Sept 2 (Island) Minister of Fisheries Mahinda Amaraweera said the ministry would carry out a fish survey in Sri Lankan waters from January with the help of Norway after 38 years. He said it would take 18 months to complete the survey and the total cost of which would be borne by Norway. "A fish survey was last carried out in 1978 in Sri Lankan waters and it was also facilitated by Norway," he said. more..

Sept 2 (NST) More than 50 people from Indian NGOs and politicians converged at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) today to vent out their frustration over the visit of former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse into the country. Rajapakse was here to attend the International Conference of Asia Pacific Parliament Members Union (ICAPPMU) in PWTC, which is being held from Thursdays until Sunday. more..

Sept 2 (PMD) President Maithripala Sirisena said the media should not mock or ridicule a noble concept like reconciliation as that would give a wrong interpretation about a positive concept to the younger generation. “There is media freedom today and it is up to you to crticise anybody. However, the media should not ridicule noble concepts like reconciliation by stating that reconciliation is an international conspiracy to divide the country. more..

Sept 2 (CG) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on Friday, urged the Govt to release civilian land held by the military. Ban Ki-moon, who is on the final leg of his visit to Sri Lanka, urged Sri Lanka to speed up the return of land so that the remaining communities of displaced people can return home. In parallel, he said, the size of the military force in the North and East could be reduced, helping to build trust and reduce tensions. more..

Sept 2 (Reuters) Sri Lankan shares ended steady on Friday, with falls in hotels and travel companies offsetting gains in diversified holdings and health care stocks, while foreign buying helped boost turnover. Colombo stock index ended 0.02% weaker at 6,539.09 and posted its second straight weekly loss, of 0.2%. Foreign investors, who have been net sellers of shares to the tune of 2.98 billion rupees ($20.48 million) so far this year, bought a net 612.9 million rupees worth of shares. more..

Sept 2 (CT) PREFACE: “Whether the description of marriage as a double solitude is applicable in all instances, it indicates that each individual carries a consciousness of himself as a solitary being, a consciousness of which he cannot completely and permanently rid himself. We all feel un-comprehended and uncomprehending, though to varying degrees and at various times. This awareness of separateness and consequent loneliness, an awareness which is part of our more..

Sept 2 (CT) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has allegedly set the tone to fight waste and corruption in the country. As reported on these pages, PM has called for an explanation from Sports Ministry Secretary as to how 40 officials had accompanied a team of a mere nine athletes to the recently concluded Olympic Games at Rio. Whereas, probably a manager and a physiotherapist would have had been more than sufficient to have had accompanied this contingent, which returned medal-less! more..

Sept 2 (CI) Angelo Mathews' calf tear has ruled him out of the remainder of Australia's tour, while allrounder Thisara Perera and left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan have been released from the SL squad for the fifth ODI. In place of these three players, SL have drafted in batsmen Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella, as well as seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka. Mathews has not undergone a CT scan for the injury he sustained during the fourth ODI, but team management more..

Sept 2 (LBO) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe says the Indian Ocean region has always been a significant playing field for big powers and historically it has also been a bridge between the East and West. Speaking at the Indian Ocean Conference PM said the wealth and technology gap between the West and the East has narrowed significantly by the sheer weight of numbers in Asia. “By the year 2030, it is estimated that more..

Sept 2 (CI) Former Sri Lanka batsman Thilan Samaraweera has been appointed as Bangladesh batting consultant for the upcoming home series against England. This will be his second stint in this role with an international team, having already worked as batting consultant to Australia earlier this year. BCB president Nazmul Hassan said on Friday that Samaraweera would be available only for one series, but added that the contract could be extended. more..

Sept 2 (CT) The right to perform vehicle emission tests should be restricted to SL Transport Board, All Ceylon Transport Workers Union (ACTWU) urged. ACTWU General Secretary Sepala Liyanage said the matter was referred to President after the special meeting with the trade union leaders of the SLTB. Letter sent to the President by ACTWU noted that two private companies generated a profit over Rs 8,600 million through issuing vehicle emission tests and the govt only received Rs 890 million. more..

Sept 2 (DM) Joint opposition said it had unanimously decided to boycott 65th anniversary celebrations of SLFP. JO MP Dullas Alahapperuma said their decision was based on three main reasons including the SLFP’s servitude to the UNP. “Our boycott is also to oppose some of the SLFP politicians who are making false allegations against former president Rajapaksa. Through our boycott we are attempting to take SLFP on to more..

Sept 2 (CG) President of Czech Republic Miloz Ziman has urged Sri Lanka to establish a SL Embassy in Prague. Priyanee Wijesekera, Ambassador Designate of SL to Czech Republic presented her Credential to President Miloz Ziman at the office of the President in Prague Castle. Following the Ceremony Wijesekera met the President, Deputy Foreign Minister and Director of the Department of South Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chief of Protocol of more..

