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In a novel move to build a green Sri Lanka, a car-free day will be observed next Sunday from 6 am to noon in parts of Colombo. The event is being organised by the Colombo Municipal Council and the government of the Netherlands, a country reputed for embracing cycling as the preferred means of transport. [...]
President may seek SC ruling on when his term began
President Maithripala Sirisena may turn to the Supreme Court once again – this time to seek a determination on when his tenure as President began. This is to determine when exactly his term of office will end. The Sunday Times learns that his legal advisors have told him that his tenure should begin from May [...]
Presidential Commission exposes sky-high corruption in national carriers
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) which investigated into SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka operations from 2006 to 2018, has slammed politicians for interfering with the management of the two airlines, incompetent boards that flouted the companies law, and widespread corruption among a host of other issues. It has called for the restructuring of the [...]
New security forces unit to monitor threats from extremist groups
The Government is to set up a special unit under the Defence Ministry to assess threats from international terror groups and local religious extremists, a senior military officer said. The unit to be set up on a directive from President Maithripala Sirisena will be headed by Major General Dharshana Hettiarachchi, the Northern Army Commander. He [...]
Rs. 698 million squandered on abortive bid to host C’wealth Games
Public funds to the tune of Rs 698mn were squandered on an unsuccessful bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Sri Lanka and a special investigation must be carried out into the donation of Rs 570,819,155 towards this effort by other institutions and private individuals, the National Audit Office (NAO) says. The findings are [...]
Appoint PCs on strict criteria, BASL tells President
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has urged President Maithripala Sirisena to select President’s Counsel (PCs) based on a suitable criteria without degrading the legal profession. It has requested a meeting with the President to discuss the issues concerning the methodology of appointing PCs . In a letter to the President, the BASL suggests [...]
Road disaster: Audit probe reveals serious safety lapses
A national audit into road safety has found serious shortcomings, including untrained traffic police, behind increasing accidents which have led to more than 25,000 deaths between 2007 and 2016. The audit also saw vast discrepancies, running into thousands, between the number of accidents reported to police and those recorded by insurance companies. For instance, in [...]
Pay increase for public servants becomes effective
The Government has allocated Rs. 40 billion for the purpose of salary increments and other allowances for public servants as proposed in this year’s budget, which came into effect from July 1, the Treasury announced. Accordingly, all public servants including security forces personnel will receive an additional monthly allowance of Rs2,500, while the anomalies of [...]
No to SOFA and agreements that threaten country’s sovereignty: President
President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday declared that he will not allow any foreign agreement that would threaten the country’s independence and sovereignty during his tenure. “There are discussions regarding the agreements such as SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement), Millennium Challenge and a land act. These are not suitable for the country,” the President said at a [...]
For the first time, Sri Lanka to host Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting
The Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) will, next week, host the 15th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) in Colombo. This is the first time the meeting is being held in Sri Lanka, the Coast Guard said. In the lead up to the HACGAM, the SLCG will host a multilateral Working Level Meeting [...]
Schoolgirl, mother die when their motorcycle hits container truck
A woman and her eight-year-old daughter were killed in a road accident involving their motorcycle and a container truck last week near the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo’s Grandpass area. The Colombo Coroner’s Court was told that the incident occurred around 2 pm when the woman identified as Neelage Bhagaya Arunodini (41) was returning home after [...]
Avant-Garde case: Suspects in country to be arrested soon, those overseas as they return, says CID
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), yesterday, deployed a team to take into custody the suspects in the Avant-Garde case following a directive from the Attorney General’s Department. A senior CID official said that they were expecting to arrest those within the country immediately and those overseas when they arrive in the country. However, up to [...]
Dengue on the rampage
The dengue virus is once again rampaging through the country with the Western Province being the worst-hit. “We have had 25,200 dengue cases in the first six months of this year (January to June 2019) with 39 deaths. Twenty of these deaths were in the Western Province. In June alone, around 7,000 people have been [...]
Bill to kill death penalty; petitions galore amid mounting calls to shut the gallows
United National Party Galle district Parliamentarian Bandula Lal Bandarigoda has submitted a Private Member’s Bill seeking to abolish the death penalty. The Bill, if approved by Parliament, will abolish the death penalty and replace the death sentence an offence carries under any Act with a maximum of life imprisonment. The Bill will cover not just [...]
Vaiko gets 1 year prison term, Rs. 10,000 fine for causing disaffection towards Indian Govt.
CHENNAI: A special court in Chennai for elected representatives on Friday sentenced LTTE apologist Vayapuri Gopalasamy, known more as Vaiko, to a prison term of one year and a fine of Rs 10,000 for a hate speech he delivered on July 15, 2009 in the aftermath of the northern separatist insurgency in Sri Lanka. The [...]
Seven strikes are too much: Public reacts
As the seventh strike in six months by rail staff ended this week – a stoppage in solidarity with a worker facing reprimand after being reportedly found drunk on duty – the public’s frustration boiled over. Strikes, some lasting two days, derailments due to poor maintenance of tracks, accidents and delays have plagued commuters all [...]
