Aug 16 (CT) It has been a constant if annoying refrain of this column that there are powerful class, political, military, cultural and racial-religious forces pushing Lanka in the direction of an autocratic state. Up to now I have taken pains to delineate the factors encouraging autocracy while neglecting those impeding it. This was for reasons of electoral exigency – the country has had two elections on its hands and theoretical nuances needed to be set aside so as not to cloud practical urgencies. more..

Aug 16 (Island) Consolation prizes there will always be. All it takes is a poker face, ability to cherry-pick and a veneer of analytical sophistication. Well, sometimes even less than that. The UNP has the plus of starting from scratch. The JVP, which led the Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB) has the plus of the coalition obtaining 27,405 more votes than Anura Kumara Dissanayake polled at the 2019 Presidential Election (an up from 3.16% to 3.84%). The SJB having come second obviously more..

Aug 16 (ST) It is a well known secret that if you want to win an election in SL, be it from Prez to Local Councils, you might need millions to carry out a high-spending campaign, even if you are well educated and qualified to represent the people. Those who cannot raise millions had to be sidelined as it happened in the recently concluded polls. Nuwara Eliya district’s Former MP Mylvaganam Thilakarajah was among those who could not more..

Aug 16 (SO) At this General Election too, ten artistes from different art spheres and representing several political parties, decided to ditch the glitz and glam to work for the people. However, of those who contested, only four were elected to Parliament. The General Election 2020 is over, giving a clear two-thirds majority to - the SLPP and the results have certainly proven that Sri Lanka’s political framework has changed. The fabled, preconceived notion that has long-existed towards more..

Aug 16 (Island) When one reads the anguished outpourings of some yahapalanites about the restoration of the Rajapaksas to power, one thing that becomes obvious is that they are blaming everyone and everything else but themselves for their present plight. In reality however, they have only themselves to blame for the failure of their carefully planned and executed project. Viz. the following. The yahapalana project despite its name was never about good governance. more..

Aug 16 (ST) Saracens SC failed to seize the advantage after bowling out Colombo Cricket Club for a paltry 142, losing seven wickets for 148 runs in reply on the first day of the Premier Tier A Super Eight inter-club cricket match played at the SSC grounds yesterday. Right-arm pacers Kasun Rajitha and Saliya Saman wreaked havoc on a lively SSC pitch sharing eight wickets between them to rock CCC but a batting collapse by Saracens saw the match evenly more..

Aug 16 (Island) Sri Lanka is the first country to defeat Regime Change. The fact that this whole operation was reversed by the ballot makes this accomplishment irrefutable. It is after all in the guise of strengthening democracy that this Regime Change Operation was launched. Critics have tried to downplay this turn of events by claiming that the voter turnout was the lowest in the decade. With a voter turnout of over 71% however, the recently concluded general elections more..

Aug 16 (ST) Blue Eagles SC and Colombo FC virtually booked berths in the quarter-finals of the FFSL President’s Cup 2020 tournament after yesterday’s games at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Blue Eagles defeated SLTB SC 3-1 while Colombo FC beat Crystal Palace 4-1 under lights later on. The Airmen displayed good team work and flashes of brilliance from Kavindu Ishan to overcome a spirited opposition despite trailing after conceding a penalty in the first half. Shanmugaraj Sanjeew slotted more..

Aug 16 (SO) 9 years after dumping a colossal amount of money on a failed Commonwealth Games bid, National Olympic Committee of SL (NOC) wants to convince the new minister of sports to make another bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Despite eventful last-minute lobbying, Hambantota received just 27 votes, while Games-ready Gold Coast was endorsed by 43 Commonwealth Games Federation members. more..

Aug 16 (SO) The good news for schoolboy cricketers and cricket fans is that the eagerly awaited selections of the 42nd Observer-Mobitel School Cricketers of the Year has been pencilled to be held before mid next month. The organisors, Sunday Observer and the sponsors Mobitel will soon decide the venue and other details at the grand selection committee meeting attended by the officials of the SL Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) and umpires association together more..

