Mar 25 (Island) A future UNP govt will introduce legislation to prevent parliamentarians crossing over during their elected term. Former UNP Chairman Gamini Jayawickrema Perera MP, said that constitutional interpretations had led to the will of the people being distorted and the franchise losing its value. The next UNP administration would introduce a Bill to prevent MPs from defecting from one party to another more..

Mar 25 (CG) EU says Sri Lanka has made significant progress in addressing the illegal fishing issue, an EU statement said. Council of Ministers had earlier decided to list Belize, Cambodia and Guinea-Conakry as countries acting insufficiently against illegal fishing. After several warnings, measures will now come into effect against the three countries to tackle the commercial benefits stemming from illegal fishing. more..

Mar 25 (CT) The Kotalawela Defence University (KDU) is yet another ploy of the govt in its attempts to sell medical degrees to the masses, this time, at a price of Rs 2 million, the IUSF alleged. IUSF Convener Najith Indika stated that though the KDU demands a student to conscript for a certain number of years as they are trained to be doctors for the armed forces. Graduates can free themselves of this contract if they pay more..

Mar 25 (Reuters) Sri Lanka is maintaining its 7.8% economic growth target for this year despite a lingering drought because it thinks falling lending rates could spur investment, treasury secretary said. P.B. Jayasundera said the combination of lower interest rates and expansion in the export and construction sector could lead to a pick up in spending. "There is no particular reason for growth to be revised either direction," more..

Mar 25 (Island) The US and its allies have been able to secure India’s support for an anti-Sri Lankan resolution scheduled to be taken up at the UNHRC this week, following an understanding that the proposed investigation would cover the eelam conflict only from Feb. 21, 2002 and May 19, 2009. Those pushing for an international war crimes probe had been compelled to give in to India’s demand that its crimes more..

Mar 25 (CT) Mrs. Ran Menika, the widow of the 1960's criminal overlord Dedduwa Jayathungage Siripala alias Maru Sira, is not an authority on capital punishment. Her husband was executed at the Bogambara Prison 39 years ago after he was found guilty on three counts of murders. Last week, after the Bogambara Prison was opened for the public viewing, after the prison inmates were relocated to a new facility, Mrs. Ran Menika visited the gallows, where her husband was hanged. more..

Mar 25 (CT) The frequency of elections does not necessarily imply prevalence of “Democracy”. Even dictators such as Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein and Robert Mugabe held elections in which they claimed to have won almost 99.9% of the votes cast. It is a democratic principle that regular elections should be conducted for the public to elect their representatives. This purpose is not served by staggered elections as the party in power has the undue advantage of declaring more..

Mar 25 (CT) As the fishermen from both, India and Sri Lanka gather to pray at the island of Kachchativu on 16 March, they not only bring their faith but all also their struggle to continue to fish in Sri Lankan waters. "You can ask us to compromise but do not ask us to sacrifice our lives," said the Rameshwaran District Fishermen's Association President, B. Emerit as he spoke about the banning of Indian fishermen fishing in SL waters. more..

Mar 25 (LBO) Stocks close 0.52% higher with tobacco stocks reversing the losses despite net foreign outflow. All Share Price Index closed 30.55 points higher at 5,952.78 up 0.52%. The S&P SL20 closed 9.58 points higher at 3,256.49, up 0.30%. Turnover was 416.42 million rupees, up from 197.93 million rupees a day earlier with 105 stocks close positive against 75 negative. John Keells Holdings closed 1.50 rupees lower at 218.00 rupees with market transactions of 145.22 million rupees more..

Mar 25 (TD) A recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights carried the strongest criticism yet of Sri Lanka’s Human Rights record. The report, Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka points out that the Sri Lankan govt has “failed to ensure independent and credible investigations into past violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.” The report has explicitly called for the establishment of an more..

Mar 25 (CNN) Barely 20 minutes into our 4WD trip and a leopard nonchalantly crosses the sand road some 10 meters ahead of our vehicle. Any more carefree and it'd have walked up to the jeep and casually asked for the time of day and a cigarette. The leopard is the latest surprise on a surprise-filled long weekend in Sri Lanka. The encounter is eyebrow-raising because our guide, Manjula, has passed Managing Expectations more..

Mar 25 (Island) An unknown group has thrown a hand grenade at the Kelaniya residence of UNP Western Province candidate George Perera in the early hours of yesterday, but it did not explode. Around 3.30 am an unknown group was head shouting outside his residence and lighting firecrackers, according to the candidate. In the morning the residents found a grenade near the gate. Kelaniya police got down the army bomb disposal squad to remove the grenade. more..

Mar 25 (Reuters) Sri Lankan rupee ended weaker on Tuesday due to importer dollar demand in the absence of state bank intervention to defend the currency, dealers said. The spot rupee ended at 130.70/75 per dollar, weaker than Monday's close of 130.65/70. Some deals were done at 130.70 per dollar - breaking the psychological barrier of 130.65, which the state banks were defending on behalf of the central bank, dealers said. "State banks were buying dollars for import bills," more..

