News
Home » NewsTightest ever security for Esala Perahera
Under the tightest ever security operation, the Dalada Maligawa’s Esala Perahera – widely regarded as Asia’s most spectacular pageant – is taking place now with the final Randoli Perahera to be held on Poya Day, August 14. Our picture shows Army commandos with sniffer dogs on security duty while huge crowds visit the Maligawa. Pic [...]
Rajapaksa era’s unpaid bills: Sirisena asks Govt. to cough up Rs. 4.4 billion
President Maithripala Sirisena has asked the government to approve a proposal to pay Rs. 4.4 billion in outstanding bills accrued during the tenure of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government. Among the unpaid bills are Rs. 2 billion due to the Customs for items imported by the Presidential Secretariat, Rs. 113 million also due by the Presidential [...]
President seeks SC ruling on early PC polls; but also backs Gota for presidency
President Maithripala Sirisena has sought a determination from the Supreme Court to conduct early Provincial Council polls but has also pledged to support the opposition’s potential presidential candidate, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He initiated both these measures before leaving Colombo for Cambodia last Wednesday. President Sirisena wants to ascertain from the Supreme Court whether he could conduct [...]
SLIC withdraws court case; complies with RTI Commission ruling
The first appeal by a public authority against a Right to Information (RTI) Commission order calling upon the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) to disclose details of an insurance claim to a cancer patient has been withdrawn in the Court of Appeal. This came after the SLIC’s senior counsel said he advised his client to [...]
Veterinarian raises questions over dwindling number of captive elephants for peraheras
Elephants are one of the much-awaited sights at the Kandy Dalada perahera and with the selection of fit and healthy elephants for the perahera being his responsibility, veterinarian and elephant expert Prof. Ashoka Dangolla is concerned over the dwindling number of captive elephants. Speaking to the Sunday Times he notes that elephants are a prominent [...]
Helitours: No insurance for passengers, discussion on to regularise operations
Ongoing discussions to “regularise” the operations of Helitours–Sri Lanka Air Force’s (SLAF) commercial passenger service–and to float a business plan for it do not take into account that the company is completely barred by the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) from flying civilian passengers on any of its aircraft. The CAASL does not [...]
A rare collector’s item, The History of Royal College, reprinted
A reprint of “The History of Royal College”, a 1932 biography of the school authored by students was launched at the BMICH yesterday in an event organised by the Royal College 1960 Group, in association with the Royal College Union. The chief guest was Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a member of the 1960 intake of [...]
We as the Govt. cannot run away from a serious breakdown in security apparatus: PM
Appearing before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe accepted that the entire Government, including the Cabinet of Ministers should be held responsible for lapses that contributed to the attacks taking place. The PM was one of four senior government ministers who gave evidence before the PSC this [...]
Taking forensic medicine to greater heights
The response was immediate and voluntary. The moment they heard of the Easter Sunday bomb blasts, with Katuwapitiya being one of the worst hit, the forensic medical specialists rallied round, offering their services to the Negombo Judicial Medical Officer (JMO). One was there about 45 minutes after the bomb blast, with many more following quickly [...]
Reckless drivers at wheel drive buses to death
Concern is growing over multiplying deaths caused by private buses charging up and down the country, many allegedly driven by inexperienced men hired cheaply, with drivers forced to meet ruthless profit-driven timetables that ignore basic needs. “When there aren’t two drivers for long-haul runs, sometimes the bus drivers urinate into bottles in their seats because [...]
Ranger’s death triggers call to recognise job risks in jungle
A wildlife ranger was tragically killed this week when an elephant whose gunshot wound he was trying to treat suddenly turned and attacked him. Ranger B.M.C.K. Basnayake was the second wildlife officer killed by an elephant this year and the 75th ranger to die in the course of duty since the Department of Wildlife Conservation [...]
Lakshman Kadirgamar: The legacy of an icon
Fourteen years ago this month, a suspected LTTE assassin snuffed out the life of Sri Lanka’s best known and widely admired Foreign Minister — Lakshman Kadirgamar. The media reported recently that authorities in Germany had arrested a suspect connected to this crime. This news brings into sharp relief the sorry state of accountability in our [...]
Fighting corruption: It’s the key responsibility of religious leaders
With a series of Elections due this year, the country will inevitably, be focusing on the respective candidates and what they stand for, before deciding on whom to vote. In this context, a welcome development last week was the Declaration presented to the country’s leaders and the public, by representatives of the different religions, as [...]
