Oct 29 (Island) Tables have been turned by a single individual descendant of lineage from exploited India. And on whom have the tables been turned? On the British whose Raj lorded it in the subcontinent for almost a century until finally they departed in 1947 leaving India partitioned and blood-shed. I refer here to Rishi Sunak, the new PM of UK. BBC reported this reversal as coming full circle. Cass uses common parlance – hers – and says: super-duper! India has now exacted more..

Oct 29 (ST) SL’s popular breakfast brand Samaposha powered the annual Provincial School Games for the fourth consecutive year at the Anuradhapura Public Stadium in partnership with the provincial education department. The annual games aim to uplift the standards of school athletes to reach the national level and the first sports meet was held at the North Central Province with a series of separate sports meets to will be held in the North Western, Eastern and Uva provinces. more..

Oct 29 (ST) Increasing numbers of Sri Lankan children from low-income homes are skipping school because their families are unable to feed them, teachers and parents say. A recent report found that children from one in seven households have dropped out. Govt data shows that millions of children are not getting school meals. Only Rs 60 has been allocated for a school meal. The level of food insecurity among families has more..

Oct 29 (TM) Former Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy, during a recent session with The Indian Express, analysed Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and the debt restructuring needed for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to release the $2.9 billion package that the nation is seeking. The session was moderated by the publication’s National Editor for Strategic Affairs, Nirupama Subramanian. Following are excerpts from the session: more..

Oct 29 (CT) Former British PM Winston Churchill once called Mahatma Gandhi a seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir… striding half-naked up the steps of the Viceregal Palace. Churchill was unhappy at Gandhi’s participation at the Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931. Churchill even suggested Gandhi should be allowed to die if he goes on hunger strike. There was a time when Swami Vivekananda was in England. We all know he used to wear traditional more..

Oct 29 (Island) Former Minister Pavitradevi Wanniarachchi recently declared that regardless of who served as the Prez, that person should abide by the decisions taken by twice Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa. Ratnapura District SLPP lawmaker emphasized that Mahinda Rajapaksa’s word, on whatever matter, should be accepted by all, including the Prez, regardless of the consequences. Ever the blind Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalist, Wanniarachchi said so at the launch of more..

Oct 29 (Island) Japanese Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki handed over US$ 5.5 million worth of medical equipment to National Hospital SL (NHSL) and Ragama Teaching Hospital, in the presence of Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, to help establish a sustainable medical system, adaptable to the current economic crisis, and strengthen the readiness against COVID-19. Japanese Embassy said it has provided modern Japanese medical equipment, including MRI, CT scanner, Angiography, more..

Oct 29 (FT) The crucial apparel sector is urging the Govt to fast track the finalisation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to ensure resilience and boost exports amidst stiff competition and new global challenges. With fears of a global economic recession looming, Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) said it is actively stepping up engagement with top Govt and Foreign Ministry officials to expedite negotiations on FTAs more..

Oct 29 (FT) Ministry of Agriculture has received the first stock of 13,000 tons of Urea fertiliser yesterday under the World Bank concessional emergency loan of $ 110 million. Govt will provide a 50 kg bag of urea fertiliser to paddy farmers at Rs. 10,000. This step was taken to protect household food security, farming and rural incomes based on the demands made during several discussions with the intervention of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. more..

Oct 29 (Island) Sydney is fast developing. Last time, The Island had a cricket coverage from this venue was during the 2015 World Cup, where SL lost the quarter-finals to South Africa. Yes, the Proteas for once didn’t choke in a World Cup knockout game. Usually to get to the ground, you arrived by train to the Sydney Central and then caught a bus. Depending on the traffic, the bus drive took 20 to 40 minutes. But no such concerns now. There’s a Metro running outside the station and more..

Oct 29 (AD) Human Rights Commission of SL (HRCSL) has recommended the Minister of Public Security to direct the IGP that regulations made in terms of the Police Ordinance would not be permissible if it reasonably impacts at the exercise of fundamental rights and freedom ensured in the Constitution. HRCSL chairperson Justice Rohini Marasinghe stated this in a letter addressed to the Public Security Minister more..

Oct 29 (CT) German Ambassador Holger Seubert met local G7 partners, including envoys from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US, as well as the International Monetary Fund, on Friday (27), to discuss restructuring Sri Lanka’s debt to its donor nations. Sri Lanka is currently experiencing a severe financial crisis and is seeking a bailout from the IMF, after the Govt failed to make payments to its development partners, including India, China and Japan, among others. more..

