Jan 10 (Island) Former Minister Mervyn Silva has crawled out of the woodwork and is employing infantile theatrics, as is his wont, to attract media attention. He seems to have succeeded in his endeavour albeit to some extent. He was recently sighted in Kurunegala, where he ordered the demolition of a building resembling the Dalada Maligawa within two weeks. A section of the building has already been pulled down! Silva is a demolition expert, who served Mahinda Rajapaksa govt more..

Jan 10 (ST) There was at least one piece of good news at the birth of this New Year. Well, good news depends on one’s perspective. However one looks at it, that utterance from a govt spokesman contained more than a kernel of truth. Some other colonels, as a SL wag put it on New Year’s day, were not overly concerned about truth and were awaiting a kick up the ranks and hoping that bashing a few trade union or aragalaya heads to drive some sense into them as did happen not too long ago, more..

Jan 10 (TM) CB Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has stated that strong, independent institutions are the foundation of sustainable, inclusive, and steady growth in the long run, and owing to the lack of strong institutions in SL, the country has moved backwards in all forms of social indicators. While what Dr. Weerasinghe has pointed out is a fundamental truth a debt-ridden country like SL cannot ignore, this acknowledgement alone is not sufficient to change the status quo. more..

Jan 10 (Island) Water skiers ride the waves. The bigger the wave the higher they go. Those who try to duck away go under the wave. It seemed that Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe would ride that wave that calls for local govt elections, which is being generated by the opposition political parties. The elections are legally due by March this year. These elections are likely to show the low esteem that the electorate has for the ruling party. This could strengthen the hand of Prez in his dealings more..

Jan 10 (ST) A number of economic sectors are grappling with the impact of the early retirement policy under which some 27,000 public sector employees were sent on retirement as they reached 60 by the end of last year. Some departments have been able to overcome the situation, while others have urged the Govt to provide relief. Among the affected sectors is the Railway Dept. more..

Jan 10 (ST) A cargo service via sea between Jaffna and Tamil Nadu is to begin from the first week of February. The service will operate every Friday and is initially expected to ferry 300 metric tonnes (MT) of Indian products to Jaffna’s Kankesanthurai (KKS) Harbour. A discussion in this regard was held yesterday in Jaffna between a Colombo-based cargo agent and the Jaffna Chamber of Commerce. Before the talks began, the Colombo cargo agent, Customs and SL Ports Authority officials visited more..

Jan 10 (ST) The govt is contemplating to amend Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017 with the aim of dealing with offenders of foreign exchange hoarding by parking monies overseas. Some of these exporters, importers, businessmen and individuals used to stash money in overseas accounts using loopholes in the Act which has no provisions to impose punishment against such persons. The country is still deprived of US$200-$ 300 million per month averaging $2.4 -3.6 billion per year more..

Jan 10 (DM) Dr. Priyantha Wijayatunga, former Senior Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Uni of Moratuwa and founder Director General of Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), has been appointed as Senior Director, Energy, Sectors Group, Asian Development Bank (ADB). He served as Director, South Asia Energy Division of the ADB and Chief of the Energy Sector Group before his elevation to this new position, under the new organisational structure of the ADB, more..

Jan 10 (EN) SL’s businesses have started to feel tax hike pressure from this month and they see a decline in the sales volume as Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s new revenue boosting measures have dampened domestic consumption, analysts say. The upward tax revision comes as the govt is in discussion with the IMF for a $2.9 billion loan which Wickremesinghe banks to move out of the current unprecedented economic crisis. Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the finance minister, more..

Jan 10 (BBC) Long gone are the throngs of protesters who occupied an area around the president's office for months during SL's worst economic crisis since independence. Instead a slew of carollers sang to the public from across the heavily-guarded fences of the Presidential Secretariat. Next to the building rose an 80 ft (24m) Christmas tree, the signature piece in a landscape dotted with décor, food stalls, musical shows. more..

Jan 10 (DM) Positive moves are being made by both Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and the TNA to resolve the seven decades-long ethnic issue. Following Wickremesinghe’s declared resolve to secure an agreement on the broad contours of a settlement by SL’s Independence Day on Feb 4, the two sides have agreed on an agenda in which priority is given to issues on which decisions could be taken and implemented quickly. The political setting for such a move is apt. more..

Jan 10 (Island) Sustainable food security is not an easy target to achieve in a country like Sri Lanka, where primary production has been given the priority, Professor Buddhi Marambe of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya said. Speaking to The Island Financial Review Marambe stressed that concerted efforts are required to achieve this target. Food security cannot be achieved entirely from national agricultural production. more..

