News
Home » NewsMajor urea shortage; thousands of farmers in mudholes
Sri Lanka has run into a further shortage of Urea fertiliser needed for paddy cultivation after Pakistan this week turned down a request to provide urgent supplies. A request by President Maithripala Sirisena to the Pakistani government had been turned down on the grounds that Pakistan had already stopped exports from October in view of [...]
Sri Lanka seeks ASEAN tie-up
Sri Lanka will tomorrow seek Malaysia’s assistance tomorrow to establish a Sectoral Partnership with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). The request, a Foreign Ministry source said yesterday, would be made by President Maithripala Sirisena when he holds official level talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak tomorrow. Malaysia is a [...]
Russia suspends tea imports from Lanka; three ministers to fly to Moscow for urgent talks
Russia’s sudden suspension of Sri Lankan tea purchases has triggered a desperate diplomatic offensive with three ministers flying to that country next week to urge the authorities to lift the temporary blockade. As tea brokers and exporters recovered on Saturday after the shocking, temporary ban which is effective from tomorrow (December 18) and enforced after [...]
US$ 100m project to solve Colombo’s garbage issue
The Megapolis and Western Development Ministry will seek cabinet approval next week to award a US$ 100 million (Rs 15 billion) contract for a major solid waste management system at Aruwakkalu in Puttalam as a solution to Colombo’s chronic garbage disposal problem. The project is being introduced as a solution to the waste disposal issues [...]
Two ministers push for coal power, two big projects proposed
The Government may roll back its green energy policy if it accepts a proposal by two ministers to set up two coal power plants — in Trincomalee and Norochcholai. A Cabinet proposal seeking approval for the construction of the two power plants is due to be resubmitted on Tuesday. Significantly, the new coal power plant [...]
19 local councils in Metro Colombo Development area
The Government has named an area encompassing 19 local councils as the core area of the Metro Colombo Development Region. This includes five municipal councils, seven urban councils, and seven pradeshiya sabhas. The municipal councils are Colombo, Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia, Moratuwa, and Sri Jayewardenepura-Kotte and Kaduwela while the UCs incorporated into the project are Maharagama, Kolonnawa, [...]
Despite worsening situation, SriLankan retains same aviation consultant
SriLankan Airlines has retained the same international aviation consultant from whom it commissioned a partial restructuring plan last year to draw up yet another proposal to turn the ailing company around. Of the 2016 contract, Nyras says on its website that it was assigned “to carry out strategic options review of viability and opportunities for [...]
India gives state funeral for Lankan-born monk
Buddha Sasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera left yesterday to attend the state funeral arranged by the Central Government of India and the State Government of Uttar Pradesh for Sri Lankan born monk, the Most Venerable Galagedera Pannananda Thera. The minister went as the special envoy of President Maithripala Sirisena. The Most Ven. Pannananda Thera passed [...]
Pre-dawn Police operation: More than 1,800 suspects arrested
More than 1,800 suspects were arrested during a countrywide special police operation conducted from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. yesterday. Police Headquarters said that 14,706 police officers and 10 police dogs took part in the operation. During the four-hour operation, 586 raids were conducted on places selling illicit liquor and narcotics, Police said. They said [...]
In Lanka, most spam calls are from telecom firms, says global report
About 72% of spam calls in Sri Lanka are from telecommunication companies, according to the latest Sri Lankan spam report released by Truecaller, a company which tracks telephone usage worldwide. This was the case in other parts of the world as well, the Truecaller report said. There were 66 million unknown calls and 8.5 million [...]
Annual Christmas Carols of Sri Lanka Army
The annual Christmas Carols by the Sri Lanka Army was held at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre on Thursday. Pic by Indika Handuwala.
Glowing tributes to ex-diplomat Karunatilaka Amunugama
The funeral of a retired Foreign Secretary and senior Sri Lanka Foreign Service officer Karunatilaka Amunugama took place on Friday (15). He passed away on Tuesday at the age of 63 after a sudden illness. A product of the Sri Jayawardhanapura University, Dr. Amunugama received his doctorate in Manpower Planning from Britain. He joined the [...]
