June 2 (CT) Whereas the Govt of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is yet to announce a new Deputy Media Minister after Karu Paranawithana was transferred as Deputy Skills Development and Vocational Training Deputy Minister in a Deputy and State Minister portfolio mini shuffle on Wednesday, nonetheless a banker and an economist have been appointed as State Minister and Deputy Minister to the key ministry portfolios of Finance and National Policies and Economic Affairs respectively. more..

June 2 (CT) President Sirisena was not elected President as a candidate representing one single party. He was the candidate of a combine. That combine consisted of the parties that represent the two major ethnic groups, Tamils and Muslims, and UNP, leading single political party in SL since Independence. No more than a marginal few of the SLFP voted for him. The entire Southern province was swept by Mahinda Rajapaksa. Bulk of the Sinhalese Buddhist majority, nearly 65%, more..

June 2 (AD) Following the cabinet reshuffling, Secretary to Treasurer and Ministry of Finance, Dr. R H S Samaratunga has also been vested with the responsibilities of Secretary to Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media. Upon an inquiry, former Secretary to the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media, Nimal Bopage stated that he had yet to be informed of his new appointment. He proceeded to verify that Dr. Samaratunga had in fact already assumed more..

June 2 (CT) The pollution of groundwater through the alleged dumping of waste-oil by the Chunnakam Power Plant, a subsidiary of Walker and Sons and a contractor for the CEB, has been litigated for some years now. Issues were whether the water is really polluted, and if so by whom. Yesterday (30), Mallakam Magistrate, ordered the police to arrest the officials of the Power Plant responsible for this pollution and produce them in court on the next date of hearing, June 27. more..

June 2 (DM) In the aftermath of the Cabinet reshuffle, the govt is now moving to replace some ministry secretaries, it is learnt. The govt replaced nine Cabinet portfolios, and eight state and deputy ministry posts on two occasions. Political sources said some ministry secretaries would also be replaced soon. However, it is learnt that there will be no change in the secretarial posts in the Finance and Foreign Ministries. A new secretary is also likely to be appointed to more..

June 2 (DN) The case filed against a home painter for committing the murder of journalist Mel Gunasekera was fixed for judgement by Colombo High Court. Colombo HC Judge Piyasena Ranasinghe hearing the murder case informed that the judgement regarding the case would be delivered on July 5. Deputy Solicitor General Shanil Kularatne appearing on behalf of Attorney General. Shanil Kularatne explained the strong circumstantial evidence placed during the course of the trial. more..

June 2 (DM) Sri Lanka ranked 68 globally in broadband internet speeds with an average connection speed (IPv4) of 8.5 Mbps, State of the Internet Q1 2017 Connectivity report issued by Akamai Technologies said. India had ranked 89 in broadband internet speeds with an average connection speed (IPv4) of 6.5 Mbps South Korea had topped the chart with an average speeds of 28.6Mbps. India is slightly ahead of China more..

June 2 (DN) Police transfers were made today with the recommendation of the IGP and the Police Commission with immediate effect on operational requirements. Transfers are as follows: Senior DIG Jagath Abeysirigunewardena – Assistant Senior DIG to North Central and Central Province Senior DIG; Senior DIG Y.R. W. Vijegunewardana - North Central and Central Province Senior DIG to Assistant Senior DIG; Senior DIG K.E.R.L. Fernando – Senior DIG Special Security Division to more..

June 2 (EN) Recent floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains in SL could disrupt tea production since some of the worst affected were tea-growing regions of the south. Tea prices at the Colombo auctions remained at record levels in both rupee and US dollar terms in May owing to a shortage of crop, Forbes & Walker Tea Brokers said. “SL tea production is likely to be further impacted as the country experienced its worst disaster from torrential rain since 2003 last week,” more..

June 2 (NR) Ministry of Education says all schools in the Western Province that were closed due to the inclement weather will reopen on Monday the 5th of June. Subject Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam further said schools in the Sabaragamuwa Province with the exception of 15 and all schools in the Southern Province excluding 39 schools will reopen on the 5th of June. He said the govt has decided to reopen all schools more..

June 2 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena thanked the govt and people of Maldives for the assistance provided for flood relief work. Speaking with the Maldivian Minister Dr. Mohamed Asim, who called on him at the President’s official residence in Colombo today, the President said Sri Lanka receives generous support from the international community during this time of calamity because of the govern policy of maintaining good relations with all the nations. more..

June 2 (DM) Five suspects, including three members of the same family, who were found guilty of three separate murders in Vavuniya, were sentenced to death by Vavuniya High Court Judge yesterday. A 63-year-old man and his two sons were found guilty of killing a youth in Sundarapuram in 2006. In another incident a 45-year-old woman was found guilty of murdering her husband in Munnariyippu in 2010. Meanwhile, a youth who was found guilty of killing a woman more..

