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As the government relaxed a four-year ban on the import of new vehicles and the first shipload arrived this week (top), long vehicle queues have been seen at fuel sheds around the country since Friday night, with fuel distributors announcing retaliatory measures to counter the CPC’s cut in their commission. Pix by Eshan Fernano and [...]
Dispute deepens; fuel crisis looms
Distributors halt credit sales to state bodies until commission is restored; suspend orders CPC says enough fuel to last entire year; meeting with CPC on Tuesday By Ishu Bandara and Kapila Bandara Fuel distributors yesterday decided to stop issuing fuel to government institutions, including hospitals, on a credit basis until a dispute over revised commission [...]
IMF releases US$334m but insists on tax revenue targets
By Damith Wickremasekara and Bandula Sirimanna Hours after the second reading of the budget was passed, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) executive board released US$334 million under the four-year bailout package, calling on Sri Lanka to ensure it meets the tax collection targets. A senior Treasury official said that the IMF had pointed out that [...]
CA vacancies: President’s three names
By Ranjith Padmasiri President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has sent the names of three senior High Court judges proposed by Chief Justice Murdhu Fernando to the Constitutional Council to fill the vacancies in the Court of Appeal. The names recommended by Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe have not been nominated. Kandy High Court judge Sumudu Premachandra, Commercial [...]
Court imposes overseas travel ban on former IGP
An overseas travel ban has been imposed on former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon by the Matara Magistrate courts yesterday, following a request made by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The request was made after CID officers had searched Mr. Tennakoon’s residence and failed to locate him. On Friday, the Matara magistrate’s court had ordered the arrest [...]
Govt. expresses concern over rise in Islamic extremism in East
By Damith Wickramasekera The Government has received intelligence reports of attempts to propagate extremist ideologies within the Muslim population in the Eastern Province, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said. He said the reports were based on information received by both the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and military intelligence. Mr. Wijepala said surveillance of certain places [...]
National Police Commission seeks meeting with Attorney General over who has power to transfer OICs
By Chandani Kirinde The National Police Commission (NPC) has sought a meeting with the Attorney General to discuss the issues that have arisen over the transfer of Officers in Charge (OIC) of police stations. The meeting is likely to take place in the coming week, a source with knowledge of the matter said. The NPC [...]
Britain’s Chief Sangha Nayaka meets King Charles III at Windsor Castle
The Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain and Head Monk of the London Buddhist Vihara, Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Thera was invited to Windsor Castle by King Charles III of the United Kingdom for a convivial evening on Thursday together with a small group. During the discussion the Most Ven. Seelawimala Thera invited the King [...]
Tourist police officers updated on groups menacing three-wheeler drivers operating through apps
The National Police Commission (NPC) held a meeting with senior police officers attached to the Tourist Police this week to discuss complaints regarding the threats to three-wheeler drivers operating through hailing apps in tourist hot spots across the country. The meeting was called after the NPC received complaints from the public as well as hoteliers [...]
Court orders CEB to pay interest on security deposits collected from consumers
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Supreme Court this week ordered the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to pay annual interest of 11.67% on security deposits collected from consumers when providing electricity connections. The Supreme Court gave the order after considering a fundamental rights petition filed in this regard. The three-Judge bench comprising Justices S. Thurairaja, Sobhitha Rajakaruna [...]
Election commission invites applications from eligible political parties for 2025
By Ishu Bandara The Election Commission has invited applications from eligible political parties for the year 2025. However, Chairman R.M.A.L Rathnayake told the Sunday Times that this invitation is not related to the upcoming Local Government Election but is part of the Commission’s routine annual process, which is scheduled to take place every year on [...]
Economists, policy makers and MPs meet to dissect Budget 2025
Concerns over economic disparities, tax amendments, and the government’s approach to public sector reforms were highlighted during a closed-door Budget 2025 discussion at Solis Hotel, Pitakotte. The discussion, organised by the One-Text Initiative, brought together economic experts and policymakers, as well as current and former parliamentarians. Providing an in-depth analysis of the budget, Professor Priyanga [...]
