Oct 5 (SLW) The Western countries that did not support Sri Lanka during the war against LTTE terror, have begun to play an anti Sri Lankan role during the post war period, as well. Some have no qualms about openly engaging in this role, yet there are others who have adopted a more subtle underhand approach. The recent statement made by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, at the last Security Council session of the UN where she was chairing, bares evidence to the above. more..

Oct 5 (LBO) Global coating and paints manufacturer AkzoNobel said a building boom anticipated with the end of a war is likely to increase demand for paints with new products launched in the market reducing maintenance costs. "The post-conflict Sri Lanka will see a resurgent in building construction, large-scale tourist resort development, infrastructure development and growth in manufacturing and power generation," more..

Oct 5 (LBO) First of all it’s necessary to say, that there can be several definitions of budget deficits such as the structural budget deficit, the inflation adjusted budget deficit, the nominal budget deficit, the primary budget deficit, the budget deficit on current account and the over-all budget deficit. Each definition has its uses for analysis. There are issues regarding grants from foreign countries, more..

Oct 5 (TP) The Sri Lankan Coordinating Committee (SLCC) Qatar and Sri Lankan Community Benevolent Fund (SLCBF) held its first membership meeting to discuss ways to provide assistance to the needy and introduce the newly-elected office bearers for 2009/2010 at the Embassy premises. Among those present were Vijayasiri Padukkage, Ambassador of Sri Lanka and Patron of the organisation and Counsellor A Tharmakulasingham. more..

Oct 5 (BBC) The government should publish the details of the IDPs immediately, says the Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC). CMC convener and parliamentarian Mano Ganesan said the government should reveal the information of the IDPs including names, permanent addresses, National Identification Card numbers and other personal details of the IDPs. The press release issued by the CMC on Sunday said that it want the government publish the ‘details of the 150000 IDPs it claims to more..

Oct 5 (TOI) With the end of the ethnic war in Sri Lanka, the Rajapakse government is dovetailing its policies to become a near shoring destination of India. The idea is to move into business spheres other than just tea and hospitality. As a first step in attracting investments in the former war zones of eastern and northern Sri Lanka, the Lankan government recently announced a 15-year tax holiday for companies setting up operations in these regions. more..

oct 5 (AFP) The United States, responding to protests from Sri Lanka over remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said it had no recent evidence of women being raped while in Sri Lankan government custody. In a letter addressed to Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama, the State Department noted that the US government and international human rights groups over the years had detailed "numerous cases of rape and sexual violence in Sri Lanka, more..

Oct 5 (GDI) While categorically rejecting the accusation leveled against the Security Forces, the Sri Lanka Freedom Lawyers Association (SLFLA) has condemned the statement made by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton stating that it never expected Clinton to make such detrimental statements without proper facts about the most disciplined Sri Lankan Armed Forces. The Association would express their concern to the UN in writing. more..

Oct 5 (GDI) The Sri Lanka Army that recorded a historical victory celebrates its 60th Anniversary. Sri Lanka Army is one of the best in the world. The people who watched the humanitarian operation from their living rooms are now flocking the exhibition grounds to gain experience of the historical war events. The skills displayed by the Army Brigades and Regiments in the Wanni humanitarian operations are on display at the exhibition. more..

Oct 5 (GDI) President Mahinda Rajapaksa has requested the southern voters to give a proper reply to the people who make allegations against Sri Lanka. The President expressed these views while addressing the first rally of the Southern Provincial Council election. He requested the people of Matara to give a proper reply for the people who spread canard and allegations about Sri Lanka and give the correct message to the world. more..

Oct 5 (GDI) The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka granted investment approval to Phytosynthese Lanka (Private) Limited to set up a project related to medicinal plant cultivation. Mr. Dhammika Perera, Chairman / Director General signed the agreement on behalf of the BOI and formally presented the BOI Certificate of Registration to Mr. Thierry Picaud, Managing Director of Phytosynthese, France. more..

Oct 5 (GDI) Arrangements have been made to conduct a conference and an exhibition in Jaffna after 30 years, Governor of the Northern Province Major General G.A Chandrasiri said. This event will be organized by the Ministry of Provincial Local Government, assisted by the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government of the Central Government, monitored by the Northern Province Governor. more..

