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We enjoy peace today because of the sacrifices the war heroes made during the 30-year war. As the nation remembered them yesterday in ceremonies to mark the ninth anniversary of the defeat of the separatist rebels, a proud mother sits in silent contemplation at the foot of the memorial for the fallen soldiers at Sri [...]
Reparations Bill ready, compensation for war-affected people
The Cabinet approved the draft Reparations Bill setting up the Office of Reparations is now in the final stages of drafting. The proposed law will enable all Sri Lankan citizens, including families of Police and Security Forces, civilians in what were known as ‘border villages’, and the north and east and elsewhere in the country [...]
Megapolis Ministry dumps WB loan for Puttalam garbage project
The World Bank (WB) and the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development this week split hairs over the ministry’s decision not to take WB funding for a sanitary landfill at Aruwakkalu in Puttalam. Issues regarding the project procurement process were first highlighted by the Sunday Times in January this year. China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd [...]
HRCSL painstakingly vets 204 troops for UN peacekeeping
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka is now vetting a list of 204 military personnel nominated by the Sri Lanka Army for UN peacekeeping missions. This includes a contingent of 49 sent to Lebanon in February without review by the Commission, which hadn’t been told these officers were required to be released early. Sri [...]
US firm GE engines for Railways
General Electric (GE) Transportation has been selected to provide 12 diesel locomotives valued at US$ 48 million to the Sri Lanka Railways, a senior official said. The US Company GE had been selected from among several US, British and Chinese bidders, Railways General Manger S.M.Abeywickrema said. He said that Cabinet had granted approval to buy [...]
Suspension lifted, but SriLankan not using facility for four of five neo planes; why?
The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) has restored certification to SriLankan Airlines to fly its Airbus ‘neo’ fleet for more than an hour outside the range of airports suitable for emergency landings–but for reasons not immediately specified, the company is only applying the facility to one of its five ‘neo’ planes. This means [...]
Attempts to smuggle out US$ 208,000: Finance Ministry keeps file
The Finance Ministry has retained the Customs file containing evidence on the November arrest of Jaya Sudhir Jayaram, a Malaysian businessman, who was attempting to smuggle foreign currency out of the country, authoritative sources said. US dollar notes amounting to US$ 50,000 were found in the hand luggage of Mr. Jayaram. Two others also had [...]
Jeremy Corbyn labours for minority vote by flogging Tamil cause
Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and big beasts of the party threw their weight behind the Tamil community saying that crimes against the Tamils is still going on in Sri Lanka. At a meeting held in the House of Commons, to commemorate a series of events connected with crimes against the Tamils, Corbyn promised to make [...]
Immigration officers threaten work-to-rule repeat if demands unresolved
Immigration officers warned they are prepared to resume their work-to-rule campaign next week, if the Government fails to follow through on its guarantee to address their grievances by Tuesday (22). Sri Lanka Immigration & Emigration Officers’ Association (SLIEOA) President Aruna Kanugala told the Sunday Times, they called off their work-to-rule campaign on Friday (18), following [...]
Allegations of tender fixing mar Central Bank’s CCTV move
A tender for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of an internet protocol (IP) closed-circuit television (CCTV) system for the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) is being challenged on the grounds that the bid consultant has designed the prequalification criteria to tilt the contract in favour of a pre-selected entity. In a letter to [...]
Dr Saman Weerasinghe appointed International Affairs Advisor to the President
Saman Weerasinghe, Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia was appointed as international affairs advisor to President Maithripala Sirisena this week Prior to this appointment Dr. Weerasinghe served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Russia from 2016.
Police investigators still sifting the ashes from the embers
Police investigations into the 2012 fire that gutted the Colombo Kachcheri at Dam Street, causing the loss of valuable documents, as well as over Rs 92 million in material losses, remains inconclusive, with investigators still at a loss, if the fire was accidental or deliberate. According to the latest report submitted to the Colombo District [...]
Govt. to amend KDU Act to absorb 982 SAITM undergrads
The Government is to effect amendments to the existing Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Act (1981), to enable the 982 SAITM students to be absorbed into the KDU. This will be put forward at the next Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (22), Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe told the Sunday Times. Meanwhile, SAITM students are [...]
Death clues sought in players’ last trishaw ride
Police and forensic experts trying to solve the mystery of the deaths of two young British rugby players are seeking a three-wheeler driver who could shed light on the players’ last movements after they were picked up from a night club and dropped off at their hotel. Thomas Howard, 25, and Thomas Baty, 26, who [...]
Fuel prices burn over-burdened masses
There is more pain to come from the sudden, sharp increase in oil and gas prices by the Government in such a brief period, although crude oil prices in global markets have been rising gradually over several months. Crude oil prices in London and New York climbed to new record highs this week as of [...]
Epidemiology Unit buffeted by controversy
As news of five deaths due to a viral infection in the south hit the headlines, the Health Ministry’s Epidemiology Unit was in the eye of a storm, with several doctors alleging that the Chief Epidemiologist could not handle the job, but with the latter adamant that he was competent to do so. “I am [...]
