Mar 3 (Island) ACNU President Ravindra Kahandawaarachchi has said that the reserves in all provincial blood banks have dropped due to shortage of bags used for storing blood. He said that there was no shortage of blood donors. “However, we don’t have bags. Due to this we can’t hold mobile blood donation campaigns. At times, we can’t even hold the blood donated by the public. Now, health staff are compelled to economise, but this is dangerous. There can always be human error more..

Mar 3 (DM) Claiming that the country needs a short period or a ceasefire, National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) said that it is the absolute responsibility of all not to contribute to any activity that may have any effect on anarchy in the country. Its Chairman Karu Jayasuriya said they are very concerned that Parliament has failed to make some basic decisions that need to be taken in relation to PC & LG elections despite a parliamentary select committee being appointed more..

Mar 3 (FT) 13th edition of Jaffna International Trade Fair (JITF) will be held in the heart of Jaffna on 3, 4 and 5 March at the Muttraweli Grounds, adjoining the Jaffna Fort. Event is organised by Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services Ltd. (LECS), in association with the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Yarlpanam (CCIY). Since the first edition in 2002 JITF has evolved into an annual trade platform. Exhibition makes it possible for stallholders to reach a large portion of more..

Mar 3 (TM) Dept of Immigration and Emigration has informed the RTI Commission that it is unable to provide accurate information on Parliamentarians’ dual citizenship status merely by entering certain names in English into the computerised data system owing to likely spelling errors and the possibility of several persons sharing the same name. This was notified in a response to Commission seeking a written explanation more..

Mar 3 (DM) The Constitutional Council (CC) is planning to finalize the appointments of members to the independent commissions including the Election Commission before the end of this month, a top source said. The CC, a parliamentary body headed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane, called for applications to select nominees to the commissions in keeping with the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. The applications are sorted out for the selection of candidates at the moment. more..

Mar 3 (TM) Following the files belonging to him being taken into Police custody on Wednesday, PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake claimed that the documents hold no value to the Police as they are too technical for their comprehension. Ratnayake said: “These (documents taken) are my copies of technical board papers for the last 2 years. I feel embarrassed for and pity the Police because the Police will not understand the technical jargon. They will go through them & return them.” more..

Mar 3 (DM) National Bikkhu Front (NBF) requested the Mahanayake Theras to issue a Sanga Order to force the govt to hold the LG election, which was postponed indefinitely, at a closer date convenient to the Elections Commission. NBF Secretary Ven. Vakamulle Uditha Thera said that they paid a visit to the Mahanayake Theras and handed over a four-point letter. The prelate said they brought to the notice of Mahanayake Theras more..

Mar 3 (AD) SL Rupee (LKR) has appreciated further against the US dollar (USD) today as the buying rate reached Rs. 334.50 and the selling rate recorded Rs. 348.03. At the same time, the Middle Rate of the USD/ LKR SPOT Exchange Rate was recorded at Rs. 346.17. SL Rupee on Wednesday (1) marked a record high against the USD, with the buying and selling rates dropping to Rs. 351.72 and Rs. 362.95, respectively. According to CB, this was the lowest rupee value against USD since 4 May 2022. more..

Mar 3 (FT) Lending to SL between 2007 and 2022 was often marked by an absence of due diligence, opaque conditions and aggressive lobbying with politicians and bureaucrats. A top banker called it, predatory or quasi-predatory lending practices by those who lent to SL. Interest rates charged which were in the range of 6.3% were exorbitant given that the effective LIBOR was much lower (just 2% in 2009 and even lower in 2018) and could be construed as predatory lending. more..

Mar 3 (FT) In Sri Lanka, Article 148 of the Constitution states that Parliament shall have full control over public finance. The Minister of Finance, as a MP, is responsible for presenting the annual budget to Parliament for approval and for implementing the budget once it is approved. Once the budget presented by the Finance Minister is approved by Parliament, the Finance Minister cannot decide, on his own accord, not to release funds for an approved purpose. more..

Mar 3 (DM) More and more sea turtles are laying eggs in the western coastal area, particularly along the Galle Face Green Coast, Wildlife Conservation Dept Director-General M.G.C. Sooriyabandara said. “There is a marked upward trend,” he said. He said that every year turtles used to visit the coastal line for laying eggs. “However, there is a trend towards increased egg-laying in the Galle Face Green Coast area now,” he said. There could be more than 2,000 eggs have been buried in western coastal more..

