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Home » NewsAcute labour shortage in Lanka; 200,000 foreigners working here
By Kasun Warakapitiya Foreign workers, both with and without work visas, are arriving in Sri Lanka with the country facing an acute labour shortage, a cabinet minister said yesterday. Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka told the Sunday Times that an estimated 200,000 strong foreign labour force was in Sri Lanka. He [...]
New anti-terrorism law undermines RTI
The word ‘Espionage’ dropped, but originally listed offences reintroduced By Namini Wijedasa The Counter Terrorism Act policy framework approved by the Cabinet this week has reintroduced offences originally listed under “espionage”– whilst merely removing the word “espionage” from the document. As such, the draft makes it an offence to voluntarily engage in any illegal, unlawful [...]
Offer by Railways sidetracked; China gets huge signal contract
The Transport Ministry is set to award a US$ 15mn (Rs 2.2 billion) project to China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CNMIEC) to install signals at four stations on the new Matara-Beliatta line when the Railways Department’s own engineers offered to do the job for Rs 250 million. No tenders were called. The basis [...]
SLFP, UNP book 3,264 buses, two trains for May Day rallies
More than half the fleet of the state-run Sri Lanka Transport Board buses have been booked for May Day rallies by political parties with the two main parties making most of the bookings, officials said. For its rally in Kandy, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has booked 1,832 buses, while the United National Party has [...]
New guidelines for unsolicited proposals
By Damith Wickremasekara The Government has spelt out new guidelines relating to unsolicited proposals for state projects. The proposals which have been set out in a circular will apply to all government institutions in reviewing and evaluating development proposals presented by the private sector. These proposals need to be of a strategic nature from [...]
Public sector polls candidates not allowed back at posts
Public sector employees who resign from service to contest elections will not be able to return to the same position they held, the Public Administration Ministry has announced. Ministry Secretary J.J. Rathanasiri told the Sunday Times that the ministry secured Cabinet approval recently since it has become a bad practice in the public service where [...]
The Minimum Standards of Medical Education in existence from 2006, says former SLMC President
Prof. Lalitha Mendis counters allegations by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne With minimum standards of medical education being put under the microscope and varied views being expressed, former President of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) Prof. Lalitha Mendis has stepped in to counter allegations by Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and reiterate that Sri Lanka does [...]
Health Minister sending big delegation for WHA
The Health Ministry is sending a large delegation of 16 to the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva in a clear departure from previous years when just two officials and the Minister would attend. The annual conference will take place this year from May 22-31. WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organisation [...]
CB unions against possible extension to 2 retiring Deputy Governors
Staff unions at the Central Bank (CB) are up in arms over alleged attempts to extend the tenure of two retiring Deputy Governors (DG), contrary to accepted practice and norms. CB Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy or senior officials were immediately available for comment on alleged moves by the Govt to extend the terms of the two [...]
No Mahapola scholarship for undergrads boycotting lectures, says UGC
By Damith Wickramasekara University undergraduates boycotting lectures, as part of ongoing protests against the South Asian Institute of Technology & Medicine (SAITM), will have their Mahapola Scholarships suspended, the University Grants Commission (UGC) said. UGC Chairman Mohan de Silva told the Sunday Times that the UGC had been notified by the Mahapola Higher Education [...]
What mandate for Theresa May?
By Chris Patten LONDON – British Prime Minister Theresa May doesn’t exactly have a reputation for unpredictability. A cautious and disciplined politician – a vicar’s daughter, no less – May doesn’t play around with the truth, nor does she take unnecessary risks or stray beyond a comfort zone populated by a tight knit group of [...]
CEB chairman, engineers’ union wires cross forcing former’s resignation
Anura Wijepala resigned as Chairman of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) last week, because he could not support the Engineers’ demand, accepted by the Power and Energy Ministry, to place the utility’s Internal Auditor (IA) under the purview of its General Manager (GM), instead of the Board of Directors. “It was against my conscience,” Mr Wijepala, [...]
