Oct 13 (Island) Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the present govt had decided to recruit more graduates to strengthen the public sector by increasing its workforce. Minister Gunawardena, who is also the Chairman of the Cabinet-Sub Committee appointed to look into the matters pertaining to the recently recruited 58,000 graduates to the public sector institutes, said as per the govt’s policy statement, govt had decided to increase number of recruits. more..

Oct 13 (DM) The Attorney General today informed the Court of Appeal that the indictments filed against former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda at Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar in connection with the abduction of eleven persons will be withdrawn. Senior State Counsel Awanthi Perera appearing for the Attorney General made these remarks when the writ petition filed by Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda more..

Oct 14 (DM) Contrary to popular belief, SL’s war against terrorism and the LTTE did not end in May 2009 by the waters of the Nandikkadal Lagoon. The LTTE, by any definition, was an int'l terrorist organization with a carefully crafted and intricately positioned propaganda arm, parts of which still remain in place. These elements, with tentacles spread far and wide, laid a foundation that would sustain its military efforts in SL while also achieving the long-term application of int'l diplomatic more..

Oct 14 (DM) The food emergency declared by Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa on August 31 as a means of curbing the rising food prices and assuring an uninterrupted supply of essential commodities seems to have failed to produce the desired results. On Friday the Cabinet -- in a bid to end the worsening food crisis amid a foreign currency crisis -- rescinded or reversed the gazette notice which imposed a ceiling on the retail price of essential commodities such as milk powder, more..

Oct 14 (FT) The govt’s agreement with regard to the Yugadhanavi Power Plant is very much in the news. It is good for anybody interested in this matter to take a look at the facts and first of all how we got here. In late 2005, the new Govt that took office realised that there weren’t a single power plant under construction while the demand for electricity was to outstrip supply in barely three years’ time. more..

Oct 14 (Island) The launch ceremony of the City University took place at the Prez’s Office and it was followed by a discussion, on TV Derana, among high-ranking officials of the UGC. Thereafter, we googled the words City University of SL and noted the following utopian phrases provided on the City University website. COME. DREAM. DO. There is a beginning to every story, and it is now more vital than ever, to ensure that you have the right start. City University is your platform to launch more..

Oct 14 (CT) I make no secret of my welcome of the advent of a “Third Force“ into the political arena. My argument then as it remains now, is that Professional politicians have made such a mess over the last seventy years since Independence, that a radical change is necessary, and urgently so. Both the parties that have taken turns in running (or ruining) our nation, once held in high esteem even internationally, agree that we are in the depths of the pit. We can no longer dare to compare more..

Oct 14 (TM) Despite the recent price hike of cement, the cement shortage in the local market is expected to continue for at least another two months, according to industry sources. LCRA Chairman Anura Vithanage claimed that there are about 300 ready-mix concrete companies in SL who are all facing dire circumstances due to the shortage of cement in the local markets. Withanage further stated: “Prior to the current shortage, my monthly requirement more..

Oct 14 (GV) The introduction of the Emergency (Provision of Essential Food) Regulation No. 1 of 2021 by the extraordinary gazette No.2243/3 by the Prez under Section 5 of the Public Security Ordinance was subject to many critical discussions due to the adverse impact that Emergency Regulations have on democracy and the rights of citizens. There was a question as whether there was an emergency that necessitated the Prez to implement the Emergency Regulations and more..

Oct 14 (Island) Former Sri Lankan national player Naveed Nawaz has been involved in coaching Under-19 national players for more than a decade now. Some of the players who were under him when he was the coach of the SL Under-19 team are now competing in the ICC T20 World Cup. In Bangladesh, he had immense success when the team he coached went on to become the Youth World Cup champions at the last edition. Some of the players he coached more..

Oct 14 (Island) Milk rice or kiribath has a positive association for all Sri Lankans, who consider no ceremonial occasion complete without it. However, it also serves as a medium of expression for those who are consumed with negative emotions such as hate and anger, as evident from some events we witness from time to time on the political front. On Tuesday, many Opposition activists were seen eating and giving away kiribath in some parts of the country; they were celebrating the recent more..

Oct 14 (CT) Nearly 10 acres of Govt forest reserve in Nawakkulam, Medawachchiya Division, A'pura District has been illegally cleared by a group of people for the sake of constructing two large black stone quarries, said the residents of Nawakkulam. They also claimed that this large scale deforestation has been caused by a resident of Nawakkulam who has already contested as a candidate for the Medawachchiya PS Election. Even though he contested, he was defeated in the Election. more..

Oct 14 (Island) Presidential Media Division (PMD) on the afternoon of Oct. 6, 2021 released a letter (PS/LAD/1/9/2021(iii)) Attorney-at-Law Harigupta Rohanadeera, Director General (Legal) President’s Office has sent to Attorney-at-Law W.K.D. Wijeratne, Director General, CIABOC. The letter requested the CIABOC to submit a report to Prez Rajapaksa within a month as regards the revelations made by the ICIJ more..

