May 3 (DM) With uncertainty, indecision, and insecurity looming due to lack of direction and drive, the nation is in dire straits. The country has fallen into one of the most dreadful catastrophes in seventy five years. We reiterate our call, as per our last Monday’s column, - ‘A random interim committee consisting of Govt and opposition’s old faces is certainly not the answer. We do not deserve another team of dishonest politicians to replace an existent corrupt and inefficient group: more..

May 3 (TM) Despite SL being blessed with an abundance of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar, they are yet to be utilised effectively to meet the ongoing energy shortage faced by the island. Present power generation shortage is the result of the limited fuel supply due to the ongoing foreign exchange crisis and due to long-term policy-related issues by the State. It has forced the State-run utility provider, CEB, to impose more..

May 3 (ST) There is a trace of helplessness and more than a touch of cruel ridicule to dramatic protest scenes being played out this week in front of Temple Trees, the official residence of the PM of SL. The loud chanting of pirith by Buddhist monks on megaphones to drown the sound of the youth clamouring for PM Rajapaksa to leave, makes the Rajapaksa apparatus of the State, now tottering in its defences, more the stuff of a Sunil Perera satirical parody than a Terminator, as it were. more..

May 2 (CT) Sri Lanka is unique in that it has a PM (Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa (MR) and a Police Dept, which flagrantly breaks the law in the heart of Colombo. This is in the context that at Temple Trees, (TT) Kollupitiya, the more popular of the two official Colombo residences of the Premier, blares pirith chanting’ 24 hours of the day, breaking all noise pollution laws of the country. With regard to noise pollution National Environmental (Amendment) Act (No. 56 of 1988)-Sect 7, more..

May 3 (ST) What the nation is witnessing today is the Rajapaksa brothers in their political death throes, feebly clutching at straws to stall the certain doom the fates have preordained for them. The people have delivered their message in no uncertain terms: They must go. The longer they hold out, the longer they prolong Lanka’s agony. The more they strive to remain in office, the more the nation bleeds. The more they use the last residues of fast vanishing political power to resist their exile, more..

May 2 (FT) Weekend COVID-19 detections totalled 44 with daily detections dropping below 40 on Saturday and yesterday. 11 COVID-19 patients were detected yesterday. The previous day, 33 persons tested positive for COVID-19. 1,637 PCR tests and 747 rapid antigen tests were conducted on Saturday. A total of 663,373 COVID-19 patients have been detected to date. This includes 75,790 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 since 1 January. In addition to this, 483,090 persons from more..

May 2 (ST) With the Govt plunging from one crisis to another and calls for Go Home Gota and Go Home Rajapaksas increasing each day, pressure keeps piling on SL’s first family. No doubt conscious of the groundswell of anger against the Rajapaksas, one-time Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa has been going to great lengths to position himself as a moderate within the Govt. The young MP is trying hard to do this on Twitter, more..

May 2 (TM) The native Americans use smoke to coax the armadillo out of its burrows. The armour of this animal only unfurls itself when the hot breath of fire caresses and tickles it. How does a nation get rid of, or smoke out, its ruler, like for example incumbent Executive Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who, per the majority of the people, protesting, or standing in queues in the streets, has exhausted his welcome? Is it the threat of mutiny or sedition that one uses as the gambit, more..

May2 (Island) The govt has gone into overdrive to form an all-party interim administration in response to people’s protests, and a request from the Mahanayake Theras. It however has chosen to remain silent on protesters’ demand that their stolen money be returned. Gomi Senadhira, a former diplomat and public servant has, in his article published on this page today, put forth a cogent argument anent politicians’ assets and liabilities. He has highlighted a landmark ruling by more..

May 2 (FT) Chorus is getting louder for critical reforms, and the latest rally and strong articulation comes from none other than the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank given the country’s precarious economic situation. For years, the private sector as well as international donor agencies have called for structural reforms but successive govts have shied away, soft-peddled or even postponed this dire need due to cheap political benefits. more..

May 2 (ST) Chairman of Cricket Selectors Pramodya Wickremasinghe admits that the current crop of fast bowlers is far from match-winning and has suggested setting up a Fast Bowling Unit at the High-Performance Centre focusing on teenage talent to lift fast-bowling standards. With Suranga Lakmal retired and Dushmantha Chameera being asked to concentrate on the shorter format by the medics to ease a troubled ankle, the Selectors have named a 5-man seam attack for the series more..

