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Home » NewsMore power to women in Parliament
It was selfie time for seven female parliamentarians from the different political parties after they held a news conference on Thursday to urge the public to use their votes at the next general election to increase the number of female MPs. The current 225-member parliament has 12 female MPs. Pic by Amila Gamage
General elections on April 25, dissolution on March 2
Parliamentary elections are to be held on April 25 after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolves Parliament at midnight on March 2. Nominations will be called by the Elections Commission between March 12 and 19. These dates emerged as the ruling alliance led by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) registered it for a second time with [...]
NEC seeks Rs. 1 billion in arrears and billions more for parliamentary polls
The National Election Commission has called the Treasury to pay up an arrears of Rs one billion due as expenses for the last year’s presidential poll, amidst preparations to seek fresh allocations for the upcoming parliamentary elections. NEC officials this week met Treasury officials to seek the balance payments to cover a range of expenses, [...]
New Vote on Account after April polls
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will submit a new Vote on Account (VOA) after the upcoming general election, seeking Rs 500 billion to cover Government expenses for three months from April. A senior Treasury official told the Sunday Times that the VOA was required to pay state-sector salaries, pensions, buy medicines and meet other essential expenditure. The [...]
More than 10,000 apply for top SOE jobs; 824 selected
From more than 10,000 applications for top slots in State-owned Enterprises (SOEs), most of them not suitable even for ordinary state jobs, 824 persons have been selected after they were vetted by a six-member committee, an official said. Committee member Nalaka Godahewa told the Sunday Times that of the 824 selected applicants, 175 were appointed [...]
Heroin spells bad luck for Rs. 22.9 million jackpot winner
A lottery winner who hit a Rs. 22.9 million jackpot only weeks ago has been remanded after he was found to be in possession of 1.6 grams of heroin, police said. They said the suspect, a father of two, had taken to drugs after he won the jackpot. He was working as a labourer at [...]
Lakvijaya extension: No bids, Chinese company gets project on a platter
The Cabinet has approved a 300 megawatt extension to the Lakvijaya coal power plant to be constructed by China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC)–without calling for bids, even before the mandated feasibility study has been done. The Cabinet paper, sanctioned on February 12 and sent to line ministries, recognises that CMEC is a nominated business of [...]
Coronavirus: Passengers from Korea under strict watch
With a rise in the number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea, Sri Lanka will screen and keep track of passengers coming to this country from there, a high-level health official said yesterday. There are many Sri Lankans working in South Korea and anyone whether Sri Lankan or foreign who comes directly from that [...]
Author of Ravana books passes away
Dr Mirando Obeysekere, who enlightened Sri Lankans with his well-researched books on King Ravana, as well as the country’s old mansions (walauwas) passed away peacefully at his residence in Pallepola, Matale at the age of 81. The award-winning author, researcher and scholar was the author of a large number of Sinhala and English books including [...]
A night of light
Hindu devotees marked Mahashivarathri in kovils throughout the country on Friday. Here devotees are seen at the Shri Ponnambalawaneswaram Kovil. in Kotahena. Pix by M.A. Pushpakumara
BIA expansion project to be spearheaded by Japanese firms
The Cabinet has decided to award the expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to Japanese firms after negotiations ended over a disagreement about the figures quoted for the project, which began under the former Government. In view of the high cost of the project, negotiations began between the Cabinet Negotiating Committee and the Japanese [...]
Breakthrough in quest for anti-viral drug for COVID-19?
A study by scientists attached to the University of Colombo has pointed the way towards possible medications that could be used in the battle against the new coronavirus. “Our study will go online today after which it will be picked up by a scientific journal,” Dr. Sameera R. Samarakoon of the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular [...]
Opposition withholds support for VOA, confronts move to increase debt limit
On Thursday the Government decided not to present an amended Vote on Account (VOA) seeking an additional Rs 367 billion for Government expenses, and increase the borrowing limit after the Opposition refused to support the move. When the sittings began, House Leader Dinesh Gunawardena asked Speaker Karu Jayasuriya if the Government had information about the [...]
Forensic bond audit reports: House debates a case of two wrongs making a right
What is almost certain to be the last sitting week of the Eighth Parliament turned out to be one of the most eventful in recent times. While Parliament is due to sit next on March 3, both Government and Opposition MPs noted that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will most likely dissolve Parliament on March 2, setting [...]
SriLankan Airlines Airbus deal: Accusations still flying between both sides
The debate on the SriLankan Airlines Airbus deal, held on Thursday (20), again saw both sides trading accusations against each other over their alleged part in a swirling corruption scandal that had already seen the arrest of a former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and his wife. Moving the adjournment motion, UNP MP Nalin [...]
CAA on prowl to check if traders pass on tax cuts
In an attempt to ease the sky-rocketing cost of living, the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) is investigating the prices of 23,000 products to make sure they reflect recent VAT reductions. VAT (Value Added Tax) was reduced from 15 per cent to 8 per cent from December 1 last year. The 2 per cent Nation Building [...]
Airbus bribe: The Nimal Perera network
In his open-necked purple shirt, Nishantha Wickremesinghe is chuffed to be seen with his arm around a long-time friend. Businessman Nimal Perera is feting his sixtieth birthday at the Colombo Hilton and the former SriLankan Airlines Chairman is a guest. The party was just weeks ago. On Wednesday, the Fort Magistrate banned Wannakawattawaduge Don Nimal [...]
