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The Department of Registration of Persons began issuing new ‘Smart’ National Identity Cards (NICs) from Friday, October 27. The new NIC will have a twelve digit number. It also includes an International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard photograph and a machine-readable barcode. Information of the card holder including the name, place of birth, address and [...]
Tax concessions for small businesses, subsidies for select groups
Tax concessions for small and medium scale businesses, and targeted subsidies to selected groups are among highlights of next month’s budget proposals. The Government is also set to scale down obtaining of foreign loans for mega projects, instead it will focus on Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) projects in view [...]
CID probes elephant frauds
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is investigating the contents of the report of the one-man committee that unearthed several instances of fraud and corruption in issuing of licences for elephants and the over valuation of an elephant brought to the Dalada Maligawa in 2007 from Myanmar, Wildlife Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said. He said the [...]
Unpaid Kuwait funds to be used for migrant worker pension scheme
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) will start a contributory pension scheme for overseas employees using leftover Kuwaiti compensation money remitted to pay Sri Lankans affected by Iraq’s invasion of that country in 1990. The Auditor General’s 2015 report said there was a balance of more than Rs 3.2 billion (around US$ 20 [...]
Lanka won’t recognise independent Catalonia
Sri Lanka will not recognise Catalonia which declared on Friday that it would secede from Spanish rule, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said. It said the Sri Lanka Government unequivocally supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Spain. It urged a dialogue for a united Spain in accordance with the rule of law and within the [...]
Lankans seek funds to save Sinhala in US university
The Sri Lankan American community in the New York Tri-state area is raising money to save the Sinhala language programme at Cornell University from closing down over funding cuts. “Would you please consider personally donating a one-time suggested amount of $50 to safeguard this program and to keep the study of our Sinhala language alive [...]
Parliament meets as Constitutional Assembly tomorrow
The Constitutional Assembly (CA) will meet on Monday to begin the three-day debate on the Interim Report of the Steering Committee appointed to formulate proposals for a new Constitution. The debate will take place tomorrow, on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Parliament convening as the Constitutional Assembly for the debate. The sittings will take place from [...]
Rains end drought, but farmers are in construction sites
The intermonsoon season has begun. Abundant rain predicted all over Sri Lanka will end the nearly year-long drought that hit more than one half of the country. But a new problem has arisen — the drought has forced many farmers to abandon agriculture and find jobs in the construction field. Met Department officials said many [...]
This year’s National Law Conference to focus on legal issues in today’s globalised world
The annual National Law Conference 2017/2018, organised by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is scheduled to kick off next week. The three day conference starting from November 3, at Shangri-La Hambantota Golf Resort and Spa is titled “Adapting to an evolving global landscape”. The conference will present a unique canvass to consider legal [...]
LTTE suspects ‘fast unto death’ to avoid courts: Prison report
A Superintendent of Anuradhapura Prison has submitted a report to the Anuradhapura High Court (HC) claiming, the fast unto death by three LTTE suspects accused of killing 26 Army and Navy personnel in their custody, was done to avoid courts. In his report, the Superintendent claims, “The three accused are in the habit of refusing [...]
Indian athletics coach knocked down by train
A former Indian athlete turned coach walking along the rail track in Bambalapitiya while on his mobile phone was knocked down by a train, a coroner’s court inquiry was told this week. Rajenthpani Grahj, 63 had accompanied a group of athletes who were here for a sports event when the tragedy occurred. He was knocked [...]
New, fully equipped Epilepsy Unit opened
A Saudi-funded, modern Epilepsy Unit (EU), housed in a new 10-storey building within the precincts of the National Hospital, was declared open this week by President Maithripala Sirisena, with Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne and Charge d’Affaires of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Mamdouh Mohammad Ali Allaf in attendance. It was built at an [...]
Sri Lanka most open economy in South Asia in two years: PM
Sri Lanka is set to accelerate its economic development drive by sprucing up the domestic market, to become the most open economy in South Asia in the next two years. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Friday that focus must also be on the short term with the aim of liberalising the economy and ensure [...]
FR petition postponed as 2 of 3 Judges decline to sit
The Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by a Central Bank (CB) employee who appeared before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the Bond issue, was postponed till Nov.10, consequent to two of the three Judges on the Bench, declining to hear the case. Petitioner, S. Pathumanapan, a CB employee cited Dappula de Livera P.C. and [...]
Yala safari operators screech to a halt
Safari jeep operators at Yala National Park yesterday struck work after Wildlife Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera denied their request to allow more jeeps into the park. The Minister has refused to drop the new rule that was introduced last week that allows only 300 safari vehicles a day in the park. Yala Safari Jeep owners’ [...]
SAARC Legal systems must modernise to keep pace with the region’s development: PM
Legal systems in the South Asian region must modernise to keep pace with its development, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasised. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Silver Jubilee Conference of SAARC LAW on Friday (27), the Premier pointed out that it was essential to consider how to eliminate delays in the Legal system. “This [...]
