June 16 (CT) The govt is to introduce what Minister Keheliya Rambukwella described as a “Code of Media Ethics” to all print and electronic media. According to Daily News “a Draft Bill containing a Media Code of Ethics aimed at creating what was claimed as “a salutary media culture” in the country’ will be tabled in the Parliament for adoption in September. Already the country has a comprehensive code of ethics, since 2001, for the private media introduced jointly by more..

June 16 (SO) The Investment Promotion Ministry hopes to attract US$ 2 billion in Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) to Sri Lanka from European and Asian countries this year. Many foreign countries such as Germany, Australia, Canada and France have already pledged to invest in Sri Lanka due to the stable economic and political atmosphere prevailing in the country, Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said. At present, the BoI is signing agreements with foreign investors to more..

June 16 (CT) The calculations made by the CEB in October 2012, in preparation for the revision of the electricity tariff, have not been amended to accommodate the increase in the hydropower generation capacity that took place in January 2013 following heavy rains, reliable sources revealed. As the tariff plan was not finalized until April 2013, the CEB had sufficient time to amend the calculations accordingly, more..

June 16 (CG) Fishermen in the South today decided to go out to sea despite the Department of Meteorology saying that the sea areas off the Western and Southern coasts will be fairly rough at times. The fishermen said that they are compelled to go fishing in order to make a living despite the risks they face. The Department of Meteorology had issued weather alerts since last Sunday forcing fishermen to stay away from the sea. However, one week one, the fishermen say they cannot more..

June 16 (PTI) Sri Lankan Naval men today arrested eight fishermen, who had put to sea from here in two boats, when they were fishing off Katchatheevu. The fishermen have been taken to taken to Talaimannar district of Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, four fishermen, missing since June 12, were traced near Katchatheevu, an islet in the Palk Straits, where their boat got stranded due to technical snag in the engine. They have been rescued and brought here by other fishermen, officials said.

June 16 (AFP) President Rajapakse pledged Sunday to proceed with the first-ever provincial polls in the island's former war zone but his govt said the powers of the elected council will be clipped. The ruling coalition had promised to share limited power with Tamils, pointing to elections to local councils, after the military crushed separatist Tamil rebels in May 2009 and ended 37 years of ethnic bloodshed. more..

June 16 (Island) Many parents of students attending schools in Colombo as well as the University Colombo who had been affected by dengue made a fervent appeal to the Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to deploy the security forces to clear mosquito breeding grounds in this area they described as the "dengue triangle". They said that their children call the area starting from Bagatalle Road along the Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha as the tip of the "dengue triangle" and more..

June 16 (SM) Following the instructions of Urban Development Authority, the 80 year old, Sri Pumari Amman Kovil located at the rear end of Dharmakithyarama Viharaya in Colpetty, behind 'Temple Trees' is to be relocated and shifted elsewhere with effect from June 10th. It has been planned to set up a vehicle park at the location for the vehicles visiting Temple Trees. The kovil administrators have made a request to extend the given time period until June 20th and have more..

June 16 (ST) 13 underperforming Board of Investment (BOI) enterprises acquired by the govt under the Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underutilised Assets Act in 2011 are now being revived through new investors. However compensation, gratuity or EPF for over 12,000 former employees, as promised by the govt, is yet to be given, trade unions alleged. Anton Marcus, General Secretary of the more..

June 16 (AD) The govt was not able to establish the Malabe Private Medical College and continue at the speed it wanted, due to the opposition from the students movement, the public and academics, says the National Movement for the Protection of Free Education (NMPFE). If not, at the speed Minister S.B. Dissanayake is going “like a bull in a china shop” there was a chance for private universities to “spring up like mushrooms” in Sri Lanka, the National Organizer of Socialist Students more..

June 16 (SO) The Provincial Councils and Local Govt Ministry have launched a program to solve the land-related issue on waste management by the end of this year to streamline solid waste management by local govt authorities in the country, Secretary to the Ministry R.A.A.K. Ranawake said. He said many local authorities are facing difficulties in implementing solid waste management projects as they do not have lands to implement their solid waste management projects. more..

June 16 (ST) A UPFA Provincial Councillor who allegedly ordered a teacher to kneel because she admonished his daughter for wearing short dresses has been remanded. North Western Provincial Councillor Ananda Sarath Kumar was arrested in Anamaduwa, produced before Puttalam’s Acting Magistrate and remanded till tomorrow. The teacher attached to the Navodhya Maha Vidyalaya in Nawagattegama and in charge of discipline more..

June 16 (MoD) Secretary Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa graced the Ananda College variety show as the chief guest, staged at the Kularatne Hall yesterday (14). The event was organized by the Ananda College Drama Circle (ACDC) and they staged 'Alles in Wonderland' yesterday in order to raise funds for the Drama Circle. Talents of the young cast of the play enthralled the audience throughout the show. The ACDC was formed in year 2006 with the more..

