Jul 28 (FT) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe this week warned that Sri Lanka will have to restructure its economy to deal with the fallout from COVID-19 and return the country to strong growth. COVID-19 impact on exports, investment and key sectors such as remittances, apparel and tourism will require deep changes, including returning to fiscal consolidation measures, ramping up skills training, promoting automation, more..

Jul 28 (FT) The old style of election management is to use the army to scare voters from areas not friendly to the Govt. Chamal Rajapaksa brought General Boniface Perera to Jaffna last week and introduced him as our next Governor. That sent chills down my spine, bringing back memories of how a Vanni Special Forces commander ethnically cleansed areas surrounding Vavuniya. However, some things have changed positively under our commission. more..

Jul 28 (FT) Can HR influence a company’s direction and contribute to corporate success especially after this pandemic is over? Because the coronavirus pandemic has rapidly and profoundly changed the world of work. A study commissioned by the ILO in Sri Lanka on Operationalising Human Resource Development Practices in the Public Service highlighted the need for modernisation of human resource practices in the Sri Lankan public sector, in line with Malaysia and South Korea. more..

Jul 28 (Island) Notice had been given to 14 VIPs including former Prez Sirisena and former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe to ensure that their lawyers were present during the evidence given by former SIS director Nilantha Jayawardena yesterday at the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday attacks. Sirisena, Wickremesinghe, former state minister Ruwan Wijewardane, former ministers of law and order, Sagala Rathnayake and Ranjith Maddumabandara, more..

Jul 28 (PMD) Following corporate, individual donations and direct deposits, ITUKAMA COVID-19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund balance has now surpassed Rs. 1526 million. Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero handed over Rs. 50,000 to the Fund on behalf of Thawalama Development Foundation and the chauffeurs working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs donated Rs. 111,800 to the Fund. In addition, K.R. Ranasinghe, a retired disabled war hero of the 7th Infantry Regiment Rs. 4,000, more..

Jul 28 (MB) With its blends of soft red, pink and yellow, fragrant cannonball flower (Couroupita guianensis) is a favorite of SL’s Buddhists when making floral offerings during religious activities. They call it sal, with religious tales linking the tree to the birth and death of Gautama Buddha, the founder of the faith. Hindus in the region call it nagalingam, a flower offered to Lord Shiva, the most powerful of gods in Hindu more..

Jul 28 (FT) People’s Bank’s BASEL III, Tier 2 compliant, unlisted, rated, unsecured, subordinated, redeemable debenture issue was oversubscribed receiving in excess of Rs. 20 billion worth of bids during the early hours of the opening day itself in a strong expression of investor confidence. This signifies the trust and confidence placed by leading investors on People’s Bank. The debenture issue was in three tranches – 100 million, five-, eight-, and ten-year subordinated debentures, more..

Jul 28 (ORF) Alfred Dundas Taylor, a civil architect to the Admiralty in the UK, Head of the Marine Survey Department was the first to have proposed the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, in 1860. This canal cut across the Hindu God Rama’s bridge, also known as Ram-Setu. According to Hindu mythology, the bridge was built by Lord Rama, connecting the Southern Indian shore with the western shores of Sri Lanka. The 44.9 nautical-mile long canal would bypass ships navigating more..

Jul 28 (Island) Acting on a complaint the Kirulapone police cracked a large scale scam, where the perpetrators duped Lankan expatriate workers into revealing details of their remittances after assuring them of being granted a loan under the Enterprise Sri Lanka loan scheme. Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon, who visited the Kirulapone police station, to congratulate the police team who had made the breakthrough, more..

Jul 28 (Island) DIG D.L.R. Ranaweera told a news conference, yesterday, that there was no decision to impose a curfew during the Esala Perahera, which will end on August 04. DIG Ranaweera said the people should refrain from entering the city to watch the perahera in keeping with health guidelines. He said that steps had been taken to tighten security for the city of Kandy and the perahera. About 3,000 police and security personnel had been deployed to ensure security during the perahera season. more..

Jul 28 (EN) Jordanian police fired tear gas to help rescue three staffers of the SL Embassy in Jordan who were being held hostage by migrant workers wanting to come home, the embassy said. The three men were held by a group of women migrant workers inside a hostel attached to the factory they were working in in the capital Amman. The workers are demanding that they are repatriated immediately. The govt has stopped repatriation flights as a measure to prevent an increase in COVID 19 more..

Jul 28 (AD) A writ application has been filed before the Court of Appeal seeking the arrest of Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa over the demolishing of a historic building of archaeological value in Kurunegala. The appeal was lodged by Namal Karunaratne, parliamentary election candidate of Jathika Jana Balawegaya. Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, Kurunegala Inspector of Police Kapila Adhikari, Director General of more..

Jul 28 (CT) A lecturer at the Jaffna University Kilinochchi Campus, who was transferred to the Colombo National Hospital after being attacked by a wild elephant, underwent a surgery today (28), a hospital spokeswoman said. She further stated that the lecturer is still in critical condition. The lecturer, who was receiving treatment at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital after sustaining serious injuries, was airlifted to the Colombo National Hospital for further treatment. more..