Navy to take delivery of flagship vessel
The navy is expected to take delivery of the first Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) which is currently at the completion stages at Goa Shipyard Ltd in India, in June this year. It has commissioned two 105m APOV vessels to be built. The other one is to be delivered next year. The navy crew who [...]
8 Bids for 300 MW multi-fuel power plant at Kerawalapitiya: CEB
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has received eight bids to set up a 300 MegaWatt (MW) multi-fuel combined cycle power plant at Kerawalapitiya. Bids were invited by the CEB after 12 years, for the Build, Own, Operate & Transfer (BOOT) project. The technical proposals were opened when the deadline for submissions expired on April 21. [...]
Heightened security for Colombo, Kandy May Day rallies
Security will be tight in Colombo and Kandy where the major May Day rallies will be held tomorrow, as political parties, trade unions and others gather to celebrate International Workers’ Day. President Maithripala Sirisena will lead the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) rally at the Getambe ground in Kandy, while Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will [...]
WNL press wins Asian Productivity Organisation certificate
The Hokandara printing press of the Wijeya Newspapers Limited (WNL), the publishers of the Sunday Times, Daily Mirror, Lankadeepa and a host of other newspapers and magazines, won a certificate from the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) for its energy efficiency programme. Representing the APO, Japan’s Energy Conservation Centre experts Kazuhiko Yoshida and Mayu Chiba gave [...]
Rs 580 million ‘transport hub’ for Kandy
With the establishment of the Strategic Cities Development Plan coming under Minister Champika Ranawaka, plans have now been drawn to commence a ‘Transport Hub’, embracing both the ‘Goods Shed Bus Stand’ and the Railway Terminal in Kandy, at an estimated cost of Rs 580 million (US$ 40 million). Minister Ranawaka told the media that the [...]
Ancient city replicas and holograms to recreate life and times of Lord Buddha at UN Vesak Day celebrations
The public will get their first glimpse of a replica of the Sakya Kingdom of ancient India which is being recreated at Kahapola, Piliyandala to coincide with the UN Vesak festival which gets underway from May 11-14. As part of the elaborate programme, visitors will see a replica of the Garden at Lumbini where Siddhartha [...]
Bopitiya dump stirs up garbage danger, anger
In its haste to dump garbage anywhere but Meethotamulla following the deaths and devastation on April 12, the Government is stirring up more anger across the city. Residents of Bopitiya are up in arms over the garbage being dumped in Muthurajawela, a part of a wildlife sanctuary. Residents and environmentalists say the area has been [...]
Garbage collection, disposal an essential service- Parliament
Parliament, on Friday, approved regulations promulgated by President Maithripala Sirisena, under the Public Security Ordinance, declaring as an Essential Service, work or labour of any description whatsoever necessary or, required to be done in connection with the processing, separation, treatment, disposal and sale of street refuse, house refuse or other similar matter. This was followed [...]
President seeks clarification on Resettlement Ministry’s 6,000 prefabricated houses
Cabinet approval on a Resettlement Ministry paper to award 6,000 prefabricated houses to the war-affected of the North and East, was held up this week, after President Maithripala Sirisena sought further clarification. Resettlement Minister D.M. Swaminathan has been promoting the initiative of steel giant ArcelorMittal since 2015. Its logistics partner is Kumarca Engineering & Management [...]
Recycling sidelined: Recyclers hit out at official lethargy on mounting problem
The recent Meethotamulla disaster has once again drawn attention to the importance of recycling to solve the country’s mounting garbage problem, but recyclers charge that they are getting little support from authorities, who have not gone beyond repeated assurances. The irony, as pointed out by those in the recycling industry, is that although there are [...]
