Jun 30 (EN) Sri Lanka’s inflation in June 2023 slowed to 12% from 25.2 percent in May 2023 data from the state statistics office showed as the central bank operated deflationary monetary policy. Colombo Consumer Price Index was unchanged at 192.3 point in June from a month earlier. The index was down from 195.0 points in March 2023 when the rupee started to appreciate after a surrender rule was lifted amid deflationary policy. more..

Jun 30 (DM) Children under 12 years of age will be given the opportunity to visit the zoo free of charge, National Zoological Gardens Director-General Tilak Premakantha said. The decision was taken to mark the eighty-seventh anniversary of the National Zoological Dept. On this day, awareness programmes will be held for visitors on the protection of animals and their living environments. Several programmes for children to gain knowledge are to be implemented during the day. more..

Jun 30 (DM) SriLankan Airlines and Fits Air operating international flights from here, have sought permission to hire foreign pilots, Civil Aviation Authority of SL Director General and CEO P. A. Jayakantha said addressing an event at the Aviation Authority Both airlines have a serious shortage of pilots, he said.A large number of SL aviation industry experts and pilots have left the country in the past six months to join foreign airlines that pay much higher salaries, he said. more..

Jun 30 (EN) Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has discussed the lack of consent of beneficiaries of the EPF on a planned domestic debt restructuring plan, its chair Harsha de Silva has said. “…#COPF meeting discussed the #DDO plan but concerns were raised about burden falling on superannuation funds esp #EPF without considering the consent of depositors. Let’s explore this issue,” de Silva said. more..

Jun 30 (FT) In this article I venture to analyse how SL has become a failed and bankrupt nation and who should be held responsible for that? So far no one has endeavoured to make a rational political analysis about it. SL remained a stagnant, underdeveloped nation when it became a British colony in 1815. Then, after 133 years of colonial rule and when the British left the country in 1948, SL had made amazing progress. In terms of development, SL was ranked second only to Japan more..

Jun 30 (FT) Investment Promotion Ministry has appointed Ruwan Fernando as the country representative for the Republic of Kenya. The concept of appointing SL businessmen who have excelled commercially and functioning stable operations overseas as country representatives is the brainchild of State Minister Dilum Amunugama. These appointments are pro bono positions given as recognition to augment trade and commerce in their respective countries and globally. more..

Jun 30 (CT) Minister Douglas Devananda claimed the Prez is deeply concerned and committed to resolving the longstanding political and other fundamental issues faced by the Tamil community. Devananda expressed confidence and hope that Prez Wickremesinghe would be dedicated to implementing the 13th Amendment. The Minister held a meeting with representatives of active civil organisations involved in politics in the Northern Province, specifically in Jaffna. more..

Jun 30 (AD) Court of Appeal has issued an interim injunction preventing the cancellation of 430 licenses of inter-provincial semi-luxury passenger buses. This order was issued after a writ petition was filed by the Inter-provincial Private Bus Owners’ Association and 28 of its members today. Meanwhile, the court, fixing the petition to for hearing on Aug 28, also issued notices on 33 respondents including the National Transport Commission (NTC), its chairman and the members of the Cabinet. more..

Jun 30 (DM) SL's only specialist in Pediatric Radiology has left the country, Dr. Ashoka Gunaratne of the Specialist Doctors' Association said. He said earlier it was estimated that at least 4,000 specialist doctors would be required for the health sector by 2024 and 2025. "Currently, we have only 50% (2,000). With the govt's decision to set the retirement age of specialist doctors at 60, about 250 doctors from the remaining 50% will be lost more..

Jun 30 (PMD) During a ceremony held at the Prez’s House in Kandy today, three newly appointed High Commissioners and seven Ambassadors presented their credentials to Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. The newly appointed High Commissioners represent Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Republic of Seychelles. Meanwhile, the Ambassadors have been appointed to represent the Republic of Panama, Belgium, Syrian Arab Republic, Republic of Peru, Republic of Korea, and Hungary. more..

Jun 30 (CT) In the aftermath of a severe drought, the people of Polpithigama face the risk of restricted access to free water. This situation arises from the govt’s decision to halt the payment of electricity bills for the drinking water projects operated by RO Plants, which were established in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Navy to provide safe drinking water to areas affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). One concerned resident expressed his frustration, stating, more..

