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The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, a modern airport opened only two years ago, has been closed with no planes coming. Instead, lorry loads of paddy have begun to arrive there after the airports storage facilities were opened to store paddy. The Government says this is a temporary measure to help the farmers, because of the [...]
UNP-SLFP common stand on Geneva issue
Partners of the National Government are to reach common ground on issues before the UN Human Rights Council sessions later this month. That will include the formal response to the report on the Investigations on Sri Lanka (OISL) and matters relating to the domestic inquiry mechanism the Government wants to adopt. This will be one of [...]
Spot buying of coal amid Rs. 50 b tender controversy
The Lanka Coal Company (LCC) has made a spot purchase of 165,000 tons of coal after a separate multibillion rupee tender ran into controversy in July. The consignment has been ordered to tide over the immediate requirement for coal at the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai, an LCC spokesman said. Open tenders were called for [...]
Economy in Catch 22 situation: ‘Managed float’ of dollar as prices of imports rise
The Central Bank (CB) has put the brakes on falling foreign exchange reserves, exacerbated by a surge in consumer spending including on motor vehicles in recent months, by allowing a free-float of the US dollar but raising fears that this could spike inflation. With US dollar reserves falling as imports rose, the CB signalled to [...]
Ranil-Modi talks on Sept. 15; poaching, CEPA on agenda
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will make his first official trip overseas when he visits India from September 14-16. Official talks with his counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take place on September 15 in New Delhi. Mr. Modi will host a lunch in honour of the visiting premier on the same day. Premier Wickremesinghe will [...]
CEA prepared to eyeball Coca Cola on clean-up bill
A report commissioned by the Central Environment Authority (CEA) on the total bill for the clean-up of Coca Cola’s diesel oil spill into the water supply is due next week and the CEA warns it is prepared to go to court to extract compensation estimated to be up to Rs. 1 billion. “A survey is [...]
Authorities to block foreign liquor flooding market
Authorities will crack down on the transportation and sale of foreign liquor as large stocks are flooding the open market depriving the state of billions of rupees in revenue, a senior official with the Excise Department said yesterday.He said foreign liquor, cleverly hidden among various merchandise, are smuggled into the country through the entry ports. [...]
Two-party consensual Govt. appoints expanded Cabinet with only 2 women
The second Cabinet of Minister’s appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena is a mix of senior Parliamentarians as well as first time entrants to Cabinet rank, drawn from the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). The UNP led United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) got 32 portfolios while the SLFP [...]
Parliament bound by the historic duty of amending the electoral system– President
The red carpet was laid out for President Maithripala Sirisena and First Lady Jayanthi Sirisena at the Parliament Complex in Kotte as they arrived for the ceremonial opening of the first session of the Eighth Parliament of Sri Lanka on Tuesday afternoon. The President and the First lady were welcomed on their arrival at the [...]
A birthday gift from President
President MaithripalaSirisena has given high priority to reduce causes that lead to kidney diseases. As part of the initiative, the President declared open a drinking water project for villagers in Medirigiriya coinciding with this birthday on Wednesday.
Seagull directors indicted in HC for breach of trust
The Directors of Seagull Property Developers (Pvt) Ltd, a company which builds condominium properties for sale, have been indicted in the High Court of Colombo for breach of trust. The case was called up this week before High Court Judge Lalith Jayasuriya. The indictment has been served by the Attorney General’s Department under Section 403 [...]
IIM first–year students hospitalised following attack by student union members
An alleged attack on Tuesday (1) by Student Union members on first-year students of the Institute of Indigenous Medicine (IIM), Colombo University, left six students including two girls in Colombo National Hospital with injuries. Milan Sujith Wimalasooriya from Anuradhapura is among the six students admitted to hospital following an attack on him and his friend [...]
OPA opposes rejected candidates entering Parliament as National List MPs
The Organisation of Professional Associations (OPA) has called for amendments to the Constitution to disqualify defeated candidates from being appointed to Parliament through the National List. At their General Forum held on Friday (28), they passed a resolution stating that the OPA wholly and unreservedly condemns the appointments of defeated candidates at the August 17 [...]
‘Ge’ names can be optional, says President in Parliament
What’s in a name is a question often posed to indicate there isn’t much to a name. But not so it seems. In Sri Lanka, a great deal seems to be riding on one’s name, that President Maithripala Sirisena himself thought it opportune to propose this week in his policy statement to Parliament on Tuesday, [...]
MR’s brother-in-law Sirisena Hettiarachchi’s funeral today
Sirisena Hettiarachchi, 74, brother-in-law of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa passed away on Friday. Mr. Hettiarachchi was a Senior Commercial Manager of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority. The funeral takes place at the Borella Kanatte Cemetery today, September 6. Cortege leaves residence at 3 pm from 175/2, Old Kottawa Road, Mirihana, Nugegoda.