Oct 14 (DM) It’s always healthy to see a regime allowing for protests and dissent. At present protestors are having a field day; farmers associations and teachers taking the lead. Despite that we also heard a former vociferous ex-minister stating that governments mustn’t be deterred by protests and must carry on regardless with their work. The ex-minister cited Singapore’s leaders who were ruthless and credited that way of rule for the country’s massive and steady progress. more..

Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Ajith Nivard Cabraal reiterated that Sri Lanka does not have a necessity to approach the IMF for economic support. Cabraal told Bloomberg this morning that Sri Lanka is comfortably able to meet its repayments and therefore did not have a necessity to go to the IMF. The Governor noted that there were several foreign inflows including government to govt agreements that are expected to come in to help SL’s economic conditions. more..

Oct 14 (TM) A few years ago, if you had mentioned the term cryptocurrency, people would have imagined a currency involving an illicit finance system, with hooded traders punching numbers behind some shady computers. Today however, we read about it not only in the business sections of daily websites or financial publications, but on their front pages with global billionaires joining in on the trend. more..

Oct 14 (TM) One important fact we have not emphasised adequately is that no one opposes the Govt’s decision to go organic; as a matter of fact, the public, the Opposition, the civil society, farmers groups, and even international agricultural experts, support this idea. The opposition Sri Lanka saw almost every day since the Govt announced its decision was against the poorly-planned implementation of this initiative, not against its objectives. The opposition keeps rising, more..

Oct 14 (FT) The Colombo stock market saw improved investor activity in terms of turnover, but sentiments remained bearish as both indices closed negative for yet another session, though in a welcome sign, there was net foreign buying. The All Share Price Index dipped by 1.5% or 143 points, whilst the S&P SL20 declined by 1.75% or over 62 points, marking the sharpest contraction in recent days. Turnover however improved from Tuesday to Rs. 3.4 billion involving 147 million shares. more..

Oct 14 (CT) After a series of good performances by Sri Lanka at the SAFF Championship in Maldives, Football Sri Lanka (FSL) are all set to host a four-nation football tournament in November at the Race Course Stadium. Even though the four participating teams are not yet finalized, sources at FSL said apart from SL, Maldives, Bangladesh & Seychelles are the other countries likely to participate in the tournament. This is the first time a tournament of this caliber will be hosted by Sri Lanka more..

Oct 14 (ST) Sri Lanka are set to host Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Australia in the year 2022 where the national cricket team will play at least 10 Test matches, 19 One Day Internationals and 13 T20 Internationals in a packed year. This include the ICC T20 World Cup that is scheduled to take place in Australia and the Asia Cup that is scheduled to be held in Pakistan. The year commences with the home series against Zimbabwe. The limited overs comprises of three ODIs and three T20Is. more..

Oct 14 (EN) SL’s central bank has kept its policy rate unchanged at 6% while market rates have started to move up in line with budget deficit and private credit, though bond and forex markets are still not fully functional. SL’s is facing severe external difficulties after more than a year of liquidity injections by the central bank from de facto policy rates opened through price controlled auction yields across the yield curve. more..

Oct 14 (FT) Savings giant NSB has successfully raised Rs. 11.54 billion via an Unlisted Rated Redeemable Senior Debenture issue through private placement. The debenture issue opened on 15 September and subsequently closed on 23 Sept, as it was fully subscribed. Manager for this debenture issue was the Corporate Finance Division of National Savings Bank and the Trustee services are carried out by NSB Fund Management Company Ltd. The debenture issue has been rated more..

Oct 14 (TM) In a major step towards supporting the private sector in Sri Lanka amidst a significant economic downturn, IFC issued its first-ever rupee-denominated bond in the country. The bond – called the Serendib Bond – is a significant milestone towards ensuring that the private-sector has access to long-term offshore financing in local currency, while hedging foreign exchange risks, at a critical time, IFC noted in a statement yesterday (13). The involvement of triple A-rated issuers, more..

Oct 14 (TM) Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. Chairman Theshara Jayasinghe said yesterday that the company is now looking at a pricing logic or a logical pricing formula in a bid to ensure responsible market participation in the future. “We must ensure that we participate in the market in a fair way. So, even though we don’t have a pricing regime at the moment, we must apply constraints to ourselves and be disciplined. more..

Oct 14 (AN) All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) said it was alarmed at the constant media reports about the possibility of another terrorist attack similar to those of Easter Sunday in 2019. The organisation of Islamic scholars is encouraging the country's Muslims to read a leaflet (written by them in Tamil and Sinhala) against extremist tendencies, and asking them to be vigilant and cautious. “We appeal to the community to be wary of the ISIS and similar terrorist organizations more..