June 2 (DN) Two lawsuits filed against FCID by MP Namal Rajapaksa claiming Rs.200 million as compensation for allegedly causing damages to his reputation following his arrest over Krish transaction was fixed for trial by Colombo District Court today. Colombo Additional District Judge Chamath Madanayaka fixed the cases to be taken up for trial on July 12. Meanwhile, Judge turned down preliminary objections raised by more..

June 2 (EN) An elevated expressway, tunnels and light rail transit link will connect the China's US$ 15 billion reclaimed Colombo Port City to the rest of Sri Lanka's capital. An elevated road is expected to be built to connect the Port City to an expressway leading to the airport. CHEC Port City (Pvt) Ltd, project company is in discussions with Sri Lanka to build a tunnels connecting two entrances to the city which also lead south along the Marine Drive up to 4 kilometres, more..

June 2 (S24) Proteas’ recent success against SL will count for nothing in their opening Champions Trophy match at The Oval on Saturday. That is the view of all-rounder JP Duminy. Proteas stamped their authority on the subcontinent team with a 5-0 whitewash at home earlier this year, but remain aware of the threat of their opposition heading into a big event. According to Duminy, high-stakes nature of the tournament puts both teams on even keel regardless of their past performances. more..

June 2 (CT) MP and Senior Presidential Adviser Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said the Govt lacks a proper mechanism to tackle an emergency or disaster situation in the country. He said he was personally not pleased with the manner in which the govt acted in the face of the recent natural calamity experienced in several districts of the country. Thera stressed that govt had failed in its bid to prioritize areas, more..

June 2 (DN) Despite reports to the contrary, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not invited to visit Japan by Emperor Akihito, Embassy of Japan in SL and a Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson said. Rajapaksa and a delegation of 14, including Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Lohan Ratwatte, left for Japan on Wednesday night, but neither the govt of Japan nor the Emperor invited him. Rajapaksa was invited to participate in a function at Muryoko-in Buddhist Temple in Koya, Wakayama more..

June 2 (CT) Colombo District Court will, on 7 July, decide whether to hear the petition seeking to reinstate former President Rajapaksa as the leader of the SLFP. Court yesterday considered the petition filed by former Chairman of the Boralesgamuwa Urban Council Anura Priyashantha and another SLFP activist, seeking an order to reinstate Mahinda Rajapaksa as the leader of the SLFP. The petition stated that as per the constitution of the SLFP, the party can only be led by more..

June 2 (CI) Well, it's too early in the tournament for South Africa to stutter. Let's get that out of the way, for starters. This, instead, is the portion of a global tournament in which they ordinarily stomp around crushing weaker teams without mercy. It is almost indisputable that SL are the weaker side, too. One glance at the ODI player rankings will bear that out. Where SA have four batsmen in the top ten, SL's highest ranked more..

June 2 (PHC) After efficaciously completed its 04 day rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations to allay the aftermath of recent floods and mudslides in Sri Lanka, Pakistan Naval Ship Zulfiquar left for Pakistan today. The Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan Dr. Sarfraz Ahmed Khan Sipra, along with officials of the High Commission seen off the PNS Zulfiquar at Colombo Port. While praising and thanking the great efforts of Pakistan Navy rescue, rehabilitation and medical teams, more..

June 2 (AD) Permission has been granted to review the petition submitted to the Court of Appeal in connection with the riots of 2012 at the Welikada Prison. The petition was submitted requesting the Court to issue an order to IGP, to conduct a methodical investigation into the riots that took place in 2012 at Welikada Prison, that resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals. Accordingly, President of Court of Appeal, Justice Rohini Walgama and Justice S. Thurairajah together more..

June 2 (CI) Women's cricket in SL has received a major boost as Sri Lanka Cricket awarded contracts to 30 young female players of potential, and named them in a national development squad. Players were identified through the recently concluded Under-23 provincial tournament, and are set to be paid to train in their home provinces for the next six months, following which the squad will be re-evaluated, more..

June 3 (SO) In memory of the innocent lives we lost a month ago in the Meethotamulla garbage dump collapse, LIRNEasia is will launch a Campaign for Sustainable Solid Waste Disposal convened by Dr. Sujata Gamage, a scientist and policy analyst with expertise and experience, in both, technical and policy issues in solid waste management (SWM). She will be assisted by Chamindha Rajakaruna, Executive Director of Sarvodaya and Hemanthi Goonesekera, National Coordinator of more..

June 3 (SO) The following is an extract of the speech made by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Mahinda Amaraweera, at the meeting of the Minister with the Sea Food Suppliers and Producers Association: The tsunami disaster in 2004 badly affected the coastal communities and the Sri Lankan fisheries industry. The main segment of the affected community was the people directly and indirectly involved in the fisheries industry. more..

