Nov 20 (TM) Indian fishermen poaching in SL waters has been a contentious issue for the cross-strait neighbours for the past decades. While there have always been promises of tougher action by the SL authorities, a visit to Colombo from New Delhi, and a few ministerial level discussions, saw many measures in the pipeline, shelved, and measures enacted, backpedalled. While there are disputes about traditional fishing grounds and what happened before the IMBL was drawn, more..

Nov 20 (Island) The so-called cricket crisis has led to the postponement of the COPE meetings, with some members of the parliamentary watchdog committee accusing their chairman of partiality to the SLC officials. The executive presidency is generally thought to be the most powerful institution in Sri Lanka. But the cricket administration, we believe, dwarfs all other institutions. The UNP preens itself on having saved the country from the JVP’s reign of terror in the late 1980s. more..

Nov 20 (DM) As you read this, Cup’s fate has been decided, leading to a collective sigh of relief from cricket enthusiasts worldwide. The uproar by Diyawanna’s Papara Band, diverting attention from the Budget continues with allegations of 15 lawmakers being hired by the SLC perpetrators. Money’s influential voice echoes loudly, as previously disclosed by Aloysius, citing 116 OF THE 225, who allegedly shared the CB Bond’s loot, are making a hue and cry. more..

Nov 20 (DM) In July 2022, Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country after thousands of protesters stormed his presidential residence and other govt buildings, demanding his resignation. Widening violent protests, the country’s bankruptcy and acute shortages of food, fuel and other basic supplies forced then Prez Gotabaya to flee the country. Protesters also called for the resignation of then premier Mr Wickremesinghe and burned down his (Wickremesinghe’s) private residence. more..

Nov 20 (CI) India may be where the heart of the game now resides, but the coolest Head in cricket has once again been shown to be Australian. Travis Head, to be precise, who set up his side's record-extending sixth World Cup victory with a triumphantly paced 137 from 120 balls in Ahmedabad, but whose most significant contribution arguably came some 6.5 hours beforehand, with one of most match-turning catches in ODI history. more..

Nov 20 (ST) Sri Lanka should adopt the culture of sports science if its athletes are to compete on par with their international counterparts, highlighted Nishanthe Piyasena, Chef de Mission of the country’s 19th Asian Games contingent. Identifying sports injuries and placing a proper plan to have athletes fully fit and recovered for major international events became a subject of interest with cricket taking centre stage after the recent accusations connected to corruption & mismanagement more..

Nov 20 (ST) SL’s election-year budget 2024 salary expenditure has overlapped the actual salary bill exposing discrepancies in financial allocations, several economic experts disclosed. Details in the annexure of public expenditure and revenue collection measures have to be revisited to arrive at a final conclusion relating to this incomplete budget, they said. Public sector employees are to receive a substantial salary increase with effect from April 2024 in form of cost of living allowance hike. more..

Nov 20 (Island) Ambagamuwa Central hurdler Ayomal Akalanka and St. Lawrance’s Convent, Wellawatta athlete Oshini Kodikara capped a remarkable year in track and field bagging the best athlete titles in the Under 20 age category at the National Youth Athletics Championships concluded at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Sunday. The athletes, who competed in the Under 18 age category at junior schools competitions this year featured in the Under 20 events more..

Nov 20 (DM) In what appears to be a staggering disclosure, the number of VAT (value-added tax) files registered is found to be way below the actual figure denying substantial revenue collected from end consumers of goods and services to the state coffers, an official said. The Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) State Minister told the Daily Mirror that the difference between the actual number and the registered number could be unbelievable. more..

Nov 20 (TM) CEB stated that it would take a minimum of 14 days to repair the Unit 2 generator of the Lakvijaya Power Plant in Norochcholai, which broke down, resulting in the loss of 300 MW of generation capacity to feed the national grid. Norochcholai coal power plant – built by a Chinese State-owned firm – has been in the spotlight for numerous controversies, including multiple breakdowns & all-island power outages. more..

Nov 20 (DN) In a remarkable journey from the greens of DS Senanayake College to the international stage, Chanaka Perera, aged 29, is preparing to represent SL at the 122nd Amateur Championship of India. Perera, the country’s top-ranked golfer for the past few years, has been with Certis Lanka for seven years, where he not only works but also finds unwavering support for his golfing aspirations. Expressing his heartfelt gratitude, Perera credits the late Sanka more..

