Jul 2 (ST) Looking back at the first half of the year that is behind us, and the second half of the year before us, this year is likely to be another year of low economic growth and much hardship for a majority of the people. The economic recovery after the April bomb blasts is being throttled by the eruption of communal tensions amid a lack of political leadership. The first quarter of the year, before the horrendous human tragedy, was a period of economic recovery. more..

Jul 2 (CT) Minister and Leader of UPF Velusamy Radhakrishnan said a solid and permanent political solution must be found at least during the tenure of Indian PM Narendra Modi. “PM Modi has become powerful; there is no doubt about it. He has managed to secure power in a democratic country and he is a world power. He should create a situation to solve the issue in Sri Lanka with that power, at least, in his period a permanent political solution should be found,” more..

Jul 2 (CT) Ten years ago, SL prevailed in a Thirty Years War against a suicide-bombing separatist terrorism. Ten years later, this year 2019, on Easter Sunday, we were attacked atrociously by another type of terrorism: Islamist jihadist terrorism. So, the question of terrorism has been and remains an existential problem for SL and it is from that perspective that I speak. The question “What is to be done?” was initially posed by the writer Chernyshevsky, but was better known after Lenin posed it. more..

Jul 2 (CT) There are five important issues that the country faces at the present time. They are dealing with the post-Easter Sunday bombing fallout and resulting anti-Muslim sentiment, taking forward the constitutional reform and inter-ethnic reconciliation process, reviving the economy that has not attracted the investments in productive capacity that are necessary for self-sustaining growth, finding an accommodation with the big powers that are putting contrary pressures on SL in the Indian Ocean, more..

Jul 2 (Island) Our national cricket squad represents, in microcosm, the country at large and is similar, in many respects, to the yahapalana govt, which lacks proper leadership and is all at sea. Its performance is extremely erratic and each of its victories, which are few and far between, is followed by a string of humiliating defeats. Its impressive win against England, the other day, raised Sri Lankans’ hopes, which were unfortunately dashed when it badly lost to South Africa. more..

Jul 2 (Island) All children like to draw and little Gihan and his older sister Ruwanthi drew their inspiration from comics such as Asterix and Tintin. Gihan learned to draw by copying his sister. And as he mastered the art he started doing comics of his own, making up stories of his school friends, much to their amusement. "I started reading Calvin and Hobbes in newspapers first and later bought the books because I likeed the script," saidthe Daily Mirror cartoonist cum journalist Gihan de Chickera. more..

Jul 2 (CI) It's around this time in a World Cup that teams whose campaigns haven't turned out too well start to consider the future, and how to move forward. With both Sri Lanka and West Indies out of contention for further honours here, it was left to two of the brightest young talents in each team to light up the dead rubber, and provide a little hope that the next time might not be so bad. Avishka Fernando, all of 21, scored his maiden int'l hundred more..

Jul 2 (CI) The slender young man standing in front of the mixed zone was looking his age and revealing his limited experience. He'd just scored his highest international score for West Indies, a century in the World Cup in his ninth ODI, but couldn't get out of his mind what had just transpired. He was asked to dissect his innings and his dismissal off the first ball from an ageing, creaking allrounder who hadn't bowled a single ball for eight months. more..

Jul 2 (Island) Fitch Ratings has revised the outlook on Mercantile Investments and Finance PLC (MIF) to Negative from Stable and has affirmed the ratings. At the same time, Fitch has affirmed the ratings of the following Sri Lankan finance companies: Central Finance Company PLC (CF); LB Finance PLC (LB); Senkadagala Finance PLC (Senka); People's Leasing & Finance PLC (PLC). The rating actions follow Fitch's periodic review of Sri Lanka's large and mid-sized finance companies. more..

