June 20 (NS) Once again India is behaving as if Sri Lanka is not a sovereign state, and trying to bully the country solely for India’s own benefit. The latest Indian claim is that it just wants to ensure a better deal for Tamils in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Tamils are not citizens of India. They are Sri Lankans, who are represented in the parliament of Sri Lanka by those who they vote for. India has 72 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu who are far worse off economically than Tamils who live in Sri Lanka so why does more..

June 20 (NS) Sri Lankans are blessed to have a branch of the world renowned knowledge dispensing company, Franklin Covey, which teaches individuals how to raise their output in office and live with a sense of confidence. This progress in life and career is possible if you apply the theories highlighted in ‘Seven habits of highly effective people’ authored by founder of Franklin Covey, Stephen R. Covey. The Nation spoke to Franklin Covey CEO Sri Lanka and the Maldives Ameer Ahamed at more..

June 20 (SO) During the three decades long conflict the role of the Sri Lanka Navy expanded beyond the territorial waters of Sri Lanka in search of floating warehouses of the LTTE. But the dawn of permanent peace following the victory against the LTTE terrorism in May 2009, gave ample opportunities for the Sri Lanka Navy to engage in diverse sectors as their commitments in the sea shrunk systematically with the improved more..

June 20 (CT) In an article in the Sunday Island of June 2 entitled “Political Watch” there is reference to Buddhist fanatics on the streets. I have no sympathy whatsoever towards fanatic monks as well as religious fanatics of whatever brand. Nor do I want to justify the suicidal response of the monk Bohowatte Indraratana who in committing self-immolation performed an act that fundamentally violates the Buddhist doctrine of non-hurt or ahimsa. Nevertheless it is important to recognize more..

June 20 (CT) What is the biggest ethical challenge facing us today? The reality that we have let economics guide our lives, and in doing so, we have devalued people and the associated virtues of respect, cooperation, empathy, and compassion. The primacy that we have allotted to economics underlies and complicates daily challenges we face; do the following – “stressed and tired”, “juggling work and home”, “surrounded by selfish individuals”, “led by uncaring politicians”, more..

June 20 (NS) Niflal, a 24-year-old fisherman along with his companion, set out to sea on the night of June 8, not knowing what was in store for them. Niflal explained that everything was somewhat calm except for the winds until around 2.00 am. “The sea became so rough that it was like we were caught in a tsunami from all sides. Our boat capsized within a few minutes,” he said.The two fishermen fought against the more..

June 20 (CT) Probably even Mahinda Rajapaksa is amazed at how much he can get away with. At the end of the war, he promised he would fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. In fact, he promised that its full implementation would be just the beginning – further steps would be taken to ensure that Sri Lanka never had to face such an ordeal again. He may even have believed it. Yet here he is now, trying to pass constitutional amendments to do away with a number of its more..

June 20 (CI) Even as Clint McKay and Xavier Doherty were doing their darnedest to drive Australia to a sensational victory over Sri Lanka at The Oval, there were plenty of non-Australians cheering them on, just so that the cricket world will be spared yet another India-Sri Lanka ODI. In the last five years, the two sides have met a mind numbing 44 times in ODIs, and will face off again in a tri-series in the Caribbean starting next week. The teams are so familiar with each other and more..

June 20 (FT) As the country witnesses the outbreak of a veritable epidemic of ruling party politicos running rampage in their respective fiefdoms and a senior police officer being investigated in connection with a high profile murder, the ‘miraculously’ recovered Deshamanya Duminda Silva re-entered the Chamber of Parliament yesterday. Silva, a privileged pet of the upper echelons of the country’s political dynasty more..

June 20 (Island) Students of a leading school in Colombo who had made a magnificent Vesak lantern were finally disappointed last year as they found it too big to be taken out of the building where they had toiled for days. Our national development planners act in a similar manner, we reckon. Senior engineers in the power sector have told this newspaper, as we reported, that a section of the CEB grid is not equipped to transmit power to be generated under the second phase of more..

June 20 (NS) Over the last decade or so, Ravindra Ransinha has begun making a name for himself as a dramatist, writer, sociologist, educationist, social worker and finally as dramatherapist. His new book assures the reader that drama isn’t just a source of entertainment. It can also be a means of catharsis, meaning an emotional process of releasing and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions. Make no mistake about it, dramatherapy is not a new technique. more..

June 20 (CI) Sri Lanka fans may not often feel they are the most fortunate cricket lovers in the world, but in some ways they have it good. The team is some way from being the best, but it is rarely unsatisfactory, at least in limited-overs cricket. The administration can be a shambles but despite the poor domestic structure, genuine talent still finds its way to the top level. Best of all their players are more accessible than most and more..

June 20 (Island) Sri Lanka’s cricketers can’t still quite explain how they lost the 2011 World Cup final to India. When they posted a total of 274, the match looked to be in their bag. The game looked sealed in favour of the Sri Lankans when Lasith Malinga fired out Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar early. But suddenly, the Sri Lankans were overawed by the occasion. Catches were dropped, the captain froze and India stole Sri Lanka’s cup with 10 balls to spare. As Mumbai was celebrating a more..

