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Home » NewsDespite hurdles Election Commission goes ahead for polls
Amid controversy and confusion over local council polls, the Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya announced that nominations for polls to 93 councils would be announced tomorrow. Mr. Deshapriya is seen leaving a meeting room in the commission office yesterday along with Commissioners Nalin Abeysekera and Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole. Pic by Indika Handuwala
Election Chief announces polls to 93 local councils
The Election Commission will go ahead with the polls for 93 local councils where there are no multi- member wards, it was announced yesterday. The three-member Commission decided on this last evening to ensure polls are not delayed any further. Polls to the remaining local bodies, those with multi-member wards, now await the determination of [...]
RTI Commission orders search for ‘missing’ Ashraff Commission report
Sri Lanka’s Right to Information (RTI) Commission has ordered the release of key documentation relating to the ‘missing’ findings of the Commission of Inquiry Report into the death of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress founder and Minister M.H.M. Ashraff and fourteen others on September 16, 2000 in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Mi-17 helicopter crash. [...]
CID chief rings alarm; top officers’ phones monitored by IGP
The head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Senior DIG Ravi Samaraweera, dropped a bombshell at a meeting of senior Police officers with members of the Police Commission on Friday. He said that the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), an investigative arm functioning directly under IGP Pujith Jayasundera, had provided him a list of telephone numbers [...]
Perpetual Treasuries profits slump after suspension
Perpetual Treasuries Ltd (PTL), accused of insider trading in controversial bond trades in February 2015 and since July 2017 and suspended from business, saw its profits slide to Rs. 316 million in the six-month period ending September 2017 against a phenomenal Rs. 6.8 billion in the same 2016 months. In unaudited 6-month accounts published yesterday, [...]
Police dogs sent on retirement, new Dutch dogs coming soon
The Sri Lanka Police will be importing dogs from the Netherlands for its units at a cost of Rs.1 million each after a decision was taken to retire the dogs which have served for more than 10 years. Superintendent Lal Seneviratne, Director of the Police Kennels Division in Kandy, said the decision to send the [...]
Heart operations may be suspended from Friday; NHSL theatres contaminated or under repairs
All heart operations, except emergency cases, at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL) are likely to be halted by its Cardiothoracic Team on Friday, December 1 due to fears of high infection rates. This tragic heart-stopping moment has befallen the NHSL, the premier heart centre of Sri Lanka, as two of its Cardiothoracic Operating [...]
Buildings vacated in Galle Fort will be put to ‘adaptive reuse’, says Education Ministry
The buildings to be vacated by Government institutions inside the Galle Fort will be put to “adaptive reuse”–or different uses and functions while retaining their historic features–the Ministry of Education said this week. The Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO recently raised concerns about a directive of the Law and Order Ministry to vacate 15 [...]
Net widens for assets declaration, amendments to law under way
Amendments are being drafted to make assets declaration compulsory for all public servants, owners and officials of electronic media institutions, officials of civil society organisations, including non-governmental organisations. In terms of the new amendments to the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Act 1975, No 1, executive and judicial branch officials, MPs, all government servants, provincial [...]
First-ever Human Heart Valve and Tissue Bank opened at LRH
The first-ever Human Heart Valve and Tissue Bank was opened at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children last afternoon. Pointing out that this project epitomised how people not only in Sri Lanka but across the world can work together to make a significant change, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist Dr. Duminda Samarasinghe said the Heart Valve and [...]
Tough new law on motor vehicle revenue licence
Revenue licences that have not been renewed for five years will be cancelled and owners of such vehicles blacklisted from next month, Motor Traffic Chief Jagath Chandrasiri said. A Cabinet paper for this purpose was presented by Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and is expected to get approval on Tuesday. Mr. Chandrasiri said that [...]
President to visit Korea: Economic cooperation and employment key on agenda
The signing of an Economic Co-operation Agreement and entering into memorandums of understanding on investment cooperation and the Employment Permit System (EPS) will be among the highlights of President Maithripala Sirisena’s state visit to South Korea commencing on Tuesday. President Sirisena on the invitation of his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in, will undertake the visit [...]
Veggie prices set to stay high until January
Vegetable prices are set to remain high until at least mid-January due to low production. Farmers say inferior quality seed have contributed to low yields while erratic weather patterns too have affected the output of vegetable farmers. Farmer B G Victor Yasarathna, 50, from Devahuwa, Anuradhapura said he gave up vegetable farming in September and [...]
The China factor in Kenya and Zimbabwe
BEIJING – Ask anyone with a basic knowledge of Africa which country is more poised for success – Zimbabwe or Kenya – and he or she will undoubtedly answer “Kenya.” Events of the last week would seem to confirm that verdict. On Monday, after Kenya’s Supreme Court upheld the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta in [...]
