Sept 15 (TM) With the aim of providing a novel experience to the people of Sri Lanka, the operations of Lotus Tower in Colombo are scheduled to kick off today (15). A loan agreement between the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of SL (TRCSL) and China was initiated with the commencement of work on the Lotus Tower in 2012, while the loan instalments are due to be completed by 2024. So far, $ 66.3936 million of the loan has already been repaid. more..

Sept 15 (DM) Price of 1 kg of chicken in the local market is being sold at Rs. 1,450 and the price will go up by Rs. 50 every three days, president of Poultry Traders Association said. He said the price of chicken needs to be increased as per decision taken by the 15 large-scale poultry farmers. "The required stocks of poultry meat are available with them to cater to the demand. We are also buying from them. Once every 3 days, farmers used to increase the prices of chicken by Rs 50," more..

Sep 15 (FT) As the 77th UN General Assembly convenes in New York this week, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman US Senator Bob Menendez, along with Senators Dick Durbin, Patrick Leahy, and Cory Booker, in introducing a Senate resolution, called for a comprehensive international approach to address SL’s current political and economic crisis, including challenges related to poor governance, economic policy more..

Sep 15 (Island) The Cabinet of Ministers has given the mandate to a committee to find the tricky balance between overstaffing and understaffing in the public service, and execute redeployments for optimum workforce productivity in state institutions, according to Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. “The Cabinet approved the redeployment of employees and effectively handle surplus workforce in public institutions, but didn’t discuss layoffs in whatsoever way”, he emphasised more..

Sep 15 (Island) Ministry of Justice’s US$ 20 million Court Automation System/project has come to a standstill due to alleged procedural irregularities in awarding the Justice Ministry tender to select a suitable company to design, supply, implement and maintain the system. Initially, there were plans to automate 100 court houses, including the Supreme Court, Appeal Court, Commercial High Courts, Juvenile Courts and Magistrates Courts in the country. more..

Sep 15 (TM) A fresh draft resolution on SL, which was co-sponsored by the Core Group of countries on SL at the ongoing 51st UNHRC session, noted the need for power devolution, the conduct of polls, addressing the plight of missing persons, replacing the PTA, and accountability for protest-related violence, whilst recognising the efforts of the Govt of SL (GoSL) to address the economic crisis, including the staff-level agreement with IMF. more..

Sep 15 (FT) The UN Human Rights High Commissioner’s Report gives international recognition and legitimacy to the protest movement of Sri Lanka’s youth. Meanwhile, SL’s magnificent victories at the Asia Cup cricket and Asian netball contain a key lesson. Never count Sri Lanka out. Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans are always capable of a comeback, whatever the odds. This was proved by the victory in a 30-year war and again in the Aragalaya this year which threw out a powerful President. more..

Sep 15 (FT) While the focus of the whole country is on the future of its struggling economy, and how President Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW) is going to transform that economy into a competitive and innovative export-oriented industrial and technological power house to push Sri Lanka to First World status by 2048, there is one issue that seems to have strangely disappeared from making headlines since he became the president. This was an issue that annoyingly kept the pressure on and more..

Sep 15 (SLN) A workshop on Coral Species Identification and Reef Restoration intending to broaden the scope of Navy divers, was successfully held at the Command Diving & Salvage Unit (East) in Naval Dockyard Trincomalee and Sandy Bay on 13th and 14th Sept. The workshop which covered practical and theoretical aspects was conducted by prominent marine biologists and coral restoration experts. The event was organized by the Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC with the contribution of more..

Sep 15 (AD) Police have arrested another Buddhist monk who had resided at the Sri Nandarama Temple in Weththawa, Raddolluwa on suspicion of the murder of the Ven. Nedagamuwe Mahanama Thero, the Chief Incumbent of the temple. The suspected Buddhist monk, who is 18 years of age, was arrested early this morning at the BIA while attempting to board a flight to Dubai. Police had discovered the body of Ven. Nedagamuwe Mahanama Thero (55), who had died under suspicious circumstances inside the temple, more..

Sep 15 (EN) SL’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted 8.4% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2022, the state statistics office said, as the country is caught in its worst currency crisis in the history of intermediate regime central bank. Agriculture contracted 8.4%, industry 10% and services 2.2%. In rupee terms, the economy inflated 33%. Power cuts, fuel shortages, lack of imported raw materials, fertilizer and disruptions in passenger transport hit the economy, more..

Sep 15 (AD) Election Commission says that it is expected to hold an election before March 20, 2023. Chairman of the Election Commission Nimal G. Punchihewa stated that according to the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance the commission will have the authority regarding the election polling after Sept 30. “Thus, the commission can hold an election before March 20.” He said that the local govt elections have been postponed by a year, however, one of the requests of the Selection Committee on Elections more..

