Oct 13 (FT) There is the occasional letter to the editor condemning it, sometimes the issue is discussed academically, the parties regret its occurrence, but by and large, we choose to ignore the disgrace. Ragging is specific to the universities, occurs outside the public view; a misfortune that happens to only a few youngsters, somebody else’s children; otherwise fortunate students who have weathered our exclusionary system of examinations to now stand at portal of higher education, more..

Oct 13 (FT) On 5 Oct, I had the pleasure of attending AFRIEL’s program in Moondru Murippu in Vavuniya with the Election Commission to engage youth in politics. The event commemorated AFRIEL’s seventh anniversary. AFRIEL’s Director Ravindra de Silva is truly an internationalist in values. Hailing from Vavuniya he is fluent in Sinhalese and Tamil, and of course English. He had taught Sinhalese at my alma mater St. John’s College Jaffna. more..

Oct 13 (DM) A request made by a private company to repatriate some 2,000 Sri Lankans in the Middle East to Sri Lanka using a ship with hospital facilities has been turned down by the Task Force of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) due to high costs involved in the operation, informed sources said. On Sept 2, the particular company in a letter to the President had informed that it was ready to repatriate 2,000 Sri Lankans in the Middle East using a ship with more..

Oct 13 (AD) The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal put forward by PM for the establishment of the Expressway Investment Company, directly under the Secretary to the Treasury, and to place all expressways under this entity. The govt says that the national policy framework of "The Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour" clearly recognizes the vitality of the existence of an inter - connected highway network as a major factor for economic development strategies. more..

Oct 13 (NR) Catholic Bishops’ Conference in SL says the proposed 20th Amendment should not be proceeded with, in its entirety, and instead a new Constitution needs to be the national priority. Issuing a statement, the Conference said the proposed 20th Amendment that is under consideration, is not put forward a rationale for its enforcement. They said whether it is an amendment or the drafting of a new Constitution more..

Oct 13 (Island) State Minister of Provincial Councils & Local Govt Affairs, Rear Admiral (Rtd.) Dr. Sarath Weerasekera vows to set up a local govt system that provides efficient service to the public instead of the one prevailing to the dismay of ratepayers. Addressing a meeting held at SL Institute of Local Governance in Colombo on Friday, he said that it had been reported that most of the public who visit Local Authorities had to waste their time and long delays occurred when granting approvals. more..

Oct 13 (AD) Most Ven. Napane Pemasiri Thero, the Mahanayake of the SL Ramanna Maha Nikaya, says that he was not aware of the press conference held yesterday (12) with the participations of the Chief Secretary Thero of the Ramanna Maha Nikaya. SL Amarapura - Ramanna Samagari Maha Sangha Sabha, holding a press conference, said yesterday that immediate action should be taken to deactivate the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which is against democracy. more..

Oct 13 (AD) Colombo Fort Magistrate has ruled that Police can proceed to arrest MP Bathiudeen without a warrant. Thereby, Attorney General Dappula de Livera directed the Police to arrest the parliamentarian according to the law, AG’s Coordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said. Earlier today, the CID, upon the direction of the Attorney General, sought the Colombo Fort Magistrate to issue a warrant more..

Oct 13 (wsws) SL health authorities reported yesterday that the number of coronavirus patients had doubled in the week since Oct 4, climbing to a total of 4,702 and 13 deaths. All indications point to a surge of COVID-19 throughout the country, with infections reported in 22 of the country’s 24 districts. The latest figures puncture Prez Rajapakse’s boasts that his administration, unlike govts in other countries, has controlled the virus. The increased number of infections in Sri Lanka more..

Oct 13 (EN) Six staff members at the Brandix head office in Colombo 03 tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Monday (12). The numbers had been already factored into this morning’s COVID-19 patient count, NOCPOC said. Sri Lanka reported 92 new COVID-19 patients over a 24-hour period that ended at 6 am today (13). Out of the 92, two were foreign returnees from Turkey and the rest of the 90 were close contacts of the Minuwangoda Brandix cluster plus 6 patients from it’s head office. more..

Oct 13 (AD) The SL Army is currently in the process of establishing quarantine centers that can accommodate 2,000 people, stated Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Commander of Army Lt Gen Shavendra Silva. Stating that nearly 10,500 persons are undergoing the quarantine, he said that the quarantine centers previously set up are not adequate. more..

Oct 13 (FT) As part of its ongoing initiatives to strengthen the structure to deliver the next phase of strategy, leading conglomerate Ambeon Group announced the appointment of Shevan Goonetilleke as Director/CEO of their Technology subsidiary – MillenniumIT ESP. This appointment is said to be strategically aligned at a time when the company is evolving its service offerings, expanding global reach and transforming customer businesses in a dynamic business environment to be relevant more..