Too smart by half – meters that don’t work for the public good
In the wake of a barrage of complaints from angry motorists, the CMC has ordered that the private company entrusted to collect parking fees, Tenaga Car Parks (Pvt) Ltd, should stop charging fines immediately. Council Commissioner Lalith Wickremaratne said Mayor Rosy Senanayake had taken the decision. “They [Tenaga] will be able only to collect parking [...]
Two Supreme Court Judges decline to hear judge’s petition
Justices Sisira de Abrew and Murdu Fernando P.C. declined to hear the Writ Applications filed by Court of Appeal Judge A.H.M.D. Nawaz, Attorney-at-Law Kalyananda Thiranagama and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), and the Fundamental Rights (FR) Application filed by Upul Jayasuriya P.C., in relation to the case filed against Justice Nawaz and two [...]
Brace for month of monsoon mayhem
Weather extremes ranging from high-intensity rainfall triggering flash floods, landslides and rock-falls, lightning strikes, sea surges and gusty winds toppling trees are expected as experts warn of the coming days causing mayhem in highly-populated districts. The Disaster Management Ministry is making swift preparations to face the oncoming south-west monsoon that is to strike the Galle, [...]
40 gold biscuits worth Rs 25m detected at BIA
Customs officials yesterday seized 40 gold biscuits valued at over Rs 25 million from an Indian national at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake. The man had arrived with a group of Indian businessmen, but his behaviour had aroused the suspicion of Customs officials who frisked him, and found the gold biscuits hidden in his trouser [...]
15% tax on gold imports dulls jewellery industry
Sri Lanka’s jewellery industry, which is currently of international standard, is in danger of going back to being a cottage industry, due to the Government’s decision to impose a 15% tax on gold imports, the Sri Lanka Gem & Jewellery Association (SLGJA) warned. SLGJA Vice Chairman Selvakumar Kandasamy told the Sunday Times that the Jewellery [...]
Psychoactive substances a challenge amid record cocaine, heroin hauls
The Police Narcotics Bureau with the support of Sri Lanka Customs seized more than 1,700kg of cocaine in 2016 and 2017. This includes 928kg of cocaine seized from an India-bound merchant vessel, MV Fabiola, when it docked at the Colombo Port on December 9, 2016, Minister of Youth Affairs and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayaka told [...]
CMC creates rotten days and nights for pre-school and homes
A public school, a pre-school adjoining it, dozens of homes in the residential area around Campbell Park in Colombo are suffocating from the stench of Colombo Municipal Council garbage trucks that come to refill at a fuelling station, while leaving a trail of rotting garbage and runoff spilling on to the streets day and night. [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Indika Handuwala, M.A.Pushpa Kumara Jayarathna Wickramarachchi, Priyan de Silva and Sameera Weerasekera
Girl dies after choking on worm treatment tablet
A four-year-old girl choked to death after a worm treatment tablet got stuck in her throat, the Colombo City Coroner was told yesterday. The girl identified as Tharindu Perera of Kahatuduwa died a day after she was admitted to the Lady Ridgeway Hospital in Colombo. The child’s mother Charitha Priyadharshini giving evidence in the Coroner’s [...]
Police stood by as we were hit by rotten eggs and tomatoes: UNP MP
Two UNP MPs and a State Minister, testifying against current Hambantota Mayor Eraj Ravindra Fernando and four others this week, told High Court Judge Thamara Tennakoon how they were surrounded near the Mattala Airport and intimidated by an organised group. The suspects, Premasiri Paranamanna alias Paththakka Some, Tuwan Ramanan Bhaman alias Bandagiriya Tuwan, Mahamadakalapuwa Madusha [...]
The sad fate of our majestic elephants
Changes in land-usage patterns have resulted in a continuous contraction of the habitat available to the elephant. Today there is little room for the animals to roam. Today, the rising elephant population and the continuously shrinking of land availability, has led to food scarcity among the growing numbers of beasts. The food scarcity has led [...]
Deputy Minister in buffalo storm
The Deputy Minister of Wild Life Palitha Thewarapperuma has been heavily criticised for his apparetly boorish behaviour by both farmers and religious leaders for freeing a number of head of wild buffaloe which were ravaginging cultivated land and destroying crops, in addition to posing a danger to human life. The herd was captured with much [...]
SL Military did not commit war crimes: President
President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said Sri Lanka’s armed forces have not committed war crimes and those making such allegations were linked to the LTTE. “Some media organisations and some extremist organisations try to make out that the UN Human Rights Council has made allegations of war crimes against our armed forces. Those who speak about [...]
Gota presents policy to transform economy
Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, widely seen to be making a political entry, has presented his vision for 2030 with the focus being a radical transformation towards a knowledge-intensive economy. Speaking at the annual Viyathmaga convention in Colombo last Sunday, Mr. Rajapaksa said the goal of Vivathmaga was to prepare Sri Lanka to face the [...]
Malik says Gota’s vision endorses Govt.’s economic policies
Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama made a scathing attack on former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa saying it is apparent that a coordinated campaign is underway to give undue prominence to his carefully choreographed speech given at the Shangri La Hotel last week. The event organisers should be commended for garnering prior publicity for [...]