July 21 (CT) In good old days, debates in the Sri Lankan Parliament were rich not with nonsense, banality and filth but with substantive arguments, creative vision and humor. Also it is interesting to note that the debates were dominated by the left leaders. Speaking at the Budget debate in the late 1960s, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, Pieter Keuneman, said that this budget and the policies of the UNP government had demonstrated clearly its more..

July 21 (SO) Contesting from Kalutara District under Bodu Jana Peramuna banner, Ven. Galagoda Atthe Gnanasara Thera, BBS General Secretary says that he would use this opportunity to restore the good name of Buddhists. "More than anyone else, it was the Buddhists who faced prejudice despite their compassionate approach. They are feeling disheartened and it is our duty to correct the situation," Gnanasara Thera said, more..

July 21 (Island) Shortly after his unforeseen defeat at the presidential elections of Jan 2015 by an alliance of opposition parties, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa began to campaign for a comeback that was backed by more and more members of the UPFA. Although President Sirisena made clear his unhappiness, and initially resisted the comeback bid, he finally yielded on the grounds that it was the only way to prevent the division of the former ruling party. more..

July 21 (ST) Amidst the cacophonous politics of the last several months with all manner of charges of political malignity a body that one hoped had been overcome with rigor mortis has suddenly and almost surreptitiously come alive. Unknown to the public at large that is regularly treated to a political nadagama that is both vile and bile, it has probably had little time to absorb the significance of this resurrected body. Like Lazarus it has risen from the dead though it has taken much more time to do so than more..

July 21 (CT) Following the dissolution of Parliament last month, the political scene was in complete disarray. Nomination was granted to former President Rajapaksa with the approval of President Sirisena. A great divide was formed within the SLFP led UPFA when the key persons who were instrumental in securing the President's victory at the presidential election signed an MoU with the UNP to form UNF for Good Governance (UNFGG). more..

July 21 (SO) TNA will campaign specifically on twin concerns during the election campaign - a just political solution to the Tamil problem and re-unification of the currently de-merged Northern and Eastern Provinces, says TNA Spokesman, Suresh Premachandran. The senior politician said that the TNA's manifesto will seek to address several critical issues, including the above two. According to him, the contiguous and preponderantly Tamil-speaking Northern and Eastern Provinces enjoy more..

July 21 (CT) UPFA national list nominees former SLFP Minister A.H.M. Fowzie and NFF Media spokesman Mohamed Muzammil and UNP Western Provincial Councillor and candidate Mujibur Rahman spoke about their reactions to President Sirisena's recent statement and about their respective General Election campaigns. We want the UPFA to win at the Elections. We want the PM to be from the SLFP. We are all contributing towards this. We want to get more than 110 seats in Parliament. more..

July 21 (SL) Senior SLFP member, Minister SB Dissanayake said that, despite different opinions, SLFP has given nominations to the most suitable people. He insisted that former President Rajapaksa was given nomination not merely to unite the SLFP but to honour his contribution to the SLFP and the country. He hailed Rajapaksa for defeating terrorism and applauded him for making SLFP the strongest political more..

July 21 (Island) Scientists are busy fighting micro-organisms that cause various ailments, experimenting with remedies for incurable diseases and finding ways and means of protecting humans against natural disasters etc. But, the biggest threat to man’s survival comes from man himself as the article, Colour of food we publish today on this page reveals. Around 30-40% of food items in the Indian market are adulterated, the writer of the article argues, pointing out how illegal and unethical more..

July 21 (ST) Political stability and economic growth are inextricably interconnected. While political stability is a necessary condition for an economy to prosper, it is not a sufficient condition. There are many other conditions besides political stability that are necessary to spur economic growth. This includes good governance, the rule of law, law and order, guarantee of property rights, well defined pragmatic economic polices, good economic governance, certainty and predictability of more..

July 21 (NS) It was a strange coincidence the day Bangladesh scored a historic maiden ODI series win over South Africa that an article should appear on DS de Silva on Cricinfo titled Somachandra de Silva’s age-defying journey. Whilst agreeing to what author Janaka Malwatta portrays of De Silva as a cricketer, it is pertinent to mention here that it was De Silva’s poor misjudgment of Chandika Hathurusingha as a potential more..

July 21 (Island) Today’s papers refer to an interesting argument between the two main camps of the Election Battle. It raises the question whether MR could become PM, if he is elected to the next Parliament. The protagonists on both sides are legal luminaries. On one side is a former Professor of law, supported by a former Chief Justice. Prof. G.L. Peiris has said nowhere in the constitution was it stated that a former President could not become the Prime Minister. more..

July 21 (IPS) A knowledge economy widely uses knowledge for the country’s growth and development process. Knowledge economy is closely linked with science and technology, innovation, research and development. Most countries recognize the importance of scientific and technological progress for economic growth and greater social well-being. For example, patent data shows a wave of innovation in all member countries of Organization for Economic Co-operation more..