Sep 15 (EN) SL has declared Monday (19), already declared a holiday for the state sector, a holiday for govt schools and govt-approved private schools. A statement from the ministry of education said next Monday is declared a holiday because it’s a special govet holiday. The ministry of public administration and home affairs had previously declared Sept 19 a national day of mourning and a holiday to mark the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral to be held that day at Westminster Abbey. more..

Sep 15 (DM) The Supreme Court today issued an interim order suspending Colombo High Court trial proceedings against MP Champika Ranawaka in connection with Rajagiriya motor accident case. This interim order will be effective until March 16 next year. Meanwhile, Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, A.H.M.D. Nawaz and Achala Wengappuli granted leave to proceed with the appeal petition filed by Champika Ranawaka. more..

Sep 15 (AD) The Colombo High Court today ordered for the case filed against three defendants including notorious drug trafficker Gampola Vidanage Samantha Kumara alias Wele Suda, to be called on December 05. The relevant case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Adithya Patabendige today. The accused Wele Suda was produced before the court amidst heavy security and his wife, who has also been named as a defendant in the case, had also appeared before the court, more..

Sep 15 (EN) SL’s Lotus Tower, which was opened for pubic viewing on Thursday, has limited visitors’ time of sightseeing the Colombo City to 20 minutes at the top observation deck in order to control the crowed, an official at the Tower said. EconomyNext witnessed Chinese built tower staff inside the observation deck dispersing the crowd after 20 minutes following verbal queries from individual visitors on their arrival time. Officials said a 500 rupee ticket will permit one-time viewing at the observation desk more..

Sep 15 (DM) The wild elephant population in the country has exceeded 7,000, Wildlife Department said. The details were revealed following discussions held at the ministry and said, so far the number of wild elephants in the country is said to be around 5,600. "A decrease in the number of tusked elephants in SL was also reported. Wildlife Department also stated that the number of tuskers in SL's forests is currently 142," Minister said. However, recent media reports said that about 350 wild elephants more..

Sep 15 (DN) SL all rounder Chamika Karunaratne got second highest offer from the South Africa League cricket. Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, James Neesham and Chamika Karunaratne among those who have listed themselves at the second-highest base price at the forthcoming South Africa cricket League 2023. They have listed themselves at the second-highest base price of Rand 1,700,000 ($98,000 approx). (Over 35 million rupees). The auction long list has 533 players, out of which 248 are from South Africa. more..

Sep 15 (AD) Mahela Jayawardena will join the SL cricket team as a Consultant Coach, for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia scheduled to commence on Oct 16, according to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). SLC CEO Ashley de Silva said that the SL national team will leave the island for Australia on Oct 2 and that former skipper Mahela Jayawardena will join the team in Australia by Oct 6. He will remain with the SL team for the duration of the tournament, he said. more..

Sep 15 (Asahi) The Nagoya District Court called on the government to submit part of the video showing the final days of a Sri Lankan woman who died while in detention. It said it needs to examine the footage as key evidence “I was really glad when the (presiding) judge told the govt to submit five hours’ worth of the footage,” Wishma Sandamali’s sister Poornima, 28, said at a Sept. 14 news conference after the third court hearing in a damages suit over Wishma’s death. more..

Sep 15 (TM) Milco (Pvt) Ltd. has launched an investigation concerning a group of employees of the Ambewela Milco Factory who are alleged to have sold, to private filling stations, more than 45,000 litres of fuel purchased for the factory. Milco Chairman Renuka Perera said that he had received information about a group of employees of the Ambewela Milco Factory who have been selling fuel purchased for the factory to filling stations for some time, probably since 2021. more..

Sep 15 (TM) Lengthy power cuts will be experienced in the near future due to the lack of funds to procure coal for the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai, CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) claimed. CEBEU Representative Isuru Kasthurirathne revealed that tenders were called for and that a private coal company was selected from the bidding process, but that the payment to obtain the consignment has not been made. “The company selected from the bid was the Black Sand Commodities more..

Sep 15 (CT) Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, referring to the recent statement made by Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera on increased electricity tariffs, said all religious institutions including Buddhist temples should use solar panels, in light of the current economic situation. Wijesekara was responding to Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera’s statement that the latter refused to pay an increased electricity bill for the temple. Minister said he was willing to assist Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera, more..

Sep 15 (EN) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has chosen to travel Japan as his first foreign visit since becoming the president before visiting Manila to take part in the South Asia Finance Ministers’ Retreat hosted by the Asian Development Bank focusing the island nation’s debt restructuring and economic crisis, sources said. Wickremesinghe during the visit will formally ask Japan to invite SL’s main bilateral creditors, including China and India, to discuss on external debt restructuring more..

