Jan 9 (ST) Of the 225 MPs, 208 have declared their educational and professional qualifications to the Parliament Secretariat following a directive issued by Right to Information Commission (RTIC) which recognised that the people have the right to know such details of their elected representatives. In response to an appeal filed by the Sunday Times in July 2021, after parliamentary officials refused to divulge information initially, more..

Jan 9 (AD) A special discussion has been held at former Prez Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s official residence in Torrington this evening (8). Future political activities were reportedly taken up for discussion during the meeting. National Organizer of the SLFP Duminda Dissanayake, Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, MPs Jagath Pushpakumara and Lasantha Alagiyawanna were also present at the meeting, the political sources said. more..

Jan 9 (EN) Canada said it is providing US$ 3 million to help vulnerable persons as Sri Lanka grapples with the worst currency crisis in the history of its central bank. ”In response to the humanitarian appeals launched by United Nations (UN) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Canada is providing $3 million (LKR817 million) to help address the needs of the most vulnerable communities in SL,” a statement from Canada’s embassy said. more..

Jan 9 (TM) Unit 1 of the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai, which was reconnected to the national electricity grid last Saturday night after remaining inoperative for nearly three weeks, was shut down again soon after owing to a steam leak in a small pipe, CEB said, adding that repairs are scheduled to commence once the pipe cools down. Steam leaks were a common occurrence, while emphasising that more..

Jan 9 (FT) With utter predictability, a Chinese COVID case-demic, as predictable as rain in a monsoonal summer, has been among us. This after Omicron showed its mild lethality along with its immunity to silly virtue signalling measures like masks and the irrelevance of vaccines. Lest the hoopla derange us, let’s get anchored anew. 2019-2020 was a period of untelevised, unprecedented, financial collapse that was looming over the quaintly called global financial system. more..

Jan 9 (FT) According to Ranil Wickremesinghe and his supporters, stability has transpired in Sri Lanka since his Govt was formed. This article attempts to interrogate this stability from an economic policy viewpoint, looking at the 2023 Budget as the centrepiece of the Govt’s economic policy agenda and reception to it by the country’s economic establishment. This unearths numerous contradictions in the construction of stability which show that the stability that has been created more..

Jan 9 (FT) Veteran public servant Eric J. de Silva has taken time to pen some of his experiences in the service in a brief publication titled A Peep Into the Past: Stories from the Life of a Public Servant released recently. It is not an autobiography but some selected incidents during his career which culminated in being the Education Secretary before leaving for a position at UNESCO. He has experience in both SL and abroad as a developmental bureaucrat handling human more..

Jan 9 (NR) Spokesman of the Archdiocese of Colombo Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini has raised suspicions over the appointment of Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena being appointed as the Senior DIG in-charge of Administration. Rev. Fr. Gamini questioned if various benefits and appointments are being granted to Senior DIG Jayawardena in order to conceal the truth behind the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and the failure to prevent the attacks. Following the retirement of Senior DIG more..

Jan 9 (Hindu) SL’s recovery from last year’s devastating economic crisis will need its creditors to share the burden” of debt restructuring, leading global economists have said, calling all lenders to cancel the debt of the cash-strapped island nation. In a statement, eminent economists and scholars world over observed that amid SL’s crucial debt negotiations, “all lenders — bilateral, multilateral, and private — must share more..

Jan 9 (EN) SL’s local govt (LG) polls may derail Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s economic reforms aimed at moving out of an unprecedented economic crisis and delay a crucial IMF loan, analysts say. Wickeremesighe, who was elected as the president by the 225-member parliament in July last year, has proposed some tough and politically unpopulour reforms including higher personal and corporate taxes, downsizing the public sector to reduce wages and pension bills, and more..

Jan 9 (DM) Fundamental Rights petition filed by former JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti seeking an order to recover a sum of Rs.15.9 billion from persons responsible for the alleged sugar fraud that took place when importing sugar in 2020 was today fixed for support by SC. The Supreme Court fixed the petition to be taken up for support on May 6. The counsel appeared on behalf of the respondents sought further date to support the petition. The petitioner is seeking an order directing more..

Jan 9 (Island) SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman asked Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa govt whether it intended to appoint Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, one of those who had been accused of failing to thwart the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, as the next IGP. MP Rahuman said that Jayawardena’s appointment as the IGP seemed certain as the latter had been appointed SDIG, Administration, the number two slot in the police hierarchy. more..

Jan 9 (DM) Based on the recommendations of the Public Service Commission and by the start of the first term of the school's academic year in 2023, Education Ministry is planning to make permanent appointments to the teachers who have obtained the teaching diploma. The examination department has decided to conduct an examination to fill the vacancies of graduate teachers on the recommendation of Public Service Commission. However, the appointments will be made after more..

