Apr 2 (AD) The Gazette notification has been issued to increase the minimum fine for 7 types of traffic offences to Rs 25,000. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation said that the relevant gazette notification was issued at midnight yesterday (01). The ministry said that the amended fines imposed for new traffic offences will be presented to the Parliament and made law very soon, by amending the Motor Traffic Act. more..

Apr 2 (DM) A former water board official was sentenced to 37 years rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court today after finding him guilty over fraudulently acquiring Rs. 12 million using forged cheques. Ananda Mabola, who worked as an accountant at the Water Board's regional office in Kelaniya, was earlier indicted by the prosecution under eight counts of the Penal Code for using forged signatures of the manager of the regional water board office to prepare fake cheques more..

Apr 2 (AD) The first-round interviews for the post of executioner have been scheduled to take place today and tomorrow at the Department of Prisons. The department had received 102 applications for the post and 79 candidates have been selected for the first-round interviews. The candidates will initially be directed to a psychological screening and two interviewees will be selected for the post. The two selected candidates will be assigned to the post after receiving training regarding the post. more..

Apr 2 (AD) Mrs Sarah Hulton OBE has been appointed as the new British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. Mrs Hulton will take up her appointment during August 2019, the UK govt’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office said. “Mrs Sarah Hulton OBE has been appointed British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka in succession to Mr James Dauris who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.” more..

Apr 2 (SLN) HMS Montrose of the Royal Navy arrived at the port of Colombo on a goodwill visit today. The visiting ship was welcomed by SL Navy in compliance with naval traditions and the occasion was also attended by Director Naval Operations, Commodore Sanjeewa Dias and a group of representatives from the British High Commission in SL. Meanwhile, Commanding Officer HMS Montrose, Commander Conor O’Neil called on Commander Western Naval Area, more..

Apr 2 (ANI) Kayts Court in Sri Lanka has extended the remand of 8 fishermen from Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu till April 7. The fishermen were arrested and imprisoned by the Sri Lankan Navy after their boat met with an accident on Jan 13. Straying of Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen into each others' waters is a recurrent problem as territories on the sea are not clearly demarcated. In January this year, SL Navy reportedly apprehended nine fishermen near the shore of the Delft Island. more..

Apr 2 (AD) Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court has ordered the CEB to appear before the court on April 9 over legal action filed by the Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL). Legal action had been filed against the CEB for allegedly failing to submit details of scheduled power cuts to PUCSL. Last week, Commission had requested the electricity consumers to submit information related to power interruptions which took place from more..

Apr 2 (AD) The assistant police officer of Mannar and former OIC of Piliyandala Police, Upul Alawatte, has been arrested by the CID today (1) in connection with the abduction of a person. The CID has launched an investigation against the assistant police officer over the alleged abduction, torture and forced disappearance of a person who had been under the custody of Piliyandala Police in 31st of December 2008. He was summoned to the CID to record a statement in this regard, more..

Apr 2 (AM) Shakthika Sathkumara, a SL poet and writer, has been arrested by the police yesterday for insulting Buddhism in one of his short stories. Polgaawela Magistrate has remanded the writer until Apr 9 when he was presented before the court last afternoon. Sathkumara was arrested by the police following a complaint lodged by a group of Buddhist monks in the Polgahawela area. The same group has also lodged a complaint with the Polgahawela DS where Sathkumara is employed more..

Apr 2 (PT) Sri Lanka Cricket is set to revive the Lankan Premier League (LPL), with Sept 8-28 tentatively set aside for the potentially lucrative T20 tournament. “We have set the ball rolling and hopefully in August-September this year we will see the tournament taking place,” SLC secretary Mohan De Silva said, speaking at Monday’s launch of the Super Provincial 50-over Tournament in Colombo. Bemoaning the cancellation of last year’s more..

Apr 2 (AD) The first term of government and government approved Sinhala and Tamil medium schools will end on Apr 5 (Friday) while the second term will commence on Apr 22. Meanwhile the first term of Muslim schools will end on Apr 11 while the second term of those schools will commence on Apr 17. Ministry of Education further says that minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has instructed all officials to carry out an island-wide programme to clean up school premises before the first term ends more..

Apr 2 (CT) The defeat of the heads of the expenditure of the Ministries of Internal and Home Affairs, and Provincial Councils and Local Govt will not cause the delay in the payment of salaries to Govt employees, the PHU stated. Participating in a Media briefing held yesterday in Colombo, Leader of the PHU, MP Udaya Gammanpila noted that according to the Vote on Account approved by this Government at the end of 2018, the salaries could be paid until the end of April. more..

Apr 2 (CT) The Opposition will not hesitate to defeat the Heads of Expenditure (HoE) of any Ministry again given the opportunity, UPFA MP Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said in Parliament yesterday. Yapa made this remark when an argument erupted between the Govt and the Opposition regarding the unexpected defeat of the HoE for two Ministries during the Committee Stage of the Appropriation Bill 2019 on 28 March. more..

