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Home » NewsSaving our overseas workers — through protests and diplomatic moves
Consular officials at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Saudi Arabia will today visit the Sri Lankan female domestic aide who is sentenced to be stoned to death on allegations of committing adultery in the kingdom, as the government awaits the response to its appeal to get her freed. A request by Foreign Minister [...]
President withdraws Rajapaksa’s 500-strong Army security
President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered the immediate withdrawal of an Army security contingent of some 500 personnel assigned to his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa. The move came after ministers, at their weekly meeting on Wednesday night, discussed a report by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. In terms of the report, former President Rajapaksa had been assigned 130 police [...]
Godahewa evading arrest for Hip Hop payment
The Financial Crimes Division sent out fresh teams yesterday to arrest Nalaka Godahewa, former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He is wanted in connection with the SEC transfer of five million rupees to Tharunyata Hetak (A tomorrow for youth), an organisation headed by Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa. According to investigations the money said to [...]
Lanka denies Maldivian charge of extra luggage checks at BIA
The Maldivian Government has expressed serious concern over the heightened checking of luggage of Maldivians by the local authorities at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) — but Customs officials denied the charge saying all foreign visitors are treated in the same manner. In a face-off meeting on Friday between the Maldivian High Commissioner Zahuya Zareer [...]
Controversial Lycamobile boss here for Hutch deal
Amid a ringing controversy, the Britain based Lycamobile owner Subaskaran Allirajah, arrived in Sri Lanka on Friday for meetings related to a possible business agreement with Hutchison Telecom Lanka. Before his arrival in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan-born millionaire businessman was in Hong Kong—where Hutchison’s parent company is based. Hutch, as it is called, has [...]
Emergency flights for 400 Lankan pilgrims stranded in India
Some 400 Sri Lankan pilgrims, stranded in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India due to the worst ever floods, are to be flown back to Colombo through an emergency programme launched by the government. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Esala Weerakoon said yesterday more than 200 Lankan pilgrims, mainly elderly people, were being moved by [...]
Millions of cubic metres of sand and stone from Gampaha district
Gampaha district has been identified as the main source to provide construction material including sand and rock stones for the China – sponsored Port City project set to be re-launched in February, officials said. The project is estimated to require 65 milion cubic metres of sand and 3.5 million cubic metres of rock stones for [...]
Move to extend leases to revive ailing plantations sector
Moves are underway to extend the leases on lands given to Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) in a bid to revive the ailing sector and recover millions of rupees owed by them to the Government, the Plantations Ministry said.Ministry Secretary Upali Marasinghe said three committees had been appointed to look into the performance of the leaseholders [...]
Parents, teachers, MPs tear apart uniform voucher system
The distribution of vouchers to buy school uniforms instead of giving schoolchildren material got off to a shaky start with some of the children not receiving the vouchers. Parents who were told to accompany children of smaller grades to collect the vouchers had to wait for hours while some of them were told to come another [...]
The Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army visits Jaffna
The Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army General Dalbir Singh Suhag who visited Sri Lanka took time off to tour the Jaffna area. He had served with the Indian Peace Keeping Forces in Sri Lanka in 1987 as Company Commander. General Suhag is seen being greeted by a civilian during his visit to [...]
Several new bills in the pipeline for the new year
A Bill to amend the Penal Code to criminalise the incitement of feelings of religious, racial or communal disharmony or hostility has been sent to the Attorney General’s Department. This Bill is among several new pieces of legislation that are in the pipeline for the new year, according to the Justice Ministry’s progress report presented [...]
Sluice gates opened as tanks reach spill level
Sluice gates of almost all irrigation tanks have been opened as water levels were reaching spill level yesterday, a senior officer of the Irrigation Department said. The Director of Irrigation (Drainage and flood Systems ) K Sivapalasundram said they are on alert for possible overflowing as well as leakage of tanks. He said, the Meteorology [...]
