May 5 (Express) Nowhere is that more apparent than in its largest city. The Old Dutch Hospital is one of Colombo's oldest sites but became a no-go area after it was damaged in an attack in 1996. Today it is one of the brightest venues in the city. Built in 1677, the colonial complex has been rejuvenated and now bustles with a collection of shops and restaurants, including the Ministry of Crab, a joyous celebration of seafood. Tuck into fiery pepper crab, even fiercer chilli crab with pol sambol, coconut ground on a traditionalzz03282472 more..

May 1 (NS) Edward Said in his Magnum Opus, Orientalism (first pub.1978) incisively reiterates West’s fascination for East’s exoticism and the fear of its unknown within its colonial framework. It’s almost a schizophrenic relationship or like what they call a Freudian libido infatuation that the West has maintained with the East. Of course, these relationships have good, bad and the ugly repercussions. India in all civilizations has attracted the explorers, invaders and travellers more..

May 1 (NS) In the absence of set rules and regulations with regard to hygiene, unlike other food processing activities carried out inside air conditioned factories –‘dry fish’ is made on sandy shores under the open skies of Negombo. Drying fish is the day-job of most people, especially women, in fisher folk communities. With availability of resources and required infrastructure however, the industry counts a history of approximately two hundred years. Dry fish, in the very sense of more..

May 1 (NS) Some of these are comments that you have heard before. But they need to be restated when we address a topic like the one before us today. – Religion, reconciliation and future. I also have to say a few obvious things about religion, which to an audience like you may be, knowledge that is not new. The first thing about Religion is that it must never be seen as one large entity. So the topic needs qualification. more..

May 1 (DBS) The grip of the ruler based on Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism is breaking down. It is thanks to this grip which subdued the Sinhala petty bourgeoisie, that Keheliya Rambukwella the govt spokesman, could ignore the fact that MPs pay just Rs.2000/- per month for electricity in their free official residences and intimidates the poor. He has said “People expected to eat without paying for it…. People expected everything free. They ask for subsidies for everything. more..

May 1 (GV) It is often the case that a nation which experienced a protracted war will tend to look forward rather than backward. For Sri Lankans, over the years, the war became a part of their lives, and survival a part of their routine. In such a context, healing becomes a lengthy and culturally-bound process. Though some may find it difficult to achieve, such process cannot be understated or underestimated when it comes to building a deeper unity, thus a sustainable peace for Sri Lanka. more..

May 1 (SO) When development takes shape in the Vanni region following a dark age of nearly three decades, today it has become a politically hot spot, giving numerous debatable subjects. "Those who shout against the Govt in the Northern Province at present has no right to do that," said the SLFP Organiser for the Killinochchi District Geethanjali Naguleswaran. As she said in an interview, those who are shouting now more..

May 1 (CT) I have read carefully the essays The Colombo Telegraph (CT) recently carried on Sri Lanka’s foreign policy after May 2009. Whatever Dayan Jayatilleka’s (DJ) failures may be, and there are many as the commentators in the CT have graphically expressed, a lack of cunning is not among them. He has chosen only to comment obliquely ( ‘First Failure in Geneva,: Trap, Blunder or Model?’) on the long essay of Tissa Jayatilaka(TJ) that appeared in the CT more..

May 1 (CT) Elections for the Northern Provincial Council are scheduled for September’2013, although the date has not been announced. Although the Provincial Councils are institutions established under the 13th amendment to the constitution (November’1987), they have not served the function they were expected to, for various reasons that have been highlighted, analyzed, discussed and debated over the past 25 years. There are also recent calls for abrogation of the 13th more..

May 1 (Island) New proposals for the consumer price of electricity, announced by the CEB in mid-April, have given rise to a confused debate in which many people blame the govt for transferring the losses of the Board from the broad shoulders of govt to the skeletal frames of the public. As if the public were different from govt, in matters of govt expenditure! Govts meet almost all their expenditure from tax revenue and loans receipts. more..

May 1 (Island) I would like to depart from the traditional convocation speech and would like to focus on the role and trajectory of the Sri Lankan Universities in the envisaged Knowledge Hub in Sri Lanka which gives me an opportunity to focus on the changing role of the academic staff, the undergraduates and all of the stakeholders of the universities. The speech therefore looks at the contribution universities should make in Sri Lanka’s bid of becoming a knowledge hub. more..

May 1 (FT) The govt of Australia is providing AUD 1,000,000 (LKR 130 million) to improve planning and community resilience in four disaster prone cities, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya and Akkaraipattu. The latest funding is in addition to earlier Australian funding of AUD 1,000,000 in 2012 for disaster preparedness in the cities of Balangoda, Batticaloa, Kalmunai and Ratnapura. The program will result in the development of “Disaster Resilient City Development Strategies” in each location. more..

May 1 (FT) When President Rajapaksa is making a relentless effort to improve the conditions of our country, it is an unfortunate matter to see that the opposition is involved in ‘Third Class’ Politics, said Kandy District SLFP MP Dilum Amunugama. He said this when he addressed a group of the Maha Sanga at his Nugawela Political Office. Further addressing the Maha Sanga he also stated that the efforts of the opposition are directed to push the country backwards. more..

