Aug 19 (ST) Three sub-inspectors who had allegedly been in close contact with underworld figure Kanjipaani Imran, have been transferred with immediate effect today. These police officers have been transferred from the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) to the Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Jaffna police stations. Ven. Magalkande Sudantha Thera had filed a complaint at the police over the manner in which 3 CCD officers had interacted with the underworld criminal who has been accused of more..

Aug 19 (RN) Anura Kumara Dissanayake the JVP leader who is the latest entrant to the Presidential race is taking aim at the middle-class Sri Lankan in an outside bid to win the country’s top political job. The JVP is the biggest party of 28 different organisations that back Dissanayake which have come together in a formation dubbed the National People’s Power coalition. It brings together a number of left-leaning organisations more..

Aug 19 (ST) CB governor Dr Indrajith Coomaraswamy will be conferred the Desamanya title by Prez Sirisena today, a gazette notification published by the President's Office reads. Coomaraswamy will be among the six personalities who would receive the Desamanya title from the President during an event at the BMICH. The Desabandu, Vidya Jyothi, Kala Keerthi, SL Sikhamani, Vidya Nidhi, Kala Suri, SL Thilaka, and Veera Prathapa titles will also be conferred more..

Aug 19 (RN) The Govt has done everything possible to stop holding provincial council elections for two years and it now goes to the Court to hold it before the presidential elections as it fears the latter, SLPP President Prof G.L Peiris said. Addressing a press conference held at SLPP Head Office this morning, Peiris said that the Govt wants to hold provincial council elections in order to distract the people and not because it wants to safeguard the voting rights of the people. more..

Aug 19 (RN) JVP has long been able to pull crowds. The Marxist-Lenninist party’s capacity to organise a large-scale rally is perhaps rivaled only by the increasingly well-oiled machine that is the SLPP. But even by the JVP’s own standards, yesterday’s event in Colombo was an unprecedented success. A show of strength that signalled to supporters and detractors alike that the SLPP is not the only party in town that can fill 12-acre Galle Face Green more..

Aug 19 (AD) Two more members of the banned organization, Jamathei Millathu Ibraheem (JMI), have been arrested by police. The arrest has been made in Ampara, based on a tip-off received from the State Intelligence Service. Reportedly, the 2 suspects had undergone weapons training from the terrorist leader Zahran Hashim. The suspects had allegedly received weapons training in Nuwara Eliya. Over the past couple of days, police had arrested several suspected members of the JMI more..

Aug 19 (DM) I will take immediate disciplinary action over govt servants who use social media during work hours, Uva Province Governor of Uva Province Maithree Gunaratne said. He said he had received many complaints that government servants are in the habit of neglecting the people until they finish surfing Facebook, Viber, WhatsApp, and other social media applications using their mobile phones. "After I assumed duties as Governor of Uva Province, I received many such complaints, more..

Aug 19 (AFP) UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said Monday she is deeply troubled by Sri Lanka’s appointment of an accused war criminal as army chief, as global concern mounts over the nomination. Major General Shavendra Silva, 55, was elevated to the army’s second-highest position of chief of staff in January before his latest promotion by President Maithripala Sirisena to commander of the Sri Lanka army. more..

Aug 20 (SO) Gotabaya Rajapaksa is also riding the wings of cultural nationalism (read, Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism), which has lately assumed strident overtones of Islamophobia. He’s a platinum-grade populist, too, says Ambassador M.K. Bhadrakumar. The announcement in Colombo last Sunday (11), by former prez Rajapaksa that his brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be his party SLPP’s prez candidate in the election due to be held before Dec 8, electrifies the politics in the island country. more..

Aug 20 (ST) Many years ago, there were some interesting proposals to transform waste and garbage to energy. The proposals which came before the Cabinet essentially suggested the utilisation of the garbage from Colombo city and elsewhere and turning it into energy and fuel. Despite various committees sitting on these proposals, there was no conclusion and thus another effort to turn the waste that citizens of SL produce daily and annually into energy, more..

