Mar 24 (Island) The loss of population in Jaffna is evident in the number of parliamentary representatives we have, dropping from 11 recently to 7 now and perhaps ready to drop to 6 if the trend continues. What, however, is not recognized is the drop in school-going children, a trend matching the drop in number of MPs. When school-going children diminish, schools need to be shut down. That in itself might not necessarily be a bad thing if it is rationally done. more..

Mar 24 (FT) An armed struggle is more difficult than a peaceful struggle and the LTTE has proved that the 30-year-long military battle was totally a mistake, says Women's Political Wing Leader Sivasubramanium Sivakamy. Sivakamy, popularly known as Thamilini, who died of Cancer in Oct 2015, in her book Oru Koorvaalin Nizhalil (In the shadow of a sharp sword), says that LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran missed the opportunity of more..

Mar 24 (CI) How did it come to this? After 39.3 overs of a pulsating contest in Bangalore, Bangladesh seemed to have a first ever T20I victory against India in their grasp. Two runs needed of three balls, with Mushfiqur Rahim on strike. The game should have been done and dusted, and India were staring at an early exit in the World Twenty20 in their own backyard. However, Bangladesh proceeded to remarkably offer India a way back into the game, with Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah both being more..

Mar 24 (Island) PickMe Sri Lanka's first home grown technology company providing a taxi hailing service, will also be the first to have their short public utility service telephone number issued by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC). In addition to the app, which can be downloaded to any smart phone using IOS, Android or Windows; PickMe passengers will now be able to hail a PickMe taxi by simply calling the hotline '1331'. CEO of the Company, Jiffry Zulfer says, more..

Mar 24 (Reuters) Sri Lanka borrowed over 25%more last year than in 2014, Minister Ravi Karunanayake said on Wednesday, blaming the high cost of refinancing loans he said were raised by the previous govt without parliamentary approval. Karunanayake told parliament that total govt borrowing rose 25.6% in 2015 to Rs. 1.74 trillion. That included a 23% rise in domestic borrowing, to Rs. 1.19 trillion, more..

Mar 24 (Island) Link Engineering (Pvt) Ltd - Sri Lanka's pioneering construction company and engineering arm of the internationally-renowned Blue Ocean Group of Companies, clinched another victory recently when it bagged the contract for the construction of Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Auditorium at the University of Ruhuna. Following a process of competitive bidding, the contract was awarded by the High Commission of India recently, as part of its development partnership with more..

Mar 24 (HP) On March 15, a momentous day for Sri Lanka’s future passed by in silence. The 20-member Public Representations Committee (PRC) on Constitutional Reforms accepted its last public submission to feed into a new national Constitution. PRC sought inputs from all across SL society, in an island-wide exercise that included public sittings, oral submissions over the phone and even receiving comments on Facebook. For the first time in living memory, Sri Lanka asked its own citizens to more..

Mar 24 (DM) Foreign Employment Bureau (FEB) officials and the police yesterday busted a human trafficking network and rescued ten victims including six teenage girls, who were forcibly detained for more than six months. Three sub-agents were arrested during the raid on several lodges in Maradana. Those rescued had come to the sub-agents seeking job opportunities in Middle Eastern countries. more..

Mar 24 (Island) A strategic sell down by Singer Sri Lanka BV, the parent company of Singer Sri Lanka PLC to conform to the 20% market liquidity rule, boosted turnover on the Colombo bourse yesterday to Rs. 1.27 billion, up from Monday’s Rs. 466.5 million, but the ASPI lost 15.07 points (0.25%) while S&P SL20 was up 7.44 points (0.23%) with 95 gainers ahead of 69 losers while 51 counters closed flat. "The holding company of Singer Sri Lanka which held 86.11% of the Sri Lanka more..

Mar 24 (DN) Commercial Bank was named the Best Bank in Sri Lanka, reaffirming the Bank’s status as the leader in its field for the17th year. Global Finance’s just-released 2016 list of the world’s 25 Best Emerging Markets Banks in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, names Commercial Bank alongside some of the leading banks in these regions. Criteria for choosing the winners included growth in assets, profitability, strategic more..

Mar 24 (DM) Japan is expected to invest in a coal power project in Sri Lanka which was provided 600 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, a Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva said. He is currently visiting Japan on the invitation of the Japanese Govt and said that it would be a high efficiency coal-fired power generation project. The deputy minister said the Japanese investment would be in addition to proposed coal-fired project more..

Mar 24 (DN) Travel time from Colombo to Haputale will be reduced to 45 minutes when the new domestic airport is built at Sherwood estate, Totalagala, Haputale at a higher of 5,970 feet above sea level, said Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. Presiding over a meeting held in Badulla, he said the project would take time to complete as it involved an environmental impact report, requisitioning land and building an access road, and paying compensation to land taken over for the propose. more..

Mar 24 (FT) SLFP expects to expand the UPFA’s membership by negotiating with new political parties to obtain a larger victory margin in upcoming LG elections. SLFP MP Manusha Nanayakkara said his party will create more space than before for minority communities to ensure victory in all provinces. “There was no such separation inside the party and at the end of the day we all are SLFPers. Majority of SLFP including 38 Joint Opposition MPs are willing to mark another victory as one alliance. more..

