News
Home » NewsCrocodile fears and cheers
Warning signs have sprung up, warning people at Boralesgamuwa and Diyawannawa exercise tracks built recently. But Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera shows no signs of fear to cut a crocodile cake presented to him for his birthday by his Matara constituents. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Move to rush back export earnings
The Government, in a dramatic late night move, has frozen a 1993 rule permitting exporters to keep their money overseas without restriction and ordered that all earnings must be immediately brought to Sri Lanka – or face the consequences. Even in the worst years of a foreign exchange crisis (2001 and 2009), the then governments [...]
Lifting of fish export ban: EC miffed over early announcement
The European Commission (EC) has objected to Thursday’s early announcement by the Fisheries Ministry in Sri Lanka that the ban on Lankan fisheries product exports to Europe has been lifted by the European Union. Taking up the matter through diplomatic channels in Brussels, the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) has sought clarification [...]
CPC will supply fuel until Lankan is privatised
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has been instructed to continue to provide fuel to the loss-making SriLankan Airlines despite the outstanding bills running to more than Rs 8,000 million, with the Treasury paying up the bills, officials said. The decision was taken this week at a meeting attended by Petroleum Minister Chandima Weerakkody and officials [...]
New CB ruling silent on ‘service’ exports
The Central Bank’s (CB) order to exporters to repatriate earnings forthwith is ‘silent’ on service exports, according to economists. The April 22 announcement which repealed “the exemption granted in respect of payment for goods exported from Sri Lanka in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 759/15 dated 26 March 1993” refers to only the export of [...]
Heroin raid: Lanka police team up with Maldives police
Cooperation between law enforcement officials of Sri Lanka and the Maldives resulted in the arrest of two Maldivians with more than one kilogram of heroin at a hotel in Bambalapitiya on Friday night. Police said yesterday that the raid conducted by Police Narcotics Bureau officers was connected to a major operation to bust a heroin [...]
Vehicle import duties dominate Govt’s tax drive
The Government has set a target of Rs. 886 billion revenue from taxes with the biggest contribution expected from vehicle import duties amounting to Rs. 280 billion. The Government is also expecting Rs. 125 billion via import tax followed by Rs. 95 billion from port and airport development levy (PAL), Rs. 85 billion from excise [...]
Accident victim’s body exhumed for 2nd postmortem
The body of a 29-year-old hair dresser from Kandy, who died in a three-wheeler accident, was exhumed this week, after his father alleged that his son had not died in an accident but had been murdered. Dilshan Chamara Malwana died in late February when he was reportedly knocked down by a three-wheeler at Hapugoda, in [...]
Minister wrings SLT ears amid calls for removal of chairman
Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando has directed the board of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) to ensure that the ministry is kept informed of all transactions and projects ensuring transparency. The directive came amidst growing differences between the minister and the board as to who was in charge of the multi-million rupee government controlled [...]
Dons in dialogue to deal with ragging and sexual violence in univesities
University academics, officials and student counsellors are discussing ways and means to prevent ragging and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Sri Lanka’s higher-learning institutes. A ten-day dialogue got underway on Thursday at Colombo’s Galadari hotel with academics and university administrators from Sri Lanka’s 15 universities. Also attending the dialogue are academics and student administrators [...]
Renovation at the Galle Face Green
In a major operation, the sewerage lines running across Galle Face Green are being renovated. Here heavy machinery is being used for excavation work.
Govt. to empower Coastguard, Navy and Fisheries Dept. officials
With the fifteen month European Union (EU) ban on Lankan fisheries products lifted, the Government is to empower Sri Lanka Coastguard, Navy and Fisheries Department officials as “authorised officers” in mid-sea for inspection of vessels as required by the EU, a senior official of the Fisheries Ministry said. “The officers will be given adequate powers [...]
D.B. Nihalsingha will be remembered with gratitude: President
The funeral of award-winning film maker and pioneering television director D.B.Nihalsingha will be held at the General Cemetery, Borella this morning. Dr. Nihalsingha (77) passed away on Thursday. He directed several award-winning films including Welikathara, his directional debut in 1981, as well as Maldeniye Simion and Kelimadala. He also won awards for film editing for [...]
Special monitoring to oversee construction of houses in NE: Ministry
Special monitoring, evaluation and supervisory arrangements will be established to oversee the construction of 65,000 houses in the North and East by steel company ArcelorMittal, a press release from the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Resettlement said this week. The communiqué was compiled in response to concerns raised earlier this month by the Tamil National Alliance [...]
Pujith Jayasundara inspects a guard of honour
Pujith Jayasundara inspects a guard of honour at the Police Headquarters on Friday, soon after assuming duties as the 34th Police Chief of the country.