May 2 (Island) Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda will meet Rathnawali Balika Vidyalaya, Gampaha in the U-19 Girls’ cricket final at the Bloomfield ground today after the two teams won their respective semi-finals. The girls from Gampaha continued their unbeaten run in the tournament when they beat Wadduwa Central by 58 runs in the semi-final. Anula Vidyalaya beat Devapathiraja by eight runs in the other semi-final. When these two teams met in a group stage match it was the girls from Gampaha who more..

May2 (DN) We have a well balanced side and expect to do well in the England cricket series said Sri Lanka emerging team T-20 skipper Dhananjaya Lakshan. Sri Lanka emerging team comprising 18 players is expected to play three four day games followed by three T- 20 games in this England series which will commence from May 6. The Emerging team departed yesterday to take part in this cricket series which is very vital for the youngsters to get the much needed exposure. more..

May2 (FT) Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on Saturday called on all party leaders as well as the current Speaker to ensure that the code of conduct for MPs that was adopted by the House in 2016 be strictly followed so as to rebuild public trust in their elected representatives. The code of conduct which was adopted when Jayasuriya was Speaker sets important rules for MPs to follow so as to ensure they conduct themselves in a manner that is befitting of the high office they hold. more..

May2 (ST) Sri Lanka is fast losing one of its key buyers; Japan that has dropped purchases by nearly half for this Dimbula season. This comes in the backdrop of a US$52 million loss in earnings the industry made in the first quarter. Japan is a key buyer of teas during the peak Dimbula season but this year buying has dropped by 42%. Japan which last year bought 1.5 million kg of Ceylon Tea during the January to March season purchased more..

May 2 (FT) COVID-19 vaccines were administered to 1,025 persons on Saturday, with 77.85% of the total population having receiving the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Second dose coverage in the country is 65.95% and third dose coverage is 36.34%. Among the population over 20 years, 96.4% have received the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 54.51% have received the booster dose. The first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 96.6% of the population more..

May2 (Island) Ministry of Finance said last week that SL urgently needs to undertake difficult, but much needed and far-reaching reforms to address the accumulated and persistent issues in the country’s fiscal sector. In a report titled Fiscal Sector: Present Situation and Way Forward, MOF pointed out that dismal fiscal sector performance has caused many imbalances in the macro-economy. “Exceptionally low tax revenue, rigid recurrent expenditure, a large budget deficit, an accumulated and more..

May2 (CT) Various renewable energy industries sector associations claim that there is a due of around eight months of payments from CEB, which makes it very difficult for the industry to survive. The total of around Rs 22 billion is outstanding from CEB to renewable energy industries. Around 75% of project costs for private sector renewable energy projects are funded by banks, stated Small Hydro Developers Association President Thusitha Peiris. “Banks have lent about Rs 60 billion to more..

May2 (ST) The US dollar crisis is delaying the clearance of an Octane 95 petrol shipment, with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation incurring heavy demurrage charges, officials said. Two shipments, one carrying diesel and the other Octane 95, arrived on March 28 and 29, but the delay in clearing the shipments by Friday had cost the CPC an additional Rs 422 million by yesterday. CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe said they managed to clear the diesel shipment yesterday & unloading had started. more..

May2 (ST) A crucial test for the Govt and Opposition looms when Parliament meets on Wednesday over the election of a new Deputy Speaker. SLFP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that he would no longer function as Deputy Speaker after April 30 and the first item on Parliament’s agenda when it meets on Wednesday will be to elect a new Deputy Speaker. Mr Siyamabalapitiya submitted his resignation to Prez Rajapaksa soon after more..

May 2 (DM) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has once again invited the leaders of all political parties to come to a consensus on behalf of the people to overcome the challenge the country was facing. Issuing a statement on the Workers' Day, he said he respectfully called on the working people to put politics aside and join to steer the struggle in a positive direction with a pro-people revolutionary transformation on behalf of the working people. The Full Statement: more..

May 2 (FT) TRACE Expert City in a statement yesterday said it is extremely concerned about the current economic crisis, the lethargic response of the executive and the legislature, and the continued failure to listen to the demands of a populace reeling from the effects of ill-advised policies. “Steering Sri Lanka out of the current crisis requires courage, ethics, pragmatic decision making, and the ability to make unpopular, but much-needed reforms with complete transparency. more..

May 2 (DM) Warning that World Bank has cautioned of a global food crisis which will last till 2024 and will affect SL as well, former PM Ranil Wickremeisnghe said today that the priority of the nation is to re-establish relationships with China, India, US and other nations to seek their assistance to overcome these issues. “There are fuel and fertilizer crisis prevail in the country. The cost of living has skyrocketed and the World Bank has forecast a food crisis which could last till 2024. more..

