Arabian deserts: How barren can one get!

I am sure my rival, Raja Pakshikaya will respond to my comments last week but I have also been asked to contribute this Sunday as this is the last week of the election campaign. And what a week it has been, with victory for Maithripala Sirisena becoming more certain with every passing day. Raja Pakshikaya [...]

Kandy Bar members stage protest against assault on colleague

Members of the Kandy Bar staged a protest in Kandy town, against the assault on Attorney-at-Law and CPC Member Channa Galappathi in the Nawalapitiya police area by a gang which had arrived in a ‘white’ van and blocked his path at Galpaya. Mr. Galappathi who is alleged to have been severely assaulted, was first taken [...]

The killers apparently struck sometime after dusk when the family was getting ready for their dinner on the evening prior to New Year’s Eve at their modest home in Nainamadama in the Wennappuwa police division. When the police forced their way into the house on Monday afternoon they discovered that the place was empty, the [...]

Minister’s evidence raises more questions on crash

One jeep with two owners or two jeeps with the same numberplate? Absurd explanations galore in deadly hit-and-run mystery Breaking a week-long silence, Civil Aviation Minister Piyankara Jayaratne yesterday claimed a vehicle bearing the identical number of the Land Rover involved in a controversial hit-and-run accident on Monday had recently been sold by him to [...]

Sigiriya curator threatens to sue media for exposing wewa fill

The ‘Society for the Protection of Sigiriya’ claims that a part of the wewa (ancient tank) at Sigiriya is to be filled and a building constructed there as a prop for a foreign film to be shot locally. The society stated that a certain section of the wewa has already been filled, and that, stone, [...]

Cardinal says Pope visit on, dismisses reports of cancellation as ‘fiction’

The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, yesterday dismissed reports that the papal visit was cancelled as ‘pure speculation.’ “This is purely a fiction created by somebody.The Vatican advance team has confirmed that they will arrive in the island during the course of the week,” Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith told the Sunday Times. “I can say [...]

Consider postwar progress against charge of mismanagement: Mahinda Rajapaksa

President Mahinda Rajapaksa this week dismissed Opposition allegations that the country has been mismanaged during his rule and called on voters to consider the progress achieved after the conflict ended. “If we did not manage the war properly, how did we win the wa?” President Rajapaksa queried during a breakfast meeting with a group of [...]

Rajapaksa to offer permanent employment to outsourced employees

Pro-government unions at the Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank and the National Savings Bank have organised a meeting with outsourced workers at the Shalika Hall, Narahenpita,to be held today. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is likely to address the meeting at which these outsourced workers are expected to be offered the choice of being made permanent at [...]

Dual citizenship process: Background checks, security clearance from Interpol required

The new system to grant dual citizenship will scrutinise the applicants in greater detail than under the earlier system, and will require security clearance from Interpol and other intelligence services. The system which has a two step assessment process does not provide for appeals either. The new application, which would be uploaded to the Immigration [...]

Bulging sacks of refuse from Christmas lunch/dinners and New Year tables hang from parapet walls outside homes in and around Colombo. These polythene bags with their rotting contents expose the unhygienic side of the seasonal merrymaking and the disregard of authorities responsible for clearing the garbage. Though dates for collection were long past when our [...]

Bird-strikes at MRIA and BIA require prompt attention: Civil Aviation Authority

As many as 15 bird strikes were recorded at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in 2014, four times more than the previous year, statistics from the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) show. A bird strike is a collision between a bird and an aircraft that can sometimes have disastrous consequences. The number [...]

Anti-Sirisena ad takes dramatic turn as Mother says son was forcibly used

The Colombo Magistrate on Friday ordered the Police Children and Women Bureau to obtain the mobile phone record of a 14-year-old boy who appeared in a UPFA television advertisement where he is seen accusing NDF Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena of abducting his mother. The magistrate’s order to trace the call records from December 26 to [...]

RDA defends position that no loss involved in expressway building costs

The Road Development Authority (RDA) has again defended itself against criticism that highway projects are too costly in Sri Lanka. In a fresh rebuttal to transport and logistics expert Prof. Amal S Kumarage’s analysis, RDA Acting Chairman R.W.R. Pemasiri reiterates there is no loss from expressway construction or road rehabilitation. Excerpts from the reply: Part [...]

Suspect in artistes’ assault released on bail, complainant’s lawyer cries foul

North Western Provincial Council member Kamal Indika who was arrested over the assault on a group of artistes in Kumbukgete in Kurunegala, was released on bail by the Kurunegala Acting Magistrate on Friday (2). He was released following a motion submitted to Court by the defendant’s lawyers. However, the complainant’s lawyer, Felician Perera said the [...]

Police on the blind side of the campaign trail

Police investigating the attack on the election campaign rally of Common Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena at Pelmadulla on Friday evening, were yet to make any breakthrough or arrests, although a regional politician’s goons were suspected to be behind the incident. At least 20 persons including several women were injured when unidentified persons hurled rocks and [...]

Expressway building prices defy all construction cost logic

Acting RDA Chairman R.W.R. Pemasiri’s second response calls my figures erroneous and conclusions baseless. With regard to the Extension of the Southern Expressway (ESEP), he admits that the cost of the section between Pinnaduwa (Galle) and Godagama (Matara) should be ‘adjusted’ to US$ 8.5 million per km rather than US$ 4 million. While this statement [...]

International election observers fan out across country

More than 80 international election observers have commenced monitoring ahead of next Thursday’s presidential election, officials said. An official attached to the Elections Secretariat said so far 40 observers from nine countries including India, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Nepal, representing the Forum of Election Management in South Asia, had commenced monitoring activities and another batch [...]

