Oct 22 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe was in the Eastern Province last weekend meeting farmers and public officials. He visited the cultivation area around the fields of Siyambalanduwa, Rathumada, and Weerakandawala and engaged in friendly conversation with the farmers. Farmers had the opportunity to directly present their problems to the Prez and they informed him about the shortage of fertilisers, insecticides, and herbicides, more..

Oct 22 (DM) One of the world’s greatest statespersons Nelson Mandela has said as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality exist in our world, none of us can truly rest. Former US Prez Franklin D. Roosevelt has pointed out that the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. In SL President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Govt is taking practical steps to pull the country out of more..

Oct 22 (CT) Although the prices of commodities are gradually dropping, the punch to the stomach of the public, especially low-income families will last longer than one could imagine. From parents desperately queuing to get milk and milk powder only to walk back home empty-handed to their crying children, to fuel queue deaths and lengthy queues for gas with no feasible alternative, as the price of kerosene has also skyrocketed, we have seen it all. The country is still recovering from the economic crisis more..

Oct 22 (CT) The greatest threat to everyone in the near future is posed by the negative impacts that might be brought on by the rapid development of technology and the switch from one piece of hardware to another. Due to the rapid pace of technological change and the competition among the top electronics firms to release new electronic products to keep up with both existing and developing technology, improper disposal more..

Oct 22 (TM) Make the economy scream, were US Prez Richard Nixon’s instructions to the CIA in Sept 1970, as the first Socialist President of Chile, Salvador Allende’s Popular Unity coalition swept to power amid Cold War headwinds. According to then-US Ambassador Edward Korry, a John F. Kennedy-style liberal, this meant to do all within our power to condemn Chile and the Chileans to utmost deprivation and poverty. There was also a massive destabilisation and disinformation campaign, more..

Oct 22 (CT) Thank you, Honourable Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on this very important constitutional amendment that has been presented to this house. I say important not because there are any important contents in this Bill, but because this Bill is being touted as an important reform to the constitution of this country, while it is not. And it is my intention today to inform the country as to what this amendment actually seeks to do. There are many members in this House more..

Oct 22 (TM) The concept of setting targets has, according to the Jaffna Medical Journal, exerted a profoundly corrosive effect on the healthcare of SL by introducing a form of corruption described as being much worse than the financial kind. This observation was made by the editor of the said journal, consultant paediatrician, Jaffna Uni Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics, Colombo Uni Postgraduate Institute of Medicine Member of the Board of Study in Paediatrics, and SL Forum of Medical more..

Oct 22 (ST) Tourism industry makes a significant contribution to the national economy by directly contributing to the govt’s budget, foreign exchange earnings and employment generation, it contributes both direct and indirect benefits in the provision of goods and services. Tourism as a single industry has been able to generate substantial foreign currency earnings with relatively low reliance on imports of inputs. Therefore, tourism has a key role to play in maintaining the country’s resilience more..

Oct 22 (Island) The govt must reveal the losses incurred by CPC since 2008 due to the prevention of cost-reflective pricing, and tell the people how it planed to recover the losses, former Minister of Energy, Udaya Gamnapila, said. He said that CPC trade unions alleged that the govt could reduce the price of petrol and diesel by Rs. 50 to Rs.100 rupees. “The govt can say they could have reduced more, given the drop in world market prices. more..

Oct 22 (TM) A total of 4,447 breast cancer cases were identified in 2019, with 12 cases being reported on a daily basis and two related deaths on a daily basis, on average, SL College of Oncologists (SLCO) stated. SLCO President Dr. Nadarajah Jeyakumaran explained that if the total annual cases of 4,447 is divided by 365 days, it equals 12.1 cases per day. Breast cancer is the commonest cancer among females worldwide, and it is the same in Sri Lanka as well. more..

Oct 22 (Island) SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella has told Parliament that the person responsible for bankrupting the country should be in a temple instead of an official residence, enjoying retirement at public expense. He has not named names, according to what has been reported of his speech, but it is obvious that his reference is to former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa. One cannot but agree with Kiriella that no more public funds should be spent on maintaining the person on whose watch more..

Oct 22 (DM) Passing of the 22nd amendment to the Constitution was a victory for all citizens of SL who value democracy, National Movement for Social Justice Chairman Karu Jayasuriya said. "We the National Movement for Social Justice would like to first and foremost thank all members of parliament as well as civil and political forces who continuously advocated for this constitutional reform," he said. He said the parliament of SL today passed the 22nd Amendment by revoking the 20th amendment more..

