Sep 9 (FT) Pioneering business magazine LMD reported, in its September edition: Once again, the one-of-kind LMD-NielsenIQ Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey highlights the steep decline in economic sentiment in business circles. NielsenIQ’s Market Leader – SL Adrian Hakel added: “A large majority of businesspeople feel there is still no conducive environment for investment while the economic climate is poor.” He explained: “Inflation and taxes are highlighted as more..

Sep 9 (ST) Court of Appeal (CA) has dismissed a petition filed by former MP J Sri Ranga requesting that the case filed against him and five other accused at the Vavuniya High Court over a fatal road accident be transferred from the presiding judge to another. A two judge bench of the CA dismissed the petition subject to payment of tax cost by the Accused-Petitioner, meaning that the cost estimated to have been incurred to hear the petition must be levied from Mr Sri Ranga. more..

Sep 9 (FT) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday conducted a comprehensive review of crucial aspects of the country’s power and energy sector. Taking to ‘X’ he noted that the progress of coal procurement for the next season, the financial situation of the CEB, power generation plans and forecasts for the next 12 months and other issues related to CEB were reviewed and discussed. He also revealed that the Lanka Coal Company has successfully called for tenders and more..

Sep 9 (EN) SL will make contributions to superannuation funds mandatory for informal workers including domestic aides, plumbers, security guards under a planned new labour law, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said. “The Employment Act we plan to introduce will make it mandatory to pay domestic aides EPF and ETF,” he said. “There are only 2.4 million workers contributing to the EPF now.” Under the new Act, “anyone who is employed will need to contribute to the EPF and ETF,” more..

Sep 9 (CI) SL know they have issues at Nos. 6 and 7 - their batters in those positions have been frequently unable to deliver big finishes. But those batters are working hard to provide that firepower, says coach Chris Silverwood. At the moment, Dhananjaya de Silva, SL's incumbent No. 6, averages 26.04 and strikes at 74.9 at that position. Their captain Dasun Shanaka, currently the No. 7, averages 25.4 & strikes at 86.6 there. more..

Sep 9 (FT) SL’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda who is to relinquish duties at the end of this month, was hosted by two top corporate leaders in India recently. Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani hosted HC Moragoda a farewell dinner at his residence on 5 Sept. Earlier this week, the High Commissioner was hosted for a farewell lunch by Hinduja Group Europe Chairman Prakash Hinduja. On both occasions, High Commissioner Moragoda recalled the close interactions more..

Sep 9 (DN) SL is all set to host the first-ever National Age Group Water Polo Championships, a two-day event commencing on September 9th and 10th. Organized by the SL Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU), the championship will feature young talents competing in three age groups: U-11, U-13, and U-17. A significant aspect of this championship is the Under-17 Age Group category, which will serve as a Selection Trial for the upcoming 11th Asian Age Group Aquatic Championship more..

Sep 9 (CT) Two representatives from Tesla, the US-based company owned by business magnate Elon Musk, had visited Sri Lanka in Dec 2021 with the aim of procuring graphite and investigating in the potential establishment of a car battery manufacturing plant within the country, former Chairman of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB), Prof. Anura Walpola, claimed. more..

Sep 9 (DN) Off-spinner Vihas Thewmika finished with fine figures of 6 for 78 while Jordan Johnson stroked a superb knock of 149 in 211 balls with 11 fours and 2 sixes as the last day of the first four-day game between SL and West Indies under 19 ended in a draw at the Rangiri Dambulla Int'l Stadium yesterday. After rain washed out the third day with Windies facing only 25 overs continued their innings on day 4 as overnight batsman Jordan Johnson remained steady under pressure but more..

Sep 9 (TM) Court of Appeal (CA) has scheduled a verdict announcement for next week (15) regarding whether an interim order should be issued to prevent the extension of detention orders imposed on the notorious underworld figure Nadun Chinthaka, known as Harak Kata. This decision was made during a hearing of a writ application filed by Harak Kata, who is currently detained in the custody of the CID. The hearing was presided over by the Appellate Court judge bench, more..

Sep 9 (PMD) Dr. Suren Raghavan, Minister of State for Higher Education, affirmed that the initiatives to establish SL as the hub of education in South Asia have been executed under the leadership of Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. He conveyed this message during a press briefing at the Presidential Media Center today (8). Expressing his views further he said; Prez addressed two key topics in the recent period. One of them is economic reforms, while the other pertains to educational reform. more..

Sep 9 (CT) The drone camera system bought by the Farm Mechanization Research Centre (FMRC), spending over Rs 6.3 million to study the Sena caterpillar, remains unused due to the inability to procure a desktop computer. Requisite desktop computer for installing the necessary software and enabling the camera system’s desired functionality couldn’t be optimised and owing to that the State has incurred a loss of Rs 6,395,847, which was originally allocated for the project. more..