Railway gate keepers stay away
Railway gate keepers also kept away from duties during the railway workers strike this week. However, four trains operated along the Puttalam – Colombo line during the strike. Pic by Augustin Fernando
Untested shampoos, creams and make-up kits flooding Lanka; NMRA regulates cosmetics
The National Medicinal Regulatory Authority (NMRA) is to be empowered to regulate local and imported cosmetics also. Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sugathadasa said regulations had been drafted to make the NMRA the sole regulatory body for cosmetics. At present, the Ministry of Health appointed the NMRA as a de facto body to regulate the local [...]
Finance Ministry announces new mode of payment of bonus
The Finance Ministry has announced a new mode of payment of bonuses to employees of Government Corporations and fully-owned government companies. However some say the move will result in a cut in bonus payment to staff of loss-making institutions. Secretary to the Finance Ministry R.H.S. Samaratunga said in a circular issued this week, the concurrence [...]
Rifts, omissions, disappointments: Last-minute dramas before nominations
Newly formed alliances, breakaway groups coming forward as independent contestants and unwilling women being fielded as candidates to meet the 25 percent female representation requirement were among the highlights of the local council nominations that closed on Thursday. With the upcoming elections being held, for the first time, under a mixed election system of first-past-the-post [...]
Politicians dish the ban on use of polythene
President Maithripala Sirisena instructed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to ban the use of polythene during the up-coming election campaign, as well as to strictly enforce laws against people who violate the ban on use of polythene. However despite concerns being raised over the use of polythene during the run-up to the election, the ‘Sunday [...]
Tsunami lanterns
The “Thoro-Nagashi” lantern ceremony, to remember the people who died in the Tsunami was held at Unawatuna Galle on Saturday. The Unawatuna Japan Peace Pagoda organised this annual event. Pic Gamini Mahadura.
India gives state funeral for Lankan-born monk
Buddha Sasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera left yesterday to attend the state funeral arranged by the Central Government of India and the State Government of Uttar Pradesh for Sri Lankan born monk, the Most Venerable Galagedera Pannananda Thera. The minister went as the special envoy of President Maithripala Sirisena. The Most Ven. Pannananda Thera passed [...]
State surveyors strike to oppose plans to hand over contract to US firm
The move to hand over the task of drawing land survey maps to an American firm has been met with disapproval by Survey Department employees, who see it as a threat to national security and wasteful expenditure. The Finance Ministry’s External Resources Department has been authorised to negotiate with Trimble Inc. — a United States-based [...]
Train services normal, unions hopeful of positive response from cabinet committee
Train services yesterday had virtually returned to normal after a week-long strike, but railway unions said they were awaiting a positive response to the demands for the railway to be made a ‘closed service’ for a speeedy solutions for issues relating salary anomalies, pay increases and promotions. Locomotive Operating Engineers Union (LOEU) President Lal Paranawithana [...]
People urged to observe their garden birds and join the citizen science project
A Garden Birdwatch programme where the people could observe common birds and take a count has been organised by the Colombo University’s Field Ornithology Group (FOGSL). The programme is described as a citizen science project where the submitted records will be analysed with the aim of observing trends in common birds. “We are glued to [...]
SC to proceed with fundamental rights case against Defence Ministry by Sierra Technology
The Supreme Court this week granted Leave to proceed in a fundamental rights application relating to a tender called for by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for setting up a communication system for the proposed university hospital of the Kotelawala Defence University, which was not implemented after the award was made. The petitioner Sierra Technology [...]
Armed services, STF in mission to protect elephants
With Sri Lanka’s majestic jungle king, the elephant, being regularly slaughtered and facing extinction, the military may be called in to join in the mission to save them. The Wildlife Ministry is to submit a cabinet paper to seek military assistance to protect the elephants, an official said. During the past three weeks, five elephants, [...]
