Nov 16 (CT) It is a pleasure for me to join you here today, to speak on Politics and Development in Sri Lanka, soon after the official visit just last month to Singapore, by Prime Minister Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe. As I stand here before you, I am reminded of the famous words of Singapore’s first Prime Minister and much admired leader the world over, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, “There was no secret, we had no choice but to take chance and sail into rough waters”. more..

Nov 16 (DM) A-32-year old mother of one had jumped into Nilwala River from the Mahanama Bridge in Matara in an attempt to commit suicide, the Police said. The woman, a resident of Morawaka, Neluwa, had visited Matara with her husband, and her 4-year-old son. The Police said she had allegedly jumped into the river when the husband had gone to a mobile service provider along with the son, to get a detailed bill of the wife’s phone. However, the woman who was struggling more..

Nov 16 (AD) There is a strong demand within the parties that President Maithripala Sirisena should not lead the UPFA and the SLFP at forthcoming local govt polls, PHU leader Udaya Gammanpila says. The observation was made at a press conference held in Colombo today. He also pointed out his party would not extend its support to the UPFA as long as President Sirisena holds the leadership position. more..

Nov 16 (Island) The election of a new Basnayake Nilame of the Sri Maha Pattini Devale, one of the four historical devales of Kandy, takes place on Tuesday. The election is held by the Buddhist commissioners Department. The outgoing Basnayake Nilame is Rohan Paranagama. The main contestants are the outgoing Basnayake Nilames of Pattini Devale of Kandy Rohan Pranagama, Basnayake Nilame of Wilbawa Pattini Devale in Kurunegala District Hemantha Herath, more..

Nov 16 (Island) Members of the Graduate Employees’ Union (GEU) have decided to surround the Finance Ministry without prior notice in protest against the incumbent govt’s decision to suspend the provision of motorcycles to public servants. General Secretary of the GEU, Chandana Sooriyarachchi said that his union had made various requests and participated in a number of rounds of talks with relevant officials, but the govt had not been able to resume suspended scheme to more..

Nov 16 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s proposed constitution will include a Bill of Rights that takes into account economic, social and cultural rights of the people, the Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said. Delivering a lecture at the National University of Singapore, Foreign Minister said a constitution that addresses the needs of all citizens and communities would allow greater participation for the public in decision making processes. more..

Nov 16 (Island) Housing and Construction Minister Sajith Premadasa said last week that he regretted the govt’s failure to build houses for about 150 families rendered destitute by the Koslanda landslide last year. He was ready to take up the challenge of solving thier housing problem if the govt permitted him to carry out the task, he added. He said that the task of constructing houses for the homeless at the Koslanda tragedy, where around 200 persons killed had been vested with more..

Nov 16 (DM) State Minister Wasantha Aluwihare said today the criticism levelled at the govt against Good Governance was an act of betrayal. At an event in Matale, the minister said the national govt was formed to find solutions to major concerns of the people. “Those who opposed the January 8 victory are criticizing the govt today. It’s the UPFA that has been shattered. We condemn statements made by some ministers in a bid to undermine the people’s wishes,” he said. more..

Nov 16 (PSL) President Sirisena says though he is fully prepared to ban the sale of liquor and cancel liquor licenses as the President of the country, but the challenge faced by the entire world is whether drugs, that has become a major social force could be banned outright. He pointed out that every country, from the strongest countries with highest development, everybody in the human society is faced with the challenge of drugs. more..

Nov 16 (EN) Ceylon Hotels Corporation has acquired control of a company which plans to build and operate a US$ 27.7 million, 50-room resort on a Maldivian island. A stock exchange filing said Ceylon Hotels Corporation’s subsidiary, United Hotels Company Ltd, will buy the entire shareholding of Ceylon Hotels Maldives (CMHL) for 700,000 rupees. CMHL has got Sri Lankan exchange control approval for an equity investment of 11 million dollars to build a resort in Maldives, it said. more..

Nov 16 (LT) There are no cliques of four or three in the JVP and those who attempted to create such cliques were sacked from the party says the Member of the Political Bureau of the JVP K.D. Lal Kantha. Speaking to the media Mr. Lal Kantha said he was never with Somawansa or any other person but was with the JVP. He said those individuals who are politically bankrupt have been spreading slanders regarding the party and him as they have become impotent politically. more..

Nov 16 (Xinhua) Sri Lankan govt is likely to give its nod to re-start a stalled multi billion dollars China funded port city project in the island nation by early next year, one top official of Sri Lankan govt said. Official said that currently the Sri Lankan govt was conducting high level discussions with Chinese govt over the status of the Chinese projects in Sri Lanka and SL govt is likely to give its approval for the Port City project by February. more..

Nov 16 (CT) The Avant Garde Maritime Security Services today said Sri Lanka had lost credibility in the eyes of global shipping agents due to its handling of affairs related to the current controversy surrounding the maritime security firm. Manager – Commercial Protection at Avant Garde Nilantha Jayaweera said over 150 foreign ships which earlier used the services of the company had informed that they will no longer seek such services from Sri Lanka. According to Jayaweera, more..