Aug 20 (CT) Member of the UNP Working Committee, former Minister, Imthiaz Bakeer Markar says delaying the decision on the Prez candidate, is unfavourable for the UNP. Q: Though you have been fighting for Party reforms in the UNP, for a long time, at present it seems to have failed? A: Internal democracy is an issue, in any Party in SL. There is either family dominance or unidentified remote authority controlling, and more..

Aug 20 (CT) The delay in the announcement of the ruling party’s presidential candidate continues. There are reports of negotiations and breakdown of negotiations within the UNP. The open disagreements within the ruling party may be contrasted with the decisiveness of the main opposition party, the SLPP. Former president Rajapaksa was granted the party leadership and nominated his younger brother Gotabaya to be the prez candidate of the SLPP. more..

Aug 20 (ST) Fiscal consolidation is crucial to stabilise the economy and achieve higher economic growth. This year’s high fiscal deficit will destabilise the economy and affect the country’s medium-term economic growth. Macroeconomic fundamentals are being undermined by the govt’s populist expenditure this year and the fiscal deficit for 2020 is also likely to be higher than the planned fiscal deficit targets. The govt’s commitment to progressively bring down the fiscal deficit and more..

Aug 20 (SO) Attorney and SLPP member Ajith Prasanna, who has frequently spoken in critical and derogatory terms of police officers investigating the white van abductions and assassinations during the Rajapaksa era, is the product of a short and turbulent career in the SL Army, according to documents unearthed by the SO. In 1995, Prasanna, then a lieutenant, was convicted by a general court martial on 2 counts of more..

Aug 20 (SO) The last week has seen the public launching of two prez campaigns. At each of these widely publicized and well-orchestrated meetings, the two potential candidates presented their manifestos. One candidate, with the benefit of a teleprompter, read out a lengthy document which sounded much like a Speech from the Throne at an Opening of Parliament. The other candidate, in more strident tones, promised to implement an equally radical programme of reform if he were more..

Aug 20 (Island) Time was when there were hardly any ordinary MPs within the ranks of govts, which were full of ministers of all sorts. Country had to contend with jumbo Cabinets for years thanks to coalition politics. It was difficult to find a yahapalana MP who was not a minister before the UPFA’s grand pullout, last year, and the attendant collapse of the national govt. If the JO members, too, had joined forces with that administration, there would have been at least 200 ministers and deputy or more..

Aug 20 (CT) Parliament is scheduled to debate A Bill presented by the Minister of Finance on 24th May 2019 and Published as Bill no.282 in the Gazette (erroneously dated as 9th July, 2018.) The Legal Effect of this bill is stated as follows:- Clause 2: This clause amends section 12of the Peoples Bank Act No 29 of 1961, (referred to as the Principal enactment) by increasing the Authorized capital of the Bank. Clause 3:- This clause amends section 20 of the Principal enactment enabling more..

Aug 20 (ST) The writer was reminded of the above lines in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, when a palace guard Marcellus, speaking to Horatio, having seen the ghost of the dead king walking over the palace walls made these memorable lines. Much the same seems to be happening in our local Cricket Board. Players are dropped/picked willy-nilly in a most authoritative manner. This phenomenon appears to be nothing new. A few decades ago there was a Hitlerian cricket administrator, more..

Aug 20 (TM) An earnest call is being made to ensure the campaigns for the upcoming election are environmentally friendly. EC Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said that the candidates and political parties should lead by example and ensure environmentally friendly campaigns. “We do not have a particular law yet; but this practice should be ethically adopted,” he said. Recalling election campaigns that were conducted in the 1970s, more..