May 1 (Island) This is a response to two articles by Mr. R. Chandrasoma and Dr U P de S Waidyanatha entitled respectively Astrology is humbug and CKDu: Scientific evidence and anti-science zealotry published in The Island on 19th April and 29th and 30th April. I am not an anti science zealot but I have evidence in Aristotelian logic as well as in Catuskoti logic to demonstrate that western science is nothing but humbug. I do not claim that Dr. Waidyanatha calls me an anti science zealot but I thought more..

May 1 (Telegraph) The Queen is set to get conflicting advice on attending November's Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka as divisions within the organisation grow between member govts over human rights abuses in the host country. Diplomats said the Govt had not yet decided to attend the CHOGM because of concerns over human rights abuses in the country but that the Palace must also take into account the views more..

May 1 (DM) The Kandy Municipal Council has agreed to hold night races in Kandy streets and Mahanayaka Thero too have not objected holding the races, Kandy Mayor Mahendra Ratwatte said. Leader of the Opposition Neeranjan Wijeyaratne told the Kandy Mayor Mahaendra Ratwatte that if the Mahanayke's have approved or have not objected for holding the night races in the historic city of Kandy, then a written statement signed by them must be tabled. He further said the Council more..

May 1 (DN) The SOS Children's Village in Jaffna will commence operations from August. SOS Children's Villages Sri Lanka National Director Ananda Karunarathna said that the construction of the Jaffna SOS Children's Village is still ongoing and will be complete by the end of July. The Village will have 12 family houses, SOS kindergarten and SOS Youth home for boys and girls. "Every child needs a loving home to flourish in and the SOS villages have helped many to have a home and more..

May 1 (USE) United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele J. Sison opened a public market and a bus station in Pullumalai, Batticaloa on April 29, helping enhance transportation and livelihood opportunities of local communities in the Eastern Province. Built under a grant of $477,000 by the USAID, the newly constructed market and bus station will not only promote income generation opportunities and social integration among more..

May 1 (LBO) Sri Lanka's Aitken Spence Plc said it had signed 15 year deal to manage ports in Fiji and will invest 10.5 million Fiji dollars (5.9 million US dollars) in the project. Aiken Spence said in a stock exchange filing that it will buy majority control of Ports Terminal Ltd, a unit of Fiji Ports Corporation which will manage cargo handling in Suva and Lautoka ports. Aitken Spence also ports operations in South Africa. The group has interest in shipping, leisure and power.

May 1 (CT) Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said the committee to implement the recommendations of the LLRC, should be headed by President Rajapaksa. He was responding to a query during a discussion held to formulate ways and means of implementing the National Policy for Social Integration. He added that the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration is working towards implementing some of the LLRC recommendations that comes under its more..

May 1 (Reuters) FIFA executive committee member Manilal Fernando has been banned for eight years for unethical behaviour, soccer's governing body said on Tuesday. Fernando was suspended following a two-day hearing of the FIFA ethics committee adjudicatory chamber, chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert. "He was found guilty of several breaches of the FIFA code of ethics," FIFA said in a statement. more..

May 1 (LT) Today is May Day. Its history is the bitter, protracted struggle carried out by the working masses sacrificing their lives, shedding their blood and sweat and making boundless sacrifices to win an eight hour working day. However, the world economic depression that has entangled the capitalist world is depriving the working masses even the rights they won in the past. It is under such an environment the working masses all over the world are commemorating the May Day more..

May 1 (Island) Two suspects, a 58-year-old father and his 26-year-old son, residents of Kotawela, were arrested yesterday in connection with the triple murder that shocked the villagers in the Karandeniya police area. The victims’ decomposed bodies were found inside their house on Saturday around 2.10 p.m. after police were alerted by the villagers who noticed an offensive smell emanating from the house. The suspects had been arrested with two ‘katties’ used to kill the victims, more..

May 1 (Island) The Supreme Court yesterday issued notice on former CJ Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake and too other respondents. The notice was pertaining to a special leave to appeal application, filed by the Attorney General, against a Judgment of the Court of Appeal dated Feb 28, 2013. By that Judgment, the Court of Appeal, quashed the proceedings of the PSC, which declared that Dr. Bandaranayake was guilty more..

May 1 (DN) 371 Tamil youths on a Friendship Tour from the North to the South organised by the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation of Rehabilitation and Prisons Reforms arrived in Galle on Saturday. On arrival in Galle, they were received by a group of Southern Provincial Council members. They visited the Sivan Kovil in Kaluwella, Galle where the group participated in a special pooja administered by the high priest of the Hindu Kovil Rev Krishna Moorthi Kurakka. more..

