Nov 7 (FT) SJB Chief Organiser for the Akmeemana electorate Wijepala Hettiarachchi yesterday claimed that former President Chandrika Kumaratunga is slated to join a powerful political force in the near future. Hettiarachchi made this claim in response to a question posed by media personnel during a press conference held in Colombo. “If the former Prez extends her support to rebuild the country, the SJB will also follow suit and lend its support to these efforts,” he said. more..

Nov 7 (FT) SL cricket selectors have responded to Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe’s criticism of selection of the World Cup team, dismissing it as hilarious and politically motivated. In a lengthy letter to the Sports Minister, selectors rejected the criticism in light of the team’s performance during their 2 1⁄2-year tenure, highlighting significant success compared to the period before. In response to the humiliating defeat against India, the selectors noted that team they picked was balanced more..

Nov 7 (TM) National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), while acknowledging that it, following the due procedure, provided 150 litres of blood plasma (a light yellowish or straw coloured component which serves as the liquid base for whole blood) to the Isolez Biotech Pharma AG (Pvt) Ltd. Company, which has allegedly supplied a batch of human intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) to the health sector by submitting forged more..

Nov 7 (Island) JVP strongly defended its right to address Sri Lankans and Americans of SL origin living in the US. JJB MP Vijitha Herath dismissed criticism directed at the party by various interested parties, both in and out of Parliament, over the visit undertaken by party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. JVP-led JJB is represented by three MPs in Parliament. “We maintain relationships with all countries. There cannot be any justification in questioning our right to meet US Ambassador more..

Nov 7 (TM) While action is always taken in response to incidents of verbal abuse targeting female MPs during parliamentary sessions, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said that it is not possible to do so in certain cases since the words and terms in relation to such are not offensive from a legal perspective. There have been several incidents of both Govt and Opposition female MPs being subjected to verbal abuse in Parliament recently, but several parties, including victimised female more..

Nov 7 (DN) Sri Lanka bagged the prestigious British Guild of Travel Writers Tourism Award for the Best International Tourism project in the Wider World for The Pekoe Trail, at the Annual Gala Awards held in London on November 5. This is the first time Sri Lanka has secured an International Tourism Award at the renowned British Guild. The award was accepted by Tourism Minister Harin Fernando who attended the event as a guest of honour, Sri Lanka Tourism said in a news release. more..

Nov 7 (DM) Govt will not alter its policies regarding the mandatory 28-day training for individuals departing for foreign employment as domestic workers, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said. While attending the inauguration of a training centre and office, minister said this training helps enhance job security & increase their salaries. “Domestic workers who depart without prior training often face various challenges and earn lower salaries compared to their counterparts from other countries. more..

Nov 7 (FT) Sister-in-law of Lalith Kotelawala told the Colombo Additional Magistrate that the business tycoon was held hostage by a group in a dark room in the latter part of his life and that his death may have been deliberate. Giving evidence at the inquest proceedings, Sherene Wijerathne told Court that she was one of the few who stood with Kotelawala after his fall from grace following the Golden Key debacle. more..

Nov 7 (PMD) In a significant development, Cabinet has convened to address the pressing issues facing the country’s cricket landscape. The attention of the Cabinet was drawn to various concerns within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). In the cabinet meeting held today (06), the Cabinet discussed and decided on a course of action to address these concerns. The Cabinet has resolved to appoint a special sub-committee with the mandate to examine the current situation and work in collaboration with more..

Nov 7 (Island) The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday expressed its displeasure at reports the salaries of Sri Lanka Cricekt (SLC) officials and players were exempt from income tax. Spokesman of the GMOA, Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe told The Island that the government had previously claimed that no one was exempt from income tax. However, a recent circular being shared on social media showed that SLC officials and cricketers are exempt from income tax. more..

Nov 7 (DM) Hours after Sports Minister Roshan Ranasingha appointed an interim committee headed by former cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga to assume control of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) yesterday, an angry Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe telephoned Ranasingha and asked for an immediate explanation as to why he had made such a move without consulting him or the cabinet. Prez was made aware that more..

Nov 7 (FT) The President in his policy statement in the Parliament mentioned the establishment of a Parliamentary Budget Office among other reforms and accordingly Act No. 6 of 2023 provides for the establishment of the Parliamentary Budget Office. Some may ask why another Budget Office when there is already a Budget Department under the Ministry of Finance. The functions of these two offices are quite different, though the names have some semblance. more..