June 20 (Island) Sri Lanka will be among South Asian countries hard hit by climate change and this could undermine efforts to overcome poverty and increase economic growth, according to a new scientific report released by the World Bank Group. An expected 2°C rise in the world’s average temperatures in the next decades will impact island economies such as Sri Lanka with extreme weather and rising sea levels. Visionary political will is needed to change the current trajectory of more..

June 20 (CI) Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has underscored the spunk in Sri Lanka's Champions Trophy campaign, and marked their spirit a vital asset as they attempt to topple India, who have been the form team of the competition. Sri Lanka did not arrive in England as one of the favourites, but are now set to play their sixth semi-final in the last eight global tournaments. Their two victories, over England and more..

June 20 (Guardian) Opener Lendl Simmons hit an unbeaten 51 to steer West Indies A to a convincing five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka A in their second T20 cricket match at the Arnos Vale complex in St Vincent yesterday. The Trinidadian smashed a boundary-studded half century as West Indies A responded with 83 for five, off 11.4 overs, chasing 82 posted by the Sri Lankans after they were dismissed in 18.1 overs. Simmons hurried West Indies to victory and also posted his more..

June 20 (FT) Sampath Bank recently celebrated the success of its largest international loan transaction of US$ 100 m that was concluded in the first quarter of 2013. “The bank’s consistent performance over the years coupled with its potential for sustainable growth have been the key driving forces in the success of this transaction and we are pleased to witness the high level of confidence placed by the off shore investors on the bank’s strategic direction,” Managing Director Aravinda Perera said. more..

June 20 (GV) The Presidential Spokesman and International Media Unit announced on 14th June something that’s never happened before in Sri Lankan politics – a Q&A with Lalith Weeratunga, the President’s Secretary over Twitter, slated for 19th June, from 2.30pm to 4pm. A live search of #askLW is embedded below to follow in real time the Q&A on Wednesday and the questions leading up to it. more..

June 20 (DN) Lady Ridgeway Children's Hospital (LRH) Director Dr. Rathnasiri Hewage requests parents not to give anything else other than paracetamol to children who suffer from fever. Other drugs, except paracetamol can cause complications in children who suffer from dengue. According to Dr. Hewage, children who suffer from dengue can be subjected to internal bleeding and other complications and die due to the use of other drugs. Only paracetamol should be given to them. more..

June 20 (Island) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is waiting for feedback from the Attorney General’s Department regarding its draft proposal to the SEC Act, which would hopefully give the capital market watchdog enough teeth to effectively deal with market offenders. But will it act? The project, with World Bank assistance, started during the tenure of former SEC Chairman Tilak Karunaratne who, as did his predecessor Ms. Indrani Sugathadasa, resigned after being more..

June 20 (FT) SriLankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka, has signed a MoU for six A330-300s and four A350-900s. The airline, an all Airbus operator, has chosen the highly reliable A330 and the latest generation A350 XWB aircraft as part of its long-haul fleet renewal. “The efficiency, reliability and passenger appeal of our in-service A330s form the pillar of SriLankan’s long haul operations,” said Kapila Chandrasena, more..

June 20 (FT) Secretary to Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa will inaugurate the first-ever international summit on cyber security on Tuesday 25 June at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, whilst Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal will be the Guest of Honour. Held under the aegis of the US-based EC-Council, the world’s largest vendor neutral cyber security education provider, the summit is co-organised by the Daily FT and CICRA Consultancies, more..

June 20 (DBS) Another incident of anti-Muslim violence has occurred in the Southern province of Sri Lanka during the course of the protest march being conducted by the Sinhala Ravaya from Kataragama/Kathirkaamam to Colombo. Preliminary reports indicate that a Muslim photographer authorised by the Police to record the Sinhala March had been assaulted with the Police doing nothing to stop it. The Sinhala Ravaya march is expected to conclude in Colombo where a petition calling more..

June 20 (Island) A senior minister clarified the terms of James Packer’s US$ 350 million mixed development project and said despite several allegations the govt has granted the Australian gaming giant with standard tax concessions under the Strategic Development Act and not a license for a casino. The Australian gaming tycoon, who would transfer an existing casino to his development project with his local partner Rank Holdings, more..

June 20 (DN) The SLFP invited all political parties to forward their suggestions to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on the 13th Amendment, and to be parties to the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council election. Addressing the media at the Party Headquarters in Colombo yesterday, SLFP General Secretary Minister Maithripala Sirisena said the government is committed to conduct a transparent, free and fair election in the three Provinces including the North. more..

June 20 (DN) The Global Fund (The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) offered a grant of US $ 1.9 million to the Sri Lankan govt for use on TB control activities. Annually around 10,000 new TB cases are detected in Sri Lanka of which 8,000 are cured, Minister Maithripala Sirisena said. Addressing the gathering after signing the MoU for the grant, Minister thanked Global Fund for assisting Sri Lanka since 2003. He said the Global Fund's 29th Board Meeting is being held more..