Apr 3 (CT) In Sept 2015, Govt endorsed the UNHRC Resolution 30/1, and made an unprecedented commitment to transparency and accountability via a transitional justice process. It promised State-endorsed avenues to pursuing truth, justice, reparations and institutional reform, particularly in connection to the conflict. Immediately after the signing of the resolution it appeared that the transitional govt was making concrete strides towards effectively dealing with the crimes more..

Apr 3 (CT) JVP has been presented 20th amendment to the constitution, and it is in the parliament agenda. The political parties, politicians and the civil society have good opportunity to discuss the amendment while argue in the parliament. The amendment is being explicit aim to abolish the executive presidency. What are the citizens expect from the 20th amendment? Are they really need abolish the executive presidency? The republic of SL is a unitary state. more..

Apr 3 (SO) Parched land and dried water tanks with their beds ribbed with cracks further hardened by the hot sun have become a common sight in most parts of our planet. People – mostly women – trekking with heavy water containers are a definite component of this gloomy picture. Their diverse attires, types of pots they carry provide a hint of their country or community. But they have one common destination -- water. more..

Apr 3 (CT) It is widely accepted that SL is an agricultural nation. No major political party or other social organisation challenges this view. Therefore, continued patronage of agriculture has continued without much of resistance. Successive Govts have competed with ones they toppled to come to power in launching myriad welfare programmes since Independence. These deep pocket welfare initiatives have covered many agricultural inputs including land, water, seeds, fertilizer, know-how, more..

Apr 3 (Island) Professor Kingsley de Silva resigned from the academic staff of the Uni of Peradeniya in 1995. That premature retirement must have been a painful termination of a cherished institutional link, made in the context of those in charge of uni affairs at that time making it difficult for him to continue in uni service without jeopardising his research commitments. Moreover, following that enforced resignation, the uni continued to ignore his unparalleled scholarly achievements. more..

Apr 3 (Ish) Minnette de Silva is a hard act to follow by anyone’s standard. She was a pioneer on so many fronts – as a female, as an Asian and as an architect but also as that then unknown creature of female Asian architect (Minnette had a strong affinity with India after her time there and therefore considered herself Asian, not just Ceylonese or Sri Lankan). Minnette pursued revolutionary ideas about architecture which more..

Apr 3 (DN) Housing Construction and Cultural Affairs Minister Sajith Premadasa was bestowed with the honorary title Sasana Deepana Abhimani Sri Lanka Janaranjana by the Malwatte Chapter for his invaluable service to the Buddha Sasana, public uplift and national development at a ceremony held in Kandy. The tragic events of May 1, 1993 in Colombo not only changed the course of Sri Lanka’s history, it also changed the life trajectory of one young man. more..

Apr 3 (Island) Prez’s war on drugs has yielded some impressive results, much to the relief of the public. Never have the police, the armed forces, etc. made so determined a bid to neutralise the netherworld of narcotics and crime. They deserve praise for their achievements, the credit for which also goes to the Prez, who has given them unwavering political leadership, moral support and undertaken to do all it takes to enable them to achieve the goal of breaking the back of the drug menace. more..

Apr 3 (DN) Martin Wijesinghe is one of the significant personalities in Sri Lanka. He has expertise in indigenous medicine, biology, zoology, cultural heritage, history, science and English. Martin Wijesinghe is considered the unofficial Professor of Sinharaja Forest. He was born on Dec 24, 1939, in Pethiyakanda, and started schooling at the age of nine. He had a younger brother. Their mother died when they were very young. He studied only up to Grade 8, but no one can challenge more..

Apr 3 (CT) The title of this series implies that something could yet be done to get us out of the mess we are in, if only some at least of Sirisena’s promises were fulfilled. But I was not at all sanguine about this, for he has shown himself weak and confused, and easy prey for Ranil and his acolytes, Malik with his philosophy of profit, Mangala with what Vinod Munasinghe graphically described in a comment on our Foreign Service as the meek presentation of the national hindquarters more..

Apr 3 (CT) Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) has made an outrageous decision to axe 15-year-old wonder kid Neyara Weerawansa from the Sri Lankan squad that is set to participate at the Junior Fed Cup 2019 in Thailand, despite winning all her games during the trials. Young Neyara who received her education at the British School until 2017 before moving to Spain, had been informed about the trials early this year. more..

Apr 3 (Island) NP Governor Dr. Suren Raghavan last week caused a debilitating setback to Sri Lanka’s efforts to counter unsubstantiated war crimes allegations. Having found fault with Human Rights Commissioner Michele Bachelet’s report on Sri Lanka, at a press conference, Dr. Raghavan played a different tune on Friday, March 29. Dr. Raghavan issued the following statement, dated March 29, in response to Bachelet’s furious reaction to a statement attributed to him: more..

Apr 3 (DN) The SL Basketball Federation (SLBF) announced their latest venture in hosting of the first-ever professional basketball tournament where male teams get into via action by the franchise owners. The tournament is set to kick-off from May 2 and matches will be played at two venues Air Force Indoor Stadium Thunmulla and Sugathadasa Stadium. In over 100 years of SL basketball history, it is the first time the sport is being upgraded to a professional level and more..

