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With the health of the National Unity Government in a delicate state, President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are seen here at the World Health Day celebrations organised by the World Health Organisation yesterday. The ceremony was held at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo. Pic by Indika Handuwala
New Year gift to North: Army to free 650
As a “New Year Gift” to the people in the North, the Army is releasing 650 acres of privately owned lands in the High Security Zone (HSZ), including lands in Palali in the Valikamam North Divisional Secretariat Division in Jaffna. The lands had been occupied by the security forces since 1990. The 20 km road [...]
UPFA turncoats: PM urges UNP backbenchers to hold their fire until he meets President
Prime Minister and United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has told his party’s backbenchers that he will take up with President Maithripala Sirisena their call to move a no-confidence motion against 16 UPFA members who, while remaining in the Government, voted for the no-faith motion against the premier. The backbenchers made the request during a [...]
Maintenance lapse in a SriLankan plane causes regulator crackdown
SriLankan Airlines lost certification to operate its new A320neo and A321neo aircraft for more than an hour outside the range of airports suitable for emergency landings after its Maintenance Department released one of the planes (registration 4R-ANE) for use despite having detected debris in the oil monitoring system of an engine. As a result, the [...]
Farmers spend fertiliser money on liquor, Govt. to provide bags again
Money provided by the state to farmers to buy fertiliser had been spent on household expenses and liquor, prompting the Government to revert to the previous system of providing farmers with fertiliser instead of cash, an official said. National Fertiliser Secretariat Director G.A. Pushpakumara said the decision was taken by the President and was approved [...]
Automated tax collection system breaking down
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) will be forced to undertake a costly update or replacement of the automated tax collection system, with the introduction of the new Inland Revenue Act last week. IRD Commissioner General Ivan Dissanayake told the Sunday Times that an assessment was underway on whether the system could be updated or needed [...]
Avurudu vendors yell for customers but shoppers walk on
Merchants hoping for Avurudu sales are seeing fewer people at shops and markets, with most spending less time on their shopping, turned off by rising prices, the unusual heat and less buying power. Vendors compete with each other for customers, crying out their wares and prices, but with little success. N. Yoganathan, a wholesaler who [...]
HRCSL complains to President: 49 peacekeeping soldiers sent to Lebanon without its vetting
The Sri Lanka Army sent 49 soldiers to Lebanon in February despite being “clearly aware” that no personnel could be deployed on UN peacekeeping operations without first being vetted by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, the commission has told President Maithripala Sirisena. In a letter to the President, HRCSL chairperson Deepika Udagama says [...]
Veteran actress Rathnawali Kekunawela passes away at 87
Veteran actress Rathnawali Kekunawela passed away yesterday. She was 87 years old. An accomplished and award-winning actress in film, television and stage, Ms Kekunawela was also highly regarded for her contribution to radio in the country. She played a variety roles in a number of radio plays since the 1950s. Ms Kekunawela was best known [...]
ASP, HQI laughingly watched thugs accosting Opposition UNP MPs: State Minister
State Minister Ajith P. Perera told Court that he witnessed an Assistant Superintendent of Police and the Headquarters Inspector of the Hambantota Police, standing and laughing while thugs accosted a group of United National Party MPs on a visit to the Hambantota port in 2014. The minister was giving evidence in the case filed in [...]
Appeal Court sets aside High Court ruling as bad in Law
The Court of Appeal this week set aside a five-year suspended sentence imposed on a school cashier who was found guilty of misappropriating Rs. 315,715.46, and imposed a three-year Rigorous Imprisonment (RI). A two-member bench comprising Justices S. Devika de L. Tennekoon and S. Thurairaja set aside the judgement of the Badulla High Court (HC) [...]
Acid thrown at female school van driver; one suspect apprehended
A suspect who was arrested in connection with an acid attack on a woman in Nugegoda was remanded till April 19 after being produced yesterday in the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court. The 44-year-old suspect was one of two men on a motorbike who carried out the attack on Friday morning at Wijerama Mawatha in Nugegoda. Police [...]
Five garment factory employees drown while bathing in river
Five employees of a leading garment factory in Gampaha drowned while they were bathing in a river in Panwila off Kandy, Police said. The incident took place yesterday afternoon when a group of 16 employees including executives of the factory and three children, were on a two-day outing. Tragedy struck at around 2.45 p.m. when [...]
Discretion conferred on AG, Bribery Com. could lead to abuse, says SC
The Supreme Court (SC) Bench of Chief Justice (CJ) Priyasath Dep and Justices B.P. Aluwihare and H.N.G. Perera, has cautioned that, the discretion conferred on the Attorney General (AG) and the Director General (DG) for the Prevention of Bribery and Corruption, under the proposed to the Judicature Act (JA) to set up permanent High Courts [...]