Sept 2 (GWL) An immigration fraudster living in Hounslow has been jailed after he was caught using a fake passport to apply for a job. Mohamed Buruhan came to the UK from Sri Lanka and his student visa had expired when he was caught using the false Italian ID. The 29-year-old was arrested in June when his home in Staines Road, Hounslow, was searched and the fake passport was found. He was also discovered to have used a counterfeit visa document to obtain employment. more..

Sept 2 (ENS) US Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said that SL is still in the early stages of regaining its rightful position in the region and the int'l community even as he acknowledges that there is no fast route to the goal. “There is still much work to be done in order to redress the wrongs of the past and to restore the legitimacy and accountability of key institutions, particularly the judiciary and the security services. more..

Sept 2 (ENS) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who had talks with President Sirisena, did not mention the Oct 1, 2015 UNHRC resolution which had called upon Sri Lanka to set up a Judicial Mechanism with international judges to try war crimes cases. “The President told us that Ban did not mention the UNHRC resolution even in the 10 minute one-to-one meeting he had with him. In fact Ban expressed satisfaction about the way the SL govt is handling the issue of reconciliation,” more..

Sept 2 (Island) Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) warned the public of an attempt by some NGOs to collect funds on the pretext of promoting post-war national reconciliation. Full text of the statement: "HRCSL observes that the public is under a false impression that it [HRCSL] is organising a public march to promote national reconciliation. "The Commission wishes to bring to the notice of the general public that the Commission has no connection whatsoever nor bears any more..

Sept 2 (AD) Five more suspects have been arrested in connection with the abduction and murder of a businessman from Bambalapitiya, police said today. The vehicle which is believed to have been used for the kidnapping has also been taken into custody. The arrested suspects are between ages 25 – 30. CCD yesterday arrested two suspects, both in their early twenties, over the murder. A 22-years-old and a 23-year-old more..

Sept 2 (ST) A Merchant Shipping's sub secretariat office under the Ministry of Ports and Shipping is to be opened today in Jaffna with the participation of Minister Arjuna Ranatunga. The responsibility of regulating the shipping and maritime subjects at the ports in Sri Lanka, is assigned to the Merchant Shipping Secretariat office. This is the first time a sub-office it to be opened. Developing and monitoring the coastal passenger transportation services of the Jaffna peninsula more..

Sept 2 (EN) Sri Lanka's state banks will have to find capital without public help, become more efficient and enhance governance, Deputy Minister of State Enterprises Eran Wickremaratne said. "Our govt has a fiscal deficit and this deficit will not go away in a hurry," he told a financial sector reform forum. "As a result, the government will be constrained in injecting capital to state institutions and the financial sector. Therefore, you will have to look for capital and internally generate capital." more..

Sept 2 (Island) WHO National Professional Officer for Communicable Diseases, Dr. Janakan Navaratnasingham said that though Sri Lanka was free from emerging contagious diseases, dengue and leptospirosis (rat fever) remained serious health problems. Last year alone the number of dengue cases had been a little over 29,000. However, this year from January till the end of August there had been over 38,000 cases more..

Sept 2 (GDI) A Korea-Sri Lanka joint art exhibition, titled The Dream Project Exhibition 2016, was held in Colombo recently for the fourth consecutive year. This was organized by the Korea National University of Arts and the SL University of the Visual and Performing Arts, to promote cultural exchanges among young, talented artists of the two countries. The exhibition showcased a variety of visual artworks by about 30 students and faculty members of the two universities. more..

Sept 2 (CT) Sri Lanka, with several experiences in reconciliation in the past has all essential capacities in this sphere to carryout effective reconciliation measures in the future too, says Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Addressing the 6th Defence Seminar at BMICH he said in reference to the visit by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to SL that 'we have a history of experiences in reconciliation from the time of Prince VIjaya to colonial times. more..

Sept 2 (CT) Subsequent to the order issued by PM to relevant authorities to provide a report after inquiring into the activities of National Olympic Committee (NOC), various opinions were expressed regarding the list of names of people who participated at Rio Olympics and the fact that Secretary of NOC has not revealed the complete list of names he has in his possession that has become a serious problem & a topic of conversation. more..

Sept 2 (CT) Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne said he expects antagonistic drug mafia factions within the pharmaceutical, tobacco and private hospital industries to launch a campaign to tarnish his image and undermine his health sector reforms. "My reforms will pit me against those with mala fide vested interests of these industries. In the past, sections of these industries have destroyed those who acted against their interests. They will systematically undermine your credibility. more..

