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President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s simplicity at the opening of Parliament went so far that nobody served him a drink at the reception following his policy statement. He had to share his wife’s soft drink, as a result. Pic by Amila Gamage
Mega projects on hold until August budget
The Government has decided to put on hold all major projects, including construction of roads and buildings, until the presentation of a budget in August this year, a senior Treasury official said. The decision has been conveyed to ministries on the grounds that no allocation of funds will be available for the projects until a [...]
Haputale Y-12 crash: Safety features questioned since 2015
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has been using its Chinese-built Harbin Y-12s–one of which crashed in Haputale on Friday, killing all on board–and Xian MA60 aircraft for civilian passenger transport without authorisation from the aviation regulator. The military has said a technical fault caused the Y-12 to crash. While only investigators can determine whether [...]
HR watchdog redirects heavy volume of gripes
An influx of complaints demanding justice at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) has led to the streamlining of the work resulting in several filings being declined. Chairperson Deepika Udagama said the office had been compelled to reject several cases of custodial violations, land disputes, debt and enforcement of court decisions as they fell within the [...]
PTA to stay
The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will remain unchanged, or if necessary will be strengthened, Minister Bandula Gunawardena said yesterday. He said the PTA was a strong Act and it was effective enough to crush the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and was also useful to take action to control the situation after the [...]
Over 21,800 sought anti rabies treatment last year
More than 21,800 people had sought treatment against rabies at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital in the past year. Hospital Director Dr Asela Gunawardena, told the Sunday Times that 21,820 persons had been given the anti rabies vaccine following incidents of dog bites, and scratches by cats in 2019. He said the number of anti rabies [...]
Eight women SSPs: Major gender victory in Police Dept.
For the first time in its 150-year history, and after a hard-fought battle, the Sri Lanka Police have promoted eight women to Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) where there was earlier vacancy for just one. In another giant leap, the Police Department, with National Police Commission (NPC) backing, has sought approval from the Finance Ministry’s [...]
High Commissioner recalled from London
Sri Lanka High Commissioner Manisha Gunasekera, a senior career diplomat, has been recalled to Colombo after serving for just over one year in London. No official reason has been given for her sudden recall. Saroja Sirisena, also a senior career Foreign Service officer, who is now serving as Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to [...]
Palaly airport tax double that of BIA: Minister calls for report
Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has called for a report from airport and aviation officials to look into the possibility of reducing the airport tax at the Palaly International Airport (PIA). This follows Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Douglas Devananda raising the matter at the New Year’s first Cabinet meeting held on [...]
2 women arrested after video of them assaulting girl goes viral
Two women were yesterday remanded after they were arrested for beating up a 13-year-old girl in the Kotavehera area. The incident went viral after a youth recorded it on his phone and posted it on social media. The post was picked up by television stations and other websites. The suspects were the girl’s stepmother and [...]
Dhamma Sangayana outlines plan to preserve Buddhism
Vibhajjavada Dhamma Sangayana, an initiative aimed at the continued sustenance of Buddhism, was held yesterday at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, with 5,000 monks being given digital copies of the Tripitakaya. The Dhamma Sangayana was organised by the Labunorukanda Aranya Senasana in Anuradhapura under the guidance of Dharmacharya Ven. Mankadawala Sudassana Thera and Sasanadhipathi Shashrapathi Rajakeeya [...]
CSSL gets new president
Dr Jayaindra Fernando was inducted as the 38th president of the College of Surgeons of Sri Lanka (CSSL) yesterday. Pictures show Immediate Past President of the College of Surgeons, Dr Nissanka Jayawardhana, welcoming the new President and Chief Guest, Senior Consultant General Surgeon Dr Gamini Goonetilleke, who is also a past President of the College, [...]
Sri Lanka faces China viral pneumonia infections risk
A potentially dangerous viral pneumonia has infected dozens in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province and could spread internationally, including in Sri Lanka, which is ill prepared for public health emergencies and is vulnerable. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese arrive in Colombo every year, drawn by the ease of entry. A Hong Kong [...]
Govt. loan scheme to revive tea industry
The Government is to introduce a loan scheme to revive the tea industry, Plantations Minister Ramesh Pathirana said. He said loans up to Rs 500 million would be provided to tea cultivators on a short-term basis, using funds from the Tea Promotion Fund. Tea small holders would also benefit from the scheme as they would [...]
Playlist for buses hits discordant note in some quarters
Unions representing private bus owners and drivers are skeptical regarding the success of the Government’s moves to introduce a playlist for buses but some are willing to give the initiative a chance to see how passengers and bus crews respond. The CDs and DVDs containing the playlist consisting of 1000 songs along with short videos [...]
