Sep 10 (Island) The arrest of former SL cricketer Sachithra Senanayake for attempting to corrupt the game is a landmark moment in the annals of the game in our country. Player was remanded after court impounded his passport imposing a travel ban and the police unit to investigate corruption in sports will present before the learned judge why the player needs to be punished. Senanayake faces a fine or a jail term or both after being charged with attempting to corrupt the 2020 Lanka Premier League. more..

Sep 10 (ST) Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera and Dilshan Madushanka have been named in Sri Lanka’s 15-man provisional squad for next month’s Cricket World Cup despite injury concerns. All three were withdrawn from the ongoing Asia Cup and are currently in rehabilitation due to injuries they sustained during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) tournament in August. more..

Sep 10 (SO) SL’s Athletic Secretary Saman Kumara has voiced concerns over player management ahead of the 19th Asian Games, emphasizing the need for special attention to medal prospects. Kumara particularly highlighted the case of Tharushi Karunaratne, a gold medal hopeful in the Women’s 800m event. Karunaratne’s participation in the Central Province School Meet in heavy rain has raised alarm bells as Kumara stressed that an illness could jeopardize SL’s hopes at the upcoming more..

Sep 10 (ST) SL’s consumers have been forced to pay high prices for wheat flour owing to frequent tax changes and inconsistent policy decisions relating to restriction of imports via a licensing scheme and reversing it after some time, several consumer protection associations complained. The recent import tax hike on wheat flour imports to Rs. 27 from Rs.16 per kg and the suspension of the import licensing scheme allowed the few importers and traders to increase the prices, more..

Sep 10 (CI) Sadeera Samarawickrama's expert 93 trumped Towhid Hridoy's gritty 82 to see SL through to a 21-run win in Colombo, and with it, a winning start to their Super Four campaign. The result now leaves Bangladesh struggling with two defeats in as many games in this round, even as SL racked up their 13th straight ODI win. Set a target of 258 to win, Hridoy and Mushfiqur Rahim would put on a 72-run stand for more..

Sep 10 (AD) The body of a young woman, who had died after mysteriously falling from the 13th floor of a multi-storey residential building, has been recovered early this morning (9). The deceased was a British citizen of SL origin. The body was found after the Mount Lavinia police officers received a complaint at around 2:40 a.m. 27-year-old had arrived on the island on March 8 this year and purchased an apartment unit in the aforementioned residential building located at Alwis Road in Mt Lavinia. more..

Sep 10 (PMD) On the occasion of Poppy Day, a significant tribute unfolded as the first poppy flower was ceremoniously pinned onto Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning (09) at the Presidential Secretariat. The distinguished moment was facilitated by Major General Upul Perera, Chairman of the SL Ex-Servicemen’s Association. Annually, the SL Ex-Servicemen’s Association organizes Poppy Day to honour the memory of war heroes who valiantly sacrificed their lives more..

Sep 10 (EN) Visa delay has threatened opportunities of SL students who have applied for their higher education in Swedish universities, applicants say. The visa applicants have formed a group Lets Love to Learn in a collective effort to inform the concerned parties over their plight. Only six students have been given visas out of 980 applicants, Aravinda Rathnayaka, Chairman of the Let’s Love to Learn said. “We have already paid the tuition fees and all the things and more..

Sep 10 (Island) Resplendent Ceylon’s first property, Ceylon Tea Trails was featured in the globally recognized BBC series, BBC Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby in a one-hour program at prime-time. This is unprecedented positive coverage for SL, directly to potential travellers, a company news release said. “Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby is a highly respected documentary series created by BBC Studios and delivered to broadcasters, airlines and platforms globally. more..

Sep 10 (ST) A mini reshuffle of Cabinet and state ministers along with a transfer of ministry secretaries will take place soon to address a string of issues including inefficiency and disputes, govt sources said.. The reshuffle will see some of the ministers and state ministers having disputes between them being changed and some of the ministers who have failed to achieve their targets and improve efficiency being shifted. more..

Sep 10 (ST) The much delayed project of installing e-gates at the BIA as one of the solutions to passenger congestion is slated to be launched as a pilot project by the end of this year amidst a delay in launching e-passports. Measures are being made to expedite airport automation and e-gate development pilot project to ease the congestion at the airport awarding the contract to a private technology company, the highest bidder for the tender to install four e-gates by December 2023. more..

Sep 10 (ST) BYD Auto, one of the largest manufacturer of electric cars in the world, and a subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate BYD Co. Ltd, is likely to set up an electric car manufacturing facility in the south of the country, according to a highly placed political source. The publicly listed company is headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. BYD Co. Ltd. will very likely finalise this deal when President Ranil Wickremesinghe visits China next month, said Thursday. more..