Activists seek blanket ban on animal sacrifices
Following the recent Court of Appeal ruling overturning a 2016 Jaffna High Court decision that prohibited animal sacrifices in Hindu kovils in the Northern Province, animal rights activists are to send a fresh proposal to the Hindu Affairs Ministry seeking a blanket ban. In their talks with Hindu Affairs Minister Mano Ganeshan on Thursday, the [...]
Gusty winds in some parts and drought in other parts bring misery
More than thousand homes were damaged this week, due to strong winds that accompanied heavy showers sweeping through several parts of the country, while more than 650,000 people have been hit by the prolonged drought in some parts. Several houses in Ratnapura, Vavuniya, Kegalle, Puttalam, Hambantota, Nuwara Eliya Avissawella, and Dambulla were damaged due to [...]
Rainwater Harvesting project nears completion
Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum (LRWHF), a project to provide safe, disaster-resilient drinking water to flood and drought prone areas, initiated in 2016, is nearing completion. Directed in Kilinochchi, Badulla, Moneragala and Batticola areas, this project is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with the PALM Foundation in Sri Lanka. [...]
Trucks begin turning up at Arawakkalu dump
Despite adverse weather conditions, trucks carrying garbage have been taking Colombo’s rubbish into the Aruwakkalu dump site in the Puttalam district over the past two days. Transportation of waste commenced from the full-up temporary Kerawalawapitiya tip to Aruwakkalu using a private contractor’s trucks. With the roads in a bad condition after heavy rains, the transportation [...]
Paydirt: Contractor gets Rs. 1.65bn to cart off Colombo rubbish
The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has embarked on a high-cost garbage transfer process under pressure to find a speedy solution to rubbish being dumped on city streets over the past week. The move came as the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development ruled it could not accept more garbage for the Kerawalapitiya site near Wattala, [...]
Easter bombings: Humanising forensic identification
Fifty—that is how many bags with body parts came to the Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in Colombo after the devastating bomb attacks of April 21. The job was so complex that it was feared some of the dead may never be identified. But on July 30, the remains of 21-year-old Suraj Nilanga, who [...]
Customs to open all waste containers brought from the UK
The Customs has decided to open all the remaining waste containers that had been brought into the country from the UK in 2017, a senior Customs official stated. The containers will be opened as part of a full-scale investigation that the Customs has launched over the waste containers. Only 5 of the 110 containers brought [...]
Madhu Church: All set for annual feast
Preparations have been made to celebrate the annual feast of Our Lady of Madhu Church on a grand scale on August 14 and 15. The ceremonial hoisting of the flag at the church was held on August 6 and a large number of devotees from across the country have already congregated at the church grounds [...]
16 million NICs to be re-issued from year end
The Department of Registration of Persons (RoP) will re-issue 16 million National Identity Cards (NIC) from December this year, with the new document containing the facility to check the holder’s fingerprints, a senior official said. Commissioner General of the RoP Viyani Gunatillake told the Sunday Times that the new NICs will have several security features, [...]
Solution eludes Kalmunai DS dispute; boundary issue major snag
An amicable solution still eludes the dispute over a separate divisional secretariat for the Kalmunai North Tamils although the ministry has assured the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that a solution will be found this week. Local Government Ministry Secretary Gamini Seneviratne said talks were still continuing between Ministry officials and Tamil and Muslim party representatives [...]
Excise Department under a cloud following liquor-related deaths
Fingers are being pointed at the police and Excise Department after at least 14 people died, after allegedly consuming contaminated illicit brew at Banduragoda, in Mirigama. Another 25 have been admitted to different hospitals in the area with symptoms of liquor poisoning. The age of the deceased victims range from 50 to 82 years. Relatives [...]
Flamingos flock to Nandikadal
Nandikadal lagoon, in the Mullaitivu district, that saw pitched fighting between the armed forces and the LTTE during the last phase of the war that ended in 2009, was dotted in colour a couple of weeks ago with flamingos flocking to the lagoon. Residents say they believe this was the first time they spotted the [...]
Fire destroys 100-year-old colonial bungalow in Hatton
The assessment of damages to a 100-year-old, colonial bungalow belonging to Ceybank Holiday Homes Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Bank of Ceylon, in Norwood, Hatton, which was destroyed by fire on Thursday night, is underway. The Company’s General Manager, V. Jayabahu said that, flaming torches used by two casual employees to chase off a drove [...]