Mar 25 (G&M) Five years ago, Sri Lanka’s civil war reached a bloody conclusion on a stretch of beach in the island’s northeast, as govt forces pummeled the remnants of the LTTE and thousands of Tamil civilians trapped near them. Govt of President Rajapaksa, flush with triumphalist fever, insisted it had done no wrong during that fateful campaign. But the survivors told a different tale. Indeed, tens of thousands may have more..

Mar 25 (LBO) Colombo Stock Exchange has been certified by the International Standard Organization (ISO) and the process has made its operations secure and more robust, the bourse said. "Through these ISO Certifications the CSE gives maximum assurance to stakeholders that their information is protected by the Exchange in the most comprehensive manner," the bourse said. ISO had certified the CSE on the standard for Information Security ( ISO 27001), more..

Mar 25 (SM) Six organisers of the Democratic Party (DP) led by former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka have resigned after claiming that no democracy exists in the party. The organisers have left the party after holding a media briefing today (24). Kotte co organiser of the DP - Nalin Rajapakshe said that their chief request was to replace Sarath Fonseka with a person with more discipline on democracy as party leader ; a person like Anoma Fonseka or Jayantha Ketagoda. more..

Mar 25 (CI) Sri Lanka's selectors are incensed at having had to name a preliminary squad for the tours of Ireland and the UK, six weeks before the first match is scheduled, due to the length of the visa process. UK govt requires 15 working days to grant visas for Sri Lankan citizens, with the Irish govt needing a similar timespan. SLC announced a 26-man preliminary squad on Tuesday, but chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya said the length more..

Mar 25 (LM) In recent years, Sri Lanka has been the focus of intense criticism and scrutiny over alleged large-scale human rights violations in the war with the LTTE which sought to create a separate state in the country. A report by the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has accused the Mahinda Rajapaksa govt of failing to probe alleged war crimes. On Wednesday, the UNHRC is expected to take up the OHCHR report for consideration. more..

Mar 25 (MoD) As a part of its community development and welfare oriented programmes Sri Lanka Navy conducted a series of field health clinics including a donation of spectacles for the benefir of the resettled community living in the Mannar district recently. The health development programmes were conducted by the staff of the North Western Naval Hospital to upgrade the curative and preventive medical care among the newly resettled multi-ethnic communities living in Savierapurum, more..

Mar 25 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka's exports grew by 23.2% in January to US$ 898 million helped by a rebound in industrial products. Earnings from exports increased, reflecting the ongoing recovery in the global economy while expenditure on imports also increased, albeit at a lower rate, driven mainly by the increase in intermediate goods imports. As imports increased by 7.9% to US$ 1.6 billion trade deficit contracted by 5.9% to US$ 756 million. more..

Mar 25 (LT) The public bus stand at Akuressa has been demolished to prepare the ground to hold a propaganda meeting of the UPFA presided by the President say reports. Earlier the playground of Panadugama Vidyalaya had been reserved for the meeting. However, the organizers have later decided to have the meeting at Akuressa bus stand as the area is smaller and a large number would not be necessary to fill the area. Without saying the bus stand is demolished to have the meeting more..

Mar 25 (CG) The UNP today urged the public to cast their vote on Saturday instead of sitting at home and boycotting the polls. UNP Leadership Council leader Karu Jayasuriya said that sitting at home and criticizing the Government will not help anyone. He said that the public must think deeply about Saturday’s election and must exercise their franchise at the provincial polls. The elections for the Western and Southern PC elections will take place on Saturday and the UNP is keen to defeat more..

Mar 25 (CG) Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has sent a letter of demand to the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) seeking Rs 500 Mn in compensation over defamatory statements made by them. Minister said the BBS had wrongly accused him of destroying the Wilpattu National Park and creating an exclusive Muslim Zone from Wilpattu to Mannar and an Arab colony in Sri Lanka in the Mannar – Wilpattu area. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage who appeared before Hatton Magistrate and District Judge in connection with the alleged assault on a supporter of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress was released on surety bail of Rs.50, 000 and personal bail of Rs.25, 000. Watawala Police had filed action in the Hatton Magistrate’s Court against the Minister in connection with the alleged assault at Temples Torch estate in Rosella on August 05, 2013 during the PC elections. more..

Mar 25 (DM) Rejecting the claims that there were democratic issues within the party, the Democratic Party led by Sarath Fonseka said today that there was no need to change the party leadership and that Sarath Fonseka would remain as the party’s leader. “There is no doubt that people are voting for the name of Sarath Fonseka and not for others. Those who are asking for a change in the leadership are following an agenda set by the govt. These members had received a generous amount more..

Mar 25 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka earned US$ 1.42 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) but remained shy of the US$ 2 billion target in 2013. FDI inflows through the state run BOI that oversees all foreign direct investment into the country amounted to US$ 1.39 billion. "Meanwhile, non-BOI companies received FDI inflows amounting to US$ 22 million in 2013, in addition US$ 7 million were received in the form of direct investments more..

