Oct 19 (TM) The Ape Jana Bala Party (OPPP) is to consider a few names for its sole MP seat after expelling MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera from the Party. Party National Organiser Dr. Susantha Kodithuwakku said that the Party’s Political Bureau and Central Committee have decided to expel Rathana Thera from the Party on 14 October. “We are considering a few names to nominate for the MP seat, including BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera. more..

Oct 19 (TM) The Public Health Inspectors’ Union of SL (PHIUSL) has pointed out that it is important to conduct random Covid-19 tests, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, covering all Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions, as the number of asymptomatic Covid-19 cases has increased slightly. PHIUSL President Upul Rohana said: “Number of asymptomatic Covid-19 patients is increasing at present. Many people don’t show symptoms due to receiving Covid vaccines. more..

Oct 19 (TM) Teachers’ and Principals’ Trade Union Alliance (TPTUA) has decided to relax the trade union actions initiated by teachers and principals demanding a solution to their salary anomaly issue, which marks the 100th day today (19), and resume teaching activities and examination-related work from 25 Oct. CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin stated that the TPTUA has decided to ease ongoing trade union actions more..

Oct 19 (DN) Today is the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, who showed to the world that benevolence and honesty are the two characteristics that needed for a person to be trusted by everyone, Prez Rajapaksa said, in a message marking Milad-Un-Nabi. The Prez said: “The profound religion the people believe in and accept has become the basis of the thinking and behaviour of mankind in any society, The life and philosophy of the Prophet Muhammad depicts the rationale of more..

Oct 19 (TM) The final decision of the SJB, on bringing a no confidence motion (NCM) against Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, is likely to be taken on 21 Oct. It was recently reported that the SJB was preparing to bring a NCM against Aluthgamage based on several issues, including the fertiliser crisis that has arisen at present. When contacted, MP Tissa Attanayake said that the final decision with regard to NCM against Aluthgamage would, most likely, be taken on 21 Oct. more..

Oct 19 (Island) Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris emphasised that the worsening financial crisis experienced by the country was so acute the govt wasn’t in a position to grant the salary increase sought by school principals and teachers. Prof. Peiris, who served as the Education Minister till August this year said that the public realised the govt lacked the wherewithal to meet the striking teachers’ demands. more..

Oct 19 (Island) UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene says that there is a serious doubt whether some ruling party politicians had actually attended school or what type of education some of them had during their schooling when considering the statements, the latter make with regard to ongoing trade union action by teachers and principals. Speaking to UNP youth wing members during a meeting at the Sirikotha yesterday, Wijewardene said that some ruling party more..

Oct 19 (TM) A drug known as bevacizumab, vital for the treatment of a number of cancers affecting a number of organs in the body and usually administered as an injection, is in short supply around Sri Lanka, The Morning learnt. “This drug is administered on a bi-weekly basis. However, it was not there at the National Cancer Institute/Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, this month, and we have also not been able to find it from any supplier either. The authorities are silent on the matter,” more..

Oct 19 (TM) Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera yesterday filed a fundamental rights (FR) petition at the Supreme Court (SC), requesting that the sale of the 40% of shares held by the Govt of SL at the Yugadanavi liquefied natural gas (LNG) Power Plant to the US-based New Fortress Energy Inc. company, be revoked. New Fortress Energy Inc. said that it has signed more..

Oct 20 (CT) There are statements emanating from the govt that it is planning to conduct provincial council elections in the early part of next year. It is reported that cash-strapped though it is, the govt will be providing MPs who are in charge of district development with Rs 100 million each to engage in development activities in their electorates. In addition, former members of provincial councils and local govt authority members will also be entitled to substantial monetary resources to do more..

Oct 20 (CT) The last 12 years have affirmed a dark history where SL is unlikely to offer a just resolution to the Tamil national question. It continues with its long history [73 years – since independence] of deception in formulating a just and reasonable solution to the conflict. Since 1948, Tamils underwent continuous genocides involving pogroms, economic embargoes, indiscriminate bombings, discriminatory policies and the dispossession of Tamil historical and traditional homeland. more..

Oct 20 (TM) The need for the country’s legal system to be closer to the public than it is now has been emphasised on many occasions in the recent past, and when the people do not understand what is happening in courts or do not see what they think is justice, it can gravely affect the relationship between the people and the legal system. That is why regardless of the legality of the decisions in certain cases, people remain more..

Oct 20 (DM) The Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion, Freedom from Torture, Right to Equality, the Freedom from Arbitrary Arrest, Detention and Punishment, Prohibition of Retroactive Penal Legislation, the Freedom of Speech, Assembly, Association and Movement are basic rights and freedom all citizens of our country irrespective of race religion or ethnicity enjoy. These rights are enshrined in Chapter III of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of SL. more..

