Jan 2 (TM) There is a profusion of questions surrounding the death of Janashakthi Insurance Director Dinesh Schaffter, which is perhaps the most controversial high-profile case reported during the past few months, where several parties are conducting investigations into the incident. Schaffter's death has attracted public attention, and the media plays a key role in it. However, recently, the Police criticised media reports that suggested that Schaffter’s death was a suicide and more..

Jan 2 (CT) Addressing an event to mark International Migrants Day on 18 Dec, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said last few months of 2022 marked the highest number of Sri Lankans leaving for foreign jobs in its post-independent history. MP Nanayakkara noted that 300,000 Sri Lankans have left the island for foreign employment in 2022, and it had been a difficult year socially and economically for Sri Lankans, more..

Jan 2 (CT) Dawn of a New Year usually means festivity, positivity, and prosperity. It is a time to look back at the year that was, learn from the mistakes and shortcomings and then to move on to the next year to do better. It sounds a bit cliché and personal but even on a larger scale, be it social, economic, and political, the way we move into a new year as a society or a country is more or less the same; we all yearn for prosperity in all aspects of our lives. However, the ground reality of the world is more..

Jan 2 (DM) Our voters have constantly exhibited their ability to change Govts. Unfortunately, in the selection of individual candidates, they, and the Political party leaders have failed miserably. They select and elect popular film stars, teledrama actresses, gold-snatchers, criminals idling in remand prisons pending court cases, those found guilty but serving suspended sentences, clowns, corrupt, inefficient candidates, and comedians over the honest youth, and experienced politicians. more..

Jan 2 (Island) Underworld kingpin, Mohamed Najim alias Kanjipani Imran, who secured bail the other day, has fled to India, according to Indian media reports. His escape has come as no surprise. Nobody expected him to stay here and stand trial. Ironically, the news of his escape has come while a much-advertised anti-narcotic operation to save schoolchildren is going on! SL police and their UAE counterparts worked tirelessly for months on end to arrest Kanjipani Imran and another notorious more..

Jan 2 (ST) People power is set to rise when the people’s planet Saturn enters its own most powerful sign, dawning the beneficial Age of Aquarius for Lankans this month, a top astrologer predicted this week. After a 30-year transit through all the 12 signs of the zodiac, Saturn moves away from its dual abode Capricorn to finally make it home on January 17 to its own most beneficial and powerful sign of Aquarius for the next two and a half years. The transition to the sign of Aquarius which more..

Jan 2 (ST) SLC has nominated the current cricket selectors for another term but chances of the Pramodya Wickremasinghe led three-member team being approved by National Sports Selection Committee (NSSC) headed by Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva are remote. Currently, SLC has three sets of selectors: three members each for national and junior selections and two for women’s cricket. more..

Jan 2 (FT) Rs. 500 million Rights Issue of Jetwing Symphony had drawn extra demand reinforcing shareholder and new investor confidence both in the company and future prospects for tourism. Company opted to raise Rs. 500 million through an issuance of Rights on the basis of one new share for every 5.02 shares held at Rs. 5 each. It involved issuance of 100 million shares worth Rs. 500 million. Apart from a few existing shareholders, all subscribed and the issue which concluded last week saw more..

Jan 2 (FT) Lankem Development PLC is to list its subsidiary is Agarapatana Plantations Ltd. (APL) via an Initial Public Offering. Lankem Developments holds 67% stake in APL or 281.3 million shares worth of which at cost is Rs. 2.1 billion as at 31 March 2022. It said APL is convening an EGM on 25 January to obtain shareholder approval to list its voting shares by way of an IPO. The move is subject to approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission & Colombo Stock Exchange. more..

Jan 2 (ST) St. Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa and Ave Maria Convent, Negombo emerged champions in Boys’ and Girls’ segments respectively at the Ritzbury Sir John Tarbat Junior Schools Athletic Championship 2022, concluded at Diyagama. Boys’ champions, St. Joseph Vaz, Wennappuwa accumulated 64 points to dominate the rest, as Maris Stella College, Negombo finished at second position with 50 points. In the Girls’ category eventual champions Ave Maria more..

Jan 2 (Island) After a prolonged rebuilding process, you had some assurance that the national cricket team had turned a huge corner when they stunned every team in the Asia Cup. Not only did Dasun Shanaka’s side beat the world’s number one and two ranked sides – India and Pakistan – in UAE last September, but the performances of several young players stood out. However, after the Asia Cup win, it was all back to square one in the World Cup in Australia where a series of injuries and more..

Jan 2 (FT) Whilst wishing people a happy and healthy New Year, SJB MP Dr. Harsha De Silva warned Sri Lankans cannot have too much hope for 2023 in the face of increased costs and falling incomes. De Silva who is also the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance stressed that SL’s predicament is a manufactured crisis exacerbated by Rajapaksa Govt, and questioned if persons responsible for more..