June 20 (MEA) Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia told Minister G.L. Peiris that she is looking forward to attending the Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka, and that Australia will do everything she can to ensure total success of the event. She made this observation at a meeting in the Australian Parliament in Canberra on Wednesday. Australia’s Foreign Minister Robert Carr reiterated the enthusiastic support of his country more..

June 20 (DBS) Tamil political activists in Britain are preparing to conduct a massive protest demonstration today when Sri Lanka plays against India in the Champion Trophy cricket semi-final at the Cardiff Wales Stadium. Tamil organizations such as the Tamil Youth organization of UK, British Tamil Forum, Tamil Coordinating Committee are joining forces to stage a huge ten hour demonstration from 9 am to 7pm under the aegis of the “Boycott Sri Lankan Lanka Cricket” movement at Cardiff more..

June 20 (CT) Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, said he has no reason to debate with JHU Western Provincial Councillor, Udaya Gammanpila, who had been critical of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, while shamelessly remaining in office under the very powers the Amendment affords. "Gammanpila is shamelessly criticizing the 13th Amendment in public, while enjoying all the perks such as the salary, vehicle allowance and office staff, as a Provincial Council Minister, more..

June 20 (LBO) A minimum age for employment may be raised to 16 years from 14 if proposals in a national policy on youth are adopted. Sri Lanka's National Youth Policy, which is still in the draft stage, has proposed extending the compulsory schooling age to 16 years from 14, chairman of National Youth Services Council Lalith Perera said. At the moment attendance at school is mandatory for children between the ages of 5 to 14 more..

June 20 (FT) Taking an unusually tough stance the govt has told Krrish to pay up before 15 July or risk losing tax concessions that could be granted under the Strategic Development Act in Parliament. Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana stated that while 84% of the US$ 460 million project has been paid he had told the investors to complete the transaction by 15 July or risk tax concessions that can be bestowed upon it. The practice is for any project investing above US$ 250 million to more..

June 20 (CT) The Celestial Towers building that belonged to the Ceylinco Investment Group of Companies is being developed into a 475-room luxury hotel to provide accommodation for the delegates of the CHOGM to be held in Colombo in November, the govt told Parliament yesterday. The property is being devolved by the Urban Development Authority (UDA), Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, said in response to a question raised by UNP MP, Ravi Karunanayake, more..

June 20 (Island) The SLFP would decide on disciplinary action against Minister Mervyn Silva, in view of allegations being levelled against him as regards the killing of Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha member Hasitha Madawala, at the party’s next Central Committee meeting, party general secretary minister Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday. Minister was answering a query on why the SLFP had failed to take action Minister Mervyn Silva, more..

June 20 (Island) There was a pressing need for a code of ethics for politicians who were fast becoming gangsters at every level, Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said. "Today politicians at every level have been damaging the govt’s image," he said. Recently, a UPFA North Western Provincial Councillor was arrested for making a teacher kneel down. According to statistics, 42 politicians elected to provincial councils had been produced before Courts last year, the Minister said. more..

June 20 (DN) The Ports Authority will reveal the details of the cargo in CFS 1 warehouse, destroyed in the Colombo Port fire a few weeks ago, a Ports Authority spokesman said. He said investigations are being carried out to ascertain the cause of the fire and therefore it will get a few more days to disclose the details of the destroyed cargo. The spokesman said as a part of the process, the importers whose cargo were lying in the warehouse were asked to list out their goods. more..

June 20 (Island) India had been informed of Sri Lanka’s decision not to devolve police powers to provinces at the height of the conflict, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said. He said that both, President Rajapaksa and he, had emphasised during deliberations with senior Indian officials that devolution of police powers would be inimical to the national interest as well as political stability. "We made our position clear during more..

June 20 (DM) The 13th Amendment has its champions. It also has detractors who point out its illegality, Indian hegemonic moves on Sri Lanka, irrelevance to the matters it sought to address, for pandering to expansionist communal myth-making and for ‘not being enough’. For years, there has been talk of amending the 13th Amendment or even repealing it, but the political arithmetic if not the will has kept it alive. De-merging the North-East by the Supreme Court remains the biggest more..

June 20 (DM) The arrest and interdiction of DIG, Western Province (North), Vaas Gunewardena came as a surprise to many. The offences he has been charged with are even more shocking and lead to an erosion in the confidence and integrity of the police force. DIG has been arrested for allegedly masterminding the abduction of a businessman, Mohamed Shiyam, and subsequently murdering him. It is alleged that he was also engaged in an extortion racket, demanding money from more..

June 20 (DM) Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, President’s Counsel, spoke to Daily Mirror on the executive presidency, earlier attempts to abolish it, proposals made by the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) led by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera and the recent proposals made by the UNP. Dr. Wickramaratne was a Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs and was a member of the team that more..

June 20 (ST) The newly appointed Court of Appeal judge, Malini Gunaratne has called on judges, who are paid by the public, to dispense justice without undue delay to the people who seek it. She made this appeal on Friday when addressing a Court-of-Appeal ceremony to welcome her on Friday. Pointing out that certain cases were pending in courts for more than a decade, Justice Gunaratne said delays in dispensing justice more..