Nov 7 (FT) I wonder whether the present trade union leaderships that demand a monthly wage increase of Rs. 20,000 know their thinking on wage increases are as ancient as 100 years. The demand for wage increases was first mooted by SL’s, more accurately said as Ceylon’s pioneer trade unionist A.E. Gunasinghe over 100 years ago in Feb 1923 when he led the first general strike with the Govt Railway trade union joined by few other unions too. The demand was a wage increase of 50% on more..

Nov 7 (AD) Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has called for an investigation to determine whether any party has leaked the information to outsiders regarding the increase in the import tax on sugar before it was even presented to the Cabinet of Ministers. The minister questioned how businessmen received information regarding the increase in the import tax on sugar before it was presented to the Cabinet, emphasizing that only SL Customs officials were aware of tax revision. more..

Nov 7 (DM) The Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company (Private) Limited has just announced the first-ever abseiling activity in Sri Lanka as their brand new pilot programme. Abseiling is the incredibly useful skill of using a rope to get down vertical drops. Lotus Tower Management Company Pvt Ltd CEO Major General Prasad Samarasinghe told the media that abseiling activity will be ready to be opened to the public at the end of December or at the beginning of January next year. more..

Nov 7 (AD) Court of Appeal has issued 14-day stay orders preventing the operation of the 7-member Interim Committee appointed for the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the relevant gazette notification issued by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe in this regard. This order was delivered by a two-member judge bench consisting of Appeals Court President Nissanka Karunaratne and Justice Vikum Kaluarachchi today after considering more..

Nov 7 (DM) Officials of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) had written cheques amounting to billions of rupees during the last few days expecting that an interim committee would be appointed, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe said today. The Minister told Parliament that the lights of the Dambulla International Cricket Stadium had been changed in a hurry at a cost of Rs. 1.5 billion during the last few days. He also said there is a risk of important documents at SLC being misplaced. more..

Nov 7 (FT) Hemas yesterday marked 15 years of excellence in healthcare and signalled its intent to bid for Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC which is under the Govt’s list of entities for divestiture. Hemas Hospitals Managing Director Dr. Lakith Peiris in a media interaction yesterday didn’t name Lanka Hospitals but said the company was looking to grow the business via acquisitions and expansion of its existing two hospitals in Wattala and Thalawathugoda. more..

Nov 7 (EN) Sri Lanka plans to allocate 237 billion rupees for the ministry of education for education-related capital and recurring expenditure in the island nation’s nine provinces, Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha said, ahead of an upcoming budget presentation. “The cabinet of ministers has already approved the policy framework for education reforms, which we will present in Parliament after receiving more..

Nov 7 (EN) Sri Lanka’s cabinet has approved the reconstruction of pedestrian bridges across Marine Drive, minister of transport, Bandula Gunawardena said. The pedestrian bridges across Marine Drive to access the Bambalapitiya and Wellawatta railway stations were in a precarious condition and generated much criticism on social media. “We estimate the cost of the reconstruction at 96 million,” Gunawardena said at a cabinet decisions press briefing on Tuesday. more..

Nov 7 (AD) Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe says Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe asked him to call off the Interim Committee appointed for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), soon after the conclusion of the Cabinet meeting on Monday. Speaking on the matter during the parliamentary session today, lawmaker said the Prez had cautioned him that the Sports Law would be put under his purview unless the appointed Interim Committee is revoked. “I told [him] to remove me [from my ministerial post] more..

Nov 7 (Island) US, Britain and other European countries must respect the growing global public opinion, mostly in the West, including by thousands of principled Jews against the horrific crimes being committed against the Palestinians under cover of a war on Hamas for the past one month, former MP and SL Ambassador to Iran, M. M. Zuhair has alleged. The following is the text of statement issued by Zuhair, PC: “Western-complicit Israel continues to reject mass appeals for a ceasefire. more..

Nov 7 (EN) Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), one of the entities that petitioned SL’s controversial Online Safety Bill, has expressed deep concern over committee-stage amendments proposed to the bill. Hours after the parliament’s deputy speaker announced a Supreme Court verdict on the constitutionality of the bill, the CPA said in a statement that the proposed amendments could drastically change the initially gazetted bill, straying from its original merits and principles, more..

Nov 7 (AD) Supreme Court’s determination on the constitutionality of the Online Safety Bill and its provisions was communicated to the parliament this morning by Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse. In its determination, the Supreme Court has noted that the Online Safety Bill could be passed by a simple majority in the parliament following Committee Stage amendments on certain clauses. Pursuant to Article 84(2) of the more..

