Apr 17 (CT) Sri Lanka is familiar with several natural disasters occurring in recent years with death and destruction in their train. It is for the first time a catastrophe has occurred due to the collapse of a garbage dump, of the type that happened at Meethotamulla last Friday. The calamity could be very well described as the collapse of a manmade mountain. The latest death toll has risen to more than twenty while forcing a large number of people to remain internally displaced. more..

Apr 17 (EN) Sri Lanka’s stock exchange has proposed changes to its listing rules to cover additional requirements it introduces to the way companies prepare audited financial statements in accordance with local standards. The proposed changes, on which public comments are invited, are needed as existing rules do not make binding on listed firms any additional requirements the Colombo Stock Exchange introduces. At present, the Listing Rules of the CSE require listed firms to more..

Apr 17 (NR) Vice Chancellor Upul Dissanayake of the Peradeniya University has requested all students to report to the hostel within the day today. Peradeniya University informed all students on the 3rd of April to vacate the university premises until further notice, due to the spread of a viral fever. The VC said around 500 students had contracted the virus in the first week of April. He said the University’s Health Units could not control the rapid spread of the virus due to more..

Apr 17 (Island) During the course of preaching the universal truth the Dhamma about the never ending Sansaric cycle and the way for its possible termination, Buddha emphasized the need to achieve three types of wisdom, by anyone who has the determination to achieve such an objective. They were the Sutamaya Panna, ie the wisdom achieved through listening to the Dhamma (or reading in the context of written texts), Chintamaya Panna, the wisdom gained through intellectual reflection more..

Apr 17 (DN) Over 50,000 acres of paddy lands will be cultivated during the Yala season In the Ampara district, Ampara District Secretary Thusitha P. Vanigasingha said. Over 10,500 acres will be cultivated with sugar-cane as well, he said. A meeting in this regard was held at Akkaraipattu DS recently chaired by Residential Project Manager M.M. Naleem. Irrigation Director Nihal Sriwardena, Agricultural Director A.L. Latheef, Farmer Organisations representatives and more..

Apr 17 (CT) Minister D.M. Swaminathan has said that the investigation into the alleged war crimes in SL could be carried out within the jurisdiction of the island and no foreign investigators would be admitted to look into the issue in the island. Swaminathan who was on a pilgrimage to the foremost temples of God Siva, in Chithamparam in Tamil Nadu on Saturday addressed a group of pressman outside the temple premises. more..

Apr 17 (DM) A high powered explosive device had been recovered from a house compound in Ukkulan Kulam Vavuniya, today, the Vavuniya Police said. “The bomb weighing 15 kg and 150 g has a mark Captain Bavan (Aiya) 99,” an officer said. The bomb had been recovered when the resident tried to excavate his garden. Finding the mystery device the resident had alerted the area Police, who in turn brought in the Bomb Squad to de-fuse it and take it into their custody, sources said. more..

Apr 17 (GDI) One of the fastest growing free ports in the world and one of the biggest free-ports in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Sohar has opened its doors to Sri Lanka with unparallel incentives of entry hitherto not offered by other free ports in the world-and historic Ceylon Tea, and several other Lankan sectors, are the immediate beneficiaries in the proposed win-win situation. “Sri Lanka has multiple benefits beyond exports when starting at Sohar which can be Sri Lanka’s more..

Apr 17 (DM) A sum of Rs. 100,000 would be paid as compensation to the next of kin for each of those who perished in the Meethotamulla tragedy, the Finance Ministry announced today. It said those whose properties were damaged would be paid up to Rs.2.5 million as compensation. “The ministry has decided on the payment of compensation in the wake of discussions chaired by President Sirisena,” Finance Ministry said. more..

Apr 17 (CT) Media recently reported that there is only one IO (Information Officer) appointed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act for national schools at Isurupaya who is unable to answer all the many information requests being made by parents.  That Information Officer is apparently dodging calls by parents. When parents go to the Education Ministry personally demanding answers under RTI, the officer is nowhere to be seen and is in hiding!  Colombo Telegraph was also unable to get more..

Apr 17 (GRI) Increased international interest in the Indian Ocean comes at a convenient time for Sri Lanka, as the country continues to recoup after the end of its decades-long civil war which ended in 2009. The island nation is being courted (and courting in turn) by various major powers, each seeking a stake in developing Sri Lanka’s strategic location midway between the Middle East and the Straits of Malacca. While opportunities present themselves, all this attention also more..

Apr 17 (CT) The Board of Directors of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL), commonly known as Lake House, is to be replaced soon. The current Chairman and the Managing Director of the state-run newspaper company is Kavan Ratnayaka, elder brother of Minister Sagala Ratnayaka. The move to replace the current Board of Directors comes in the wake of the President’s decision to appoint a 4-member more..

