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In a carefully planned operation backed by the Police anti-riot squad and the army, the Colombo National Hospital’s Deputy Director Dr. Rukshan Bellana was taken to safety on Friday after workers held him hostage for six hours while surrounding his office room. But it was two dummies who were first taken out in the presence [...]
Customs, Treasury clash over huge reward fund
Controversy centres on who controls the money and how it should be disbursed By Damith Wickremasekara Sri Lanka Customs is at loggerheads with the Treasury over the rewards fund, with the Customs officials demanding control of the fund and resisting the influence of the Finance Ministry. The Sunday Times learns that Customs officials are insisting [...]
Magistrate tells specialists to double check Keheliya’s medical reports
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Maligakanda Magistrate has ordered that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella be examined by a seven-member medical panel comprising consultants to determine whether he’s actually suffering from the ailments he claims he is afflicted with. Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrama issued the order to the Director General of Health Services to present the medical [...]
Rape of minors; same 20 years for boys as for girls
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Justice Ministry has gazetted amendments to the Penal Code criminalising the rape of male children and ensuring offenders can be given the same maximum prison sentence of 20 years given to those found guilty of raping girls. Until now, sexual abuse of male children was classified as grave sexual abuse, with [...]
Iranian, Israeli ministers and US official visit Lanka to strengthen ties
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahein is due in Sri Lanka tomorrow, days after Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev’s visit this week to Colombo. Ahead of his two-day visit, two Iranian navy vessels arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal call yesterday. The Foreign Ministry in Colombo called it a “goodwill” visit. IRINS Bushehrs [...]
OSA overhaul: changes includes mutiny incitement clause
The Cabinet has approved a list of proposed amendments to the Online Safety Act (OSA), including the suggestion to delete a substantive provision that deems any person (here or abroad) who communicates “any false statement, with intent to cause any officer, sailor, soldier, or airman in the navy, army or air force of Sri Lanka [...]
ESA: Questions over Govt.’s preemptive strike ahead of trade union action in vital sectors
By Mimi Alphonsus Since January last year, the government has invoked the Essential Services Act (ESA) twenty-one times with the aim of ensuring that public services are not disrupted due to trade union action in critical sectors. Earlier, to block trade union action in vital sectors, the governments imposed regulations under the State of Emergency [...]
Veteran UNP politician Gamini Jayawickreme Perera passes away
Former Minister Gamini Jayawickreme Perera passed away yesterday morning at the age of 83. The late Minister was a veteran politician of the United National Party (UNP) and its one-time chairman. He was educated at Nalanda College. He entered politics in 1973 from the Katugampola electorate and elected to Parliament first at the 1977 General [...]
Dispute over jailed Indian fishermen: Boycott of Katchatheevu feast next week
Tamil Nadu’s Rameshwaram fisherfolk have threatened to boycott the upcoming annual feast of St. Antony on Katchatheevu next week, demanding the immediate release of their fishermen, who were serving jail terms for illegal bottom trawling in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters in the north. On Friday, the Kayts Magistrate Court handed in a six-month jail term [...]
Extradited from Dubai, Piyuma suspected in multiple murders
Police say that alleged underworld figure Piyum Hasthika, alias “Piyuma,” who was extradited from Dubai on Thursday (15), has an extensive criminal record and is wanted in connection with at least three murders. The suspect is one of the main associates of Salindu Malshika Gunaratne, alias “Kudu Salindu,” who is being held and questioned by [...]
Police and FR cases: AG to issue guidelines on investigations
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Attorney General’s Department will issue guidelines to the police on conducting investigations in compliance with law so that they can avoid unnecessarily getting embroiled in fundamental rights cases. The decision was made at a discussion presided over by Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam and Public Security Minister Tiran Alles and attended by [...]
Yukthiya, what Yukthiya: Questions amidst spate of violent robberies, shootings
Police defend operation; as long as there are drugs there’ll be crime By Damith Wickramasekara and Sandun Jayawardana The recent violent armed robbery of a shop at the Meegoda Economic Centre and several other armed robberies and shootings have raised concerns over the effectiveness of the countrywide “Yukthiya” (Justice) Operation in tackling gun crime. Police [...]
Activist asks Acting IGP to investigate harassment incident
The Police have agreed to carry out a fresh inquiry into the alleged harassment incident where an activist was harassed in Jaffna while he was carrying out an event to advocate peace among communities. Activist Deeman Ananda, who claims that he was harassed by Police, called for a fair investigation on the incident. He met [...]
FR case filed against CC decision on Supreme Court nominee
By Ranjith Padmasiri The fundamental rights petition filed praying to set aside the Constitutional Council’s (CC) decision to reject President of the Court of Appeal Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne being appointed to the Supreme Court (SC) will be taken up for support tomorrow (19). The petition will be taken up before a three-judge bench comprising Chief [...]
