Dec 7 (CT) Ranil Wickremesinghe seems resolved to ruin or to rule the State. Rather than Zero Tolerance for Corruption after regime change in 2015, the Good Governance regime is knee-deep in corruption rackets with a network of business cronies that operate a revolving door – from politics to business and vice versa. Instead of investigating off-shore money trails and apprehending the looters of the wealth of the SL nation to pay down some of the staggering national debt, more..

Dec 7 (CT) The line between emotional authenticity and contrived melodrama has been so thin that even our best actors can’t resist crossing it. If it’s surprising to come across Ranjan Ramanayake in as atypical a performance as the youngest son in Awaragira, or the father to the Gautama Buddha in Siddhartha Gautama, it’s not because we don’t doubt their ability in both the commercial and the serious cinema, but because he (and others like him) have not been given a proper outlet more..

Dec 7 (SO) At a time when the human- elephant conflict contributes to the deaths of 250 elephants and 60 humans a year, the crossed tusker of Galgamuwa, known as Dala Poottuwa served to be a symbol of peace. The appearance of this partially blind giant, in their home gardens, was no surprise to villagers of Galgamuwa. The tusker roamed the hedges, at times liberally enjoying the vegetation. more..

Dec 7 (DN) Cyril Mathew the controversial Sinhalese-nationalist, who quit the General Secretary post and the party sighting differences with his leader Dudley Senanayake in 1967, rejoined later and was expelled from the Cabinet and the governing UNP by President J R Jayewardene in 1984, but regained his position under Premadasa. In his letter of resignation dated Nov 2, 1967, Mathew stated: “as an honest politician dedicated to the welfare of the motherland and my people, more..

Dec 7 (NS) Cyber bullying has increased its spread rapidly in recent years, where it involves the use of cell phones, instant messaging, e-mail, chat rooms or social networking sites to harass threaten or intimidate someone. Often carried out by children and teenagers who have increasingly early access to these technologies, the act of cyberbullying are carried out against individuals or groups of individuals with a bullying motive to intentionally harm the reputation of more..

Dec 7 (CT) Much decorated soldier, one time Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Diplomat and now author, General Gerry de Silva is a man of many parts. His memoir A Most Noble Profession - Memories That Linger (2012) and more recently War Heroes Killed-In-Action have been launched and is currently working on the biography of Lieutenant General Denis Perera titled The General of all Generals. more..

Dec 7 (DN) The 2018 Budget speech, presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, featured the words youth or young people nineteen times. Specifically, there was an emphasis on youth enterprise or entrepreneurship, with an entire section of new policies and initiatives aimed at fostering the development of youth-led businesses. Clearly, the intention behind the speech—and the budget more generally—is to appeal to the sensibilities of young people more..

Dec 7 (CT) Democracy is a dangerous game. Especially, if it is played by those with bloody minds and muddy hands. This is not because such attempts may not succeed – they may well be so as often is the case in Sri Lanka – but because what they pretend to construct will be abysmally empty and permanently tarnished like their polity. A Constitution will be the overarching canopy under which a progressive blueprint for a State and all nations within is desirable at any cost. more..

Dec 7 (Island) Dilmah Conservation shifted its focus from the more colourful forms of life and ignited the conversation on the less discussed charisma of bats, as Dilmah Founder, Merrill J Fernando released its latest publication, A Field Guide to the Bats of Sri Lanka authored by Prof. Wipula Yapa on November 27 at the Home of Dilmah in Peliyagoda. The publication, the 13th addition to Dilmah Conservation’s Field Guides series, is the sole guide to all the 30 species of bats more..

Dec 7 (Island) No sooner had PM raked newspaper editors over the coals, the other day, for their absence at a UN-organised press freedom event than Minister Mangala Samaraweera followed suit. Echoing the PM, who asked whether editors were not interested in media freedom, Samaraweera said, at a different event, that invitations had been sent to all editors and he was disappointed that the front-row seats at the UN-sponsored function had been left empty by no-shows. more..

Dec 7 (CI) On the brightest, cleanest day of the Delhi Test, Sri Lanka completed what had happened only five times previously: bat 100 overs or more in the fourth innings to deny India a win at home. Sri Lanka recorded the highest fourth-innings total against India in India and they did so in one of the most bizarre Tests seen - well, seen might be a stretch given the smog. Their players kept falling sick because of pollution, and more..

Dec 7 (DM) Conducting of Asian Packaging Federation (APF) events in Sri Lanka this year is of great significance to the packaging fraternity in our country as the incumbent President of Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging (SLIP), Rohan Victoria who is the senior Vice President of APF is expected to be elected as the next President of the Federation and will assume duties from 1st Jan 2018. Rohan Victoria will be the third person from Sri Lanka to adorn this Prestigious position as more..