Oct 29 (Island) Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe, Co-Founder and CEO of Int'l Institute of Health Sciences (IIHS), SL’s pioneering healthcare training provider and role model for the education industry, received int'l acclaim recently for driving excellence and visionary leadership in education. The award, an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Health Sciences presented by Open Uni of Malaysia (OUM) pays tribute to Dr. Edirisinghe for his foresight in adding value to the healthcare and education profession. more..

Oct 29 (FT) European External Action Service Deputy Managing Director of Asia and Pacific Paola Pampaloni, says the European Union is concerned about the extensive use of the PTA Act by the SL Govt following the Easter Sunday attacks of 2019. Pampaloni said seeing the PTA being used against protestors this year was of serious concern to the EU as it contradicted the commitment and assurances made by the Govt. EEAS Deputy MD stressed that PTA must not be used against more..

Oct 29 (FT) Colombo stock market moved back to bearish mode, closing negatively though it managed to end the week marginally higher. The active S&P SL20 Index was down by 1.3% and the benchmark ASPI declined by 0.8%. For the week, ASPI gained 43.08 points (0.50%) while the S&P SL20 gained 44.57 points (1.72%). Turnover averaged Rs. 1,405 million compared to Rs. 1,620 million recorded last week. Asia Securities said the indices closed in red on Friday largely due to price losses in more..

Oct 29 (Island) Star class hotels and some institutions obtaining power from LECO have been made exempt from the Social Security Contribution Levy (SSCL), General Secretary of Electricity Consumers Union Sanjeewa Dhammika says. This has exempted a number of high value consumers from the levy, he has said. “Most people, who pay the SSCL, are those in the villages and those who are low-end consumers of electricity” he said. more..

Oct 29 (FT) Expolanka Holdings announced a resolute performance amidst a challenging operating environment for the quarter ending 30 Sept 2022. Its Group Revenue grew year on year by 7% to Rs. 161.7Bn, Gross Profit improved by 25% to Rs. 28.3 billion. Profit after tax however declined by 25% to Rs. 9 billion. This resulted in the company delivering a YTD Revenue of Rs. 396 billion (up YoY 61%) and Profit after Tax of Rs. 29.2 billion (up 59%). Expolanka said during the quarter, more..

Oct 29 (FT) China International Import and Export Fair 2022 (Canton Fair), organised as a hybrid event with the participation of companies all over the world, got underway on 15 Oct 2022. International Pavilion of the event is organised through an online platform due to the prevailing travel restrictions in China and it consists 50 different sections under 16 categories. 132nd Canton Fair has expanded the scope of exhibitors to provide a more diversified range of choices for global buyers more..

Oct 29 (Island) Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) would not contest the coming elections as a constituent of a coalition led by the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), FSP Propaganda Secretary, Duminda Nagamuwa, said. Nagamuwa said that a concerted effort had to be made to secure the release of IUSF leaders and other anti-govt activists. “Therefore, we are working with everyone to secure their release as well as against some specific issues like the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).” more..

Oct 29 (DM) A 57-year-old Sub-Inspector (SI) attached to the Thihagoda Police has been arrested and interdicted following a tense situation reported in Thihagoda, Matara this evening. Police said a tense situation was reported after a 15-year-old boy was injured when a police weapon was accidentally fired during a struggle with a group of people. The incident occurred when a group of police officers went to check a group of suspicious persons in the Midellawala area in Matara. more..

Oct 29 (TM) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to hold a discussion with Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay today (28) regarding the provision of solar panels to temples islandwide as a solution for the recent increase in electricity tariffs at religious places. Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana said that relevant proposal more..

Oct 29 (FT) The exclusive LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) provides a semblance of relief; it has climbed a heartening 13 basis points to 89 in Oct, from Sept’s 76, the business magazine LMD reports in its latest edition. “Little comfort though as we must acknowledge that two in five households are reportedly poorly nourished today,” it added. NielsenIQ Director – Consumer Insights Therica Miyanadeniya says in the magazine that: “concern over the socio-political status of more..

Oct 29 (Island) Police are investigating the assault of a drug dealer and the rape of his wife in Colombo. Police said that a drug dealer in Keragala had obtained heroin worth Rs 300,000 from a distributor from the Bloemendhal Road area in Colombo, sometime back, and failed to settle the dues. The distributor invited the Keragala dealer to a party on Thursday, and the latter came with his wife. When they arrived in Colombo, distributor gang abducted them and kept them in 2 separate rooms. more..

Oct 29 (DM) Court of Appeal today upheld the death sentence imposed against the accused who committed the murder of his fellow junior student Selvanayagam Varapragash who was an Engineering Faculty student at Peradeniya Uni in 1997. However, the main accused Balendran Prasad Sadeeskaran was never served with summons during the trial as his whereabouts were unknown. Court had issued a warrant for his arrest. more..

