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Returning to what was once called home

Returning to what was once called home

Villagers have started returning to their homes in the  flood and landslide affected areas. Some of them find their houses fully destroyed as the others try to retrieve their belongings in the houses which have collapsed. A scene captured in Yatagampitiya,  Nagahadola in Kalutara on Thursday.  Pic by Indika Handuwala

3-Month grace on loan repayments for disaster victims: Central Bank

Central Bank “policy decision” for early revival of disaster-affected economies By Damith Wickremesekera The Central Bank (CB) directed all licensed banks in Sri Lanka to grant a three-month moratorium on repayment of loans, to customers in flood-affected areas. The CB is to extend this “policy decision” to other areas too. This is for customers in [...]

NBRO extends landslide warnings; death toll reaches 224 with 78 missing

The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) yesterday extended its landslide warnings in seven districts affected by the adverse weather, as the death toll increased to 224 with 78 missing. A 24-hour landslide warning was issued last afternoon for the Divisional Secretariats of Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle, Kalutara, Matara, Hambantota and Nuwara Eliya. NBRO officials said the [...]

PM cleared medically in NY, will attend UN Confab next week

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has completed a medical check-up at New York’s Presbyterian University Hospital and will attend next week’s United Nations Oceans Conference. Results from a three day check-up has cleared him of any doubts and given him a clean bill of health, the Sunday Times was told. Speaking to the Sunday Times from [...]

SC orders Rs. 1m compensation to Police torture victim

Judgment sends out strong signal, says Judge By Namini Wijedasa The Supreme Court this week ordered the payment of Rs 1 million in compensation to a man who was tortured by officers of the Bandaragama police station. A Sub Inspector (SI), Constable, Sergeant and security assistant were personally ordered to pay Rs 125,000 each, to [...]

SRI LANKA ART & CULTURAL MUSEUM IN NEW YORK

SRI LANKA ART & CULTURAL MUSEUM IN NEW YORK

Did you know that there is a museum in New York that represents our little island and its rich history and values? If you didn’t, well now you do. Julia Wijesinghe is the brainchild behind this venture and we had the chance to ask her a couple of questions about this feat. This truly goes [...]

GSP+ not a carte blanche; SL remains under scrutiny: EU Commissioner

As the Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences (GSP) Plus (+) was last month restored to Sri Lanka (SL), after seven years, the European Parliament, on Wednesday, was told it was not a blank cheque to SL, but it will continue to monitor the country’s future progress towards reforms and reconciliation. Opening the debate on behalf [...]

Unpreparedness reigned as lives, properties were destroyed

Unpreparedness reigned as lives, properties were destroyed

By Namini Wijedasa and Sandun Jayawardena Last week’s disasters in several districts of the country highlighted just how unprepared Sri Lanka still is to handle such situations. The local authorities found themselves with little or no resources–no power generators, no communications equipment, no boats, lifejackets or other equipment essential to deal with flash floods and [...]

Neighbour sails in to boost flood relief effort

Neighbour sails in to boost flood relief effort

Hours after a request was made by Sri Lanka last Friday afternoon for assistance to deal with relief following the deadly flooding and mudlsides, an Indian navy ship ‘INS Kirch’ was diverted from its deployment in the Indian Ocean to Colombo. A day after the disaster struck, the first of three Indian vessels arrived in [...]

All gone in an instant

All gone in an instant

“We are not beggars,” the monk said, his voice quivering. “We are merely helpless at this moment in time.” Then he stopped speaking, hid his face behind his fan and wiped his eyes with the edge of his saffron robe. Ven. Pahiyangala Chandima Thera was delivering a sermon on Thursday at the seventh day alms [...]

Cracks appear in historic cave

Cracks appear in historic cave

Tension cracks have appeared near the entrance to the ancient Pahiyangala rock cave where remains of Mesolithic humans – or prehistoric Homo Sapiens sapiens – have been found. The fissures were seen after a massive landslide occurred nearby on the same range of hills on May 26. National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) officials have said [...]

US donates Rs. 350 million in flood aid

US donates Rs. 350 million in flood aid

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap joined President Maithripala Sirisena to announce donations of approximately rupees 350 million (US$2.3 million) in humanitarian assistance from the United States government and people to help victims of flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka. The aid will be used to provide safe drinking water, hygiene kits, emergency shelter [...]

