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Millions of people are suffering because of the daily power cuts and the heat wave, with the sun directly above Sri Lanka. In these pictures, people are seen beating the heat by enjoying a bath in the overflowing Ridiyagama weva near Ambalantota while in Serunuwara, walking across a parched paddy field is a woman who [...]
Hambantota Port: Lanka risks losing US$ 146 million
A sum of US$ 146 million–part of the money China Merchants Port Holdings Company Ltd (CMPort) paid for the Hambantota port–is lying unused in an account and risks being repatriated by June this year, if the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) does not float a proposal to spend it, authoritative sources told the Sunday Times. [...]
UAE assures deportation of Madush
The Sri Lankan government has received an assurance from the United Arab Emirates government that it would deport underworld gang member Madush Lakshitha alias Makandure Madhush now in its custody, a senior official said. Solicitor General Dappula de Livera told the Sunday Times that Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana and he met UAE Foreign Affairs Minister [...]
Power generator sales cranking up
The price of power generators has risen sharply as a result of demand driven by the electricity crisis and a shortage of such equipment. Some vendors say they have sold 30 times the usual number of power generators just in the past month. “Stocks are low everywhere. If you give me 100 generators today I [...]
NEC chief gets pay packet of half a million rupees
The head of Sri Lanka’s National Economic Council (NEC), the apex body responsible for economic development, will receive a monthly salary and allowance of half a million rupees. Presidential Secretary Udaya R Seneviratne has written to NEC Secretary General Lalith Samarakoon that in addition, he will be provided with an official vehicle, a driver, and [...]
PC polls: Deshapriya urges President to go to court
The Election Commission has written to President Maithripala Sirisena requesting him to seek a Supreme Court clarification on the law pertaining to the provincial council elections, its Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya told the Sunday Times. According to Article 33(1)(d) of the Constitution, the President, on the advice of the Election Commission, must create a proper environment [...]
BIA’s second terminal grounded as cost soars
The Sri Lankan Government has put on hold a US$ 700 million loan from Japan for the expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), in view of the high cost for engineering work proposed by the Japanese construction company. A staggering increase of Rs 30 billion in the estimated engineering cost had forced the Government [...]
Shoppers not in the mood for Avurudu shopping splurge
The heat, power cuts and people’s focus on the Budget have overshadowed this year’s Avurudu preparations, resulting in low sales, disappointed vendors say. Shops and stalls with garments, electric items and household goods saw little interest from customers with only five days left to go until the New Year dawns. Normally, said Ranil Chathuska, who [...]
59 bottles of liquor and 100 cashew packets removed in midnight supermarket heist
A man who broke into the liquor shop of a supermarket in Mattakuliya after midnight and had removed bottles of liquor was remanded till tomorrow, police said. They said the suspect had entered the supermarket by breaking the glass panel with a large stone. He had removed 59 bottles of liquor, which included arrack, whisky [...]
25 years after death, his remains are sent for burial in war-free Lanka
The skeletal remains of a man whose last wish was that he be buried in Sri Lanka only if the conflict ended were transferred to Sri Lanka from Italy yesterday, 25 years after his death, Police said. The man, who was originally from Chavakachcheri, had worked in the hotel trade in Italy. He died in [...]
Navy’s largest vessel to arrive in May
The latest addition to the Sri Lankan Navy fleet set sail to Colombo from Honolulu in Hawaii last week. The P-626 vessel is a gift from the United States. Named ‘USCG Sherman’, the high endurance cutter was once used by the US Coast Guard (USCG). The vessel, which also has a helicopter deck and a [...]
Judiciary must be free of any pressure to function independently- Retiring CJ
Chief Justice (CJ) Nalin Perera has urged the Executive not to create the slightest impression that the judicial system is being pressurised, as a judiciary must be free of any pressure, in order to function independently. Speaking at his farewell ceremony this week, the CJ, who will be retiring on April 24, emphasised that the [...]
PUCSL’s case against CEB over power cuts on April 16
The case challenging the ongoing power cuts will be taken up at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on April 16. Nine accused are cited in the case filed by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), with the CEB being listed as the first accused. The other accused are CEB directors. On Tuesday, the [...]
Death for drugs may backfire, anti-narcotics partners say
Attempts to implement the death penalty after 42 years may undermine much needed international support for the current counter narcotics campaign, experts caution. The recent police and military successes in intercepting large shipments of narcotics was the result of shared intelligence, both domestically and internationally. Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies also receive essential technical assistance, [...]
Sri Lanka suspends controversial dairy cow imports from Australia
Sri Lanka has suspended controversial dairy cow imports from Australia and a decision on the future of the project is to be taken next week. “We have suspended the project and the Rural Economy Ministry’s Steering Committee on this project is scheduled to meet on April 11 (Thursday) to take a decision on how to [...]
Presidential Media Awards on April 10 at BMICH
The Presidential Media Awards in honour of Media personnel who have excelled in Print, Radio, Television and Web journalism will be held on Wednesday at the BMICH, under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Media Ministry said. The event has been organised by the Ministry of Mass Media under [...]
RTIC orders release of report on contract to build Akuregoda Defence Headquarters
The report of the four-member committee chaired by G S Withanage, appointed to review the awarding of a consultancy contract to build a Defence Headquarters Complex at Akuregoda during former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure, and details of payments made to a controversial architects firm, Muditha Jayakody Associates Ltd (MJAL), were ordered to be released on [...]