Nov 16 (AD) Minuwangoda Magistrate today further remanded Kondeya’s elder brother Saman Jayalath till December 7 who was arrested in connection with the murder and sexual assault on the child in Kotadeniyawa. The Minuwangoda Magistrate was earlier apprised that DNA samples found on Seya Sadewmi match Saman Jayalath. This was informed after the CID submitted a report prepared by the Genetech Molecular Diagnostics Research Institute (GMDRI) on the DNA tests. more..

Nov 16 (DM) The real intention in setting up a private sector pension scheme by merging EPF and ETF is to invest these funds in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) by handing over their administration to a private fund managing agency, UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardane said. He said it was unwise to invest the EPF-ETF funds amounting to Rs.1.7 trillion, the largest fund in South Asia, in the stock exchange because it would more..

Nov 16 (DN) School schedule for the next year had been released by the Ministry of Education. Accordingly the first term for Sinhala and Tamil schools will commence on the Jan 4 and will end on April 8. The second term will be held from 25 April to 29 July and the third term from 31 Aug to 2 Dec. The first term for Muslim schools would start on 4 Jan and will end on 11 April. The second term would be held in two phases. First phase of the second term would be held from 18 April to 3 June. more..

Nov 16 (EN) Sri Lanka has printed around 28 billion rupees to repay maturing Treasuries at last week's auction data shows, piling pressure on the currency which fell to new record lows of 142.25 to the US dollar last week though it recovered amid bank dollar selling by the day's end. Excess liquidity interbank money markets climbed 134.8 billion rupees on Friday from 106 billion rupees a day earlier, after market bids were rejected for maturing Treasury bills at Wednesday's auction. more..

Nov 16 (DM) Insufficient information provided in the complaints was the main reason for the long delay in completing investigations into allegations of bribery and corruption, Bribery Commission Director General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe said today. She said the commission is currently investigating the Avant Garde mystery but declined to comment any further on this matter saying the people would know more..

Nov 16 (DM) Despite protests, govt will be signing the long awaited trade agreement with India entitled Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May, 2016, PHU General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila alleged. He said Minister for Development Strategies and International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama had said the CEPA would be finalised next May while addressing a Young Entrepreneurs’ Conference held at Waters Edge Hotel recently. more..

Nov 16 (CG) Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga (CBK) has left to Durban, South Africa to attend a Global Workshop on Enhancing the inclusivity and Accountability of the UN Peace-building Fund. She will address the meeting on Lessons from Sri Lanka on Peace, Reconciliation and Trust Building. Peace Building Support Office of UN co-ordinates the work of all UN Agencies concerned with peace-building and serves the UN Secretary General in peace-building efforts. more..

Nov 16 (Xinhua) Sri Lanka is to take measures to crackdown on the harassment of tourists following several complaints received in the past days. Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga has written to the Minister of Law and Order Sagala Ratnayake requesting for an urgent meeting with the police to address the mounting number of complaints of harassment of tourists. more..

Nov 16 (PTI) International cricket has been through a crisis of credibility in the past few years owing to corruption scandals but former SL batsman Aravinda de Silva said the sport is far greater than all the controversies put together. “Well, I am not aware of much news about cricket (but) I hear about those things every now and then, but I think cricket is a far greater game than all that. I am sure it will get through all that and I hope the administrators get back together and put things right more..

Nov 16 (DM) Eight more suspects detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), due to suspected links to the LTTE, have been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court today. The suspects were released when they were produced before the Colombo Additional Magistrate, today. Earlier, thirty-one suspects detained under the PTA were also enlarged on bail. They were ordered by the court to submit proof of residence and were also barred from leaving the country. more..

Nov 16 (EU) 1. The Council welcomes the significant advances made by the Govt of Sri Lanka since the presidential elections held in January 2015 to restore democratic governance, initiate a process of national reconciliation and re-engage with the international community and the UN system. 2. Following the invitation by the Govt of Sri Lanka, the European Union deployed an Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to observe more..

Nov 17 (CT) Are these senseless attacks and the killing of 128 innocent people in the French capital Paris on Friday 14 Nov yet another 9/11 type conspiracy to deceive the world to enhance the New World Order by further oppressing and brutalizing Muslims in the West and the world at large? This is the question now being asked by over. For example the 9/11 tragedy in New York destroyed the World Trade Centre and killed around 4000 people- except Jews who didn’t go to work on that day more..

Nov 17 (ST) The stabilisation of macroeconomic fundamentals by reducing the fiscal deficit, addressing the serious balance of payments crisis and containing the onerous debt burden is the immediate imperative. These have to be addressed by new directions in macroeconomic policies. The external financial crisis requires assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to tide over the balance of payments crisis through another structural adjustment program. more..

