News

Home » News

Stay cool, pharmacies warned

The quality and potency of medicinal drugs is reduced in pharmacies that ignore regulations that mandate the use of air-conditioning, a senior medical official warned. Cosmetic Devices and Drugs Regulatory Authority (CDDA) Director Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva said that while most pharmacies were air-conditioned others used fans that compromise on the cool temperatures needed for [...]

President Maithripala Sirisena reads through a 10-point proposal put forward by the National Campaign for a Just Society Convenor, the Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, who was felicitated at a ceremony on Friday at the BMICH. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was among the guests at the occasion. President Sirisena praised the prelate for his role in [...]

All police officers to be dragged into traffic war

All police officers, besides those in traffic divisions, will be empowered to book traffic offenders from June, a senior Government official said yesterday. “We need more Police personnel for the task in view of the mounting accidents and indiscipline on the roads. Last year alone, there were more than 35,000 accidents in which 2,439 persons [...]

Previous Govt. pushed interest rate up for Hambantota port loan: SLPA

The interest rate on the Chinese loan for Hambantota Port Phase I was increased from around 2 per cent to 6.3 per cent (fixed) on a request by the previous regime, a top official at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority explosively revealed this week. He also said that, this year, Sri Lanka will shell out [...]

DS raises alarm over drugs and crimes in Jaffna

One month before the gruesome rape and murder of a Poonkuduthivu schoolgirl, Jaffna’s District Secretary in a report had urged the police to act fast to check the rising incidence of sexual abuse, exploitation and illicit sale of liquor and drugs in the district. Describing schoolchildren’s new found addiction to drugs and banned substances as a [...]

New guidelines to humanise public service

State officials have been asked to stick to their half-an-hour lunch break, dress appropriately and ensure that public queries, both by post and telephone, are addressed promptly and courteously. These are some of the new guidelines issued to them by the Ministry of Public Administration this week. Aimed at making the public service a more people oriented [...]

The Horse Race- Curious case of the 25 UPFA portfolios

On March 22, 25 UPFA MPs were appointed ministers. Was there a basis on which these 25 MPs were chosen? Analysis by Manthri.lk, Sri Lanka’s pioneering parliamentary monitoring platform, identifies three criteria that form the basis of President Sirisena’s selection: (1) Winning potential (2) Geographical distribution (3) District targeting. Strategy: Securing the support of ‘prized [...]

Teamwork and collective decision making at SLPA: New Chairman

A lack of transparency in the Sri Lanka Ports Authority’s core operations was a key challenge to its new management, a top official said this week. Lakdas Panagoda was made SLPA chairman in January 2015. With a background in engineering, business management and financial planning, the learning curve was very steep. He spent the first [...]

Poson Poya visitors to Anuradhapura avoid water bodies warn authorities

Pilgrims and tourists, local and foreign, going to Anuradhapura for the forthcoming Poson Poya Festival have been cautioned against bathing in lakes and tanks in the region, owing to the rise in water levels posing a serious threat. Police and Irrigation officials said that, as the water levels were very high, these waterways are very [...]

The official Poson Week this year will be from May 31 to June 6, and will be centred on Mihintale and Thanthirimale sacred sites. This year’s Poson week was declared by the Poson committee headed by the Chief Incumbent of the Ruwanweli Maha Seya in Anuradhapura, the Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera. Anuradhapura District Secretary D.P.G. [...]

The rape and murder of 18-year-old Vidya Sivaloganathan in Pungudutivu has led to many families in her village, Veeramalai, fleeing for safety in other towns. Families with young girls are especially fearful. The victim’s family too is seeking to move away from the island of Pungudutivu. Veeramalai resident Ganesh Vigeswaran, 47, said he had decided [...]

Alleged fraud at Maligawa: FCID files report in court

The Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) has filed a report in the Kandy Magistrate’s court on the ongoing investigations into alleged fraudulent activities at the Dalada Maligawa. The report includes probes into the alleged fraudulent sale of a land owned by the Dalada Maligawa, abuse of funds of the Maligawa to maintain the private car [...]