Jul 2 (CI) Gather round, kiddos. Let me tell you a story about Sri Lankan cricket. What would you like to hear? The story about how Dimuth Karunaratne, who hadn't played ODI cricket for four years, became captain for the 2019 World Cup. Ah, that is a good one. Crazy, no? Unbelievable even. All the things you want in a good story. Or what about the tale of the Sri Lankan selectors who picked about five wrong players in a squad of 15 for the tournament? more..

Jul 2 (DN) SL’s external sector moderated in the first four months of 2019 mainly due to the lessening of the trade deficit, a marginal increase in earnings from tourism, the decline in workers’ remittances and weaker financial flows. The exports increased by 4.5% to US$ 3,954 million in the first four months of 2019 while imports contracted by 17.4% to US$ 6,412 million which has resulted in narrowing the trade deficit to US$ 2,458 million in the first four months of 2019, more..

Jul 2 (EN) Sri Lanka Ports Authority, which runs the island’s harbours for merchant shipping, made a profit of 10.5 billion rupees in the first four months of 2019, as cargo volumes grew strongly. The SLPA’s debt to banks was 11,957 million rupees during the period, it said in a report on government finances for the first half of the year. The SLPA has made a 4.2 billion rupees profit in 2018, down from 13.2 billion rupees the previous year, its highest ever, after a foreign exchange gain more..

Jul 2 (AD) Attorney General has directed the Acting IGP to name IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando as suspects of the Easter attacks. Further, the Attorney General has requested the Acting IGP to produce them before courts, stated the AG’s Department. Coordinating Officer to the Attorney General, State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said the Acting IGP was instructed on the matter last Thursday, however, no action has been taken in this regard. more..

Jul 2 (EN) State-run SriLankan Airlines has lost 12.9 billion rupees in the first four months of 2019, up from 17.2 billion rupees for the full year 2018. The total debt of SriLankan Airlines was US$ 750 million. The govt was bearing US$ 375 million and 26,250 million rupees of contingent liabilities on account of losses piled up since 2014. "This includes the guarantee granted for International Bonds and letters of comfort issued to obtain loans during the BIA closure in 2016," more..

Jul 2 (AD) The elder son of the Puttalam District MP Shantha Sisira Abeysekara who assaulted a police officer attached to the Ministers’ Security Division (MSD) has been remanded until the 4th of July, as per the order of the Chilaw Magistrate. The suspect was arrested when he turned himself in at the Chilaw Police station this morning (01), stated the Police Media Spokesperson. MP Shantha Abeysekara’s elder son Ishan Chathuranga Abeysekara had assaulted a Police Constable serving the MSD, on 29th June. more..

Jul 2 (AD) President Maithripala Sirisena states that the majority of the income from drug trafficking goes to nurturing international terrorism. He mentioned this addressing the ceremony held to conclude the National Drug Prevention Week, held today (01) at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. President stated that the General Secretary of the UN phoned him 3 days ago to inquire about the decision on the death penalty. According to President Sirisena, more..

Jul 2 (FT) State Minister Vasantha Senanayake undertook an official visit to the Republic of Cuba from 25 to 29 June to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Sri Lanka and Cuba. The State Minister held bilateral discussions with his counterpart First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelino Medina Gonzalez, where they discussed matters of mutual interest identifying priority areas for more robust sectoral cooperation. more..

Jul 2 (EN) Ceylon Petroleum Corporation lost 21.4 billion rupees in the first four months of 2019, and 9.1 billion rupees were forex losses. CPC made an operational loss of 11.14 billion rupees. It was due to the lack of a pricing mechanism for aviation fuel, power sector fuel and kerosene. But it also made a 9.1 billion rupees forex loss. It is not clear how the forex loses came in 2019, because the rupee did not depreciate in 2019, unless it was related to stock holding or forward cover. more..

Jul 2 (AD) The trade unions of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) have decided to temporarily suspend their trade union action to halt supplying fuel to the CEB until Friday. The decision was taken following a discussion held with Minister Kabir Hashim today (1). The CPC trade unions recently claimed that reconstruction of the remaining 140 m of the 5 km pipeline running from the Colombo Harbour until the Kolonnawa warehouse was halted over the protests of more..