Mar 3 (AD) Dept of Motor Traffic has approved the use of Vega cars – not only SL’s, but also South Asia’s first all-electric supercar. Accordingly, the number plate for the first Vega car registered in SL was handed over today to CEO of CodeGen and the designer of the car, Harsha Subasinghe. The number plate was handed over by the Commissioner General of Dept of Motor Traffic, in the presence of Transport Minister more..

Mar 3 (EN) Sri Lanka will end a guidance peg and will also end a surrender rule from next week allowing the rupee to trade more freely, but will buy dollars to build reserves, CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said. A daily guidance peg will no longer be announced from next week. A surrender rule where the banks were asked to sell 15 percent of their dollar inflows will also end from next week. The central bank will buy to build reserves as and when they can, Governor Weerasinghe said. more..

Mar 3 (DN) Annual feast at St. Anthony’s Church in Kachchativu will be held today and tommorow on the Kachchativu Island. Kachchativu is a small islet belonging to SL, located near the IMBL of SL and India. The main mass of the annual feast will be conducted by Bishop of Jaffna Diocese, Rt. Rev. Justin Gnanapragasam. In the backdrop where the District Secretary of Jaffna has made necessary arrangements for the event, SL Navy works to establish infrastructure and facilities for more..

Mar 3 (FT) MP Dr. Nalaka Godahewa yesterday accused Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe of challenging the country’s democratic process. Addressing the media Godahewa said there are several political systems in the world, but it is commonly accepted that democracy is the best. “It is important for us that our democratic process continues without interference,” he said. However, Godahewa said today the President of more..

Mar 3 (DM) State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said that the timely support SL received from India should always be appreciated as the main focus of the govt now is stabilizing the economy. He said this while participating in the discussion on the "Use of National Currencies for Economic Transactions between India and SL, towards a Stronger Bilateral Economic Partnership and Shared Prosperity", held yesterday in Colombo. State Minister briefly explained how SL has come to a visible more..

Mar 3 (FT) Consequent to an official request of the Embassy of SL in Washington, and under the guidance of Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe, Americares, health-focused relief and development organisation, has generously donated more than two tons of urgently needed nutritional supplements for pregnant women at risk of malnourishment across SL. An essential treatment recommended by WHO, multiple micronutrient supplements are critically needed by Ministry of Health more..

Mar 3 (DM) SJB MP Rajitha Senaratne said he will be able to play a great role in resolving the current crisis in the nation if he is given a ministry such as the Health Ministry. “I am able to play a great role to revive the nation if I am given a portfolio such as the health ministry,” he told the media, responding to a question as to whether he would accept a ministerial portfolio if one is offered to him. “All govts in the past appointed new ministers from time to time in order to ensure the nation has a powerful govt,” more..

Mar 3 (AD) The Bambalapitiya Police yesterday arrested a female in the Wanathawilluwa area for allegedly abducting the one-and-a-half-month old infant of a beggar. Four more persons, including a broker and a three-wheeler driver who had aided the abduction, were also arrested, while the infant is currently in police custody. Investigations have revealed that the main suspect responsible for the abduction had lost her child 7 months into her pregnancy while staying at a relative’s house more..

Mar 3 (DM) Taking everyone by surprise, Monetary Board of the Central Bank today raised policy interest rates by 100 basis points, though many predicted the monetary authority to either maintain the status quo or signal a dovish tilt by cutting rates. Inflation, which peaked almost at 70%, has been steadily coming down and the CB is hopeful that it will come down to the desired 4-6% band by end of this year as the island nation more..

Mar 3 (DM) A birthday celebration will be held at the Dehiwala zoological gardens for three Bengal Tiger Cubs on March 5 (Sunday), Zoological Dept Director-General Tilak Premakantha said. He said the three cubs will celebrate their first birthday on that day. The mother of the cubs died last month following a cancer diagnosis. Cubs are in good health and very playful under the best care given to them, officials said. In conjunction with that day, zoological dept is hoping to conduct more..

Mar 3 (SLN) SL Navy, in coordination with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo, rendered assistance to bring ashore a non-motorised pleasure craft in distress off the southern coast on 02nd March 2023. The pleasure craft Little Donkey belongs to New Zealand was on a marine research as it ran into a defect in its pedal based rowing system. Accordingly, the craft with 02 foreign crew members aboard were safely towed to the Port of Hambantota to fix the issue. more..

Mar 3 (EN) Supreme Court has issued an interim order preventing the Finance Ministry Secretary and Attorney General from withholding funds allocated for the now-postponed LG elections. Apex court issued the order Friday afternoon after taking up a petition filed by SJB general secretary and MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara. TNA legislator M A Sumanthiran tweeted after the verdict that he hoped the national election commission would fix more..

