Dec 11 (DN) MP Dayasiri Jayasekera blamed UNF MP Champaka Ranawaka for attempting to cripple public service by intimidating Ministry Secretaries. Jayasekera added Ranawaka said that several Ministry Secretaries would be summoned before Parliamentary Committees for questioning on the basis of recent decisions taken by them. He asked Ranawaka as to how these officials can be summoned before Parliamentary more..

Dec 11 (Island) National Transport Commission (NTC) was currently holding discussions with 3 bus owners’ associations in a bid to reduce bus fares and a final decision could be announced by Dec 21, NTC Chairman M.A.P. Hemachandra said. "Fuel prices have dropped but we can’t reduce prices at once. We are currently holding discussions with 3 bus owners’ associations. Discussions are going in a positive direction" more..

Dec 11 (NR) Sri Lanka Police has launched a new web portal in order for the general public to lodge complaints over lost and stolen mobile devices. The website was launched following instructions issued by IGP Pujith Jayasundara. Accordingly the public can lodge their complaints through www.ineed.police.lk. Around 800-1000 complaints are received daily regarding misplaced or stolen phones out of the 24 million registered more..

Dec 11 (EN) Financial feasibility studies are needed apart from technical feasibility assessments in some of the Public-Private Partnerships projects under consideration in Sri Lanka, an official said. Thilan Wijesinghe, chairman of the newly created National Agency for Public-Private Partnerships, attached to the Ministry of Finance, said financial planning was important from the outset of a project. more..

Dec 11 (DM) The Department of Railways today introduced an SMS hotline 070-4445454 to inform about locations of elephant herds on railway lines countrywide with the help of the Dept of Wildlife Conservation. General Manager of Railways (GMR) M.J. Dilantha Fernando said train-elephant collisions could not be stopped 100% but it could be controlled. “Therefore, the Railways Dept decided to introduce a hotline to minimise accidents” more..

Dec 11 (CT) Race, ethnicity and caste issues dominated the fabric of this island since time immemorial. From tribal warfare to warring kingdoms to ethnic riots, the land had been soaked by the blood of peoples of diverse dialects, customs and religions on occasions too many to count. The big question that lingers on: Who owns the land? with no real answer to be found, had been plunging the country into chaos over and over again. Recently, the Jaffna Hindu Religious Union (JHRU) more..

Dec 11 (FT) We are in the era of chaos. Breaking news has now become very common because of some sections of media. People talk about corruption, discipline, and all the weaknesses of politicians. But how many among the general public in SL would like to reflect on their own behaviour? A country should be governed by people, not by politicians, but do we have people like that? Many of the so-called general public do not have any plan to contribute to the country and they simply more..

Dec 11 (AD) Colombo High Court has decided to hear the case against MP Hirunika Premachandra over the abduction a youth from Dematagoda, on the 12th and 13th of March, 2019. In Dec 2015, a 35-year-old man was abducted in the Baseline Road area in Dematagoda and assaulted by a group of individuals who had arrived in a Land Rover Defender which is allegedly owned by Premachandra. It was later revealed that a clandestine love affair between more..

Dec 11 (Island) Police Traffic Division will implement a countrywide operation to arrest drunk drivers and those who violate road rules during the festive period. Those apprehended will be prosecuted. The incidence of drunk driving has increased in 2018 compared to last year and police expect a further increase during the festive season. One thousand five hundred policemen and special motorcycle teams have been deployed in Colombo and suburbs alone. more..

Dec 11 (AD) A petition has been filed with the Court of Appeal requesting the court to issue a Writ of Quo Warranto preventing Ranil Wickremesinghe from being a Member of Parliament. The petition has been filed by Sharmila Gonawala, the Co-President of Women for Justice. Leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and the Secretary General of Parliament are among more..

Dec 11 (AD) Former DIG Nalaka de Silva, who was arrested by the CID in connection with an alleged assassination plot targeting the President and former Defence Secretary, has been further remanded until December 19. The former Director of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) was arrested by the CID on October 25 over a suspected plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He was arrested after a police informant, more..

Dec 11 (AAP) A babysitter who sexually abused two seven-year-old boys in Perth has been sentenced to 5.5 years in prison and is likely to be deported to SL after serving his term. Dayanthan Mohanraj, 19, was convicted after a trial of four counts of sexually penetrating a child in 2016, when he was babysitting on a casual basis. Mohanraj showed one boy pornography and later sexually abused the child in a public toilet, then threatened to kill him if he told his parents what happened. more..

Dec 11 (DM) The effective date of the SL-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) should be postponed to ensure the removal of any detrimental clauses, MP Bandula Gunawardana said. He said what they said about the SLSFTA had been proved correct by the experts committee in their report on the FTA. The report was handed over to Prez Sirisena on Monday. “The main problem with the FTA is as the President said, more..