Jan 10 (FT) Imports appear to have regained their momentum in November marking second consecutive month-on-month gain and rising to highest since August. As per external trade data released by CB yesterday, imports in November amounted to $ 1.44 billion, up 8% from $ 1.33 billion in Oct and highest since $ 1.48 billion in August. Nov data also proves the M-o-M decline seen since August was short lived. more..

Jan 10 (DN) SL cricketers are expected to put up a challenge at the first ODI of the three match series which is scheduled to be held today at Barsapara Cricket Stadium Guwahati, India, commence from 2pm onwards (SLT). After the three T-20 match series against India SL who lost the series 1-2 was scheduled to get training yesterday evening at Guwahati Stadium while Indians also did their training session yesterday. Indians has been strengthened with the return of their more..

Jan 10 (CT) Anuradhapura District Judge Nadeeka Piyarathna issued notice on Atamasthana Adhipathi Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thera and the Atamasthana Karaka Sabhawa to appear before Court on 8 Feb, following a petition filed by a businessman in Anuradhapura that he has the right to own two luxury jeeps used by the late Atamasthanaadhipathi, Ven. Pallegama Sirinivasa Nayaka Thera. The petitioner, Pelimuhandiram Appuhamilage Chandananda, claimed that more..

Jan 10 (DN) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) wishes to state that Charith Senanayake was never appointed to function as the manager of the SL 'A' Team during the upcoming England Lions Tour of SL, nor is he working at SLC as an appointed manager of the 'A' Team on a permanent scale. SLC has also not communicated with him about such an appointment, either in writing or verbally. SLC has only appointed a team manager for the National Men’s Team on a permanent basis, while for the rest of more..

Jan 10 (Island) Kanrich Finance Ltd (KFL) will merge with Nation Lanka Finance PLC (NFL) and will increase their capital funds to over Rs. 3 billion, chairman/Director KFL Ravi Ratnayake said. “This is being done under the Master Plan for Consolidation of Non-Bank Financial Institutions, evolved by the Central bank, and we have received the approval for this merger, which is aimed at meeting the deficit of the Capital Adequacy requirements of Rs. 2.5 billion, Ratnayake said. more..

Jan 10 (TM) With Sri Lanka’s prison system holding twice its capacity, Department of Prisons has proposed to the Ministry of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms to formulate a programme to place individuals who are remanded in custody for minor offences under house arrest instead of incarceration. “Discussions are underway on placing those who are remanded for minor offences under house arrest. more..

Jan 10 (TM) The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has decided to complain to the Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana and Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding the criticism publicly levelled against the COPE and the Auditor General by Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. At a special meeting of the COPE held on 5 Jan, Nanayakkara’s challenging and severe criticism with regard to the office of the Auditor General and the powers of the COPE had been discussed. more..

Jan 10 (FT) United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in SL new Resident Representative Azusa Kubota yesterday presented her credentials to Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry. Prior to her appointment in SL, Kubota served as the Resident Representative at UNDP in Bhutan for four years, where she led the work of the Bhutan Country Office to transform UNDP into a more nimble, innovative thought leader, more effective and efficient at delivering results as a trusted partner. more..

Jan 10 (Island) Election Commission (EC) only needs five billion rupees to hold the local council election despite claims by many sections that the polls would cost the state 10 billion rupees, Chairman of Commission, Nimal G. Punchihewa, said. Punchihewa also denied claims by the govt that the EC members were divided over the conduct of the LG polls amidst the present crisis. He said that the Commission had taken steps to hold the election and the IGP had assured them that more..

Jan 10 (FT) Tamil political parties led by the TNA has decided to give Prez Wickremesinghe a seven-day ultimatum during which he will be expected to fulfil three demands made by the party. Vanni District TNA MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan said the party has decided to walk out of talks with President Wickremesinghe if these demands are not met within the time frame set out. TNA is demanding the full implementation of the 13th Amendment, the release of all lands belonging to Tamils more..

Jan 10 (TM) Prior to the Cabinet of Ministers approving the proposed electricity tariff increase last evening, the Electricity Consumers’ Association, together with Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera and other religious leaders representing multiple faiths, handed over a public petition with over 150,000 signatures in objection to it to PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake last morning. Following the handover of the public petition, more..