Aug 20 (ST) The second day’s proceedings of the 67th National Snooker Championship being played at the AAC and The Cue Club billiards tables saw two cueists T. Thanji of BRC and S.M. Thaha of MICH ending their round robin campaign on an unbeaten note when the duo recorded their third successive wins. The duo coasted to comfortable wins with Thanji overcoming M. Sheriffdeen of Army by four frames to nil in the seven frame encounter and Thaha getting the better of more..

Aug 20 (Island) Whilst Jofra Archer was giving a torrid time to the Australians at Lord’s, back in Galle, SL fast bowler Lahiru Kumara was generating serious pace letting his team mates and selectors marvel at his precious talent. Kumara was sparingly used, as it is always the case with the second seamer in Galle, but at one point he clocked the magic figure of 150kmph whilst constantly maintaining a speed above 145kmph. Very rarely has a SL fast bowler since the days of more..

Aug 20 (DN) SL’s proposed cricket tour to Pakistan remained on hold as SLC sought clearance from the govt before committing itself further. SLC sources stated that the tour has not been finalized yet as there were a few things that needed to be cleared before it could take place. It is learnt that SL has received two sets of itineraries from the Pakistan Cricket Board which they will have to study and put it before Exec Committee to finalise. more..

Aug 20 (Island) SL captain Dimuth Karunaratne’s player of the match effort of 39 and 122 at Galle has not only helped his team take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series with a six-wicket win over New Zealand but has also helped the opener move up four places to 8th position. It was Karunaratne’s first hundred in 2019 and ninth overall. Former captain Angelo Mathews (up three places to 14th) and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella (up five places to 33rd) have also moved up in the batting rankings more..

Aug 20 (Island) Under the parliamentary democracy, the State has to be a vehicle by which elected representatives, including the President in Sri Lanka’s case, utilise for the common good of people, especially the disadvantaged. However, looking at the situation since independence, the state has become a vehicle that works for the good of the privileged more so than the common people. The ruling class –though divided between various recognised political parties and more..

Aug 20 (CT) Executive Committee meeting of SLC last Friday had reportedly turned into a heated argument as a motion was tabled to extend the tenure of former national player Asanka Gurusinha who functioned as Chief Cricket Operating Officer attached to the SLC Brain Center. The position has been vacant since 14 July, where Ceylon Today learns that incumbent president Shammi Silva wasn't too happy about more..

Aug 20 (FT) The long-awaited $50 million global Ceylon tea promotion campaign will be kicked off next month in Moscow, Russia followed by 11 other key markets in a bid to boost export earnings. Russia is the biggest market value wise, though No. 2 in terms of volume behind Iraq. In 2018, Russia imported 30.5 million kg worth $ 154 million. It is the first time in the 150 years of Ceylon Tea that the Govt is conducting a massive global promotion campaign of this magnitude, more..

Aug 20 (DN) UPFA MP Kumara Welgama on Saturday said former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa cannot run for presidency as he is still an American citizen. Speaking to news media after attending a public event in his electorate in Matugama, Welgama pointed out that a foreign national is not permitted to run for presidency under current SL laws and the Constitution. A former minister in the previous Rajapaksa regime and known JO stalwart, Welgama is also more..

Aug 20 (TM) Sri Lanka’s IT industry voiced its opposition to a new tax on offshore payments, which is likely to come into effect within the next few weeks, saying it would hamper SL’s digital transformation. Cabinet approval was received for a foreign trade tax of 3.5% on foreign payments and it will now be presented for Parliament approval. The tax will be applicable on all offshore payments made using both debit and credit cards, more..

Aug 20 (Island) Norway remained committed to working together with Sri Lanka, the new Norwegian Ambassador Trine Jøranli Eskedal said after presenting her credentials to President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s House yesterday. Prior to assuming her position as the Norwegian Ambassador to SL, she was Head of Section at the International Department of the Norwegian Parliament (Storting) in Oslo from 2016 to 2019. Previously she has also served as more..

