Dec 21 (CT) With the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord, Citizens’ Committees in the North-East were quick to seek the assistance of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) regarding the resettlement of Tamils in areas from which they were displaced by the combined action of the Sri Lankan Forces and politically supported mobs. Trincomalee District was one area where this problem was extremely grave as testified by numerous ruined dwellings. The IPKF delegated senior officers to more..

Dec 21 (FT) UNP MP Dr. Harsha de Silva has proposed the Govt establish the EPF as a detached institution from the Central Bank (CB) to eliminate the conflicts of interest and to make prudent investment decisions. “The CB has been borrowing EPF money at uncompetitive rates. The fund has also made losses by investing in the stock market. Specifically by investing in Browns, Ceylon Grain Elevators, Galadari Hotel, Laugfs Holdings, more..

Dec 21 (E24|7) The owner of the Kumari Florists in Kirindiwela had been sentenced to death by Gamapaha High Court judge for brutally killing a 16-year-old schoolboy in Kirindiwela town for carrying on a love affair with the florist’s niece. Attorney-General had filed a case at the Gampaha High Court against three accused of brutally killing the young boy by chopping at the Bandaranaike Avenue in Kirindiwela on April 4, 2000. The second accused had died while the trial was going on more..

Dec 21 (Island) LOLC Micro Credit (LOMC) reiterating its commitment to uplift the educational standards of children of Sri Lanka, held its annual ‘Isuru Diriya Sisu Upahara Scholarship Award Program’ at the Bishop’s College Auditorium in Colombo. This year’s event was held for the fourth consecutive year, at which LOMC awarded scholarships and gifts to over 550 students from diverse communities across the country. Out of this, 200 students who obtained top results more..

Dec 21 (ST) A survey this week to seek the Sri Lankan perspective on the entry of casinos attracting high-spending tourists found most of the people not in favour of this kind of economic development. Two polls were conducted on email and a street poll. The opposition was more severe from the street where people said such development was not in keeping with the cultural values of the country. more..

Dec 21 (FT) Opposition lawmaker Dr. Harsha de Silva cautioned the House to find new ways to prevent financial frauds taking examples from the Golden Key and the recent Central Investment and Finance Limited (CIFL) debacles. “There is no point in us inventing laws unless they follow it,” he said exposing the “Ponzi scheme of the CIFL”. Showing how the CIFL has misled the depositors Dr. de Silva said: “In a letter dated 12 June 2011 CIFL confirms to have received approval from more..

Dec 21 (ST) In response to an official media release issued by the Western Province Badminton Association (WPBA) the President of Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) Suraj Dandeniya stated that he is not bothered about statements made by non-functional elements. Dandeniya said this while counteracting on the letter sent by the WPBA duly signed by its President L.R. Ariyananda in reply to a statement made by the SLBA chief. The WPBA statement goes on to say: more..

Dec 21 (Island) Zoo insiders blamed the semi-starvation diets that animals were put through, to save money, for the swallowing of the male green anaconda by his decade-old partner on Thursday. An official at the National Zoological Gardens in Dehiwela, who did not wish to be identified, told The Island that it was not only giant snakes who were starved, but almost all animals were thoroughly neglected in the zoo. more..

Dec 21 (Island) The Kalutara Magistrate yesterday remanded, till Dec 23, a doctor serving at the Nagoda hospital, on three charges against him. The doctor had been charged with riding a motor cycle without a valid riding licence under the influence of liquor, assaulting police officers on duty and causing disturbances under the influence of liquor. SSP Ajith Rohana said that the doctor concerned had assaulted a Sub Inspector of Police, attached to Kalutara police station, on Thursday night more..

Dec 21 (CT) The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has obtained intelligence reports regarding people who have become rich by dealing heroin. According to a high-ranking official, who conduct investigations on heroin dealings, public tend to give more information about drug dealers following the controversy surrounding a heroin container raided by the Sri Lanka Customs recently. Police had taken steps to get the assistance of the Department of Inland Revenue (IRD) to find people who more..

Dec 21 (DM) Popular actress Nadeesha Hemamalee, who is set to contest the upcoming elections to the Southern Provincial Council on the UNP ticket, said today the two popular actresses Geetha Kumarasinghe and Anarkali Aakarsha, who represent the UPFA in the SPC would not be a challenge to her. “I will not consider them as a challenge. It is the people who are a challenge to me. To me what is important or what more..

Dec 21 (FT) Work on several rural bridges out of a total of 27 to be built in the Matale district has already been completed just five months after the foundation stones were laid by Minister Basil Rajapaksa. These bridges are being built under the program for building 210 bridges country-wide to link villages with towns and cities, launched under Minister Rajapaksa’s direction. The program introduced in accordance with the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ Vision is activated in more..

Dec 21 (FT) Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management is one of the few Ministries that continues to enjoy a steady increase in budgetary allocation during the past five years. The recent allocation of Rs. 40 billion from Budget 2014, will be used for further “expanding of the irrigation projects and continue to establish infrastructure necessary for distributing drinking water,” Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva assured the Parliament. Elaborating on the recent irrigation projects, more..