Aug 16 (TM) Colombo Tea Auction website, which was launched last April to conduct online tea auctions for the first time in Sri Lanka, has experienced problems, forcing the Colombo Tea Traders’ Association (CTTA) to float a tender for a new software developer. CTTA Chairman Jayantha Karunaratne said that they needed a more advanced system since the initial software was rushed within a period of just 10 days in the month of April, amidst the lockdown imposed due to Covid-19. more..

Aug 16 (ST) SL’s ailing economy is set to receive a fiscal-boosting injection as the IMF will resume lending after the new govt presents its maiden budget in November this year. The country has still not received external financing from the IMF in 2020, either as part of emergency support during the coronavirus pandemic or as part of a regular Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme. More clarity on the govt’s medium-term more..

Aug 16 (DM) Days were few and rare when the investigation into the murder of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen did not become the topic in many media conferences and election stages before the Yahapalana govt came into power. Former Prez Sirisena, especially during the election campaign in 2015, used photos of Thajudeen to criticise the state of affairs under former Prez and newly elected PM Mahinda Rajapaksa’s rule. With so many promises to serve justice for the ruggerite, more..

Aug 16 (AD) An underprivileged youth from Mirissa has reportedly been physically tortured aboard a multi-day fishing vessel for a period of 48 days at sea, at the hands of his fellow crewmen. The youth in question had joined a fishing crew and ventured out on his first trip to the sea with the hopes of supporting his financially struggling family with four siblings. Shehan Pramod, a 17-year-old, who was a healthy young man at the outset of his venture has returned after going through immeasurable more..

Aug 16 (EN) Chandrika Kumaratunga says she doesn’t know whether to laugh or to cry when she sees what has happened to her beloved SLFP. “It is the party that I grew up with, it is the party that fed me and its supporters brought me to power for eleven years,” former Prez said in her first official public reaction to the massive victory that the SLPP won in this month’s Parliamentary General Election. “I have been looking for the SLFP more..

Aug 16 (F2F) The trade conflict between the United States and China could assist countries like Sri Lanka to raise exports, according to Teejay Lanka chairman Wing Tak Bill Lam, who recently told shareholders that exports of textiles and garments are likely to experience a decline in the near term, especially to key export destinations of Europe and the US. According to the Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association (SLAEA), a trend of order cancellations has already hit factories and more..

Aug 16 (AD) India is planning to build a new transshipment port in the Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal. SL’s neighbouring nation ventured into this investment of INR 10,000 crore taking into account the strategical importance of the Great Nicobar Island. Indian PM Narendra Modi revealed India’s plans for the transshipment port during the inauguration of the 2,300 km-long submarine optical fibre cable connecting Andaman & Nicobar Islands with Chennai. more..

Aug 16 (ST) Prior to the November Budget, a Vote on Account to the tune of Rs. Rs. 1,600 billion is being given priority by the govt to settle old bills and kickstart the economy. To be presented in Parliament immediately after Cabinet approval is obtained, the urgent requirement is to pay outstanding bills for road and building constructions among other payments. The expenses will cover an estimated Rs 200 bil needed to be paid more..

Aug 16 (SO) Discussions are being held within the CB to either continue the same micro-credit program launched a decade ago or to relaunch it with modifications based on new experiences, said CB Governor W.D. Lakshman responding to the urgent need to enforce stringent regulations on micro-finance sector. There are several inherent issues in the sector which needs to be looked into to ensure that it supports the low income segment to enhance income in a proper manner. more..

Aug 16 (AD) More than 300 Sri Lankans stranded in foreign countries have returned to the island this morning (15). These returnees were from UAE, Qatar, India and Lebanon. 245 Sri Lankans in Beirut, the Lebanese capital recently rocked by a massive explosion, were repatriated in a special flight dispatched by SriLankan Airlines at around 7.30 am today. Meanwhile, 51 Sri Lankans from the UAE and Doha (Qatar) were brought back to the island in flights chartered by Qatar Airways & Etihad more..