Mar 24 (Island) Health Ministry said all persons who tested positive for HIV should undergo treatment immediately from this year. It was called Test and Treat policy. Coordinator IEC, Advocacy of the National STD / AIDS Control Programme of the Ministry, Dr G. Weerasinghe said at present not all those found to be HIV positive underwent treatment immediately. He said the Health Ministry had decided to purchase all more..

Mar 24 (EN) Sri Lanka has sold 375 million dollars in 3 and 6 month paper and 1 and 2 year dollar denominated bonds at an auction Wednesday, where yields edged up, data from the state debt office showed. The debt office sold 10.3 million dollars 3 month bills at 472.12 basis points fixed, down from 475 basis points on March 9. The debt office also sold 38.88 million dollars in six month paper, at a floating rate of 407.14 basis points above 6-month London Interbank Offered rate. more..

Mar 24 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s Continental Shipping Lines, PATHEIN STAR made it’s inaugural call at the Jaya Container Terminal in Colombo. The vessel is scheduled to leave for Port Yangon of Myanmar, soon. “This is the first time that a direct cargo link has been established between Colombo and Yangon opening a new opportunity for Sri Lankan exports to explore this market,” Ruby Dole, general Manager, SAR Maritime Agencies which acts as the local agents of the shipping line said. more..

Mar 24 (Island) Jayalath Dissanayake Committee disputed the govt’s claim that LG polls had to be put off indefinitely due to the non-completion of the delimitation of new wards. Chairman of the five-member committee and veteran administrator Jayalath Dissanayake said that his outfit had successfully completed the delimitation process last year. Committee appointed on Dec 7, 2012 by the previous govt comprised an attorney-at-law more..

Mar 24 (Island) Gamapaha District UPFA MP Sisira Jayakody brought in a torch inside the Chamber and lit it in protest against on-going power cuts yesterday. The MP lit his torch and displayed it to others while Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was making a ministerial statement giving reasons for the recent countrywide power cuts. The MP requested the government to provide each citizen with a torch as power cuts had become a daily occurrence. more..

Mar 24 (FT) As the countdown to ETCA begins, State Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe pointed out that in the process of adapting to global trade dynamics, India and Sri Lanka should compete together rather than viewing each other as rivals. Noting that cooperation even among competitors is the way of the future, he said that this had been proven today in the global financial scope. Senasinghe asserted: “About 20 years ago competing separately would have been the way forward for more..

Mar 24 (Island) The NMSJ warned monks, Uduwe Dammaloka, Elle Gunawansa and Murutettuwe Ananda Theras, who had expressed suspicions of foul play in late NMSJ leader Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera not to incite the public. "Some of the monks held on remand are those with cases being heard against them involving rape, child abuse and illegal activities like keeping in custody baby elephants," Prof. Sarath Wijesooriya more..

Mar 24 (DN) Sri Lankan scholars and activists have expressed shock and indignation at the media campaign conducted over the past few days against well-known feminist scholar and Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Nivedita Menon. This media campaign mischievously decontextualizes her lecture at the public teach-in programme in JNU with the use of selective clips and inflammatory commentary. The television channel Zee has led the main campaign by branding Professor Menon more..

Mar 24 (IC) Sri Lanka's chances of qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 have been deemed dim and slim by myself as well as the gamblers' tote for a number of reasons. Let me argue my case by an unconventional route by raising a simple question: how many Sri Lankans have been selected by the franchises in the Indian IPL? The answer is: only two, Lasith Malinga and Thisara Perera. The exclusion of Pakistanis is political, but all the other principal contenders more..

Mar 24 (Island) The govt said in Parliament that it was ready to consider taking over the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine if the Opposition made a demand to that effect. Minister Lakshman Kiriella, in answer to a question raised by MEP Leader Dinesh Gunawardena, said that SAITM had been established under the previous regime. "You, too, were a minister of that govt and raised more..

Mar 24 (EN) Colombo is fast losing wetlands in and around the city and needs to protect them urgently, an international expert said. Flooding of Colombo could be much worse than a major flood in 2010, when the city’s economy was disrupted, if the remaining wetlands are not preserved, said Matthew Simpson, an international wetland scientist from the UK. Simpson helped draw up a wetlands management strategy that was discussed at a forum organised by Ministry of Megapolis and more..

Mar 24 (DM) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition MP Udaya Gammanpila engaged in crosstalk in Parliament when an issue relating to the Hanuman Bridge between India and Sri Lanka came up for debate. PM pointed out that Sri Lankans were unaware of the statements made by Indian Minister Nitin Gadkari in the Lok Sabha regarding the said matter. He said Minister Gadkari’s speech was recorded in the Lok Sabha Hansard in Hindi and no one would be able to understand it, more..

Mar 24 (Island) Party leaders decided to withdraw their plan to grant increased allowances to MPs in the face of growing countrywide displeasure. The decision had been taken at the party leaders meeting at the Parliamentary Complex with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya presiding. The party leaders agreed not to submit the proposal for the approval of the Cabinet of ministers. It had been previously decided to submit the proposal to more..