Ishara, mastermind behind Ganemulla Sanjeewa shooting still at large, 14 teams launch search
By Damith Wickramasekara and Sandun Jayawardana Fourteen special police teams are combing through different parts of the country for Ishara Sewwandi, the 25-year-old woman suspected to be the mastermind of the murder of alleged organised criminal and drug trafficker Sanjeewa Kumara Samararatne alias “Ganemulla Sanjeewa.” The 14 teams include two from the Colombo Crimes Division [...]
Crackdown on deserters to include rehabilitation programmes too, says MoD
Deserters and serving police officers and armed forces personnel involved in recent crime wave By Sandun Jayawardana and Damith Wickramasekara Deserters from the armed forces who are arrested under an island-wide operation that will continue “indefinitely” will be subjected to rehabilitation, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The rehabilitation will also include special programmes for [...]
Talks on whether the Independent Prosecutor’s Office should be under the Attorney General
By Ranjith Padmasiri Discussions are underway within government circles on whether the proposed Independent Prosecutor’s Office (IPO) will remain separate from the Attorney General’s Department or operate under the AG, the Sunday Times learns. This is in the backdrop of the Justice Ministry taking steps to draft a Cabinet paper on the establishment of an [...]
Tax net cast on Sri Lankan professionals, freelancers earning forex for services
By Tharushi Weerasinghe and Mimi Alphonsus Foreign exchange income earned from exported services is to be taxed, removing a longstanding exemption. “The concessionary tax rate of up to 15% for individuals and a flat 15% for companies will come into effect on April 1, 2025, after being approved by parliament,” said Nihal Wijewardana, senior deputy [...]
State websites serve up stale, outdated, and confusing info
By Mimi Alphonsus The Department of Government Printing website, which publishes gazettes, bills, acts, and notices, has been down since 31 December 31 last year when it was hacked. Now under construction, the website lets visitors see certain government documents but doesn’t have a search function, making it difficult for citizens to engage [...]
Musical mayhem in high biodiversity area: House music party at Diyasaru park draws concerns
By Tharushi Weerasinghe and Dilushi Wijesinghe A musical event at Diyasaru Park in Sri Jayewardenapura kottee, yesterday drew widespread criticism over the damage that the ecosystem was being exposed to. A progressive house music party organised by an event company advertised as Sky Gardens took place at the unique biological study park that is home to [...]
UN Human Rights chief to present oral update on Lanka tomrrow
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath outlines before UNHRC, govt. plans for domestic accountability process By Chandani Kirinde The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) will present an oral update to the UNHRC tomrrow in Geneva on the promotion of reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka. This is in keeping with the [...]
Poor digital literacy among fishermen delaying digital shift in catch certification as recommended by EU
Poor digital literacy among fishermen, delays the process of switching from current logbook entries to a new digital catch certification system in fishing vessels as set out in the European Union (EU) recommendations, a senior official from the Fisheries Ministry said. “We have already commenced the process but we noticed that poor digital literacy among [...]
Business interests prevent CEB system control post from being filled
By Niranjala Ariyawansha The failure to appoint a permanent official to one of most crucial position of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Additional General Manager (AGM)-transmission (non-wired), due to the business interests of few individuals allied to the government, has created a critical predicament, as reported to The Sunday Times. Highly placed internal sources of [...]
Slow the train speed in high-risk areas only to curb elephantine tragedies
GPS tracking data on elephant movement and data on past accidents on the three most dangerous railroads for elephants will help map and identify the high-risk areas, urges expert Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Prompt action based on scientific data and logical thinking to prevent the tragedy of wild elephants dying on the railtrack [...]
Water Board’s call for conserving water comes alongside some showers
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) has called consumers to conserve water as the ongoing dry weather conditions will have an impact on the water supplies. The dry weather conditions have affected the water levels of the Kelani River with the Castlereigh reservoir dropping to 8.4 per cent of the storage capacity. However, [...]