Oct 22 (FT) Envoy, SL’s int'l brand and the premier brand of Hameedia that is synonymous with style and quality, will be expanding into the Middle East today with the upcoming opening of the Envoy Dubai showroom in Festival Mall in Dubai. This is the second int'l branch of Envoy which also has the Envoy London outlet at Kensington High Street in UK. Hameedia Managing Director Fouzul Hameed said: “We are excited to be opening our latest showroom in this wonderful mall. more..

Oct 22 (ST) Meticulous research should be carried out before legalising cannabis, states SL of College Psychiatrists of (SLCP). It has warned lawmakers that cannabis is a factor in drug abuse–as it is widely taken for non-medical reasons–and that the legalisation of it would adversely affect the entire population. SLCP does not endorse any form of legalisation of cannabis, College states, as it would more..

Oct 22 (CT) The sisters of Rathnayake Liyanage Wishma Sandamali, who died in the custody of the Immigration Detention Facility in Nagoya, Japan on 6 March 2021, allegedly due to starvation, will be submitting their Opinion Paper to the Prosecution Review Board in Nagoya on 27 Oct 2022, citing the murder of their sister by the officers of the Nagoya Detention Centre. The sisters earlier filed murder charges, but they were rejected by the Nagoya Court. more..

Oct 22 (ST) Dynamic and contemporary wildlife and nature-based tourism is rapidly gaining momentum and becoming popular among foreign and local travellers in southern national parks including Yala, Bundala Lunugamavehera and Kumana creating new economic opportunities closely tied to natural environments. Camping in Yala national park is a popular recreational activity in the nature-based tourism domain in the country at present providing accommodation for travellers at several more..

Oct 22 (Island) Having qualified for the Super 12 stage of the ICC T-20 World Cup following their win over Netherlands in Geelong, the SL cricket team reached Tasmania yesterday ahead of their first game of the second round on Sunday in Hobart. SL’s opponents will only be known after the two Group ‘B’ qualifying rounds games end on Friday. Former champions will conduct a training session in Hobart Saturday more..

Oct 22 (EN) Sri Lanka will allow airlines to import their own fuel, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said as the country grappled with the worst currency crisis in the history of its soft-pegged central bank. State-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation was unable to import enough aviation fuel in 2022 as money printing created forex shortages, forcing airlines to top up at neighboring countries or bring extra fuel, pushing up ticket prices. Sri Lanka’s new domestic airline Fits Air is importing their own fuel. more..

Oct 22 (AD) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has informed the National Council that the report of the committee for the restructuring of the energy sector would be submitted within two weeks. At the same time, the minister stated that the National Council is also expected to be informed about the proposed measures to be taken for the various energy generation projects proposed to be launched by SL Sustainable Energy Authority and CEB. National Council met under chairmanship of Speaker more..

Oct 22 (DM) As SL has taken some bold steps in recent weeks to increase state revenue by way of increasing tax rates, despite the unprecedented economic hardships experienced by the people amid roaring inflation, the biggest mistake the policymakers continue with is making big decisions on tax policy behind closed doors, a couple of leading economists in the country pointed out. As taxes are borne by the people and businesses, Dr. Shantayanan Devarajan said it is imperative more..

Oct 22 (FT) Colombo stock market ended the week with a sharp plunge amidst low activity as investors remained skeptical over prospects. The ASPI declined 407.85 points (4.49%) while the S&P SL20 lost 184.86 points (6.64%) during the week. Turnover averaged Rs. 1,620 mil, declining from Rs. 2,564 mil averaged last week. The market ended the week on a negative note with the indices seesawing between gains and losses in muted trading as investors remained sidelined awaiting more..

Oct 22 (Island) Global Tamil Forum (GTF) wouldn’t get involved in the ongoing controversy over the UK decision to move Sri Lankans, seeking to settle in the UK, to what the govt called a safe third country, unless they returned to SL voluntarily. About 120 Sri Lankans are believed to be housed in a fenced encampment in the US-British held Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands which the UN ruled belonged to Mauritius more..

Oct 22 (Island) Around 75% of small and medium scale rice mills had been closed down, W.H. Gamini, Tissamaharama Rice Producers Association Chairman, told The Island on Friday. “Now, we have to pay an additional 2.5% social security tax. We have decided to stop buying paddy until we are exempted from this tax,” he said. Gamini also said that the govt had to look into policies that discourage small and medium scale rice mills while encouraging a monopoly by large rice mills. more..