Jul 2 (DM) MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said Hulftsdorp court complex in Colombo was in a dilapidated condition and that it had put the lives of thousands of innocent people in danger. In a letter addressed to Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorala, he said the Colombo Magistrate and District Court buildings were at the risk of collapsing thus putting the lives of thousands of people in jeopardy. “It is of paramount importance to commence forthwith the construction of a new court complex. more..

Jul 2 (AD) A total number of 11 fundamental Rights petitions have been filed with the Supreme Court against the implementation of the death penalty. Ten FR petitions were filed earlier yesterday by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Professor C. Gunaratne, Dr K. Senaratne and the attorneys of several death row inmates at the Welikada Prison. The 11th petition was filed by Venerable Galkande Dhammananda Thero. The Attorney General, Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms Thalatha Atukorale, more..

Jul 2 (DM) The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) today said Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake has lied with regard to a call made by former minister Rishad Bathiudeen asking him about an arrested suspect in the Army custody. PHU Leader Udaya Gammanpila said Army Commander Senanayake has said in an interview with the state-owned 'Silumina' Newspaper on May 5 that there was undue influence from a powerful minister from Mannar to get an arrested suspect released. more..

Jul 2 (AD) The Embassy of the United States of America in Colombo says that there here is no plan or intention to establish a US base in Sri Lanka. Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) negotiations only aim to facilitate cooperation and any agreement will fully respect the sovereignty of Sri Lanka, US Ambassador to SL Alaina B. Teplitz tweeted. She dismissed the reports of a local news website on the draft of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) as blatant misinformation. more..

Jul 2 (AD) Ven. Dambara Amila Thero says that he will pose 4 questions to measure the qualifications of MP Bandula Gunawardane to hold a debate with the Thero. The Thero mention this when Ada Derana inquired on the UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardane’s invitation to the Thero for an open debate on a statement made by the Thero. The Thero says that the MP should answer 4 questions before attempting for a debate with him. According to the Thero, the questions are, more..

Jul 2 (FT) Cabinet approval to distribute tabs will only be done as a pilot program to Advanced Level students with the remainder of the Rs. 5.5 billion set to be used for school resources, President’s Media Division (PMD) clarified. The tender called in 2017 will be revised to reflect this change, the PMD said. The proposal to provide tablets to all Advanced Level students island-wide was presented to the Cabinet in 2017. President Maithripala Sirisena’s recommendation of more..

Jul 2 (CT) Govt has to spend over Rs 40 million a year to maintain a Cabinet Minister, which makes it vital to reduce the Cabinet of Ministers to 20, said Former Auditor General Gamini Wijesinghe. He was speaking at the release of National People’s Movement manifesto at the New Town Hall. “If we reduce the number of Cabinet Ministers in a scientific way, we could save a lot of money. Even our Appropriation Bill is another classic failure, we could never catch up with the budget that we make. more..

Jul 2 (AD) Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) has decided to present a series of proposals with 11 demands including a political solution through a self-governing system to combine the Northern and Eastern provinces. The decision was taken at the general meeting of the party held under the patronage of party leader Mavai Senathirajah in Jaffna yesterday (30). Accordingly, the ITAK will suggest the government to provide solutions for the issue of the disappeared persons in the north and the east, more..

Jul 2 (AD) Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr Rajitha Senaratne says that neither he nor the President can survive in a govt that allows the import of Chinese cigarettes. Addressing the final ceremony of the National Drug Prevention Week held at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium this morning (01), the minister said this fight against drug trafficking was initiated with the change made to the country on the 8th of January 2015. more..

Jul 2 (AD) Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam arrived at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall premises this morning (01). This was with regard to a complaint filed regarding misappropriation of state funds for printing the image and a statement from the Education Minister in the textbooks for govt schools. The complaint was filed by UNP MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. Minister has submitted the documents relevant to more..

