Dec 5 (LR) Tamil Cc- operative Homes Inc. (TCH) celebrated its 30th anniversary with a Gala dinner earlier this month. This proud milestone event hosted dignitaries from all levels of the govt, honoured guests including 300 attendees. Located at 20 Wade Ave. Lansdowne and Bloor, in the Davenport – Bloordale community the TCH was established in 1988 by Society for the Aid of Ceylon Minorities (SACEM), the organization that was instrumental in gaining the funds from more..

Dec 5 (DN) Sri Lanka’s next three series ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup will give the team a chance to redeem itself from the depths its cricket has fallen into. One thing in favour of the Lankan cricketers is that they will be playing all their matches away from home and thereby the pressure of playing on home soil and the high expectations that comes with it will not be there. They can freely concentrate on their job at hand and lift their playing levels to a point that more..

Dec 5 (CT) UAE-based Emirates Telecom Group Company PJSC (Etisalat Group) has completed the sale of its 100% shareholding in Etisalat Lanka (Private) Limited (ESL) to Hutchison Telecommunications Lanka (Private) Limited (Hutch Lanka) on 30 Nov 2018, with regulatory approval of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) and Board of Investment (BoI), top-ranking company sources confirmed. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Officials of the Customs Narcotics Division arrested two Lankan passengers at the Katunayake Airport early yesterday morning for attempting to smuggle into the country a stock of cigarettes from the UAE. The suspects are businessmen aged 48 and 46 years and residents of Puttalam. They arrived at the Katunayake airport at around 4.30 am from Sharjah. Customs officials arrested them when they attempted to leave though Green Channel without declaring any items. more..

Dec 5 (CT) Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court against the 3 Dec Court of Appeal Interim Order, which restrained him from holding the position of Prime Minister and 49 MPs from holding Cabinet portfolios. The appeal was filed, on behalf of Rajapaksa, by Attorney-at-Law Sanath Wijewardene. The petition states that the Interim Order issued by the Court of Appeal against the PM and his Cabinet are unconstitutional more..

Dec 5 (DN) The ongoing simmering estate wage crisis was gridlocked yesterday with both the Planters Association and the estate unions unwilling to compromise on their earlier positions. This was amid the backdrop of the estate unions beginning what it called an indefinite strike until the payment of Rs. 1000 per day wage was delivered to them. Planters Association was adamant that the maximum they could give more..

Dec 5 (CT) Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the SL Embassy in Japan, organized an Inward Buyer Delegation from Japan from 3-5 Dec 2018, with the objective of developing business linkages between SL companies and the Japanese buyers as well as to increase awareness among SL exporters on the Japanese market. A Business Forum and Business to B2B Meeting Programme for the Sri Lankan business community with the Japanese buyer more..

Dec 5 (CT) A proposal to obtain GSP+ concessions on fabric imported from Indonesia has been submitted by the SL Embassy in Brussels to the European Union (EU), according to SL Apparel Exporters' Association (SLAEA) Chairman, Felix Fernando. He said, however, that a response from the EU could not be expected soon due to the holiday season and the heightening political condition in SL. Sri Lanka was hopeful that agreements to obtain GSP+ concessions for more..

Dec 5 (Island) The rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres, arrested in connection with last Friday’s killing of two police constables at Vavunativu, Batticaloa, would be charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a senior police officer said. The CID, investigating the incident, would have to use the PTA to prosecute the suspects though there was a govt decision to repeal the law. The previous govt agreed to annul the PTA following talks with more..

Dec 5 (CT) Standing firm on his decision that he would not appoint UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the PM, even if all the 225 MPs request him to do so, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday promised to solve the prevailing political turmoil in the country within a week. The President, addressing the SLFP’s special convention at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, claimed that there was no political clash in the country, but an unrest followed by the political turmoil following more..

Dec 5 (CT) Ousted PM Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday, warned President Maithripala Sirisena that if he continuously violates the Constitution, he may no longer be suitable to hold the position of President. Addressing a Media briefing, he emphasized the fact that Constitution is the supreme law, and that everyone, including the President had taken an oath to ensure the protection of the Constitution. “President Sirisena has been violating the Constitution continuously since 26 Oct. more..