Ranjan arrested after police search his house
Police last night arrested United National Party Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake for possession of an unlicensed pistol, after they conducted an extensive search of his official residence at the Madiwela Housing Complex. Issuing a statement last night, Police Headquarters said that officers had also found 127 rounds of 9mm ammunition used for the pistol as well [...]
Northern governor hears call to serve on home turf
P.S.M. Charles, the newly appointed, first woman Governor of the Northern Province, who also happens to be a native of the region and a senior public servant, is looking forward to fulfilling people’s aspirations. She was born and bred in Ilavalai, Jaffna. Ms Charles was sworn in by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on December 30. She [...]
Trinco casual worker’s daughter achieves best A/L results in district
Anuradha Yahampath, Governor of the Eastern Province paid a visit to the home of Mirasa Fathima of Saheera College Trincomalee. Young Fathima who studies Bio Science, received the highest marks at the ‘A’ level examination in the Trincomalee District. Noting that her house -a shanty dwelling- with a thatched palm leafed roof, the Governor promised [...]
Paethetigala Bridge in bad state of disrepair
Construction work on the Paethetigala Bridge on the Kaduwela-Nawagamuwa Road is yet to be completed, posing major problems to people in the area. The bridge, located in the vicinity of Nawagmuwa Hospital and a school is used by many families on a daily basis. Area residents say the plight of pregnant women and hundreds of [...]
Over 21,800 sought anti rabies treatment last year
Over twenty-one thousand eight-hundred people sought treatment against rabies at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital during the past year. Director of the Hospital, Dr Asela Gunawardena, told the Sunday Times that around 21,820 persons had been given the anti rabies vaccine following animal attacks, such as dog bites, and scratches by cats during 2019. He clarified [...]
Political battles begin after President makes powerful statement with simple ceremony
There was seemingly plenty of camaraderie and good cheer among Government and Opposition MPs during a decidedly low-key ceremonial opening of the fourth session of the eighth Parliament on Friday. However, some of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s remarks found in his policy statement and exchanges among MPs when sessions began indicate that there will be little [...]
Into combat against bottles and bags – new wars for new times
In one of the biggest beach clean-ups, hundreds of soldiers led by Army Commmander Lieutenant-General Shavendra Silva collected loads of plastic waste littering the coastline this week – but the waste keeps coming. With a new government in place and police environmental units activated, action against polluters is gathering force. “We are planning to take [...]
Packet of trouble for lunch vendors as prices soar
I am hardly able to run my business these days,” says Slave Island rice packet seller Sudath Gunatilleke who, with other vendors, are squeezed into an impossible position between soaring rice and vegetable costs and inflexible sale prices. Many rice packet sellers, canteens and eatery owners are being forced to replace popular vegetables in [...]
Flashes and bangs worsen Colombo’s air pollution
Air pollution levels in Sri Lanka increased along with the volume of firecrackers that sprinkled patterns on the night skies heralding the new year. According to the real time Air Quality Index of the US Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s ambient air pollution level increased to an unhealthy 180 in the index at around 1 [...]
2019 Easter tragedy looms over New Year festive air
The celebratory mood was decidedly tempered this New Year as Sri Lankans welcomed 2020. Given that 2019 was such a dark year for many owing to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, many people had perhaps felt reluctant to celebrate the New Year in a grand manner. As with Christmas, fireworks were markedly less this New [...]
Discovery of three new tiny climate, pollution sentinels
Mosses are small flowerless and seedless plants that usually cover damp and shady places such as walls, decaying tree trunks or a forest floor. In Sri Lanka, there are as many as 572 different species of moss and three new species were found this week. The team that conducted the research, H.K. Herath, Dr. N.C.S. [...]
One in five accident victims from three-wheeler crashes
One in five patients treated at the National Hospital last year for road accidents were victims of three-wheeler drivers, the hospital said, amid concern at the toll of death and injury from such vehicles. On Tuesday, four Air Force personnel from the Ratmalana base were killed when the three-wheeler in which they were travelling [...]
SLAF aircraft crash: Magistrate calls for reports from SLAF and Govt. bodies
The Bandarawela Magistrate has ordered several government agencies to submit separate reports as part of the inquiry into Friday’s deadly crash of a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) aircraft. Magistrate Keerthi Kumburuhena has called for reports from the SLAF, Government Analyst’s Department, Surveyor General’s Department, Mattala International Airport, Diyathalawa SLAF base, Badulla Judicial Medical Officer [...]
The neglected Ella station
Ella, is one Sri Lanka’s most frequented tourist destinations in the country. As such the Ella Railway station is equally popular among both foreign and local visitors who opt to take a train ride to the area through the picturesque upcountry. Sadly the Railway Department has failed to support efforts to attract more tourists to [...]