Jul 2 (DN) Most parties that supported the Common Candidate at the 2015 Presidential Election oppose the implementation of the death penalty, PM Ranil Wickremesinghe told a group of foreign ambassadors yesterday. The foreign envoys met the Prime Minister to express their concerns over President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to implement the death penalty. PM explained to the ambassadors that the UNP, JVP and TNA are against ending the 43-year-old moratorium on the death penalty, more..

Jul 2 (EN) China led in new loan agreements signed with Sri Lanka for the first 4 months of 2019 with a US$ 989.5 million loan, while also leading in loans disbursed, the Treasury said. The govt had signed 19 loan agreements worth US$ 2.4 billion during the four months, which is nine times higher from the US$ 266.2 million year earlier. The country also received US$ 8 million in grants. However, there could be more grants than listed, as the Auditor General had said that more..

Jul 3 (CT) Parliament and democracy are made a mockery by the political buffoons in the country. Last 4 years of so called Good Governance has come to an end with the break up of the unsincere unity between the major political parties. The main motive behind the Good Governance govt. is to solve the long standing 70 years old Tamil- Sinhala issue. 3 1/2 years and 83 sittings wasted in bringing out a draft proposal when there are already many drafts and proposals which were done in the past. more..

Jul 3 (CT) It’s a question worth asking because many people are genuinely worried there is so much of negativity around us. Society has become more and more competitive, combative and complacent. Anti-govt protests, strikes, demonstrations are so apparent and commonplace and destroy the function of the govts. There is a diminished level of public trust in anything and everything. Sri Lanka, as a country, faces a real problem. With due respect to our Colombo Telegraph readership, more..

Jul 3 (SO) The famous ballad Green, Green, Grass of Home, tells of a youth who leaves home for distant parts only to fall into wrong-doing and facing the death sentence, dreams of being buried in his home town under the old Oak tree he once played on. On Friday (28), the Court of Appeal considered a writ petition that came before it seeking an interim order to stay any decision to execute the death penalty on any person until more..

Jul 3 (DM) On the 23rd the President said “The biggest mistake made by this Govt was the 19th Amendment. It created instability”. He added that the President and the PM were pulling in different directions; the reason was the 19A. Touching on the April 21st attacks, the Prez said that there was a serious lapse on the part of Defence Secretary and IGP, who failed to inform him about the intelligence agency letter from a friendly foreign country, sent on Apr 4, warning about a possible attack. more..

Jul 3 (DM) What drives the foreign policy of a country? Realists, the practitioners of the oldest and still the most influential intellectual tradition of international politics have long viewed external pressure as the primary driver of the state’s reaction to its external environment. This belief gave rise to the influential Prussian doctrine known as the primacy of foreign policy, ie the strict subordination of domestic policy to external demands. Bismarck observed: more..

Jul 3 (DM) Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara in an interview with Daily Mirror, speaks about the UNP presidential candidate and the circular that did not recognize Abaya for Muslim women as dress code for work at the govt institutions: Q: Controversy surrounded the introduction of a new dress code for public servants banning Abaya. It was questioned at the Parliamentary Select Committee more..

Jul 3 (CT) A couple of days after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared that his SLPP would field a patriot who can defend the country and the people, his brother and party organiser Basil Rajapaksa came up with the name. Of course, there are no marks for guessing. Going by Media reports, Basil named another brother and war-time Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the SLPP candidate for the Presidential Polls. Not long before the Basil’s declaration, more..

Jul 3 (Island) Everybody is talking about the reintroduction of judicial hangings. Prez Sirisena is at pains to drum up support for his hanging project since he is left with no achievement to flaunt as his term draws to a close. Those who are responsible for many an extrajudicial killing in the past have thrown their hands up in horror, condemning the President. Among them are some heavyweights of UNP & SLPP. One may say, with apologies to the Bard, that all the perfumes of Arabia more..