Jan 2 (FT) MP Vijitha Herath of the NPP, led by the leftist JVP, said the party is ready to face the main challenge, which is a General Election. “But before that, we ask the Govt to hold the Local Govt Elections. Election Commission is refusing to give an accurate date. They keep saying it will be held not today but tomorrow. They keep delaying it. The Govt too keeps attempting to delay it as further as possible,” he said. According to Herath, despite the Govt possessing military and financial power, more..

Jan 2 (FT) Pioneering business magazine LMD has announced that its Sri Lankan of The Year for 2022 is the Bar Association of SL (BASL) President Saliya Pieris. LMD said: “In the annals of our land’s history, the struggle of the citizens will mark 2022; and the actions of those who stood fast and stood up will be judged not by the emotional proximity of today but the more objective hindsight of history.” “For daring leadership and dynamism in this most difficult of years, Prez’s Counsel Saliya Pieris stood out. more..

Jan 2 (AD) At least 11 scheduled trains were cancelled this morning owing to issues arising over SL Railway employee retirements. However, the issue is expected to be resolved today, says the Ministry of Transport. Meanwhile RSMU had warned that more than 60 train journeys may have to be cancelled, as a result of the vacancies created by the retirement of nearly 500 individuals from the entire railway staff, since Dec 31. more..

Jan 2 (DN) SLC has offered a one-year extension to Mahela Jayawardena as consultant coach of SL men’s senior team, as well as the men’s U-19 and the SL ‘A’ teams. His main duty is to focus on National team ODI World Cup and next year Under 19 World Cup. Jayawardena was roped in last year to be in charge of the overall cricketing element of the national teams and also provided strategic support for players and the management teams at SLC’s High Performance Centre. more..

Jan 2 (FT) Clive Fonseka has been appointed as the Acting CEO/General Manager of People’s Bank with effect from 1 January. Fonseka is a veteran banker with over 30 years of experience in local and global banks specialising in Treasury operations. Prior to joining People’s Bank, he has served at Standard Chartered Bank and American Express Bank. Fonseka has also been appointed by Central Bank of SL on multiple occasions to serve as a member of several key committees to develop more..

Jan 2 (FT) The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Warsaw, Poland, concluded the last quarter of 2022 by actively participating in several public diplomacy events, which helped further consolidate export opportunities for diverse SL products. Engagement in these events also served to project Sri Lanka as an attractive cultural and tourism destination and enhance people-to-people contacts. In the first week of December, Sri Lanka Embassy stall at the 15th International Charity Bazaar 2022 in Warsaw, more..

Jan 2 (TM) SLFP is currently holding discussions with other centre-left parties in the Opposition on the possibility of forming an alliance under the UPFA or forming a new alliance altogether to contest the upcoming Local Govt election. SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday that his party is currently negotiating with independent MPs, including Dullas Alahapperuma, on the possibilities of forming alliances. “We have already started negotiations with all the other parties, more..

Jan 2 (ST) Govt is set to overrule the power sector regulator’s objections and push through with an average 65% tariff increase after the Attorney General said the law gave full authority to the Power and Energy Minister to formulate general policy guidelines for the industry. Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam has also said the Public Utility Commission of SL (PUCSL) Act empowers the Cabinet, in consultation with the Minister more..

Jan 2 (EN) SL is considering hiking competitive tariffs offered to renewable power producers as they cannot complete projects at the previously competitively tendered rate after a currency crisis, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has said. SL’s rupee collapsed from 200 to 370 to the US dollar in 2022 after two year of money printing to suppress interest rates and a failed float botched with a forced dollar sale requirement to the central bank. Meanwhile interest rates have also rocketed as more..

Jan 2 (FT) SJB MP Imtiaz Bakeer Markar called on Sri Lankans not to lose hope despite the bleak outlook, but called on the public not to be misled by extremist and violent elements that have caused the downfall of this country. He said Sri Lankans must consider what factors contributed towards its downfall, having once been a growing middle-income country, and opined the recent slide began from 2005. He said Sri Lankans fell victim to parties and individuals who cannot provide solutions more..

Jan 2 (DN) Beating India in India is always a huge challenge. However, we beat them in the Asia Cup, hence we’ll be banking on that. We have given a good fight to them in the past and expected to put up a good challenge during the India series said SL skipper Dasun Shanaka before their departure to India on Saturday. I think the selectors have picked strong sides for T-20 and ODI and their support is vital for the success of the team. Actually I have always been getting good support from them. more..

Jan 2 (AD) All Ceylon Egg Producers’ Association alleges that certain ministers also support a mafia of selling eggs at higher prices in the market. Secretary of the Association H.M.B.R. Alahakoon stated that there is a racket of buying the eggs stored in cold rooms at a lower price and reselling them at higher rates. Mr. Alahakoon, who further accused that some politicians also assist in these rackets, also charged that the intermediate egg trading associations are responsible for this issue. more..