Aug 16 (Hindu) Angoda Lokka alias Pradeep Singh alias Lasantha Chandana Perera, an underworld operative from SL, who mysteriously landed on Indian shores, has died just as mysteriously leaving several questions unanswered. Brindavanam runs an eatery in a shack in Balaji Nagar in Coimbatore, a calm residential area less than five km from the airport. Normally he is busy selling hot dosas to customers, but more..

Aug 16 (ST) All shops, including grocery and textile shops, eateries and pharmacies in the Jaffna peninsula, have been requested to keep their establishments open until 10 p.m. daily on a directive by Prez Rajapaksa. This is aimed at reviving business in the region, officials said. Northern Province Governor P.S.M. Charles on Friday presided over a meeting with representatives from the District Secretariat, Police, SL Transport Board, private bus operators, hoteliers and more..

Aug 16 (SO) Over 220 new Members of Parliament registered online by yesterday evening ahead of the inauguration of the ninth Parliament on Thursday, parliamentary sources said. Parliament introduced an online registration system for MPs this year deviating from the traditional process to make it Covid-19 free. “This is the beginning of a new era and the online registration was very successful,” Assistant Secretary-General of Parliament Tikiri K. Jayathilake said. more..

Aug 16 (ST) Between 2015 and June last year, Inland Revenue Department (IRD) lost more than Rs 3 billion by way of dishonoured cheques and, despite an alarming rise, the Govt’s tax collector has not strengthened its internal control systems, AG’s Dept states. Taxpayers remit money to the IRD’s revenue collection account, mostly by cheques. Banks that collect the money are connected to its computer system. more..

Aug 16 (Island) LSSP expressed bitterness over the denial of a Cabinet portfolio to its leader in recognition of the role the Trotskyists played in the hustings to ensure the SLPP cantered home with an overwhelming majority. “We actively supported the SLPP’s hectic parliamentary polls campaign in anticipation of a Cabinet slot just as much as the other constituent parties”, LSSP sources said. “While other partners in the alliance have been rewarded for their efforts, we have been left out more..

Aug 16 (NR) The Working Committee of the United National Party has requested Former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to remain as the Leader of the UNP and guide the young leadership group towards election victories. The UNP said the Former PM has indicated that he is not willing to remain as the party leader following the General Election defeat. However, the Working Committee has urged the Former PM to remain as the party leader for at least a short period & guide UNP towards victory. more..

Aug 16 (ST) Swept by a landslide two-thirds majority at the August 5 parliamentary election, the empire hit back. That politically devastating onslaught for many came in the historic hill capital of Kandy where a new Cabinet of Ministers and State Ministers were sworn in on a cool but cloudy Wednesday. The message it gave a nation became clear as one minister after another, one State Minister following the next, more..

Aug 17 (CT) The majority of the SL general public once again proved the country’s need for moral, socio-political and economic emancipation upon electing a cluster of Rajapaksas and the faithful disciple goons into the parliament, perhaps endorsing the slow and painful death of democracy. We proudly send the uneducated, drug dealers, looters, those accused of corruption, actors and actresses and murders to the parliament. Amongst the major eligibility criteria carrying and more..

Aug 17 (ST) Party triumphalism following the August 5th 2020 Rajapaksa election win in SL is reminiscent of the unfortunate fate of Humpty Dumpty before a fall. This is nothing new as Rajapaksa-ites gloating over the consternation of the yahapalanaya camp may be unkindly reminded. These chastened followers glowered in sullen dismay when victory of an unknown contender Maithripala Sirisena in 2015 upset confident election predictions of a return of then incumbent Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. more..