Oct 5 (GDI) The Government will implement an island-wide development program with Negombo as a central town and its surrounding areas in view of ‘World Habitat Day’ which falls today. The theme is ‘Planning our Urban Future’. The main objective is to implement various development programs to benefit the tourist industry, fisheries industry as well as agriculture in the next 10 years. more..

Oct 5 (LG) Not very long ago, a suggestion was doing the rounds for parties and groups of the minorities in Sri Lanka having to identify with one or the other of the two ‘mainline parties’ in the country. The reference was obviously to the SLFP leader of the ruling UPFA and the Opposition UNP. The suggestion was often attributed to the ruling combine, particularly the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The suggestion was often attributed to the ruling combine, particularly the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

Oct 5 (GDI) The Flyover at Dehiwela which will be a solution to traffic congestion on the Galle Road will be vested in the public shortly. All arrangements have been finalised for the opening. The total cost of the project is Rs.920 million which has been funded by the British Government. The two-lane flyover will be 337 metres in length and 7.35 metres in width. Construction of the flyover commenced on July 7 this year. more..

Oct 5 (LG) Nitin A Gokhale, in his 26-year career as a journalist, has covered insurgencies in the North-East and Kashmir, the 1999 Kargil War, the Maoist upheavals and many other sensitive stories. But in his own words, his experience of covering the so-called Eelam War IV, which culminated with the killing of Velupillai Prabhakaran and virtual annihilation of the LTTE by a determined and ruthless Sri Lankan Army, was something completely different from more..

Oct 5 (MoD) Some powerful countries are trying to tarnish the good name of our Motherland by levelling various accusations and insults alluding that our Security Forces have committed crimes and I would like to challenge these countries to provide us with a comprehensive report to prove the same, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday in Matara. more..

Oct 5 (LP) There are only two more elections to be held with the conclusion of the Southern Provincial Council Elections said Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena. He said that the Presidential Election will be followed by the General Election next year. Accordingly the Presidential Elections will be held in January where President Mahinda Rajapaksa will serve the country as President for another 08 years. more..

Oct 5 (LP) Rs.900 million has been allocated by the Sri Lankan government to develop Mankulam as one of the main cities and the principal town of the North and the second largest town in the Vavuniya District in the Northern Province. The government has already made a special project plan to carry out this development process in Mankulam to be re-modeled after New Delhi, India under a directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

Oct 5 (LP) The 29th death anniversary of General Sir John Kothalawala was celebrated in a simple ceremony at the Gen sir John Kothalawala Defence University yesterday (04). The Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Air Chief Marshall Roshan Goonetilleke attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest accompanied by his wife Mrs Nelun Goonetilleke. The SLAF Commander placed a wreath at the Statue of the late General. more..

Oct 5 (UNP) The controversial Deniyaya Palace which is being built allegedly on people’s funds and resources of the Maga neguma project created by the Govt. ostensibly to serve the masses, but claimed by Opposition parties as a project to fatten and nourish the President’s kith and kin has become a Dracula Castle where anyone who dares to probe into or protest against is ‘devoured’ by the Govt.’s blood thirsty Draculas. more..

Oct 5 (LT) Despite carrying out propaganda by the top men that UPFA would receive more than 80% votes at the Southern PC election, a survey carried out recently has indicated that the government party would not be able to achieve victory with such a margin. The reports of the survey have shown that the UPFA would not receive such a percentage from Hambantota either, the birthplace of President Mahinda Rajapakse. more..

Oct 5 (LT) The UNP candidate for the Southern PC election Manushe Nanayakkara has asked the Commissioner of Elections and TRC to stop the illegal radio channel broadcasting messages asking voters to cast their votes to Ms. Anarkali Akasha, contesting from the UPFA. In his complaint states the radio channel is broadcast over FM 97 95 channels and has asked the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to hold a comprehensive inquiry regarding the radio channel which is being carried out illegally. more..

Oct 5 (LT) The residence cum office of UNP MP Range Bandara at Magampagama has been set on fire by an unknown group. Mr. Range Bandara said the house was used as the UNP office and had been set on fire by somebody. He said he suspects arson. The house has been set on fore while Mr. Bandara was away in the South taking part in UNP campaign for the Southern PC election. A neighbor noticing the house in flames had informed the police after more..

