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The Central Bank’s new Governor, Arjuna Mahendran – still at the centre of a major controversy over a Treasury Bond issue and thus seldom seen at public events – was captured by our photojournalist at a book launch on Friday at the Barefoot Gallery. Mr. Mahendran whose conduct had been probed by a three-member panel [...]
Next general elections on present PR system
The upcoming parliamentary elections will be held under the existing proportional representation system even if Parliament approves the 20th Amendment on electoral reforms. However, such approval will hinge on agreement on the reforms being reached by different political parties. In the event such agreement is not possible, President Sirisena has declared that Parliament would be dissolved [...]
Thunder, lightning delay baggage clearance at BIA
Passengers arriving in late night flights at the Bandaranaike International Airport on Friday had to wait for up to three hours for their baggage to reach them. It was all because baggage handling teams refused to unload claiming it was raining heavily and there was thunder. Baggage handling at BIA is carried out by Sri Lankan [...]
Distiller linked to former minister fined Rs. 21 million
A private distillery owner linked to a former minister was on Thursday fined more than Rs. 21 million for suddenly moving more than 68,000 bottles of liquour to Dematagoda in violation of operating licence regulations, senior Excise officials disclosed yesterday. They said the owner was widely believed to be a mere idle partner while the former [...]
Day to remember the war dead
The Victory Day parade conducted by the previous Government to mark the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas will be held on a different note this time. It is being designated as the “Armed Forces Day.” The first such event will be held in Matara later this month. A Government official said the event would be “in [...]
Crisis over Wilpattu land: President orders probe
President Maithiripala Sirisena yesterday ordered an inquiry into the alleged illegal acquisition of state land in the Wlpattu area by persons backed by Minister Rishard Bathiudeen. The inquiry was ordered after the JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake telephoned the President to complain that there were allegations about destruction of the forest by people encroaching into the [...]
Rs. 645m tsunami scandal: Top RADA official arrested
Police yesterday arrested the former operations manager of the Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA), which is alleged to have paid Rs. 645 million to two bogus companies to build houses for tsunami victims in the north and east. Saliya Wickremasuriya was arrested by the Police Special Investigations Unit (SIU) at his residence in Kollupitiya last [...]
Mixed reaction to move for consumer scales in shops
Vendors will face fines if they fail to follow a new mechanism that gives consumers an opportunity to check the weight of purchased items. The fines system will come into effect following an awareness campaign to be carried out during the next three weeks, Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Chairman of CAA Rumy Marzook said. The [...]
Sweltering conditions keep people indoors, in baths – and shopping less
Despite the intermittent rains and thunderstorms being experienced temperatures continued to soar in the past two weeks, leaving many people huffing and puffing during the day. According to the Colombo Meteorological Department (CMD) the temperature in Colombo is around 33C with the relative humidity ranging from 75-100 per cent, prompting several complaints from the public on [...]
Let’s see how clean your hands are?
Public Health Inspectors of the Beruwala Medical Officer Of Health (MOH) inspected several dansal in the area. Administrative Public Health Inspector (PHI) Gamini Samaratunge said the personal hygiene of those who prepared the food was also checked. He said large stocks of food and dry rations not suitable for consumption were found and destroyed while advice [...]
Heavy rains flood residential areas in Kalutara, Galle Districts
Heavy rains yesterday caused flooding in many residential areas in Kalutara and Galle Districts. Over 80 houses in Galle went under water, while low lying areas in Beruwela and Alutgama, such as Kalawela, Galhena, Moragalla, Pathanegoda, Methmunirajapura, Maligahena, Kalumodera and Malegamwela were adversely affected by the heavy rainfall in the area. A person struck by lightning [...]
Vesak dansal: Over 300 found serving unhygienic food, says PHI union
With the Vesak festivities coming to a close last week the All Island Public Health Inspectors’ Union has found 333 dansal operating under unhygienic conditions, countrywide. Union Secretary Senarath Bandara said that there were many instances where contaminated food was served. He said that the food was prepared under unhygienic conditions in makeshift kitchens not suitable [...]
May 20 hearing again in case against Basil and 3 others
The case against former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and three others will be taken up on May 20 after the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) consults the Attorney General on submissions made so far. Accordingly Mr. Rajapaksa and three others were remanded till May 20 by Kaduwela Magistrate Dhammika Hemapala when the case for the [...]
Vesak accidents: Doctors and police give different reasons
Doctors blamed poor traffic control as the cause for several accidents during the Vesak season, but police denied the charge. The accusations by doctors came after they heard statements from victims they treated Deputy Director, Accidents and Orthopaedic Service at the National Hospital, Dr. H.M.K. Wikramanyake said there was a high rate of casualties. “We received [...]