Apr 17 (GDI) Plans are underway to rehabilitate 20 highways of A and B classes with a total length of 564.53 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 58 billion within the next 03 years. About 7,900 km of highways of a total length of 12, 210 km of highways have already been rehabilitated and about 4, 300 km are to be rehabilitated. Considering the importance of capacity development of local contractors and the ability to use domestic funds through local banks, the proposal made by Lakshman Kiriella, more..

Apr 17 (Island) Wellampitiya police arrested 25 persons who allegedly attempted to loot the distressed residents there following the Meethotamulla garbage dump disaster on Saturday. The majority of the suspects were drug addicts and they were between 22 and 40 years and residents of Wellampitiya, Kolonnawa and Meethotamulla. The culprits were stealing goods while the security forces personnel, police and members of the DMC were conducting rescue operations. more..

Apr 17 (DM) TNA said today the Govt had assured it would release several more blocks of lands occupied by the security forces in the North and East Provinces. TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said the lands to be released would be identified after discussions were held with the district secretaries of Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mannar districts, Tri-forces Chiefs, district politicians & residents on Apr 19-20. more..

Apr 17 (Island) People booed and pelted stones at State Minister of National Integration and Reconciliation A.H.M. Fowzie when he visited the Meethotamulla disaster site. Police had removed the minister to safety, according to sources. Angry crowds shouted that they had no need for politicians who had ignored thier warnings and pleas. They said they had brought to the notice of the government that disaster was imminent but their calls for action had been ignored. more..

Apr 17 (Island) John Keels weekly Tea Market Report last week in their description on market trends were decidedly optimistic; that significance of March 2017 prices highest on record at the auction average of Rs. 638.76 was a distinct signal that the pall of gloom over shadowing the Tea industry was fading away. Report said welcome showers were reported from Western, Eastern and Southern Districts ending hot humid and dry weather that prevailed January through March this year. more..

Apr 17 (SLA) A multiplicity of different roles and tasks, now being carried out by Army troops in affected Meetotamulla areas, together with members of sister services, Police and the STF, took a different turn this morning with more focus on the survivors while Army rescue operations are still continuing uninterrupted using heavy machinery. Rescue operations of the Army in search of any possible survivors continued for more..

Apr 17 (TL) Children asked forgiveness of their parents, and spouses of each other, as members of the region's Sri Lankan community and others gathered in Harrison Sunday to celebrate the start of a new year. Sri Lankan New Year, or Sinhalese New Year, follows a lunar calendar and was officially observed Friday. The Pittsburgh Buddhist Center holds its celebration and blessing service Sunday so everyone can attend, said Damitha Karunaratne, of State College, the center's secretary more..

Apr 17 (EN) Sri Lanka's military carried out a recovery operation Monday as they looked for seven people still missing after the collapse of the huge garbage mountain that collapsed killing at least 28 people. Police sources said that the search operation had been planned out for four days and after Tuesday the authorities will take a fresh look at other options. One dead body and a dismembered leg was found Monday raising the toll in Friday's disaster to 28 and more..

Apr 17 (DM) The rapid spread of the influenza virus necessitates the declaration of a state of emergency but Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne has neglected it, GMOA said today. GMOA Secretary Naveen De Zoysa said that the minister should consider this step on a priority basis instead of intervening in the SAITM issue. He said the virus had reached epidemic proportions while the hospitals have run out of medicine. more..

Apr 18 (ST) The atheist JVP, which for years heaped scorn on Buddhist worship of the Bodhi and scoffed the practice as primitive tree worship, have now turned to pray before a  tree of their very own: a giant mahogany tree growing in the middle of a private estate in Horana. And this communist party, whose political ideology is based on Lenin’s maxim that religion is the opium of the masses, is now stoned on protecting it and according special status to it as the inspiring tree of political thought. more..

Apr 18 (CT) For the Sinhalese and Tamils, it was their New Year day. A day of joy and celebration. While around the country pots were overflowing with boiling milk ushering in the New Year, in Meethotamulla the saga was somewhat different. Many of people living there were literally buried under the decomposed, rotten and toxic garbage mountain that broke loose. It was unbearable to hear the heart-rending wail of the bereaved family members some of those who more..

Apr 18 (SO) Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne says, with the minimum standard being implemented, and it being drafted by the Medical Council, the GMOA is going on strike asking to abolish the SAITM. They know there is a solution coming, so they want to sabotage it. He said, earlier the GMOA said they are for private education and they only want to improve the standard of SAITM. Dr. Senaratne said, both the GMOA and more..

Apr 18 (ST) It has long been conventional wisdom that a govt forced to maintain a fragile political balance for its survival is good for the democratic process in Sri Lanka because the tug and pull of critical public pressure will impact more on decision-making. This is in contrast to overwhelming political majorities where undemocratic policies and legislation are bulldosed through a complicit Parliament with no checks and balances. There are many such illustrations, most notably more..

