Jun 22 (GDI) A former magistrate and a diplomat it tipped as the Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province. The Governor’s chair has been vacant since former Governor Mohan Saliya Ellawala’s sudden demise last month and the President appointed Western Province Governor Alawi Maulana as the acting Governor. A decision on the appointment of a Governor to Sabaragamuwa is likely to be made at any moment. more..

Jun 22 (GDI) Moves are afoot to hold nine agriculture exhibitions island-wide to motivate the younger generation towards agriculture. These moves are under way by the Education Ministry in line with the “Api Vavamu Rata Nagamu” food production program of the Agriculture Ministry. The aims of these exhibitions are to create a habit of cultivation which would help Sri Lanka to win the food production war ‘Waga Sangramaya’. more..

Jun 22 (GDI) Medical staff will engage them selves at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and the Colombo Port to check that no A (H1N1) carriers enter the country. A Health Information Declaration Form (HDF) would be compulsory for those who enter the country to declare their health status. The Ministry of Health has posted six doctors and 40 Public Health Inspectors to the BIA, Colombo. more..

Jun 22 (GDI) The Government has declared a National Food Week from today to 28th of June. The National Food Week will certainly address and encourage people on how to cultivate and face the world's food crisis. The launch was set in motion this morning at the Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy under the patronage of Minister Maithripala Sirisena. A Ministry statement points out that the prevailing increase in hunger was not only the result of poor global harvests, but more..

Jun 22 (LT) Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dishanayake has decided to approve the application forwarded by Leader of SLFP (M) faction Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera requesting to register ‘Ape Jathika Peramuna’ (Our National Front) as a political party. Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, the Matara District MP is the president of the new party and its secretary is Ruwan Ferdinandes. more..

Jun 22 (LT) An amnesty period ending on 2nd July has been declared by Police for extremist Tamil and Muslim organizations active in the Eastern Province to hand over weapons in their possession. Meanwhile seven members of an extremist Muslim gang, said to have had links with tiger terrorist organization, were apprehended last week with firearms and bombs at Kaththankudy in the East. more..

Jun 22 (LT) 26 underworld gangs are active and carry out various crimes including contract murders, extortions, abductions and drug trafficking in Western Province with the knowledge and support of senior politicians reveal a survey carried out by the Police. The Police have identified the gangs and their active members by now and a survey conducted by the Colombo Crime Division has revealed that 13 underworld gangs are active in Colombo city. more..

Jun 22 (LT) Indians who hope to invest in Sri Lanka could be given special investment zones with all infra structure facilities states Ministry of Enterprise Development. A team of high level investors from India was told that at a time the war against terrorists which had been an obstacle for the development of the country had been completed the visit from the investors from India was an encouragement. more..

Jun 22 (LeN) S. Piyasena is a veteran journalist who associated many of the legendary politicians. He was also a diplomat and his son is now following his path. Eighty seven year old Mr. Piyasena was interviewed by a weekend newspaper as he was in a holiday back home. Here we post some excerpts from the interview. Question: Is it true that you advised the Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara as well last week? more..

Jun 22 (LT) The heroic security Forces made tremendous sacrifices not to strengthen separatism in a new round and the President has not received any mandate to devolve power said President of Patriotic National Centre (PNC) Ven. Dhambara Amila Thero. Ven. Dhambara Amila Thero said, “The establishing of this centre is important only if we strengthen our ability to meet future challenges. more..

Jun 22 (AT) The Tamil political parties are busy making final arrangements to contest in the Jafnna Municipal Council and Vavuniya Urban Council elections. Already an independent group has filed its nomination for the Jaffna Municipal Council.V. Anandasangaree said that Tamizh Democratic National Alliance consisting of TULF, PLOTE and EPRLF (Pathmanabha) Group, will be contesting alone in the local bodies elections. more..

Jun 22 (LT) The JVP has raised concern regarding the inaction of the Ministry of Health to implement recommendations by a panel of experts to adopt a bio-control method used in Cuba to control the Dengue mosquitoes. JVP MP Vijithe Herath said his party had concerns about the non-implementation of this recommendation despite the rise of the Dengue epidemic at an alarming rate in the country. more..

Jun 22 (CT) Popular tuition master Upul Shantha Sannasgala has had a forged signature case filed against him postponed till October 23. Kandy additional magistrate Thanuja Jayatunga has took up the petition. Mr. Sannasgala has been accused by petitioner S.M. Jayasundara of Kandy of having forged his signature for a bogus agreement. The suspect was arrested by Kandy Police in July 2006 and granted bail by the court. more..

