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Home » NewsIndo-Lanka ties personal, close and strong
Emphasising their wish to have a close personal relationship and deep ties between the two countries, Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi are seen having a one-on-one at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. There were no other officials present when the two leaders met with only an interpreter present. [...]
Compensation for victims of ‘politically motivated’ probes
Those who have been subjected to politically motivated investigations by the three main agencies will be entitled to compensation or relief, the Cabinet has decided. This is after the Government decided to review all cases completed or yet to be completed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC), the Financial Crimes [...]
Modi wants Lanka to fully implement 13th Amendment
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again called upon Sri Lanka to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This came during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s first official overseas visit since being elected. India also offered Sri Lanka a US$ 400m line of credit for infrastructure and development and a further US$ 50m to combat [...]
General elections in late April or early May, polls chief tells President
National Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya has told President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that parliamentary elections could be held either in late April or early May. He is learnt to have conveyed this in a letter. This was after President Rajapaksa had a meeting with Mr Deshapriya days before he visited India. Among the dates suggested, the [...]
Student insurance: Ministry to sign agreement with same company
The Education Ministry will next week sign the agreement to award the mandate for the continuity of the Suraksha student health insurance scheme for 2019/2020 with the same insurance company. Ministry Secretary N.H.M. Chitrananda said an agreement would be signed to continue to provide health cover for 4.5 million school children aged 5-21 years in [...]
How bullish prediction for Premadasa backfired on political astrologers
Astrologers who incorrectly predicted that New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Sajith Premadasa would emerge victorious at the 2019 presidential election now claim confusion about Mr. Premadasa’s horoscope led to the fiasco. A group of astrologers even held a media conference in the final week of the campaign to predict that Mr. Premadasa would win the [...]
e-GP system to replace paper: Deal signed, Rs. 21b to be saved
The Finance Ministry has entered into a much-delayed contract with Theekshana, the research and development unit of the University of Colombo, to design and implement an electronic Government procurement (e-GP) system to replace paper. Sri Lanka is the only country in the South Asian region not to have an e-GP in place. Ministers sanctioned the [...]
CMC won’t be dissolved, Rosy assures council members
Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake on Friday told Council members that there were no moves to dissolve the council and place it under a special commissioner. The assurance was given after several members raised concerns that the Colombo Municipal Council was to be brought under a special commissioner. “The President and the Prime Minister respect democracy [...]
Invoking blessings for the Navy
A colourful ceremony to invoke blessings on naval flags is being held at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, under the patronage of Navy Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva. The ceremony is part of a series of events to mark the 69th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Navy which falls on December 9.
UNF’s never- implemented criteria to be used for new govt. appointments
A six-member committee to screen appointments of Chairpersons and Board Members to state enterprises is using a set of criteria drafted under the previous administration but never implemented. The committee under the chairmanship of former Secretary to the Cabinet Sumith Abeysinghe also comprises Susantha Ratnayake, Dr Nalaka Godahewa, Dian Gomes, Dr Prasanna Gunasena and Prof. [...]
Forget G-to-G power projects, go for competitive bidding: CEB tells new Power and Energy Minister
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) wants the new Power and Energy Minister to shun Government-to-Government power projects or force them to stand against open competitive bids, referring particularly to the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to be run as a joint venture between India, Japan and Sri Lanka. The utility insists that G-to-G projects, as [...]
Lengthy to-do-list for appointees given new remit
Newly-appointed ministers this week spelt out their plans. Among the highlights were incentives to attract more tourists, a proposed ban on importing pepper, and the resumption of stalled projects. The Minister of Industrial Exports & Investment Promotions, Tourism & Aviation, Prasanna Ranatunga, told the Sunday Times that his priority is to revive tourism and draw [...]
A walk for harmony
Buddhist monks from Thailand and Laos have starteda ‘paadayatra’ (foot pilgrimage) from Katunayake to Lu-nugamwehera hoping for harmony among all communities in the country. Pic by Amila Gamage
NMWJ protests harassment of web journalists
The National Movement of Web journalists (NMWJ) condemned the questioning of journalists who reportedly supported New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Sajith Premadasa. The NMWJ issued a statement after three journalists were questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over their work during the pre-election period. “The NMWJ protests against the new government’s attempts to suppress [...]
