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Home » NewsArmy engineers in Operation Digana
The Army Engineering Unit has stepped in to rebuild the houses and other premises that were damaged during the mob violence in Digana and surrounding areas earlier this month.
Emergency to be lifted
President Maithripala Sirisena was due to rescind the State of Emergency last night immediately upon his return from Japan by signing the relevant gazette notification, sources from his office told the Sunday Times. The State of Emergency was imposed on March 6, for the first time since 2011, in the aftermath of mob violence against [...]
MiG fraud: FCID finds startling new details
A near three-year investigation by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) into the procurement of MiG-27 fighter jets for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has bared some startling details. Firstly, what was touted as a “Government-to-Government” Agreement between Ukrinmarsh, a military goods export firm in Ukraine, and the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air [...]
Sweeping changes in income tax system from April 1
Enhanced fines and penalties, including an increase in jail terms, and new areas of taxation, are among the highlights of the new Inland Revenue Act to be implemented from April 1, a senior official said. The Inland Revenue Department’s Deputy Commissioner General, Nadun Guruge, told the Sunday Times there would be key changes relating to [...]
BMW said to be driven by Minister’s son hits two cars before plunging into canal
A BMW reportedly driven by the son of a senior UNP party official and Cabinet Minister crashed into two cars before plunging into a canal connected to the Diyawanna Oya in Thalawathugoda near Parliament yesterday morning — and those in the BMW got into a three-wheeler and fled the scene, Police sources and eyewitnesses said. [...]
Compromise on Audit Bill: Ministry Secretaries could impose surcharges
The power to impose a surcharge to recover losses caused due to fraud, negligence, misappropriation, or corruption from officials has been vested with the Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) — Ministry Secretaries or other officials of the relevant government institution — in the final version of the National Audit Bill. The Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) of [...]
Private bank bypasses CBSL freeze on PTL, Rs 400m of OD settled
The Attorney General’s (AG) Department has moved the Fort Magistrate’s court to issue an order on Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL), Arjun Aloysius and Kasun Palisena to tender to court a comprehensive assets declaration in terms of a prepared template which includes references, not only to ownership, but to beneficial interest. Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne reserved the [...]
Politico’s lawyers object to prosecution bid to present child rape victim’s statement as evidence
Lawyers for former Akuressa Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Saruwa Liyanage Sunil, who has been accused of raping a minor, have strongly objected to a prosecution request to present as evidence before court, a statement made to the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) by the alleged rape victim. When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court [...]
Govt. to curb hate speech on social media
The Government will introduce regulations to curb hate speech on social media, after seeking legal advice, said Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka Chairman Austin Fernando. “We are doing something,” he told the Sunday Times yesterday. “These gazettes cannot be done offhand, although people want us to act within 24 hours. Due process has [...]
Nine CIMA employees allege they were threatened and forced to resign
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Sri Lanka branch is embroiled in controversy over the termination of the services of nine staff members under what these employees claim was severe duress. The four women and five men have taken their case to the Narahenpita police and the Department of Labour in Sri Lanka. CIMA’s [...]
Sweeping laws to be introduced against enforced disappearences
New laws are to be formulated whereby anyone found guilty of an enforced disappearance can be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) and fined Rs.1 million. A person found guilty of such an offence will also have to pay a fine of Rs.500,000 as compensation to the family of the disappeared [...]
Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu at the inauguration ceremony of the KDU
Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu was Chief Guest at the inauguration ceremony of the Kotelawala Defence University’s (KDU) Masters Degree programme for 2018, held yesterday. He is seen delivering the keynote address on “India-Sri Lanka Relations for a Shared and Secured Future”.
CIDA issues new regulations for key players in construction sector
In a move to regulate the construction industry, the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) has issued three gazette notifications making it mandatory for key players in the industry to register with the authority. In terms of the new regulations issued under the CIDA Act No. 33 of 2014 qualified persons, contractors and technical auditors working [...]
Justice Achala Wengappuli appointed to Court of Appeal
There is no better institution than the Attorney General’s (AG) Dept. for any young lawyer to receive training in the practice of Law, and to instil in them a desire to adhere to Justice and fair play, said Justice Achala Wengappuli. He was speaking at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court recently, to welcome [...]
301 suspects detained over Kandy violence
Police have so far arrested 301 suspects connection with the recent bout of violence in Kandy. Of the suspects now being held, 196 are from the Kandy District. Out of the total, 168 suspects have been arrested under emergency regulations imposed on March 6. Meanwhile, the Government announced that from Monday, it will begin paying [...]