Oct 5 (LT) A request made by police from Chief Magistrate of Matara M.K.A. Peiris to issue a warrant to arrest the convener of the United Unemployed Graduates Union and another graduate for taking the initiative to launch and continue a ‘Sathyagraha’ opposite the bus stand at Matara has been rejected. Producing a ‘B’ report to the Court on the 2nd the OIC of the crimes section of Matara Police more..

Oct 5 (LT) Reporters attached of Sirasa TV, Lankadeepa and TNL and Messrs Ravi Karunanayake, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake the UNP who went to take photographs of a mansion being built at Deniyaya were attacked by Minister Dilan Perera and UPFA candidates in Southern Provincial election Tusitha Dayanayake and Wijaya Dahanayaka damaging their vehicles. The victims who went to Matara Police Station to make a complaint of the incident were denied to do so. more..

Oct 5 (MoD) The Textile Industry Development Ministry will open two textile training institutions in the Vavuniya and Cheddikulam Welfare Villages. The two textile training institutions will pay Rs. 2,000 to each participant during the training course and material required by trainees will also be provided free of charge. Specialized training on the textile industry was vitally important in the IDP villages because young men and women with skill would be absolutely essential. more..

Oct 5 (LNW) Alliance candidate at the Southern Provincial Council election from the Matara District, Sarath Weerawansa and a group of supporters who were arrested along with weapons by the Pitabeddara Police on Saturday (3) morning when they were returning after attacking a group of JVP supporters were released without even being presented before a magistrate following an order issued from the Presidential Secretariat. more..

Oct 5 (MoD) "The Government has correctly identified hidden potentials of our soldiers and leadership qualities and made use of them to decimate the world's most ruthless terrorists who raged a 30 year war debilitating economic and social conditions of our country. Working as a team was another factor for our success" said Secretary Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa. more..

Oct 5 (LNP) Hambantota is one of the most backward districts in Sri Lanka. The Central Bank report 2005, ranks Hambantota as the third poorest district in the country and the poorest in the maritime provinces, with 32 percent of its population classified as poor. At every election, politicians had promised to develop the district. However, the plight of the people remains the same. more..

Oct 5 (LNP) Stockpiles of LTTE`s weapons currently on display at the BMICH are proof that Prabhakaran was never for a political solution and successive governments only played into his hands by trying to talk peace with him. The question that those who advocated a negotiated solution should answer is whether the LTTE would ever have agreed to hand over those weapons upon which depended its survival. more..

Oct 5 (LG) If anyone mentioned the name Bandaranaike, he would get a white van ride by night, says Ranil Wickremasinghe, Opposition leader and leader of the United National Party. Addressing a rally organised in Elpitiya on Saturday, he said that when UNPers began a speech, they mentioned names such as D. S. Senanayake and Dudley Senanayake. “I know that members of the SLFP like to vote for their party. more..

Oct 5 (DN) The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has decided to appoint a high level working group consisting of experts from the TRCSL, premier IT institutions and the Attorney General’s Department to implement a comprehensive cyber security program in the country. TRCSL Director General Priyantha Kariyapperuma, said this program is aimed at preventing website crashes and child pornography. more..

Oct 5 (DN) I write with reference to the article which appeared on September 1, in the Opinion Page of your newspaper titled “Terrorists or tomorrow’s allies?” by Bruce Haigh. I wish to address you on two major concerns contained in this article i.e. the distortion of the national flag of Sri Lanka and facts presented by Haigh on Sri Lanka. At the outset, I place on record the objections of the Sri Lankan Government that a reputed newspaper such as yours more..

Oct 5 (DN) The funeral of five persons of the same family crushed to death by a huge kapok tree that crashed on their shanty at Wiskam Road, Galwadugoda, Galle, took place yesterday afternoon at the Municipal Public Cemetery at Dadalla, Galle, with the participation of a large crowd including several political and community leaders. The tree fell on to the hut of the family last Friday due to heavy rain and stormy weather. more..

Oct 5 (DN) The improving of productivity in all public and private sector entities will move the country’s economy forward, which needs to be promoted at grass root level , Director- National Productivity Secretariat Upali Marasinghe said. “In 1966 Sri Lanka became a member of the Asian Productivity Organization, which paved the way to promote the national productivity concept in all sectors and as a result of it, the National Productivity Organization was established”, he said. more..