Troops came out for relief and rescue

Troops came out for relief and rescue

Not since the 2004 tsunami had the Sri Lanka Army deployed such a large number of men and machinery to deal with a natural disaster. Last year, when floods engulfed the Western province, the army marched out 14 battalions for relief and rescue operations. The number rose this year to 18 battalions (including three infantry [...]

Health Authorities launch anti-disease campaign in disaster areas

Health Authorities launched a programme to prevent water borne and mosquito borne diseases in the aftermath of floods and landslides. Deputy Director (Health Services) Ministry of Health (MoH), Dr. Harsha de Silva told the Sunday Times they intend to conduct a mass clearing and clearance campaign in the flood affected areas, with the help of [...]

Local officials recount their plight

By the morning of May 26, it was clear they could not stay at home. It had rained incessantly for hours. The flood waters rose rapidly as the Kalu Ganga swelled. Geethani Kannangara tossed her nine-year-old son’s school books into the attic and evacuated her family to a relative’s house on a higher plane. They [...]

‘Hams’ step in where all else fails

‘Hams’ step in where all else fails

Provide communication lifeline for Kalawana patients and support Air Force’s valuable humanitarian operation By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Kalawana was helplessly ‘incommunicado’ not because the people wanted to be but because the terrible winds, floods and landslides that ravaged the area had cut off all communications, leaving them isolated and marooned amidst the sorrow and tragedy.  There [...]

Indebted Lankans paying heavy price on essential goods and services

Indebted Lankans paying heavy price on essential goods and services

Millions of Sri Lankans are struggling every day to stretch the value of the biggest denomination note in their hands. It does not go far. The cost of goods and services is rising faster than their wages. Real wages declined in the public and private sectors, while wages have risen in the informal private sector. [...]

Meethotamulla victims fear obscurity due to floods, landslides

Residents of Meethotamulla who were affected by the collapse of the garbage dump, this week expressed fears they would be forgotten after last week’s landslides and floods. An activist involved in protecting the rights of those affected, Attorney-at-Law Nuwan Bopage said that, already, compensation payments had slowed down and they believe, funds for the affected [...]

Upsurge in dengue numbers

Upsurge in dengue numbers

Don’t give NSAIDs for fever, urge experts By Kumudini Hettiarachchi A massive upsurge in dengue patients has been seen in the past 72 hours in hospitals, aggravating the situation of already very high numbers, experts warned yesterday. The reason for this upsurge no one knows, but patients are flocking into hospitals, making the already overburdened [...]

Lanka floods: International defence conference calls for rapid response mechanism

By Ameen Izzadeen  in Singapore The need for an international rapid response mechanism was stressed at an international defence conference yesterday in Singapore, with Sri Lanka’s flood catastrophe being cited as an example. Addressing the annual Shangri-La Defence Dialogue, Malaysia’s Defence Minister Hishamuddin Tun Hussein said Sri Lanka’s recent floods cried out for global cooperation [...]

Three Heads of Mission hold dual citizenship

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has found that there are three Heads of Mission/Post in Sri Lanka’s diplomatic corps holding dual citizenship. They are Ms Y K Gunasekera (British/Sri Lankan) who is High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Bangladesh; Tilak Ranaviraja (USA/Sri Lankan) who is Ambassador for Sri Lanka to France; and Swarna Gunaratne (Canadian/Sri [...]

Hundreds of Lankans at unity rally in Rome

Hundreds of Lankans at unity rally in Rome

By Louis Benedict in Rome Rome, June 3: Hundreds of Sri Lankans joined tens of thousands of people from about 130 countries for a pentecost unity rally today to mark the golden jubilee of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Service (ICCRS). Presiding at the historic vigil at the Circo Massimo (Greatest Circus), Pope Francis made [...]

Drones to detect who’s building it right and who’s not

Drones will take to the sky in Colombo city to detect illegal constructions within Colombo city, an official said. The three-month long survey would be jointly launched by The Urban Development Authority (UDA), Colombo Municipal Council ( CMC) , Sri Lanka Land Reclamation Development Corporation (SLLRDC ) and Department Of Census And Statistics, UDA Chairman, [...]

Percy Gunasena former chairman of Independent Newspapers passes away

Percy Gunasena former chairman of Independent Newspapers passes away

Former Chairman of Independent Newspapers Ltd., M.D. Percy Gunasena passed away this week and the funeral was held at the General Cemetery, Colombo on Wednesday. He was 84. Mr. Gunasena took over the reins of the newspaper publishing house known as the DAVASA Group following its reopening, after emergency regulations under which it was sealed [...]