Apr 18 (CT) Ceylon Tamil leaders treated the hill-country Tamils perfidiously during the 1948 Citizenship Bill. Today, having wrapped oursleves up in the nationalist flag and it has become important for us to maintain that we were always with them. I had been asked to review Grandfather’s Letters edited by C. Suntharalingam’s (CS’s) grandson. I found myself quickly immersed in a web of lies on who voted how on the Citizenship Bill, especially CS himself. more..

Apr 18 (CT) Dr. Lionel Bopage joined the JVP at 27 years of age, while being a student of the Engineering Faculty of the Peradeniya University. He was among the nine who made the final decision about the 1971 April uprising and was accused in the main case as the second suspect. During the hearing, took the same stance as the JVP Leader Rohana Wijeweera, was convicted and later, subsequent to being released, served as more..

Apr 18 (NS) I was asked to call at a govt office on a govt holiday and was more than happy to accept this invitation as it was a response to my earlier request for an interview with Dr. Sudharshana Arambegedera, Deputy Director of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry. “You must have been surprised when you were invited to my office on a holiday,” he said. “It is my nature to work on holidays. I work in a place where I could not skip duty even on holidays. more..

Apr 18 (NS) Do you think it is possible for there to be an English class in a remote outpost in Sri Lanka which begins before dawn light has touched the grounds and students and parents come in total darkness using flashlights. This has been in existence for 20 years. When Ranasinghe received his appointment to a rural school, persuading the kids to pass the English test at the GCE O/L exam was a herculean task. He had to break down many barriers in the form of pre-conceived notions more..

Apr 18 (FT) The groundbreaking ceremony for the $ 250 million Horton Square St Regis Hotels and Residences was held yesterday at the former Central Hospital premises in Colombo 7. Horton Square will be one of the tallest twin towers in the country with a total of 75 floors in each tower being built simultaneously. The construction of the project will start this year and the development project will be ready by 2020. The luxury St Regis Hotel - the esteemed brand of the Starwood Group more..

Apr 18 (Island) It looks as if the US had exported too much of democracy to the rest of the world and were faced with a severe shortfall thereof at home as a result. The US has apparently been afflicted with the same ills as the not-so-democratic nations. President Donald Trump himself, in the run-up to last year’s presidential election, expressed fear of possible polls rigging. That gloomy prognosis did not come to pass, according to official reports, but there have been calls for ballot recounts, more..

Apr 18 (Roar) In Feb 2017, govt released a gazette regarding revised helmet regulations. As per these regulations, a controversial full face helmet ban remains in place, in spite of calls to do away with it. Two years ago, Attorney General announced to revise Gazette No. 644/26 of Jan 11, 1991, and remove the ban imposed on full face helmets. Despite this, the respective authorities announced that the ban will remain in effect. more..

Apr 18 (Island) I refer to the report of Shamindra and your editorial of today (17) on the Meethotamulla disaster. Sri Lanka is a country that is never pro-active in any area of activity. The rulers do not tackle national issues on a priority basis, and precious time and resources are wasted on communal and religious issues created by them for their survival. Sadly, after sixty nine years of self governance the electorate is still unable to figure out how crafty self seeking politicians are, more..

Apr 18 (Island) It appears that history is repeating itself. The National Energy Policy, which was drafted in 2005 and finally approved in 2006 is to be revised. This is not the first time this promise is made considering the most lopsided energy policy pushed down the throats of the citizens in Sri Lanka. But unfortunately history is repeating itself by adopting the same procedure of drafting a policy with no stake holder consultation and then giving a short notice asking for comments, more..

Apr 18 (ST) Local businessman Cornel Perera, who promoted the Colombo Hilton project years ago, has made a claim of US$ 25 million (Rs 3,800 million) for his role, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) has been told. March 22 minutes of the CCEM meeting, chaired by PM, note, “Mr Perera has been claiming about $ 25 million for all the expenditure he has made, all the losses he has incurred and all the efforts more..

Apr 18 (ST) Sri Lanka will soon be establishing phase one of the Hambantota and Moneragala industrial zones acquiring necessary lands identified for the massive project, sources said. A decision has been taken by the govt to issue instructions to implement the gazette notification dated 26 July 1999 published by the Ministry of Urban Development, Housing and Construction in declaring development zones and issue instructions to stop all unauthorised activities in this region. more..

Apr 18 (CT) Preparations are in full swing for the hotly contested and coveted 2017 ICC Champions Trophy taking place in England and Wales this year, with the SL national team undertaking a six-day high intensity endurance and performance program to better prepare for the matches ahead. Captain Angelo Mathews commenting on the preparations was appreciative of the technical and resource support from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). "ICC Champions Trophy will be an important event more..