July 21 (CI) Angelo Mathews said that a dramatic change in the playing surface was a major factor in Sri Lanka's heavy defeat in the third ODI. Though Sri Lanka conceded 316 for 4 from their fifty overs, Mathews refused to blame the bowling. No team has set a target of 300 or more and lost, in Sri Lanka. Pakistan were poised for an even higher score, at 221 for 3 after 40 overs, but SL's bowlers delivered some relatively cheap overs more..

July 21 (DN) Maximum security will be provided for the fourth One Day International between Sri Lanka and Pakistan which will be held at the R.Premadasa Stadium as a day night match tomorrow, Police sources revealed. Accordingly, security at the stadium will be at its best and additional security personnel will be deployed to make sure nothing interrupts the game tomorrow. Rioting crowds forced a halt of play as projectiles reached the outer field of the Premadasa Stadium during more..

July 21 (DN) Signal, leading the oral health care fight against cavities both locally and globally, is partnering FDI, The World Dental Federation in celebrating the World Oral Health Day which falls on March 20. In Sri Lanka, Signal is closely associated with the Dental Unit of the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka Dental Association (SLDA) and the World Dental Federation in its drive towards ensuring sound Oral health care for all Sri Lankans. Research shows that regular brushing of teeth can more..

July 21 (LBO) Sri Lanka needs to minimize tax exemptions and improve direct taxation in order to broaden the tax base, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank said. “If you look at the tax exemptions, there are a large number of tax exemptions.” Deputy Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said. Island’s Inland Revenue Act contains over 50 pages of exemptions from income tax. “When you do tax reforms, there are more..

July 21 (Island) Skipper Angelo Mathews has backed Thisara Perera to come up with match winning contributions despite the all-rounder’s lack of form. Supremely talented Perera has bailed out Sri Lanka in the past with his big hitting and disciplined bowling, but in recent months he hasn’t been that effective. Perera was a huge disappointment during SL’s World Cup campaign early this year. He bowled poorly throughout the tournament and failed to make a half-century more..

July 21 (Island) Turf Club, a cozy little family restaurant that features many authentic international cuisines has entered the local restaurant picture by establishing their footmark at the Grand Stand of the Colombo Racecourse with an initial investment of Rs. 10 million. Located on the top floor of the Racecourse Colombo Grand Stand, Turf Club promises their customers an exquisite dining experience with much diversity. Family restaurant offers many rare authentic cuisines more..

July 21 (Island) JVP would never be able to live down its ugly past; it accused others of robbery but did not come out with the value of gold recovered from their leader’s house in Ulapane, said former Chairman of the UGC Prof. Gamini Samaranayake said in Kandy. The JVP pointed the finger at others accusing them of being horu, but did not explain how that large stock of gold had found its way into that house at Ulapane, he said. more..

July 21 (ST) After six and half years of anxious wait and uncertainty, depositors of the defunct Golden Key Credit Card (GK) Company are to be provided with the relief they need with the commencement of the repayment process from Friday. This assurance was given by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake twice to the public, first at the Rathu Era live programme of Swarnavahini two weeks back, and then at a media conference this week. Treasury funding of Rs. 8.5 billion will be used to settle more..

July 21 (CT) Sarvodaya Movement controlled listed finance company George Steuart Finance (GSF) is currently looking for strategic partnerships, company official said. It would be 50:50 ownership or more, we are going for name change as well, he said. Sarvodaya Movement owned licensed finance company Sarvodaya Finance Company (formerly Deshodaya Development Finance) last September acquired a 75 % stake of listed George Steuart Finance (GSF) for over Rs.400 million. more..

July 21 (CT) Ceylon Shipping Corporation (CSC) that hails from a rich maritime history as Sri Lanka's national sea carrier witnessed the keel laying ceremony' of its second new break bulk vessel, recently in China. Participating at this important event, Chairman, Shashi Dhanatunge revealed to the media that the first vessel Ceylon Breeze will be delivered by end of this year, while second Ceylon Princess more..

July 21 (Hindu) Four Sri Lankan refugees lodged in a special camp at the Tiruchi Central Prison were released on Saturday. V.M.P. Nehru alias Eezha Nehru, K. Ramanan alias Thanigaivendhan, N. Ramesh and Y. Palani alias Jegan were lodged in the camp for violating provisions of the Foreigners Act. They were among the 19 refugees lodged in the camp for allegedly committing various offences. They were released based on an order issued by the State govt on July 7. more..

July 21 (DM) The Cabinet has granted the approval for the extension of former DIG Indu Karunaratne five months after he retired from service, Public Order and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said today. “The former DIG had made a request for his extension on time but somehow it had been taken up for consideration late by the relevant authorities,” the Minister said. Former DIG Karunaratne had retired in mid February this year. Meanwhile, Police spokesman more..

July 21 (DN) Liberal Party Secretary General Kamal Nissanka issuing a press release states that the party has not signed a MOU with the UPFA. He further states that though the party supported the Common Candidate at the last Presidential Election, with a resurgence of forces representing former President Rajapaksa entering politics through the UPFA, the party was divided in its opinion and was in a dilemma as to more..