Jul 28 (CT) PHU Leader Udaya Gammanpila, yesterday, pledged to plant one tree for each vote he receives in the forthcoming Parliamentary Elections, so, he will be able to make his eco-friendly policies a reality. He said this while attending a programme organised by a group of environmentalists held in Colombo yesterday. He said that he was conducting an eco-friendly election campaign in the very beginning of his political career, without posters, polythene and firecrackers, more..

Jul 28 (EN) SL’s youth, many of them first-time voters, who gave Gotabaya Rajapaksa a huge majority at the Prez election are unlikely to turn up at the polling booths for the Parliamentary General Election, observers say. November Prez poll saw a record-breaking turnout when compared to the elections held in the past 20 years with a turnout of 83.72%. But when it comes to Parliamentary Elections the turnout has never passed 78% more..

Jul 28 (NR) Public Health Inspectors Union has called off its two week long strike action following talks with PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. The PHI withdrew from services in relation to COVID-19 mitigation efforts and the eradication of dengue. They attributed their decision to a move by the Minister of Health to exclude them from being granted powers in the gazette pertaining to health guidelines for the upcoming General Election. Treasurer of the Union SRR Mudalige said more..

Jul 28 (CT) National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) said that annually there was an average of 14,000 cancer deaths in the country. Consultant Community Physician of the NCCP, Dr. Suraj Perera said that while lung cancers took predominance, oral cancers tolled the second highest number of cancer-related deaths in the country. Addressing the Media in commemoration of the World Head and Neck Cancer Day, Dr. Perera observed that here were at least 1,000-1,100 deaths caused by oral more..

Jul 28 (EN) Prez Rajapaksa will encourage younger, first-time MPs to take more responsibility, says the SLPP candidate for Kegalle District Tharaka Balasuriya. He said that usually first time MPs like himself would never be given a Ministerial post in their first term, but he and several others were given State Minister positions in the caretaker govt. “Usually that kind of position would go to a second-term MP,” he said. more..

Jul 28 (Xinhua) Health Ministry said the country's COVID-19 recovery rate was high above the global rate and those highly affected countries. According to the ministry, Sri Lanka's current COVID-19 recovery rate is 75.7%, compared with an average 61.21% in the world, 63.9% in India and 47.81% in the US. The recovery rate of South Africa is 59.51%, 67.53% in Brazil and 73.88% in Russia. Only 23.9% of all COVID-19 patients detected from Sri Lanka are in hospitals by now, Health Ministry said. more..

Jul 28 (CT) The PCoI, appointed to probe political victimisation of public officials during the tenure of the former UNF Govt, yesterday requested for information from the Commissioner General of Prisons, Thushara Upuldeniya, pertaining to the arrest of former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and two others over the misappropriation of Divi Neguma funds in 2015. Rajapaksa was arrested and remanded together with the former Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development, more..

Jul 28 (DM) Nirupa Serasingha is a Colombo district contestant from NPP. Q: Your educational and professional qualifications? A: Graduated from Faculty of Law, Uni of Colombo in 2001. Passed finals of Attorney-at-Law from SL Law College and was called to the Bar in 2005. Q: What makes it hard for women to enter the world of politics? A: Main reason why women are not in politics as much as men is stereotypical more..

Jul 28 (CT) SL Navy conducted yet another mangrove plantation programme and beach cleaning drive in the Northern and Southern Naval Commands on 25th and 26th July. Having committed to ensure the sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem, Navy embarked into a new episode in parallel to the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem 2020, by launching a mangrove plantation programme at navy-manned mangrove conservation site at more..

Jul 28 (CT) Women and Media Collective (WMC) called for the introduction of a grant scheme that will support elderly women of low-income families in times of crisis, the implementation of the increase of the monthly allowance in the elderly assistance programme to Rs 2,500 and the introduction of the subsidy scheme that will allow the elderly above the age of 65 to purchase prescribed medicines. In addition to these long-term policy recommendations concerning at risk communities in Colombo more..

Jul 28 (AD) Travel restrictions imposed on some villages in Rajanganaya, owing to the detection of Covid-19 cases in the area, have been lifted. Medical Officer of Health (MOH) of Rajanganaya, Dr. Sandhya Abeyratne said the restrictions in Sirimapura, parts of Rajanganaya Yaya 1 and Yaya 2 were accordingly discontinued with effect from Monday evening (27). After a counsellor from Rajanganaya area, more..

Jul 28 (DN) There is no historical evidence to prove that the demolished building in the heart of Kurunegala town was the royal court of the King Buwanekabahu II, North Western Province Chief Adhikarana Sangha Nayake Ven. Rekawa Jinarathna Nayaka Thera said yesterday. The Thera asserted that the Kurunegala kingdom had been ruled by several kings including Buwanekabahu II, Buwanekabahu IV and King Vijayabahu II. The ruins from those days are very rare,” he said. more..