Oct 14 (FT) The Ambassador and the Mission staff participated at the HI Japan Trade Exhibition Sri Lanka booth that was organised and promoted by the SL Mission in Japan and funded by the Coconut Development Authority (CDA). The booth showcased a wide range of coconut related export products from 11 companies in SL. The product range included coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, MCT oil, coconut flour, desiccated coconut, coconut chips, milk, milk powder, treacle, syrup and cream. more..

Oct 14 (TM) An application was filed at the Mannar High Court (HC) yesterday seeking an order to summon former Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation State Minister Lohan Ratwatte over being in alleged contempt of court, in connection with the latter’s reported intimidation of a group of prisoners at the A'pura Prison on 12 Sept. This application comes a few days after a similar application was filed more..

Oct 14 (TM) The GMOA yesterday unveiled the concept paper a proposal to enable medical students to graduate when they turn 22. During the last five decades there have been a gradual extension of the age of graduation of medical students, from 22 years up to 25-27 years. The delay was unacceptable, it said. “This is a result of many complex challenges endured by the education system since Independence, including youth unrests, political turmoil, terrorism, and more..

Oct 14 (ST) SL’s revenue collection agencies and the institutional framework of the Finance Ministry are to be revitalised with additional responsibilities while strengthening electronic platforms with necessary data protection systems. Among these special priorities are ensuring price stability by maintaining the annual average inflation rate at a low level, stabilising interest rates, financial and balance of payment policies, reducing unemployment giving priority to low income more..

Oct 14 (CT) Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thera, submitting a letter to Prez Rajapaksa, has urged the latter to issue an order to the CIABOC to probe the Sri Lankans named in the Panama Papers 5 years ago, with regard to their ill gotten wealth which has been stashed in offshore investment firms. The monk, in his letter, has informed the Prez that the CIABOC should not only investigate Sri Lankans identified in most recent Pandora more..

Oct 14 (FT) With the price of several essential items increasing exponentially after the Govt let go of price controls, traders have begun hoarding stocks of several high-tax and subsidised products anticipating further hikes and looking to make significant gains. This situation adds to the revenue pressures the Govt is faced with, as hoarding could potentially create artificial shortages and reduce tax returns to the State. At present, traders have commenced hoarding goods such as more..

Oct 14 (TM) If the health authorities’ approval is given, necessary arrangements have been made to resume inter-provincial bus and train services from 21 Oct, said State Minister Dilum Amunugama. He stated that the necessary steps have been taken to resume inter-provincial bus and train services which are currently suspended. Meanwhile, when questioned whether the Govt would take any action to provide some relief to private buses, he said that such has been already provided to pvt buses. more..

Oct 14 (FT) Several Ambassadors and High Commissioners called on the Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris at the Foreign Ministry yesterday. This was the first time the foreign envoys had met Prof. Peiris in a collective meeting since the latter took office as the new Foreign Minister. The key objective of the meeting was to brief the diplomatic community on recent developments of interest to them. Peiris said the COVID-19 situation more..

Oct 14 (TM) Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has stated that the education sector in the country is in a serious crisis at present and that no one responsible has yet realised that situation. In a message issued on the occasion of the late Education Minister and father of free education C.W.W. Kannangara’s 137th birth anniversary yesterday, Kumaratunga also called on the leaders of the education sector and all citizens to come together to find a lasting solution to the crisis more..

Oct 14 (CT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa claimed the tea harvest has dropped by 50% resulting the Ceylon Tea’s reputation to be tarnished due to the govt’s arbitrary decision to ban fertiliser and that the tea industry has suffered a severe setback. The livelihood of the tea farmers has collapsed and a situation has arisen where not even enough tea leaves are available to run the factories, he said. “Even a child knows that tea cultivation in SL is not possible without chemicals and more..

Oct 14 (TM) Despite the much publicised, nearly three-hour discussion held with PM Rajapaksa regarding the teacher-principal salary anomaly issue on Tuesday, teachers’ and principals’ trade unions (TUs) have decided to continue the series of ongoing trade union actions including the strike, demanding a solution more acceptable to them. During the discussion held between the teachers’ and principals’ trade union more..

Oct 14 (FT) Making an upbeat and determined speech on the 72nd Army Day at the Saliyapura home-base of his old unit, the Gajaba regiment, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa pointed out that the country’s President, current Secretary/Defence and Army commander were from that regiment. The Gajaba regiment seems (at least) as much the President’s family as the Rajapaksa clan. Everything they learned about leadership, they were taught by General Vijaya Wimalaratne, he said. more..

Oct 14 (FT) For centuries, the world’s maritime traffic on the Great East-West Shipping Lane, (transporting cargo both to and from the Atlantic ocean, starting from east-coast of the USA, via UK, Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, through the Suez Canal, passing SL, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Japan, and to the Pacific Ocean) has been moving very close to SL, strategically located at the centre of the Indian Ocean, taking the shortest and the fastest possible route from Aden to more..