She leaves a legacy of children’s joy and laughter

These things I remember: children rolling in the aisles in laughter; a child barely able to walk asking endless questions from the mother – endless endless endless questions of relevance and sharpness as a fascinating story unfolded on stage; eyes openin in wonderment at dancing flowers, talking trees, flitting fairies, prancing monkeys as the fantasy [...]

Finance Ministry to reveal all, says Ravi K.

Finance Ministry transactions including the awarding of tenders, loans and grants would be made available to the public soon, to ensure transparency, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayaka said. He said two separate sections would be set up in the Ministry– one for the general public and the other for Members of Parliament — to obtain this [...]

Lanka for talks to settle fishing issue but rules out bottom trawling

The Sri Lankan Government has expressed willingness to resolve the Indo-Lanka fishermen issue through bilateral talks with the Indian central government, but has ruled a proposal to permit bottom trawling in the Palk Strait, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday. Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Sunday Times that a proposal from the Indian Government through [...]

President Sirisena appoints 15-member Law Commission

President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed 15 members to the Law Commission, for a period of five years, with Romesh de Silva, P.C. as its Chairman. Other members of the Law Commission are Palitha Fernando P.C., S. Anil Silva P.C., Manohara de Silva, P.C., Dr Harsha Cabral P.C. , M. Ikram Mohamed P.C. and Sanjeewa Praneeth [...]

Hundreds of people gather at markets believing that they are getting good value in buying food items at cheaper rates but in reality are purchasing outdated and illegally imported goods, public health officials warned this week. Some of the popular brands are sold at half the original market price. In the most recent raid, carried [...]

Isolated… no bridge over these waters

The old bridge spanning Mi Oya in the Tabbowa farmer colony at Puttalam collapsed five years ago. Though the village is in dire need of a bridge, the construction of the 12- million rupee new bridge is taking place at snail’s pace. On some days he points out, as few as two people at work [...]

Skin and bones! These are the haunting images of the once ‘majestic’ elephants of the Uda Walawe National Park. Trapped within the park, surrounded by tightly-drawn electric fences, bull, cow and even baby elephants are starving to death, the Sunday Times learns. The safe haven has turned into a living hell which is unable to [...]

21st century born children should be smoke-free: New NATA head

Concerted efforts are being made to make Sri Lankan children born in the 21st century ‘a tobacco-free generation’. “This is the public health milestone we are hoping to achieve,” reiterated the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Chairman Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, as across the globe preparations were underway to celebrate ‘World No Tobacco Day’ [...]

Slipshod use of cooking gas could cost more lives

The gas cylinder explosion that claimed three lives in a Maradana eatery this week has raised concerns over mistakes and carelessness in the use and storage of LP gas in kitchens, both commercial and domestic. Investigations have revealed that the cafe, close to the Elphinstone theatre, had several gas cylinders stacked in its small kitchen [...]

Providing land to displaced a monumental problem: President tells nature protection society

It is the responsibility of the Government to provide land to people displaced by the conflict, assured President Maithripala Sirisena, but not to third and fourth generations of those families. “This is a ‘barapathala prashnayak’,” the President told the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) of Sri Lanka on Monday morning at the Presidential Secretariat, [...]

Myanmar embassy driver caught selling foreign liquor to Excise decoys

Government will be talking to the Myanmar Embassy, after a staff driver attached to that country’s Colombo Mission was caught in the act of trading in foreign liquor last Sunday, Deputy Minister Foreign Affairs Ajith Perera said yesterday. The Government was treating the matter as of the utmost importance. Mr. Perera said without elaborating. The [...]

Rains in a week’s time say s Met. Dept. while people sweat it out

The Meteorology Department says that showers can be expected in a week’s time in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces. According to Met. Department Deputy Director Anusha Warnasuriya, showers and thundershowers will develop during the afternoon and evening. “It is also predicted that there may be temporary localised strong winds during showers,” she said. She [...]