Dec 21 (PTI) Sri Lanka said it is mulling to take back some 99 strategic oil storage tanks leased to the Indian Oil Company's local unit Lanka IOC in the eastern port district of Trincomalee in 2002. Accusing the main opposition UNP of privatising state-owned enterprises during their rule, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told parliament that his govt was bent on preserving the state enterprises under state control. more..

Dec 21 (Island) Reports indicate that the active membership of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is around 2.2 million and in addition 8.7 million membership is reported as defunct due to numerous reasons. This is the largest social security fund in Asia with over one trillion rupees. However its not certain how authentic these figures and information are. Secretary of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZ&GSEU) Anton Marcus further told The Island more..

Dec 21 (Island) Monitoring of turtle hatcheries, in coastal areas, was not the business of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), as the subject was under the purview of Wildlife Conservation Department (WCD), NARA said yesterday. NARA Research Officer Dr. Rekha Maldeniya said that over 90% of turtle hatcheries along the coastal belt were not functioning properly as it was a big business with the development of the tourism industry. more..

Dec 21 (Island) A group of govt MPs has commenced collecting signatures of fellow MPs to a petition, addressed to Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, requesting that the live telecast of parliamentary proceedings be stopped. The MPs have observed, in their petition, that the decision to have live telecasts was a step in the right direction, but it had been abused by the Opposition MPs to sling mud at govt members. more..

Dec 21 (FT) President Rajapaksa on Thursday hosted the annual Christmas festival at Temple Trees with the participation of Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. Addressing the event, Cardinal Ranjith said Christmas is not a part of consumerism and people should realise the true spirit of Christmas which celebrates spiritual values, justice and equality. Rev. Father Benedict Joseph conducted the mass at the festival while Christmas carols were sung in all three languages more..

Dec 21 (Island) Minister Kumara Welgama said that the two best companies in Sri Lanka were the SLFP and the UNP. But, he said, many crafty politicians had joined those parties for self-aggrandizement. Some politicians had amassed a great deal of wealth disproportionate to their income levels. Some had begun to maintain large-scale business enterprises. But, a few genuine politicians could be found in the SLFP, he said. Speaking at the opening of a new Pharmaceutical Corporation more..

Dec 21 (Island) President Rajapaksa told Parliament that the need of the hour was to form a broad alliance comprising both, the govt and opposition to develop the country for the sake of people. President Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the minister of finance, delivering the reply speech of the debate, on budget 2014, last evening, said the govt and the opposition should debate and deliberate the matters pertaining to the development of the more..

Dec 21 (DM) Education Minister Bandula Gunewardena this week announced the govt’s decision to change the nature of the Grade 5 Scholarship exam. According to him, from 2016, the exam will not be a competitive exam like it is now. According to Gunewardena, the current need for competitiveness will not arise from 2016 as by that time the Education Ministry’s 1,000 schools programme will be completed. According to him the parents will not have to compete to enroll more..

Dec 21 (DM) The Budget 2014 proposes new initiatives to support commercialisation of inventions. An important initiative that the Ministry of Research and Technology is believed to be contemplating is to set up a technology park in Sri Lanka (in addition to the Nano-Technology Park, Homagama) with a focus on commercialising inventions in a wide range of fields through new venture creation. This would be a welcome idea from the viewpoint of many: researchers, businessmen/entrepreneurs, more..

Dec 21 (ST) Two companies that take money from the public and promise hefty returns to those who view advertisements on their websites are being investigated by the Central Bank (CB). The regulator has requisitioned for the accounts of Panora Advertising and Luminous Advertising to determine whether they are being run as Ponzi schemes, a senior official said. The CB has learnt of other companies conducting more..

Dec 21 (SL) The focus of the international community is on the issue of accountability in the last phase of the war that ended in 2009. Each six month cycle of meetings of the UNHRC in Geneva brings with it high powered international visitors to Sri Lanka. The 23rd visit of Japan’s special envoy on peace building has been the most high profile one in recent days. But there have been several other less high profile visitors who more..

Dec 21 (DBS) Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Eksath Jathika Pakshaya Nayakathuma is portrayed as the single cause for the perceived decline suffered by the UNP. It is said that Ranil is a liability to the UNP and that the party can revive and renew itself only after he quits or is jettisoned. Sadly a substantial number subscribing to this view are within the UNP itself. Now I do recognize and acknowledge that the leadership style of more..

Dec 21 (ST) Buses, the common man’s mode of transport, are creating unacceptable risks to life, and private buses – the largest component of the nation’s 23,000 strong fleet – are the most dangerous, experts warn. Transport authorities agree, and say transport licence rules will be altered to prevent private fleets from employing drivers with no passenger transport skills. The latest in a string of accidents was reported on more..

Dec 21 (YP) Paul Farbrace last night described his decision to leave Yorkshire as “probably the hardest of my career”. Farbrace has quit his post as second team coach to become head coach of Sri Lanka. Yorkshire say they are in no rush to replace the 46-year-old, who takes up his new job on January 1 having signed a two-year contract. Possible candidates to replace him include former England all-rounder Anthony McGrath, more..