Jan 9 (AD) Police says that further investigations regarding the SSP of Monaragala Sisira Kumara, who was arrested by the STF, have been handed over to the CID. SSP Nihal Thalduwa revealed that nearly 650 cannabis plants, which had been prepared for drying, were discovered inside the SSP’s official residence. Police Constable who was serving as the driver of SSP Sisira Kumara, a Police Sergeant who was on duty at his residence, another resident of the Monaragala area and more..

Jan 9 (AD) Three intervention petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the dismissal of a writ petition filed by Army Colonel (Retired), W.M.R. Wijesundara who has sought a court order to be issued to the Elections Commission, suspending the conducting of the local govt elections. The 3 petitions have been filed by a member of the executive committee of NPP, Sunil Watagala, National Organiser of SYU, Eranga Gunasekara and Senior Lecturer of Law Faculty of Colombo more..

Jan 9 (DM) Watareka Gamage Athula Sanjeewa Madanayake alias Undial Athula, one of the two men who had appeared in the “white van” media conference led by former Minister Rajitha Senaratne, had been arrested over the murder in Pethiyagoda, Kelaniya. A 42-year-old man has been killed following a brawl between two groups of people in Pethiyagoda on Saturday night. Five more people were admitted to Colombo National Hospital and Ragama Hospital following the incident. more..

Jan 9 (FP) In July 1983, Sri Lanka’s capital of Colombo erupted in anti-Tamil pogroms effectively sanctioned by the state. The violence followed the deaths of 13 Sinhalese SL Army soldiers at the hands of Tamil militants in the city of Jaffna. The night after the ambush, mobs from the country’s Sinhalese majority targeted and attacked Tamils—members of the country’s largest ethnic minority group—in Colombo. more..

Jan 9 (EN) Shares fell for the third straight session on Monday as investors await assurance on IMF fund. “Selling interest is bringing the index down as Investors are not happy to invest until they see some solid assurance on IMF loan and the island’s debt restructure,” an analyst said. During the early hours of trade, dealers said the market slipped following Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe comment that the IMF deal would take first half to stabilize instead of the anticipated first quarter. more..

Jan 9 (TM) With the Excise Dept having received an annual revenue of Rs. 170 billion in 2022, the highest since its inception 110 years ago, it remains optimistic about reaching its annual revenue target of Rs. 217 billion, highest target in its history, given the new tax base that has been introduced. Excise Dept Commissioner Kapila Kumarasinghe said, “We are quite optimistic about reaching this target, though this is the highest that it’s ever been pertaining to the newly introduced tax bases. more..

Jan 9 (AD) State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says that a circular will be issued by the Finance Ministry, prohibiting state and semi-govt institutions from paying the PAYE tax of employees through the respective institutions’ funds. Minister revealed that the relevant circular will be issued within this week. PAYE tax has been imposed as a tax to be paid to the govt by individuals who earn an income beyond a certain limit, while more..

Jan 9 (CT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that previously he was ridiculed and named Pad man, now he is known as Bus man. Premadasa also revealed the reason as to why he spoke in difficult English as claimed by some. “I have won the confidence of foreign donors because I have genuine intentions. Some say that they cannot understand my English. I use certain words to convince foreign donors as to why their assistance was needed for Sri Lanka at this hour. more..

Jan 9 (DM) Considering the delay in egg production for eleven months, if mother hens are imported, the Agriculture Ministry has decided to import 200,000 hatching eggs. They said due to the shortage of animal feed, monthly egg production in Sri Lanka had decreased to 30 million. The annual import of mother hens has decreased from 80,000 to 40,000. Therefore, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera had instructed the Livestock Division to take action to import hatching eggs. more..

Jan 9 (TM) YouTube political commentator Sepala Amarasinghe, who was arrested recently by the CID, is not an activist nor a person in the organisational machinery of the JVP or NPP, JVP and NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said. “Sepala Amarasinghe is neither an activist of the JVP or NPP, nor is he involved in the organisational machinery of the party. Moreover, if you observe his past statements, he has clearly represented the Gotabaya-Mahinda Rajapaksa camp during more..

Jan 9 (Island) National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), led by former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, has urged the govt to immediately address the emerging environmental crisis in SL. Chairman of the NMSJ Karu Jayasuriya has said that a recent report by an independent collective of civil societies showed that SL’s forest density decreased to 16 percent last year. The govt should understand that SL is facing a very serious environmental crisis, in addition to the massive economic & political more..