Agriculture Dept. takes steps to implement Glyphosate ban

The Agriculture Department has taken steps to ensure that the ban on the hazardous herbicide, Glyphosate, is strictly implemented throughout the country. The move follows a presidential declaration on Friday, proscribing Glyphosate, which is believed to be the main substance causing the chronic kidney disease that is widespread in the North Centra Province. Agriculture Department [...]

HIV AIDS: Infection risk rises as those diagnosed comprise only 50% of infected

With only 50%of all the HIV AIDS patients in the country diagnosed, Sri Lanka is facing a greater risk of infection, while 40% of those diagnosed have been abroad for work, UNAIDS Country Manager for Sri Lanka, Dr Daynath Ranatunga told the Sunday Times. While Sri Lanka remains a low prevalence country, the number of [...]

President Sirisena pledges to reopen files of missing, killed journalists

President Maithripala Sirisena, on Friday, pledged to reopen the investigation files of journalists who were killed or disappeared during the last three decades. “The new Government will revive all the suppressed cases and hold proper, impartial and justifiable investigations. As a government, we intend to perform our duties and responsibilities to the best of our [...]

RADA has paid Rs. 169 m with 9 cheques, but not a single house was built

President’s Counsel Romesh De Silva said on Tuesday that if there was no immediate threat of a suspect fleeing the country or going into hiding, a police officer could not arrest that person. If there is an allegation against any person, all what the police could do, was to conduct an investigation, interview and record [...]

Emergency evacuation of Negombo Hospital’s patients as building deemed unsafe

Sri Lanka’s Health authorities have ordered an immediate temporary evacuation of the main eight-storey Negombo Hospital over concerns that its structure is unsafe. This follows an emergency meeting in the hospital premises on Friday night that the Director-General of Health Services, Dr Palitha Mahipala had with officials of the Negombo Hospital and other nearby hospitals. [...]

Bogus online visa website rips off visitors to SL

Visitors to the country are being ripped off by at least one and possibly more foreign based websites offering online entry visas and immigration services for a fee that is some 200% more than the stipulated government fee, and the authorities can do nothing to stop it, an official said yesterday. “These sites are in [...]

Basil’s FR case before SC on Thursday

The fundamental rights application filed by former Minister Basil Rajapaksa seeking his release from custody will be taken up again for hearing on June 4 and 5, the Supreme Court decided this week. The petition was taken up before a Bench comprising Chief Justice K.Sripavan, Priyasath Dep and Rohini Marasinghe. Romesh de Silva, PC., appearing [...]

Pseudo-democratic parliamentarians, human rights and diversity

President Maithripala Sirisena’s 100 days was an innovative election manifesto for Sri Lanka. It was a short-term government corporate plan and was attractive and realistic. As a result, for the first time in history, our politicians had to keep to time and work on set goals, whilst being monitored daily by the public. The one [...]

Etpantiya chief keeps tradition alive

Reviving a dying tradition, the leader of the Etpantiya accompanied by the Maligawa tusker, Kandula, paid his respects to the Asgiriya Chapter’s Mahanayake-elect, the Most Venerable Panditha Galagama Athadassi Thera at the prelate’s official aramaya yesterday. The Mahanayake fed banana and other fruits to the tusker. Pic by L. B. Senaratne

No ticket to ride – rail system goes haywire

The Railways Department is unable to issue tickets to commuters because tickets are in short supply, All-Ceylon Railway Employees General Union President S.P. Vithanage claims. He said there were only four old ticket issuing machines in use, with five workers to operate them, and because the department was 14 workers short it was getting tickets printed [...]

GCE O/L candidates’ NIC applications overdue: CG Registration of Persons

Commissioner General of the Department of Registration of Persons R.M.S. Sarath Kumara has appealed to school principals to expedite the applications for National Identity Cards (NIC) for schoolchildren due to sit the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) examination in December. The appeal came as the number of applications for NIC’s for the school candidates were found [...]