Dec 21 (Island) The Health Ministry warned that people of the North, East and certain parts of the Central Province to take precautions against dengue as it could rise due to the Northeast monsoons. Health Ministry Spokesman, Dharma Wanninayake said people in Jaffna, Vavuniya and the Eastern and Central Provinces were at risk of contracting the mosquito borne disease. He said, however, that there had not been a more..

Dec 21 (Island) Power and Energy Ministry Secretary M.M.C. Ferdinando has expressed concern over the frequent breakdowns at the first coal fired power plant, at Norochcholai, while seeking explanations from the CEB top management. Ferdinando had inquired from CEB General Manager Shavindranath Fernando whether knowhow and machinery of the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CENEC), that built more..

Dec 21 (CT) The controversy surrounding the involvement of Prime Minister, D.M. Jayaratne, in a heroin scandal reached new heights yesterday with Leader of the JHU, Ven. Omalpe Sobhita Thera, challenging UNP MP, Mangala Samaraweera, to reveal the names of drug dealers in Parliament. Ven. Thera also demanded the police chief to arrest and interrogate him, if the parliamentarian failed to do so, as more..

Dec 21 (Reuters) Sri Lanka's securities regulator on Saturday ordered main listed companies to ensure that at least 20% of their shares were available to trade by the end of 2016 to raise liquidity, attract foreign funds and curb manipulation. The long-debated directive came after foreign investors repeatedly complained about a lack of liquidity on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The bourse, capitalised at 2.44 trillion rupees, more..

Dec 21 (PTI) Expressing dismay over reports of Indian Coast Guard participating in naval exercises with Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today asked PM Manmohan Singh to recall the two ships and Coast Guard personnel participating in the event in the island nation. "This is in complete and callous disregard of the strong views and emotions of the people of Tamil Nadu clearly and more..

Dec 21 (CT) On Thursday, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena took a room full of scribes, who gathered to report his otherwise lukewarm press conference by surprise when he said, rather offhandedly, that the Grade Five Scholarship Exam would be ‘a thing of the past by 2016.’ The announcement he made was not a casual affair. The Grade Five Scholarship Exam, controversial and awed by parents and students alike is an integral part of the Sri Lankan student life. more..

Dec 21 (CT) The Stono Rebellion of 1739 was the largest slave uprising in pre-Independent America. Many Southern states responded to this unexpected freedom-struggle with the Negro Act which imposed severe restrictions on slaves, including an education-ban. Knowledge, the slave-states realised, was inconsistent with mindless submission. Today’s power-wielders are often beset by similar cares. The need to keep constituencies in pliable ignorance is not limited to govts. more..

Dec 21 (CG) The UNP adopted four resolutions at the party convention held in Sirikotha today. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake proposed the resolutions and party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe then called for a show of hands to have them approved. All four resolutions were eventually approved by the party members attending the 55th convention of the UNP. One resolution states that the party will work towards victory more..

Dec 21 (Island) The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), in collaboration with the Family Health Bureau (FHB), Health Education Bureau (HEB) and the UNICEF, will launch a website giving information on food and nutrition. The launching of the Website will take place on December 29 at Sambodhi Viharaya Colombo. GMOA General Committee member Dr. Nalinda Herath told The Island that for the first time in Sri Lanka a website on food and nutrition would be introduced. more..

Dec 21 (CG) The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in Ramanathapuram, India has extended till Jan 3 the judicial remand of 59 Sri Lankan fishermen, arrested by the Tharuvaikulam Marine police between September and November for fishing in Indian waters off Kanyakumari illegally. CJM N. Dharman extended the remand of the fishermen, presently lodged in the Puzhal central prison near Chennai, using the video conferencing facility, The Hindu newspaper reported. more..

Dec 21 (DM) The fresh water fish popularly known as “tank cleaners” or “scavenger fish” may become part of our diet soon with its numbers showing a drastic increase in rivers, canals and streams. Already the fish is being caught and sold near the Victoria Reservoir in Kandy at Rs.400 a kilo. Peradeniya University Animal Science Department Professor Udeni Edirisinghe said the scavenger fish were non-poisonous and more..

Dec 21 (ST) Postal authorities in Kandy are investigating allegations that the postal stamp franking machine of the Kandy Post Office was taken out of the office to dispatch propaganda material during the recently concluded Central Provincial Council election. The authorities also investigated whether a leftist political party had leaked the news of the incident. The leftist party is understood to have denied the allegation. According to initial reports the postal stamp franking more..

Dec 21 (CT) On 10 Jan 2012, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President Mahinda Rajapaksa‘s brother and Secretary of the Defense and Urban Development Ministry, delivered a lecture to the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and Associated Newspapers of Ceylon. The President‘s brother, arguably the second most powerful man in the country, began his lecture by stating that Sri Lanka still faces ̳several threats‘ following the end of protracted civil war with the LTTE, in May 2009. more..