July 21 (FT) Cathay Pacific Airways yesterday announced that it will further enhance its services between Colombo and Hong Kong by operating daily non-stop flights between the two cities. From 25 October, the airline will replace its thrice-weekly one-stop service via Bangkok with direct flights to its hub at Hong Kong International Airport. Cathay Pacific is currently the only airline to offer direct connections between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong on a daily basis. more..

July 21 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s fashion brand supported animal welfare programme, Embark has performed 2592 street dogs vaccinations, 1458 sterilizations and 51 adoptions, in first quarter of 2015-16. Embark and partner organisations have vaccinated 2,592 stray dogs, performed 1,458 sterilisations and given a total of 51 puppies in adoption between April and June 2015. “We are happy that we are gaining momentum as communities and local authorities around the country see the benefits more..

July 21 (Island) Minister Champika Ranawaka said that those who had left the former govt to usher in good governance had proved that they were not power hungry. "It was for the sake of democracy we gave up our ministerial positions when we left the Rajapaksa regime to support the campaign of Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. We knew that the leaders who were in the pockets of drug dealers were not capable of more..

July 21 (PO) The High Commission of Pakistan in Sri Lanka hosted a colorful reception for the National teams and managements of Pakistan and Sri Lanka Cricket in Colombo. A large number of dignitaries from different walks of lives including Senior Sri Lankan Ministers, Government functionaries, members of the diplomatic corps, senior officers of the High Commission, Pakistani community based in Sri Lanka and a large segment of media attended the event. more..

July 21 (CT) President Maithripala Sirisena, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who are the top policy makers of the govt will address the Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2015, the countries topmost economic forum held annually. Apart from them, Dr. Harsha De Silva, the Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Affairs and Eran Wickremaratne, Deputy Minister of Highways and Investment Promotion are also more..

July 21 (FT) Former President and UPFA candidate for the Kurunegala District Mahinda Rajapaksa rejected the idea of forming a national govt post-election, vowing that the fractured alliance would obtain 117 seats and rule alone. Rajapaksa said that it was the UNP which could not set up a govt without the UPFA. “PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said that they expected to create a national govt. However, we do not want to more..

July 21 (Island) Prime Minister on Saturday pledged that a permanent solution to chronic kidney disease would be found by a future UNP government. Addressing election rallies at several places in Anuradhapura District the Premier said that it had been planned to obtain 1,000 haemodialysis machines for the benefit of the kidney patients. "There are only 260 haemodialysis machines in the hospitals countrywide currently. That has inconvenienced many patients. more..

July 21 (CT) Wijemuni Vijitha Rohana de Silva was not an important person and his leaving the party would not affect us, Bodhu Jana Peramuna said. Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS) aka BJP, General Secretary, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera said that Vijitha Rohana, had wanted the campaign leadership for the Gampaha District but the party officials had objected to his request. Vijitha Rohana assaulted the former Indian PM, Rajiv Gandhi with the butt of his rifle. more..

July 21 (DN) Secretary to the President P.B. Abeykoon in a special circular to all Ministry Secretaries and Provincial Secretaries has informed them that recruitment, appointments and promotions in the govt service should be carried out in compliance with the directives issued by the Elections Commissioner during the election period. Secretary to the President has stated in his circular that he has received information that some more..

July 21 (DM) As we all know President Maithripala Sirisena was elected to the top job on January 8. The support of all those opposition parties led by the UNP and its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was a major factor for this victory. The UNP led coalition during their campaign accused the MR regime as the most corrupt, fraudulent, top-heavy, and deceitful govt, which sustained drug bosses, crooks and ethanol dealers. The coalition promised that they would wipe out corruption, nepotism and more..

July 21 (DM) The country is witnessing a different kind of election after decades. Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya seems to be too tough in implementing not only of the relevant laws but also a level playing field. He has even stopped the special statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena from being repeatedly broadcast by the electronic media. This is something that could not be expected during the past elections. The Commissioner had done this on the grounds more..

July 21 (SL) Election fever is once again spreading across the country with candidates from 39 political parties and 72 independent groups of all hues striving to secure a seat in the next parliament. 3,653 candidates from registered political parties and 2,498 from independent groups are in the fray totaling 6,151. Of these 196 will be elected through the vote of the people and the other 29 will enter parliament from national lists. more..

July 21 (AD) Election outcome in Sri Lanka is important for the region and the world, Dennis Cutler Blair, the former United States Director of National Intelligence and former US Navy admiral has said. In a statement he said “Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election on August 17 will determine whether the reforms of President Maithripala Sirisena, himself elected to the surprise of most observers in January, will continue. more..

July 21 (Island) The police have recommended that National Dangerous Drug Control Board Chairman Dr. Nilanga Samarasinghe be provided with a small firearm in view of threats to his life. He has recently revealed that he has a list containing the names of 25 members of the last Parliament, involved in narcotics trade. Dr. Samarasinghe said that police had recommended that he be provided with a pistol and he had more..