Watchdogs powerless to stop most campaign violations

More than 170 complaints of abuse of state property for election propaganda have been received by the Organisation for Protection of Public Resources set up by Transparency International-Sri Lanka. TISL Executive Director S. Ranugge said his organisation had taken up these complaints with the Elections Commissioner and that through his intervention some of the incidents [...]

Festive season sees police swooping down on drunk-driving

During the just-concluded festive season, the police launched a campaign aimed at averting road accidents and fatalities, police spokesman Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Times. The focus of the campaign carried out from December 24, to 26, December 29 to 30 and January 1- 2, was to detect motorist who drove under the influence of [...]

Police bail given even for grave poll violations, says Monitoring group

Some 95 per cent of those arrested in connection with polls related violence have been released on police bail barely four hours after they were taken into custody, despite the incidents being of a serious and non-bailable nature, an independent election monitoring group said yesterday. “This is a worrying development and the relevant authorities have [...]

SriLankan, Petroleum Corp. indulge in blame game for their losses

SriLankan Airlines and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), two of the State’s largest loss-making ventures, have blamed each other for their financial woes in official documents seen by the Sunday Times. The provision of fuel to SriLankan and Mihin Lanka at “extraordinarily concessionary rates” seriously eroded the finances of the CPC in 2011-2012, a new [...]

Graveside service to mark Lasantha’s 6th death anniversary on Jan.8

The 6th anniversary of the assassination of veteran Journalist, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ‘The Sunday Leader’ newspaper, Lasantha Wickrematunge, which falls on Thursday (8), will be marked with a service at his graveside at the Kanatte General Cemetery. Family, friends, former colleagues and others including those from the political and diplomatic community are requested to [...]

Flood toll mounts as authorities assess long-term damage

Forty deaths, 40,000 people in shelters, 25,000 houses damaged and more than 75,000 hectares of paddy land destroyed – the devastation caused by widespread floods and landslides in 22 districts will cause long-term hardship, officials said. More than a million people have suffered due to the torrential rains over the past two weeks, the Disaster [...]

Sirikotha raid a rumour, say Police

A large number of journalists gathered outside UNP headquarters Sirikotha, in Kotte yesterday following information that the police were to raid the premises in search of booklets defamatory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family. Nissanka Nanayakkara, a UNP official, told reporters they had information that the CID had obtained a warrant to search for [...]

Shots fired at Sirisena meeting

Supporters at a meeting of New Democratic Front candidate Maithripala Sirisena, at Aralaganwila in Polonnaruwa last evening were attacked and fired upon by pro-Government gangs, election monitors said. They said that, at least one person was injured in the firing, while several others were injured in the attacks that followed after the firing. Mr. Sirisena [...]

Polls chief’s directive against ‘Janapathi Jana Hamuwa’ telecast

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has directed all State and private electronic media not to air the ‘Janapathi Jana Hamuwa’ television programme scheduled for telecast tomorrow. His directive follows a complaint lodged by United National Party (UNP) MP Wijedasa Rajapaksa. Mr Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times that during a meeting with the Elections Commissioner, they were [...]

Following directives by the Elections Commissioner to remove all cutouts and hoardings promoting Presidential candidates, the Mahinda Rajapaksa camp has become creative in its advertising, using his signature trait the satakaya (shawl). Many other hoardings using campaign material from the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance, such as the ‘Mahinda Chinthanaya’ and the slogan suba anagathayak are [...]

Reclaim a democratic Sri Lanka, UNP tells first-time voters

“If you vote in this election and you choose to stand with us on the side of democracy and justice, good governance and the rule of law, social justice and freedom, then your vote will be much more than just a mark on a ballot paper,” said the United National Party (UNP)’s statement for first-time [...]

Thousands of schools will be made use for next week’s election, with some of them being used as polling booths, while others to accommodate police on election duty. More schools will be used by the police and armed forces who will be providing security for Pope Francis’ visit the following week. This school, Neelabemma Primary in [...]

Unscheduled school closures will adversely effect 2015 syllabus completion: Ed.Min.Sec.

Education authorities are concerned about the loss of stipulated school days for 2015, due to additional closures that will take place for elections and VIP visits. Due to school closures for next week’s presidential poll and the following week’s Papal visit, the school days needed to cover the 2015 syllabus will reduce from 210 to [...]

Re-scrutiny applications for A/L 2014 now open till Jan.28

The Exams Dept announced that applications for re-scrutiny of results of the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) – 2014, can be submitted if they so wish. The application form has to be sent by registered post to reach the Commissioner General of Examinations, National Evaluation & Testing Service, Department of Examinations, Pelawatta, and Battaramulla, on or [...]

North, South top A/L rankings

Students from the South and Jaffna topped the ranks in last year’s GCE Advanced Level (A/L) results released last Saturday (27). Paakyaraj Dharukeesan of Jaffna Hindu College was ranked first in the Physical Science stream. Dharukeesan who attended Chavakachcheri Hindu College up to Grade 5, entered Jaffna Hindu College for his Secondary education after doing [...]

Jaffna Indian Consulates’ ‘Indian Corner 2013’ maiden certificate awards ceremony

A certificate awards ceremony was organised by the Indian Consulate in Jaffna at Greengrass Hotel on Dec. 28, for the first batch of students who participated at the Carnatic Vocal Music, Violin, Yoga and Hindi classes conducted at “India Corner 2013”. Northern Province (NP) Gov. G.A. Chandrasiri was the Chief Guest and distributed the certificates [...]

Foundation laid for Special Needs Education Centre

Laying of the foundation stone for a Special Needs Education Centre was held at the Weniwelkola Primary School in Kahathuduwa, under the auspices of Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena. Once established, the Resource centre is expected to provide differently-abled children with a better education than can be provided in a normal setting. The first stage of [...]

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