Oct 13 (Island) The number of marine species found dead along the Sri Lankan coast possibly due to pollution had jumped to dozens, informed sources said, adding that the country had never witnessed such deaths before. The majority of deaths witnessed were those of turtle species, an official of the Department of Wildlife yesterday said. They had received information about marine deaths and carcasses found in every nook and corner of the country’s coast. more..

Oct 13 (LBO) SL’s merchandize exports have surpassed the US$ 1 billion mark in September after July during this year, statistics of the EDB showed. As per the Customs statistics, earnings from merchandise exports recorded a positive growth of 5.16% in Sept 2020 to US$ 1,001.27 Mn as compared to the value of US$ 952.1 Mn recorded in Sept 2019. This strong performance is consistent with the gradual lifting of restrictions due to more..

Oct 13 (FT) Ajith Peiris yesterday assumed his duties as GM/CEO of National Savings Bank following a simple religious ceremony. NSB Chairperson Kesila Jayawardana and the Members of the Board of Directors of the bank, former Acting GM/CEO, Members of the bank’s corporate and executive management, past chairpersons, general managers, members of the bank’s trade unions and well-wishers participated in this occasion. Former DGM (Operations) of the bank, more..

Oct 13 (Island) Bar Association of SL (BASL) Toastmasters Club successfully held its charter installation recently at the BASL Auditorium. This is the first Toastmasters Club established exclusively for members of the legal fraternity. Chief Guest at this occasion was Kalinga Indatissa, President’s Counsel, President of the Bar Association of SL and the Guest of Honour was top Toastmaster Balraj Arunasalam. The occasion was also graced by Rajeev Amarasuriya, Secretary of the BASL, more..

Oct 13 (DM) The Cabinet of Ministers has granted the approval for the construction of multi-storey vehicle parking premises and the implementation of mixed-development projects in selected cities including Colombo. The proposal was tabled by the Minister of Urban Development and Housing, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa with a view to minimize the daily traffic congestion caused by the influx of vehicles to major cities. more..

Oct 13 (DM) Govt had decided to take action on railway employees who reside on lands belonging to Railways Dept, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. Railways Dept possessed about 14,000 acres of reserve blocks of land and about 10% of them were leased to various parties. "About 80% of the remaining land is occupied by various parties illegally. “These unauthorized occupants include the departmental officials as well as those who are retired from service. more..

Oct 13 (AD) A Deputy General Manager of the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) has been arrested on bribery charges. The official was arrested by Bribery Commission officers while accepting a bribe of Rs. 25,000 inside his office. Deputy General Manager of the Condominium Management Authority had reportedly sought the bribe from an individual who had requested for condominium certificate. The individual had subsequently filed a complaint with CIABOC. more..

Oct 13 (CT) Due to the increase in deaths of foxes and attacks on humans by foxes, Dept of Wildlife Conservation has given permission to Wildlife Conservation Officers to kill rabid foxes. Dept has also instructed the public to take precautionary measures in this regard. So far 3 persons had died due to attacks by foxes (attacks by rabid foxes were reported from the suburbs of Kalutara and Horana), while many foxes had died when people had attempted to safeguard themselves. more..

Oct 13 (TM) SLPP Colombo district MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe has submitted a 09-page letter to Prez Rajapaksa with regard to his concerns on the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution. This is the second MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe regarding the 20th Amendment, where he stated that he wrote his concerns as no one was allowed to speak about the 20th Amendment in the meeting convened by the Prez on the 09th of Oct. In his letter, MP Rajapakshe highlights 10 key concerns more..

Oct 13 (CT) Medical Research Institute (MRI) received two new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines yesterday to strengthen its testing services, Ministry of Health & Indigenous Medical Services Spokesman Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara said. Responding to questions at a Media briefing, held at the Health Promotion Bureau (HPB), Dr. Bandara said these were machines, which had been ordered over 5 months ago more..

Oct 13 (AD) The import taxes imposed on dhal, canned fish, big onions, and sugar have been removed. The govt has taken the decision considering the current cost of living and difficulties associated with COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, the prices of the aforementioned items have been revised with effect from tonight. The renewed prices are: Canned fish (large): Rs 200 per tin; Big Onions: Rs 100 per kilo; Sugar: Rs 85 per kilo. In addition, provisions have been made that, more..

Oct 13 (CT) The debate on the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution Bill would be held in Parliament on either 20 and 21 Oct or on 21 and 22 Oct. The conclusions of the Supreme Court, which considered the Special Determination and Intervenient petitions, related to the Bill, are set to be submitted to the Parliament on 20 Oct by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. After these conclusions reached by the Apex Court are announced to the House, sources said that more..

Oct 13 (CI) Lanka Premier League (LPL) is as close as it has ever been to being a reality. This, with a date now set for a player draft, owners lined up for the five franchises, and international cricketers willing to play in the tournament despite SL's strict quarantine protocols. So says SLC, as plans firm up for hosting the 15-day tournament during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the latest announcement, the player draft more..