Oct 20 (DM) I had the opportunity to meet the one time Mayor of Kandy G.N.S. Hameed who was the only Muslim to sit on the Mayor’s Chair in Kandy, who spent only Rs 2,000/= of Municipality funds for the Civic reception to PM Indira Gandhi when she visited SL and then attended a Civic Reception by the Kandy Municipal Council on behalf of the people of Kandy on Sept 20, 1967- 54 years ago. He celebrated his 82nd birthday on October 15. He also had the unique distinction as Deputy Mayor more..

Oct 20 (CT) Aquarium or ornamental fish Industry in Sri Lanka has been identified as a fast growing self employment sector within the country, when compared to other sectors. Previously, it was only a leisure time activity for the kids and the youngsters. However, now that the sector has grown and it is identified as a major exporter. The number of people who make a living by breeding and raising ornamental fishes more..

Oct 20 (Island) The govt has moved into overdrive to impose another ban. The Cabinet is reported to have granted approval for amending some laws and regulations to implement the previously announced ban on cattle slaughter purportedly to develop local agriculture and increase the domestic milk production. PM Rajapaksa, and Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage are scheduled to have the relevant Bills gazetted, we are told. Amendments are likely to be passed without a division more..

Oct 20 (CT) Promoting smart agriculture, remunerative non-farm jobs, labour productivity and human capital development are four key ways that SL can mitigate the ill-effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which has thrown more than 500,000 Sri Lankans to poverty last year alone, a World Bank (WB) feature titled Four Priorities to Accelerate Economic Transformation and Poverty Reduction in SL and released on Sunday said. The first priority is to increase agricultural productivity, earnings. more..

Oct 20 (Island) The world is mourning the death of a senior British lawmaker. The coldblooded murder of Sir David Amess, which shook the world, has been widely condemned. The British govt lost no time in calling the savage crime an act of terrorism, and the British MPs declared equally fast that terror would not win. They no doubt mean what they say anent the assassination of Sir David and threats to them as well as their country’s national security, but the question is whether more..

Oct 20 (TM) Despite travel restrictions being extended until tomorrow to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, scores of people can be seen travelling between provinces, and during the past two weeks, severe traffic congestion was reported at several exit points of the Southern Expressway. Even though travelling across provincial borders has been permitted only in certain circumstances, depending on the necessity and urgency of the reason, social media posts imply that more..

Oct 20 (ST) Friday heralded the beginning of the Maha season according to the agrarian calendar; but a majority of the farmers across the country were not in their paddy fields sowing seeds but were on the streets demanding organic fertiliser which the Govt has promised to deliver. While farmers holding placards and banners were protesting against the import ban on chemical fertiliser and the non-availability of organic more..

Oct 20 (DM) Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) have once more come under fire following blatant double standards in team selection criteria for SL men’s and women’s teams for the upcoming Asia Rugby 7’s Series. National rugby selectors have already picked the women’s pool for the above-mentioned tournament which consists of 40 players. This pool has been picked based on the performances of the previous years and also their fitness levels. However, last week SLR announced that more..

Oct 20 (GV) For three months Layla Gonaduwa, a self taught, interdisciplinary artist, travelled around SL to explore the concept of memory, home and migration. She explored symbiotic and discordant relationships between within communities and ecosystems. “The travelling was done away from the obvious urban suburbs and main towns, but in areas with less focus; the stories that appeared were multi layered and took on varied directions that are not directly linked or thought of in terms of more..

Oct 20 (EN) Cabinet of ministers have approved another step in its move to ban cattle slaughter in the country in what it said is an effort to increase local agriculture and dairy production. However, rights activists have criticised the move claiming that it targets a particular community. The ban on cattle slaughter was originally approved by SLPP-led govt two months after it won the 2020 parliament election in a landslide. more..

Oct 20 (Island) This is not a Sinhala-Buddhist country. This war cry, triumphantly proclaimed in the deepest South after the Easter Bombings, was probably Mangala’s most famous words. And rightly so, for they captured the essence of the man. The attacks unleashed a volcano of fear and hate, which no one could stop. Most were silent, some tried to soothe. It was only Mangala who dared confront. That confrontation arose from compassion. Compassion which also led him to comfort. more..

Oct 20 (EN) Cabinet of ministers on Tuesday approved a proposal to amend the Kandyan marriage and divorce act repealing the authority of parents or a competent guardian to conduct marriages of children under the age of 18. “Section 22 of the Marriage Registration Ordinance was amended by the Marriage Registration Act No. 12 of 1997 (Amended), stipulating that the consent of the parents is required for the marriage of a minor,” the cabinet said. more..