Jun 22 (SLBC) Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage has informed the Department of Immigration and Emigration to not allow anyone to enter the country through the Katunayake International Airport or the Colombo harbour without filling the necessary personal health forms. The relevant letter has already been sent to the Immigration and Emigration Controller. more..

Jun 22 (LB) Health authorities last week cautioned against blowing the A(H1N1) influenza out of proportion, saying fear psychosis over the disease that was inappropriately named 'swine flu' might cause the public to ignore the deadly dengue virus which continues to claim lives. "Based on the latest available data on A(H1N1) infections and deaths worldwide, you can see that there is a less than 0.05 mortality rate for every 100 patients," more..

Jun 22 (LB) LTTE media spokesman Daya Master has not divulged names of any journalist in his confession, although the government claimed otherwise saying that Daya Master had given the names of journalists in the pay of the LTTE. Highly placed sources told LAKBIMAnEWS that during the 4½ hour confession made by Daya Master before Colombo Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachchi, there was no information regarding journalists. more..

Jun 22 (LB) The ‘war’ on bribery and corruption has now begun in a bid to rid the public sector of graft and bribery. Although politicians including ministers were preaching anti corruption sermons, the most rampant corruption was within the state apparatus. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption had received 79 complaints in 2008 against politicians, including ministers and MPs. more..

Jun 22 (LB) When Maradana was Marandine, Kalutara was Caltura and Badulla was Baj ulla, Sri Lanka was part of the British Empire. Then, when one wished to send a letter to the nearest important town to Bajulla which was Bandarawela, the word Bandravel at the bottom of the envelope was accepted by the post office. Even middle class English speaking people followed the English manner and went on vacation to New Reliya, which meant Nuwara Eliya, more..

Jun 22 (LeN) “Akasa Kusum” (Flowers of the sky), directed by Prasanna Vithanage, has won the NETPAC award for Best Asian Film at the third Cines del Sur Festival in Granada, Spain. “Akasa Kusum” shares the award with “Before the Burial” by Iranian director Behnam Behzadi. It beat out films from such countries as India, Korea, the Palestine, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Iraq. more..

Jun 22 (MoD) MP Basil Rajapaksa instructed officials to complete the development of the access road to the Madhu shrine before the annual Madhu festival. Funds for the project was allocated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was Prime Minister. The total cost of the project is Rs. 95 million. He made this order when the Presidential Task Force on Northern Development chaired by him reviewed the progress of the development activities in the Mannar district more..

Jun 22 (MoD) The Navy has stepped up patrol in the Palk Straits to thwart fishermen taking advantage of the easing of fishing restrictions to engage in smuggling and other illegal activities. The naval presence had been increased in view of the lifting of fishing restrictions on June 19. They said that though the LTTE had been destroyed and was no longer capable of posing a military challenge, certain controls would be necessary to prevent more..

Jun 22 (LP) First child with H1N1 flue which was reported last week was cured of it and discharged from the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) at Angoda. The other three patients are likely to be discharged in few days and eight more awaiting clearance were isolated at Angoda. The national and international health authorities urged the public not to panic but be alert, assuring that systems were in place in Sri Lanka to face this situation. more..

Jun 22 (LP) Sri Lanka is to build a war museum soon in order to exhibit varieties of military items, Sri Lanka Army Chief said. Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka said that the proposed war museum will have military equipment that were recovered from the Tamil Tigers. General Fonseka made this comment during a visit to Mullaitivu last Friday. He said that it would be a largest one in comparison to the national museum.

Jun 22 (LP) The President of the Sri Lanka Cuban Parliamentary Friendship Association Tissa Vitarana said that the false case against the five innocent Cubans, who were collecting information on a terrorist plan against Cuba, and their prolonged incarceration, has been condemned worldwide. It is the only US trial ever condemned by the Human Rights Commission. We are now awaiting a decision of the US Supreme Court on whether or not they will hear the appeal of these Cuban five. more..

Jun 22 (DN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday asserted that Sri Lanka’s future economic strategies would be based on “home-grown” policies which would supplement the unique needs of the country. Addressing new recruits to the national planning service of the Finance and Planning Ministry, the President emphasised that strategies should be developed by locals who have a thorough understanding of the ground realities with the intention of projecting what’s best for the country. more..

Jun 22 (DN) Vocational and Technical Training Minister Piyasena Gamage briefed the Daily News on the developments in the vocational and technical training sector, especially in view of the rehabilitation process taking place following the end of the war against terrorism. He said the vocational and technical training sector plays a key role in developing the country. more..