Nov 7 (DM) A 25-year-old suspect, a close associate of underworld figure Heeanatyana Mahesh, who is operating from Dubai, has been arrested by the STF along with a T56 firearm and two pistols. The STF said according to information received by the officers of the Special Task Force Gonahena camp, they conducted a raid last night at Kudapaduwa in Negombo. During the raid, they arrested the suspect who was preparing to commit some crime. Accordingly, the STF recovered a T56 more..

Nov 7 (EN) Sri Lanka has suspended the licenses of five distilleries over non-payment of taxes state minister for finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. The firms owed 6.7 billion rupees including fines, he said. “Five liquor manufacturing companies who failed to pay taxes have been informed in writing by the Commissioner General of the Excise Dept that their liquor licences have been suspended,” Siyambalapitiya told parliament replying opposition leader Sajith Premadasa more..

Nov 7 (DM) While SLC is toiling to return to its glorious match winning trend, members forming the Cricket Board and handling cricket administration are accused of abusing their positions and milking the rich coffers of the controlling body for cricket to their own whims and fancies. With the release of the AG's report on SLC astonishing details have surfaced as to how the hierarchy forming the Cricket Board’s administration is plagued more..

Nov 7 (CT) The Ministry of Health has been accused of withholding the allowance provided by UNICEF to Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) and Public Health Midwives (PHMs) since October 2022, who are crucial for safeguarding public health services amidst the economic crisis. Secretary of the Public Health Inspectors’ Union (PHIU), S.I. Bopitiya, has alleged that the Ministry of Health has maintained a silent stance regarding this allowance issue. Bopitiya noted that more..

Nov 7 (EN) India’s Taj group has proposed converting a Colonial-era hotel in Sri Lanka’s hill country into a hotel, Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardana said. The proposal was made to the Presidential Secretariat, Minister Gunawardana said. The post-office built in 1894 reputedly in the Tudor style. Nuwara Eliya also dubbed Little England was a summer retreat of the British residents. “There are a large number of Indians visiting the country,” he told reporters. more..

Nov 7 (FT) The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce called for a new economic model focused on export-led investment and tourism, and facilitating the private sector as the engine of growth to build a sustainable business environment, at the recent India-SL Business Summit in Colombo. The event brought together key figures, including PM Dinesh Gunawardena, Indian Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, High Commissioner of India to SL Gopal Bagley, more..

Nov 7 (AD) The Ministry of Agriculture has decided to provide diesel worth Rs. 17,000 per farmer during this ‘Maha’ cultivation season, to farmers whose cultivations were destroyed as a result of the drought situation which prevailed over the last ‘Yala’ season. This subsidy is provided in addition to the concessionary payment of Rs.15,000 for the purchase of fertilizers and the compensation of Rs. 100,000 per hectare provided by the govt, the Agriculture Ministry said. more..

Nov 7 (EN) State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has defended a proposal to increase salaries of cashs-strapped Sri Lanka’s bloated state sector, calling it a courageous decision by the president, amid concerns over revenue shortfalls. “It was a very courageous statement by the president at the last cabinet meeting, because, one year ago, this was a country that was unable to pay salaries,” more..

Nov 7 (DM) While rejecting the media reports, Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL) said they do not unload fuel that does not meet the required standards. While issuing a statement, they said that certain media reports circulating claimed that the CPSTL had unloaded a stock of fuel that did not comply with the required standards. The CPSTL said that a stock of Octane 92 diesel and petrol arrived in the country on Nov 5, as ordered by the LIOC. more..

Nov 7 (AD) Dept of Posts has taken steps to cancel all the leave of its employees due to the need of maintaining the postal services, ahead of a planned strike by postal workers. Accordingly, Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara stated that the leave of all postal staff will be cancelled on Nov 8, 9 and 10 with immediate effect. Earlier today, it was reported that postal workers have decided to resort to a 48-hour token strike from midnight today, protesting against the govt’s alleged decision to sell more..

Nov 7 (TOI) Anula Ratnayaka, 49, spent 10 years as a caregiver in Israel before she was murdered by Hamas terrorists in the October 7 assault on Kibbutz Be’eri. The SL Daily News reported that Anula was shot dead after managing to hide Ettie Morado, the Israeli woman she was taking care of. The report stated that “the elderly woman of the house who was rescued has said, ‘I am blind. Anula was my eyes. She hid me under the bed and more..

Nov 7 (DM) In the wake of the court decision that suspended the operation of the gazette notification in respect of SLC's Interim Committee, its Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga said he will divulge the names behind the move in the near future. Ranatunga said he had not been officially informed of the court decision nor was he summoned before the court. "However, I respect the verdict delivered by any court. I am not perplexed nor surprised with this decision as this was around the corner. more..