Residents rise against 10-storey apartment complex in Etul Kotte
Twenty-six residents of Etul Kotte have filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal opposing the proposed “unlawful” construction of a ten-storey apartment complex that they say will increase the threat of severe flooding in their area. They also maintain that the developer, Home Lands Holding (Pvt) Ltd, is seeking to build the 45-unit [...]
Surveyors oppose Rs 25b survey contract to US firm
The Government Surveyors Association (GSA) has vowed to continue their protest over Government plans to hand over to an American firm a survey contract costing Rs 25 billion. GSA President Duminda Udugoda said there wasn’t any reason to do this as the Survey Dept could do the job for Rs 500 million. However, Surveyor General [...]
SLAF holds people-friendly 67th anniversary celebrations
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) celebrated its 67th Anniversary recently, with a series of events including programmes to reach out to the people and allow them to experience its services. Emphasis was also given to foster reconciliation and unity and to assist those in need, whose needs the SLAF had the wherewithal to fulfill. [...]
Producers claim Ministry bad eggs soiling domestic industry
There is a surplus of eggs in the country and imports ahead of the Sinhala Tamil New Year are not necessary, egg producers say. They say they have evidence that the Ministry of Trade and Commerce had attempted last week to import millions of eggs from India, but the ministry denies the claim. The All [...]
Muck piles up again while the CMC wastes time dumping blame on people
Once again, nearly a year after the deadly Meethotamulla garbage mountain collapse, Colombo and its suburbs have turned into a stinking mess because household solid waste is not being collected. No new dump sites have been identified either by the Colombo Municipal Council or other government authorities. The short-term dump site at the Muthurajawela wetland [...]
Infertility pill myth: Resounding rejection in all three languages by 13 top medical specialists
Absolutely false – there are no wanda pethi (infertility pills), gels or powders which can cause long-term infertility so far in the world, let alone in Sri Lanka. This was the resounding rejection not just from one top Medical Specialist but from 13 of them, coordinated by Consultant Physician Dr. Upul Dissanayake at a media [...]
Future dark if coal plant splutters
While authorities insist that the public need not worry about any potential power cuts during the Avurudu season and beyond, the country will have to rely heavily on the smooth functioning of the breakdown-prone Lakvijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai to ensure uninterrupted power. The 900-megawatt (MW) Lakvijaya plant has been working at full capacity [...]
Medical dons warn ongoing strike further blow to medical studies
Urging that speedy measures should be taken to resolve the trade union action of the non-academic staff of the state universities, the Kelaniya University Faculty of Medicine Teachers’ Association (KUFMTA) has expressed serious concern over the disruption of academic activities of the medical faculties. In a letter to Higher Education Minister Kabir Hashim, the KUFMTA [...]
Treasure trove of artefacts excavated at Sigiriya
Recent archaeological excavations at Sigiriya have uncovered fascinating artefacts hat shed new light into its rich past. Excavations conducted by the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) led to the discovery of a large number of artefacts; including a lion’s head made of terracotta, foreign coins, pebbles and many foreign and locally-made clay pots. CCF Director General [...]
HRCSL issues notice on CCF Project Director
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has again issued notice to the Central Cultural Fund’s (CCF) Sigiriya Project Director to present himself at the Commission for a hearing into thealleged theft of valuable artefacts from Sigiriya. The HRCSL is holding an inquiry into a complaint filed by activist Deemon Ananda alleging that a [...]
Call to renovate tanks to avert drought disaster
Brace yourselves for hotter days to come as chilly mornings and heavy showers will gradually cease, weather experts predict. The country is experiencing the tail-end of the north-east monsoon (December to February) and the beginning of the inter-monsoon between March and April. Meteorology Department Deputy Director Anusha Warnasooriya said from today onwards, there would be [...]
Galle school remembers Japan tsunami victims, seven years on
Students of the Hiroshan School of Japanese Language in Galle marked the seventh anniversary of the devastating tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, leaving 18,000 dead or missing. Members of the buddhist clergy and chief incumbent of the Japanese Peace Pagoda in Rumassala attended the event, along with officials from the Japanese embassy. [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Indika Handuwala M.A.Pushpakumara Athula Devapriya Gamini Mahadura Shelton Hettiarachchi and Priyan DeSilva