May 4 (TM) Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) has alleged that a hotel named Sinharaja Green Eco Lodge is causing great damage to the Sinharaja environment through the development of a road leading to the hotel, and that the hotel project is linked to PM’s Chief of Staff Lt Commander Yoshitha Rajapaksa. “Until recently, the hotel operated under the name Sinharaja Green Eco Lodge, more..

May 4 (TM) Unit One of the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai suffered a technical breakdown yesterday, prompting the CEB to commence an approximately 5-day-long repair work concerning it, with an assurance made to Minister Kanchana Wijesekera that the breakdown would not result in extended power cuts. “The CEB has informed of a technical breakdown in one of the 270 megawatts (MW) power plants in Norochcholai. CEB commenced repair work and assured that more..

May 4 (CT) Inter-University Bhikku Federation (IUBF) staged a protest opposite the Prez’s official residence in Fort today (3). The protest had commenced at the Viharamahadevi Park and had headed towards the Galle Face Green. As the roads were blocked by Police barricades near the World Trade Centre, the protesters had removed the barricades and moved forward. They also removed the barricades in front of the Central Bank of SL and proceeded to protest in front of the Prez’s more..

May 4 (FT) Bar Association of SL (BASL), Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Young Men’s Buddhist Association (YMBA) presented several proposals to restore political and economic stability to Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thero of Malwatte Chapter and Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thero of Asgiriya Chapter. Proposals including the repeal of 20th Amendment, more..

May 4 (DM) The importers have begun to feel the rupee depreciation shock since March onwards, as data pointed to a decline in imports, which has further extended to the imports in April. According to unofficial data, March imports have declined to around US $ 1.7 billion after the rupee shed its value by at least 50% in the month since the March 7 float resulted in a free fall of the rupee’s value against the US dollar, sending the prices of everyday goods and service through the roof. more..

May 4 (DM) The cabinet that met on Monday has decided to provide a major relief package to low income families who are distressed due to the current economic crisis in the country, funded by a World Bank financial assistance programme to the tune of Rs. 13,364 million for the next three months. Minister Shehan Semasinghe said that the relief in cash will be provided to about 3.34 million people of low income families ranging from Samurdhi beneficiaries, elderly, kidney and disability more..

May 4 (TM) Despite intense speculation and statements that PM Mahinda Rajapaksa would be resigning from his post today after making a special statement in Parliament, PM’s Office maintains that Rajapaksa will not be stepping down today, and that the special statement will be about the current situation of the country. Media Secretary to the PM, Rohan Weliwita and Co-ordinating Secretary to PM G. Cassilingham more..

May 4 (FT) I, like you maybe, have been blown away by what has been happening at the barricades. So much so – that between noisy marches on the capital and quiet candle-lit vigils in the suburbs, one may not have had much peace of mind or enlightenment to consider the ramifications. But it behoves us as islanders in a nation, where mere voter-hood is being slowly but steadily transmuted into a citizen-ship of a higher gear, to reflect on recent developments in the polity. more..

May 4 (FT) Politics and governance in the land of lotus eaters will never be the same again. The unprecedented protests in the last three weeks by youth that triggered off mass support from men and women of all ages, religions and cultures across the country will change the politics of Sri Lanka. For the first time since independence, the high-riding political ruffians have been forced to kneel in front of the people’s power. Many are dreading the thought of even visiting their electorates. more..

May 4 (AN) The majority of Tamils in the North are fleeing to India, like during the country’s civil war, because of food inflation running at 25%, overall inflation at approximately 18%, fuel prices rising by 138% due to the Russia-Ukraine war, and dangerous shortages that threaten starvation for the island nation’s population of 22 million. On 25 April, 15 refugees from the North reached Dhanushkodi, Tamil Nadu, using a fishing boat and were later directed to the Mandapam Refugee Camp. more..

May 4 (AD) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced that the Vice President of SLC Ravin Wickramaratne has decided to step down from his position as the Tournament Director of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) due to personal reasons. Wickramaratne, who was responsible for successfully spearheading the initial two editions of the LPL including the inaugural edition of 2020, said, “It is time to hand over the role to a new hand in order continue the good work we have done.” more..

May 4 (BN) As SL’s worst economic crisis in decades took root, prompting medical shortages and halting surgeries, Kavindya Thennakoon knew she had to do something. Before boarding a flight from San Francisco to Colombo, the Stanford graduate and co-founder of a digital education app posted on social media and asked those running low on supplies to get in touch. More than 50 requests later, more..