June 3 (NS) Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadharshana Yapa spoke to Rivira, regarding the disaster situation that has affected eight districts, steps taken to manage such, measures taken to tackle future disaster situations and issues pertaining to disaster management. Q: At a time when the country was faced with such a disaster, where were you? A: Our Ministry works closely with the UN. The UN has made more..

June 3 (CT) The death of Siri Gunasinghe last week left the nation’s cultural establishment numbed. And not for nothing: Professor Gunasinghe, who among other things was one of only two novelists here who directed a movie (and a landmark one at that), was the last of the bilingual literati that made the waves here and overseas. Everyone else who followed him were politically and philosophically of a different breed, the sole exception (at least to an extent) being Gunadasa Amarasekera. more..

June 3 (CT) In this writer’s last article – BBS – farce or tragedy or both? –  it was surmised that the Govt was failing to take effective action against the BBS because the Govt’s hallmark has been its hedonism: the pleasure principle reigns supreme so that knotty problems tend to be pushed aside. But is that the whole explanation? The question arises because the BBS certainly has nothing like mass support. That has been shown by its failure to ignite mass violence against the Muslims, and also by more..

June 3 (NS) Newly appointed Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Harsha De Silva who is also in charge of the Colombo International Financial City (CIFC) spoke regarding several aspects of his new portfolio including the subjects coming under him, and what the Govt has left to deliver on. He also spoke of his biggest challenge of his life and career more..

June 3 (CI) South Africa are aiming for all-out attack in their Champions Trophy opener against Sri Lanka, whose batting line-up they have had the better of in recent times. Not only have South Africa won their last seven matches against Sri Lanka, but they have bowled them out in six of those and have reason to believe they can do it again. "We know that we have an opportunity and the ability to bowl the Sri Lankan side out. It's a matter of getting that combination right and more..

June 3 (Island) Even schoolchildren in this country are aware that extreme weather events, troubling us, are due to climate change, which threatens the very survival of our planet. Minister Champika Ranawaka has warned that Jaffna will become a semi-desert within the next 50 years due to global warming. This is a frightening proposition. The world is heating up rapidly; the global sea level continues to rise and disasters occur more frequently than decades ago. High air pollution levels, especially more..

June 3 (CT) Deaf, dumb and blind – this is the slumbering mood of the govt towards the anti-Muslim attacks unleashed throughout the island. It is sweeping the landscape like a Tornado. Aghast! That inflammatory and vitriolic speeches now going viral on the social network internationally delivered by that Ven. Gnanasara Thera, had literally providing a handle to rabble-rousers, hooligans and looters who are causing damage, destruction in Muslim villages everywhere today. more..

June 3 (FT) Former Chairman and Director General Dr. Dayanath Jayasuriya last week called for a revisiting of the proposed amendments to both Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Act and the listing rules of Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). A host of concerns on the proposed amendments were highlighted by Dr. Jayasuriya, who one time served separately as SEC Chairman and Director General, at the seminar organised by Asian Pathfinder Legal Consultancy Services. more..

June 3 (Island) Ravi Karunanayake has gone very high on the greasy pole of so-called good governance. Shuffling of political interests with the need to cover the stakes in continued corruption makes the new Foreign Affairs Minister the windsock of the growing contempt for bad governance. It’s the F-word that matters here. What F-word are you thinking of? Simple…from Finance to Foreign, and SL has scored another world record. more..

June 3 (NS) The devastating landslides and floods in several parts of the country took away lives of over 200 innocent people with dozens still missing. SL’s emergency apparatus was a complete chaos as it once again failed to save the lives that were lost went missing. The country’s disaster preparedness has been under scrutiny for the past many years due to its continuous inefficiency despite facing many catastrophes over the years. This is not the first time that fingers have been pointed at more..

June 3 (NS) With hundreds dead and thousands stranded and an unprecedented disaster due to floods enveloping the nation, the question as to how prepared we are to face such an emergency situation has been dominating the minds of practically everyone. We have faced disasters in the past, tsunami of 2004 being the worst and the most recent disasters included the floods in 2016 May, earth slip at Aranayake, Salawa armoury blast and Meethotamulla garbage dump collapse. more..

June 3 (NS) Days of severe torrential rains and strong winds triggered by the monsoon bore a harbinger of the events to come for residents of Neluwa who watched in horror as water swiftly rose above knee level and showed no signs of receding. Irrigation Department had issued a warning to people in the area, but many described it as a mad scramble for safety. Residents who lived in low lying areas were warned of rising water more..

June 3 (CT) 36th anniversary of burning of the Jaffna Public Library was commemorated at the library building which has been now refurbished with new book shelves containing even a vast collection of books of Communist stalwart and Minister late Pieter Keuneman donated to it after his death in Jan 1997. Pieter Keuneman was one of the intellectually sound politicians with the broader outlook in the South saddened over the destruction caused to the Jaffna library and it was his last wish more..