Sep 15 (FT) Browns Investments PLC (BIL) on Tuesday expressed hope of negotiating the supply of coal to the Govt in a multi-billion dollar deal. In a late night filing to the Colombo Stock Exchange, BIL said together with China Machinery and Engineering Cooperation (CMEC), a company registered in China as consortium partner, submitted an unsolicited proposal on 12 August in line with the decision of the Cabinet to call for solicited, unsolicited and Govt to Govt proposals more..

Sep 15 (TM) The committee appointed by Prez’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake to assist and efficiently proceed with the process of repatriating war-affected SL refugees who are in Tamil Nadu, India has commenced functions by gathering information regarding Sri Lankans who fled the country during the war as refugees and their whereabouts. Ministry of Justice Secretary Wasantha Perera, who is also heading this committee, informed that they have begun to collect information to determine who among t more..

Sep 15 (Island) Some Forest Conservation Department officials are more interested in building roads and structures inside protected areas than protecting forests, Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reforms (MONLAR) says. “These officials are not interested in preventing illegal activities inside protected areas or raising the awareness of those who live near these areas, especially around Sinharaja Forest”, he said. more..

Sep 15 (FT) A crisis of good governance at the Co-Operative Insurance PLC Board of Directors has led to an ugly litigation process. The company, owned by numerous multi-purpose co-operative societies, banks and thrift societies, had informed the Colombo Stock Exchange of an incident on 31 Aug some directors allegedly holding an impute board meeting. At this meeting they have made and entered into some decisions with regard to the envisaged change of directors, present chairman and change of company secretary more..

Sep 15 (DM) GMOA said it has come to a situation to postpone their routine surgeries to preserve those medical equipment for surgeries may have to be performed during emergency situations in the future. GMOA Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said the remaining medical equipment and medicines have to be prioritized for life-saving surgeries such as heart surgery. The shortages in anaesthesia drugs, related medical equipment, antibiotic shortages and medicines used to treat complex situations have caused more..

Sep 15 (Reuters) India does not plan to provide SL with fresh financial support in addition to the nearly $ 4 billion it extended this year, told Reuters two sources as the island’s aggrieved economy begins to stabilize after a preliminary loan deal with the IMF. India was the largest aid provider this year to its southern neighbor, which has been battling its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades and struggling to pay for imports, more..

Sep 15 (TM) SLFP Executive Committee member Montague Sarachchandra has requested the Election Commission (EC) to suspend the implementation of the recent amendments made to the SLFP’s constitution until the verdict of the case filed in the Colombo District Court challenging the Chairmanship of former Prez and incumbent MP Maithripala Sirisena is delivered. In a letter addressed to Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa, Sarachchandra claimed that since the appointment of Sirisena as more..

Sep 15 (TM) SLFP Executive Committee member Montague Sarachchandra has requested the Election Commission (EC) to suspend the implementation of the recent amendments made to the SLFP’s constitution until the verdict of the case filed in the Colombo District Court challenging the Chairmanship of former Prez and incumbent MP Maithripala Sirisena is delivered. In a letter addressed to Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa, Sarachchandra claimed that since the appointment of Sirisena as more..

Sep 16 (GV) SL has long been known for its positive human development indicators in the health sector including low infant mortality, low maternal mortality and good nutritional status of children. However, the past two years has seen a steady decline in the health and wellbeing of the majority of people as food prices rocket and there are shortages of essential food supplies. Children are particularly hard hit. With the closure of schools for long periods children had no access to school feeding more..

Sep 16 (CT) Thirty seven (38) Ministers of State have just been appointed. They included, among others, the latest to be sworn in as State Minister of Ports and Aviation, the convicted killer in Ratnapura district- Premalal Jayasekara. Amongst the Cabinet of Ministers are included the usual suspects, ranging from Nimal Siripala de Silva to Prsanna Ranatunga, the alleged bribe takers. They would enjoy the same perks as they used to during the corrupt Rajapaksa-regimes. more..

Sep 16 (DM) Parliamentarians—so-called supreme legislators—wear white, the colour of peace and purity. But how many of them actually behave as such? In Nov 2018, Sri Lankans and the whole world witnessed one of the worst and most disgraceful breakdowns of discipline by lawmakers. A special committee was appointed to look into the unruly incidents – the first step any SL govt authority takes in order to investigate any wrongdoing. more..

Sep 16 (DM) SL is a country which doesn’t support agitations and protests by the public. Thus the lawmakers of the country don’t lay out a level playing field when ruling the country; in terms of the relationship they have with the ordinary public. Just days ago a lawyer who tooted his horn in protest against the present regime fighting a case filed against him for doing so saw charges made against him being dismissed by the additional magistrate. The additional magistrate advised the police more..