Sep 13 (DM) Ruling that Perpetual Treasuries Chairman Arjun Aloysius cannot be compelled to testify before it, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the bond issue today informed his counsel Gamini Marapana PC to notify the commission regarding the willingness of his client to give evidence by tomorrow. Delivering a comprehensive judgment, the PCoI stressed that it required Arjun Aloysius to testify. more..

Sep 13 (DM) China emerging as a big player among the global investors in Sri Lanka raises concerns which the island nation should reflect on closely.    As much as Sri Lanka needs to keep ends warm with India, the same approach is needed in its dealings with China, the biggest investor in the island. A huge work force from China is at present on Sri Lankan soil. They are at present working along with Sri Lankans more..

Sep 13 (DM) Senior Deputy Solicitor General Milinda Gunathileke said Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL) would not have earned phenomenal profits in Treasury bond trading if it hadn’t ultimately sold bonds, which had been bought from Primary Auctions, to the EPF and other Govt institutions in the secondary market at a yield rate which was relatively low. He made this observation when concluding the cross-examination of more..

Sep 13 (DM) Southern Provincial Minister Weerasumana Weerasinghe has been removed from the post of Sports, Youth Affairs, Culture and Arts, Social Welfare, Probationary Care and Child Protection, Women’s Affairs, Housing and Construction today. The vacant ministerial post was assigned to Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal De Silva, who was sworn in this morning. Sources alleged that Weerasinghe was removed from the post due to political reasons. more..

Sep 13 (AD) Customs officers at the BIA in Katunayake arrested 2 Sri Lankan women while attempting to smuggle gold jewellery worth around Rs 40 million into the country. The suspects had arrived from Dubai this morning when they were intercepted by officers of Customs Narcotic unit of the BIA Customs. They discovered gold jewellery weighing 7.7 kilograms and worth around Rs 40 million concealed in a girdle having packed in 8 packets and worn under their pants.    more..

Sep 13 (CT) The Eastern, Sabaragamuwa and Western Provincial Councils have passed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in the last two days. The 20th Amendment will also be taken up for debate in the Southern Provincial Council, which had once rejected the Amendment. It is also likely that the Amendment will be passed at the Northern Provincial Council, which also rejected the Bill once, as TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said that they support the Amendment. more..

Sep 13 (FT) Sri Lanka’s tax net presents loopholes which are duly exploited for their benefit by various elements of the public, but its ineptitude is also due to the lack of awareness and administration muscle by enforcement agencies, sometimes mulled by political interfering. Despite the budget deficit narrowing to 5.4% in 2016, a gap of Rs. 640 billion – largely financed by foreign borrowings – only serves to hamper our development prospects. Whilst Govt and Treasury officials need no sermons more..

Sep 13 (EN) Sacked junior minister Arundika Fernando met with President Sirisena Wednesday seeking  reinstatement, but was told no way and that there may be more sackings. Fernando's Puttalam district SLFP was immediately taken over by another SLFP deputy minister Nimal Lanza who had earlier been in a list of possible defectors to the JO. "President had a meeting with SLFP ministers and deputies more..

Sep 13 (AD) Senior DIG Lalith Jayasinghe who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Vidya murder case was granted bail earlier today by the Kayts Magistrate Court. Accordingly Lalith Jayasinghe was granted bail as Rs.500, 000 as a financial bond and 4 counts of personnel bail each amounted at Rs.500,000. The former DIG was also banned from travelling overseas and was instructed to hand over his passport to court Officials to implement his travel ban.  more..

Sep 13 (NR) Leave of all employees attached to the CEB has been cancelled till the 20th of Sept except in case of emergencies. Spokesman to Ministry of Power said the decision was arrived at due to the proposed strike action scheduled to commence at noon. He said employees can make a request from senior executives if they wish to obtain leave in case of an emergency. He assured the public will not be inconvenienced as a result of proposed strike. The Trade Union Collective of more..

Sep 13 (AFP) Sri Lanka is to launch its first official cannabis plantation to supply the traditional medicine market and export to US, minister Rajitha Senaratne said. 100-acre cannabis farm, which could produce more than 25 tonnes a year and would be under military protection, would ensure a regular high quality supply. "Many ayurvedic doctors have complained they don't get good quality cannabis for their preparations" more..

Sep 13 (DN) Locally produced anti-venom (vaccines) for snake bites for five varieties of snakes will be available by the end of this year, Acting Director General of Health Services Dr. J.M.W. Jayasundara Bandara said. He said that at the moment anti-venom vaccines for snake bites are imported to Sri Lanka from foreign countries such as India. "Those vaccines are produced for venom found in snakes that are endemic to their countries. Therefore they are not ideal to treat patients more..