Court cannot direct CB Governor as no law has been broken: Counsel
The Supreme Court cannot guide or direct the Central Bank Governor since he has not breached any legal provision, Romesh de Silva, PC., appearing on behalf of the Governor Arjun Mahendran in a fundamental rights case said on Friday. He said that there was no complaint by a primary dealer who has the right to [...]
Skeletal remains have no connection to 1989-1990 disappearances: PCI
The skeletal remains recovered from the Matale mass grave have no connection whatsoever to the disappearances during the period 1989-1990, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry has concluded, based on the scientific analysis done at a reputed laboratory in the USA, that found the “skeletons belong to an era prior to year 1950″. However, the Commission [...]
Excise Dept. cracks down hard on moonshine industry
Over 1,000 persons including several women were arrested in a major countrywide Vesak crackdown on the illicit sale of liquor and related offences conducted by the Excise Dept, senior officials said yesterday. A total of 1,022 cases were subsequently filed in the relevant courts and the offenders later enlarged on bail, pending fines, Excise Commissioner General [...]
Tamil Nadu fisheries delegation on ‘goodwill’ visit to test the waters
A four-member delegation representing fisheries organisations in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, arrived in the country yesterday for discussions with their local counterparts, and a possible meeting with government leaders, a senior official said yesterday. “The group is here purely on a goodwill mission with no official tag, but a request to meet [...]
Dharshani Gunathilake new DG of Information Dept.
Dr Ms S.K.M.D. Dharshani Gunathilake on Friday assumed duties as Director General (DG) of the Government Information Department. Deputy Minister of Media, Shantha Bandara, Media Ministry Secretary, Karunaratne Paranavithane, Additional Secretary K.W.T.N. Amaratunga and Director- Information Department, Wasanthapriya Ramanayake were present on the occasion.
Mangala, Fowzie, Navy Chief visit USS Carl Vinson
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Disaster Management Minister, A.H.M. Fowzie were on board a US transport plane that ferried visitors from Colombo to the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson on April 19, for a conducted tour of the vessel. As earlier reported, the SLNavy Commander and other officials, along with Defence officials from [...]
No hike in fuel prices: Minister Ranawaka
“There will be no increase in fuel prices,” declared Minister of Power and Energy, Champika Ranawaka, yesterday. “Nor is there a shortage of petroleum products,” he told the Sunday Times, commenting on reports on some websites that due to a shortage, a price hike was imminent. He said that prices could still be lowered but for [...]
Lankan workers evacuated from Doha camp after major fire
Hundreds of Sri Lankan migrant workers were yesterday being evacuated from an industrial area close to Qatar’s capital, Doha, after a major fire broke out shortly before dusk on Friday, a senior official said yesterday. The Lankans numbering between 300 and 350 are part of a larger multinational workforce of a chemical company, and the fire [...]
Minimum wage of Rs. 10,000 for all private sector employees: Labour Ministry
Legislation to set a minimum wage for all private sector employees will soon be presented in Parliament, the Labour Ministry said. The draft of the Bill will set the minimum monthly wage of any private sector employee at Rs.10,000, regardless of whether the employee falls under categories named under the Shop and Office Act or [...]
Work on Rs. 37 billion water supply project held up
The second and third phase of the Kandy North and Patha Dumbara Water Supply Project costing approximately thirty seven billion rupees has come to a standstill. Work on the project was brought to a halt after the tender, which had earlier been awarded to a Chinese company was put to the Project Revision Committee after [...]
A cry from the city for the wilds
Environmentalists and nature lovers yesterday held a protest in Colombo demanding an immediate stop to the destruction of Wilpattu National Park cause by land grab and development. They claimed that the government appeared to be reluctant to take any action because of political influence. Pic by M.A.Pushpakumara
The 60kg of dried seahorses that two Chinese were attempting to smuggle out of Sri Lanka last week were intended to satisfy the myth of aphrodisiacal benefits that seals the fate of 150 million wild seahorses a year globally. The species cannot sustain such a casualty toll, conservationists say. The hundreds of slaughtered seahorses were concealed in [...]
Vesak and “Vesak-revellers”
Vesak is a “festival of lights” metaphorically, when hearts should light up in devotion. But each night of the Vesak week, electric bulbs provide a worldly dazzle and the roads are taken over by thrill-seekers. Amidst the haze of lights, laughter, and milling crowds, senses swim and the significance of the religious festival is soon [...]
Rs 93 million driving test complex to be ready by year’s end
The new location for driving licence tests at an estimated cost of Rs 93 million, will be ready in Werahera before the end of the year, said Motor Traffic Dept (MTD)- Commissioner General, A.H.K. Jagath Chandrasiri. The testing track proposed under the 100-Day programme is being built on a three-and-a-half acre plot in three separate stages. [...]
