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Home » NewsPostal strikers, have pity on such pensioners
A pensioner in a pensive mood outside a Sub Post Office at Kottukachchiya in the Puttalam district: He was unable to draw his monthly pension because postal workers are continuing their strike for the second week. Pic by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
RTI Commission orders SriLankan to disclose VIP salaries
SriLankan Airlines top management’s salaries, which have been shrouded in secrecy so far, should be released to the Airline Pilots’ Guild of Sri Lanka (APGSL), the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has ruled. The Commission has also ordered the national carrier to disclose the cost of flying training met by the company on behalf of [...]
Assurance from President: Medical specialists put off strike plans
Sri Lankan medical specialists, planning to withdraw from private practice tomorrow (Monday, June 18) in protest over unfair taxes, have temporarily called off their action following a “productive” meeting on Friday with President Maithripala Sirisena. “President Sirisena requested us to submit tomorrow (June 18) afternoon a joint letter from the four stakeholders, representatives of whom [...]
RTI exposure reveals US$ 8.2 billion loans from China during past 12 years
Sri Lanka has obtained loans from China amounting to more than Rs.1,029 billion (US $8.2 billion ) in the period 2005 to 2017, information obtained by the way of a Right to Information (RTI) application revealed. The loans have been taken from the China Development Bank Corporation and the Export-Import Bank of China and have [...]
Lakvijaya’s Unit 1 under-powered for half the time since 2015
One of the Lakvijaya coal power plant’s units has been running below capacity for nearly half of the time in operation since 2015 and the Government will have to spend a further Rs 330mn to bring it back to full potential, data and documents seen by the Sunday Times show. Data obtained from the regulator, [...]
Eid-ul-Fitr festival prayers in Colombo
Most Muslims in Sri Lanka celebrated the Eid-ul-Fitr festival yesterday, after fasting during the month of Ramadan. Muslims are seen taking part in festival prayers at the Galle Face Green yesterday. Pic by Amila Gamage
New guidelines for the procurement of goods and services gazetted
The National Procurement Commission (NPC) has gazetted for the first time since 2006 new guidelines for the procurement of goods, works, services and information systems as well as selection and employment of consultants by Government institutions. The 117-page document will replace all previous procurement guidelines, circulars and directives. The new guidelines constitute national policy and [...]
President’s Media Unit on request to UK envoy
The President’s Media Unit has responded to the front page report in the Sunday Times last week, that President Maithripala Sirisena urged British High Commissioner James Dauris to arrest and deport London based Lankae-News Editor Sandaruwan Pradepa Senadeera. President’s Media Division Senior Director Dharmasiri Bandara Ekanayake says, “The news item is incorrect and falsely reports [...]
Big LNG projects secured by China, Japan and India
China, Japan and India have secured three mega power projects to be completed within the next two years to meet urgent electricity requirements, a senior official said. Power and Renewable Energy, Ministry Secretary, Suren Batagoda told the Sunday Times these three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants would generate a total of about 1,000 Megawatts (MW) [...]
SLC backs team against allegations of “any wrongdoing” in West Indies
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) last night dismissed allegations of ‘any wrongdoing’ by the Lankan team currently playing in the West Indies, saying it will “take all necessary steps to defend any player, in the event of any unwarranted allegation” brought against a member of the team. The reaction came after Sri Lanka was implicated in [...]
SLAS seeks huge new allowance to attract top level graduates
The Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) has called for a new monthly allowance ranging from Rs 50,000-15,000 for all its 2,376 officers in a move that highlights the urgent need for a national policy on salaries. A Cabinet memorandum submitted this week claims that a failure to upgrade SLAS salaries has caused a rapid drop [...]
SAITM solution: KDU Special Provision Bill to be debated on Wednesday
The General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (Special Provisions) Bill which lays down the national policy on the absorption of South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) students to the KDU will be debated in Parliament on Wednesday if it is not challenged in the Supreme Court. If the Bill is challenged for its [...]
Crippling postal strike has the govt. sidestepping
With the Postal Trade Unions (PTU) strike continuing into the 2nd week, the Government has taken contingency measures to mitigate the inconvenience caused to the people. In one such measure, motorists have been directed to pay traffic fines at District or Divisional Secretariats. Police Spokesman, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ruwan Gunasekara said, “Under the existing [...]
Bullets for a chief monk: Gun justice on the rise
As concerns over rising gun crimes grow, police said yesterday that the mobile phone records of suspects who allegedly shot at the Ven. Kobawaka Damminda Thera, the chief incumbent of the Kataragama Kirivehera Rajamaha Vihara, were being monitored to track their movements. A senior officer involved in the investigation told the Sunday Times that eight [...]
Bug-infested nebuliser solution not linked to child deaths
The whole batch of contaminated solution meant for nebulisers sent to several state hospitals has been recalled and withheld with immediate effect, as soon as bacteria was found in it, assured a top health official, as rumour spread like wildfire that this contamination may be linked to the deaths of children affected by viral pneumonia [...]
