Jun 2 (CT) Sri Lanka will have to tackle its inflation problem if it wants to attract FDIs, IMF's former Deputy Managing Director, Naoyuki Shinohara, told a reporter of a local newspaper at IMF Headquarters in Washington, DC in 2012. What investors want is macroeconomic stability, Shinohara said. They will after all employ locals in their enterprises, therefore, they would want a stable inflationary regime so that wages would not be subject to inflationary pressure, he said. more..

Jun 2 (FT) I had been penning long pieces using what the subeditors at your favourite daily are pleased to call dictionary words, the idiots – all such words are in a dic! But the error of my ways has been pointed out to me, thank you so much. And I thought of repenting for a change, which is more than one can expect of politicos who can’t remember or sportspersons who don’t recall because they were drunk. Sorry to start off on the wrong foot, as it were, as the bishop said to the actress. more..

Jun 2 (AD) A businessman who attempted to smuggle 10 gold biscuits into the country by concealing them in his rectum was arrested this morning at the Katunayake airport. The 40-year-old from Colombo, who reportedly frequently travels in and out of the country, had arrived from Dubai at 4.50am today (2) on flight UL 226. He was arrested by customs officer while attempting to smuggle 10 gold biscuits weighing 1.16 kg which were concealed in his rectum. more..

Jun 2 (AD) Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka says that he will never accept the ministerial portfolio of Law and Order if it is proposed to be offered to him. He said this in response to a question put forward by journalists during an observation visit regarding the wild elephant problem in the Diya Beduma area. Responding to another question, the Minister of Wildlife and Regional Development stated that when an election comes businessmen in Colombo provide funding to all MPs. more..

Jun 2 (Roar) Picture this: a world without discrimination. A hate-free, bias-free existence in which bullies do not beat you up the playground, people do not judge you by the language you speak, and a woman can walk safely down a dark alleyway at night. It is a blissful picture, but in this age of violence and discrimination, it is also unbelievable to the point of absurdity. In just these past two months, 8 men gang-raped and murdered an 8-yr old more..

Jun 2 (EN) Sri Lanka's state revenues had growth 8% from a year earlier to 469.1 billion rupees in the first quarter of 2018 from a year earlier, while a primary surplus had been recorded in the budget, official data shows. But tax revenues grew only 2% 425.3 billion rupees up to March 2018, while not-tax revenues doubled to 43.8 billion rupees, helping boost total revenues. SL cut fuel taxes in Dec 2017, losing a key source of revenue, which has since been corrected. more..

Jun 2 (NR) Western Provincial Councillor Roger Seneviratne says he is resigning as a member of the National Freedom Front. The actor stated he arrived at the decision based on several personal reasons. Roger Seneviratne stated that he has already tendered in his letter of resignation to party leader MP Wimal Weerawansa. Seneviratne noted he will provide the party leadership an extensive explanation in the coming days pertaining to his decision to resign from the party. more..

Jun 2 (DM) When the Lasantha Wickramatunga murder trial was taken up for hearing, counsel for the second suspect told Mount Lavinia Magistrate Mohamed Mihal that his client, former Mount Lavinia Police Crimes branch OIC Tissasiri Sugathapala, is not a part of the offence but an unwilling accomplice. Defense Counsel, told the Mount Lavinia Magistrate that his client was a suspect in the case due to death threats more..

Jun 2 (AD) Minister Rajitha Senaratne says that a society has emerged in the country today which takes political decision based on the prices of goods and not the development carried out in the country and health sector. He stated that people only talk about the price of coconuts and not the development which has been done in the country. He said that spectacles are not necessary and that throughout his 40-year political journey he has seen many a spectacles while also doing spectacles. more..

Jun 2 (NR) Two women have been found hacked to death in Werella Mandiya, Kosgama. A 34 year old woman and her 74 year old grandmother were found dead this morning around 9:20. Police Media Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said a relative of the deceased had stated that a financial dispute could have led to the murder. The suspects are believed to have fled the area while the Kosgama Police is conducting investigations to arrest those responsible for the murders. more..

Jun 2 (DM) In response to President Sirisena’s speech on Wednesday, the JO said allegations made with regard to former President Rajapaksa were unfounded. MP Dullas Alahapperuma said President’s allegations were rejected in the strongest possible terms. He said the President made certain allegations against his predecessor with regard to the use of a helicopter in the aftermath of his defeat, taking all security more..

Jun 2 (ST) Everest conqueror Johann Peiris returned home today to a warm reception of supporters. He is the second Sri Lankan to summit the world's highest mountain. He successfully summited Mount Everest at 5.55 a.m. Nepal time on Tuesday (22 May 2018). In 2016, Jayanthi and Johann were the first Sri Lankans to undertake the challenge of summiting Everest but Johann had to return without making to the top as his oxygen tank failed 400 meters before the summit. more..