May 1 (Telegraph) The Commonwealth is one of the world’s great institutions, embracing 54 member countries comprising more than a third of humanity. Sadly, an unseemly row is brewing over the choice of Sri Lanka as host of the organisation’s next biennial summit. Worse, this controversy could embroil the Queen, who attends every such occasion in her capacity as head of the Commonwealth. Choosing Sri Lanka might have seemed a laudable gesture towards a country more..

May 1 (Island) The govt yesterday asked people not to panic on the electricity tariff increase, as there were more than 20 days to implement the proposal. SLFP Treasurer Dallas Alahapperuma said that there was only a proposal to increase the electricity tariffs, but it was not implemented yet. President Rajapaksa had received requests from trade unions, political parties, civil organizations, etc to reduce the tariffs, Alahapperuma said more..

May 1 (DN) The UNP leadership which defamed war heroes during the humanitarian operation by belittling the victories gained describing Thoppigala as a ‘near jungle’ is now visiting the North and leveling unfounded allegations against the Security Forces. Such irresponsible actions have been a feature of the UNP throughout its history Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. He said the UNP Leader who pointed a finger of accusation against the Army regarding the attack more..

May 1 (CT) Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy, M.M.C. Ferdinando said, President Rajapaksa had not given any instructions whatsoever, to reduce the electricity tariffs. He said at the discussions held on Monday, the President had not discussed the electricity tariff hike in detail. However, the President had said he is aware of the hardships the people will undergo due to the electricity tariff hike. Ferdinando added if the President so instructs, more..

May 1 (PTI) Expressing deep concern over the recent surge in attacks on Sri Lankan media organisations, the US today called on the country to ensure freedom of press. "The US calls on Sri Lankan authorities to demonstrate their commitment to the rule of law and freedom of expression by conducting thorough investigations into all attacks and killings of journalists and bringing perpetrators to justice," State Department spokesman Patrick more..

May 1 (NZH) Until Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird's outburst against Sri Lanka's "appalling" record on human rights and democratic accountability last week, it's a fair bet that most New Zealanders had no idea that this island off the bottom of India would be hosting the biennial CHOGM in November. The Canadians certainly do, and have been campaigning to have the venue shifted. At last week's meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group in more..

May 1 (DN) On this May Day, I join in solidarity with the workers of Sri Lanka who come together with all working people of the world to achieve their rights. Sri Lanka is now a middle income country, an achievement made possible due to guiding of the national economy in the proper direction. The driving force behind this has been the working people of our country, who have looked correctly towards the future of our land. They have always acted with responsibility to protect the stability more..

May 1 (DM) Bureaucratic inefficiency or negligence on the part of the Justice Ministry had resulted in Sri Lanka losing a US grant equivalent to Rs.450 million. It was to be given for the purpose of upgrading the country’s judicial system by bringing it on par with modern technology and prevent legal delays. The US grant has been withdrawn because an agreement could not be reached with govt officials. more..

May 1 (USE) The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Sri Lanka Ministry of Health to conduct a National Consultation on Birth Defects Prevention and Control in Colombo April 17-19. The workshop included presentations from CDC experts, providing a platform for health practitioners to discuss a strategic framework to monitor and prevent birth defects in Sri Lanka. The workshop also highlighted the U.S. govt’s more..

May 1 (DN) The CEB Engineer’s Union yesterday called on those who accuse the CEB management of corruption to furnish details of such malpractices adding the Union is ready to extend its fullest cooperation to take stern action against the culprits in the Board. According to Union President Nandika Pathirage, few trade unions in the CEB with handful of members are involved in a desperate attempt to attract public attention by making allegations that CEB officials are corrupt and more..

May 1 (Island) President will today spell out a relief measure, especially for lower rung electricity consumers, who were badly hit by the tariff revision that came into effect on April 20. Ministry Secretary M.M.C. Ferdinando said that President would come out with the relief package as he was not happy with the recent tariff revision that would cause numerous hardships in various quarters especially, poor segments of the society. more..

May 1 (DM) Since 1956 when socialist Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike declared May Day or workers’ day as a public holiday, the occasion was deeply significant not only because of the huge colourful processions but also life-long benefits like the EPF, vibrant and powerful trade unions and other facilities. Millions of workers were brought out of virtual slavery and made like co-partners with the employers in the production process for the common good of all and the country. more..

May 1 (DM) Born on May 1,1891 in Kandy, A.E. Goonesinghe was educated at Dharmaraja College. On leaving school he sought employment as a clerk in the Railway Department, at the start. Later he took to Journalism, publishing the Journal “Search Light” to support the National Movement for freedom. He was instrumental in forming “The Young Lanka League” on March 2, 1915 along with Victor Corea, a lawyer from Chilaw, directed towards fighting against colonialism. more..

May 1 (DM) Vasudeva Nannayakkara was, for many years, known and looked upon as a ‘paper revolutionary’ who was ever willing to join in any ‘verbal’ attack on a Govt in power. He is, today, an ‘acolyte’/‘hanger on’ of the Rajapaksa family and hence comfortably ensconced in office [at great expense to our long suffering people] as one of that unbelievably large assembly of invertebrate incompetents known as the Cabinet of more..