Sep 9 (FT) SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne alleged that the 30% tax on EPF was unjust as members end up paying more than some in the corporate sector. Speaking in Parliament on the debate to increase taxation on EPF/ETF from its current 14% to 30%, Wickramaratne said that it was discriminatory, given that even the current 14% tax on EPF exceeds the 30% tax on the corporate sector. EPF is taxed on its gross revenue, more..

Sep 9 (DM) MP Champika Ranawaka has drawn attention to the issue of overlapping responsibilities among various parliamentary committees, raising pertinent concerns about its impact on the legislative process. MP Ranawaka said that the concurrent functioning of these committees has introduced a series of challenges, particularly in the crucial task of summoning institutions for investigations. He said that there are instances when summoning specific institutions becomes a convoluted process, more..

Sep 9 (DM) Despite recent rainfall in the South-Western areas of the country, the overall hydro catchment situation remains dire, with no substantial increase in rainfall observed in other districts, and reservoir water levels stagnating at just 26%, warns Irrigation (Hydrology) Director S.P.C. Sugeeshwara. He urges residents in these areas to conserve spring water resources for agricultural needs, given the continued scarcity. While the South-Western and Central Provinces more..

Sep 9 (CT) The project Beira Beragamu (Save Beira Lake), launched to clean Beira Lake, has not received the approval of the Ministry of Environment. However, the project was launched on a grand scale on Friday (8), with the participation of PM Dinesh Gunawardena, several other politicians and representatives of the Japanese company that funds the project. A senior officer at the Biodiversity Division of the Environment Ministry said that, the management of the said more..

Sep 9 (DM) Indian captain Rohit Sharma visited SL Cricket supporter Percy Abeysekera at his residence in Ekala. It is learned that Rohit Sharma paid a visit to Uncle Percy at the request of famous SL supporter Gayan Senanayake. The video has gone viral on the internet in which the Indian captain can be seen having a chat with Percy Abeysekera. Rohit Sharma along with SL team staff visited Percy Abeysekera’s home. The Indian skipper can be seen giving autographs as well. more..

Sep 9 (CT) Ousted Chairman of Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL) Janaka Ratnayake is in the soup once again, as the COPE instructed that a CID probe be launched into his claim that petrol and diesel can be sold at a price of approximately Rs 250 in 2022. Ratnayake, who appeared before COPE on 6 July 2022 claimed, according to data, petrol and diesel can be sold at a price of approximately Rs. 250 in SL. more..

Sep 9 (EN) SL has received US$ 499 million in remittances through official channels in Aug 2023, up 53% from a year ago. August number is slightly lower than US$ 541 million in July. Worker remittances coming through official channels fell in 2021 which could not be paid for by the banking system at the official rate as money was printed to sterilize interventions and keep a policy rate down, triggering parallel exchange rates, which were settled outside the formal banking system. more..

Sep 9 (DN) SL Ramanna Maha Nikaya Anunayaka and Peradeniya Gatambe Rajopavanaramodhapathi Ven. Kappitiyagoda Siriwimala Thera said that there is a need for a process to inform Western countries about the step motherly treatment given by Human Rights Organisations towards Sri Lanka. Making a special statement to the media,the Thera said:”Foreign intervention in Sri Lanka is constantly taking place on the basis of various topics. It manifests itself in various forms. more..

Sep 9 (DM) On behalf of the Govt of SL, Ministry of Defence has categorically refuted the allegations by the UK's Chanel 4 over the Easter Sunday attacks and reiterates the govt's unwavering commitment to the truth, justice, and the well-being of the nation, said a statement by SL's Ministry of Defence. While respecting the freedom of expression and investigative journalism, Ministry of Defence in a statement has asserted that more..

Sep 10 (SO) There is a flurry of diplomatic activity around the world this month. African Climate Summit (ACS) focused on a topic that Africa had neglected for so long. The G20 Summit in New Delhi, being held hot on the heels of the BRICS Summit in South Africa, will bring together a host of world leaders to discuss contemporary global issues. Also in our region, Sri Lanka will soon become the Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). This will be a major impetus for SL to champion more..

Sep 10 (TM) For some time now, public perception with regard to crime in this country is that if there is ever an unresolved crime, chances are that a politician is behind it. In fact, public perception has transformed to such an extent that the general norm that an individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty actually works in the reverse when it comes to a politician, where, by default, this particular category is considered guilty until proven otherwise. This is due to no other reason more..