Jun 30 (AD) President Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged business leaders to educate their employees on Domestic Debt Optimization (DDO), a crucial step aimed to ensure that individuals and industries comprehend the significance of this financial maneuver. The President made this remark while addressing members of the Chambers, business leaders and unions regarding the DDO, during meetings held yesterday (29) more..

Jun 30 (AD) The Chairman of the National Transport Commission (NTC), Shashi Welgama says that no changes will be made to bus fares in line with the annual price revision due in July. Joining a press conference this morning, Welgama mentioned that the annual bus fare revision is scheduled for July 01 every year according to the national policy on bus fare revision. As per the calculations made by the NTC, an increase of 6.4% was considered for this year, he mentioned. more..

Jun 30 (ST) The absence of an effective recycling and waste management system is causing tons of plastic waste to be left behind in garbage dumps. With the state sector playing a minor role in recycling, the issue has been aggravated with no proper plan to collect plastic items including empty bottles. Meanwhile, out of 150 composting plants, 20 are not functioning. One reason for the difficulty in proper disposal of the waste is the high quantity of plastics used as covers for products. more..

Jun 30 (EN) Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF) has endorsed a domestic debt restructuring (DDR) proposal with majority support, though opposition members had voted against it, COPF chairman Harsha de Silva said. The chairman himself had refrained from voting, he said. Govt members in the committee had voted for the plan at Friday’s meeting, said de Silva. On Thursday, COPF had discussed the lack of consent of beneficiaries of the EPF on the DDR plan. more..

Jun 30 (DM) The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said it had revised the fees of Sri Lankan workers going abroad and the license fees of license holders as of tomorrow (July 1). Deputy General Manager of the Training and Recruitment Division of the Foreign Service Bureau, Gamini Senarath Yapa, said the charges for new registration at the Bureau would be increased to Rs. 21,469. Earlier, the registration amount was Rs. 17,928, which included the Govt Tax. more..

Jun 30 (FT) Controversial Indian-manufactured anaesthetic Zupivac-H which was procured through the Indian Credit Line which is alleged to have caused two deaths at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, drove the public to panic and question the safety of drugs and other medical supplies in the country. Making matters worse, Nuwara Eliya General Hospital recently reported several cases of visual impairment after administering certain more..

Jun 30 (FT) Central Bank of SL (CBSL) is likely to be the biggest victim of the Domestic Debt Optimisation (DDO) approved by the Cabinet of Ministers at a special meeting on Wednesday. The CBSL itself admitted that the impact of this adjustment will reflect in the Balance Sheet with depleted and negative capital. “Recapitalisation may be needed to mitigate its negative equity’s adverse impact on CBSL’s credibility and independence,” CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said more..

Jun 30 (CT) A total of 20 cases of malaria have been detected in the country during the past six months, Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC) said. The AMC revealed that they included three foreign nationals, while the remaining cases were locals who had been travelling in malaria endemic countries like Guinea, Tanzania, Sierra Leon, Sudan and Uganda. The AMC said, while preventive medication was available, to be taken beforehand, for those who travelled to those countries, locals returning more..

Jun 30 (NR) Public Utilities Commission of SL has approved an overall 14.2% of electricity tariff reduction with effect from tomorrow. PUCSL said the lower electricity users in the category of 0 -30 units per month will receives a 65% electricity tariff reduction from tomorrow. Furthermore, 51.5% reduction on the electricity users who are under the category of units 31-60. 24.5% reduction on the electricity users more..

Jun 30 (AD) The party leaders have decided to debate the Domestic Debt Optimization (DDO) program in the parliament tomorrow. The debate will be held from 9.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Members of Parliament are expected to vote on the proposed DDO following the conclusion of the debate. Although it was earlier speculated that the parliament would be convened on Sunday (2), the party leaders have decided otherwise. The special parliamentary session scheduled for July 01 more..

Jun 30 (AD) PM Dinesh Gunawardena says that despite the Western countries continuing to smear the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a debt trap, China is focusing on its own development path by moving forward step by step while helping other countries to create success stories of their own. Joining a discussion with the CGTN news agency, the PM further mentioned that China has proven to the world that many developmental challenges can be solved. more..