Nov 20 (ST) Foreign Ministry has received a request from the Chinese embassy for permission for another Chinese research vessel to enter SL waters early next year. Fresh request came less than a month after the arrival of the Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6, which received permission to enter SL waters despite security concerns raised by India. A Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson confirmed receiving the request from the Chinese embassy but stressed that request is yet to be processed. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Nearly 200,000 new tax payers have been registered in 2023 so far whilst COPA last week urged expeditious upgrade to the Revenue Administration Management Information System (RAMIS). This and other recommendations figured when the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) was questioned in COPA whether the Govt is properly receiving the VAT paid by the public for various goods. more..

Nov 20 (DN) Challenging the Fitch rating stance that Sri Lanka would not be able to achieve the revenue targets spelt out at the 2024 budget the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) says that these can be met as the authorities aim to raise revenue in 2024 by deploying several new tools. Fitch believes there are significant risks to the govt’s revenue goal for 2024. Sri Lanka has a record of fiscal slippage and revenue collection fell 29% short of target over 9M23. more..

Nov 20 (ENS) Just a day after their arrest, as many as 22 Rameswaram fishermen were released by the SL govt on Sunday following the intervention of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. According to sources, the fishers, hailing from Pamban area, were arrested and two of their boats seized by SL Navy for alleged violation of the IMBL on Saturday. A delegation of fishermen met Nirmala Sitharaman, who was on a visit to Rameswaram to attend PM SVANidhi outreach programme. more..

Nov 20 (CT) Pathramulla Primary School, situated in the Mullatiyana Education Zone, faced the looming threat of closure, but thanks to a dedicated group of teachers committed to the welfare of the students, the school witnessed a remarkable turnaround, when the results of Grade 5 Scholarship Exam were released. In a setting where even securing an ‘A’ grade-ranking principal posed a challenge, eight students from Pathramulla Primary School, who sat in this year’s Grade 5 Scholarship Exam, more..

Nov 20 (Island) RIOCOCO Lanka Pvt Ltd, a globally known manufacturer of coco medium for plant growth, recently donated a high-tech computer laboratory to Nalanda College in Colombo at a cost of more than Rs. 20 million. The laboratory with more than 50 computers, which was built on the concept of RIOCOCO’s co-founder and CEO Shan Halamba, who was the head prefect at Nalanda College in 1993/94, was inaugurated on 10 Nov. It was built on the guidance of more..

Nov 20 (Island) Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has told the parliamentary watchdog COPA that it couldn’t fully take over the Revenue Administration Management Information System aka RAMIS for want of sufficient number of qualified personnel. Top management of the IRD said so when COPA Chairman Lasantha Alagiyawanna (SLPP), during proceedings, asked them whether they could run RAMIS on its own. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Stepping into the next frontier of innovation, Brandix is one of the first SL companies to come on board with Copilot for Microsoft 365, the company’s cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistance feature. Sharing a vision of the transformative power of AI, Group CEO Ashroff Omar said: “The world we live in is progressing at a pace where soon we may scarcely recognise the past. AI will completely redefine how we work. Copilot is a revolutionary feature more..

Nov 20 (AD) The police constable who was stabbed with a sharp weapon allegedly by a teenage Buddhist monk in Pallegama area of Deniyaya Police Division on Thursday, has succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at Karapitiya Teaching Hospital. The police officer attached to Deniyaya Police Station had been attacked near the Sambodhi elders’ home on the Gangoda Road, in Pallegama, while he was on his way for an errand on his personal motorcycle on Thursday. more..

Nov 20 (FT) CFA Society SL will host esteemed representatives from the CFA Institute - India Country Head Arati Porwal and India Partnerships and Client Solutions Director Sachin Naik, this week. Spokesperson from CFA Society SL said during their stay, they are scheduled to participate in the HR Forum organised by CFA Society SL. This event is poised to be a significant platform for sharing insights and fostering discussions on the pressing issue of brain drain in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 20 (DN) Lipton Teas and Infusions has introduced tea brand, Lipton Yellow Label, to its home country. The launch event, marked by symbolism and tradition, saw Rukshan Wickramarachchi, the esteemed General Manager at Lipton SL, present the Lipton Yellow Label plaque to Niraj De Mel, Chairman of the Tea Board. This symbolic gesture marked the initiation of an exciting new chapter in SL’s rich tea journey. Lipton Yellow Label, globally renowned for its exceptional more..