Jan 9 (PMD) Conservator General of Forests Mr. K.M.A Bandara said that the media reports implying that Sri Lanka’s forest cover has decreased to 16% are false. He said this in response to a query made regarding the media report on the instructions of Prez’s Secretary Mr. Saman Ekanayake. Prez Secretariat had focussed its attention regarding these reports published in the media. more..

Jan 9 (AD) CID has arrested 5 individuals including an Inspector of Police (IP) of Meegahathenna Police and two foreign nationals, in relation to an incident of siphoning money from several ATMs of state banks in the Southern Province. Two arrested foreign nationals have been identified as Bulgarian nationals, while one of them also has Canadian citizenship, SSP Nihal Thalduwa said. Police mentioned that the two suspected foreigners were arrested by Computer Crime more..

Jan 9 (EN) SL has detained 1,507 persons while attempting to flee the country almost 11 times the previous year, as SL grapples with the worst currency crisis in the history of its central bank. SL’s currency collapsed from 200 to 360 to the US dollar in 2022 after two years of money printing pushing people in marginal income brackets into poverty and making others lose hope. SL says it had apprehended 1,507 individuals on 57 occasions in coastal areas around the island in 2022, more..

Jan 9 (NR) Cabinet has approved a proposal to implement a cost-reflective electricity tariff formula to increase tariffs. Approval was granted during today’s Cabinet meeting. However, future measures are expected to be determined after the proposal is tabled before PUCSL. Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake last week stated that in the event Cabinet approval is granted to the proposed electricity tariff hike, more..

Jan 9 (TM) Although there is a possibility of bus fares being reduced based on the recent reduction in the price of diesel, Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) stated that this will only happen if the National Transport Commission (NTC) agrees to a few conditions such as solving the problems related to obtaining fuel and reviewing the bus fares according to the existing conditions. LPBOA Prez Gemunu Wijeratne said: “Bus fares can be reduced by a small amount in accordance more..

Jan 9 (DM) Wildlife officials have been advised by their director general to arrest people who feed wild elephants and those cause harm to them, after increasing incidents have been reported. Director General of Wildlife Dept, Chandana Suriyabandara said that incidents were reported not only on the Buttala-Kataragama road, but also in other places like Udawalawa, Habarana, etc. The attention of the ministry in this regard had been focused on the news published in the media as well as more..

Jan 10 (CT) Sepal Amarasinghe, a popular YouTuber known for being a freethinker and non-believer instantly recognisable from his voluminous long white beard was in hot waters recently. He was arrested by the CID over alleged slanderous statements made regarding the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), which insulted the belief of millions of Buddhists particularly in SL. Even the Malwatta and Asgiriya Mahanayakes wrote to Prez Wickremesinghe, raising concerns more..

Jan 10 (DM) Notorious underworld kingpin Najim Mohommad Imran alias Kanjipani Imran reportedly fled for India days after he was released on bail by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawela on Dec 20. Embarrassingly enough, local authorities came to know of his escape only after the Indian media reported, quoting Indian intelligence authorities that the SL underworld boss had sneaked into Tamil Nadu via Rameshwaram. Imran was a sure-shot flight risk. more..

Jan 10 (CT) While claiming that the egg crisis in the country was created by the Gazette issued on the implementation of the price control initiated by Minister Nalin Fernando, ACEPA Secretary Ratnasiri Alahakoon stressed the control price they decided was way lower than the production cost of an egg. Alahakoon alleged the control price was decided without even inquiring about it from the relevant authorities. more..

Jan 10 (DM) The recent controversial YouTube video released by social media activist Sepal Amarasinghe and his arrest has again brought the question of containment of social media to the fore. Those who always champion bridling of media contemplate and propose to bring in new laws to control the contents of social media. Sepal Amarasinghe’s comment on the video in question is no doubt an outrageous slur on the sacred tooth relic in Kandy as it is venerated; worshipped by millions of Buddhists in SL. more..

Jan 10 (CT) In 2020, the biggest worry the country had was the pandemic. The initial triumph the healthcare authorities managed to achieve was rather short-lived, as soon things went completely out of control. As the year came to an end and we entered 2020, the biggest worry we had was how bad the travel ban had affected our economy, especially the tourism industry. What used to be almost 5% of the country’s GDP was reduced to 0.8% in the year 2020 and the year saw more..

Jan 10 (TM) Excise duty on all types of liquor, wine, and beer was increased by 20% with effect from midnight of 3 Jan. This was after another price hike which came into effect in Oct 2022. Several liquor consumers said they are ready to be the newest challengers of increased taxation in the midst of the economic downturn. The direct result of increased alcohol and cigarette prices is decreased consumption, which shows signs, more..