CEB TUs on the warpath against Govt. plans to ‘outsource’ Lakvijaya
Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) trade unions are gearing for battle over Government plans to establish a “special purpose vehicle” (SPV) or subsidiary company to run the Lakvijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai. Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said in his Budget speech that he proposes to establish an SPV for Lakvijaya to be securitised. “I emphasise [...]
No Santa in the Budget for shoppers and shopkeepers
Shopping complexes decked in bright lights and seasonal decorations are not drawing the usual Christmas shoppers because of new taxes that have seen prices of readymade garments going up and the general rise in the cost of living. Shopping malls in Colombo have introduced annual seasonal raffles, sales and discounts to attract consumers. But, most [...]
Justice Abrew says indictment politically motivated, not based on evidence
Counsel for Supreme Court Judge Sarath de Abrew, supporting a fundamental rights application against his indictment for sexual assault on a domestic aide, argued on Friday that the indictment was arbitrary and politically motivated and was not based on evidence or investigations. The petition was taken up for hearing by a three-judge Supreme Court bench [...]
Lanka could be nuke peace-maker in the region: CTBTO
Sri Lanka can play a leading role in bringing peace and stability to the South Asia region, Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) told President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo yesterday. South Asia is home to two nuclear powers—India and Pakistan—who have not signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty [...]
Patients patience wears thin with doctors’ strike
B.J. Japin, a 70-year-old from Wattala, arrived at the Colombo National Hospital on Thursday to seek treatment. Her blood pressure was high and she had been feeling unwell. She was not aware that the doctors were on strike and waited for more than an hour for a doctor before being told of the strike. “The [...]
Extension of life for those facing imminent death
With the United Kingdom (UK) having gone through the “growing pains” of heart and lung transplantations and developing a robust programme which is 35 years old, what are the lessons for Sri Lanka in its epoch-making decision to launch a similar programme? Sri Lanka’s Heart and Lung Transplantation Programme is to be based at the [...]
Police baffled by bodies in murder mysteries
The discovery of bodies in public locations in the city and outstations is worrying police, with mystery surrounding many of the murders. The corpses have been found in lakes, on roadsides, abandoned landsites and beaches over the past few months. Last Monday, the police emergency and the Slave Island Police received telephone calls claiming that [...]
Power effect with quiet hope
The recent visit of Ambassador Samantha Power to our shores reminded me of an American President who occupied the White House exactly a century and two years ago. President Woodrow Wilson elected in 1913 was instrumental in creating the ‘League of Nations’, the forerunner of the United Nations. He explained his endeavors in international relations [...]
Less is more as vendors stretch veggies to meet budgets
Vegetable vendors, desperate for sales as steep prices keep customers away, are looking for new ways of making a sale. The public is used to vegetable prices fluctuating but the continuous increase in prices due to chilly weather and untimely rains has become a matter for real concern. One vendor, 36 year-old Ranpalee Munasinghe came [...]
Moving whales out of the fast lane
Sri Lanka missed a November 27 deadline to submit a proposal to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that would save endangered whales off the south coast from being killed or maimed in the busy shipping lane offshore that is also a feeding ground for the giants. Known as “ship strikes”, these accidents are a growing [...]
Wilpattu reserve endangered
The Wilpattu reserve has once again come under threat with vast extents of land belonging to the reserve being cleared. Recently over four acres of forest land north of Wilpattu near the Viadhikulam Tank was set on fire. It has also come to light that the Mannar District Secretariat is planning to take over a [...]
Let peace, prosperity and correct thinking dawn in the New Year!
For most people the world over, the New Year dawns on January 1. The December 31st night has become a night of merriment for many people. The Sinhala and Tamil people celebrate their New Year in April. Muslims have their own New Year. In Burma, Thailand and other Buddhist countries the New Year is in [...]
Drugs shortage due to Govt. failure to fund NMRA: SLCPI
A continuing delay in bringing down essential drugs has been caused by Government failure to fund the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Sri Lanka Chamber of Pharmaceutical Industry (SLCPI) President Col. (Rtd) Chandra Jayaratne claimed yesterday. He said they expected the NMRA to perform as an independent body, to do a better and faster job [...]