Fatal shooting of Akmeemana parent in school investigated
The Military Police are investigating the shooting incident at a school in Akmeemana last week, when a 39-year-old father of three was shot to death by a soldier on duty. The soldier is in detention at the 581 Brigade Headquarters in Boosa, Galle, the military spokesman Brig. Sumith Atapattu said. According to the police, the [...]
US-funded MCC grant not linked to any military tie-up, says local counterpart
The local counterpart of the US-funded Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) rubbished reports that the US$ 450 million grant was linked to the controversial ACSA and SOFA military tie-ups and that it was aimed at securing an ‘Economic Corridor’ around Trincomalee. MCC Project National Coordinator R. Siriwardhane told the Sunday Times that the MCC was a [...]
NPM, civil society group takes first steps in forming new political culture
A movement to unify the civil society comprising professionals, scholars, youth, the business community and village communities got underway this week in Colombo with the objective of preparing for the upcoming elections. The group calling itself the National Peoples’ Movement (NPM) launched its campaign with a panel discussion, and plan to have a series of [...]
Hoteliers call for curbs on hate speech, racial discrimination
The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) has condemned the growing number of incidents of hate speech against ethnic and religious communities in the country. Sanath Ukwatte, President THASL, in a statement, said they were requesting the Government to take urgent action to implement all applicable laws and regulations to prevent the perpetration of hate [...]
MP’s son arrested, then released on bail after assaulting PC
The son of Puttalam District Member of Parliament Shantha Sirira Kumara Abeysekara was released on bail this week, following a brawl that broke out between the MP’s son and a police constable of the Ministers’ Security Division (MSD). The suspect, Ishan Chathuranga Abeysekara, was released on Rs100,000 cash bail each for two counts. The case [...]
Public could play big role in averting scams: Police spokesman
The public could play a big role in arresting criminals who target the very same public, by reporting any suspicious activities, Police Spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekera told the Sunday Times. He was referring to the two Chinese nationals who were arrested this week for being in possession of a device that could forge credit cards. They [...]
Irreligious actions fuelling hate campaign
Religion has always played a big part in the lives of the Sri Lankan community who are followers of four religions – Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The teachings of these religions impact the lifestyles of their adherents to a great degree. Sri Lanka is deeply spiritual in the sense that its citizens are greatly [...]
Stage II of Galle Fort development project under way
Work on Stage II of the proposed ‘Galle Fort Development Project’, has commenced. The project funded by the World Bank is estimated to cost rupees 217 million. The project will be jointly handled by the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, the Department of Archaeology, the Galle Heritage Foundation and the Sea Conservation Department. Stage [...]
Expressway work resumes after Chinese contractor assured of overdue payments
The work on a section of the Godagama – Beliatta Expressway extension came to a screeching halt on Tuesday, when the Chinese contractor stopped work as the Road Development Authority (RDA) had failed to settle invoices–some outstanding for over eight months. However, hectic negotiations and written assurances saw work resuming the following day. At a [...]
Kaithady patients struggle for treatment
Patients with spinal problems, paralysis and arthritis at the dilapidated Jaffna Kaithady Ayurvedic Hospital have to often carry water from 100m away to wash themselves, and struggle into squatting positions in the toilets. The Medical Officer in charge, Dr. P. Sivashanmugarajah, said there has been no maintenance work at the hospital in the past 15 [...]
Squatters to be moved at cost of Rs1.7b to resume oil pipe-laying
After tense encounters between squatters and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation which is struggling to complete the last stage of an oil pipeline from the Colombo Port to the Kolonnawa storage facility, 389 squatter families in Bloemendhal will be relocated at a cost of Rs 1.7 billion. The treasurer of the Executive Officers Union of the [...]
Upgrading of Palaly airport takes off
Flights to major Indian cities from Palaly airport in the Jaffna district are expected to begin by September. Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Arjuna Ranatunga announced this on Friday, while participating at the inauguration ceremony to upgrade the currently military- run airport to an international one. The Rs 2,250 million project with substantial funding from [...]
Pick of the Pix
From our readers Shutterbugs out there, here’s your chance to send in your contributions to this picture corner. Please send your captioned photograph along with your name, and the location of the photograph, to pictures@sundaytimes.wnl.lk We would also appreciate if you mentioned the camera or cellphone that was used.
Where have the monsoon rains gone
Drought conditions prevailing throughout the country have upset the day-to-day functioning of human and animal life. The Disaster Management Centre said severe drought conditions affected many areas in the country including several districts in the Northern, North Central, North Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces. Puttalam, Jaffna, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Matale, Hambantota, Ampara, Batticaloa and Moneragala [...]
Fr. Marceline Jayakody beyond merely music
The 117th birth anniversary of the late Rev. Fr. Marceline Jayakody OMI, was celebrated recently at the Eranga Randula Reception Hall in Dankotuwa. Catholic priests, nuns, prominent Buddhist monks, other religious leaders, school children and a host of invitees participated at the event.. A special feature was that the ceremony commemorating the birth of Fr. [...]