Roadkills: A pressing wildlife concern
By Malaka Rodrigo It was a misty morning in Haputale on mid-February and Prof. Kapila Dissanaike was passing the Thangamale stretch when he spotted an animal lying lifeless on the side of road. Prof. Dissanaike had seen numerous roadkills while driving, but the soft goldenness of the bushy tail of this animal grabbed his attention, [...]
A historical conundrum: Was the Kandyan convention signed today?
By L. B. Senaratne Today, March 2, is said to mark the 210th anniversary of the signing of the Kandyan Convention, though questions remain as to whether it was actually signed on this day or was only finalised later. According to some historical sources, the signing of the Act of Settlement of the Kandyan Kingdom, [...]
CEA and UDA to implement Clean Sri Lanka initiatives
By D. Thivyatharshini A nationwide electronic waste collection programme, has been proposed by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), under the government’s ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative. The programme covering three districts aims to collect and recycle electronic waste, a CEA official said. In addition to this, the CEA is working to clear junk from hospitals and [...]
Upcountry train services disrupted due to earthslip
Train services on the upcountry line were disrupted yesterday following an earthslip in the Mahawathgama area between the Badulla and Hali –Ela railway stations. As a result, the Udarata Menike train due to leave from Badulla at 5.55 a.m. could not commence its journey. Railway workers and the army were clearing the track last morning. [...]
Govt. presents Proceeds of Crime Bill, conforming with IMF governance diagnostic assessment
The Government presented a Bill to Parliament yesterday to strengthen the legal mechanisms for the recovery of proceeds of crime. The Proceeds of Crime bill, which is compatible with contemporary international norms and best practices, was presented to Parliament by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuirya. The Bill is aligned with the recommendations made in the technical [...]
New alliances form, old ones break on the path to Northern polls
By S. Rubatheesan Following the huge setback in the recent Parliamentary polls, Northern Tamil political parties are engaged in negotiations to form electoral alliances to face the upcoming local council elections. An attempt by the main Tamil political party Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) to revive its one-time powerful electoral alliance- the now defunct Tamil [...]
Veteran Kandyan dancer’s death: A knell for traditional dance
By L. B. Senaratne Veteran Dancer Peter Surasena, who had performed since he was 12 years old in the Kandy Esala Perahera, dancing in front of the relic-bearing tusker and also in the frontline of dancers before the former Diyawadana Nilames Nugawela, Ratwatte and Wjeyaratne, and the present incumbent Pradeep Nilanga Dela, passed away after [...]
Mission possible: SLAF takes to the skies with rightsizing, modernising
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), shaped by decades of combat and post-war restructuring, is focused on downsizing to a smaller but more advanced entity by overhauling the existing fleet and upgrading technology. In an interview with the Sunday Times, newly-appointed Commander Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe discussed his vision By Dilushi Wijesinghe ‘Rightsizing’ the [...]
Two drugs for heart disease produced in Sri Lanka for first time
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi It is a first in the local pharmaceutical industry – two medications for cardiovascular disease (CVD) manufactured right here in Sri Lanka for the first time, in the market at a significantly lower price for the benefit of patients. The ‘firsts’ are Cilnidipine and Rivaroxaban from Morison Ltd., part of the Hemas [...]
Neurology care for all
ASN assures brain health across all ages with optimal resource utilisation, cost-effective solutions and multi-sectoral collaboration By Kumudini Hettiarachchi The promise to protect the brain health of all men, women and children was fervent. The Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists (ASN) will serve the country by promoting sustainable healthcare policies drawn on the principles of [...]
Selfie ‘death-traps’ on the upcountry railway need addressing, say tourist guides
Pix and text by Palitha Ariyawansa Tourist guides operating upcountry have urged railway authorities to create a safer environment for tourists travelling there by train. Tourists fascinated by the scenery hanging out of footboards or leaning out of windows to capture videos or pictures have become a common sight. Many of them are unaware of [...]