Jun 2 (DM) Minister Champika Ranawaka yesterday pointed out that he is not among the 118 individuals who received funds from the Central Bank bond scam. He made this remark while responding to questions from journalists in Kandy. “We are the ones who taught the govt to earn money and the ones who raised our voices against corruption. I’m not among those who received money from the bond scam. I don’t know whether you are also among the 118,” he told journalists. more..

Jun 2 (DN) Milco Company has had to incur a loss of Rs 500 million due to the production of 1.5 million packets of substandard Highland milk powder as a result of a fault in the new machinery set up at the Ambewela plant, said Minister Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa. He was speaking at a press conference at Fisheries Ministry. Minister said that he ordered the officials to initiate an investigation and hand over the report to him and Prez. more..

Jun 2 (ST) Ape Gama, formerly known as the Janakala Kendraya in Battaramulla used to be an isle of tranquility. Today it is fast becoming a garbage dumping yard with all manner of garbage, including non-degradable plastic containers from Ape Gama itself being dumped in the compound bordering the wetlands abundant with wild life. Situated at the turn-off to the Japan-SL Friendship Road which borders Ape Gama, a large notice put up by the Department of Wild life warns more..

Jun 2 (DN) Office of Missing Persons (OMP), which was under the President, has been gazetted under National Unity and Coexistence State Minister A.H.M. Fowzie. Issuing an Extraordinary Gazette on Thursday, Prez Sirisena has assigned the OMP to State Minister Fowzie for administrative purposes. The OMP was previously under the purview of the President as he is also the National Integration and Reconciliation Minister. Gazette to operationalise the OMP was signed by the Prez in Sept 2017. more..

Jun 2 (Island) In spite of a govt assurance of immediate action to tackle the deadly flu epidemic spreading across the southern part of the country, health authorities there are still struggling to cope up with the problem. They have so far recorded 14 deaths, though the actual figure is believed to be a little bit higher. The first identified patient was reported in Karapitiya Teaching Hospital on May 1 and since then 13 children below more..

Jun 2 (DN) Ceylon Petroleum Private Bowser Owners Association (CPPBOA) failed to reach an agreement with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) regarding their demands. Association Secretary Shantha Silva said that they had to take this decision regarding the payment following the recent fuel hike. Association sent a letter to the CPC on May 22,2018 requesting them to increase their payment for transportation by 12.5%. In response, the CPC had replied on May 31 stating that more..

Jun 2 (SL) Govt is likely to introduce an automatic pricing formula for electricity in near future. This will be in line with a proposal put forward by the IMF. Govt had earlier implemented a fuel pricing formula following a proposal put forward by the IMF. Now the IMF has proposed an automatic pricing formula for electricity and other steps to strengthen social safety nets. “The recent approval of an automatic fuel pricing formula is a major achievement towards reducing fiscal risks from SOEs. more..

Jun 2 (DM) The much debated Grand Hyatt Hotel Project in Colombo, which allegedly involved financial frauds amounting to billions of tax payers’ money during the previous regime, is now facing yet another hurdle following an order delivered against it at an arbitration tribunal in Singapore. Italian contractor Interna Contract Spa, who was awarded the interior package 2 of the Grand Hyatt Project by the previous more..

Jun 2 (SL) China insists its has lent sincere support to SL and provides assistance to the best of its ability to help SL close its financing gap, boost economic development, improve people’s livelihood and enhance its self-development capability. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said this in response to a question raised over reports that talks between China and SL on a FTA have reached a stalemate as SL is worried that Chinese investments may make it indebted. more..

Jun 2 (NR) Investigations into the murder of the father of cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva, Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Municipal Councillor Ranjan de Silva has been handed over to the CID. The order to hand over investigations to the CID was issued by the IGP. The Police Media Unit said a special unit of the Mirihana Special Crimes Division and another unit is also conducting investigations into the murder. The STF arrested a suspect in Angulana on Thursday over the murder of Ranjan de Silva and more..

Jun 2 (ST) A state institution and a prawn industry body are locking horns in a row over the import of a new species of prawns. National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA), the state body responsible for the import of prawns for farming, said the fears raised by a section of the industry represented by the SL Aquaculture Development Alliance were baseless. NAQDA Director General Nimal Chandraratne said more..

Jun 3 (SO) The mini-drama over a so-called list of parliamentarians who purportedly received financial contributions from a particular big business group distracts from one of the most crucial aspects of representative democracy – election campaign financing. But, while the politicians make a ruckus for their individual political gain, the citizenry is aware that this one so-called list is but the tip of the iceberg in terms of the nexus of corruption and politics. more..

Jun 3 (CT) This Govt recently passed the Right to Information Act (RTIA) which makes it possible for a citizen to obtain information of public interest, provided it doesn’t impinge on national security. According to the Int'l Centre for Ethnic Studies, a NGO, an RTI Bill had been in the drawing boards since 2003, the first advent of the Ranil Wickremesinghe regime. But due to tensions between Wickremesinghe and the then President Chandrika Kumaratunga, this Bill gathered more..