Dec 7 (CT) Former SL cricketer and Bangladeshi coach, Chandika Hathurusinghe, will assume duties as the head coach of Sri Lankan National Cricket Team later this month, Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekera said yesterday. Hathurusinghe returned to the country recently after resigning from his position as the Bangladeshi coach. Last month President of SLC Thilanga Sumathipala told Ceylon Today that a head coach for the SL National team will be selected by December. more..

Dec 7 (CT) Following revelations regarding the incidents of child sexual abuse at the Darun Nusra orphanage in Dehiwala, which are presently being investigated by the crimes division of the Boralesgamuwa Police, allegations of complicity have been levelled against officers of the Western Province Department of Probation and Childcare Services. Meanwhile, a group of various humanitarian org, activists & volunteers, more..

Dec 7 (DN) Sri Lanka’s success in developing basic infrastructure such as a road network density of 98% is highest in highest in South Asia according to the Global Competitiveness Index in FY17. Sri Lanka is ranked as 73rd out of 138 countries for infrastructure development making SL an attractive destination for private investment. The international Finance Corporation (IFC) which also highlighted this in their South Asian report says that SL’s road transport infrastructure is concentrated more..

Dec 7 (Island) Auditor General’s Forum is the Maldives’ national platform for all professional auditors and accountants to address strategic issues that are shaping the operating environment of organizations today and gain insights to effectively manage the associated risks of business. Invited to address the gathering were eminent Sri Lankan professionals Arjuna Herath, Senior Partner Ernst & Young and Michel Nugawela, Partner Interbrand Sri Lanka & CEO of MND. more..

Dec 7 (DN) Test debutant Roshen Silva spoke about the time when he almost threw in the towel and moved to Australia when he got so frustrated at not being picked to play for SL. 29-year-old right-hander from Ragama had been consistently knocking on the door for selection with his outstanding form in the domestic competition scoring over 6500 runs in 104 first-class matches with 18 centuries. more..

Dec 7 (CT) Sri Lanka needs more than 428,000 tourists during December to achieve this year's revised target of 2.3 million visitors. The country has welcomed nearly 1.87 million travellers during the eleven-month period ended November this year. During the 11 months, tourist arrivals increased 2.5% to 1.871,871, from 1,826,041 recorded during the same period last year. During November this year, SL welcomed 167,511 tourists to the country, up a sluggish 0.2% from 167,217 a year ago. more..

Dec 7 (FT) Pioneering business magazine LMD has announced that its Sri Lankan Of The Year for 2017 is actress and entrepreneur Jacqueline Fernandez. The magazine pays tribute to the Bollywood superstar, whom it says has brought a refreshing breath of fresh air amid the pollution we’re accustomed to dealing with. “We can now claim a Bollywood superstar who has not only risen to A-list status in a relatively short time but also highlighted SL’s better side through activities that more..

Dec 7 (FT) The release last month of SL govt’s 2018 budget sent a ripple of excitement along the country’s south coast, where a modest number of sun-seeking expats have been renovating beachside villas and opening boutique hotels since the civil war ended in 2009. The budget furthers president Maithripala Sirisena’s plans to boost foreign investment and trade, and continues to unpick the confusing property restrictions that more..

Dec 7 (FT) Interbrand, the world’s largest and most influential brand consultancy, will introduce Best Sri Lankan Brands, an extension of its world renowned Best Brands list, at an exclusive ceremony on 11 December at the Colombo Hilton. The ranking, which identifies the most valuable brands in Sri Lanka, is modelled on Interbrand’s prestigious Best Global Brands annual report, the definitive guide to the world’s 100 most valuable brands. Senior leaders from the Interbrand leadership more..

Dec 7 (FT) With just days to go before the handover of the Hambantota Port to its Chinese investor, Cabinet yesterday approved more amendments to the Concession Agreement with regards to changes in the ownership share structure that would be established after the takeover by the Chinese entity. The new amendments to the Concession Agreement for the Hambantota Port by a Public-Private Partnership between the SL Ports Authority, Govt of SL, China Merchants Ports Holdings, more..

Dec 7 (FT) CB Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy said the global economy had a number of tailwinds for SL, while insisting on the need to focus on mitigating the negative impacts of international interest rates. He asserted that the world economy seemed to be in better shape, providing a better set of external circumstances of tailwinds for SL, and considering all the macroeconomic factors, it provides more..

Dec 7 (Island) The Navy apprehended 23 persons engaged in illegal acts at several locations in the country during the past few days––three for possessing Kerala cannabis, one for possessing intoxicating drugs, one for keeping counterfeit money, one for having heroin, two for killing dolphins, two for transporting sandalwood logs and 13 for illegal fishing. Acting on a tip-off, naval personnel attached to the Western Naval Command, in coordination with STF officers attached to more..

Dec 7 (FT) President Sirisena said that discipline across all sectors was essential to take the country towards development. “That discipline should start from politicians and extended to every sector,” he added. President was addressing a batch of Samurdhi officers who were getting leadership training at the Infantry Training Center in Minneriya. President, who arrived in Polonnaruwa on 5 Dec to participate in several programs, made a sudden visit to the Infantry Training Center. more..

