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Minister Thondaman explaining matters to police officers after a plantation company lodged a complaint over an alleged unruly incident involving the minister and estate workers. Pic by Ranjith Rajapaksha
President orders vote-on-account after presidential poll
Bill will be in line with IMF programmes and provide funds for parliamentary elections By Damith Wickremasekara President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed Finance Ministry officials to be prepared for a vote-on-account to be presented immediately after the presidential election. The President has also directed that the vote-on-account should be in line with the policies and targets [...]
Jeevan,CWC members protest outside police station over dispute with estate company
By Kasun Warakapitiya and Shelton Hettiaarachchi Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Minister Jeevan Thondaman yesterday staged a protest in front of the Nuwara Eliya Police station after a complaint lodged by a plantation company over the minister’s behaviour, whereby he allegedly threatened the senior staff at one of its tea estates. Minister Thondaman spent more [...]
Govt orders completion of projects within two months
The government has ordered all ministries and provincial and local council administrators to complete within two months all development projects for which a special allocation of Rs 12 billion has been made. The directive has been sent by the Finance Ministry following reports that some of the officials had failed to extend support to implement [...]
PR visa for overseas citizens of Lankan descent
The government has issued an extraordinary gazette notification allowing Sri Lankans living overseas and are unable to obtain dual citizenship due to existing laws in their respective countries to obtain a permanent residence visa. The gazette, issued by the Ministry of Public Security under the Immigrants and Emigrants Act, states that a permanent residence visa [...]
SC directs NPC to take disciplinary action against officers who violated FR
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the National Police Commission to initiate disciplinary action against Police officers found responsible for violating the fundamental rights of the wife of the former driver of MP Patali Champika Ranawaka by taking her, her child and her mother with them when they turned up to arrest [...]
Ramya wins Gratiaen Prize for 2023
By Yomal Senerath-Yapa Ramya Chamalie Jirasinghe carried away the 31st Gratiaen Prize (for year 2023) for her novel Father Cabraal’s Recipe for Love Cake, at the event held last night at the Park Street Mews. The Gratiaen Prize, established by Michael Ondaatje with the money he won for the Booker Prize in 1992, annually honours [...]
Champika says his party will convert temporary stability to permanent, sustainable one
By Kasun Warakapitiya United Republic Front leader Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday that the country needs not a process that brings a group into power but a common political transformation. Elaborating that political and economic elements have to work concurrently, he said that was the view expressed by Aragalaya protestors. These remarks were made by [...]
FM hails late French ambassador’s non-interfering diplomatic demeanour
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on Friday paid respect to the late French Ambassador, John Francois Pactet, describing him as an envoy whose demeanour and commitment to non-interference in Sri Lanka’s internal matters without overstepping boundaries earned him the admiration and trust of the host nation. Speaking at the memorial service in remembrance of the late [...]
Customs foil gem smuggling bid at BIA
By T.K.G. Kapila A businessman attempting to smuggle Rs. 8 million worth of gems out of the country was arrested by the Customs Narcotics Control Unit on May 31 at the Bandaranaike International Airport. The businessman, identified as a 53-year-old resident of Galle, was to board the Thailand-bound Pan Asia flight. Deputy Director of Customs [...]
Girl Guides differently abled branch marks centenary with year-long events
The Differently Abled Branch of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association (SLGGA) is celebrating its centenary year in style. The line up of events that began in May will continue until May next year. The events began with religious observances and a news conference was held on May 28 at the National Library to discuss [...]
“Tedious and complicated’’ e-visa process will only keep tourists away
Stakeholders raise concerns, warn will lose out to competitors like Thailand By Sandun Jayawardana Tourism industry insiders say that the move to outsource e-visa processing continues to damage the country’s tourism prospects and are urging the government to follow Thailand’s example and extend visa-free entry to more countries. The government’s tripartite agreement to outsource online [...]
IESL objects to proposed Electricity Reforms Bill
By Niranjala Ariyawansha The Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), urged the Government to submit a fresh Electricity Reforms Bill to Parliament after a formal discussion with the professionals claiming that Bill already gazetted has ended the independence of the electricity sector and completely politicised it. The IESL alleges that in the new Electricity Reforms [...]
Electoral register to be finalised next month
The new electoral register to be used for the upcoming Presidential election will be endorsed by next month, a spokesman for the Election Commission said. According to the last electoral register 16.9 million voters were eligible to vote. He said that the new figures will have the new voters who have been added in 2024.
19 bridges to be mended with World Bank aid
By Kasun Warakapitiya The World Bank has allocated US$7.5 million (Rs 2.25 billion) to carry out urgent repairs on 19 bridges across the country, Transport and Highways Ministry secretary Ranjith Rubasinghe said. This follows a statement by Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardene who said that over 30 bridges require repairs. The World Bank has been funding [...]
Water Board, RDA two-year tangle over road raises resident anger
The residents at Madinnagoda-Rajagiriya area are angry over the repairs of M.D.H. Jayawardena Mawatha as the road remains in a dilapidated state for more than two years. The National Water Supplies and Drainage Board (NWSDB) had started laying pipelines by digging up the carpeted road. Chairman of a leading private sector company, Rohitha Mendis, a [...]
Defence Ministry clearance a must for male applicants to Russia: New move to stop illegal trafficking to war zone
By Hafsa Sabry In response to mounting concerns over potential human trafficking into the conflict zones of Russia and Ukraine, Sri Lankan authorities have announced plans for stricter travel regulations. State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya announced the new measures, at a joint news conference with the Russian Ambassador, stating that all male travellers [...]