Oct 20 (AD) Total number of people, who died of COVID-19 infection in Sri Lanka, moved up as 18 more fatalities were confirmed on Monday (18). The new development has pushed the official death toll from the virus outbreak in the country to 13,525. The latest victims include 9 males and 9 females. 11 deaths were reported among elderly people aged above 60 years. In addition, 6 people aged between 30-59 years and one female below the age of 30 have also succumbed to the virus infection. more..

Oct 20 (AD) Sri Lanka has received the first shipment of 100,000 litres of Nano Nitrogen liquid fertilizer, imported from India for cultivation in Maha Season. A special cargo flight chartered by SriLankan Airlines carrying the consignment left Hyderabad International Airport in India yesterday. It touched down at the BIA in Katunayake at around 12.25 a.m. today (October 20). This delivery is part of 3.1 million litres of Nano Nitrogen liquid fertilizer ordered by Sri Lanka from India. more..

Oct 20 (Island) The NFF has requested the immediate intervention of the Governor of the CB Ajith Nivard Cabraal to save micro, small and medium scale industries badly affected by the current economic downturn caused by the Covid-19. NFF parliamentary group comprises six members. Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa, on behalf of the SLPP constituent parties, has warned of steep increase in unemployment, drop in the contribution made by small and medium scale industries more..

Oct 20 (Island) Since the first announcement in June 2020, expectations have been high on the potential of the Eravur Fabric Processing Park to catalyze a new era for Sri Lankan textile and apparel manufacture. Supported through the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka, working in close collaboration with the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), the apex body of the apparel industry in Sri Lanka, the vision for Eravur is beginning to take shape. more..

Oct 20 (Island) Sri Lanka Athletics has decided to include all track and field events for next month’s First Youth Trials reversing their earlier decision to conduct just a selected number of disciplines. Track and field governing body said that the Executive Committee had decided to include the earlier excluded events for the November 13, 14 meet which will be held at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Boys and girls pole vault, 1,500 metres, shot put, discus throw, hammer throw and more..

Oct 20 (EN) SL’s imports hit US$ 1.68 billion in Sept 2021, amid record money printing the highest since 2018 when money was also printed losing forex reserves, data show. The surge in imports came despite import controls. Up to August imports were 13.4 billion rupees, up from 10.25 billion rupees in 2020 and also up from 12.88 billion rupees in the pre-pandemic 2019. In 2019 the central bank did not print money until August and more..

Oct 20 (TM) Sri Lanka will face a risky situation during the coming week owing to visiting foreigners’ attitudes towards following the Covid-19 pandemic preventive health guidelines, according to the Public Health Inspectors’ Union of SL (PHIUSL). PHIUSL Secretary Mahendra Balasooriya said that the ground-level reality is different from what the health officers think it to be. “We have received several complaints related to tourists about most of them not wearing masks at the moment.” more..

Oct 20 (TM) The Health Professionals Experts’ Association alleged that the reason why certain Health Ministry officials are publicly clashing with Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella is due to the Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Ministry exerting power over the Health Ministry on certain matters. “It is very rare for Health Ministry officials to clash with their Minister in public. The reason for this situation which is happening very often at present is that more..

Oct 20 (Island) CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin asked the police to stop calling principals asking whether they would turn up at schools on 21 Oct, because principals and teachers would return to school only on 25 Oct. Stalin said that the govt had attempted to undermine their strike from day one, but all attempts had failed miserably. ”Initially, they tried to pit the people against the principals and teachers. Then they carried out a systematic mudslinging campaign against union leaders. more..

Oct 20 (Island) Centre for Human Rights (CHR) condemned the continuous threats against striking teachers and principals by govt politicians. During the various phases of the strike, the govt had tried to mobilise mobs, often pretending to be parents, to intimidate the strikers. CHR Executive Director Surangi Ariyawansha said that those threats violate the provisions of the Constitution. Commenting on media revelations that mobs, backed by Ministers, have been calling principals and teachers, more..

Oct 20 (TM) State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) Managing Director (MD) Lalith Jayakody has decided to resign from his post with effect from 15 Nov, while SPC Chairman Dr. Prasanna Gunasena is to retire within a period of a month. Jayakody said that he has submitted the letter of resignation to the State Ministry of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, becoming the latest in a series of recent more..

Oct 20 (TM) Cabinet on 18 Oct approved the amendment of the Kandyan Marriage and Divorce Act No. 44 of 1952 to increase the minimum age of marriage from 16 years to 18 years, Justice Ministry said. “Currently, the Act allows the marriage of 16-year-olds with the consent of their guardians. This will be amended to only allow the marriage of those who are 18 years of age and older,” Justice Ministry Secretary M.P.K. Mayadunne said. Thus, Legal Draftsman has been advised to prepare more..