Dec 7 (CT) Sri Lankan Prosperity Index (SLPI) and all its sub-indices except for the Socio-Economic Infrastructure continued to improve, with the main index gaining 61 index points to 0.746 points in 2016 from 0.685 points in the 2015. The SLPI measures and compares the level of prosperity of the country and across its provinces. According to CB data the Economy and Business Climate sub index gained 44 points more..

Dec 7 (Island) Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) has commenced the first ever Survey on Time Use in Sri Lanka to compile information on the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, socializing, and household work etc. About 6400 households have been selected for this Survey using standard sampling methods to cover the entire country. The DCS povides various socio economic and demographic statistics to data users more..

Dec 7 (Island) Association of Chiefs of Police (Rtd.) of Sri Lanka has come out strongly against the proposal to completely devolve to the Provincial Councils the subject of Law and Order made by the Steering Committee of the Constituent Assembly through its recent Interim Report presented to parliament by the Prime Minister. The ACP motion rejecting the proposal to devolve Law and Order, which had been unanimously approved by its membership at their AGM on Nov 25 more..

Dec 7 (Island) The PCoI that probed the treasury bond scams involving now suspended primary dealer Perpetual Treasuries had received further submissions from various parties to the inquiry. The Central Bank suspended Perpetual Treasuries in July for a six- month period. Counsel for PM Ranil Wickremesinghe, who appeared before the commission on Nov 20, last day of sittings, more..

Dec 7 (DN) GMOA has sent a letter to President Sirisena requesting him to intervene by providing a final solution for the SAITM issue, which should be acceptable to all relevant parties, GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said. He said that that the letter sent to President with the signatures of GMOA President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya and himself. The copies of the letter had been sent to the PM, Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Dr. Harsha De Silva and all the other relevant state officials. more..

Dec 7 (CT) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is set to hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) with the intention of seeking approval from their member clubs to continue the present administration for two more years and bypass the Annual General Meeting due in 2018. When inquiries were made about this development, a SLC Management Committee Member stated that an Emergency Executive Committee Meeting was to be held last night to take a final decision regarding the SGM. more..

Dec 7 (DN) Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara cast blame on two key persons in the Joint Opposition (JO) for derailing negotiations between the Podujana Peramuna led by former President Rajapaksa and the SLFP led by President Sirisena. “One of them wants to become leader in another 20 years, so he wants the split to continue,” he said. According to Jayasekara, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Basil Rajapaksa and more..

Dec 7 (DM) The report of the PCoI into the Bond Issuance is scheduled to be handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena tomorrow. Commission was appointed by him to begin an inquiry into the issuance of Bonds that took place during the time period Feb 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. The report that is to be handed over to President Sirisena was compiled based on the evidence gathered by the PCoI after a process that lasted 10 months. more..

Dec 7 (DM) Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has ruled that the fundamental rights of the girl who was accused of being pregnant and was ordered to be removed from school by the class teacher, school disciplinary board, teaching instructor and former principal of Sri Revatha Vidyalaya in Madatugama had been violated. HRCSL had directed the Director Education of North Central Province to hold an inquiry against those involved in making this hasty decision more..

Dec 7 (DN) Minister of Sports who is looking to initiate disciplinary action against the official responsible for sending nine Sri Lankan cricketers to India without prior approval from him, has called for a report and investigation into the incident. Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said the official responsible would also have to personally bear the costs accrued due to the delay in flights. He explained that all sportsmen and women more..

Dec 7 (DM) With legal issues being cleared, the Local Council Elections are now likely to be held in February with the possible date being February 10. Earlier the Elections Department had planned to hold elections to 90 councils because of a legal problem over the others and an interim stay order being issued by the Court of Appeal. Now the Elections Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya has said elections would be held on the same day to all 341 MCs, UCs and PSs. more..

Dec 7 (DM) Way back in the year 1988 an island-wide poster stamped in the public conscious the notion of political teaser advertisements. It was a simple question: (Who is this [and] what is he doing? It did not come in colors associated with any of the major parties. It was in orange. It was duly followed by a response that began with [he] is the one [who]…) and went on to detail achievements and pledges. That was effectively the launch of R Premadasa’s presidential campaign. more..

Dec 7 (DM) CWC General Secretary Arumugam Thondaman, in an interview, spoke about the current political environment and his plans to contest the elections. Q: How do you view the current political environment as the head of the CWC? A: Everybody is getting ready for the LG election. There are different groups. There are alliances already formed or being formed. This is going to be a very interesting election. more..

Dec 7 (CT) Chief Minister of the Northern Province, Justice C.V. Wigneswaran says, Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara's recent interview titled Wigneswaran should resign, needs to be replied. In his email response, to Admiral Weerasekera's answers to Ceylon Today The Interview of 23 Nov, Chief Minister has expressed his opinion, by taking each point he contradicts and has formulated his responses. more..