May 4 (DM) At least 12 persons who were protesting near Parliament had been arrested by the police a short while ago. The group of protesters were engaged in a protest along the Jayanthipura Road near Parliament holding banners, supporting the no-confidence motion against the government. A tense situation also prevailed at the location after police arrested the protesters claiming that they had caused damage and were violating the rights of the MP's. more..

May 4 (AD) Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court today (5) rejected the request made by Thalangama Police seeking an order preventing protests from being staged near the parliament on Thursday (5) and Friday (6). Speaking in this regard, Attorney-at-Law Kamal Wijesiri said the request was rejected on the grounds that the submissions made by the police for the removal of an obstruction or a commotion were insufficient and unsatisfactory. Accordingly, all requests made by the police on behalf of more..

May 4 (AD) Fort Magistrate’s Court has issued a court order for the removal of all the structures, vehicle and belonging of protesters near Temple Trees in Kollupitiya, that cause obstructions to the pedestrians using the pavement and inconveniences the public. However, the court order further says that it does not impede the protests carried out in a peaceful manner. Fort Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake had issued the directive more..

May 4 (DM) The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) issuing a statement regarding the escalation of the situation in the vicinity of Parliament stated that those engaged in lawful exercise of their right to protest cannot be arrested. The BASL requested the govt, the Inspector General of Police and all police officers and the armed forces to act with utmost restraint. "We have also reports of persons attending the protest being subject to arrest and detention in the vicinity. more..

May 4 (EN) SL’s rupee was offered at 370 to the US dollar for telegraphic transfers for small transactions while larger deals went at higher rates near 380 to the US dollar market participants said. UAE exchange houses were offering a Dirham for around 102 rupees (375 rupees per dollar), which will help drive more remittances to official channels, market participants said. CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe jacked up policy rates to 14.5% from 7.5% and also allowed Treasury bill yields more..

May 4 (DM) SL has relegated even below the level of bankruptcy as per announcement made by Finance Minister Ali Sabry that foreign reserves have dropped below US$ 50 million, SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva said. He told Parliament that the rupee would also further depreciate against the US Dollar when reserves dropped to that low. He said India had already granted us a credit line of over US$ 5 billion so far and that the country would have to face further crisis if SL failed to find more..

May 4 (AD) Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, addressing the rumours circulated on the resignation of PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, said the reports are baseless. He made these remarks speaking to the media following the meeting of the parliamentary group of the ruling party today. When asked about the rumours stating that the PM is expected to step down from his position after delivering a special statement in the parliament, Minister Gunawardena said no such decision has been taken. more..

May 4 (FT) SriLankan Airlines Ltd, said yesterday it welcomes and respects the rich debate in the public space on matters concerning the Operation of the Airline in General and the Notice of Procurement for the Lease of Aircraft in specific. Board and Management are of the opinion that the discussion on these topics would benefit from more full information. The national carrier yesterday responded to the following question as more..

May 4 (EN) SL’s central bank will be allowed to delay about one billion US dollars due to the Reserve Bank of India until March 2022, Indian High Commission in Colombo said. “Deferment of dues of about USD 1 billion till March 2022, to be paid by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka to the Reserve Bank of India, under the Asian Clearing Union, will assist in strengthening the forex reserves of SL,” Indian HC said. The Reserve Bank of India gave a 400 million US dollars to the central bank. On April 18, more..

May 4 (AD) China’s has said it will support Sri Lanka in its negotiation with the IMF, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has indicted its willingness to lend 160 million US dollars, Finance Minister Ali Sabry said. China’s Ambassador had earlier said that they were unhappy with the decision to go the IMF and default on debt. “I talked with him,” Minister Sabry said. “And he said they would support and China was an IMF member. I think that is a victory.” more..

May 4 (AD) Minister of Finance Ali Sabry, delivering a special statement in parliament today, revealed that SL’s foreign liquidity reserves, which amounted to USD 7.6 billion by the end of 2019, have dropped to a critically low level below USD 50 million. Speaking further, he said the reserves declined to USD 5.7 billion by the end of 2020, as a result of gross inflows of USD 5.8 billion and outflows of USD 7.8 billion, more..

May 4 (AD) Dept of Immigration and Emigration says that the breakdown in its computer system has been rectified and all services are back to normal now. The department had issued a public notice yesterday requesting the general public to refrain from arriving at its head office today for non-essential services due to a breakdown in its computer system. As a result of the breakdown, delays were also expected in its one-day services. However, dept said this morning that more..