~Sep 10 (TM) Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt seems all set with its responses to face the IMF first review of the EFF due to commence this week. Prez Wickremesinghe is meanwhile gearing to visit Cuba and the US from this Wednesday. Wickremesinghe’s first stop in the tour will be Cuba where he will address the G77+ China Leaders’ Summit. Summit, themed Current Development Challenges: Role of Science, Technology and Innovation, more..

Sep 10 (Island) The latest Channel 4 documentary on SL’s Easter Sunday bombings is claimed to be an exposure, but while there’s nothing dramatically new in it, it seems to have is set the cat among certain pigeons. Allegations that the military intelligence was involved with Islamic extremists involved in the Easter Sunday carnage is not new. In fact, three investigations have already linked the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and the State Intelligence Service (SIS) to the bombers. more..

Sep 10 (Island) In an interview given to Hiru TV on Sept 4, the day after the Channel 4 documentary on the 2019 Easter bombing in SL was aired in the UK, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, a former SL Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, France, UNESCO and Russia, said that investigations into the Easter bombings have raised more questions than answers and that the latest documentary released by Channel 4 succeeds in creating reasonable doubt in the minds of the viewers that the official investigations more..

~Sep 10 (TM) There are two nations in SL at present, with one doing well and the other suffering like hell, charged SJB MP and COPF Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva, citing the recently-released UNDP study finding that 58% of people in this country are multidimensionally poor or vulnerable. “There are some districts like Puttalam, where 80% of people are basically poor and 58% of people across the country are multidimensionally vulnerable more..

Sep 10 (TM) Ministry of Finance has commenced discussions with tax collecting agencies on possible strategies to improve the Govt’s tax revenue following SL’s failure to achieve the tax revenue target of Rs. 1.3 trillion set out for the first half of 2023 by the IMF under the EFF. Ministry of Finance Deputy Secretary R.M.P. Rathnayake, while conceding that SL had failed to achieve the tax revenue target set by the IMF, stated that discussions had commenced with more..

Sep 10 (SO) SLC has been further rocked this time from the inside, as a sacked official alleged that his bosses by halting the domestic game are attempting to hoodwink the ICC that a govt plot is in the making to destabilize the sport in SL. Anura Weerasinghe who was the main coordinator of SLC’s National Dev Committee fell foul with his masters and was removed over his outspoken nature last month just days after he also made a police complaint that he was a victim of harassment. more..

Sep 10 (ST) The week was to focus on a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) in Parliament against the Health Minister, but it got side-tracked by a foreign tv channel that deftly timed the release of a documentary on the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings. The old wine packaged in a new bottle took a section of Parliament on both sides of the House by storm. Blinded by the fog of parochial politics, some naively fell for the trap to call for an international investigation and thereby help more..

Sep 10 (ST) After being on the order book of Parliament for more than a month, the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was finally debated and ultimately defeated in Parliament by a majority of 40 votes. When the vote was finally taken at about 5.30 p.m. on Friday after a fiery three-day debate, the motion received 73 votes in favour and 113 against, giving Mr Rambukwella and the Government a comfortable victory. more..

Sep 10 (ST) Presidential Secretariat is in a quandary over repeated requests by different Ministries for official vehicles from its vehicle pool. The latest request came from a State Minister this week, with a letter sent by the Ministry’s Secretary requesting a vehicle on a temporary basis for the Ministry’s State Minister, as his official vehicle had been sent for urgent repairs. Presidential officials said the Secretariat was fielding more..

Sep 10 (ST) My dear Dayasiri, I had to write to you this week when I heard the news that you had been sacked as secretary of the Blue party by Aiyo Sirisena. It takes a lot to dislodge a vote of no confidence against a minister and the controversial Channel 4 documentary from the headlines but you managed to do that, Dayasiri! When you spoke to the media about what happened to you, what we saw was a sense of surprise, disbelief & shock. You said you treated Aiyo Sirisena like a father. more..

Sep 10 (CI) Mahika Gaur and Lauren Filer showed off more than a glimpse of a bright future for England, each taking three wickets on ODI debut to set up their side's 7-wicket victory over SL in Durham. Combined with three wickets for legspinner Sarah Glenn and Amy Jones' prowess behind the stumps - becoming the first England wicketkeeper to take five catches in a women's ODI innings - the duo helped bowl SL out for 106 inside 31 overs and the home batters reeled in their paltry target more..

Sep 10 (FT) MP Dr. Nalaka Godahewa in a candid press conference held at the Nidahasa Office at Nawala addressed the implications of the new Inland Revenue Amended Act as well as SL’s ongoing financial turmoil. He provided a stark analysis of the country’s deepening debt crisis and highlighted the critical need for comprehensive reform. Dr. Godahewa noted that instead of making progress towards escaping the debt trap, the nation appears to be sinking further into it. more..