Gnanasara Thera’s Appeal to be taken up next week
The Appeal filed by lawyers representing Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, against his prison sentence, was submitted to the Homagama Magistrate’s Court, to be taken up before the Homagama High Court next week. BBS CEO Dilantha Withanage told the Sunday Times the lawyers handed over an Appeal on Thursday [...]
Bribes for forged Appointment Letters in National schools
The Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched an inquiry into a scam, where 63 forged Letters of Appointment (LoA) of non academic staff were issued for National schools in the Northern Province, after collecting large sums of money as brokering fees, said State Minister of Education V.S. Radhakrishnan. “As far as I am aware, there [...]
Ragging shuts down faculties with dons impotent to stop abuse
Faculties of at least five universities and a higher educational institute remain closed due to ragging as authorities struggle to bring the campuses under control. One of the most serious incidents of ragging resulted in the closure of the administrative offices and several faculties of the Ruhuna University on Friday. The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Senior Professor [...]
Bill to set up Amaradeva Centre to be introduced in Parliament soon
The Government will shortly introduce a Bill in Parliament to set up the Amaradeva Aesthetic & Research Centre, to be also known as the Amaradeva Asapuwa, which would be equipped with a research laboratory, archive, library and museum. The objectives of the Centre are to facilitate Research activities of graduate and Postgraduate courses on Aesthetic [...]
Artistes debunk Govt.’s 14% Withholding tax withdrawal
A group of Artistes claimed that, reports that 14% Withholding tax on the sales proceeds of Teledramas has been removed on the instructions of the President, were not correct, as they cannot be implemented without an amendment. Issuing a statement signed by its Convenor Sudath Rohana, the Free Art Guild (FAG) stated that, under Section [...]
Safety rules sans penalties finally, after three-wheelers kill hundreds
Within the first 120 days of this year, irresponsible three-wheeler drivers have killed 117 people on the roads, and finally, transport officials say, revised safety regulations, including a 40-kilometres per hour speed limit, will be implemented soon. Rules being gazetted on Wednesday restrict three-wheelers from transporting more than three passengers at a time. But, with [...]
Environmentalist outlines steps to ensure Sinharaja elephants remain in the Rainforest
‘Unique’ within an already ‘unique’ group – this is what the last of the two Sinharaja elephants are! As there was a deadlock, with President Maithripala Sirisena issuing instructions that moves to translocate (take from one place to another) the pair of elephants be halted forthwith and Wildlife Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka insisting that [...]
Monster project swallows Rs. 1.3bn in compensation
More than Rs. 1.3 billion has been spent on compensation related to the Uma Oya hydro-electric and irrigation project, the scheme’s Deputy Director (Relief Operations), D.B Amarasekara said. Rs. 800 million has been paid as compensation to people whose houses were damaged by the project while Rs. 370 million has been spent on compensation for [...]
Norwegian researchers sail in to probe fishing stocks
The long-awaited Norwegian research vessel, RV Dr Fridtjof Nansen, which sails around the globe helping developing countries set up ecosystem-based fishery management, will reach Colombo on June 22. The Nansen, regarded as the world’s most advanced marine research vessel, will sail around Sri Lanka for 26 days, surveying oceanic conditions and fish stocks. The ship [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Indika Handuwala, M.A.Pushpa Kumara, Jayarathna Wickramarachchi, Hiran Priyankara, Wasantha Chandrapala.
Stray-dog menace at Kalubowila Hospital
Stray dogs roaming around the Colombo South Teaching Hospital (CSTH) cause enormous difficulties to staff and patients. The dogs often roam around the Outpatients Department, clinics and the Accident Ward, and patients complain the animals may be spreading germs. There are about 13 stray dogs currently at the CSTH, and Hospital Director Dr Asela Gunawardena [...]
This school lacks facilities
Many schools lack basics. ThePayagala Mahagammedda Junior School is an example of this sad reality. The fact that many schools throughout the island continue to lack even basic amenities. This school, which currently has a student population of 850, has no proper playground. Parents say the piece of land that serves as the playground is [...]
Galle lawyers reject wasteful, multi-billion rupee court idea
A move to shift the law courts in Galle to Boossa to a proposed Rs 2.5 billion building 12 kilometres away is being opposed by lawyers, while a new complex costing more than Rs 650 million is nearing completion. A new courts complex on a three-acre plot was approved in 2013, but the project came [...]
Chaotic bus terminal gives way to Kandy transport plan
Kandy’s polluted, chaotic, and ill-conceived street-side Goods Shed bus terminal, which is near the railway station, will soon be demolished to pave way for a project that aims to integrate bus and rail transport. Government officials are asking the public for their patience as the heavily-used inter-provincial bus terminal will be moved to another location [...]
Scaffolding collapse causes damage to art shop
Scaffolding used in the construction of a 12-storeyed hotel, consisting of 271 rooms and a shopping mall, have collapsed on the roof of an art shop situated on the Galle Road, close to the boundary of the Marine Drive. The incident took place at around midnight last Sunday when the scaffolding from the hotel premises [...]