Court says key document in Weeratunga inquiry not filed deliberately
The Colombo Fort Magistrate, Ranga Dissanayake, this week questioned the police over the decision to change the investigator responsible for investigating financial irregularities related to the MiG deal involving former ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga. The Magistrate ordered the Acting IGP to explain to court as to why Chief Inspector Nihal Francis who investigated the MiG deal [...]
Eppawela phosphate deposit lies idle while global phosphate production races along
Reserve largely untapped for 50 years, while Sri Lanka spending massive amounts of foreign exchange to import harmful fertilisers: National Audit Office special report Sri Lanka has not developed the Eppawela phosphate deposit in the 50 years since it was discovered, spending a towering amount on importing harmful fertilisers instead of producing a safer alternative [...]
Projects that fell by the wayside
In 2006, the Industrial Development paper presented a Cabinet paper to implement local phosphate fertiliser manufacture. Ministers called for a comprehensive review by the Public Enterprises Reform Commission (PERC) to ascertain the proposal’s financial viability. They later approved the project as it would, among other things, will shave off average Rs 900mn off the annual [...]
A landmark judgment on the use of the Eppawela deposit
Before any use of the Eppawela phosphate deposit, there must be comprehensive exploration and study relating to the locations, quantity and quality of apatite (as it is known) and other phosphate minerals by the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau in consultation with the National Academy of Sciences of Sri Lanka and the National Science Foundation, [...]
Tea pluckers hold back on more work for Rs 1,000 deal
With only a week left for the government ultimatum to the Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs) to grant the agreed Rs 1,000 wage from March 1, trade unions and plantation companies are facing a deadlock themselves to wrap up negotiations. Worker unions say they are concerned about the new proposals from plantation companies. Last Thursday, it [...]
Probe begins into loss of court productions at Kandy police HQ
Initial investigations began this week into millions of rupees worth of court items gone missing from the stores at the Kandy Police Headquarters. Among the lost items are gold jewellery and other valuables that were recovered from houses burgled in areas falling under the Kandy Police Division. Investigation have revealed that the burglaries had been [...]
Seniors just lift a finger for pension cash
Public sector workers who retired after 2016 will be able to use their fingerprints from January 21, rather than the annual ‘life certificate’ to continue to receive pensions. The Department of Pensions says fingerprints could help verify a pensioner’s details while minimising overpayments following the death of a pensioner. According to K R Pathmapriya, additional [...]
International Mother Language Day observed in Colombo
A commemorative event to observe International Mother Language Day was held on Friday (21) at Independence Square. The event was organised by the High Commission of Bangladesh in Sri Lanka and the Education Ministry. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was the Chief Guest at the ceremony, which was also attended by Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena. [...]
The Journalist in D.R. Wijewardene
Today is the 134th birth anniversary of the late D.R. Wijewardene, a national hero and free media pioneer in Sri Lanka. To mark this occasion, the Sunday Times publishes below the English translation of an article written by renowned writer Martin Wickremesinghe for Silumina soon after Mr. Wijewardene’s death on June 13, 1950. The English [...]
Nineteenth Amendment created an environment for freedom to speak up
One of the most important criteria for the effective functioning of a democracy is the intervention of individual and professional groups to shape the discourse on national issues. To this must be added the pivotal role that the media is called upon to play in reporting facts accurately and providing a platform for diverse points [...]
Lack of accountability rams into Lanka’s taxi-hailing app culture
Taxi app horror stories are suddenly everywhere on social media, including tales of knife-wielding Toyota Prius drivers and violent three-wheeler drivers. A quick search throws up increasing accounts of harassment allegedly endured by passengers, from sexual intimidation to cyber bullying and petty theft. The idea that a taxi hailed through an app is a [...]
Giving teeth to accurate identification
Sending back the right person to his or her loved ones is what she does using her skill and expertise, which is all to do with teeth. Before detailing what this field which is relatively new to Sri Lanka is about, Forensic Odontologist Dr. Jayanie Weeratna tells the Sunday Times that she fulfilled her duty [...]
Nawagattegama village tanks under irrigation project in danger of destruction
Farmers in Nawagattegama in the Puttalam District are up in arms over what they allege has been the destruction of a number of irrigation tanks in the area, under the Village and Tank Reawakening Programme of the Sri Lanka Government. Farmers charge that mismanagement of funds allocated to the programme and ad hoc repairs [...]
Horrifying rise in ‘jaw bombs’ brings agonising death to jumbos
The female elephant calf was thirsty. Standing in the shallows of a water hole at dusk, it hurriedly sucked water into its trunk. It then curled its little trunk toward its mouth in an attempt to quench its thirst but there wasn’t a proper mouth to take in the trunk: the calf had lost his [...]
Our badly battered National flag
On Independence Day each year, many Sri Lankans opt to fly the national flag from their homes, business establishments and even vehicles to show their pride at being Sri Lankans. Yet, what happens after February 4? Many national flags continue to remain up, mostly because those who put them up have either forgotten to take [...]
CFPS Law School University of London students graduate with First Class Honours
The graduation ceremony of the CfPS Law School for 2020 was held on 15th February 2020 at the BMICH. The ceremony was chaired by Dr. Mary Stiasny who is the Pro Vice- Chancellor (International) and the Chief Executive of the University of London worldwide. Dr. Stiasny conferred the degrees and Certificates in Higher Education in [...]