Jun 22 (DN) Nation Building Minister Susantha Punchinilame yesterday said the people of the North are responding positively to develop their provinces under the 180-day accelerated development program planned for the North under the Uthuru Vasanthaya while the process of demining and clearance of unexpected objects have reached near-completion in the province. He said the public of the Mannar, Vavuniya, Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullativu districts have placed their faith more..

Jun 22 (DN) Former UNP stalwart Dr. GMS Zurfick yesterday said he is confident that the Government under the able guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa will take steps to resettle all Muslims who were chased away by the LTTE terrorists from the Mullativu and Jaffna districts in the 1980s and 1990s. He said over 75,000 Muslims were living in the northern province and they were forcibly evicted from their original habitat within 24 hours by the LTTE to more..

Jun 22 (Island) Leo Perera’s summary essay ‘The 13th Amendment to the Constitution –– Devolution of Public Order and exercise of Police powers –– Indo-Lanka Accord has no such requirement’ (The Island News paper, 6/10/2009) explaining (1) the conflict between 13-A and 17-A, and (2) the failed past attempts during the colonial times (1892-1905) to implement police powers by Government Agents at the Province-level, is a significant contribution especially due to three new developments we see today. more..

Jun 22 (Island) Around 1,000 undergraduates who took over the main administrative block of the Sri Jayewardenepuara University last Thursday continue to occupy it in protest against what they term the nonpayment of their Mahapola Scholarship allowance for over one year. Students allege the university is planning to have a ceremony to be presided over by Minister Bandula Gunawardena to initiate payment of their allowance. more..

Jun 22 (Island) A leading academic says instead of producing leaders universities have become guerrilla training centres for students. Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof. told The Island yesterday that he was shocked by the high incidence of indiscipline in universities as evident from mobs of undergraduates depriving other students of their legitimate right to education. more..

Jun 22 (Island) Nurses of the National Cancer Institute, Maharagama have decided against resuming the administration of vital Cytotoxic drug treatment, as their discussions with the Health Ministry officials failed last Friday. Nurses’ Union representatives met Health Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage and Director General of Health Services Dr. Ajith Mendis. National Organiser of the All Ceylon Nurses Union, Sisira Senaratne said that the meeting had ended inconclusively and more..

Jun 22 (DM) Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) is in the process of exploring the possibility of using nuclear energy for future power generation, Chairman and Minister Tissa Vitharana said. He said cabinet approval would be sought shortly to initiate a programme for ‘Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Use,’. “Though the initial cost is higher than that of a coal power station, operational and maintenance cost is relatively low compared to coal power plants while carbon emission is zero,” more..

Jun 22 (DM) The leader of a gang that had extorted money from wealthy businessmen in Colombo and suburbs by posing as police and army officers, had been arrested by a police team from the Colombo Crime Division. Police sources said that he was arrested on a complaint made by a Muslim businessman in Colombo. The suspect who is also a Muslim national had met the businessman by posing as a police investigator. more..

Jun 22 (DM) With the alarming rise of the Dengue epidemic, controversy surrounds as to why the Health Ministry did not implement recommendations by an experts panel to adopt a bio-control method used in Cuba to control the Dengue mosquitoes. The JVP which raised concern about it, said that a committee headed by Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana recommended this bio-control system to be adopted in Sri Lanka to control mosquito breeding. more..

Jun 22 (DM) Setting up a permanent commission comprising local personalities to inquire into allegations of serious violations of human rights against the security forces and the police will be one of the main recommendations by the presidential commission that looked into serious violations of human rights, Chairman of the Commission, retired Supreme Court judge Nissanka Udalagama said. more..

Jun 22 (ANN) Sri Lanka and the Maldives have agreed to share intelligence information following Maldivian concerns that money laundering and drug trafficking through its territory may be linked to Tamil Tigers activities. Visiting Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, during talks with President and foreign minister had referred to the dual problem of money laundering and drug trafficking faced by his country and stressed the need for concrete measures to deal with the problem. more..

Jun 22 (FL) The only thing constant in life is change. This universally acknowledged fact holds good for “the victors and the vanquished” of Sri Lanka’s Eelam War IV. Human history is littered with examples of role reversal. The history of post-British Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) reinforces this point. On the afternoon of May 19, the Sri Lankan military scored a comprehensive victory in its war against the LTTE. more..