Lectures go back to online, exams and convocations postponed as strike cripples university system
Non academic staff unions stick to their guns; demand rectification of 15% pay cut and 25% increase in MCA; pooh-poohs committee appointed by govt. to study the salary anomaly matter By Sandun Jayawardana A month into a strike by university non-academic staff over their salary anomaly issue and several other demands, administrative functions at state universities [...]
Jerome Fernando withdraws cases; AG objects
By Ranjith Padmasiri Self-styled “Prophet” Jerome Fernando has withdrawn four cases filed against authorities amid vehement objections from the Attorney General. Pastor Fernando had eight court cases pending. He had two matters before the Magistrate’s Courts, one in the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court for suspected money laundering, another in the Fort Magistrate’s Court for offences [...]
Students shine at A/Level exam, 64% qualify for state universities
By Dilushi Wijesinghe Results of the 2023 (2024) GCE Advanced Level Examination were released on Friday (31). 64.33 percent of the 269,613 students who sat the exam will be eligible to enter state universities, Commissioner General of Exams Amith Jayasundara said. The number of students eligible to gain university entrance, accordingly, will be 137,444. Mr [...]
Foreign job quota, bank loans, health benefits for ex-soldiers: State Minister of Defence
Discussions have been held with Health Minister Dr Ramesh Pathirana to provide services on priority basis for retired soldiers and their families at State hospitals, State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said. He made the remarks while attending a programme organised by the Sri Lanka Army to look into the welfare and administrative affairs [...]
Pinnawala elephants may fill gap for perahera duty, instead of private breeding
By Kasun Warakapitiya With less than a month left for the Esala Perahara, captive elephant owners have suggested ways of dealing with the shortage of elephants. However, the state authorities are not too happy with the elephant owners’s ideas, including releasing some elephants from the Pinnawala elephant orphanage to temples and devalayas. They are not [...]
Court of Appeal says resounding ‘No’ to handing over captive elephants back to owners
Says Cabinet’s decisions regarding the regularisation of the registration of tamed elephants “reveal a significant disregard for legal principles and statutory mandates” Orders authorities to prosecute all who illegally kept the elephants By Ranjith Padmasiri The Court of Appeal (CA) has issued an order quashing the orders of the Magistrate’s Courts of Colombo and [...]
Disruption of elephant corridors causes tragedies
By Hafsa Sabry The recent drowning of seven elephants in the Polonnaruwa area has sparked serious concerns among environmentalists and villagers. Among the dead elephants were two between 15 and 25 years of age, four who were about four years old, and one who was about one year old, a wildlife official said. They were [...]
Hospitality trade where tipping scales tip in favour of managers
By Mimi Alphonsus In the three years Anthony (name changed) worked as a waiter, bartender and chef, service charge and tips consistently made up over 30% of his take-home income. Despite its importance, service charge and tips are a neglected area, unregulated and understudied. Their distribution is often handled by managers and with little to [...]
Ginger prices hit Rs. 5,000 a kilo, drawing pungent criticism; ministry faces import dilemma
By Niranjala Ariyawansha The average person’s cup of tea now lacks the once-familiar zing of ginger, and the tempting taste and aroma that ginger adds to curries are absent in many homes. The reason is the steep rise in the cost of this popular herbal spice. It has soared to an unprecedented high of Rs. [...]
Man caught smuggling 61 liquor bottles at BIA
Pix and text T K G Kapila Officials of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested a Lankan arriving from Bangalore, India with items worth 1,000,000 rupees at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Friday (31). The arrested individual was identified as a 37-year-old resident of Wattala, and a businessman who has a record of importing [...]
Alert raised over recurrence of flu, rat fever, and dengue
Health professionals are expressing concern over a rise in seasonal illnesses as a result of the intense monsoon rains. Nutrition Specialist Dr. Renuka Jayatissa told the Sunday Times that children and the elderly are the most susceptible groups to respiratory illnesses. She recommends wearing face masks. Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital’s consultant paediatrician, Dr. Deepal Perera, [...]
Monsoon rains set stage for dengue outbreak in Colombo
By Hafsa Sabry Colombo could face a potential dengue outbreak with the onset of monsoon rains. The Health Ministry has announced a Dengue Prevention Week until June 1 to help contain the dengue mosquito. Programmes were held in schools, public institutions, places of religious worship and new construction sites. A report compiled by the Director [...]
Authorities paying little heed to Negombo’s key waterways Maha Oya and Hamilton canal
The Maha Oya River and the historical Dutch Hamilton Canal in the Katana and Negombo Divisional Secretariat areas are sorry sights today with authorities paying little heed to their state. The 134 km long Maha Oya runs through four provinces and five districts falling into the sea at the estuary at Poruthota on the border [...]
The welder, the baker and the pastry maker: Rehabbed prisoners with NVQ certificates
Pix and text by Rekha Tharangani Fonseka The much-criticised prisoner rehabilitation mechanism is being transformed into an empowerment programme, enabling prisoners to obtain NVQ3 certificates and find jobs. The Prisons Department has transformed its vocational training programmes for inmates at the Bogammbara and Dumbara prisons, and young inmates are showing a great interest in following [...]
Tourist spots battle sea
Text and Pix by Padma Kumari kankanamge and Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe The tourism industry in north western coastal areas have been affected by the adverse weather conditions. Guest houses and hotels in coastal areas Iranawila, Kalpitiya, Chillaw,Wennappuwa and Puttalam areas have been affected. Some residents are seeking refuge at their relatives’ places as their houses [...]