June 16 (DM) The Chief Justice Mohan Peiris said that the case records in the Supreme Court would be computerized. The Chief Justice made this remarks participating in a meeting at the Kekirawa Magistrate’s Court premises organised by the Bar Association of Kikirawa. He said cases could be file before the Supreme Court electronically with the new system. Mr. Peiris said everyone had a responsibility to safeguard the dignity of the judiciary. more..

June 16 (LT) The private universities bill that has been defeated by masses on several occasions has been brought back in another round and the govt has secretly prepared the legal background for it reveals the National Movement for the Protection of Free Education (NMPFE) at a media conference held today. The General Secretary of FUTA Dr. Rohan Fernando disclosed that Minister of Higher Education more..

June 16 (TOI) Decision-making in any country, particularly a noisy democracy, is a complex and often infuriating process. Yet, which voices should matter most in moulding the collective destiny: those who feel for the country or those who live in it? Ideally, both categories should be co-terminus and, by and large, they are. However, since the 1960s, and particularly since technology and globalisation made the world a much smaller place, almost all the South Asian countries have been confronted more..

June 16 (SL) The External Affairs Ministry is to brief the diplomatic community in Sri Lanka on the proposed changes to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Ministry Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama said that once the govt finalizes the changes, Foreign Govts will be briefed. The govt is expected to appoint a Parliamentary Committee this week to propose changes to the 13th Amendment. Meanwhile the European Union (EU) says its position right along has been that it favors the more..

June 16 (ST) The Govt has issued a gazette containing a list of individuals, entities, groups and undertakings associated with al-Qaeda and Taliban, in pursuant of its obligations under a UN Security Council resolution adopted in 1999, and subsequently modified and strengthened through several other resolutions. The list includes names of over 250 individuals, along with their known country of residence and passport more..

June 16 (LT) Is the govt trying to make Sri Lanka the hub of education in Asia by forcing teachers who strive to make students disciplined and give education to them to kneel down before petty provincial councilors asks the General Secretary of Lanka Teacher Services Union (LTSU) Mahinda Jayasinghe. Speaking at a media conference today he said punishing a lady teacher of Nawagaththegama Navodya Vidyalaya at Anamaduwa is vehemently denounced by more..

June 16 (DM) The opposition-led Vipakshaye Virodaya today said the ongoing tussle among political forces on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution resulting in the arousal of communalism would automatically lead to a separate state. UNP Assistant Leader Joseph Michael Perera said that the confrontation to over the scrapping of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in particular would ultimately create a situation where the separatists would achieve their objective overnight. more..

June 17 (SL) THERE’S much to admire the manner in which Matthews’ men bravely endeavoured to defend the indefensible. Sri Lanka’s 138 all out, against New Zealand, looked just about secure as a sandcastle on shores awaiting an approaching tidal wave; so to have all but turned the tide on the opponents is deserving of praise. The Kiwis, you have to remember, in the week before had overcome their hosts England 2/1 in the ODI series, hitting up totals of 231/5, 359/3 and 253 more..

June 17 (SL) The 1st of June has come and gone but we are reminded of a horrific inhuman act – the burning of the Jaffna library on the 1st of June 1981, and we, who were living in Jaffna at the time know who committed this dastardly crime – I write not only to recall the crime (which many appear to have forgotten) but to also ask the question: is it not more than ‘funny’ that the Policeman who was in Jaffna at the time committed this dastardly crime, waited until he was absolutely certain that the LTTE was more..

June 17 (SO) Education Minister, Bandula Gunawardena says the Govt's 'Mahindodaya 1,000 schools project' is the first serious endeavour aimed at easing the intense race for popular schools in cities. He said ground-breaking changes were being introduced from this year in the GCE A/L and undergraduate courses in Universities as part of the new National Education Policy that is in the offing. The Policy strives to correct more..

June 17 (CT) With the polls for the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) nearing, the debate about the Provincial Councils is also gathering momentum. Nationalists argue that establishing the NPC with the powers presently vested with the Provincial Councils would jeopardize national security. For some leftists, the nationalists are seeing crocodiles in a tea cup, as they have not studied the constitutional provisions in respect of the Provincial Council System (PCS). more..

June 17 (CT) Subjecting the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and its subsequent sub-amendments, to a PSC, is a tried and tested method adopted by our past leaders, particularly by J.R. Jayewardene, much to the annoyance and vexation of the then Indian govt and the local Tamil negotiators. Time and again, JR resorted to this tactic when he was confronted with a vexing issue on devolution of land or police powers or on the usage of the Tamil language in the East. more..

June 17 (CT) It was considered nonsensical and even suicidal for the largely politically complacent Muslim community – until then, happy to align their political futures to the two main political forces in the country – to consider a different path. But, strike a different political path did an ambitious young man from Sammanthurai, who gradually rose in Sri Lankan politics and in 1986, founded the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC). more..