Dec 11 (NR) The ancient plaque in Iranamadu that was removed during renovations of the Iranamadu, Kilinochchi tank has been reinstalled. The plaque that carried the names of former Prime Ministers DS Senanayake and Dudley Senanayake was removed during renovations while President Maithripala Sirisena assured that the plaque would be reinstalled. Following the completion of renovations steps were taken to install a new plaque instead of the old plaque. more..

Dec 11 (AD) The low pressure area in the South Bay of Bengal to the South-east of SL is likely to develop in to a depression during next 48 hours and move North-northwestwards towards Tamil-Nadu coast, stated the Met Department. Under the influence of the system, the possibility for heavy rainfall, sudden roughness associated with sudden increase of wind speed (up to 70-80 kmph) in the deep sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Trinco via Batticaloa and Pottuvil is high. more..

Dec 11 (AD) Chanuka Ratwatte and five others, who have been charged for allegedly maintaining a financial institution without a primary dealer license from the Central Bank, have been released on bail. Colombo HC Judge Gihan Kulatunga issued the order to release the six defendants on bail under cash bails of Rs 50,000 and personal bonds of Rs 500,000 on each defendant. The verdict of the HC Judge also mentioned that one of more..

Dec 11 (AD) Holding only a general election would not suffice in resolving the prevailing political and constitutional crisis in the country, according to a Sri Lankan election monitoring watchdog. The PAFFREL says this matter is clearly evident when analyzing the data from the previous general election. Ada Derana spoke to the Executive Director of PAFFREL, Rohana Hettiarachchi, regarding the talk in the country presently about holding a referendum. more..

Dec 11 (DM) A motion has been filed in the Supreme Court today by a lawyer against the request made by Prez Sirisena asking the Chief Justice to expedite the court ruling on the dissolution of parliament. In his motion, the lawyer said such requests undermined the hearing of the case. Therefore, he requested the Supreme Court to issue a ruling after considering the motion. Prez said yesterday he would request the Chief Justice through the Attorney General to deliver more..

Dec 11 (AD) On the instructions of the IGP, Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has commenced an investigation into a complaint filed regarding the comments made by Saman Ratnapriya of the Purawesi Balaya organisation, during a recent press conference. The General Secretary of the PHU, Upul Nishantha, had lodged the complaint with the Police Headquarters on Dec 9. The complaint states that Saman Ratnapriya, more..

Dec 11 (NR) The Railway Locomotive Engine Drivers Union says trade union action will be launched from the 26th of December if the Cabinet paper that was passed under the good governance govt pertaining to addressing salary anomalies and the graded system of the railway service is not enforced. Secretary of the Union Indika Dodangoda said President Sirisena must intervene and solve the matter. Dodangoda noted if the President fails to address the matter before 26th of Dec more..

Dec 11 (NR) Transparency International Sri Lanka has called on the CIABOC to consider the statement by President Sirisena in the on-going investigation into allegations of attempts to bribe MPs. Issuing a statement Transparency International said the President’s acknowledgement in an interview last week that vast sums of money had been solicited and offered to MPs in exchange for their allegiance, underscores the importance of a comprehensive and investigations by the Commission. more..

Dec 11 (DM) Three impersonators were arrested for sitting the GC.E O/L exam mathematics papers in Thihagoda, Thanamalivila and Kalmunai yesterday. Police said two candidates of the G.C.E. O/L exam were also arrested in connection with these incidents. They said an examination officer at an exam centre in Puhulwella school in Thihagoda had complained to the police stating that an impersonator was answering the paper. more..

Dec 12 (CT) I refer to the news Report in the Daily Mirror of 5h Dec, under the heading Instability will end in a week, where views expressed by the President, Maithripala Sirisena, at the Annual Convention of the SLFP, were given, and also to his latest new theory, that is a struggle between National and Foreign thinking, which appeared in the Daily Mirror of 10th Dec. I wish to comment on bot The President made triple actions, one after another, which can be described in more..

Dec 12 (CT) As economic management is in the hands of politicians, whatever happens in the political arena directly impacts on the economy. No matter how strong private sector is, no matter how efficient labor force is, no matter how useful natural resources is in the economy, when politicians whose job is to draft economic policies act foolishly, economy gets derailed, indicating a lot of repercussions where the business community cannot find any direction. more..

Dec 12 (SO) The railway service has enriched every Province of SL, as an important medium of transport, connecting people. The Eastern Province has its own unique identity with an abundance of natural scenery. As the railway lines progressed under the British, these wise administrators extended the tracks, creating the Batticaloa Line. With the onset of the Northern Line Maho Railway Station was opened in 1903, more..

Dec 12 (GV) In a week of high-stakes litigation in the two highest courts in the land, a key question in the public discussion over the continuing constitutional crisis in Sri Lanka has focused on whether the presidential act of dissolving Parliament on 9th Nov is justiciable. That is, whether this presidential decision – second only in significance to the question whether the President can dismiss a PM and appoint another at his sole discretion – can be judicially reviewed in the courts. more..