Dec 5 (Island) The UNP yesterday said that the President had no power to instruct or order secretaries to Ministries and that such attempts would be unconstitutional. Issuing a press release MP and former High Court judge, JC Alawatuwala said that the President met govt officials and military and given them instructions. "The Constitution has not given any authority to the President to order, direct or instruct secretaries to the ministries. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Tilak Marapana President’s Counsel, appearing for the UNP, in respect of the petition filed against the dissolution of Parliament, said that Article 27, required the President to consult the Prime Minister in dissolving Parliament. After the introduction of the 19th Amendment the President was no longer all powerful. At the outset K. Kanag Ishwaran PC, supporting the petition of the TNA said that President may under Article 70 dissolve Parliament. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Following wide publicity given to pictures of some Western Provincial Councillors watching porn on their official computers during the recent presentation of the council budget, journalists’ movements in the public gallery were restricted yesterday. When the budget debate commenced, chaired by Sunil Wijeratne, councillors Gunasiri Jayanath, Kerthi Kariyawasam and Sumith Wijemuni denied having watched pornography while the CM Devapriya was presenting council budget. more..

Dec 5 (DM) President’s Counsel K. Kanag Iswaran said the Constitution was not clay in the hands of contesting parties to be moulded as he or she sees fit while the constitutional language sets the limits of interpretation which aspires to give constitutional unity and harmony. Appearing for MP R. Sampanthan, he made this submission to the 7-judge bench of the Supreme Court at more..

Dec 5 (DM) We are amidst three nationally and politically very important and serious legal tussles, with the entire country waiting with baited breath, for the final outcome of them. And all three cases are a kind of first in the history and hence nobody’s experience at least hints as to what the final outcome of the current political stalemate and the Constitutional conundrum is. We are witnessing a court case filed by 13 petitioners being heard against the dissolution of Parliament by Prez more..

Dec 5 (DM) Ever since the substantial breach of our Constitution by the Executive branch, only one political party, the JVP, has been consistent in its action and speech; only one political party, JVP, has been trying to drive home the point that there is no possible compromise between Constitutionality and non-constitutionality; there is no compromise between treachery and patriotism and there shouldn’t be any compromise between right and wrong. The Executive committed the first sin: more..

Dec 5 (DM) Navin Dissanayake, the eldest son of prominent UNP politician Gamini Dissanayake, was the Plantation Industries Minister before the disputed govt was appointed. He is the National Organiser of the UNP and one of the young UNPers who is being groomed to take over the party leadership. He is also the son-in-law of Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. Navin, who is an Attorney-at-law, holds a master’s degree in more..

Dec 5 (AD) MP Udaya Gammanpila, at a PHU press conference held today, stated that the Court of Appeal made history by issuing the stay order on 3 Dec by restraining Mahinda Rajapaksa from functioning as the PM and restraining them from functioning as ministers. The Court of Appeal has not declared that Mahinda Rajapaksa is not the PM; he is still the PM, although he cannot function as the PM, said Gammanpila. more..

Dec 5 (Island) Former President of the Bar Association Upul Jayasuriya PC, says the UPFA’s contention that secretaries of Ministries could function without Cabinet Ministers, is wrong and violated the Constitution. He said that according to Article 52(3), the Secretary to a Ministry shall cease to hold office upon the dissolution of the Cabinet of Ministers under the provision of the Constitution or upon a determination by the President under more..

Dec 5 (ST) The Right to Information Commission this week directed the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to release information in respect of Govt securities market transactions of the EPF during 2015 and 2016, including primary market transactions held through auctions, primary market transactions held through direct placement and secondary market transactions. Considering the refusal of the CBSL to release the information more..

Dec 5 (AD) JVP MP Vijitha Herath stated that Prez Sirisena has no sincere need to take action against corruption. President says that he took these decisions due to the need to take action against corruption; however, if he felt the need to do so, he could have done it when the bond scam was revealed, pointed out MP Herath. The second chance he could have acted against corruption was when the special commission, more..

Dec 5 (Island) President Maithripala Sirisena was attempting to appoint a new PM from the SLFP or SLPP, who did not command a majority in the House, UNP MP Nalin Bandara said. "President has again said that he won’t appoint UNP leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe as the PM even if all MPs back his appointment. This is not reasonable. There is no reason for President to refrain from appointing the UNP leader as PM. more..

Dec 5 (FT) UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday insisted that only he commanded the majority in the House needed to form a govt, reiterating the need to return to the constitutional framework before the country could opt for elections. “Only the UNF and I can command that majority today,” Wickremesinghe insisted while speaking at a press conference held at Temple Trees flanked by UNF party leaders, more..

Dec 5 (CT) The Speaker’s Office, issuing a press release, has clarified its stance on the recent political developments that took place on 26 Oct as well as the interim orders given by the Court of Appeal on 3 Dec. The day following the political events which took place on 26 Oct, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya had met Prez Sirisena and told him that though the latter’s move was against the Constitution and the law, he would order more..

Dec 5 (EN) Sri Lanka’s parliament Wednesday defied a hostile president and decided not to proceed with a de facto no-trust resolution against the disputed govt and instead moved closer to an impeachment. Maithripala Sirisena had asked the largest single party, the UNP, to bring another resolution reconfirming the previous no-trust votes against Mahinda Rajapaksa and his purported cabinet. more..