Oct 5 (Island) A top official of the Central Bank says inflation is forecast to increase by about 5 percent by December but said the need to tighten monetary policy would not be required while the Central Bank continues to persuade commercial banks to increase lending to the private sector as the credit squeeze continues with government attracting more commercial bank lending. Net credit to the government has increased by 90.7 percent from Rs. 399.9 billion as at July 2008 more..

Oct 5 (Island) As one of the oldest surviving beneficiaries of the Kannangara bonanza to the have-nots, I read nostalgically, "A tribute to a man in a million by a grateful beneficiary" written by Dr. B.J.C.Perera, Consultant Pediatrician and published in the Island of the 28th September. As I read the tribute, I felt proud to see a co-traveller from the backwoods, handling the Queen’s language, even better than ‘what Shakespeare spake’. more..

Oct 5 (Island) UPFA Galle District candidate Nishantha Muttuhettigama on Saturday returned to Galle from Colombo to campaign for the Southern Provincial Council elections. Muttuhettigama, embroiled in a dispute with some other UPFA candidates, Anarkali Akarsha and Sajin Vas Gunawardene, quit the campaign and took refuge in Colombo for almost a week. The election for the SPC is scheduled for next Saturday. more..

Oct 5 (DM) The government would decide whether it should present a Vote on Account instead of budget this time at the Cabinet meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said yesterday. He told Daily Mirror that he had a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss this matter in Matara. “The idea for a Vote on Account has emerged strongly in the party now. more..

Oct 5 (DM) SLFP (Mahajana Wing) leader Mangala Samaraweera yesterday dismissed speculation that former President Chandrika Kumaratunga or her son Vimukthi Kumaratunga would enter active politics. “I can categorically say that they will not enter politics at all,” he said. Mr. Samaraweera was responding to a query whether there was any plan by him to bring them to the proposed UNP-led alliance through his party. more..

Oct 5 (AN) The religious of Sri Lanka committed to helping Tamil refugees have demanded that President Mahinda Rajapaksa release the over 200 thousand IDPs from refugee camps in the North of the Country, where they are suffering "torment". The Center for Society & Religion (CSR) and the Conference of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS) promoters of the so-called "ministry of presence" among IDPs, sent President of Sri Lanka a letter in which more..

Oct 5 (DM) BOI Chairman Dammika Perera recently said that engineering professionals required the practical education to meet economic needs and were meant to work in collaboration with the cutting edge technology industries. The BOI chief was speaking on the occasion of the Meeting of the Federation of Engineers of South and Central Asia. He asserted the need to build “a truly Asian technological capability” by Sri Lanka linking up with more..

Oct 5 (LBO) An American business delegation with executives from top multinationals, including Fortune 500 firms, will visit Sri Lanka this month looking for investments with the end of the ethnic war. "This is perhaps the first large US Government business initiative since the end of the internal conflict in Sri Lanka," the American Chambers of Commerce (AmCham) in Colombo said in a statement. more..

Oct 5 (Island) Amidst allegations by some South Indian politicians that the Sri Lanka Navy attacks Indian fishermen near the international maritime boundary even after the end of the war, a combined Indo-Lanka naval exercise off Colombo is being planned. A three-day exercise is scheduled to begin early this week in the Western Naval Area. The LTTE collapsed on May 18 after bloody clashes on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon eliminated the last group of terrorists, more..

Oct 5 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's stock market .CSE hit a record high on Monday on investor hopes of strong post-war economic growth amid declining interest rates and easing inflation, analysts and traders said. The All-Share Price Index of Colombo Stock Exchange rose 1.8 percent to 3,072.53 points by 0524 GMT. The previous record of 3,038.48 points was set on Feb. 19, 2007, Reuters data shows. more..

Oct 5 (DM) A political solution to the ethnic issue will not be found until a new parliament is convened after a likely general Election in March as the Mahinda Rajapaksa government expects a clear 2/3 majority to pass a new Constitution based on APRC proposals, APRC Chairman and Minister Tissa Vitarana said yesterday. more..

Oct 6 (LG) Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama who recently returned from a visit to New York after attending the UNGA with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka briefed the media today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during which he discussed in detail, various issues stemming from the meetings and interaction he had with his counterparts and other dignitaries on the sidelines of the UNGA. more..