Mar 25 (CG) Dulanjalee Premadasa Jayakody, the sister of UNP MP Sajith Premadasa has been taken in for questioning by the CID over forged currency notes she allegedly deposited at a private bank in Colombo today. According to the police, Dulanjalee Premadasa had deposited forged Rs. 5000 notes worth Rs. 2 million at the private bank. She was asked to appear before the CID after the bank had lodged a complaint over the fake notes. The police later arrested another person more..

Mar 25 (AT) International award winning actress and Member of Parliament, Ms. Malani Fonseka was honoured with a tribute on the opening night of the 16th Deauville Asian Film Festival for her contribution to theatre and cinema over the last fifty years. She was felicitated for her multifaceted career as an actress, on stage, in films and on television including her contribution as a director and producer in addition to being a member of international film festival juries. more..

Mar 25 (Xinhua) Revenue from Sri Lanka's tourism industry grew 32.2% in the first two months of this year to US$ 161.2 when compared with previous year, partly helped by a whopping 119.2% boost of arrivals from China. Earnings from tourism industry rose to US$ 1.4 billion in 2013 with 1.17 million arrivals. Income from tourism rose from US$ 122 million in the first two months of 2014 to 161.2 million for the same period this year. more..

Mar 26 (NS) This is a wakeup call for Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans. Juxtapose the calls for all military to be removed from Sri Lanka’s North and link that to the sudden emergence of guns, former unrehabilitated LTTE rs ‘stealing’ gun detectors in possession of demining NGOs and we have the makings of another trouble brewing. These events are by all means not isolated and cannot be brushed aside as figments of anyone’s imagination. What we need to do is to expose the lies and the liars. more..

Mar 26 (NS) It is pathetic, to say the least, when media rights advocates stretch and strain to scratch out some logic when they come out to defend their friends. The Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, the Free Media Movement, and the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions are up in arms about the arrest of two persons who have nothing to do with the media, except the media exposure they seek for the organizations and politics they represent and embody. more..

Mar 26 (SO) Many people misuse their professions to carry out various scams and swindle money. There are elements in the state sector too who misuse power and authority to carry out illegal deals under the very nose of law enforcement bodies. However, crooked officials are not bothered about the consequences nor the outcome involved in such activities. Then on the other hand, there are crafty individuals who pretend to have more..

Mar 26 (CT) A critical reader writing under the penname ‘Practical Economist’ has raised several objections to this writer’s ‘My View’ in the previous week under the title ‘Potential Output in Sri Lanka: It is dangerous to speed the car beyond the installed engine capacity’. The My View under reference could be accessed here – , while his objections titled ‘Potential output: The reality behind the fiction’ here. The critical reader in question has chosen not to disclose his identity but more..

Mar 26 (CT) If as Harold Wilson said, a week is a long time in politics, it is an even longer time in diplomacy. The upcoming week is the most significant in Sri Lanka’s contemporary history since the victories of May 2009, almost five years ago. Already the security blanket in the North indicates that a polarising resolution in Geneva will strengthen ‘the dark side of the force’. It is also likely to push most of the citizenry over to the dark side. However, Sri Lanka still has a week to dodge the more..

Mar 26 (GV) President Chandrika Kumaratunga has since her graceful retirement from office more than eight years ago after the completion of a constitutionally mandated two term limit, busied herself with an impressive portfolio of issues internationally, issues which are also crucial to our South Asia region. Her status as an elder stateswoman, allows her to address these issues with moral authority and at the highest levels more..

Mar 26 (Island) Irate Internet users in this country are left with no alternative but to gnash their teeth and settle for only a fraction of the bandwidth their service providers promise them at exorbitant prices, besides having to put up with frequent disconnections as servers lack capacity to cope with traffic. They must have heaved a sigh of relief on hearing about the Outernet, a free Wi-fi project to be launched globally. New York based non-profit organisation, Media Development Investment more..

Mar 26 (Island) US Statement Department spokesman, P.J. Crowley on March 10, 2011 declared that the Defence Department treatment of former intelligence analyst, Bradley Manning was ‘ridiculous, counter-productive and stupid.’ Crowley was speaking in the wake of the international media quoting Manning’s lawyer, Lt. Colonel David Coombs as having said that his client had been forced to sit naked in his cell for seven hours and then forced to stand naked at attention at more..

Mar 26 (FT) Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, during a recent visit to the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) urged it for more focus on ‘SMART Sri Lanka’, the Govt’s next ICT strategy phase. Amidst his accolades to ICTA‘s enormous 8-year contribution to the country’s ICT-led development, Weeratunga emphasised the need and importance of greater focus on ‘SMART Sri Lanka’. “President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s vision is a ‘SMART Sri Lanka’ and ICTA will be more..

Mar 26 (FT) The inquiry of the Touchwood winding-up case was resumed in the Commercial High Court before Amendra Senevirathna H.C.J, on 24 March, where the appearances and the legal representations of the parties were as before. Counsel for the Petitioner Avindra Rodrigo and Counsel for the intervening creditors made their submissions in favour of the Winding-up Petition on the last date of the Inquiry (19 March 2014). Counsel for the Company, Harsha Amarasekera more..