Jun 20 (ST) With time running out to close the deal with international sovereign bondholders (ISBs), on debt restructuring, economists say SL may agree to whatever is presented to them by the creditors. If a suggested haircut is low, they said those who bought the ISBs at a deep discount stand to gain huge capital gains. “It all depends on the haircut. It is important for SL to think about debtor/creditor justice,” an economist said. Dr. Priyanga Dunusinghe, Economist, Uni of Colombo more..

Jun 20 (CT) If proper methodologies are followed while implementing development projects, be it road development, housing construction or other development projects, man-made disasters can be averted. Nearly half of the hazards, triggered by the intensifying of the Southwest Monsoon, occurred due to improper implementation of projects, Laksiri Indratilake, Senior Geologist at the NBRO said. more..

Jun 20 (TM) Reaching a decision on a much debated national level topic, the Constitutional Council (CC) this week decided to reject the recommendation for an extension of the tenure of Attorney General (AG) President’s Counsel (PC) Sanjay Rajaratnam. The recommendation, submitted by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, sought to extend the AG’s tenure by six-months. The proposal had been criticised in various manners in the political arena and also among the public. more..

Jun 20 (ST) Coming down the lane was Aldoris, the choon paan karaya, in his mobile tuk-tuk bakery, with the popular Desmond De Silva hit, Sumihiri Pane blaring from the loud speakers. As he stopped at the gate where the trio had gathered, he handed over kimbula bunis and Chinese rolls and tried to engage the trio in a conversation about the forthcoming elections. But they were not interested as the topic of the conversation at that point was a recent visit to the Grama Sevaka more..

Jun 20 (Island) The Constitutional Council (CC) deserves praise for having scuttled Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe’s plan to extend the term of Attorney General (AG) Sanjay Rajaratnam, who is to retire shortly. Five CC members voted against the proposal that the AG be allowed to stay in office for another six months. No AG has ever been given a service extension in SL since Independence. The reasons the govt adduced for proposing to extend Rajaratnam’s term were absurd. more..

Jun 20 (DM) Sri Lankans are very concerned about the much looked forward to Prez Elections and the proposed tax reforms by Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe. Both are factors which will shape our futures. Though we cannot be proud of the post D.S. Senanayake era, we did have a past where SL, or Ceylon then, was very much on the world map for all the good reasons. Other than the nation’s port facilities, Ceylon was known for its Kings and prosperity in agriculture, trade activities more..

Jun 20 (FT) The Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) criticised the recent implementation of a Rs. 1,700 daily wage for workers at Elkaduwa Plantations Ltd. as a political manoeuvre, claiming that the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) could similarly raise wages if the Govt provided financial support. Dr. Roshan Rajadurai noted that the Govt has allocated Rs. 5 billion for payments to State-run plantation companies. more..

Jun 20 (DN) A. Dhanaranjan of Victoria Golf Resort made a stunning achievement yesterday at the Sri Lanka Golf Ranking Tournament. Playing at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club, he carded the best score of the day with a one over-par 72. This remarkable performance brought his total gross to 222, placing him at the top of the leaderboard for the first time in his career. Dhanaranjan’s consistent play, matching his previous day’s score of 72, helped him surpass the previous leader, Uchitha Ranasinghe more..

Jun 20 (FT) A new political movement, Jana Aragalaya Sandhanaya, was established yesterday by activists from the 2022 Aragalaya (People’s Struggle) movement. The movement formed according to the group in preparation for the next Parliamentary elections. It consists of student activists, civil activists, journalists and various political groups. In a release, the movement said the formation of this party marks a significant step in the pursuit of political power to fulfil more..

Jun 20 (FT) Top economist Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy cautioned that social and political stability can be at stake if there are reversals in on-going frameworks for macroeconomic policy-making and structural reforms. “The premium attached to getting it right this time is very high indeed given the sharp increase in income poverty and multidimensional vulnerability. Social and political stability can be at stake,” said Dr. Coomaraswamy, a former Governor of the CB. more..

Jun 20 (Island) Asian Games medallist Tharushi Karunaratne boosted her Olympic aspirations as she erased the Asian Continental record to win the second place of the women’s 600 metres at the Bilbao Reunion International, a World Athletics bronze label event in Spain on Tuesday. The record-breaking 1:24.84 seconds performance has helped former Ratnayake Central Walala athlete leapfrog to the 47th position in the Road to Paris 24 rankings after being in 63rd position before the race. more..

