Aug 11 (Island) The big news on the prez election front – if it could be so termed – last week was Namal Rajapaksa being anointed as the pohottuwa’s prez candidate. SLPP has long been playing a cat and mouse game, loudly declaring that they will be fielding a candidate but remaining remarkably shy of naming that worthy. Prez Wickremesinghe’s foot dragging about declaring himself a runner, while launching his campaign and getting proxies to proclaim his candidacy, more..

Aug 11 (ST) Scorned and laughed at, even labeled by home fans as lonthayo–roughly translated to mean lame people–after a string of defeats, the SL cricket team staged a remarkable turnaround just this week with a performance that was simply unbelievable. In a breathtaking 2-0 ODI series victory against India, the world’s top-ranked team, SL went beyond their nation’s expectations by redefining themselves as Sinhayo, or lions, more..

Aug 11 (Island) Some rules in England amuse you. For example, you can’t enter certain sections of Lord’s without a tie and a blazer. Fair enough. There has to be some sort of decorum and etiquette. But some 20 years ago, when you were about to make the Lord’s debut, senior scribes warned to wear a blazer and a tie to the press box. That was a bit too much. Britain often has these unwritten laws. In fact their constitution itself is an unwritten one. During summer, England & Wales Cricket Board more..

Aug 11 (TM) There is something about the way that SL’s 2024 Prez Election campaign appears to be shaping up, with a mind-boggling 27 candidates already in the fray up until Friday (9) evening and none of them seemingly showing that they are reading the pulse of the voter right. The acceptance of nominations will close only on 15 Aug. To add insult to injury, Election Commission announced yesterday that each addition of a candidate incurs an added cost of Rs. 200m of tax money. more..

Aug 11 (TM) The day-to-day operations of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs are due to be overseen by its Secretary K. Mahesan in the aftermath of the resignation of subject Minister Harin Fernando, a source from the ministry confirmed. He said that until Prez issues a gazette notification to take the ministry under his purview or to assign the Sports Ministry to another minister or even to the current State Minister, its work would be handled by Ministry Secretary. more..

Aug 11 (SO) The extent to which batsman Dinesh Chandimal has been given raw deal after raw deal could not have been explained any better than during the concluded white ball home series between Sri Lanka and India although he has been named in the Test squad for a three-Test series in England. Selected into the T20 squad after some pleasing performances at last month’s LPL, Chandimal was not allowed to play a single T20 match against India which Sri Lanka lost 3-0. more..

Aug 11 (TM) With the next crucial Prez Election slated to be held on 21 Sept, SL is gearing up to a number of election outcomes. Traditionally, the country has seen two main frontrunners dominating the polls, making the final count relatively straightforward. However, this year’s election may present a different scenario, with some analysts suggesting that it could be a 3-way race. This potential scenario raises questions of more..

Aug 11 (ST) The Got is considering reducing water tariffs due to lower energy costs following the rupee’s sharp appreciation, says Minister of Water Supply Jeevan Thondaman. In accordance with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s directive the ministry is devising a water tariff formula with the Asian Development Bank assistance. Minister Thondaman revealed that the Water Supply Board, previously losing Rs 2.8 billion monthly, now makes a profit of Rs 6.2 billion. more..

Aug 11 (ST) The exploration and mining operations for ilmenite in Puttalam have faced significant disruptions due to conflicts among various govt institutions and officials tasked with managing this valuable mineral resource. Official sources indicate that the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Environment have not yet agreed on whether to permit Iluka Lanka Exploration Ltd to proceed with its activities. Concurrently, Lanka Mineral Sand Ltd has asserted its capability to manage more..

Aug 11 (ST) A long time ago there was an island on the Indian Ocean to where people from all over the world travelled to. But today this land has literally closed its doors by creating an issue out of just an online link! This link is needed to issue a visa before arriving on the island. Attracting travellers to Sri Lanka has become more cumbersome than ever before with little or no support from the authorities at the Department of Immigration. more..

Aug 11 (SO) The restarting of stalled mega development projects by donor countries in the aftermath of successful debt restructuring, the settling over 90% of dues to the construction contractors by the Government and reduction of construction material prices is making a huge positive impact on the construction sector to rebound, said President, Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB), Dr. Rohan Karunaratne. He was speaking at opening day of World Construction Symposia more..

Aug 11 (DM) SJB has decided not to appoint new MPs for the moment in place of Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara who lost their seats following their expulsion from the SJB which was upheld by the Supreme Court yesterday. The party hierarchy which met yesterday has decided to fill the vacancies of the two MPs after the Sept 21 Prez election, party sources said. Meanwhile, it was also reported that MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar will be appointed as new Chairman of the party. more..