Sep 10 (DM) Plans have been made to establish the first non-government medical faculty in Sri Lanka in a move to expand medical education opportunities and find solutions to the challenges posed by the shortage of doctors, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said. The President highlighted the allocation of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) to Moratuwa University, aiming to create more medical education institutions, President’s Media Division (PMD) said. more..

Sep 10 (EN) Listed companies will come under tighter corporate governance rules, which are in line with international standards, from October 2023, Sri Lanka’s Securities and Exchange Commission said. “High standards of Corporate Governance with accountability and transparency are critical to building investor confidence in the capital market and is therefore a priority on the SEC’s regulatory agenda,” the SEC said in a statement. “Based on the stakeholder and public responses more..

Sep 10 (TM) Dubai-based trader, Coral Energy, is gearing to play the role of primary coal supplier for the upcoming season, which is set to begin this week, informed sources close to the matter said. Coral Energy is likely to secure a long-term contract by offering what some critics consider to be an exceptionally low rate. In a surprising turn of events, Coral Energy has also secured the bid for the spot tendering contract, more..

Sep 10 (TM) Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will be called from potential investors for the divestment of the Treasury’s stake in Hotel Developers Lanka Ltd. (The Hilton, Colombo) and Canwill Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. (Grand Hyatt, Colombo) by the end of this month, the State-Owned Enterprise Restructuring Unit (SOERU) reveals. SOERU Head Suresh Shah stated that they were aiming to call for EOIs from potential investors for the divestment of the two hotels within September and that EOIs for more..

Sep 10 (AD) Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe has revealed that in the event the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) participates in the Domestic Debt Optimisation (DDO) process, the opportunity loss to the EPF bond portfolio will amount to 4%. He noted, however, should the EPF choose not to participate, the opportunity loss to the bond portfolio increases to 21% due to the higher tax rate of 30% as per the latest amendment to the Inland Revenue Bill. more..

Sep 10 (ST) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe will appoint a retired judge, possibly from the Supreme Court, to probe controversial revelations made by Britain’s Channel 4 television. The Sunday Times learns that it will be a prelude to the appointment of another Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) if it is found that the matter requires further investigation. Already, a PSC and a PCoI have probed the incidents. more..

Sep 11 (DM) Our prisons are overcrowded. According to the Prisons Dept, while the total capacity of our prisons is for 13,241 inmates, the total prison population stood at over 29,000. Almost double the number the system was designed to hold. In 2022 of all prisoners who were sentenced to prison, 64% were those who were unable to pay fines imposed on them. This number reached an all-time high of 74 percent in 2020. In other words, they were charged with minor misdemeanours, more..

Sep 11 (ST) The UN Human Rights Commissioner’s annual report on the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka, prepared for the forthcoming 54th session of the UNHRC (11th Sept – 6th Oct) has an interesting titbit tucked away in its pages. This is contained in the report’s most significant portions dealing with activities pursuant to Human Rights Council Resolution 46/1. For those of us with short memories, it must be reminded that Resolution 46/1 relates to more..

Sep 11 (TM) Fashion designer Amilani Perera’s purpose is not just making great clothes. She weaves bespoke fashion into the threads of empowering women. Amilani’s self-titled, exotic luxury fashion brand was the only SL brand to be featured at the 2016 Asian Designer Week and was showcased at the USA - SL Fashion Week in 2017 in New York. Amilani is also the official uniform designer for Airport Aviation service persons. more..

Sep 11 (DM) Sirisena, Wickremesinghe, and the Rajapaksas are seasoned, shrewd, and occasionally unscrupulous political figures, much like ALL other leaders in the political arena. They are well-informed through their official & pvt intelligence networks about the events unfolding around them. It is highly probable that all three above leaders were aware of the looming threat. In a somewhat ironic turn of events, reminiscent of the proverbial three monkeys who neither hear, see, nor speak of evil, more..

Sep 11 (TM) Often we hear repeated calls for the Govt to be more transparent, accountable and just. However, faith in the state institutions, especially in law enforcement and in some segments of the judicial process has long been fading, with many Sri Lankans believing that the police is one of the most corrupt organisations in the country. What becomes of the hundreds of kg of narcotics taken into custody has been a question which has been on the public’s mind since the end of the war, more..

Sep 11 (SO) In a world where international diplomacy shapes the destiny of nations, the spotlight falls on SL’s Foreign Minister, Ali Sabry, PC, as he sheds light on the intricacies of the island nation’s diplomatic relations and foreign policy in a candid interview. Against the backdrop of Prez Wickremesinghe’s recent visits to India and an upcoming trip to China, along with the granting of permission for a Chinese research ship to more..