June 17 (CT) Since the beginning of Development Economics, the notion that economic growth by itself with a correlative increase in the amount of goods and services produced and consumed within a country, is a sufficient condition for development, has been one accepted and propagated by the mainstream. For far too long it was given that the nations of the global South must “grow” and “develop”; and govt policy is often based on the premise that higher growth rates and more..

June 17 (CT) “Despite the revision in the tariff structure, domestic consumer subsidy was Rs. 8.98 per unit and for industrial consumer Rs. 7.83”. So states Ministry of Finance Annual Report 2012. The revision refers to the one in 2012, not to the 2013 May one. As per CEB statistics, gross sales in 2011 were, 10,023 GWh. Three major consumers – domestic, general & industrial absorbed 84.1% yielding a revenue of 86.7%. The domestic segment of 33.7% yielded a revenue of 25%. more..

June 17 (NS) Minister Champika Ranawaka of the JHU has been a vocal critic of the 13th Amendment for many years. The JHU is planning to table in Parliament soon a Bill which aims to repeal the 13th Amendment and with it, the Provincial Council (PC) system. With the govt now planning to establish a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) next week to deliberate on the amendment, he spoke to The Nation on the more..

June 17 (SO) Buxom Millie Nona was always peeping from the window. Her ample bosom was falling almost over the window sill. She was all agog wanting to overhear the goings-on in Shanthi's house. Sometimes Millie Nona stood at the entrance to her house and pretended to be looking in the direction of the road but Shanthi knew full well that Millie Nona was prying into what was happening between her and her husband, Prasanna. Millie Nona had a funny gait and would hobble more..

June 17 (CI) England do not make life easy for themselves in knockout tournaments, but they secured their passage to the Champions Trophy semi-finals through a collectively impressive performance from the bowlers which followed a brisk innings from Alastair Cook after the weather had threatened to leave their hopes in Australia's hands. But even as England were heaping pressure on New Zealand's top order as they chased 170 in 24 overs, the weather still loomed. Rain, which had more..

June 17 (NS) The SLMC had opposed Govt moves to dilute the 13th Amendment. The party leader, who is also the Minister of Justice, Rauff Hakeem says the issue concerns all the parties that represent the minority and said it was necessary that they worked together on the issue. “We must remember that the 13th Amendment came as a solution to the National problem after a long-drawn-out process, several all party more..

June 17 (Island) Northwestern Provincial Council (NWPC) member, Ananda Sarath Kumara (UPFA), has been remanded for forcing a female teacher to kneel down before him in retaliation for asking his daughter to unstitch the hem of her school uniform found to be somewhat revealing. What else could the public expect of UPFA politicians responsible for far worse sins against women in the Northwestern Province? In the run-up to the 1999 NWPC polls, it may be recalled, thugs led by SLFP more..

June 17 (Island) Sri Lanka’s game today at the ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval here in London is a virtual quarter-final, and what hypes up the clash even more is the fact that it’s against the old enemy, Australia. Ever since Sri Lanka’s contentious tour down under in 1995, cricket battles between the countries have been spiced up. Watching the game today from the Alec Stewart Stand, will be the man who ignited the fight against the Australians two decades ago – Arjuna Ranatunga. more..

June 17 (CI) As the years roll on and time begins to erode the faculties that served batsmen in their youth, many mighty wielders of willow begin to see their numbers give way. A once-fine record that boasted at least a fifty every four innings, slowly stretches to one in five or six. What used to be an exceptional strike-rate might become merely very good. At times a single manner of dismissal, repeated intolerably often, more..

June 17 (ST) Macroeconomic weaknesses could pose a serious threat to food security. The accessibility of poor households to basic foods is becoming increasingly difficult owing to their high costs, as well as higher expenditure on other essentials. Weaknesses in public finances, the trade balance and external finances are increasing prices of basic food imports such as wheat flour, sugar, milk, potatoes, lentils (dhal) and other subsidiary foods. The consequent inaccessibility of more..

June 17 (CT) Four years after its military victory over Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka appears to be seeking to establish social and political supremacy of the Sinhala Buddhist majority within a unitary state, instead of bringing about reconciliation. And this post-war resurgence of nationalism no longer threatens only the Tamil ethnic minority, but also religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims. While attacks on Muslims have hit the headlines in some foreign media in recent more..

June 17 (Island) The state gobbled up 85% of the Rs. 278.2 billion issued by the domestic banking sector by way of new loans during the first four months of this year with new loans increasing in the month of April and the private sector experiencing a sharp decline in new loans. New loans to the private sector from domestic banks amounted to Rs. 4.2 billion in April 2013, the lowest for a given month this year, down from more..

June 17 (Samvada) Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) – a Buddhist organisation many wish to call as Right or Ultra Right – is a new phenomenon in Sri Lanka. One may prefer to brand them in any manner one would like to. But the fact remains that this new outfit is slowly growing in stature and popular support in the country’s Buddhist-dominated areas. It came into prominence due to its public opposition to the Halal mark on all products marketed in Sri Lanka. This was the demand made and achieved by more..