Sept 2 (LBO) Sri Lanka is expected to hold interest rates steady for the rest of 2016 as the impact of two previous rate hikes kick in, Standard Chartered said in a report analyzing the economies of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. “We expect CBSL to stay on hold in 2016 as it monitors the impact of the two previous policy rate hikes on credit growth (50bps each in Feb and July),” report said. “We expect private sector credit growth to ease gradually to 20% by Dec 2016, from 28% in May 2016,” more..

Sept 2 (Vogue) Dreaming of a sunny getaway? Jasmine Hemsley of Hemsley + Hemsley shares her diary from a recent trip to SL, whilst her partner Nick Hopper has captured the sights, sounds and the glorious food through his beautiful photographs. We touch down in Columbo, and head straight up to the tea mountains. It’s a five-hour drive so after a roadside canteen curry feast we make a pitstop halfway to stock up on a variety of more..

Sept 2 (CT) Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) is in line to obtain the second IMF tranche amounting to another (Special Drawing Rights) SDR 119.9 million, after an IMF review next month, CBSL Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy told reporters on Tuesday, 30 August 2016. He said the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) had had satisfied IMF targets, as per end June requirements. CBSL got IMF's first tranche amounting to SDR 119.9 million (US$ 168.1 million) in June. more..

Sept 2 (DN) Party leaders representing the Joint Opposition (JO) handed over a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday urging him not to meddle with the internal affairs of the country. The letter mentioned that it is unjustified to carry out the proposal to work on missing persons. The letter signed by all JO members pointed out that it is an injustice to carry out the proposal on missing persons. The letter highlighted that there should not be any int'l mediation in internal matters more..

Sept 2 (PTI) President Sirisena today said the remaining privately-owned lands in the former war zone in the North will be returned to rightful owners in 3 months, hours after UN chief Ban Ki-Moon called for expediting reconciliation efforts with the minority Tamils. While a sizeable chunk of land has been returned, the state land is to be given to those who are landless and living in welfare centers or with friends and relatives, more..

Sept 3 (DN) This week began with an unprecedented event. A group of people organised a so-called protest against the inauguration of a school project for Tamil children, mostly from poor families in Peliyagoda. Among the protestors were Buddhist monks who ostensibly led it. They objected to the construction of the school on a land earmarked for a playground. Organisers of the school project, on the other hand claimed that only a part of the land would be used for the school. more..

Sept 3 (DN) A few weeks after the national unity government ensured the passage of the Office on Missing Persons Bill (OMP) in the country’s legislature, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to visit the country, this week, for a three-day official visit. Ban Ki-moon first visited Sri Lanka a few days after the end of the final phase of Eelam war where the LTTE, one of the world’s largest terrorist groups, was militarily crushed. In the face of growing international pressure more..

Sept 3 (SO) As the winds of the South West Monsoon blow across our island, the month of August is known as The Season for kite flying. It is probably the favourite month of both kite enthusiasts and kite sellers. Several kite festivals are being held annually in the country and thousands of kite lovers participate with great enthusiasm. Named as a leisure activity, kite flying is not limited to any age limit. more..

Sept 3 (Island) UNSG Ban Ki-moon has concluded what his office may describe as a successful tour of Sri Lanka. He squeezed as many meetings as possible into his tight schedule and whether he was able to ascertain anything substantive from his powwows is anybody’s guess. He is sure to deliver the message prepared well in advance before leaving the country. This comment, however, is not about UNSG’s visit or the statements he has already made or is likely to make from his office. more..

Sept 3 (NS) Hardly a day goes by without some major protest somewhere over something or the other. Wednesday was exceptional – there were two protests both forcing police to use water cannons and tear gas which is perhaps the minimum force if they are to control the unruly crowds protesting these days. One was the protest organized by activists of the Inter University Students Federation against SAITM at Malabe which according to them was a threat against free education. more..

Sept 3 (DM) She doesn’t mind losing the marriage now, but her biggest worry is the lack of recognition as an Olympic and World Championship medallist. “It’s over for me,” she says, referring to her marriage. “I have gone through hell to be what I am today. So, looking after my two children is not a big deal but what is hurting me most is the lack of recognition.” “If this is how I am treated despite getting the highest award one could, more..

Sept 3 (CT) Tasked with reviving the cashew industry to the profitable state it was once, Chairman of the Cashew Corporation Damsiri Bandara Karunaratne shared his thoughts, and said in an interview that the Cashew Corporation could definitely be transformed into a profit making entity once the cashew plantations in the war torn areas are brought under the corporation's purview. Q: General view among the public is that the Cashew Corporation is also a State entity more..

Sept 3 (CT) Knowing President Sirisena's inborn propensity to forge peace rather than resort to puerile confrontation, it even at this late stage is a fait accompli that the nation will see him holding out yet another branch to SLFP dissidents who seem to have been driven insane into breaking up the SLFP. All of its many demerits seen throughout the decades to have adequately been balanced off by the fact that SLFP at crucial junctures in the past, has certainly proved an effective Opposition more..