Paddy storage: Farmers complain but PMB says all going well
In the ongoing paddy-purchasing crisis, farmers complain they are still finding it difficult to get their stocks cleared, although the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) said efforts have been stepped up to purchase the stocks. PMB chairman M.B. Dissanayake said the target was to purchase 120,000 metric tonnes of paddy from the Yala harvest and so [...]
Blanket ban on polythene will cause inconveniences, say manufacturers
President Maithripala Sirisena’s announcement last week about banning the use of asbestos and polythene in Sri Lanka by the end of 2018 is causing ripples of concern in the asbestos and polythene manufacturing industries.Manufacturers and importers argue that with no proper alternatives to the products, the construction industry and the public will be unduly inconvenienced [...]
African ‘millionaires’ dupe outstation fat cats with counterfeit US$ 1 million notes
More than 40 persons swindled by foreigners who sold counterfeit US$ 1 million currency notes, have complained to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) during the past one month, a senior Police officer said, The group running the scam are from African countries. They are in Sri Lanka on visit visas. Their target group comprises mostly businessmen [...]
This is the season to watch migratory seabirds
Sri Lanka enjoys many wildlife spectaculars, including the phenomenon of the annual mass migration of hundreds of thousands of seabirds. “August-September is the best time to observe the great mass migration of seabirds. During the peak in September as many as 3,000-4,000 bridled terns (Sterna anaethetus) fly southwards within sight of shore in one hour,” reveals [...]
How to tackle the sting in the sea
They lurk beneath the waters hugging the coast of Sri Lanka and over the years no one has looked at the impact they have on humans. This scenario has changed this year, for the Toxicology & National Poisons Information Centre based at the National Hospital in Colombo is now looking deep into hospital statistics to create [...]
Perhaps this leopard did not die in vain
When the Sunday Times broke the story about the leopard killed in a hit-and-run accident inside Yala National Park last Friday the issue went viral on social media, reaching a peak when Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stood up for action. In a post on his official Facebook page the Prime Minister said his government was [...]
Police hunt for hit and run motorist, 21 passengers injured in bus accident
The Police were yesterday hunting for a hit and run speeding motorist who rammed into a three wheeler killing a woman and her son at a location on Galle Road in Dodanduwa-Hikkaduwa. Three other persons including two women and the three wheeler driver also sustained serious injuries and are currently under treatment in life-threatening conditions, [...]
Speeding bus runs over driver repairing lorry
A lorry driver attempting to repair his vehicle was run over and killed by a speeding bus, a coroner’s court heard this week. The deceased identified as Wedage Nimal Shantha, 30, a father of two and a resident of Minuwangoda had been on duty on Thursday (3rd) when the accident took place. The court heard [...]
Extremism, terrorism common threats to international community: Ex-president Karzai
Extremism and Terrorism should be considered common threats by the international community, to effectively combat the issue, said former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in his keynote address at the inaugural session of ‘Defence Seminar – 2015’. The two-day seminar for the fifth consecutive time held on the theme of ‘National Security in the Context of [...]
Terrified creatures stare out from pet shop cages
Soaked in urine, broiled in the sun, dying of neglect It is time to stop animal cruelty, say activists By Kasun Warakapitiya Environmentalists, wildlife activists and animal welfare organisations are pressing the new government to pass an animal welfare bill to put an end to animal cruelty in pet shops. A high-ranking official of the [...]
Animal rights activists hail ritual sacrifice not taking place
The annual animal sacrifice that takes place at the Munneswaran Kovil did not take place this year, which animal rights groups say is a boost to their prolonged legal battle to put an end to the cruel practice. The animal sacrifice was scheduled to take place on August 30, but did not go ahead as the [...]
PM: Protect the old to give Colombo a new look
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called for the preservation of some of the city’s oldest building facades in keeping with a plan to make Colombo city a more tourist-attractive spot. The premier, who earlier this week, visited the Fort and Pettah areas asked for a census to be conducted on all the old buildings. He also requested [...]
Let there be light…
G.K. Supun Sanjeewa Kumara would often mull over a sight he saw daily while driving past Nagoda in Kalutara -a huddle of little wattle and daub huts with only oil lamps to provide light to its inmates. Supun, who lives in Kuda Payagala, is an electrician with a bent for inventing things. After discussing with [...]
Prabhakaran who did not close his eyes
Though a fire dies out, embers can remain. This is so even in national affairs of our country and it is due to our own fault. We cannot treat everything as being over and done with. Our rulers must realise this. Today I am talking about ‘Velupillai Prabhakaran, though dead he sleeps with his eyes [...]