Sep 13 (Island) The govt is now planning to extend the Amity Schools concept, commencing from Year One, as another gigantic medium to a long-term move in supporting national reconciliation amongst communities. The first purpose-built Amity School is planned to be constructed in the Colombo district and Minister A.H.M. Fowzie supported by Chandrika Kumaranatunga, Chairperson of Office for National Unity and Reconciliation has already requested PM to provide a land for this project. more..

Sep 13 (AD) Convener of Anti-Corruption Voice, Wasantha Samarasinghe stated that there was reason to suspect that Ministers Rajitha Senaratne, S.B. Dissanayake, and Lakshman Kiriella were shareholders of SAITM. He questioned as to whether the Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital had been credited to a private account based on a consensus document without signing a proper agreement, more..

Sep 13 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena, in a special gazette notification, has declared 81 more leaders and rebels of the 1818 Uva rebellion as patriotic national heroes. Earlier, on December 7 last year, the President annulled the Gazette issued in 1818 and declared as national heroes 19 persons including Monarawila Keppetipola who had been named as traitors for leading and participating the 1818 Uva-Wellassa rebellion against the British colonial rule. more..

Sep 13 (AM) JVP yesterday extended condolences to the people affected by the Irma hurricane.  Issuing a special statement, the JVP strength and courage for everyone to recover from the trauma and stabilize the countries rapidly. The full statement: People around the world are shaken by the catastrophe United States and Caribbean Cou5. The hurricane has caused fatalities in several places. Simultaneously, had caused major damages to infrastructures of the countries. more..

Sep 13 (DM) European Union (EU) praised the Sri Lankan Govt for the progress made in advancing human rights, labour and environmental standards but stressed that there were still many areas where reform had yet to be delivered. EU Ambassador Tung-Lai Margue, who met PM Ranil Wickremesinghe Wednesday afternoon, said Govt’s excellent cooperation is a reminder of how much the situation has changed in the country more..

Sep 13 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena and Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the  Chinese assisted Agricultural Economic Center in Kaduruwela, Polonnaruwa, last week. President said that  the Agricultural Economic Centre would be built at a cost of Rs. 50.2 million under the assistance of the Chinese Govt. The new center will comprise of a main commercial complex and an agricultural complex including stalls, more..

Sep 13 (NR) MP Udaya Gammanpila says Former Director General of TRC Anusha Palpita and Former Presidential Secretary and former Chairman of TRC Lalith Weeratunga were not involved in the decisions or distribution of sil material during 2015 Prez Election. He said the decision to distribute sil material was reached prior to the announcement of the Election. MP claimed that the two cannot be charged over making distributions for the promotion of a candidate contesting election. more..

Sep 13 (DN) Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa can be taken to courts over his admission to having given the order to distribute Sil Cloth to voters during the previous Presidential election campaign. Former President who visited his former Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita in Welikada Prison, said the two were punished for having followed his orders. more..

Sep 13 (AM) Minister S.B. Dissanayake has proposed a Sign Language Bill for the benefit of the deaf population of SL. Cabinet yesterday approved the Bill that will positively affect as many as 389,677 deaf population in SL. Earlier this year Minister S. B. Dissanayake said Sri Lanka was in dire need of sign language interpreters as there were only 5 interpreters in the country at present. He said the education of deaf persons in the country was low compared to the blind and other disabilities more..

Sep 13 (DM) A once loquacious JO stalwart hailing from the upcountry is playing William the Silent these days, they say. The man being conspicuous by his absence in the JO’s political battle ground in the recent past has set gossipy tongues wagging. Meanwhile, a story doing rounds in political circles says that he has received an invitation from yahapalanaya and he has indicated that he is prepared to make a positive response if the right offer is forthcoming. more..

Sep 13 (DM) Former SL seamer Graeme Labrooy is expected to replace Sanath Jayasuriya as Chairman of Cricket selectors, mirrorcricket learns.  Sri Lanka Cricket is likely to make the appointment later this week, in time to finalize the Sri Lanka squad for forthcoming series against Pakistan. Sri Lanka will play two Tests, five ODIs, and three T20 internationals during their tour to UAE. ‘We will make the appointment soon, more..

Sep 13 (AD) The Ministry of Finance announced that the Treasury has decided to commence taxation under the new Inland Revenue Bill from April 1, 2018. Inland Revenue Bill was passed in parliament on Sept 7. Draft bill that was presented to Parliament back in July was passed following much debate and discussion.  During the reading of the Bill, Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that one must pay as much income tax as possible, out of love for the country. more..

Sep 13 (LBO) Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the electricity sector regulator, said it is seeking public views on issues related to electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) in order to identify and draft the required regulatory tools. Govt empowered PUCSL to establish a register of charging stations under CEB and LECO, issue code of practice, determine end user tariffs, issue safety and other technical standards and collect information for monitoring purposes. more..