Proposals to reclaim encroached land around Wilpattu Sanctuary
A government committee appointed to look into disputed lands around the Wilpattu Sanctuary has recommended that encroached plots be reclaimed. Musali Divisional Secretary, K.S.Wasantha Kumara, a member of the Committee told the Sunday Times a detailed report with the recommendations had been submitted. “Certain areas in the buffer zone around the sanctuary and the lands [...]
Heavy rains in WP till December 22
The Western Province will experience rains for around two weeks, the Meteorology Department said yesterday. Weather forecaster Nandika Ranaweera said that rainy weather would remain until December 22. She said that at times rainfalls of upto 75mm could be experienced in the province. According to her, the rains were due to the inter monsoons which [...]
Moves ahead to find alternative means of care to prevent institutionalisation of children
Advocacy groups who are working to frame a state mechanism to prevent the institutionalisation of children are advocating a bottoms-up process where government officers working with children and families at community level become proactive partners in the process of deinstitutionalising children. The need for this kind of approach was stated by the National Advisor- Advocacy, [...]
Moves to resurrect movie park with new script
Lights, camera, action: Flash back. She was beautiful. Her charm and freshness attracted many, even Indians. Some hitched camp and took her pictures. Now fast forward to December 17, 2017, seven years after she was introduced, she stands desolate. She rarely gets visitors. This is the story of the 235-acre Ranminitenna National Tele Cinema Park [...]
UN finds prisoners sans legal aid till summoned to the dock
A visiting UN working group found this week that most remand prisons across the country are overcrowded over proportionally and both convicted persons and detainees are held under the same facilities. “Long term prisoners and people serving a life sentence are held in harsh conditions with limited time for family visits, lack of opportunities to [...]
Beer crisis: Presidential task force cites research to prove Finance Ministry wrong
The Presidential Drug Prevention Task Force has drawn the Finance Ministry’s attention to the task force’s three-years of research in a bid to persuade the ministry to review its alcohol taxation proposal. “Both the President and those of us at the Task Force are deeply disappointed with the Finance Ministry’s conduct on this matter,” Dr [...]
Budget blow to palmyra toddy in the North
Palmyra toddy sales have dropped by 50 percent in the Jaffna Peninsula after beer prices were slashed in the Budget 2018. Before the Budget, at least 1,000 bottles were sold in the outlets in the peninsula, but the volume had now now dropped to about 500, claims S. Selliah, Secretary of the Palmyra Coconut Development [...]
New local government reforms not reconciliation-friendly
The run-up to the local council elections has been plagued by controversy mainly due to the delay of over two and a half years in calling for such elections. Mercifully, nominations have now been called for and the elections are scheduled to be held in February. Delimitation of local council wards had been carried out [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Indika Handuwala, Amila Gamage, Sameera Weerasekera, Gamini Mahadura, Jayarathna Wickramarachchi
State wedding for 100 Chinese couples
One hundred Chinese couples will be married in traditional Sri Lankan style today at a state sponsored mass wedding in Colombo. The event will get underway at 3 pm at the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) premises under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The President and Prime Minister are due [...]
Medical ordinance to be changed to specify qualifications for doctors and nurses
The medical ordinance will be amended to make several changes including specifying the qualifications required for a medical or dental specialist to be registered with the Medical Council (MC). The amendment will also facilitate an increase in the number of members of the Medical Council by including three medical specialists and one dental specialist and [...]
Bone Island set afire
Bone Island is a tiny island in Batticaloa covering an area of around 5 acres. It is not connected to the mainland and is only accessible by boat. A.J. Bone, who was an Assistant Government Agent in Batticaloa from 1833-1837, built a small holiday bungalow on the island and it has been known as Bone [...]
Coconut kernel and rice imports to overcome shortage
Government is planning to import coconut kernel to tide over the demand for coconut nuts during the festive season. The Plantations Ministry said applications had been called for from concerned industries for the import of the coconut kernel. According to the ministry, around ten industries had already applied for imported kernels. Secretary, J.A. Ranjith said [...]