Sep 11 (Island) The effective date of the new Anti-Corruption Act––15 Sept. 2023––was announced on Saturday. The timing of that announcement could not have been more inappropriate. The gazette notification came less than one day after the govt had made a mockery of its much-advertised commitment to eliminating bribery and corruption. On Friday, the govt defeated the Opposition’s no-faith motion against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella over various malpractices more..

Sep 11 (GV) Perhaps I have been a little provocative in my choice of title. It’s not SL that has a Channel 4 problem, it’s the SL govt. But in this corner of the world the SL people are, for better or worse, identified with their govt. As such any media programme targeting the SL govt tends to be seen as targeting the SL people. After the war Channel 4 aired SL’s Killing Fields. Govt left no stone unturned in questioning it and it faced no shortage of Sri Lankans willing to lend support. more..

Sep 11 (DM) Prof. David Capie, an academic from New Zealand specialized in international relations, shared his views in an interview by e-mail with Daily Mirror. He responds to questions on how small nations like Sri Lanka and Zealand can benefit from their strategic positioning while balancing out ties with major powers like the United States and China. Also, he offers insights from New Zealand from its own experience in overcoming the economic crisis. He is Director of the Centre for more..

Sep 11 (Island) The two articles on political and presidential reforms that I wrote for the Sunday Island (Aug 13 & 20), have elicited an interesting response from Dayan Jayatilleka (Aug 27). Dr. Jayatilleka disagrees with both my reform ideas and my suggestion that now is the time for reforms, and proffers a counterview that the reform ideas are regressive, and now is the worst time for reform. He is, as he has consistently been, opposed to changing the current system of more..

Sep 11 (FT) Combined earnings of 288 listed companies on the CSE in the June 2023 quarter had tumbled by 45% to Rs. 52.7 billion from the March 2023 quarter figure of Rs. 95.3 billion according to Softlogic Stockbrokers. In comparison with the June 2022 quarter figure of Rs. 169.7 billion, the latest quarter figure is down by 69%. Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) earnings too had declined by a similar percentage to Rs. 390 b. more..

Sep 11 (ST) On Aut 28, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura informed the Football Federation of SL (FFSL) that the suspension had been lifted on condition that the elections are held on Sept 29, 2023, as per the newly adopted statutes of Sept 22, 2022 and the gazette notification of July 24, 2023, issued by the Ministry of Sports (MoS). Adhering to the strict conditions issued by FIFA was paramount. With that unequivocal declaration, FIFA rapped the local football administration more..

Sep 11 (Island) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced revisions to Corporate Governance Rules applicable to entities listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange with effect from 1st October 2023.High standards of Corporate Governance with accountability and transparency are critical to building investor confidence in the capital market and is therefore a priority on the SEC’s regulatory agenda. SEC recognising the need to improve the level of Corporate Governance more..

Sep 11 (FT) Minister Manusha Nanayakkara announced an extension of the deadline for submitting proposals for the newly proposed employment law. According to Nanayakkara, trade unions that have not yet responded to the calls will be granted an extension until the first week of October to submit their suggestions and proposals regarding the proposed law. The Minister emphasised the importance of trade unions not delaying their responses, warning against more..

Sep 11 (Island) Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, over the weekend, urged political parties, represented in Parliament, to pay attention to the urgent need to enact the laws necessary to meet the challenges ahead. Jayasuriya, who served as the Speaker during the 2015-2019 period, in a statement issued on Saturday stated that the Parliament seemed to be slow in addressing the issues at hand. The following is the text of statement issued by Jayasuriya, in his capacity as the Chairman more..

Sep 11 (ST) As sovereign debt restructuring nerds, team Alphaville has had an eye on SL. But our attention was properly piqued when US govt last week intervened in a lawsuit triggered by the county’s 2022 default. The case has been brought by Hamilton Reserve Bank (HRB) in St Kitts & Nevis. Somehow, a small bank based in a country with 50,000 inhabitants and GDP of under $1bn has amassed $250m face-value stake in SL bond more..

Sep 11 (DM) A mother of three who had been stranded in Kuwait after her prospective employer had refused to provide her employment, returned to the country today much to the relief of her children who had been left to the mercy of the jungle without any protection. The Daily Mirror highlighted the predicament of the three children who requested the authorities to facilitate the return of their mother from Kuwait. The SL Foreign Employment Bureau had taken immediate steps within 24 hours more..

Sep 11 (Island) Prásara, the Hela Osu infused wellness brand from Hemas Manufacturing, opened its all-new Herbarium on the 5th July 2023 in Dankotuwa. This all-new Herbarium consists over 200 unique Hela Osu plants and was designed to serve as a hub for education and research, welcoming schools and universities to explore the wonders of Sri Lanka’s age-old practices of hela veda kama. Prásara celebrated this milestone by partnering with key schools in WP more..