Sep 13 (AD) Sri Lanka unveiled its first ever SME incubator today and vowed its third generation economic reforms shall be led by innovation, technology transfer and SMEs. “We need to change our traditional mind-sets and think anew” said PM Ranil Wickremesinghe today in Makandura Industrial Zone of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. PM was addressing the launch event of SL’s first ever Incubator and Technology Transfer Centre more..

Sep 13 (NR) The National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection has requested the President to appoint a special Presidential Commission to look into issues in the energy sector. The Movement in a letter to President Maithripala Sirisena requested to hold inquiries into discrepancies during the tender process of the proposed gas plant in Kerawalapitiya. The Chairman of the Movement Ranjith Vithanage said alleged bribery and corruption charges should be investigated. more..

Sep 13 (DM) Minister Chandima Weerakkody today hinted that former deputy minister Arundika Fernando was likely to be appointed as a deputy minister shortly. He said this at a function attended by President Sirisena and Mr. Fernando last morning. Minister Weerakkody, who addressed the gathering, introduced Mr. Fernando as “Deputy minister yesterday, MP today and again deputy minister tomorrow”. Mr. Fernando was seen having a cordial chat with the President more..

Sep 13 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena opened the new building of Automobile Engineering Training Institute at Orugodawatta, which is under the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority, today. When the land acquired for the new bridge construction project over the Kelani river, the land of the Automobile Engineering Training Institute, Orugodawatta was also acquired. more..

Sep 14 (CT) Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has charged that his successor, General Jagath Jayasuriya committed war crimes during the ethnic war. The JO has got yet another platform slogan to hype their anti-govt campaign due to Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka. The Patriots of the Rajapaksa bandwagon are forgetting that Sarath Fonseka, decorated war hero was the commander of the Army in May 2009 when the SL armed forces wiped out the brutal terrorist force, the LTTE. more..

Sep 14 (GV) I once came into contact with a woman on account of a professional relationship we had. We had met to discuss her prolonged absence from work. With a reserved demeanour and a soft voice she claimed that she had to run her father’s shop back home as he had not been well and hence she said that she had not been able to leave home. After the third conversation that I had with her, she explained the actual reason for her absence. She had been pregnant & her boyfriend’s mother more..

Sep 14 (SO) To ban or not to ban? Never was a question so fiercely debated in SL in recent years. On public platforms, business meetings, even wayside boutiques, inside pubs, buses and trains, the topic invariably veered to one particular question: Should or should not polythene and plastics be banned ? Was or was it not, a justifiable step, given the fact that it is currently the cheapest mode of packaging in our country? more..

Sep 14 (DN) The new kid on the block of the Rajapaksa return project is the supremely ill named Eliya meaning light organisation headed by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, whose stated intent is to oppose the proposed post war reforms of the Unity Govt. At its recent launch with all the usual suspects of the Joint Opposition and their sundry cheer leaders in attendance, the arguments put forward were essentially the same old tired and hackneyed, fear mongering and paranoia more..

Sep 14 (Island) Deputy Minister Karunarathna Paranawithana expressed his view about the elephant conflict in Sri Lanka, and his suggestion to maintain a safe balance between the wild elephants and rural folks is thought provoking. This is the first time a parliamentary representative openly spoke about this persistently nagging tug-a-war that had no practical solution. Electric fences, fire crackers and howling had no effect on these relentlessly hungry jumbos. more..

Sep 14 (Roar) In 2015, then Minister of Power and Energy, Champika Ranawaka, stated that SL had embarked on a mission to enter into a new energy era, and was striving to become a nation self-sufficient in energy by 2030. Currently, SL’s largest source of energy comes from hydropower at 21.91 Joule. However, in a country like SL, which receives a lot of sunlight, there is no better source of energy than solar power. more..

Sep 14 (CT) Health is wealth for a nation or an individual as wealth or material benefit will be of no use to a sick body full of ailments. Sri Lanka once a healthy nation enjoying long life, self-sufficiency in food and other needs in the village full of peace and stability is now invaded by drug addicts, sex maniacs, and a new generation indifferent to religion, culture, and good behaviour, based on traditional breeding of historical traditional and religious values adored & respected by world. more..

Sep 14 (Island) One of the main election promises of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration was to rebuild the economy and create one million jobs. But, this goal is far from achieved as is obvious and the govt is desperate to improve its performance on the economic front with an electoral contest on the horizon. PM has told a group of captains of industry in Colombo they have to make the best use of the opportunities the present govt has provided them with and get their act together. more..

Sep 14 (DM) For the first time since Eelam War IV ended nearly eight years ago, a book entitled Mission Impossible: Geneva by Sanja de Silva Jayatilleka has come out on Sri Lanka’s path breaking diplomatic victory at the UNHRC in Geneva on May 27, 2009.  While Sri Lanka’s decisive military victory over the LTTE on May 19, 2009 is still talked about for its historic significance for Sri Lanka, the region and the world, the diplomatic victory registered over the Western powers more..