Aug 20 (ST) Agricultural & Agrarian Insurance Board (AAIB), sole state sector insurer for agricultural risk management, has failed to achieve revenue targets due to management inefficiency and malpractices, a Finance Ministry fact finding report revealed. AAIB has not taken any action to encourage farmers into insurance schemes and it has failed to introduce new competitive insurance schemes by identifying their needs. A new plan has been devised to streamline compensation payments more..

Aug 20 (ST) Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB)-managed replanting fund has received Cabinet approval and will ensure that monies will be accumulated for the replanting of teas by smallholders, the ministry secretary said. “We got the Cabinet approval about two to three weeks back to establish a replanting fund that is contributed by all,” Plantations Ministry Secretary J.A. Ranjith said. He explained that the fund will be managed by more..

Aug 20 (FT) United National Party (UNP) still has time to appoint a Presidential candidate, Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said yesterday pointing out that formation of a coalition has more attention from parties. Speaking to the media at Temple Trees Ranatunga noted that in his view the UNP has the option of appointing a Presidential candidate even one month before nominations are called and his focus is more on carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Ministry. more..

Aug 20 (DM) TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said he handed over a Private Member’s Bill to the parliamentary authorities which would provide for the conduct of Provincial Council (PC) elections under the old system of proportional representation without any delay if enacted. He said he sought to amend the Provincial Council Elections Act so that polls could be conducted forthwith. “The bill seeks to revert to the old system by repealing the Provincial Council Elections Act No. 17 of 2017. more..

Aug 20 (Island) Stressing that the country needed a new Constitution in keeping with the times, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Jaffna on Friday, that the UNP, JVP and the TNA wanted the Executive Presidency abolished, while only a section of the UPFA was opposed to it. The PM responding to questions from Tamils on a political solution to the ethnic issue, during his official engagements in the peninsula which included the launch of more..

Aug 20 (DM) Members of the committee appointed to conduct an investigation into the dastardly Easter Sunday attacks are to testify before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the same today. Select Committee Chairman Ananda Kumarasiri said that the committee members – SC Judge Vijith Malalgoda, former IGP N.K. Illangakoon and former Secretary to the Law and Order Ministry Padmasiri Jayamanne – would commence testifying today at 3.30 p.m. more..

Aug 20 (AD) Excise Department will launch a special four-digit hotline 1913 from today (19) to receive public complaints on illegal Liquor, Ministry of Finance said. This 24-hour-hotline will receive confidential complaints on illegal manufacturing of liquor in any parts of the country. According to Commissioner General of Excise Dept, transporting and being in possession of illegal liquor and even possession of licensed liquor above the prescribed limit are considered illegal. more..

Aug 20 (DN) The govt has granted the promised concessions for airlines (in the aftermath of the Easter blasts) at the Colombo Airport to attract more international airlines to fly to Sri Lanka. “This positive and immediate action taken by the Govt, especially by the PM, Minister John Amaratunga and DGCA, Nimalsiri, in response to the urgent request made by SL Tourism Development Authority, comes at a critical time and is most appreciated,” more..

Aug 20 (CT) TNA MP and Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) Leader Mavai Senathirajah, on 15 August, said 75% of the lands occupied by the security forces in the Northern Province have been released. The occasion was the inauguration of the first phase of the Myliddy Fisheries Harbour in Jaffna, built at a cost of Rs. 150 million. The Thirunelveli Agricultural Research Centre built at a cost of Rs. 30 million in Jaffna was also opened yesterday (16). more..

Aug 20 (Island) UNP back-benchers will meet Minister Sajith Preamadasa, today, at 7.30 pm to decide on his candidacy at the coming prez election, UNP MP Hesah Withanage said. Although the UNP parliamentary group met yesterday at Temple Trees there had been no discussion on the party’s prez candidate, Withanage said. "It wasn’t a very successful meeting. We only discussed the routing matters scheduled for the coming week but we expect to take a decision on party’s prez more..