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Sri Lanka today celebrates the 70th anniversary of its independence with the main ceremony held at the Galle Face Green. At a rehearsal yesterday, Special Task Force officers with their rifles held high are seen marching towards the port city being built with aid from China, the emerging world power. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Former SC judge heads commission to probe SriLankan, Mihin Lanka
Retired Supreme Court Justice Anil Gooneratne will head a Commission of Inquiry that will probe the management of two national carriers – SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka from January 1, 2006 to January 31, 2018. The period covers management during the Mahinda Rajapaksa Administration and the present Administration. The other members of the Commission, Gazetted [...]
Photo, video ban at polling stations; number of counting centres slashed
Taking photographs or videoing stages of marking ballot papers or marked ballot papers inside postal voting centres or in polling stations is prohibited, the Election Commission has decided. Accordingly distribution or publishing of photographs of marked ballot papers through print, electronic, social or any other media has been prohibited. The Commission said it would issue [...]
Bellanwila prelate dies from accident when feeding temple elephant
One of Sri Lanka’s most respected Buddhist prelates, the Ven. Prof. Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thera, died yesterday after injuries he suffered in a fall when trying to feed an elephant at the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya. The 75-year-old prelate was until recently the Anunayake of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of the Syamapali [...]
Medical degrees: Minister issues regulations for minimum standards
Regulations for the maintenance of minimum standards of medical education have been issued by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne. They come after months of controversy over the medical degree programme at the private South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), with the Government Medical Officers’ Associations and university students strongly protesting against SAITM degrees. The [...]
UNP MPs want probe by select committee also
UNP Parliamentarians have given notice of a motion to set up a Select Committee to probe issues pertaining to deliberate violation of government approved procurement procedures in purchase and leasing of aircraft resulting in enormous losses to SriLankan and Mihin Lanka Airlines during the former regime. The motion signed by 11 UNP MPs has been [...]
Right of reply: Landfill project award based on competitive bids – Ministry of Megapolis & Western Development
In response to the story titled ‘Chinese company gets huge contract for solid waste landfill project’ in the Sunday Times of January 28, 2018, the Ministry of Megapolis & Western Development (MMWD) clarifies that the project to design and build the solid waste sanitary landfill in Aruwakkalu, Puttalam, and transfer stations was not an unsolicited [...]
Profile of a scholar prelate
Ven Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera entered the Bhikku order on February 20, 1956 as a pupil of the then Bellanwila Raja Maha Vihara Chief Incumbent Bellanwila Sri Somaratana Nayaka Thera. Having received his initial education at the Molligoda Pravachanodaya Pirivena, he entered the Vidyalankara Maha Pirivena for further studies in Buddhism. After graduating with honours from [...]
John Keells wins landmark judgment against Inland Revenue Dept.
The Court of Appeal (CoA) in a landmark judgment, has held that Capital Gains arising from the sale of Treasury Bills in the Secondary Market are exempt from Income Tax, in terms of Inland Revenue Act (IRA) No.28 of 1979, as amended by IRA No.35 of 1993. Agreeing with submissions on behalf of the Appellant, [...]
Independence Day celebrations on a grand scale today
Sri Lanka is set to celebrate its 70th Independence Anniversary on a grandiose note under the theme, ‘One Nation’ at the Galle Face Green, today. Several dignitaries including high commissioners, ambassadors and religious dignitaries have been invited for the occasion. The British Royal family will also be represented by Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son Prince Edward, [...]
Polls violence continues, but at low intensity
All forms of election violence including attacks against women candidates and also abuse of public money and resources, are comparatively less in this local government elections, based on data from NGOs that are observing the campaigns. But data can be misleading because not every incident is reported. Complaints also show that there are hundreds of [...]
Editors Guild mourns passing of Jatila Wellaboda
The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka expresses its deep sorrow at the sudden and premature passing away of Jatila Wellaboda, a former Secretary of The Guild and most recently, Consultant (News) at the Independent Television Network (ITN). Mr. Wellaboda was 56 years at the time of his death on Jan.21. A senior journalist who, at [...]
Pioneer plastic surgeon Dr. Joe Fernando passes away at 90
Dr Joe Fernando, who gave leadership to Plastic Surgery in Sri Lanka through the 1970’s-’80’s, and established the first Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit in Sri Lanka at the NHSL, passed away yesterday. He was 90 years. Having obtained his MBBS Degree in 1952, he qualified as a Surgeon in Edinburgh, as well as in [...]
National Government will continue after the polls
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has rejected the possibility that the controversial bond scam had soiled his “Mr Clean” image. In an interview with the Sunday Times, he said neither he nor his party had anything to do with it. He also reaffirmed the United National Party’s (UNP’s) commitment to abolishing the Executive Presidency and played [...]
Colombo voters not in the mood to overlook corrupt politics
Campaigning for next week’s local government elections is in full swing in the Colombo District with all political parties eager to gain control of the most coveted prize of all — the Colombo Municipal Council as well other important councils in the district. With just three days left before all political campaigning must cease ahead [...]
Gampaha voters yearn for anyone who can get things fixed
As campaigning for the 2018 local government elections enters the final stretch, excitement is building in the Gampaha District where major campaign rallies are being held during these final two weeks. The highest number of eligible voters in the country live here, with 1,724,309 persons registered to vote, according to the 2017 electoral register. Two [...]
Kalutara campaigns watch the red lines
In Kalutara District, where election campaigning is usually intense, activities have continued without major incidents of violence. As a Sunday Times team visited the district this week, candidates appeared to be conscious of the number of supporters following them – a scene not observed in previous elections where as many 100 followed the candidates. This [...]
In the South, big guns battle out big issues
The sights and sounds of the deep South are still alluring though the transformation from a rural setting to concrete jungle is clearly evident. The lush green paddy with the harvest due in weeks sways as the gentle wind blows. Vast stretches of banana plantations seem unending. Harvest of the seasoned fruits are underway. Some [...]
In Sabaragamuwa, every candidate is ‘our’ candidate
As we drove through the Kegalle and Ratnapura districts in the Sabaragamuwa province, we saw flags and cutouts of candidates placed prominently in front of their party offices. Even along the interior roads, it was the same. But, most of these makeshift offices remain empty or manned by a few persons — some of them [...]
Seventy years of US-Sri Lanka partnership
On February 4, 1948, as Sri Lanka became an independent nation, President Truman noted in his congratulatory telegram to Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake; “On this memorable occasion I extend on behalf of the American people sincerest best wishes … on the peaceful and orderly progress of constitutional development in Ceylon … The people of Ceylon [...]
SLFP-UNP rivalry poses threat to Yahapalana Govt.
The local government elections scheduled for February 10 has been welcomed for more reasons than one. Firstly it will bring to an end the vacuum in political leadership at what is increasingly being seen as the third tier of government. It has also led to the introduction of a new electoral system replacing the much [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Indika Handuwala, Sugathapala Deeyagahage and Thusitha Kumara De Silva
Law of the jungle on city roads – Photo focus
The chaos created by indisciplined motorists who roam our streets with scant concern for life and limb are too many to cover in a single report. Private buses openly violate traffic regulations with gay abandon, overtaking on the wrong side… ignoring the double line rule which cannot be crossed under any circumstances under traffic regulations [...]
Maha Sivarathri appeals halt railway bridge repairs
In view of the Maha Shivarathri Festival on February 13, train services between Medawachchiya and Thalaimannar will not be suspended, the Government said. Train services along this line were earlier due to be suspended from February 1 for two months to carry out repairs to railway bridges. Transport Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva told the [...]