Jan 10 (DM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) said that they cannot accept the proposed electricity tariff hike and said the CEB is not incurring a huge loss over the past few years. While accepting the public petition signed by 6.9 million electricity consumers at his office, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayaka said that at least Rs. 35 billion goes out of the CEB indirectly and the CEB does not incur losses. The prime reason for the loss was due to the inability to accurately manage Rs. 35 billion. more..

Jan 10 (DM) Sri Lanka continues to maintain the momentum in tourist arrivals witnessed over the last few weeks, as it welcomed over 20,000 international visitors in the first seven days of the new year. The provisional data released by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority showed that for the January 01-07 period, a total of 20,875 tourists entered the country. When compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, the arrivals were up by a marginal 1.6%. more..

Jan 10 (Island) The SLPP rebel group, Nidahasa Jathika Sabhawa questioned the legality of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe twice meeting members of the Election Commission (EC) to discuss the scheduled Local Govt polls. Prof. G.L. Peiris said Prez Wickremesinghe shouldn’t have summoned them as he was a leader of a political party contesting the election. Prez met EC members late last year and on Jan 5 this year. more..

Jan 11 (Island) Your editorial of Dec 27, 2022 highlights some stark truths about the lack of efforts to educate the general public, particularly schoolchildren, on tsunamis. Authorities have to take effective action on future tsunamis hitting our shores and the major task here is to educate the general public on how to recognise a tsunami and what actions should be taken during a tsunami. The general features and the warning signs of a tsunami are a change in the tidal wave pattern where t more..

Jan 11 (CT) Etymologically, the name mullah derives from the Arabic mawla referring to a vicar, master or guardian but theologically it applies to an Islamic religious preacher or sheikh or alim or mosque leader. Mullah is not only common to both sides of the Sunni-Shia divide, but also prevalent among Mizrahi and Sephardic Jewish communities. However, that name has also earned derogatory connotation for a community of dogmatic and pedantic Muslim preachers. more..

Jan 11 (TM) There is no denying that excessive freedom and the misuse of freedom are issues that could lead to a number of other problems. However, the lack of freedom is a similar issue that could result in various adverse outcomes. This is one concern that the authorities would have to look into if they choose to proceed with the recently discussed need to restrict mobile phone use among public officials during work hours. more..

Jan 11 (DM) When re-examining the research papers of Rameez Aboobacker, a sociology professor and current Vice Chancellor of South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, serious breaches of academic integrity were discovered. Aboobacker began his academic career at South Eastern University of SL (SEUSL) as a lecturer, Senior Professor, Head of Sociology, and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Culture after graduating from the same uni with a B.A. in Sociology. more..

Jan 11 (TM) The COPE has decided to complain to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, and also to Prez Wickremesinghe, regarding the criticism levelled by Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, against the COPE and Auditor General. At a special COPE meeting held on 5 Jan, Nanayakkara’s challenging and severe criticism had been discussed. According to a press release issued in this regard, it was revealed that the AG had informed the COPE in a letter about the severe criticism more..

Jan 11 (TM) Owing to the rapidly changing trends of the complex problem of drug abuse and its complications among Lankan youth, which are, however, mostly underreported, treatment and rehabilitation may be interfered with by the punitive approach of the legal system due to the fear and reluctance to provide accurate information regarding drug abuse and the lack of co-operation with the relevant authorities more..

Jan 11 (CT) Following almost every Human-Elephant conflict (HEC) reported, elephants involved are often blamed and termed as ferocious or violent. Although the damage caused by the HEC could not be taken lightly and there has been instances where HEC has escalated into a bigger social problem, what is of concern is that HEC solutions are mainly formulated ignoring the wellbeing of elephants and is also quite ineffective. As reported in this paper on 2 Nov 2022, a Police Sergeant more..

Jan 11 (FT) I went to a certain graveside one sunny January morning to observe a chronic grief as the year shifted gears to get going into muddier ground. Not so much to mourn a loss to the world of journalism. But to be more mindful of a larger lacuna as regards justice in our bankrupt republic. And ask – together with others gathered there on their annual pilgrimage to commemorate an iconic gadfly editor – what gain or glory there is in grinding through such observances. more..

Jan 11 (DM) Two weeks ago, the world bid adieu to the year 2022. For us 2022 was particularly catastrophic. For the first time in our history, we defaulted on debt payment. So, we will definitely not be saying auf wiedersehen to 2022. As the year 2022 began, the situation appeared bleak. Inflation rates were soaring and the cost-of-living skyrocketing to unprecedented levels and the country experiencing food, medicine and fuel shortages. more..