Jul 28 (AD) Sri Lanka’s manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) improved to 67.3 in June, reflecting a month on month increase of 18 index points with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka attributing this to a “normalising of economic activities in the country following the complete relaxation of restrictions for mobility.” Central Bank notes: “This increase in manufacturing PMI is underpinned by the significant improvement in production, new orders and employment, especially more..

Jul 28 (DM) UNP Working Committee today decided to expel 54 members who obtained the nominations from the SJB to contest the 2020 General Elections. UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said that further 61 Local Govt members would also be expelled from the party. “We expelled these persons for seeking nominations from other parties and for not supporting the UNP during the ongoing election campaign. more..

Jul 29 (CT) Mosque and the market in Sri Lanka represent two principal agents of change influencing Muslim political thought and action. By saying this, what is meant is not that these two institutions act as platforms for any particular brand of political ideology or campaign, but that the type of religious indoctrination relayed through the pulpit and the rationale underpinning economic behavior and attitude of Muslim traders and businessmen, a representative profession in Islam, more..

Jul 29 (CT) Even as the election campaign comes to its penultimate phase there is a dearth of hopeful and inspiring campaign themes. Nearest that any political party has got to such a theme is the ruling party’s appeal for a 2/3 majority to give it the ability to the change the constitution. Kingpin of this campaign is the need to strengthen the hand of Prez Rajapaksa, who won the prez election last Nov, with a large majority but continues to be trammeled by constitutional restrictions on his power. more..

Jul 29 (CT) SLPP Kurunegala district candidate and former State Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said the SLPP did not wish to introduce a new election manifesto targeting the upcoming General Election. However, we would ensure that the resounding mandate that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa secured at the last Presidential Election will be reflected in the next SLPP led Government to be formed soon after the election. more..

Jul 29 (CT) The tiny Malay community in Sri Lanka, officially numbering about 43,000 (2012 census) and unofficially about 80,000 (according to community leaders), had a very significant role in the political history of the island from the establishment of Dutch power in the 17th century to the second half of the 19th century when the British were ruling. Their role was almost exclusively tied to their martial prowess and the need of the Dutch and British to use them as soldiers more..

Jul 29 (DM) Elections are just over there, a little over a week away. What is nevertheless lacking is the discussion as to what sort of a country we wish to have, post elections. That is totally absent in all political campaigns, with petty and irrelevant issues and personal vibes and jibes keeping all major issues outside elections. Within all those political bickering and despite political leaderships promising development, a strong economy, subsidies, handouts in a clean and disciplined society more..

Jul 29 (SO) Legal provision should be made to increase women’s representation in Parliament, said Matale district SJB candidate and former MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna said. Q: The purpose of a General Election for a political party is winning a Parliament majority and forming a Govt. But many claim that the UNP and the SJB are contesting to win Sirikotha, the UNP headquarters. Is that true? more..

Jul 29 (ST) Two weeks ago, in this column, our focus was on the amount of money pumped by the Central Bank and the locations where that money went. Pumping money during a crisis time is known as monetary stimulus. It could be a normal policy practised in other countries as well, but it has been a source of controversy too. However, at a time that even unusually massive amounts of money have been pumped by the central banks in advanced countries such as US, EU and Japan, more..

Jul 29 (DM) As the COVID-19 pandemic continues with an upsurge mainly in the US and largely because of President Donald Trump’s callus or dangerous mishandling, some experts have now told the truth in the sea of lies that made millions for some mafias while the Big Pharma mafia here also is involved in a price battle with the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). Organic farming crusader and human rights activist Ranjith Seneviratne quotes US microbiology expert more..

Jul 29 (CT) The number of COVID-19 cases is declining and the country’s situation is gradually stabilising. Sri Lankans have started breathing a sigh of relief. Even though the risk of spread of COVID-19 is still there and we still cannot tell for sure that we are completely safe, Sri Lankans remain hopeful that soon this will be over and everyone can go back to their normal lives. COVID-19 has turned into a global pandemic, and nations are struggling to deal with it. more..

Jul 29 (Island) In the Aug 5th parliamentary election, the voter has three choices. The first is to give the SLPP a two-thirds majority as the leadership of that party is urging the voter to do. The second is to give the SLPP a working majority in parliament – 113 seats or more – but not a two-thirds majority. The third is to deny the SLPP 113 seats. This third possibility can lead to one of two outcomes. One outcome is for the SLPP to form a coalition govt with one or more of the other parties. more..

Jul 29 (DM) Will not accept claims of zero casualties Mihin Lanka good plan but no funds Defence policy mixed with foreign policy was hoping to work with UNP not signing MCC a mistake. Former MP, former CEO of Mihin Lanka and a contestant at the Aug 5 Parliamentary election from the NDF, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, has been mired in controversy. He is being investigated for alleged money laundering committed when more..