Dec 12 (Island) As this article is being penned, the nation awaits the decision of the Supreme Court on the legal validity or lack thereof of the presidential gazette dissolving Parliament. With the traditional year end court vacations scheduled for Dec 14th, many are expecting that Court would give its judgement before the vacation. However, Court is not bound to give its judgement before its vacation. Setting a date after vacations for its decision would in the interim period, again allow more..

Dec 12 (CT) Kalutara District MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena says, being chosen as a Parliamentarian is the people’s choice and sacrificing it for the sake of the people is no big deal. “I worked being prepared to face for such an encounter” he says and endorsed that the 19th Amendment was brought in a rush targeting the Rajapaksas. Q: Why did you not get a portfolio in the govt that Maithri-Mahinda set up? A: I was invited to accept a ministerial more..

Dec 12 (DN) There is apparently a multitude of views particularly among lawyers as regards the action of the President of Sri Lanka to sack the PM and dissolve Parliament. There are broadly two schools of thought one strongly opposing the presidential course of action, while the other maintaining that the President has acted within his limits of power. The bane of contention among the opposing faction of the Presidential action is that notwithstanding the inherent flaws and more..

Dec 12 (DM) In the light of the recent political turmoil in our country it is fair to say we have witnessed, and not for the first time, the ugliness of politics in Sri Lanka. That politicians from all sides can play with our lives, squabble pettily and behave in the most ungracious and ugly way is so unbecoming of their stature and goes to reiterate that politicians are only in office for their own gain and have no good intention to serve the people as they should rightly be doing. more..

Dec 12 (DM) As Sri Lanka awaits another historic judgement to be given by the Supreme Court on Prez Sirisena’s move to dissolve Parliament, the SL judiciary is being praised for its independence. While respecting its initial interim order withdrawing duties of the purported PM and his cabinet of Ministers, SL citizens have once again vested hopes on this pillar of the Constitution. In order to observe the Supreme Court proceedings on the hearing of petitions against dissolution of Parliament, more..

Dec 12 (Island) Parliament seems to have gone the same way as the Northern Provincial Council; nothing gets done there save the passage of motions one after the other. Now that the UNP-TNA-JVP combine has proved that it has the majority of seats in the House, and the govt has run away, unable to face reality, it defies comprehension why any more motions should be presented and put to the vote to prove who commands a majority in the House. more..

Dec 12 (Roar) Premakeerthi de Alwis is a legend among SL’s entertainment personalities. The journalist, TV and radio presenter, author, poet and songwriter was much beloved. The songs he wrote have stood the test of time and are still popular. Prem was famous for being able to put songs together in an instant, often from unusual sources. As veteran lyricist Rathna Sri Wijesinghe once noted, critics called Alwis more..

Dec 12 (Island) An ongoing high profile case before the Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake into the then Navy Commander Ravindra Wijegunaratne allegedly helping Lt. Commander Chandana Hettiarachchi, a suspect in the alleged wartime abduction and disappearance of 11 Tamil youth, to flee the country in early last year, took a dramatic turn on Dec 5, 2018. Hettiarachchi continues to be in the service though remanded in connection with the disappearance case. more..

Dec 12 (DN) Out of a total of 346 cricketers, Lasith Malinga and Angelo Mathews have been shortlisted for the upcoming Indian Premier League auction.The two SL national players along with seven other foreign national players; have been listed themselves at the base price of approx INR. 2 Crore. In total seven players from Sri Lanka namely fast bowler Lasith Malinga, all rounder Angelo Mathews, wicket keeper/ bat Kusal Janith Perera ( Base price of approx INR.75 Lakh) while all rounders more..

Dec 12 (Island) Batting Coach Thilan Samaraweera has become the second casualty after SL’s humiliating 3-0 whitewash at the hands of England as Sri Lanka Cricket did sweeping changes to the national cricket team’s support staff. Accordingly, Samaraweera along with Fielding Coach Manoj Abeywickrama will relinquish his duties midway through the tour of New Zealand. Samaraweera is expected to return home more..

Dec 12 (FT) Embassy of United Arab Emirates in Colombo donated school stationery and uniforms to more than 9,000 students from various parts of the island at the New Town Hall on Saturday. The event was coordinated by Azath Salley Foundation to mark the 100th birth anniversary of Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Founding Father. The project came under the UAE Aid with donations from Sharjah Charity International. UAE ambassador Ahmed Ali Moalla gave away the gifts more..

Dec 12 (DN) Building on the success of Nilaveli, ICC has chosed Galle, the largest city on the southern coast, and the center of beach tourism in Sri Lanka for the second development Oceanfront Condos. Enter through classically styledarchway, designed to celebrate the architecture of Galle, and step into the courtyard which features the secluded pool. Walk down to the beach or head into the apartment which features double height views of the ocean from the living rooms. more..