Sudden demise of Appeal Court Judge

Sudden demise of Appeal Court Judge

Sitting Court of Appeal Judge Cherine Madawala (nee Perera) passed away suddenly on Friday. She had sat on the bench that morning hearing appeals. Ms Madawala joined the judicial service as a Magistrate in 1985 after passing out as an Attorney at Law in 1977. She served in the Tangalle, Avissawella, Matugama and Chilaw areas. [...]

Yala National Park a mess due to political meddling

Yala National Park a mess due to political meddling

Give DWC independence to do its job, urges former DG Tourism officials conspicuous absentees at biodiversity event By Kumudini Hettiarachchi Everyone else was there, except the tourism officials. Even though numerous invites had gone out to a wide-range of tourism officials, no one deemed it important to grace the discussions on ‘Biodiversity & Sustainable Tourism’ [...]

Sampur pilot whales stranding will remain a mystery

Sampur pilot whales stranding will remain a mystery

By Makala Rodrigo A pod of about 20 pilot whales stranded on Sampur beach in Trincomalee were pushed back to sea last Wednesday by some navymen and locals. Marine mammal expert Ranil Nanayakkara, identified them as short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus). While this is rare in Sri Lanka, there have been occasions elsewhere when pilot [...]

Muthurajawela becoming environmental wasteland

Muthurajawela becoming environmental wasteland

Thousands of fish farmed for consumption have been found dead at Bopitiya, Muthurajawela after heavy rains and the flooding contaminated the farms with waste from large scale piggeries, factories, and the recently dumped garbage.  The people who ran the fish farms say the fish were dead within days when dark oily water contaminated their tanks. [...]

For some time is a healer, for others war remains a festering abscess

For some time is a healer, for others war remains a festering abscess

The following is the text of the speech given by Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe at the recent launch of an anthology – Testimonies of Silent Pain by Social Architects. It gives me great pleasure to join you – young women and men writers – as you launch your work in the anthology ‘Testimonies of Silent Pain’. [...]

Environmentalists and academics bitter-sweet on sugar cane cultivation in Bibile

Environmentalists and academics bitter-sweet on sugar cane cultivation in Bibile

By Chrishanthi Christopher The Government plan to launch a sugar company in Bibile has drawn protests from environmentalists who say that, the cultivation of sugarcane will use up the ground water, depriving people of their source of legitimate drinking water. A Cabinet paper has reportedly been passed for the project due to commence in early [...]

Pick of the Pix

Pick of the Pix

Pix by Amila Gamage, Anurada Bandara, Priyan de Silva Sarath Siriwardane and Gamini Mahadura

Pity the freshwater fishermen of the NWP

Pity the freshwater fishermen of the NWP

Pix and text by Jayaratna Wickremaarachchi While heavy rains lashed the south and west of the country triggering floods and landslides, the north western province is still bearing the brunt of the drought. The Puttalam district of the NWP is among one of the worst affected areas of the province. Farmers have suffered crop loss [...]

Submit Report on GCE A/L Admissions- AVK directs Officials

Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has directed officials to submit a comprehensive report on the procedure adopted for admission to GCE A/L classes. The report is to include payments made for admissions and how marks were allocated at interviews currently under way, after the release of the GCE O/L results recently. Under the current marking [...]

45 Schoolchildren perished in the recent devastation

A total of 45 schoolchildren died in the recent floods and landslides. Among them are 18 from the Sabaragamuwa Province, of which 16 are from the Ratnapura District and 2 from the Kegalle District. The Western Province reported 17 schoolchildren dead, of which 8 are from the Matugama area and 9 from the Horana area. [...]

SL to host Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education summit in 2019

The Cabinet has approved a proposal by Minister of Higher Education & Highways, Lakshman Kiriella, to host the next conference on International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education, in Sri Lanka, within two years, said Cabinet Spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake. He said the network, which is established with over 200 active organisations, will hold [...]

Displaced children’s Education at a standstill: MoE

The prevailing devastation in the flood-affected areas, has brought the education of displaced children there, to a standstill. Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has directed to distribute 3 sets of uniform material for every child, along with textbooks, exercise books and school shoes. The MoE has also declared that all National schools in the [...]

Hindi classes at the Indian Cultural Centre

The Indian High Commission, through its Cultural Centre, announced admissions to Hindi classes for Sri Lankans, for the year 2017-2018. Classes are conducted by a specialist Hindi teacher from India and Sri Lankan experts in Hindi. Courses offered will be for Level 100 (Beginners), Level 200 (Intermediate), Level 300 (Advanced) and Level 400 (Postgraduate), special [...]