Aug 17 (SO) Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that he doesn’t believe in any control of the media, adding that the Govt media have to compete with the private media proving their credibility. After assuming office, Minister Rambukwella, in his maiden interview with the Sunday Observer, said the Media Ministry aims to produce competent journalists and create a credible media culture in the country. more..

Aug 17 (CT) During the recent general elections, SLPP stole the show, outsmarting other political parties by clinching a landslide victory over all their rivals securing the 2/3 majority in the 225 member parliament. SLPP has turned the tables eloquently on the rivals by formally taking over the reins which could well be the game modifier in the parliamentary political arena for the transformation of Sri Lanka. As a nation, It’s our obligatory duty to honour the people’s mandate that has brought more..

Aug 17 (ST) After a long 5-year intermission spent wisely preparing for a comeback, the spectacular third advent of the House of Rajapaksa to the centre stage of Lankan politics was made replete this Wednesday morning when Mahinda Rajapaksa followed by his ministerial retinue were formally sworn in to high office by Prez Rajapaksa in the sacred shelter of the Sri Dalada. As temple bells pealed, heralding the auspicious hour to perform the initiation rites, the nation watched riveted more..

Aug 17 (SO) New Justice Minister Mohamed Ali Sabri said last week that his top priority will be to address the laws’ delays and modernise the legal system comprehensively to make it cost effective and efficient for the benefit of the masses. He said he will work in those priority areas when the 19th Amendment is repealed and a new constitution is put in place. In response to the criticism against his appointment as the Justice Minister more..

Aug 17 (DM) During World War I, the Arab countries having come to an agreement with the British colonialists, via McMahon– Hussein Correspondence, (a series of letters exchanged during World War I 1914 -18), in which the govt of the UK agreed to recognise Arab independence after the war, in exchange for the Sharif of Mecca launching an Arab revolt against the Ottomann Turks. However, after defeating of Ottomanns, UK and France divided the region between more..

Aug 17 (CT) The UNICEF and NCPA have pointed out how the incidents related to child abuse had increased when the lockdown period was imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the island. UNICEF and NCPA have revealed that during the three-week period from 16 March to 7 April this year, complaints with regard to child abuse were made at an alarming rate to the child protection helpline (1929) and the increase in the complaints has been assessed as being from 10% to 40%. more..

Aug 17 (DM) Sajith Premadasa’s newly formed SJB has managed to overcome the hurdles and booby-traps laid in its path ahead of the 2020 general election, and come out well ahead of its bete-noir, UNP. It was clear from the outset that there was no likelihood of winning against the SLPP juggernaut – the immediate challenge, and the more realistic goal for the SJB, was to win over UNP constituents. This task was no doubt made easier by conduct of the UNP itself which had, for a long time, more..

Aug 17 (Island) Police officers are not auctioned when they reach the retirement age, are they? They are given pensions instead. Not even shirkers and rogues in the police or any other public institution are sold by the state when they are long in the tooth. But the government has no qualms about auctioning retired sniffer dogs that have done the Police Department proud. The police, on Saturday, auctioned 25 sniffer dogs which had served the department faithfully before being retired. more..

Aug 17 (EN) By relegating the subject of women and children to a State Ministry without even a stand-alone status, it seems that for the newly elected govt, two of the most important categories of the population are no longer a priority. With the stroke of a pen as it were, women’s affairs which earned a cabinet-level ministry 23 years ago, and to which ministry the well-being of the country’s children were included in later years, more..

Aug 17 (Roar) 2019 Prez Election elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the eighth President of SL on the SLPP ticket. Eight months later, the SLPP won 145 seats at the 2020 Parliamentary Election, a clear majority, ushering in a brand-new SLPP-led govt. On Aug 9, just days after the election concluded on Aug 7, Prez Rajapaksa’s vision for the new govt was outlined through the Extraordinary Gazette 2187/27, in an organisational structure that contained 28 Cabinet ministries and 40 State ministries. more..