Jun 3 (SO) UPFA MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara is a vindicator as he was honest in having admitted that he received money for his election campaign from Walt and Row Associates, a company linked to Perpetual Treasuries. In The leftist firebrand said former Minister acted honourably in the COPE Committee in respect of the CB Bond scam and it is very surprising now that his name alone more..

Jun 3 (Island) Perpetual can of worms becomes more bizarre by the day. First we had former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera, who at different times in his political career has belonged to both the UNP and the SLFP and is now flirting with the Pohottuwa, no doubt on an assessment that Mahinda Rajapaksa is the coming colour, being floored by a million-rupee sledgehammer blow. Jayasekera, an attractive political personality who had gathered a rich harvest of preference votes in the various more..

Jun 3 (ST) With the worst of the recent floods in 21 of the country’s 24 districts costing 28 lives now somewhat receding, there is no better time to think of a substantive solution to what is now an annual, or even bi-annual feature in this country; floods and droughts. Before the next drought and the next flood appears, this is the time for an Action Plan. Floods and droughts were somewhat spaced out in yesteryears. Of late, however, we have seen them occur more frequently. more..

Jun 3 (SO) The crippling Southern influenza epidemic continues to grip the Southern Province, fuelled by speculation and contradicting reports on the strength of the virus and the number of deaths, increasing public fear. While primary schools which were closed to contain the spread of the flu virus have since been reopened, attendance in many of these schools in the Southern Province appears to be minimal. more..

Jun 3 (SL) As more skeletons keep tumbling out of the bonds scam cupboard, it is becoming increasingly clear that very few political parties and fewer still of their leaders, especially elected representatives, may have dipped their fingers in the till than believed so far. If President Sirisena-led SLFP’s minister-turned-rebel, Dayasiri Jayasekara were to be believed, more than a majority in the 225-member Parliament had taken tainted money from Perpetual Treasuries (PT) more..

Jun 3 (ST) Maduluwave Sobhitha hamuduruwaney, I thought I must write to you even though you have departed this world. Your untimely demise left those of us in Paradise in despair. While we are sure you must be in a better place than Paradise, I feel it is my duty to let you know of the many words spoken by those who still wish to invoke your name. You will recall the great service you did in the last year of your life in Paradise. It is no exaggeration to say that it was you who single-handedly pursued more..

Jun 3 (SO) Sri Lanka Cricket, despite not being able to hold its election of office bearers on Wednesday, received a big round of applause from Minister Faiser Mushtapha who visited the sport’s Hq on Thursday. “All what I am telling you is to continue the good work, you’re doing. We are not here to make changes or dictate terms to you’ll. We are here because, due to a court order, the elected body could not be elected today. So we as a country, govt & citizens are here to protect SLC. more..

Jun 3 (ST) "Hang-genna beha, putho (you cannot hide son), Hang-genna beha,” Kussi Amma Sera was saying to her chatty neighbour Serapina. Both were in conversation under the giant mango tree in the garden on this bright Friday morning. What was this all about? Revelations by former Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera receiving a Rs. 1 million political campaign donation from Arjun Aloysius, prime suspect in the tainted Treasury Bond transactions which were followed by Minister more..

Jun 3 (CT) Flames flicker when the air around them is disturbed when there is too little or too much airflow around the flame. As a country which light thousands of clay oil lamps, it is not rocket science; many ordinary individuals too know that the flame becomes very strong and sometimes the entire clay lamp catches fire when it runs out of oil and the flame is about to die off. The common man uses this as a example to explain more..

Jun 3 (Island) Reading the JVP’s Private Member’s Bill to abolish the executive presidency, one cannot but get the impression that this is the JVP’s third insurrection without however the usual bloodshed. In fact one could say that the JVP’s third insurrection has been going on for nearly a decade. They seem to have chosen the path of protracted political struggle after the two failed insurrections of the past. In 1994, the JVP reentered democratic politics and had one MP in Parliament. more..

Jun 3 (ST) Graeme La Brooy has been retained as chief cricket selector for another term along with Jeryl Wouterz, Gamini Wickremasinghe, Chandika Hathurusinghe (on tour selector) and Ranjith Madurusingha. They have been appointed for a period of one year. Madurusingha who was a member of the previous selection committee headed by Sanath Jayasuriya replaces former SL first-class cricketer Sajith Fernando. La Brooy led committee took office after Jayasuriya and his team more..

Jun 3 (Island) The only institution equal to the task of taming the mafiosi at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) seems to be the judiciary. Some cricket administrators had become a law unto themselves with successive Sports Ministers and even the PM timid to tell them where to get off. Appeal Court this week provided an interim relief staying the cricket elections. This judicial gavel blow has cut some individuals, who thought they were bigger more..

Jun 3 (CT) SL batsmen showed good form heading into the opening Test of their three-match series against the Windies, with an accomplished display against the Cricket West Indies (CWI) President’s XI at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. The game ended in a draw, but not before the SL batsmen recorded a century and four half-centuries. At around 3.25 p.m. yesterday both teams decided to call off the game after Sri Lanka reached 135 without loss in 33 overs in their 2nd innings. more..