Dec 5 (AD) Attorney General has commenced making submissions before the Supreme Court over the petition against the dissolution of the Parliament. Accordingly, he has stated that the Supreme Court does not have the legal authority to hear the petitions against the dissolution of the Parliament. Attorney General stated that the fundamental rights petitions filed against the dissolution of the Parliament charge that more..

Dec 5 (CT) The validity of President Maithripala Sirisena’s 9 Nov dissolution of Parliament and calling for fresh polls on 5 January is to be heard by a full Supreme Court (SC) Bench chaired by Chief Justice (CJ) Nalin Perera on Friday. Since Sirisena’s surprise sacking of his then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe and the appointment of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place on 26 Oct and a new Cabinet, those have plunged Sri Lanka to a constitutional and an economic crisis. more..

Dec 5 (DM) MP-Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka today proposed that an amendment should be brought in to the Constitution making it compulsory for the Head of State, service chiefs and others who hold important posts in a Govt to go through a mental fitness test annually. Field Marshal Fonseka said SL should follow the USA in this regard. “US President is bound to go through a mental fitness every year, while the others including the Service Chiefs who have the final say in launching more..

Dec 5 (FT) In a palpable blow felt around the body politic, three courts have delivered a trifecta of punches to the coup’s solar plexus. It is not a full, final or binding ruling. But it is a first step towards something solid, stable, and altogether salutary – or so it seems. And there is enough to go on to give at least half the republic a new hope. First, the Supreme Court granted interim relief to plaintiffs challenging the suspect prorogation of parliament. It was a direct rap on more..

Dec 5 (DM) Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravindra Wijegunaratne, who was in remand custody, was released on conditional bail by Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake today. The CDS was remanded over allegedly intimidating a witness in the case of Naval Officer Prasad Hettiarachchi allegedly abducting and making 11 civilians disappear. D.S Tissera of the CID appearing with OIC Nishantha Silva made a lengthy submission and said that CDS Wijegunratne had attempted to shoot and more..

Dec 5 (DM) President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he would resign from Presidency after making a State of the Nation Address if he was pushed to the wall, MP Mano Ganeshan said. According to the MP, the President has said this during the meeting which was held with UNF party leaders Monday night. “President said that if pushed to the wall, he will make a State of the Nation Address, resign from Presidency and more..

Dec 5 (AD) Former DIG Nalaka De Silva who was arrested over VIP assassination allegations have been further remanded until the 11th of December. The former Director of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) was arrested by the CID on Oct 25 over a suspected plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He was arrested after a police informant, Namal Kumara, made the allegations against Silva in a news conference. more..

Dec 5 (AD) Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar has decided to hear the case against Niraj Roshan alias Ali Roshan and six others, over the illegal possession of four elephants and racketeering, on a daily basis starting from the 13th of Feb 2019. The case was taken up before the Special High Court three-judge bench consisting of Justices Sampath Abeykoon, Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Rajaratne today. The State Counsel informed the court that all relevant documents related to more..

Dec 5 (DM) Right to Information Commission (RTIC) has directed the Presidential Secretariat to disclose the declaration of assets and liabilities of Ranil Wickremesinghe in his role as Prime Minister for 2015 and 2016, the Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) said. In a statement, the TISL said the order was made pursuant to an initial request it filed on Feb 3, 2017. “This decision would enable TISL to publicly release more..

Dec 5 (AD) The Supreme Court has concluded today’s hearing of the petitions against the dissolution of the parliament. Accordingly, the hearing of the case will resume from tomorrow. The hearing of the petition for the second day commenced this morning before the seven-judge bench consisting of SC Justices consisting of Chief Justice Nalin Perera, Priyantha Jayawardena, Prasanna Jayawardena, Sisira de Abrew, Vijith Malalgoda, Buwaneka Aluwihare and more..

Dec 5 (AD) Office of the Speaker issuing a press release has addressed the allegations that the state media being biased. Speaker has stated that many MPs has pointed out at the parliament that the state media has been behaving in a biased manner. In order to inquire on this matter and the suspending of the live broadcast of the parliamentary session by SLBC, Secretary to Ministry of Mass Media Sunil Hettiarachchi and SLBC Chairman Somaratne Dissanayake were summoned this afternoon. more..

Dec 5 (LR) Members of the Sri Lankan community in Toronto rallied on short notice to bring smiles to the faces of Sri Lanka Junior Badminton players who were participating in the Li NING BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships. The team excelled in the tournament and finished 16th out of 40 teams during a two-week tour. The team placed 37th last time they participated in the tournament. Members of the local SL community in Toronto organized an exhibition game and dinner to facilitate more..