Aug 11 (DM) National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested a key accused in the SL human trafficking case who was on the run for the last three years. Seeni Aabulkhan from Sri lanka was nabbed from Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, where he was hiding. A NIA investigation found that he, along with his associates, used to confine trafficked victims in a boat, before sending them to Mangaluru by train, car, and bikes. “The case was originally registered by the Mangaluru City Police more..

Aug 11 (DM) A local man trying to bring in a stock of live marine species from Singapore without declaring to the SL Customs was stopped at the BIA this morning. Customs officials stationed at the BIA Arrival Terminal on suspicion intercepted a passenger who tried to use the nothing to declare green channel to leave the airport. The traveller had arrived in the country on Singapore Airlines flight SQ 468 around 1.00 am today with several bags. Customs searched the man’s baggage to find more..

Aug 11 (ST) Election Commission is to seek the assistance of the police cybercrimes unit to investigate a fake (phishing) website similar to the Election Commission seeking personal information of Sri Lankans. The website has already been traced by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) and it is hosted by a U.S.-based Google server. Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake said they were due to send more..

Aug 11 (ST) Drone cameras, snipers and more than 4,500 police personnel will be deployed for security operations in and around the Election Commission on presidential election nomination day on Thursday. Detailed security plans were discussed on Friday at a meeting presided over by Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Ratnayake. The meeting was attended by Public Security Ministry Secretary Viyani Gunatillake, Defence Chief of Staff, General Shavendra Silva, SDIG Lalith Pathinayake more..

Aug 11 (AD) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that seven plantation companies have agreed with the govt’s decision to provide a daily salary of Rs.1, 700 to plantation workers. “As the current labour minister, I have planned to convene the Wages Board on Monday to further discuss the matter. If necessary, special laws will be introduced to implement this decision”, he added. Prez also announced that, workers’ welfare funds, which have been neglected for many years, will be paid starting next year. more..

Aug 11 (NW) Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Rathnayake states that each additional candidate on the presidential election ballot increases costs by approximately Rs. 200 million. “I estimate that every new name added results in at least a Rs. 200 million increase in costs. All the funds we use belong to the people of this country. Many candidates announce their candidacy merely for media attention, to enter parliament in future, or to gain other benefits,” he said. more..

Aug 11 (DM) SLPP Prez candidate Namal Rajapaksa met TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran where the two discussed issues facing the North and East as well as the development of the districts if Rajapaksa secures victory in the Prez Election, Geethanath Cassilingham, Politbureau Member of SLPP representing the Northern Province said. Cassilingham said that Rajapaksa informed Sumanthiran that he was ready to work with the Tamil MPs from N&E to address grievances more..

Aug 11 (TM) Two of the three recently-vacated ministerial portfolios, currently overseen by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, are likely to be reassigned to Foreign Affairs Minister and PM, according to a top Govt official. The official further disclosed that the Justice Ministry portfolio, left vacant after former Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe resigned to run in the upcoming Prez Election, was expected to be assigned to more..

Aug 11 (AD) The Sri Dalada Esala Perahera of the Scared Temple of Tooth Relic in Kandy will commence with the first Kumbal Perahera parading the streets this evening (Aug 10). The Kumbal Perahera is slated to be held until August 14, while the first Randoli Perahera will begin on 15th, and parade the streets for five days until August 19. The Kandy Esala festival will draw to an end following the water-cutting ceremony at the Mahaweli River in Getambe on August 31. more..

Aug 11 (DM) Prez candidates will be barred from lavish spending unchecked this time because the Election Commission (EC) is slated to introduce a ceiling on spending on campaigning in respect of each voter according to the new law enacted this time, an official said. The current Prez Election is the first to be conducted in terms of the newly introduced Campaign Finance Act. According to an official of the EC, the amount of money a candidate can spend will be determined in consultations more..

Aug 11 (ST) In a democracy, a ruling party rarely suffers what amounts to a political earthquake, homemade by its own leaders. The latest, one is reminded, took place just days ago in Bangladesh. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the daughter of the founder leader of that nation, once East Pakistan, Banga Bandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, resigned amidst mounting protests. She fled to India from that predominantly Bengali nation. more..

Aug 12 (DM) After our country declared itself bankrupt two years ago, we are at the point of holding elections at long last. This time around it’s the most important of all elections -the prez election- with local govt and provincial council elections having been put off on the grounds of a lack of funds. While the election is important for many reasons, it is also a vote on how our people view the reforms that helped bring a semblance of normalcy to our then-shattered economy. more..