Jun 22 (CP) A University of Waterloo student has lost his appeal to avoid extradition to the United States on charges he supported the Tamil Tigers, who have been declared a terrorist group. The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that Ramanan Mylvaganam, who is in his early 30s and from Malton, Ont., very likely knew he was assisting the group. Three judges said it could be "reasonably inferred" that Mylvaganam "knew he was assisting the LTTE for the prohibited purposes." more..

Jun 22 (FL) It was celebration time for the “victors”. On June 3, at the Galle Face Green in Colombo against the backdrop of the placid waters of the Indian Ocean, a colourful function was organised to mark the military’s rout of the LTTE. Contingents from all the three services marched past their supreme commander, President Rajapaksa. For almost three hours, singers and dancers enthralled the audience. The victory rally was telecast live. more..

Jun 22 (WT) Sri Lanka recently emerged victorious from one of the world's longest-running conflicts, once termed an "unwinnable" war with the LTTE. The LTTE is considered one of the deadliest terrorist groups, having invented the concept of the modern-day suicide bomber and carried out the murder of two sitting heads of state. In addition, the Tamil Tigers pioneered use of female suicide bombers, homemade minisubmarines, ultralight aircraft and "warehouse ships" pre-positioned on the high seas to resupply terrorist operations on shore. more..

Jun 22 (EB) Sri Lanka would not like India to press it entertain the Tamil Tiger-sponsored aid ship ‘MV Captain Ali’, which vessel it had arrested and released earlier, when she tried to enter Sri Lankan territorial waters off Colombo. Reacting to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s demand that the Indian government ask Sri Lanka to allow the relief ship to land in Colombo, a senior Sri Lankan foreign ministry official said there more..

Jun 22 (EB) The Sri Lankan government was moving against armed jihadis, a new menace in the Eastern part of the island country, which just ended a long drawn out war against the LTTE, claimed a front-page report in the weekly Lakbimanews on Sunday. Official Indian sources told The New Indian Express that presence of jihadis had begun to cause concern to both Sri Lanka and India. more..

Jun 22 (LBO) Sri Lanka's official external reserves without advances to domestic banks had increased 59 million US dollars to 1,131 million US dollars in April from 1,072 million US dollars in March, the Central Bank said. With an advance to two domestic banks of 165 million US dollars, the reserve balance was 1,296 million US dollars in April, up 24 million US dollars. Last month's total reserves - with a domestic asset of 200 million US dollars - were 1,272 million US dollars. more..

Jun 22 (EB) No Tamils resident in Sri Lanka was consulted when the overseas wings of the LTTE decided to form a Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (PTGTE) nor were they included in the committee to go into the nitty gritty of the formation of such a government. “We were not consulted. We learnt about this kind of government only through the media,” more..

Jun 22 (BN) Calamander Group Pte, a Singapore- based investment company, will create the first private equity fund focused on Sri Lanka, betting the nation’s economy will prosper after the end of three decades of civil war. Calamander plans to invest between $50 million and $75 million in the island nation’s rubber, tea, timber, coconut, bank and ceramics businesses in the next 18 months, more..

jun 23 (CI) Kumar Sangakkara's tenure as Sri Lanka captain is just seven Twenty20 matches old, but has already contained a lifetime's worth of heartache and drama. Since arriving in England three weeks ago, Sangakkara has taken it upon himself to serve as the team's unofficial Lahore spokesperson, sparing team-mates the angst-ridden task of regaling the media with recollections of the March terror attack, all the while risking reopening his own barely-healed emotional wounds. more..

jun 23 (LG) There was a beneficial reference to me in last week’s Lakbima News, weekly news paper based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Underpala, in his column, had said “Bobby Boy said later that the Sri Lanka government is “afraid of dialogue, afraid of discussion.” Is it not the Canadian government that is afraid of discussion? Is that not the reason why they stopped Galloway (and even the politically toothless Vickramabahu Karunaratne) egged on by the Jewish Defence League? more..

jun 23 (LG) Sinhala jingoists and Tamil Eelam hate mongers are business partners. They are striving towards the same thing from two apparently opposing approaches. Second World War saw the convergence of three disparate groups trying to assert their racial ‘superiority’ in perfect harmony. They were the Axis. One would expect a clash between the Aryan German campaign and the Imperial Japanese campaign as more..

jun 23 (BBC) Pakistanis have been celebrating victory over Sri Lanka in Sunday's Twenty20 cricket final in the UK. Thousands of people poured onto the streets dancing and rejoicing as their team secured an eight-wicket win at Lord's cricket ground in London. Local media see the win as a boost for the country at a time when the army is locked in combat with the Taliban after a wave of suicide and other attacks. more..