Pay up arrears or meet us in court: Excise Dept warns liquor companies
The Excise Department has warned 11 liquor manufacturing companies that they either pay up their arrears amounting to Rs 4.5 billion or face legal action. The majority of the arrears payments are due from last year. Excise Commissioner General M.J. Gunasiri told the Sunday Times that the companies had been informed that, if required, a [...]
Protest by specialist: Further delay in implementing doctors’ End-post List
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi The implementation of the much-awaited End-post List 2024 for medical specialists is further delayed, causing severe discontent among those serving the country without seeking greener pastures, the Sunday Times understands. The End-post List which should have been implemented from January 1 this year is on hold as a specialist who has allegedly [...]
Amendments to Online Safety Act in progress, experts weigh in
By Namini Wijedasa The Public Security Ministry this week tabled in Cabinet a list of proposed amendments to the government’s widely criticised Online Safety Act (OSA), drawn up in collaboration with an informal expert group. Cabinet approval was granted for all the amendments drafted by the four-member expert team. While the Public Security Ministry (PSM) [...]
Struggle for health worker allowance continues to test limits
By Nathara Abeywickrema The Government and health authorities are struggling to find effective strategies to stabilise healthcare as its ever-increasing crisis continues to jeopardise the tax-paying public’s right to health. Taking to the streets, 72 healthcare professionals caused inconvenience to patients by raising unresolved issues, such as the controversial pay disparity between physicians and other [...]
After Kandakadu troubles, review underway to fix youth drug addict rehab management
By Niranjala Ariyawansha The Government will adopt a new approach to the rehabilitation of drug addicts amid widespread claims that the existing process has failed, considering clashes at the Kandakadu Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre in Polonnaruwa between inmates and army staff from time to time. Justice, Prisons, and Rehabilitation Affairs Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakse told the [...]
Opening Piduruthalagala to tourists being considered
By L B Senaratne Central Province Governor Lalith Gamage plans to open Piduruthalagala to foreigners and locals. The mountain, the highest in the island, is of scenic beauty and can be trekked up and has vehicle access. The Governor made these observations at the Nuwara Eliya Coordinating Committee held at the Nuwara Eliya auditorium, chaired [...]
Costly delicacy
Dry fish producers struggle with high costs and low demand By Miriam Alphonsus and Pix M A Pushpakumara In Negombo, where many people are employed in dry fish production, high prices have created new issues. Manuel Anthony, the President of the Sinthathri Matha Dry Fish Association said that the high cost of salt, barrels, and gunny [...]
BIT in Colombo for the first time
Wide and varied discussions on heart health with three live sessions as highpoint By Kumudini Hettiarachchi It was all about the heart and how to keep it beating for patients with different types of cardiovascular diseases. It was also a ‘first’ for Sri Lanka when a cardiology summit held over the years either in India [...]
Japan’s green-energy boost for Puttalam farmers; Project seeks to enhance food and energy security
Pix and story by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe and Padma Kumari Japan this week presented to Puttalam farmers renewable-energy-powered equipment, including solar-powered backpack sprayers, water pumps, and cool room facilities. The presentation was made by Japanese Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki as part of a US$ 1 million Japanese-funded project. Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), [...]
UN lauds Sri Lanka’s mangrove forestation as example to the world
By Kasun Warakapitiya Sri Lanka has earned global recognition for mangrove restoration projects and is to be declared as a United Nations (UN) World Restoration Flagship. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 2021–2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. A global effort is on to prevent degradation of ecosystems as well as reverse the [...]
Don’t let investing in children fall by the wayside
UNICEF’s Country Representative Christian Skoog stresses the importance of filling in the gaps created by COVID and the economic crisis and getting back on track for the sake of the children and the country By Sandun Jayawardana The fallout from the COVID pandemic and the economic crisis has been especially devastating for Sri Lanka’s children. [...]
SLAF to take off in grand style for 73rd anniversary
SLAF Commander asks everyone to join hands for childrens’ welfare programmes By Dilushi Wijesinghe The Sri Lanka Air Force is marking its 73rd Anniversary with a string of events, including religious events and welfare projects. SLAF Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa briefed the media about the proposed projects and events. Head of the Organising Committee, Air [...]
Customs prevents attempt to smuggle in imported garments worth Rs. 150 mn as fabric
Officials say country would have lost Rs. 60 mn in taxes if detection not made Customs has averted an attempt to smuggle in four container loads of readymade garments worth more than Rs. 150 million, imported from Malaysia and falsely claimed as fabric. The officers discovered 33,000 to 44,000 pieces of ready-made clothing items in [...]