Aug 12 (TM) Almost every Sri Lankan has met his or her ‘GN’ or Grama Niladhari every few years, they are one of the most underappreciated, yet long-standing state service providers, who are close to each community. Irrespective of your relationship with the Grama Niladhari of your locality, it is undeniable that they are the closest source of authority and State-linked help for a majority of Sri Lankans, be it to fell a Jack tree in your property, or to help the coroner find your home and more..

Aug 12 (SO) The hope of achieving a medal at the Olympics is a dream held by many, but only a few athletes from around the world can proudly represent their countries at the Olympic Games, every four years. Among them, only a handful of Sri Lankans have brought pride to SL. Notably, there was Duncan White, who won a silver medal in the men’s 400m hurdles at the 1948 London Olympics & Susanthika Jayasinghe, who won a bronze more..

Aug 12 (DM) The announcement of the Presidential candidature of MP Namal Rajapaksa by the SLPP on August 7 might be the most widely talked-about topic in the run-up to the Sept 21 presidential election. Despite the SLPP having been rumoured to field its candidate, especially after Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s announcement of his candidacy, Namal even on the previous day denied speculations about him being fielded by his party as its horse. more..

Aug 12 (DM) From the time Ranil Wickremesinghe returned to the seat of power as Prime Minister and later as President, false narratives have been concocted and circulated by his opponents, adversaries, critics and detractors about him. One was that Wickremesinghe was afraid to face a presidential election and that he would put off the poll through unorthodox measures. This falsehood was exposed when the date of the presidential poll was gazetted by the Election Commission. more..

Aug 12 (TM) The conditions required to hold the Prez Poll 2024 are being put in place and all the initial preparations are being carried out in an orderly and timely manner, asserted Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake said. Towards this end, the Election Commission (EC) is making preparations to handle issues relating to fake news and hate speech via print, electronic, and social media, along with challenges that more..

Aug 12 (CT) Before the Election Commission announced the presidential election on 26 July 2024, the government made various attempts to cause instability and uncertainty based on the term of the president’s office, postponement of the presidential election for 2 years, 5 years, and parliamentary elections should help first, etc. All were purely bitter politics that did not have any democratic principles and norms. Knowing their future defeat in the prez election, SLPP tried to be with Prez more..

Aug 12 (ST) Those who unwisely murmur Bangladeshi people power a la Sri Lanka in assessing the second liberation of Bangladesh following the jubilant toppling of fifteen year one-party rule by former PM Sheikh Hasina by thousands of youth earlier this month, must restrain their enthusiasm in no small part. The 2022 youth protests in Sri Lanka precipitating the flight of former Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the collapse of his Govt has led to significantly different more..

Aug 12 (Island) The SLPP-UNP administration cuts crooked deals and protects crooks in such a way that one wonders whether it is a govt of the corrupt by the corrupt for the corrupt. Lessons learnt during crises are forgotten soon afterwards. During the 2022 uprising, the unsavoury characters in the garb of govt politicians who were accused of corruption and abuse of power went into hiding, but they have crawled out of the woodwork and are busy making up for lost time. more..

Aug 12 (Island) Dr. Dinara Gunasekera (DG), (The Island of 28,2024) has criticised the NPP (National People’s Power) policy document on Research and Development (R & D) as lacking in substance, originality and clarity. I wish to emphasise that there have been several R & D policies in the past by the NSF and the NASTEC. Although several conferences have been organised by NASTEC and policies have been formulated none of the recommendations have been implemented. more..

Aug 12 (FT) ITAK Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has asserted that there is no need to put forward a Tamil common candidate for the 2024 Prez election. He criticised the idea of several parties with little to no voter base announcing a common candidate, calling it unacceptable. “There is no need for a common candidate. The Tamil people have no interest in supporting one. more..

Aug 12 (FT) Pioneering business magazine LMD reports in its August edition that “businesses are navigating uncertain waters with caution amid multiple hostilities.” A spokesperson for the magazine explains: “Salespeople are cautious about the economic outlook, and the optimism we saw in June appears to have faded.” “In July, 27% of survey participants expressed optimism about the economy improving over the next 12 months, marking a 3% decrease from the month prior,” it notes. more..

Aug 12 (FT) WEConnect International, with support from the US Embassy, hosted a Supplier Development Masterclass and the Supplier Diversity and Inclusion Roundtable on 4 and 5 August in Colombo. These events aim to empower and connect women-owned businesses with key industry leaders and potential buyers, fostering economic growth and promoting gender inclusivity within value chains. On 4 and 5 Aug, US Ambassador Julie Chung joined more than 40 SL women more..