Litterbugs turning Kataragama into a garbage dump
The Sacred City of Kataragama attracts many visitors from all parts of the country. It is claimed the city receives more visitors than many other sites country-wide. But having so many visitors visit has its down-side as well. Pilgrims, tourists and visitors tend to leave behind large quantities of garbage. Today garbage can be seen [...]
Garbage wars escalate in the hills
Nanu Oya residents and environmentalists are up in arms over the dumping of garbage from Hatton in Nanu Oya, situated 32 kilometres away. A mountain of garbage had been building up at a spot along the Hatton-Thalawakelle road over many years as the authorities had been unable to find a suitable place for Hatton’s garbage. [...]
From one mega wasteful project to another Japanese garbage plan
Despite the failure of the Central Environment Authority’s multi-billion rupee ‘Pilisaru’ national solid waste management project, the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils is again planning to launch a similar project, experts on waste management claim. Last Friday, Minister Faiszer Mustapha said in Parliament that there are plans to begin kawashima Japanese composting methods [...]
In this Kataragama village, abject poverty drives children to begging
Y.A. Sanjeewa dropped out of school at Grade five. He says his parents were too poor to keep him in school beyond that and it was more important that he went out and earned some money to help the family. He is 30 now, married with two children. His is keen to educate his children [...]
Bond issue: Expert regrets CBSL’s Tender Board was made a rubber stamp
The Central Bank’s former Deputy Governor W.A.Wijewardena has said an organised system needs to be maintained in appointing members to the Monetary Board as some of its members are being appointed because of party political connections. Testifying on Thursday before the Commission of Inquiry (COI) looking into the issue of treasury bonds from February 1, [...]
Real Sal blooms thrive despite the ‘cannon ball’
The flower with pinkish fleshy petals and strong fragrance regarded as ‘sal’ is a favourite flower of the Buddhists. But they are not aware of its real identity. While Vesak is only few days ahead, the real sal trees in Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya are in bloom. According to botanical gardens sources, the trees start [...]
Heatstroke risk rising in tandem with boiling temperatures
Temperatures across Sri Lanka are set to soar well above 38.8° Celsius in the coming weeks and the prevailing heat is expected to continue until mid-May when the south-west monsoon is expected. Rising temperatures are expected to become more common and more intense in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, there may be some relief from scattered showers [...]
Gentle marine giant drawn to our waters
As the sightings of whale sharks increase in our waters, experts say the world’s largest fish needs to be protected. “We still know very little about whale sharks, but the fish is already ‘endangered’ and highly threatened by both target and bycatch fisheries,” says marine biologist from Blue Resources Trust, Daniel Fernando. He made the [...]
Three policemen including SI accused of extortion in Jaffna
The Jaffna police are probing a complaint lodged by a goldsmith that three policemen including a sub-in spector of police had allegedly demanded hush money from him for themselves and for a particular magistrate . Initial investigations revealed the police personnel had visited the goldsmith on several occasions. According to the goldsmith they had threatened [...]
It was a top secret: How Mrs. B’s Govt. was defeated by a single vote in 1964
It was in July 1960, after the Parliamentary elections held that year, that Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world’s first woman prime minister. It was only subsequently that leaders like Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Mrs. Golda Meir and Benazir Bhutto led their countries as prime ministers. Mrs.B headed a 15-member cabinet which included C.P. De Silva [...]
Photo focus: Noise pollution endangering marine life in Mirissa
Tourists, hotel owners and environmentalists complain that beach parties which continue into the early hours of the morning and beyond the legal time limit is doing more harm than good to the tourist industry. According to reports, locals are not welcomed to these parties held on the Mirissa beach on a daily basis during the [...]
Human-elephant conflict escalates in Hambantota
The human-elephant conflict in the Hambantota district is escalating. Between 2010 to 2017 twenty-five people died as a result of wild elephant attacks. Fifty-seven elephants were also killed during this period. The Hambantota District covers 2,609 sq km land spread over the 12 Divisional Secretariats. Unfortunately, under the new development projects 2,000 hectares of forest [...]