Mar 3 (TM) SL’s inflation came down in the past few months due to the lower demand for goods and services and not due to the measures taken by the Govt of SL to tame the inflation, independent MP Nalaka Godahewa said. He said that by maintaining high-interest rates, Central Bank of SL (CBSL) Governor and the Govt are saying that they wanted to contract the economy in order to tame inflation. He noted that when other economies in the region such as India & Vietnam are growing rapidly, more..

Mar 3 (FT) With the growing popularity of the weekend market at One Galle Face, the CAN Market has now expanded to launch a weekday market to be conducted twice a month at the World Trade Centre, located in the heart of Colombo. This second venue aims to reach out to the working community at large. This weekday market was officially launched at a recent ceremony, with the Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake gracing the occasion as Chief Guest. more..

Mar 3 (TM) Claiming that the Director General (DG) of Trade Unions (TUs) to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Saman Rathnapriya, whose primary responsibility is to provide solutions to trade unions' issues through proper negotiations, is continuously humiliating and undermining trade unions to please the Wickremesinghe-led Govt, the College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) stated that the same will result in the exacerbation of trade union actions against the Govt. more..

Mar 3 (TM) While measures are underway to launch a mobile application for tourists soon, the Ministry of Tourism is also working on providing a licence following a training programme on key skills and knowledge on tourist locations in the Island, to three-wheeler drivers operating in tourist zones. Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism Chulananda Perera noted that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) is yet to be signed with the developers of the relevant mobile application. more..

Mar 3 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasised that the only way a change of govt can be brought about is through a Parliamentary election. Accordingly, he noted that a Parliamentary election is the only way through which change can be implemented, emphasising that taking to the streets is not an option for the Parliament. Speaking at the Passing Out Parade of Air Force cadets and other officers more..

Mar 3 (DM Supreme Court has granted leave to proceed with a Fundamental Rights petition filed by a lawyer who sought a declaration that his arrest by CID was illegal and in violation of his fundamental rights. Supreme Court two-judge-bench comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardhana and Justice Vijith Malalgoda granted leave to proceed in terms of Articles 12(1) and 13(1). The petitioner Roshan Dehiwala, an Attorney-at-Law by profession filed this petition naming IGP C.D. Wickremaratne, more..

Mar 3 (AD) Governor of CB, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, stated that SL stands ready to unlock the IMF programme this month. He assured that all required prior actions with the IMF have been completed. “We have now completed all the required prior actions with the IMF and stand ready to unlock the IMF programme, hopefully, this month”, he said in this regard. Meanwhile, the CBSL has decided to increase Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) more..

Mar 3 (CT) Consultant Community Physician Dr. Shanthi Gunawardana said there was a marked increase in obesity amongst the Sri Lankan population. Addressing the media, on Changing Perspectives: Let’s talk about obesity for World Obesity Prevention Day, Dr. Gunawardana said that 22.5% of men had been obese or overweight according to a survey carried out in 2015. It had risen to 30% by 2021. more..

Mar 3 (TM) Athula Madanayake, who participated in the controversial white van media briefing held during the Prez Election campaign in 2019 organised by then-Minister and incumbent Opposition MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, said in the Colombo High Court yesterday that his statement against Dr. Senaratne, which was made in front of the relevant Magistrate, was made due to undue influence exerted by the CID. The relevant case was taken up before Colombo HC Judge more..

Mar 3 (AD) A new date for the 2023 LG election will be announced at the beginning of next week, Chairman of the Election Commission of SL, Nimal Punchihewa stated. Although initially scheduled to be announced today, announcing the new election dates was postponed following a meeting held by the members of the Commission this morning. The postponement comes in the background of an order issued by the SC in this regard today, instructing that a date for the 2023 polls be announced more..

Mar 4 (DM) On Wednesday, a number of professional bodies, public sector trade unions, including power, petroleum, water, ports, teachers, university lecturers, bank employees and doctors unions called on their members to protest the new tax regime by taking a variety of trade union actions. Govt has hiked income taxes on an average, by up to 36%. It has also raised power tariffs by around 65% as it bids to put its public finances and debt in order. Protests took the form of direct strike more..

Mar 4 (DM) If the relevant authorities are to go by what Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Feb 23 about holding Local Govt elections that had then been scheduled by the Elections Commission to be held on March 9, those elections have been laid to rest. The main argument in his speech was that the LG elections have not been legally announced on the Ground that the decision by the Elections Commission to hold the elections was not taken with a legally stipulated quorum. more..