Illegal weapons: No smoking guns
Early last month, traffic policemen who became suspicious of a licence plate intercepted a hybrid vehicle in which the occupants had Chinese-made assault weapons. By all indications, if not for the vigilance of the two traffic policemen and sheer luck, a violent crime could have been committed in Gampaha town in broad daylight. In the [...]
Local industries accuse BOI of putting foot in the mouth
Local footwear companies are not pleased with the Board of Investments’s decision to allow an Indian company to set up business in Sri Lanka. But the board says it has not broken any laws and the decision was made after a meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena. The Indian company, Veekesy, is setting up a factory [...]
US aircraft carrier Nimitz comes a – calling
The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group has docked in the Colombo outer harbour on a three day stay. The Group includes the USS Nimitz, The cruiser USS Princeton, and four destroyers. Pic by Amila Gamage
Sri Lanka should remain a unitary State: Muslim Lawyers Association
The Muslim Lawyers Association (MLA) stressed that Sri Lanka should remain a unitary State and there be no devolution of powers beyond the present devolution provided under the 13th Amendment. The views were expressed in setting out the MLA’s stance on the Interim Report of the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly. In an outline [...]
Awesome Thriphala
A humble but magical ‘trio’ used by ancient veda mahattayas have stunned the world of modern medicine by their ‘healing’ powers right here in Sri Lanka. The three herbal fruits — aralu, bulu and nelli — are potent fighters in the battle against high cholesterol, the Sunday Times learns. Not speculation nor rumour, but tried [...]
More houses from India
India and Sri Lanka signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) this week for the construction of 1200 houses through 50 model villages, using an Indian grant assistance of Rs. 600 million. The MoUs were signed by Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Housing Ministry secretary W.K.K. Athukorala in the presence of Housing minister Sajith [...]
SLPI convocation for 132 journalists who successfully complete English course
The Sri Lanka Press Institute held a convocation ceremony to award certificates to 132 journalists from all provinces of the country, for successfully completing an English course. Jim Russo, Director, Press, Cultural and Academic Affairs of the U.S. Embassy was Chief Guest at the event held on October 24 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference [...]
Contemporary legal issues in a globalised world the focus at annual National Law Conference
The annual National Law Conference 2017/2018, organised by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is scheduled to kick off next week. The three day conference starting from November 3, at Shangri-La Hambantota Golf Resort and Spa is titled “Adapting to an evolving global landscape”. The conference will present a unique canvass to consider legal [...]
Drip irrigation could trickle down relief to parched dry zone
The inhabitants of Sri Lanka’s dry zones, most of whom are farmers, have suffered searing droughts for decades. Agriculture has taken a severe hit. Crops are wilting and people are plunging into debt and poverty. Last year was particularly bad. The North-East monsoon failed, heralding the worst drought in four decades. And despite floods in [...]
Coconut oil ‘mafia’ peddling snake oil to regulators and public
Adulterated oil being passed off as coconut oil is widespread in Sri Lanka and it is undermining public health. Consumer officials warn of a ‘’mafia’’ in the trade. Some vendors are re-selling cancer-causing used oil, passing them off as coconut oil. Some are adding sodium hydroxide to turn waste oils into “coconut’’ oil. But the [...]
Kovil animal sacrifices to be banned from January
The Government is drawing up laws to ban the ritualistic sacrifice of animals in Hindu Kovils from January. An official of the Hindu Religious Affairs Ministry said a cabinet paper would be put up for public discussion. The move comes after animal rights activists appealed to President Maithripala Sirisena. The President, it is learned, had [...]
Striking down stroke
‘Every one of us has a reason to prevent stroke.’ This, the theme of the World Stroke Day celebrated today, is the earnest plea of the Secretary of the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka, Dr. Gamini Pathirana, who points the way how each and everyone could do this. To the query, ‘Why’, the terrible [...]
Government must effect system change to ensure Yahapalana goals
Mid-way through the term of the Yahapalana Government, there is considerable disappointment among its supporters that many of the goals that it set for itself have not been realised. That is not to say that the change of regime on January 8, 2015 was in vain. Today, the freedom of expression, one of the significant [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Amila Gamage, Sameera Weerasekera, Priyantha Wickramarachchi, Karuwalagaswewa Jayarathna, Shelton Hettiarachchi and Sarath Siriwardane
Nurses organise health camp
One of the major benefits of Sri Lanka’s health care is that it’s free for all citizens. Dozens of free health camps are organised almost every month by various organisations, offering the public the opportunity to obtain treatment for ailments or do a health checkup. Such camps offer an invaluable service in that, when they [...]
SLMA sets up Task Force for Palliative Care
The Palliative and End of Life Care Task Force, a major initiative of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), was launched yesterday. A Clinical Practical Guide Book with the main focus of palliative care for non-cancer patients was also launched at the ceremony held in the SLMA auditorium in Colombo 7, under the guidance of [...]