Jun 20 (ST) For over a decade, an Australian company has tried to secure mining licences to extract heavy mineral sands from the ecologically rich region of Mannar Island—the fourth largest ilmenite deposit in the world—with little success. Renewed attempts to push the project further were met with protests by locals over land usage and severe existential concerns about the environmental consequences. more..

Jun 20 (FT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday announced a host of initiatives to empower small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) and boost the industry sector. Speaking at the inauguration of the first International Industry Expo organised by the Industrial Development Board (IDB), Prez announced the establishment of a new development bank with the opportunity to obtain loans at low interest rates aimed at providing financial support to industrialists in Sri Lanka. more..

Jun 20 (TM) In a significant move towards addressing pressing educational reforms and human rights-related concerns, the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights (HR) has intensified efforts to raise awareness about human rights and fundamental rights (FR) among schoolchildren. Chairperson of the said Caucus Wasantha Yapabandara, highlighting the importance of this initiative, stated: “Educating our young generation about their human rights and FR is crucial for fostering a society more..

Jun 20 (TM) Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) stated that plans are in place to promptly apprehend the suspects responsible for the incident of slaughtering a peacock, roasting its meat, and consuming it inside the Maduru-Oya National Park. Considering the information presented by the Wildlife Ranger-Henanigala, Kumarasiri Wijekoon, last week, Mahiyangana Magistrate ordered the arrest of six more..

Jun 20 (TM) Police investigations are yet to identify the culprits behind the recent attack on Jaffna-based journalist Pradeepan Thambithurai's house in Achchuveli. Last week, a group of unidentified individuals had vandalised Thambithurai's house, set his motorbike on fire and damaged his three-wheeler. The estimated damage caused to his property was reported to be over Rs. 1 million. Several Police teams are investigating the recent attack on the home of Thambithurai. more..

Jun 20 (Island) Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda says China has been denied permission again to set up sea cucumber farms in Northern Sri Lanka. Jaffna District MP Devananda, who is also the leader of the EPDP, said so, addressing a group of local sea cucumber farmers in Jaffna. The Fisheries Ministry on Tuesday (18) quoted Minister Devananda as having said that he had taken steps to cancel a permit issued to a Chinese investor during the Yahapalana administration. more..

Jun 20 (BU) The Govt of Sri Lanka has extended the deadline for the submission of bids for the procurement of a Master System Integrator (MSI) for the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) project. This project, funded by the Government of India, aims to develop a comprehensive digital identity system for the country. Originally, the bid submission deadline was set for July 4, 2023. However, a corrigendum has been issued, extending the deadline to July 18, 2023. more..

Jun 20 (Island) In a bid to boost pilgrim tourism, Sri Lanka Tourism invited prominent outbound travel agents and ten leading Buddhist media influencers from India to participate in an exclusive B2B networking session and immersive cultural experience during the Vesak celebrations. The event commenced on the 22nd of May 2024 at the Hotel Ramada Colombo, aiming to strengthen ties between local and int'l travel agents and to showcase spiritual & cultural richness of SL. more..

Jun 20 (DM) Port City Colombo is set to become the engine of SL’s future economic development by opening up opportunities for local and international university level students to pursue academics in diversified fields of study. Fulfilling the regional demand for undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in engineering, information technology, business studies/ management, finance, marketing & medicine, more..

Jun 20 (Island) Manohara de Silva, PC, says that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s unprecedented criticism of the Supreme Court should be examined against the backdrop of the controversial Economic Transformation Bill (ETB) pending before the apex court. “The President’s warning may have a chilling effect on the judiciary,” de Silva said, emphasising the responsibility on the part of the legislature to thwart the executive’s agenda. Commenting on Prez Wickremesinghe’s proposal more..

Jun 20 (DM) The manufacturing sector resumed expansion while the services activities continued their growth in May, as the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) signalled that the economic activities continue to do well, supported by the lower prices and interest rates. The manufacturing sector PMI logged an index value of 58.2 in May, recovering from 42.0 recorded in April, indicating that the expansion in the manufacturing activities is intact. April contraction was an aberration more..

Jun 20 (CT) On the instructions of the Commissioner General of Excise, the Excise Department announced that every licensed liquor outlet and stall in the country will remain closed for Poson Full Moon Poya Day, which falls on 21 June. Commissioner General of Excise M.J. Gunasiri made this announcement to all licensed liquor outlets, shops and official liquor dealers, cautioning them that strict legal action will be taken against those who violate the Department’s orders. more..