NJC wants President to repeal 13A
The National Joint Committee (NJC) has requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to repeal the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Issuing a statement, the NJC notes that the 13th Amendment was forced on Sri Lanka by India through “gunboat diplomacy.” The Provincial Councils (PCs) established under 13A have become white elephants, the organisation claims, adding that “devolution [...]
Tax bonanza to trigger consumption boost: Analysts
The recent tax bonanza will boost local consumption with more buying power, finance analysts have predicted. One of the major sectors identified for positive early growth is telecommunications. There will be a significant drop in the total bill, as telecommunication (Telco) levy is to drop by 25 percent — from 15 percent to 11.25 [...]
Clean-up to sweep up destructive habits
The environmental police has deployed 1,500 people islandwide this week in a stepped up campaign to clean up the main towns, beaches and roads. Environmental protection range DIG Nimal Perera, told the Sunday Times that, they are working together with the local government authorities and closely monitoring the private companies contracted for cleaning. “Our main [...]
New National Medicines Policy on the cards
Five groups engaged in earnest discussion over two days at a Colombo hotel this week – the kick-off of a crucial and long overdue process to revise the National Medicinal Drug Policy (NMDP) 2005 of Sri Lanka, to ensure safe and quality medicines for patients. The target of the brainstorming was to lay the groundwork [...]
Elephant kills elderly Bhikkhuni
An elderly Bhikkhuni was killed in an attack by an elephant in Naula, Matale yesterday. There has been several such attacks by elephants in the Puttalam and Galawela areas. The police said Venerable Atharagalla Gnamiththa, 66, had suffered fatal injuries. She had lived in the area for more than five years. Villagers say they have [...]
Much positive action in curbing HIV
Sri Lanka has come a long way in preventing and controlling HIV but there are a few more miles to go. A major success story is curbing mother-to-child transmission, with the country seeking certification from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to declare elimination status. “Not having a single case of mother-to-child transmission of HIV is [...]
‘Let it be free in our waters’
The southern elephant seal pup spotted at Unawatuna a fortnight ago continued to resurface off adjacent beaches: it was seen resting on rocks at Midigama on November 23, near Polwathumodara bridge in Weligama on the 26th and on successive days at Ahangama, Dewata in Galle and Mahamodara bridge in Galle. It is thought the [...]
Results of presidential election determined well before nominations
When one looks back at the presidential election campaign of November 2019 and the five years of Yahapalana governance it is not too difficult to understand why the Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickremesinghe government was defeated and Gotabaya Rajapakse elected President. It would not be wrong to say that the Yahapalana Government’s defeat was ensured long before [...]
Navy’s seven-day Blue Whale exercise ends
Sri Lanka Navy Marines’ Field Training Exercise (FTX) ‘Blue Whale’-2019 was concluded at the North Western Naval Command on Wednesday. Navy Commander Piyal de Silva was the chief guest on the final day. Northwestern Naval Area Commander Sujeewa Perera and senior naval officers were also present. FTX ‘Blue Whale’ was conducted as the final phase [...]
Women still suffer as anti-violence projects lack commitment
Despite the availability of laws, responsible institutions and resources, Sri Lanka has failed to gain public support for zero tolerance of gender-based violence. Experts said this is due to the lacklustre attitude of authorities to implement and continue programmes that provide lasting solutions, delays in police investigations and the filing of plaints and progress [...]
Receiving the skulls was an emotional moment, says Veddah Chief
The Veddah community has requested the government to provide a proper facility to preserve the ancestral remains of nine members of their community that were returned to them by the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland. Veddah Chief Uruwarige Wannila Aththo, who accepted the skulls at a ceremony held in the university told the Sunday Times [...]
All aspects of the Silver Age on SLAGM agenda
The Silver Age – each and every aspect to keep all those who are in this rapidly-growing group healthy and well, will be the focus of the Sri Lankan Association of Geriatric Medicine (SLAGM) this weekend. The two-day 5th Annual Scientific Conference on the theme ‘At the crossroads – Ensuring holistic care for the Silver [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Indika Handuwala, Ishanka Sunimal and Jayarathna Wickramarachchi
Concerns arise as marine mammals surface from the deep
Whale watching season has begun at Kalpitiya with the return of ‘the giants of the deep’. But concerns are being raised for the wellbeing of these mammals due to boat operators. Whale watching season, between November and May, offers dolphin sightings as well. The Wildlife Department has said pods of dolphins can be found in [...]