Millions splurged on failed 2018 Commonwealth Games bid
Private companies, many listed on the Stock Exchange and accountable to Shareholders, splurged millions of rupees on the previous administration’s failed bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Hambantota, it was disclosed in Parliament this week. Some of these payments–deposited into a Bank of Ceylon current account belonging to CWG Hambantota 2018 Pvt Ltd– [...]
Met. Dept. warns of severe weather today, cautions public against lightning and rough seas
The Meteorology Department issued last afternoon a severe weather advisory valid for 30 hours warning that showery conditions over the island and surrounding sea areas is expected to increase. Heavy thunder showers are expected over the island today and into the next week due to a low level atmospheric disturbance over Sri Lanka, the Department [...]
CEB Engineers file writ application against PUCSL
Two Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Engineers have filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal, seeking a ‘Stay’ order on the implementation of the country’s long term power generation plan. The move follows a dispute between the CEB and the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the country’s power sector regulator, over the [...]
SL will use Lord Naseby’s statement on war at the right time at the right forum: FM
The Government does not believe that 40, 000 civilians were killed during the last stages of the war and will use the recent statement made by Lord Naseby to make this case internationally, Foreign Affairs Minister Thilak Marapana told Parliament yesterday. In response to a question raised by Joint Opposition MP Dinesh Gunawardena during the [...]
JO backs President for action against ‘bondits’
The Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday pledged its support to President Maithripala Sirisena, saying its members will support him in any action taken against persons behind the Bond issue. UPFA MP Bandula Gunewardena said that some UNP members have started attacking the President’s efforts to take action against persons involved in the Bond scam, but the [...]
Central Expressway will worsen Kandy congestion, warn transport experts
The proposed Central Expressway will escalate congestion in and around Kandy and worsen gridlock in the crowded historic city, transport experts warn.They recommend investment in rail transport as an alternative, pointing out that train travel is much faster (even now) and will convey more people without the risk of further jamming Kandy. It now takes [...]
Clock ticking for three-wheeler fare meters
A little more than a month ahead of the deadline for three-wheelers to install fare meters, the National Council for Road Safety has begun checks to ensure compliance. Three-wheeler organisations insist, in the meantime, that they do not want fare meters. They demand a formula for setting fares and want a regulator to be created. [...]
Rail crossing risk-takers face heavy fines
Alternatives are being sought to improve safety at rail crossings after more than 100 accidents in the first 10 months of this year. A Rs 25,000 fine will be implemented at first as a deterrent to drivers and riders who disregard warnings at barriers and drive through. Some reckless drivers take the risk of getting [...]
Don’t be misled by rumours, country has enough petrol, says ministry
By next week, the country’s petrol stocks will increase to about 70,000 metric tonnes (MT) — enough to meet the demand for more than three weeks — and any rumours of a petrol shortage should be dismissed outright, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development Ministry said. Ministry Secretary Upali Marasinghe revealed that three vessels carrying [...]
Vitamin E cuts virulence of dengue
Reduces duration of leaking in DHF Anti-oxidants in the vitamin useful in management of DF & DHF Proven through a Clinical Trial at LRH With the monsoon winds lashing the country bringing about heavy showers and also dry spells on and off, the spectre of dengue rises once again. Terrified are the people, especially [...]
Seasonal rains could add to 171,453 dengue cases
Public health officials are asking for vigilance to minimise the risk of a further rise in dengue infections as a result of seasonal rains. As of November 22, data from the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health show there were 171,453 dengue cases island-wide. The national Dengue Control Unit, consultant community physician, Dr Preshila [...]
SLFP, UNP must contest local polls as one front
The Yahapalana Government is faced with two immediate challenges. The first is to hold local council elections without any further delay and the second is whether to face the elections separately as the SLFP and as the UNP or jointly as the Yahapalanaya combine like at the presidential elections. The long-delayed local council elections have [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by Ranjith Perera, Amila Gamage, Indika Handuwala, Sameera Weerasekera, Shelton Hettiarachchi and Jayarathna Wickramarachchi Colombo: Two faces of deep reflection
‘Transit’ foster homes for abused children pending Court proceedings
Despite opposition from the Ministry of Women & Child Affairs, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) is determined to go ahead with its plan to establish a foster care system in Sri Lanka. NCPA Chairperson Marini de Livera said she is prepared to set up foster homes, irrespective of the opposition to it. Women & [...]
Pangolins for a mess of pottage
The Kalpitiya police uncovered a racket involving the killing and export of scales of the endengered species -Pangolin- better known as Kabellewas (Manis crassicaudata). The detection of 130 kg of Pangolin scales at Kalpitiya has raised concern among wildlife experts who estimate around 150 Pangolins may have been killed to gather the scales. These scales [...]
Representatives of five more associations join to solve SAITM issue
The scope of the committee appointed to resolve the Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) issue has been expanded to include five more associations, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harsha de Silva said. Accordingly the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), the Federation of Medical Faculty Teachers’ Association, State University Parents [...]