Largest number of Sea Scouts in the Negombo District for the first time

Largest number of Sea Scouts in the Negombo District for the first time

“I have noticed that schoolboy Sea Scouts who later joined the Navy, perform better than ordinary schoolboys,” said Rear Admiral (Rtd) Rohan Amarasinghe, in his address as the Chief Guest at the Investiture Ceremony of the Sea Scouts of St. Jude’s International School, Kurana, Negombo, held on Tuesday (23). It is the first time such [...]

NIBM’s maiden ‘Business Executive of The Year 2016′, award ceremony

The ‘Business Executive of The Year 2016′, award hosted by the National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) was successfully concluded on May 25, at Hilton Colombo, with Minister of Skills Development & Vocational Training, Chandima Weerakkody, as Chief Guest. The ceremony acknowledged NIBM students who excelled in their respective fields in the corporate sector. NIBM [...]

South.Prov. reports 8 schoolchildren dead, 8 missing

Schools were damaged or destroyed and schoolchildren’s lives were lost in last week’s floods and landslides. Southern Provincial (SP) Council Deputy Director of Education, Ms Presanjalee Gamage said 8 students are reported dead in the SP and an equal number reported missing in the disaster. The highest number of 6 student-deaths is in the Matara [...]

Pre-school Creativity

Pre-school Creativity

A colourful exhibition showcasing creative objects turned out by Montessori kids of Balan Nursery in Chenkalady, Batticaloa, was declared open this week. With the support of their parents, the kids used mud, rigifoam, paper and plastic to create interesting objects through their imagination. (Pix by Theva Athiran)

Health Camps for Disaster Victims

Health Camps for Disaster Victims

Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Centre for Disaster Management, conducted 2 Health Camps in Thunandahela and Millakade in the Ratnapura District on May 30. More than 500 flood-affected residents were attended to through this worthy project.  More Health Camps will be conducted on [...]

‘City free of Polythene’- a la Kilinochchi MV

‘City free of Polythene’- a la Kilinochchi MV

Kilinochchi schoolchildren conducted a programme to make a “city free of polythene.” Principal of Kilinochchi Maha Vidyalaya, Jayanthi Dhanabalasingham and the/his teaching staff organised the cleanup campaign starting with the school premises. This was followed by a programme to educate people in the area on the harmful effects of polythene.  Pic by Romesh Madhusanka

Flood-affected schools to reopen at Principals’ discretion: MoE

The Ministry of Education (MoE) website said the re-opening of schools in the flood-affected areas will be solely at the discretion of the respective school authorities. Several schools in Colombo, Gampaha, Matara, Galle, Hambantotal, Kegalle and Ratnapura Districts, marooned by the floods, were closed on May 30 and scheduled to open on June 2. However, [...]

An ‘island-school’ amidst flood waters

An ‘island-school’ amidst flood waters

Tudawe Primary School, Matara, was one of the schools worst hit by the recent floods, with its grounds and the surrounding area inundated owing to the heavy rains. Pic by Krishan Jeewaka Jayaruk.

MoE initiates relief plan for schools and students affected by the disaster

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has drawn up a relief programme for schools and children affected by floods and landslides since last week, with the number of dead students increasing to 45 and at least 8 others listed as missing. Under the scheme, students who have lost their textbooks, uniforms and shoes will be provided [...]

Update related circulars to develop Schools’ Sports: AVK

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has directed officials to update Sports-related circulars issued to schools some 28 years ago, as an initiative to promote Sports in schools. At a meeting last week with the Principals of Sports Colleges, the Education Minister directed that priority be given to the Development of Sports, for which Physical Training [...]

GCE Ord. Level 2017 Application deadline extended to June 15

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has extended the Application deadline for the 2017 GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) exam, by 2 weeks- May 31 to June 1-, in view of the floods that ravaged the country last week, according to the MoE website’s directions to the the Exams Dept. The MoE has also directed the Dept [...]

Plan for 50-less-students schools facing closure: WP Education Ministry

The Western Provincial (WP) Ministry of Education (MoE) has developed a plan to protect schools vulnerable to closure due to lack of students. The latest survey reveals the WP has 75 schools with 50 or less students, of which 38 are in the Kalutara District, 19 in the Gampaha District and 18 in the Colombo [...]

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