Jan 2 (Island) Notorious underworld gangster, Najim Mohamed Imran alias Kanjipani Imran, had sneaked into Rameswaram, days after his release, on bail, by a Court in SL, police sources said. The Hindu report filed, from Chennai, said that TN intelligence had sounded an alert to senior police officers, across the State, to mount vigil along the coastal districts and look for him, and his associate, who landed along more..

Jan 2 (AD) The revised personal income tax rates will be charged from taxpayers with effect from today (1), in a bid to increase govt income. According to the tax policy, those who earn a monthly income of Rs. 150,000 and above will be taxed, however, those who earn less than Rs. 100,000 a month will not be taxed. A tax of Rs. 3,500 per month will be imposed on individuals with a monthly income of Rs. 150,000. Those who earn Rs.200,000 will be charged a monthly income tax of Rs.10,000 more..

Jan 2 (EN) Police chief has warned detectives about leaking information relating to the investigation into the mysterious death of business executive Dinesh Schaffter after a spate of reports suggesting suicide as the possible cause. A top police source said Inspector-general Chandana Wickramaratne called all officers involved in the investigation last week and warned them about inspired leaks which appeared to suggest a breakthrough in the case when in fact nothing had been ruled out. more..

Jan 2 (FT) Regulatory body PUCSL yesterday claimed that the proposed electricity tariff hike is unaffordable hence will not be approved and urged the public not to panic unnecessarily and the Govt to look for alternatives. “There will be no electricity tariff hike this month, as speculated by everyone. The tariff hike announced on 10 Aug last year is sufficient and the CEB is already making an operational profit. more..

Jan 3 (DM) Despite Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe and Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe having attempted to paint a rosy picture of the current economic situation of the country, the situation does not seem to be so rosy, going by various other moves by the govt. President in his New Year message said “I understand the great burdens that are placed on all of us and the setbacks that a majority of us suffered due to the country’s abject economic collapse. more..

Jan 3 (DM) It took a few days of unprecedented mass protests, the largest since the Tiananmen demonstrations in 1989, for the Chinese authorities to ditch the rigid zero covid policies that were, needlessly, in force for nearly three years. However, the abrupt opening of China, and worst still, the lack of reliable official 9data on the fresh covid wave, which is now ravaging the mainland, has sent shivers across the world, forcing the countries to bring back covid restrictions. more..

Jan 3 (DM) Dailymirror had a candid interaction with former Prez Maithripala Sirisena on his presidency, up and downs of his political career and the current political and socio-economic mess in the country. Q: Coming from a rural background and a humble beginning, you conquered the entire political spectrum of this country in a relatively short period of time and became Exec Prez in 2015 after becoming an MP in 1989. more..

Jan 3 (CT) Almost exactly one year ago, I made some suggestions that the authorities may wish to consider as means for increasing State revenue. Nothing noticeable came of it! It maybe that devoid of intricate economic jargon, it would have been dismissed as the meanderings of a simplistic yokel! If I may be excused for a slight diversion. I was seated next to a highly venerated medical teacher, whose hearing was less than perfect, at a technical lecture. more..

Jan 3 (ST) It is customary at this time of the year for families, relatives, friends and others to wish each other a happy, prosperous, productive, and, perhaps most importantly, peaceful new year given the turbulent and troubled times we live in. One must have a special word for people around the world who continue to struggle under political dictatorships and corrupt govts that have reduced their own people to misery and servitude. Equally or more so, one must surely have a special concern more..

Jan 3 (DM) GSMB receives 7% as royalty in mineral exploration. This royalty should be paid to the Dept of Treasury. But a spokesperson of the GSMB confirmed that the seven percent royalty is not transmitted to the Treasury. He also said that the amount received as the royalty is used to pay salaries and bonuses and, in some cases, to throw parties. In that manner, a large amount of money due to the Govt is misused. more..

Jan 3 (TM) Although 2022 is fated to be remembered as a year of crises, it was merely the year of the breakout of unexpected socioeconomic issues. As many critics have pointed out, SL should brace itself for many impacts of the solutions to the economic crisis, many of which are to be implemented this year, as such could be more difficult to manage than the crisis’ direct impacts. The Govt remains hopeful that these solutions, or various reforms, would alleviate the burden more..

Jan 3 (CT) History keeps repeating itself. The public is once again inconvenienced as a result of the country’s shortsighted administration and their shortsighted decisions. 31 Dec and 1 Jan are two of the busiest days of the year, yet, nearly 100 train journeys were forced to be cancelled due to a staff shortage that worsened in the SL Railways because about 500 railway employees had to retire. This includes not only passenger trains but also freight trains on the main line, Puttalam line, more..