Asgiri Karaka Sangha Sabha meets to appoint Anunayake
The Asgiri Karaka Sangha Sabha will meet on April 27 to elect a new Anunayake, a post that fell vacant when one of the Anunayake’s was recently appointed the Mahanayake of the Asgiri Chapter. Senior members of the Sangha Sabha will also present their credentials to the Sabha, but, it is unlikely there would be [...]
Potpouri of fringe parties splinter T’Nadu polls festival
It is election time in Tamil Nadu. On May 16, nearly 58 million voters (of which 29.1 million are women) will elect 234 representatives to the Tamil Nadu Legislature, who in turn will form the next provincial government in the State. Sri Lankan politics or “ethnic Tamil problems” are of no significance in this election. [...]
Gyms that make you sick and not fit
Gymnasiums claiming to hold the secret to quick muscle building are allegedly pumping injurious drugs into young men and women, experts in the sports industry charge. Unscrupulous gymnasium owners are liberally using anabolic steroids and testosterone banned by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) to boost their businesses. Consequently, youth who patronise gymnasiums develop muscle [...]
Questions raised over safety of large visitor influx to hill town in April
The unfortunate incident where a motorcyclist taking part in the races in Nuwara Eliya skidded off course and crashed into spectators leaving 16 persons injured, has raised many questions about the safety of people who flock to the area each year in April during the holiday season. Residents in the area say that there [...]
Target dengue zero deaths: Test at first sign of fever
Have a fever – think dengue. As men, women and children being hit by dengue add up, with a death toll of 14 in 3½ months this year, Consultant Paediatrician Dr. LakKumar Fernando who has pulled back many from death’s door has a simple answer in striving for zero-deaths. “If you have a fever, get [...]
Amnesty for return of weapons starts tomorrow
The Government has estimated that some 1,000 illegal weapons are in circulation as the amnesty to surrender these firearms gets underway tomorrow, a Defence Ministry official said. The amnesty will be effective until May 6. Defence Ministry Additional Secretary (Civil Security & Development) N.G. Panditharatne said that according to official estimates, as many as 1,000 [...]
The clouds will break with a mighty bang
Thunderstorms and heavy rain will occur round the country with more than 80mm of rain falling in many areas from 2 p.m. tomorrow. The drought-affected North, East, South and North-Western provinces will all experience rain, the Department of Meteorology said. The department also warned of “temporary localised strong winds” during the thunderstorms. Anuradhapura, Colombo, Galle, [...]
No power cuts, but outages will hit you
Power outages continue to be reported from various parts of the country, despite heavy rains in catchment areas in recent weeks and the Government’s claim that the power situation has come back to normal. The Government’s response to the public outcry over regular power cuts or outages is to seek a report from the power-sector [...]
Lives on the line in linerooms on land ready to slide
Thirteen-year-old A. Vinodhani, a Grade 6 student, lives with her family on Meeriyabedda Tea Estate in Koslanda. She was a witness to the devastation caused by the landslide that occurred a few hundred metres from her home on the morning of October 29, 2014. She also knows that the area where her house is, has [...]
Political twists in grand May Day parades
The focus of May Day rallies and processions by the main parties and unions will be the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) rally in Galle and the Joint Opposition meeting – to be attended by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa – in Kirulapone. Parties are busy preparing banners, cut-outs, posters, floats and musical bands to celebrate [...]
Dambulla hospital infested with bed bugs
An infestation of bed bugs at the Dambulla Hospital is making the lives of patients warded at that institution a misery. Patients charge that they are unable to sleep during the day or at night due to this menace. Badly injured or dangerously ill patients are the worst sufferers as they are unable to [...]
Ports crisis entering stormier seas
The dispute between trade unions and Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dhammika Ranatunga is likely to enter stormier seas in the coming week with both sides refusing to drop anchor and firing fresh salvos at each other. The Joint Trade Union Front says it called off its trade union action two days before the [...]
Photo focus: Jayaralapura a waterless village
Hundred families -villagers from -Jayaralapura’ in Weligama- took to the streets last week to raise awareness of the severe water shortage affecting their village. The nearest source of potable water is located one km away and though they have raised the problem for over 15 years, no solution from the authorities has been forthcoming. The [...]
Activists take bull by the horns to stop cruel hackery races
Animal Rights Activists last week said their campaign against hackery races with bulls during this April festival season was successful and they would continue to push for legislation banning the race. Sathva Mithra Group (SMG), a movement against cruelty to animals, said that following protests against the races many organisations have struck off the event [...]
The Floating Market has sunk, vendors and UDA agree
Many of the nearly 100 stalls in Colombo’s Floating Market were closed while sellers at others seemed to be asleep, with no customers to be seen as we visited the site. It appears clear that, as a little business hub and tourist attraction, the Floating Market had failed and that those who had invested in [...]