Nov 20 (TM) Bar Association of SL (BASL) stated that it may consider legal action against the granting of service extensions to IGP Chandana Wickramaratne without the Constitutional Council's (CC) approval. BASL argues that technically there is no IGP in the country at present, as the latest service extension granted to Wickramaratne by Prez and Defence Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was not approved by CC. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Finance Ministry Tax Policy Advisor Thanuja Perera said the Government is poised to implement enforcement measures due to the persistently low voluntary compliance of the public in paying taxes. “Only 5% of the total population or less than 300,000 individuals have contributed to income and other taxes as of 2022. But if you look at the number of companies registered, it accounts for 600-700,” she said at the CA Sri Lanka post-Budget forum on Tuesday. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Former Health Services Director General Dr. Palitha Mahipala will assume duties as the new Secretary to the Ministry of Health today. He will replace beleaguered Health Secretary Janaka Sri Chandragupta who was imposed with an overseas travel ban by the courts last week over the scandal involving the import of 22,500 substandard immunoglobulin vials. Chandragupta retired from state service yesterday. Dr. Mahipala, a medical specialist, assumed the role of the WHO more..

Nov 20 (AD) Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe claims that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) forced the ICC to suspend Sri Lanka from international cricket. Ranasinghe made this accusation while quoting a letter allegedly sent by SLC to the ICC on 7 November, during a media briefing which is currently being held in Colombo. “Facts have been confirmed that the SLC President and the Executive Board has misled ICC”, he said. more..

Nov 20 (FT) SL’s avowed goal of becoming a rich country by 2048 was formally announced by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe in August 2022. This target year is a historical milestone for SL because in that year, the country will celebrate the centenary of independence from Britain. A week before Wickremesinghe set his goal, Indian PM Narendra Modi too announced his Govt’s plan to become a developed country by 2047 when it will celebrate the 100th anniv. of independence from Britain. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Most HoReCa channels in Sri Lanka sell a packet of chicken rice and curry at a higher price than a comparative packet of fish rice and curry. The price of a portion of chicken rice and curry is ~30% more than that of a portion of fish rice and curry. This differential has remained over time, as this existed in the pre-crisis environment as well, albeit at low prices. Is this because of a difference in production costs or due to undue policy intervention by the Govt? more..

Nov 20 (PMD) A discussion took place at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by Mr. Sagala Ratnayaka, Senior Advisor, with representatives from the Asian Development Bank. The focus of the meeting cantered on the upcoming water supply sector reform program in SL, which is set to be implemented through financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The deliberations primarily addressed the policy planning and monitoring framework integral to more..

Nov 20 (DM) Some members have embarked on an endeavor to hand over a motion to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana calling for the appointment of a select committee to probe the cricket crisis, Daily Mirror learns. Commenting on the matter, MP Dayasiri Jayasekera told Daily Mirror that around ten members have already signed it. Members of Uttara Lanka Sahabaga led by Wimal Weerawansa, the group led by MP Dullas Alahapperuma are backing the motion according to him. more..

Nov 20 (AD) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) says it unequivocally rejects the baseless and malicious allegations made by the Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe, during a media conference held yesterday. SLC further said that it never sought its suspension from the International Cricket Council (ICC). Ranasinghe had claimed that SLC forced the ICC to suspend Sri Lanka from int'l cricket while quoting a letter allegedly sent by SLC to ICC more..

Nov 20 (DM) Some 2,087 teenaged mothers were reported in SL, State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe said. She said that several factors such as migrating mothers, the collapse of the family unit, lack of sex education, drug addiction among parents, both parents being employed and an increase in the use of smartphones among children have led to the increase in the number of teenaged mothers. She said there were some 89,164 single-parent families in SL which include 124,482 children. more..

Nov 20 (FT) Macksons Tiles Lanka (Macktiles), SL’s largest tile manufacturer, is positive about the SL economy and believes this is the time to uplift local industries. “We always believed that there is victory in adversity and this is the time we must show our commitment by doing our part to build the economy,” says Macktiles Lanka Chairman Milfer Makeen. The company has already invested Rs. 16 billion for its expansion between 2020 and 2022, bringing new best-in-the-world technology to more..

Nov 20 (AD) Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena informed the House in a special statement this morning that no outsiders are allowed to enter the meeting rooms during the parliamentary select committee meetings. Thus, Abeywardena pointed out that except for the members of the committees or other MPs who are not committee members but attend the meeting with proper approval of the committee’s chairman and the officials of external institutions summoned more..

Nov 20 (EN) Parliament must take a call on whether its authority on public finance ought to be devolved to another entity, ruling party MP Namal Rajapaksa said, claiming that all 225 legislators must be held responsible for the 2019 tax reduction. Addressing parliament during the ongoing 2024 budget debate, Rajapaksa said much of the debate’s time has been taken up for a scandal involving Sri Lanka Cricket, the conduct of the chairman of the COPE and a certain court verdict. more..