Out-of-Education BG vows hara-kiri on Galle Face if paid commissions

Former Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena vowed to kill himself at Galle Face Green, Colombo, by slitting his stomach with a sharp knife- dali-pihiya- if anyone proves that he obtained commissions or was involved in fraudulent dealings in the construction of Mahindodaya Technology Laboratories in schools. The former Minister said he will leave politics if it [...]

National Archives celebrates Martin Wickremesinghe’s 125th birth anniversary

The Department of National Archives held a week-long exhibition as well as a commemorative programme to coincide with the 125th birth anniversary of renowned writer Martin Wickmemesinghe, which fell on May 29. During the commemorative programme, several leading Lecturers from State universities spoke on the writer’s contribution to the country’s Literary field. Martin Wickramasinghe was [...]

Southern Province best at 2014 GCE O/L, displacing Western

The Southern Province (SP) has surpassed the performances of the Western and North-Western Provinces at last year’s GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) exam, to reach the top, an analysis of the results by the Education Ministry revealed. The SP which was 3rd in 2013, with 67.05% qualifying for the GCE (A/L), came 1st in 2014 with [...]

Our Lady’s Primary School CP winners at Composing Songs

Our Lady’s Primary School, Nuwara Eliya were Central Province winners in the Composing Songs segment of the 2015 All Island Music & Drama Competition. The School’s Music teacher Vipula Kumara said the victory was due to the team effort of the teachers. Picture shows the winning team with the Principal- Sr Mary Priyanganie, Music Director- [...]

Schoolchildren’s lives at risk walking on railtracks

More and more minors are following their adults on the railtracks despite the serious threat it poses to their personal safety. In a bid to prevent this trend, railway authorities have urged parents and teachers to advise children against this practice. It is a common sight to see schoolchildren take to the tracks on their [...]

Cabinet approves a glass of milk for every schoolchild

A proposal to provide a glass of milk to every schoolchild, especially those in remote and isolated schools, was approved by the Cabinet this week. The proposal submitted by Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam was for schoolchildren to be given milk packets. Packets of 150-ml of milk will be purchased from State-owned dairy producer Milco [...]

Moratuwa undergrads’ mo-ped bicycle revolutionises cycling

An electric-assisted hybrid bicycle which is both a motorbike and bicycle, has been recently built by two final year undergraduates of Moratuwa University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Final Year undergraduates Risira Kannangara and Venura Dissanayake with guidance and supervision from their senior lecturers Dr Nirosh Jayaweera and Asitha Kulasekare, built this bicycle that has a [...]

The awards ceremony of the Basic Information Communication Technology course in the Kalkuda Educational Zone, was held at Kiran Maha Vidyalaya under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Education. Manager- Resource Centre, S. Jegatheesan, presided over the ceremony. Director- Kalkuda Educational Zone, S. Srikrishnaraja and Deputy Director T. Ravi were Guests of Honour and presented [...]

12 North Central Prov. Schools close for Poson

Twelve schools in the Anuradhapura, Mihintale and Thantitirimale areas will be closed for the Poson season from June 1-5, the Education Ministry announced. Anuradhapura Central College, Zahira College, Anuradhapura, Swarnapali Balika Vidyalaya, Thantirimale Gnanawimala Vidyalaya, Mihintale Maha Vidyalaya will be among the 12 schools closed during Poson week.

Schoolboy hospitalised following alleged assault by Deputy Principal

A schoolboy of a leading school in Maradana was allegedly assaulted by the Deputy Principal and admitted to hospital, police said. The boy who sustained injuries to his ear was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital on Thursday, but got himself transferred to a private hospital the following day. The incident had occurred near the school [...]

Three-wheeler driver dies trying to fix short circuit

Maddumagama Vithanage Anura Shantha (53) -a father of three- and resident of Albion Lane, Dematagoda was electracuted on Friday (29) night while attempting to fix an electric short circuit in a community water tank. Dedduwa Jayalalitha Malini (57) the wife of the victims said that though her husband was a three-wheeler driver by profession, he was [...]

Advertising Rates