New Asgiriya Chapter Mahanayake is the Ven. Galagama Dhammasiddi Sri Dhammananda Attadassi Thera
Venerable Galagama Dhammasiddi Sri Dhammananda Attadassi Thera, who is 95 was elected as the 21st Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter which has a 703-year history. The Mahanayake went uncontested and a unanimous decision was made by the 18-member Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Asgiri Maha Vihare to elect the most senior member of its congregation. The [...]
International assessment mission for a closer look at local media scene
The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), together with International Media Support (IMS) in Denmark and the Open Society Foundation, has organised an International Assessment Mission to Sri Lanka by leading media development and advocacy organisations. The mission which began on May 8 and will conti ue until May 14. The Mission comprises senior level representatives [...]
Thousands of fish die in Beruwala canal
Recently thousands of dead fish were observed floating in the Siliye main canal at Maradana in Beruwela. A team of Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) who went to determine the reason for the mass deaths of the fish were appalled to see crowds of children and young people fishing in the muddy riverbed. ThePHIs warned them against [...]
Ed.Min. to gazette guidelines for 2017 admissions to Govt. schools
The Education Ministry will gazette new guidelines for the admission of students to Government schools starting 2017, said Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariawasam. “The new system will empower Principals to play a deciding role when admitting students, while a supervisory body too will be appointed to ensure no irregularities happen during admission,” he said.Under the [...]
100-Day anti-drug programme in WP Schools by NDDB
The National Dangerous Drug Board (NDDB) has organised a 100-day programme to eliminate drugs in 100 schools in the Western Province (WP), to fight the drug menace within schools. The programme is on the lines of the 100-day yahapalanaya programme of the new government. The programme targets students of schools in the vulnerable areas of [...]
500 more Teacher Assistants recruited to Estate schools
Government will conduct further recruitment of Teacher Assistants (TA) to fill 500 more vacancies in Estate sector State schools, said Deputy Minister K. Velayutham. This is in addition to the 1,688 TAs appointed on Friday by Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam at the Education Ministry. Mr Velayutham said that 25 more Estate schools will also [...]
CTSU urges boycott of Temple Trees Scholarship-awarding ceremony
The Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union (CTSU) has called on all members of the Education Employees’ Co-Op Thrift & Credit Society Ltd. (ECCS) to boycott a scholarship-awarding ceremony to be held tomorrow at Temple Trees. The scholarships are for EDCS members’ children who have gained admission to University. CTSU General Secretary, Mahinda Jayasinghe in a statement, [...]
President Sirisena declares open KDU Southern campus in Sooriyawewa
President Maithripala Sirisena ceremonially declared open the Southern campus of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) at Sooriyawewa, on Tuesday. The campus will be dedicated to promote Environmental, Spatial Sciences and Information Technology related studies. The campus located in a 140-acre plot is based on the green concept, preserving the natural environment of [...]
Pakistan government gifts fully equipped IT Lab to 100-year-old, 85-student Sri Saddarmodaya MV
The Pakistan Government, through its High Commission in Sri Lanka, on Friday donated a fully equipped IT Lab comprising of 8 computers, related equipment and furniture to Sri Saddarmodaya Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo 5. Acting Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Dr Sarfraz Ahmed Khan Sipra, along with Disaster Management Minister A.H.M. Fowzie and former Technology [...]
President urges Education experts to uplift National Education System
President Maithripala Sirisena this week urged Education experts to confer and bring about a modern-day approach with effective measures to uplift the standards of the National Education system. The President speaking at the centenary celebrations of St. John’s College, Nugegoda, on Tuesday, questioned the success of the National Schools concept and its practical implementation in [...]
2015 NCE intake hiked by 500: Education Ministry Secretary
Government is to admit an additional 500 students to National Colleges of Education (NCE) this year, said Education Ministry Secretary Upali Marasinghe. A total of 3,500 will be admitted to follow the 3-year Diploma course at these Colleges. He said the Finance Ministry has permitted the increased intake. Students will be admitted from the Assistant [...]
Para-diplomacy to harness diaspora potential for country’s benefit: FM
Sri Lanka should re-conceptualise its position as an Indian Ocean country, while exploring the use of para-diplomacy to reap maximum benefit out of current world affairs which has attracted greater focus to the Asian region, said Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. He was speaking as the Chief Guest at the 20th Convocation ceremony of Bandaranaike International [...]
Wild north gets Govt’s helping hand at last
The government has stretched out a hand of protection of the threatened wildlife across the north, from the ragged ponies of Delft to birds that breed only on a single islet in the Adam’s Bridge chain leading to India. Four new national parks will be set up across the north, the government announced this week. They [...]