Speaker unveils statue of Madugalle Disawe
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya unveiled a Statue of Madugalle Udagabada Nilame, the Disawe of Wellassa, at the Matale Public Library premises amidst a distinguished gathering on Saturday. The Speaker said that there should be unity in the country, without which it would be like the times of Madugalle Disawe. A valiant swordsman, Madugalle Disawe and other [...]
Doublespeak the order of the day as allegations boomerang
The ‘No-Confidence’ Motion (NCM) against Prime Minister (PM) Ranil Wickremesinghe was taken up for debate in Parliament on Wednesday, April 4. During the 12-hour-long debate, MPs expressed their views, for and against the NCM. The NCM signed by 55 UPFA MPs, was handed over to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on March 21. Most of the charges [...]
Storm over Indian doctor’s costly stem cell therapy for Lankan autistic children
Are Sri Lankan children with autism allegedly becoming ‘guinea pigs’ in unproven stem cell therapy research in neighbouring India? This is the strong concern which has created a storm among medical professionals from many specialties here, following a visit by Neurosurgeon Dr. Alok Sharma from NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute in Mumbai to Colombo last [...]
Scout official ensnared in procedural tangle shrugs off stink
The executive committee members of the Sri Lanka Scout Association this week charged that the appointment of the chief commissioner by the President’s Office violates the Act and rules of the association. SLSA president Srinath Gooneratne said that Merrile Goonetillake, the incumbent head, has been named in contravention of No 13 of the 1957 Act [...]
UNP’s Kesara wins Kandy’s mayoral battle amid UPFA, JVP neutrality
After weeks of horse trading and behind-the-scene haggling, the United National Party’s Kesara Senanayake was elected as the Mayor of the historic city of Kandy on Thursday, with the UPFA and the JVP abstaining from voting. At the February 10 local council elections, 19 UNP members were returned to the 41-member Kandy Municipal Council. The [...]
People’s person WHO DG touches hearts at Ragama Hospital
There is purposeful activity, a tangible excitement and an air of great expectancy. “I have never done this before in my life,” murmurs wheelchair-bound H.D. Kumari with a touch of trepidation, with a basket of lovely flowers on her lap, amidst a knot of people gathered under shade trees in the afternoon heat on Friday. [...]
New Tax Act to cut indirect tax, PAYE exemptions for those earning less than Rs. 100,000 a month
The new Inland Revenue Act IRA, which came into effect on April 1, made changes to the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax regime. Accordingly, employees earning between Rs.100,000 a month and Rs.1.2 million a year are exempt from PAYE tax. The tax on employment income would see a progressive increase from 4 per cent to 24 per [...]
Seasonal buzz and woes hit Nuwara Eliya
The annual Vasantha Udanaya in Nuwara Eliya which began last week will continue throughout the month in keeping with the seasonal traditions of the district. The private sector while promoting their products via banners and other advertising means are also actively involved in awareness campaigns against the use of plastic and other environmental hazards. However, [...]
Kandy’s mobile library service covers 23 wards fortnightly
Over the past ten years or more, the Kandy Municipal Council has been conducting a mobile library service to the 23 wards within the council limits. The mobile library which has around 8,000 books in circulation, is extremely popular among the public. The mobile library -a concept of former Kandy Municipal Councillor Ajith de Silva- [...]
Medicos make ready for dengue battle
As the monsoon approaches, the Ministry of Health is preparing for the dengue outbreak that accompanies the rains. Last week, the ministry’s Epidemiology Unit (EU) deployed 9,000 officials countrywide to check homes, schools, public places, institutions and construction sites. Health workers of the Municipal councils and pradeshiya sabhas together with army personnel and environmental police [...]
Conspiracy hatched by colleagues: At least nine SLFP ministers deceived into not voting against NCM
Sports journalists, who write previews about matches, be it cricket, rugby or football, often predict the outcome of such matches by stating that on paper side A or B should win but qualify their prediction by stating that the outcome would finally be determined by the actual performance of the teams on the day of [...]
Avurudu is around the corner
Despite the scorching heat, traders are hopeful of an influx of last minute shoppers during the Avurudu season. The Pettah wholesale market is a hive of activity, naatamies scurry hither and thither transporting goods, possibly mirroring scenes taking place country-wide. Electronic items and cosmetics are in big demand. Traders say electric fans are selling fast, [...]
Making strides with nutritious, local food items
The Agriculture Department has stepped up an initiative to promote local food items among consumers by opening up more food outlets known as ‘Hela bojun hal’. The latest of them was opened in Matale on Friday marking the third such outlet in the district, while several other outlets have been opened in other areas. The [...]
Vehicle safety features overlooked amid road traffic carnage
Sri Lankan motor vehicle dealers import millions of used and new cars, motorbikes and three-wheelers mostly from Japan, India, and China, but none is known to have basic safety features. Experts believe safety features must now be taken into account in dealing with the epidemic of road traffic deaths, not just driver-related factors. And in [...]