Are you groping in the dark? CEB attempts to shed light
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) this week rejected allegations of favoritism in the implementation of power cuts and said it was only sparing hospitals and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NSWDB) from interruptions. But it also said that the Deputy General Manager of Colombo city alone was given the option of adjusting power [...]
SC in landmark judgment applies “Polluter Pays” principle of environmental law
The Supreme Court (SC) in a landmark judgment has directed Northern Power Company (Pvt) Ltd to pay Rs 20mn to residents of Chunnakam, Jaffna, for contaminating groundwater through waste discharges from its thermal power station. This is the highest ever compensation to be awarded in a Fundamental Rights (FR) application in Sri Lanka. Justice Prasanna [...]
Drought worsens lives of 117,000 people across island
More than 117,000 people from 33,775 Sri Lankan families across the island are once again facing the double whammy of debilitating drought and the lack of water for drinking, livestock, and cultivation as of this month. The numbers of people suffering from the drought has been rising since January. Many small tanks and reservoirs have [...]
Govt. turns blind eye to power of cinema tourism
It would take only a few simple steps to turn Sri Lanka into a global film destination. The result would be jobs, technology and knowledge transfer, as well as millions of dollars in revenue. But the Government isn’t having it. For years, industry leaders have canvassed politicians to introduce incentives and to actively promote Sri [...]
Wellard urges changes to farm selection criteria as plight of Lankan dairy farmers hits the headlines in Australia
The agony of a milky dream which turned sour for many of the 68 Sri Lankan farmers who were part of a government project to import high-yielding pregnant cows from New Zealand and Australia has caused waves in Australia. Wellard Rural Exports Pty Ltd., the agent and transporter of the dairy cows, headquartered in Fremantle, [...]
Govt.to launch ‘Essential Services Package’ to mark World Health Day today
All preparations have been finalized to celebrate World Health Day today with a 12-hour mega event from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Independence Arcade, Colombo 7. Under the theme ‘Health for All: Everyone, Everywhere’, the tone for the celebrations organised jointly by the Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) will be [...]
BASL will review legislation and recommend law reforms says new President, Kalinga
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) will review all existing Legislation and make necessary recommendations for Law reforms in the near future, said the newly elected President of the BASL Kalinga Indatissa P.C. “I believe that, this is a duty we owe to the Legal system and to the people” Mr Indatissa said, speaking [...]
The fault lies with Colombo, not Geneva
Ten years after the end of the armed conflict, Sri Lanka still struggles to cope with the fallout of the protracted war that caused mayhem for over three decades, and impacted, virtually every citizen, in more ways than one. When the country should have been well on the way to putting aside the disagreeable past [...]
Teacher seeks redress from SLHRC against principal’s harassment
A Nuwara Eliya teacher has complained to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) that she is being repeatedly harassed by the acting principal of the Silver Kandy Tamil Maha Vidyalayam (TMV). The complainant alleged that ever since she had helped two children to go before the SLHRC in January this year, she has [...]
Changed school name boards spring up with VIP names
The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) claims politicians are changing the name boards of schools in the Western Province to include their own names, in alleged gratitude for the work they do for the schools. It is claimed Madiwela Sri Rahula Vidyalaya has been renamed Isuru Maha Vidyalaya after Western Province Chief Minister Isuru Devapriya. In [...]
NMRA current and former chairmen to appear before CoI to answer questions over import of cancer drug from Russia
The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) appointed by the President to investigate and inquire into serious acts of fraud, corruption, and the abuse of power, state resources and privileges by the the government, has issued summons on the current and former chairmen of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) to appear before the CoI to testify [...]
Hounded to death by campus tormentors
Twenty-three-year-old Dilhan Wijesinghe aspired to be a civil engineer but monstrous ragging at two higher educational institutes cut short his life, a coroner’s inquiry was told this week. He took his life after reported severe ragging while studying for the National Diploma in Technology conducted by the Institute of Technology at Homagama under the University [...]
It’s the equinox and it’s hot
With the sun directly over Sri Lanka, the ongoing heat wave is set to continue and even worsen according to the Meteorological Department. According to the department the sun will continue to be directly over the country until the 15th of April. In addition to the rising heat, the humid conditions have worsened the [...]
SriLankan will go for four new aircraft instead of four A350-900 it has ordered: Witness
SriLankan Airlines is to follow a new Business Plan, which will see the company buy in the next two years four new aircraft from Airbus instead of the four A350-900 wide-body aircraft it has ordered, but a decision is yet to be taken on the model. This information was disclosed by the airline’s legal affairs [...]
It’s festival time in Nuwara Eliya
The hill country summer festival, in Nuwara Eliya, an annual event during this season, began on a high note with the Navy, Army and Police bands along with 56 school bands parading the streets. The festival, begun by the British during colonial days has become an annual event, drawing people from around the country [...]
Between hope and fear, a battle for India’s soul
NEW DELHI – As India gears up for its general election, one must not lose sight of the sheer size of the exercise, which has been described as the “biggest humanly managed event in the world.” Starting on April 11 and ending on May 23, 900 million eligible voters (including 15 million first-time voters) will [...]