Nov 17 (SO) The matter relating to Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP who was detained in August 2009 following a clandestine operation in Malaysia and brought to Sri Lanka and later allowed to move freely by the Sri Lankan authorities still remains a contentious issue for Sri Lankans as well as the international community. However, breaking a long drawn-out silence over the issue AG Department more..

Nov 17 (CT) Another terrorist attack has captured the attention of the world. More than 120 people are dead. ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) has taken the responsibility for this barbaric attack. Eye witnesses say that gunmen shouted Allahu Akbar, before shooting. Unlike most terrorists’ attacks, in which ISIS killed hostages one by one. They did not demand anything. When they knew they were going to get captured, they killed themselves by using explosive vests. more..

Nov 17 (ST) Students of Shakespeare know that his plays were meant to be performed, originally on the Elizabethan stage. So there were stage directions. Having watched the unfolding drama over La Affaire Avant Garde, if one may call it that, and the hara kiri by Law and Order Minister Tilak Marapana induced from within his own ranks, one is tempted to write a stage direction a la Shakespeare. It would read Exit Marapana amid alarums. Why alarums? Because the of battle cry against others supposedly more..

Nov 17 (CT) Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne in an interview with our sister paper Mawbima Sunday issue levelled several charges against former Minister of Law and Order Tilak Marapana over the Avant Garde Armoury controversy. The minister claimed that certain persons had allegedly pressurized the Attorney General's Department to cover up the issue. Q: Why did you fire the first round, against Tilak Marapana's statement more..

Nov 17 (SL) Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera who expired last week was undoubtedly the pillar of strength behind the Citizen’s Power (Purawesi Balaya), which was the triggering point of the downfall of the once-mighty Mahinda Rajapaksa Regime. Ven. Sobitha Thera rendered a yeoman service in bringing back democracy, good governance and decent politics into a society which was being slowly but steadily engulfed into the dark ages. Biggest issue that our society faces more..

Nov 17 (SL) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe announced his brave vision for a spanking new Sri Lanka in his Third Generation Economic Reforms address to parliament. It is an outline of a comprehensive economic plan for the future hitherto not considered for which much thought and hard work would have gone in. It is not possible to do justice to this plan in this account that is written scarcely 24 hours after its delivery, and we would confine our comments to a brief view of it on our first reading. more..

Nov 17 (CI) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has suspended Galle chief curator Jayananda Warnaweera from all cricket activities for two years following his failure to attend two interviews with the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). Warnaweera himself is understood to be the subject of the ACU investigation. SLC had issued Warnaweera a show-cause notice after he missed meetings with ACU officials in Colombo last month. more..

Nov 17 (Island) Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has torn into some of his ministerial colleagues. They are not even fit to be bus conductors, a Sinhala daily has quoted him as saying. One may argue that Dr. Senaratne has made no revelation. But, his considered opinion of some of his fellow ministers serves to confirm the widely held view of MPs in general and members of the Cabinet in particular. However, it may be wrong to say that ministers are less competent than bus conductors where more..

Nov 17 (Island) The ISIS attacks in Paris and the French govt’s declaration of a state of emergency are a grim reminder of the politically motivated violence that once held sway in Sri Lanka. In contrast to many other countries in the world today Sri Lanka is an oasis of peace and political stability. The military suppression of the LTTE made this peace possible. It was the excesses that took place in the final stages of the war, and in its immediate aftermath that put SL in int'l limelight, more..

Nov 17 (ST) Though it was psychologically encouraging, the win against the West Indies could not be taken as the yardstick of balance in international cricketing strength, according to SLC’s Interim Coach Jerome Jayaratne. He said: “In reality the West Indies combination was not the best on paper and we always were a notch ahead of the opposition. At the same time, though we played the series on more..

Nov 17 (CT) An apparel industry giant and MAS Holdings Director Dian Gomes said he will retire from the company at the year end. "Our retirement age is 55. After 25 year of service I will retire from the company at the end of this year." he said. Meanwhile, industry sources said that he will leave the company at the end of this year to form new rival business conglomerate. "All are rumours, I had several offers, next January, I will reveal you what is my exact post retirement strategy is," more..

Nov 17 (EN) Sri Lanka's electric car registrations hit a new high of 529 units in Oct 2015, surpassing the previous high of 473 reached in September, an analysis of vehicle registry data showed. In October sales of Nissan Leaf cars, Sri Lanka's best-selling electric car reached 506 units, up from 459 units in September, JB Securities, a Colombo-based brokerage said. There were also six BMW i3 cars, eight Benz B class and five Volkswagen E-Golfs registered during the month. more..

Nov 17 (ST) State-owned Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) has become a political playground with former Managing Director refusing to quit. Two days after being asked to leave his position, former MD Bangsa Jayah on Friday locked his office room and left to sort things out with the minister, officials said. It was unclear which minister – Ravi Karunanayake or Kabir Hashim (with whom SLIC falls under) he was referring to. more..