Oct 30 (SO) Global tourism was one of the sectors worst affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, as country after country shut their borders to all travellers, including their own citizens. SL, which was reeling from the aftermath of the Easter terror attacks of April 2019, was gaining some positive tourist arrival figures when the pandemic hit in March 2020. The subsequent closure of our borders virtually decimated the tourism industry, affecting almost one million persons who were directly or more..

Oct 30 (TM) It has been said that Sri Lankans exemplify what is called island mentality and are generally known to be a carefree, easy-going, happy-go-lucky kind of people. While that laid-back attitude is not something that should cause concern, recent events however have shown that it is that very attribute that politicians leverage for their benefit, over and over again. Last week, two events that should have raised more than a few eyebrows, in fact, took place on the same day, more..

Oct 30 (SO) The responsibility of public financial control is assigned to Parliament. Parliament has the responsibility to investigate the affairs of public institutions since public institutions operate with public money, said Prof. Ranjith Bandara, Chairman of COPE. Q: Are you happy that you have entered the political arena? A: Yes. Many of us are dissatisfied with behaviour of politicians and political culture. My thinking is not exceptional. more..

Oct 30 (CT) The ascent of Rishi Sunak as the new British PM is an individual achievement of stunning proportions. It is also a testament to the positive evolution of the British political system to the point of adopting a non-Christian person of colour and son of immigrant parents as its PM. While these two facts and the accolades they elicit are all in order, there are also other facts about British politics and the politics of Mr. Sunak himself, provoking justifiably negative criticisms more..

Oct 30 (Island) Whether or not Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe took SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam seriously when the latter publicly pronounced that his party cannot support the recently enacted 21st Amendment because of provisions there that dual citizen cannot run for elected office, we do not know. But Kariyawasam, clearly went on record making that pronouncement, or more accurately threat. He also said that the SLPP would be discussing the matter more..

Oct 30 (SO) State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage said people’s mentality has become a hindrance to promote the tourism industry in SL. State Minister said SL is a country with rich heritage, beauty and weather and the whole world has accepted we have very friendly and hospitable people. “So, why are we having this mentality? That is mainly because we always look at everything in the wrong direction with the wrong eye. more..

Oct 30 (ST) Govt has slapped what appears to be a reasonable tax on casinos operating especially in Colombo. The question is whether the move is aimed at discouraging a dodgy anti-social business or collecting revenue, or both. Either way, there is no question that casinos have been associated with money laundering where the bank (or the casino) almost never goes bust, unlike its clientele. The IMF and the European Union (EU) have long issued yellow cards flagging SL as a country more..

Oct 30 (ST) My dear Basil maama, I thought I must write to you because most people in Paradise are wondering what happened to your plans to scuttle the recent amendment to the Constitution, after it sailed through Parliament with much more than a two-thirds majority. Almost everyone is asking mokada uney? or what happened? If it is of any consolation, Basil maama, these days the focus of attention of most people is on the cricket matches, so your defeat at the hands of Uncle Ranil more..

Oct 30 (SO) The stage has been set to make Colombo another Las Vegas for boxing as the fifth edition of the Countdown to the Middle East Crown series comes to SL on Nov 26. It will be a realization of a dream for Dubai-based SL entrepreneur and boxing enthusiast Dunstan Paul Rozairo who launched this professional boxing series last year with the aim of making the Middle East the hub for the sport. After successfully organizing four events in Dubai through his event management more..

Oct 30 (TM) Sri Lanka may soon face an unemployment crisis as increasing layoffs are being reported across the island, particularly from the informal sector, in the face of the ongoing economic crisis, the local business community warns. Former President of the Chamber of Construction Industry of SL (CCI) Ranjith Gunatilleke stated that due to the current economic crisis most construction projects had come to a standstill and that only around 10-15% of projects were still active. more..

Oct 30 (ST) There are two versions of the Disneyland story that created a storm in the media and elsewhere, both in Sri Lanka and in India: State Tourism Minister Diana Gamage’s one and the Walt Disney Company’s one. Minister Gamage claimed at a media conference this week that she’s in discussions to bring the world’s best known entertainment park, Disney, to Sri Lanka–to open South Asia’s first Disneyland in Hambantota. more..

Oct 30 (SO) A cycling race called Race the Pearl, covering some 600 kilometres from north to south of Sri Lanka over a time of 24 hours is set to be flagged off on November 5 from Point Pedro in Jaffna to end at Dondra Head in Matara. Organisers say six internationally renowned racing cyclists from the USA, Britain and France will take part in the event joining 50 local riders in the event that is billed to showcase and promote Sri Lanka as a location for cycling tourism. more..