Oct 22 (CT) An international rating company warned on Tuesday (18), “The foreign-currency shortage affecting SL is severe and we do not believe it will ease in the next 12-18 months.” Fitch Ratings, a rating company, dual headquartered in London and New York, in a report titled ‘Spotlight: Rated SL Corporates’ further warned that foreign currency reserves are currently insufficient to cover even one month of imports. Tourist receipts and workers’ remittances, 2 key sources of foreign more..

Oct 22 (AJ) Sri Lankans are used to tyrants as presidents. Since the executive presidency was instituted as the centrepiece of the country’s system of govt in 1978 by JR Jayewardene, every single person to hold that office has been a dangerous autocrat in some form. Even presidents elected on promises of liberal governance & peace have been responsible for horrendous atrocities. Still, the presidency of Wickremesinghe, which began on July 21, 2022, has been a startling reign of terror. more..

Oct 22 (CT) As the P&I Club sent its hired salvage tug De Tian and Barge Ke Li, of China’s Shanghai Salvage Company (SSC), to remove the X-Press wreck from the sea off Bopitiya, in the North of Colombo, Attorney-at-Law/Legal Counsel, an expert in Law of the Sea and Maritime Law Dr. Dan Malika Gunasekera said the authorities should claim further pollution damages and the Director General of Merchant Shipping should obtain a bank guarantee for the full claim before the wreck is removed. more..

Oct 22 (FT) Assistant Superintendent of Police Nalinda Dilruk and Superintendent of Police Roshan Dias were issued summons by Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage and were ordered to be present in court on 8 November. The Colombo Fort Magistrate ordered summons to be issued based on a private plaint filed by Young Journalists Association President Journalist Tharindu Jayawardhana, accusing the duo of blocking more..

Oct 22 (FT) Construction industry’s struggle amidst the worst economic crisis came under the spotlight yesterday at a high-level meeting chaired by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. Key issues affecting the industry stakeholders and proposed plans to address them were discussed at length during the special meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat. Special attention was given to issues concerning contractors, banks, and other financial entities and was discussed at length during the meeting more..

Oct 22 (Island) National Council sub-committee on identifying short and medium-term programmes, related to economic stabilization recently, discussed the possibility of making available for the use of trishaws and motorcycles 87 Octane fuel produced at the Kolonnawa refinery. The committee said that the electricity tariff must remain stable, and in line with other countries in the region, SL should have competitive industries and encourage investors. Committee is headed by MP Ranawaka. more..

Oct 22 (Island) The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed in Parliament yesterday with a two thirds majority. The final vote on the bill received 174 votes in favour and none against. At the second reading stage vote, the Bill received 179 votes in favour and one vote against. Colombo District SLPP MP Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekera was the only MP who voted against the Bill. more..

Oct 23 (FT) A Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) was appointed in May 2021 to identify appropriate reforms in the election laws and the electoral system and to recommend necessary amendments. 16 MPs representing all parties (17th member resigned from Parliament) held 29 meetings and took more than double the targeted timeframe of six months to report to the Parliament. The PSC has accepted oral/written evidence from 36 recognised political parties, 10 of which represent more..

Oct 23 (FT) Another global recession is imminent. The US, UK, EU are all expected to have lower growth rates and China’s growth has slowed down. India stands alone as a country that my bets weather the storm. There has been no discussion about its possible effect on Sri Lanka and what mitigating steps should be taken to cushion its ill effects on a country that is already bankrupt. Some 9.6 million people are reportedly in poverty according to a study by the Peradeniya Uni. more..

Oct 23 (AD) Measures have been taken to establish food banks and food exchange centres focusing on religious places to ensure food security and improve the nutritional status of the people, the PMD says. This was revealed at the progress review discussion of the Food Safety and Nutrition Assurance Program which was held virtually on Friday (Oct. 21) under the chairmanship of Presidential Adviser on Food Security, Dr. Suren Batagoda. Accordingly, the program will be implemented covering more..

Oct 23 (CI) SL lost their first match to Namibia, but, after that, they dominated UAE and were in control for much of the fixture against Netherlands. Ireland lost to Zimbabwe, but got past Scotland and, notably, West Indies. Both teams have arrived in the Super 12s with a bit of confidence, but also knowing they must still prove themselves in this phase of the tournament. For Ireland, a victory here would be their second successive giant-killing act - the feather of another former T20 World Cup winner more..

Oct 23 (CI) The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has looked into maintaining a special rice reserve of 8,000 metric tons in accordance with the Colombo declaration of the SAARC Organization and the 16th Summit meeting. The committee also probed the rice reserves of 100,000 metric tons not being maintained in the warehouses owned by the Food Commissioners Dept of SL all over the island more..