Apr 3 (DN) Sri Lanka Cricket has slapped a fine of US$ 7,500 equivalent to one Test match fee on Sri Lanka cricketer Dimuth Karunaratne for violation of player contract for drunk driving leading to an accident where his car was involved in a crash with a three-wheeler. Following court proceedings Karunaratne had his driving licence suspended for three months. Karunaratne has agreed to compensate the aggrieved party. more..

Apr 3 (FT) Listed among Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Ministry of Crab will expand its culinary journey to Bangkok and Maldives in the second half of this year, promoting Sri Lanka’s finest produce and best in gastronomy. “Today Ministry of Crab is four strong. We have opened in Shanghai, Manila and Mumbai. By the end of the year there will be two more, adding Bangkok and Maldives on that list,” Ministry of Crab Co-Owner and renowned chef Dharshan Munidasa told media in Colombo. more..

Apr 3 (EN) Sri Lanka, which has been hit by extreme droughts and floods and been identified as one of the top countries at risk from volatile weather has cut spending on disaster management and recovery to trim the budget deficit, an economist said. “Sri Lanka spent about 54 billion (rupees) in 2017 and 21 billion in 2018," Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Shiran Fernando said, totalling actual expenditure on disaster risk management and recovery. more..

Apr 3 (Island) MPs should refrain from using obscene language inside the chamber, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament, yesterday. Jayasuriya expressed his displeasure at the damage caused to the reputation of Parliament by two MPs using abusive language. The heated argument errupted between UPFA MP Mohan de Silva and State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake over the sale of MPs’ duty free vehicle permits more..

Apr 3 (Island) Fitch Ratings has affirmed the National Long-Term Rating of Sri Lanka-based telecoms company Dialog Axiata PLC at 'AAA(lka)'. The Outlook is Stable. Key Rating Drivers Mobile-Market Leader: Dialog's standalone credit profile of 'AAA(lka)' is underpinned by its market leadership in the growing mobile and pay-TV market segments. We believe that Dialog is in a position to gain revenue market share from smaller telcos, given its superior execution and mobile networks. more..

Apr 3 (ST) In 2017, over 5000 young pregnant cows (heifers) imported from Australia and NZ, were sold to some farmers. They were assured that a cow would yield 20 litres/day. Within a few months, the farmers’ expectations started to shatter when the cows failed to produce the promised milk yields. Currently, farmers are facing financial ruin as a consequence of several grave issues with the cows they purchased: Poor milk yields, very low conception rate, abortions, still-births, more..

Apr 3 (Island) The PCoI probing allegations of large scale corruption under the current govt instructed the police unit attached thereto to investigate an attempt to intimidate witness Amal Suriyage of the Lammermoor Estate in Maskeliya by some officials of the Ministry of Rural Economic development and the Foresight Engineering Pvt. Ltd, the local agent for Wellard Rural Exports Pvt. Ltd., Australia. more..

Apr 3 (CT) North Western ‘B’ came out victorious in the Inter Provincial Women’s Rugby Development Tournament defeating Southern ‘A’ 20-5 in the final at Navy Sports Club Grounds in Welisara yesterday. On their way to the final North Western ‘B’ defeated Sabaragamuwa ‘A’ 5-0 in a tough quarter-final and North Western ‘A’ in the semi-final 32-0 in a one sided game. Southern ‘A’ also performed well in the tournament. They beat Southern ‘B’ 29-5 in the quarter-final and Uva ‘A’ 29-5 in semi-final. more..

Apr 3 (CT) Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union will conduct the first of its qualification championships for international meets, the National & Junior National Short Course Swimming Championships at Isipathana College Swimming Pool Complex from 6–9 April 2019, commencing at 7:30 a.m. on all four days. Approximately 800 of the best swimmers will battle it out for the national pool qualifications and international championships selections in five age groups: U-11, 13, 15, 18 and over 18. more..

Apr 3 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena says the objective of the abolishing of the Grade 5 Scholarship Exam is to provide a better education for the children while implementing the necessary changes that should be done in our education sector according to the educational methods used by the most developed countries in the world. President made these remarks addressing a ceremony held at more..

Apr 3 (PSL) Avurudu Neketh Seettuwa (document containing the auspicious times for the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year) was handed over to Prez Sirisena today (2) at the Prez’s Official Residence in Colombo. In keeping with the tradition, this was handed over to the President. Avurudu Neketh Seettuwa includes the time of the dawn of the New Year, non-auspicious period prior to the dawn of the New Year and the auspicious time for cooking meals, commence transaction, more..

Apr 3 (FT) Opposition Leader and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday blamed the crippling power cuts to sheer mismanagement by the Govt and failure to develop new electricity generation. “The power crisis, which affects the ordinary public and the small and medium and micro sectors most, is due to sheer mismanagement on the part of the Govt and lack of planning. This Govt also hasn’t added an additional new megawatt for the past four years,” charged Rajapaksa. more..

Apr 3 (FT) UNP lawmaker Mujibur Rahuman proposed a proper taxation system for the steel industry saying the absence of such a system is costing the State millions in tax rupees. He said there is a high demand for steel bars and rods of different sizes made out of fresh steel or recycled steel by the construction industry, but local producers tend to mislead the tax authorities by amending sales & manufacturing records. more..