May 2 (AD) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya has decided not to reach any agreements with the partners of the rogue govt. He stated this while addressing the May Day rally of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya at Independence Square in Colombo today (01). He said that bags and bags of money are reportedly coming in these days in order to make various deals and that they have decided not make agreements with partners of the rogue govt. more..

May 2 (EN) SL’s ex-PM Ranil Wickremesinghe who failed to privatize state-run Sri Lankan Airlines during almost five years in office has quoted a parliamentary oversight official as saying the airline should be sold. SriLankan Airlines drew fire from the opposition when it called for proposals to lease 20 aircraft at a time when the country is facing a forex crisis due to money printing by economists who favour an unstable more..

May 2 (DM) Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs Harin Fernando and Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka were seen engaged in a verbal clash at the SJB May Day Rally held in Colombo today. Parliamentarian Fonseka, who was seated in the front row, was seen calling MP Fernando closer to him and both were seen engaged in a verbal clash. Parliamentarian Manusha Nanayakkara intervened and brought the situation under control by shifting Fernando from the place. more..

May 2 (DM) Articulating that interim govt or all party govt will not be the solution to the political instability in the country as the people are not ready to accept the President and the govt, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today that the only solution to this instability is to go for a general election to establish a new govt. Addressing the May Day Rally organised by the NPP in Colombo Fort, he said there were instances in the past where there were political instability in the country, more..

May 2 (AD) Minister Kanchan Wijesekera announced that several new guidelines have been implemented for the transportation of fuel in the country. In a twitter message, the minister said that a decision has been taken to increase the capacity of fuel transportation via train to rural depots from 40% to 100%. Meanwhile it has also been decided to expedite the license issuing process for fuel distribution and reduce more..

May2 (AD) Ceylon Petroleum Private Tanker Owners’ Association has decided to call off their strike action with immediate effect. The association has decided to call of the strike after receiving an assurance from the Minister of Power and Energy for a 30% increase in bowser hiring charges. A spokesman for the association said that fuel distribution activities will return to normal now that the union action has ended. Ceylon Petroleum Private Tanker Owners’ Association had more..

May 2 (FT) The Struggle of the few on behalf of the many is in its umpteenth day/week/month today. Its exact duration to date depends on when you start counting the People’s Quiet Revolution as having begun. And the wave upon wave of the Occupy Galle Face movement is but its latest organic avatar. An incarnation with no soul ties to political parties or personages despite the dismissive allegations of diasporic funding, hidden hands stoking the fire of popular passion or vested interests more..

May 2 (FT) Aseni, the wiz kid in economics, has heard that there are many who have not been happy about the track record of the Central Bank of SL during the last 72 years. As the solution to the problem, they are suggesting that SL should go back to the currency board system which it had prior to the establishment of the CB. She wanted to get the opinion of her grandfather, Sarath Mahatthaya, a former employee of the Ministry of Finance, on the subject. The following is the dialogue more..

May2 (EN) A high level delegation from the Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) had visited the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka which is operated by China’s CM Ports group. Deputy Director, Foreign Policy Bureau, MOFA Hamada Takashi and Nakada Taihaku, Assistant Director, Policy Coordination Division, MOFA, led the delegation, the port said. The sought “first hand information on a wide range of subjects relating to port activity and the economy of the southern part of Sri Lanka.” more..

May2 (AD) Several rounds of key discussions on the current political crisis will be held today and tomorrow,. It is reported that the discussions are being held with regard to the formation of an all-party govt. Accordingly, a discussion between representatives appointed by independent groups and the Prez is scheduled to be held this morning. MPs Nimal Siripala de Silva, Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, Tiran Alles and more..

May2 (AD) A group of 15 persons who had been arrested and released on bail over the incident during the protest in Mirihana had been summoned to appear before the CID today to record a statement. A protest was staged near the Prez’s residence in Mirihana on March 31, demanding immediate solutions to the various crises faced by the people of the country. A tense situation during the protest, which ended with clashes between protesters and police officers after more..

May2 (DM) Over 1500 Sri Lankans from all communities travelled from various parts of the UK to gather at Parliament Square in the shadow of the British House of Parliament in Westminster to demand the immediate resignation of all Rajapakses from SL politics. One corner of the Square was declared a mini Gota Go Gama in solidarity with the Gota Go Gama in Galle Face SL. Nirmala Rajasingham said until the 13th of May there will be a Gota Go Gama at Parliament Square as more..