May 4 (CT) Requesting Minister Ali Sabry to make his own decisions, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament the Govt should take immediate steps to protect the bank and financial system in the country. Making a statement in Parliament, Wickremesinghe said, “I request Finance Minister Ali Sabry to make his own decisions. Do not let any official act in a reckless manner. We have to study the situation of the country and make our decisions wisely more..

May 4 (TM) The letter that was submitted to the Speaker of Parliament this morning by the youth who were arrested shortly after served as a reminder to the Speaker and MPs of their duties during the severe economic situation in the country. The letter, submitted today stated that it has been many days since the Gotagogama protests began with citizens demanding the Govt and Prez step down. It outlined that despite this, there hasn’t been an improvement in the country. more..

May 4 (AD) Prez Rajapaksa has accepted the letter of resignation tendered by Deputy Speaker Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena conveyed this to the House today in response to a question raised by Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshman Kiriella. Accordingly, a new Deputy Speaker will be voted in tomorrow, he said further. Earlier this month, SLFP’s parliamentary group decided that its 14 lawmakers including former Prez Sirisena would represent more..

May 4 (AD) Former Governor of CB, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, in response to the allegations levelled by JVP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has said the payments made to Pakistani American political donor Imaad Zuberi have been made on official written instructions of the government, and not on the wishes of a single person. Earlier today, at a media briefing convened to expose past corrupt deals of SL politicians more..

May 4 (AD) The 13 individuals arrested during a protest near the parliament entry road earlier today have been released on bail by the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court. The protesters, who were arrested by police for unruly behavior during the agitation, have been released on personal bail after being produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court. The police had arrested the youths during a demonstration staged by university students near the entry road to parliament this afternoon. more..

May 4 (EN) Power cuts may be extended up to five hours owing to a breakdown of the Norochcholai power plant. CEB Engineers Union Chairman Anil Ranjith said that if there is no sufficient rainfall in the coming days for hydropower generation, Sri Lanka’s ongoing power crisis could worsen. Mahaweli Authority has agreed to facilitate hydro generation to an extent, said Ranjith, adding that thermal power generation will prove costlier under prevailing circumstances. more..

May 4 (EN) Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa blamed Finance Minister Ali Sabry for his role as then Justice Minister in passing the 20th amendment in 2020 which controversially restored a number of executive powers of the president, which Premadasa claimed contributed to the economic and political crises SL is now facing. “20th amendment that you brought created a one-man show establishing a dictatorship, Science was more..

May 4 (EN) SL’s power regulator has ordered Ceylon Electricity Board to generate more power from diesel and hydro to make up for a coal plant which will be out of commission for at least five days. “The commission advises you to increase the Hydro & Thermal Generation to cater the demand without increasing the existing power shedding duration (3 hours and 20 minutes per day) until the Lakvijaya Unit 1 resumes generation,” the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has said. more..

May 4 (FT) National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) is facing a severe shortage of several essential consumables due to the dollar crunch in the country. Among them, triple blood bags, quadruple blood bags and reagents for VDRL testing (used for screening of blood for syphilis) are at a critically low level. NBTS Director Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe told the Daily FT that foreign donors or Sri Lankans domiciled abroad could connect with NBTS in supplying these consumables which more..

May 4 (EN) SL will provide rupees to 3.34 million households in the Samurdhi relief scheme, and other groups on income support from a World Bank credit, Trade Minister Shehan Semasinghe said as a soft-peg with the US dollar collapsed after money printed out boost growth. Payments between 5,000 to 7,500 rupees would go to most recipients under the income support scheme and those on waiting list for three months. Minister Nalaka Godahewa said the money would not be printed. more..

May 4 (FT) SL’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of the nation’s economy. They account for up to 45% of job creation, make up nearly 75% of businesses in Sri Lanka, and also contribute up to 52% of GDP. However, the MSME sector often faces challenges when it comes to obtaining financing facilities from banks. This is usually because these businesses have not had enough time to build a sufficiently long and credible track record, leading to more..

May 4 (AD) Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says he fully endorses the decision taken by Mahanayaka Thero of the Malwatta Chapter of Siam Nikaya to not allow any politicians to meet with him. Earlier this week, Mahanayaka Thero of the Malwatta Chapter of Siam Nikaya, Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thero announced his decision, citing that no responsible persons more..