Mar 24 (DM) From mining to combustion, coal is the most polluting of all fossil fuels. Burning coal is the largest single source of climate-changing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the world, according to the environmental conservation group, Greenpeace. Coal burning is responsible for one-third of all our carbon dioxide pollution. It is the most polluting way to generate electricity, accounting for more than 70 per cent of the CO2 emissions from the power sector. CO2 is the most prevalent of more..

Mar 24 (CT) The govt will enter into a strategic commercial deal with the Govt of China which will make the Ruhunu Magampura Port and the Mattala Airport commercially viable. That is understandable given the massive debt situation that the incumbent govt has inherited from its predecessors. With the Sri Lanka Ports Authority unable to recover the losses and also the loan installments which have been payable and with the same situation prevailing at Airport and Aviation Services Ltd more..

Mar 24 (DM) The joint opposition’s Hyde Park rally marked the clear division of the UPFA. The Joint Opposition is the banner used by the Mahinda Rajapaksa faction of the UPFA. Hot on the heels of the event, animosity between President Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa seem to have risen to a new level. It was implicit when the President remarked he was not scared of chest-banging by those asking for the govt to be more..

Mar 24 (SL) With Minister Ravi Karunanayake’s recent statement announcing that the govt would be raising taxes as part of a drive to improve its credit rating and reduce budget deficit, many have raised concerns as to whether the country is falling into the same rut as before. Finance Minister’s statement comes in the wake of Sri Lanka taking a bad hit from Fitch Ratings, and as a result, sparking much debate on more..

Mar 24 (ST) Experts are scrambling to determine how three electricity blackouts occurred within six months and the answers are still not forthcoming. There is general consensus, however, that imbalances in the power system cannot– and must not — lead to regular countrywide shutdowns. “There were three blackouts in September, February and March,” said Damitha Kumarasinghe, Director General of the Public Utilities Commission. more..

Mar 24 (Island) Director General Health Services, Dr Palitha Mahipala revealed that over 12,360 suspect dengue cases had been reported during the first three months of this year with 6541 cases reported in January alone, he said. Announcing the National Mosquito Control Week from March 29 to April 4th at a Seminar, Dr Mahipala said that 4220 and 1600 had been recorded in February and March respectively. more..

Mar 24 (CG) The opposition is to present a no-confidence motion on Tourism Minister John Amaratunga to Parliament. Opposition and SLFP member Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that Amaratunga had misled Parliament in a statement made yesterday. Aluthgamage said that Amaratunga had given wrong information to Parliament to a question he had raised and as a result has lost the confidence of Parliament. more..

Mar 24 (EN) Sri Lanka will introduce a process to fast-track small renewable private power producers below 2 MegaWatts to the electricity grid, Power Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. "A simplified process to approve small renewable power investors and a tariff scheme will be introduced," Minister Siyambalapitiya told parliament. The renewable industry has become a powerful lobby group with advocates making more..

Mar 24 (AD) Former Ceylinco Chairman Lalith Kotelawala’s wife Cecille Kotelawala, who was arrested and remanded in connection with the Golden Key case, was granted bail by the Court of Appeal. She was ordered released on a cash bail of Rs 100,000 and two personal bails of Rs 1 million each after a revision application filed by her attorneys were taken up for consideration today. The court impounded her passport and more..

Mar 24 (AD) Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Dhammika Ranatunga has been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court in connection with the case filed against him for allegedly intimidating journalists. Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya ordered that the defendant be released on two personal bails of Rs 100,000 each and also severely warned him. Ranatunga, who is the brother of Minister more..

Mar 24 (EN) Sri Lanka will charge newly proposed from April and September 2015 to bring down the budget deficit and stabilize the economy, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said. "Some of the new taxes will be implemented from April and others from September," PM Wickremesinghe told parliament. "There are in discussions. We are talking with the International Monetary Fund also mainly about it." more..

Mar 24 (LBO) Long-awaited Right to Information Bill was presented to Parliament today as the first reading. Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka presented the bill to the house. The Speaker Karu Jayasuriya informed Parliament that the bill has been passed through all provincial councils subjected to certain amendments. “Western, North Western, Central, Southern, Eastern, and Uva Provinces have agreed with contents of Bill,” more..

Mar 24 (DM) A number of recent opinion pieces penned by some well-known writers have drawn attention to the growing radicalization among the Muslims of Sri Lanka. Among the key concerns raised are that Sri Lankan Muslims are becoming exclusivist and self-alienating by following a strict interpretation of Islam, manifested in particular by the growing number of Muslim women who have adopted all-encompassing alien, Arab attire. By conflating the veil with radical Islam, more..

Mar 24 (Island) Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown etiology (CKDU) is a tragic and long standing scourge gaining increased attention. Its gravity, increasing prevalence and difficulty of treatment is of grave concern. The search for possible causes has proved elusive and ignited more controversy and acrimony than shed light. It is agreed that some factor carried in water is the likely culprit. Soil factors, toxic elements, agro-chemicals, algal contaminants or entry via food more..