Oct 13 (EN) Sri Lanka will enforce anti-dumping laws from October 10, a state gazette notice said, tightening the grip of businesses over consumers amid protectionism and import controls. “In terms of powers vested in me under Section 01 of the Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties Act, No. 2 of 2018, it is hereby ordered that the provisions of all Sections of the aforesaid Act shall be enforced with effect from 10 Oct, 2020,” minister Bandula Gunewardane said in the gazette notice. more..

Oct 13 (Reuters) A cannon that once saluted a Sinhalese king and a diamond looted from an Indonesian sultan are among thousands of objects seized during the colonial era whose rightful owners Dutch authorities are intent on tracking down. But establishing who those owners are can be complicated, the national Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam argues. It says at least 4,000 objects in its collections have clear ties to the country’s colonial empire, which spanned some 300 years from more..

Oct 13 (EN) Gazetted hygiene and physical distancing guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health to contain the spread of COVID-19 will be announced in the next few days, Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said. “These laws have been created to meet WHO standards,” Rohan told reporters today. “In this gazette there will be clear guidelines on how to conduct oneself in a public place as per health guidelines,” he added. more..

Oct 14 (CT) It has taken more than a month for the concerns regarding the proposed 20th Amendment that have been expressed by a wide swathe of opposition political parties and non-partisan civil society groups ranging from religious clergy to professional associations to find expression within the ranks of the govt parliamentarians. Their silence for so long can only be an indication of the dominance of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who will be the primary beneficiary. more..

Oct 14 (CT) Stakes for democracy are high in SL. Newly elected govt of Gotabaya Rajapaksa is hastily seeking to amend the Constitution by introducing a 20th Amendment granting unchecked, unlimited, and unnecessary power to the Prez. In the absence of clear and transparent reporting by the media and the lack of open communication by the govt; about the true nature, breadth & scope of the amendment, there is legitimate concern brewing in the country, about the mala fides of this amendment. more..

Oct 14 (DM) The 20th Amendment to the Constitution has drawn severe criticisms from various elements including some who have been batting for the pro-govt league for a long time. A whopping 39 petitions were filed against its enactment, which were taken up by the Supreme Court and the hearings concluded on Oct 5. Speaker is due to announce the determination of the SC on Oct 20. When 19th Amendment was being drafted more..

Oct 14 (DM) The total number of COVID -19 patients found in the country has passed 4800 and it keeps rising. The much expected COVID -19 second wave has set in, first as a local outbreak in Minuwangoda and then made its way into the farther parts of the country such as Jaffna and Moneragala. The number of patients from the outbreak related to a private firm has already passed the 1,500 mark. Tedious task of finding the contacts that we know of, and the contacts that we don’t know of, more..

Oct 14 (DM) In Jan 2019, Sri Lanka recorded a total value of US $16.4 billion, in exports. Of this sum, the apparel/garment export sector brought in the country’s highest foreign exchange earnings. The average monthly earning of an apparel/garment factory worker today, amounts to around Rs.34,000/- per month or roughly Rs.2,900/- per day. Ceylon Tea was the second-highest export earner for the year 2019. The country exported just over 300 million kg of tea to the global market and more..

Oct 14 (TM) Govt’s plans for the tourism sector are to be pushed back with the arrival of a contingent of 44,000 Russian tourists scheduled in November being postponed indefinitely. Hotels Association of SL (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte said that there have been many inquiries for bookings to SL due to the lack of Covid-19-free countries, adding: “There have been many inquiries, but no bookings as such yet. more..

Oct 14 (CT) We are once again on the verge of being overwhelmed by the spike in COVID-19 numbers albeit this time infections have more or less entered a community spread phase. Due to the tardiness of a few, the whole country will have to suffer an onslaught of the virus that cannot easily be corralled unless we strictly adhere to the recommended health guidelines. COVID-19 is still called the novel coronavirus for a reason; there are many questions that are still not answered. more..

Oct 14 (ST) At a wedding in Colombo, many people could be seen sans face masks. At a public concert while social distancing is displayed with every other seat assigned to the audience with the middle seat vacant, some people are not wearing masks so much so that someone complained and the organisers had to run an announcement pleading with patrons to wear masks. The audience was the crème de la crème of Colombo society, an educated lot but some of them still chose to be arrogant more..

Oct 14 (DM) Just as the print and the electronic media were abuzz with the rumoured contents of the Supreme Court determination on the constitutionality of the 20th Amendment bill and it seemed that once the 04 Articles which reportedly the Supreme Court had determined to be in need of the approval by the people at a referendum, were either further amended or scrapped, 20th amendment will become part of Supreme Law of the country, Maha Sangha has dropped a bombshell on Monday. more..