Jun 20 (DM) Health officials in Sri Lanka have identified a growing tendency of women being infected with leptospirosis, commonly referred to as rat fever, with a notable increase. Dr. Thushani Dabarera, Consultant Epidemiologist at the Epidemiology Unit said "This observation challenges previous perceptions of the disease as predominantly affecting males engaged in high-risk occupations such as paddy cultivation, cattle farming, and gem mining," more..

Jun 20 (CT) Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Madhava Tennakoon informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Keminda Perera that experts have confirmed crucial data and numerous email messages from the ill-fated vessel, MV X-Press Pearl were intentionally deleted after it caught fire. The blaze, which occurred off the coast of Sri Lanka on 19 May 2021, resulted in one of the worst marine pollution incidents in South Asia and globally. more..

Jun 20 (DN) The Seethaka area in Avissawella is rapidly becoming a popular booming tourist destination among local and foreign tourists. As a step forward, the development of this tourism zone as an international standard sustainable tourism zone has started. The official announcement ceremony is scheduled to be held at Seethawaka Wetland Park tomorrow by PM Dinesh Gunawardena. Nearly a hundred environmentalists representing many countries including more..

Jun 20 (CT) The CIABOC has initiated an investigation into a complaint alleging the misuse of official vehicles by former Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella. In a statement, CIABOC said the probe was launched based on a complaint filed by a civilian. According to the commission, in May 2023, Rambukwella was provided with official vehicles during his tenure as Health Minister which he retained following his appointment as Environment Minister in October 2023. more..

Jun 20 (EN) India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will pay a one-day official visit to Colombo today and meet SL leaders to discuss wide-ranging issues of the partnership, India said, amid delays of some key Indian projects ahead of a presidential poll in SL. Though SL govt has claimed that Jaishankar’s visit was a precursor to Indian PM Narendra Modi who formed the new govt last week, External Affairs Ministry of India did not more..

Jun 20 (FT) On 17 June 2024 the evening’s TV newscasts showed President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing a conference (in Sinhala) and announcing the progress of the plan to unify Sri Lanka with India (Lankaava saha Indiyaava ekathu karana). He was referring primarily to the planned bridge but also to his multi-pronged grand plan of multi-dimensional integration with India, which he also laid out. His conference was in the aftermath of his meeting with the Bishop of Mannar. more..

Jun 20 (FT) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in SL, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Inland Revenue Department, University of Moratuwa, and the National Innovation Agency of SL co-convened the first-ever National Tax Dialogue to address contemporary issues surrounding taxation and fiscal policies in the island. According to the above news report, after 76 years of independence, SL has for the first time had a national dialogue on taxation to address more..

Jun 20 (AD) Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health says that 5,000 Leptospirosis cases have been reported within the first six months of the year. Health officials advise the public to promptly seek medical advice if they experience a fever or exhibit symptoms related to rat fever. The bacteria responsible for this disease is mainly found in rat urine and it has also been detected in the feces and urine of cattle, dogs and pigs. Commenting on this regard, Consultant Epidemiologist more..

Jun 20 (SLA) Major General S.R.B Aluvihare was appointed as the new Chief of Staff of the Army on Thursday (20) and received his letter of appointment as the 64th Chief of Staff of the Army from Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, the Commander of the Army, at the Commander’s office. Major General S.R.B Aluvihare served as the Commander, Security Forces - Central prior to this appointment and is also the Colonel of the Regiment of the Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment. more..

Jun 20 (TM) Despite protests from local spice growers, the country plans to import spices to address the current shortage and support the production of value-added products. EDB Policy and Strategic Planning Director Kumudinie Mudalige stated: “It is a good decision that the Government is permitting importing specific spices for reprocessing and re-export which is done under the Import and Export Act of 1969.” more..

Jun 20 (AD) Indian Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar called on PM Dinesh Gunawardena at Temple Trees in Colombo today. PM congratulated Dr. Jaishankar on the election victory of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and reassured SL’s commitment to work together to further strengthen close bilateral relations. He thanked India for the assistance given at recent difficult times after Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis, the PM’s Media Division said. more..

Jun 20 (DM) Responding to images circulated on social media depicting a water pipeline filled with gunk, claimed to be in Sri Lanka, the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) denied the existence of such pipelines in SL. In a statement, the NWSDB clarified that the pipelines depicted in the pictures are from Thailand, not SL. The images are being falsely linked to the incident of the bursting of a transmission pipeline from the Kalatuwawa treatment plant on June 17, it said. more..