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Sacked ministers blast the Finance Minister

Sacked ministers blast the Finance Minister

The fired ministers Wimal Weerawansa together with Udaya Gammanpila (not seen in the picture) held a news conference at a Colombo hotel on Friday to explain the reasons why they spoke out against the Government and what they planned to do in the future. They publicly continued their Basil-bashing, accusing Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa as [...]

India imposes tough conditions for US$ 1 billion loan

India has called for a road map from Sri Lanka on how it is going  to overcome its economic crisis in the long term as well as to clear the decks for a long list of its economic cum strategic demands for implementation in the North and the East of Sri Lanka. Till then the [...]

GL slams UNHRC report, but friendly countries say Lanka missed opportunity to brief members

The ‘interactive dialogue’ on Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in Geneva will end on Monday and the focus will then shift to its sessions in September when a new resolution is likely. Monday’s continuation for less than an hour is the result of the Council making provision for an urgent debate on the [...]

Easter attacks: AG challenges acquittal of Hemasiri, Pujith

The Attorney General (AG) has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the acquittal of former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara on charges including failure to take action to prevent the terrorist attack on 2019 Easter Sunday despite receiving sufficient intelligence. In the appeal, the AG said the decision [...]

Tourist vehicles can obtain diesel from state bus depots

Diesel vehicles transporting tourists and registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) will be issued with a special sticker to draw fuel from bus depots on a priority basis in view of the shortages experienced. A Tourism Ministry official said the measure had been taken after a string of incidents where tourists were [...]

CEB to buy 200MW of emergency power

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), in keeping with a government decision yesterday, decided to call for proposals to buy 200MW of emergency power with immediate effect. CEB General Manager Rohantha Abeysekera said the need to buy emergency power had arisen and the CEB would do it based on approval granted by the Public Utilities Commissions [...]

Push for Central Expressway Project with higher cost

A contract to award part of the Central Expressway Project’s (CEP III) third section to a local consortium at a price higher by US$ 822mn (Rs 166.4bn) than its competing bid is to be pushed through Cabinet in the coming weeks. The offer from a recently formed local consortium named LIDC to build the CEP [...]

Coal power plants: Major overhauls put off due to power shortages and COVID-19

At least two units of the Lakvijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai are due for major overhauls but continuing power shortages and, in the past two years, COVID-19, have meant that these have been repeatedly postponed. Meanwhile, Unit 3 — the newest of the three coal power units — could have a major issue coming [...]

Fuel or no fuel to power plants, CEB says power cuts will be order of the day

Fuel or no fuel to power plants, CEB says power cuts will be order of the day

Regardless of whether or not Sri Lanka obtains fuel for its power plants, the Ceylon Electricity Board will have to cause interruptions in future to regulate demand. The President and numerous Ministers this week gave assurances that there will be no power interruptions after March 5. But the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) remained noncommittal. “We [...]

Trenches and fences won’t deter jumbos searching for food and water

Wildlife and forest officers say the arid weather is posing greater challenges to managing the forest reserves and parks. Galgamuwa Wildlife Range officer Nimal Banadara Ratnayake said the elephants in the remaining forest areas in his range enter villages when water and food become scarce. “These days the elephants use up the water remaining in [...]

Multiple crises imperil lives and livelihoods

Multiple crises imperil lives and livelihoods

Critical services such as education, health, transport, and tourism are facing unprecedented multiple blows from the lack of fuel and electricity. This is stirring public anger across the country because lives are in danger and livelihoods have been destroyed. Ambulance services say they have been forced to limit operations to short distances or cancel hires. [...]

‘Strong & clear game-plan needed to overcome vaccination hesitancy’

Vaccine hesitancy is the hot topic of the day in Sri Lanka when so many millions of doses are freely available in the country. There are several reasons for people not taking their vaccines, said Consultant Respiratory Physician Dr. Neranjan Dissanayake who chats to all patients who seek treatment at his clinics and his ward [...]

Change in the guidelines

New guidelines have been issued by the Director-General (DG) of Health Services with regard to public and work-related activities effective from March 1 to 31. The DG has stated that significant control of the COVID-19 epidemic has been achieved in the country. However, there is still a risk of escalation in transmission due to cluster [...]

Highlights of Health Promotion Bureau media briefing

Here are the highlights of Friday’s media briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau chaired by Director Dr. Ranjith Batuwanthudawe. Prof. Pujitha Wickramasinghe, Senior Professor in Paediatrics at the Colombo Medical Faculty: Schools will reopen next week and there will be increased transportation. There will be a risk of increased disease transmission of COVID-19 and other [...]

If Ukraine war continues, impact on Lanka will be astronomical: State Minister

The economic impact of a prolonged war between Ukraine and Russia would be “astronomical” not only for Sri Lanka but also for many other countries, State Minister of Regional Co-operation Tharaka Balasuriya said. In an interview with the Sunday Times, he noted there would be both a direct and an indirect impact on Sri Lanka [...]

Ukranian fashion designer sets up 24/7 internet facility to help fellow Ukranians

Ukranian fashion designer sets up 24/7 internet facility to help fellow Ukranians

Kate, a 27-year-old Ukrainian fashion designer working here and her partner have set up a “safe space” for fellow Ukrainians at a guest house run by her partner in Unawatuna. The place  offers 24/7 internet facilities even amidst power cuts so that they can get information on their loved ones back home. The place has [...]

People who had come for vaccinations had this to say

People who had come for vaccinations had this to say

Why haven’t people taken their vaccines – our photojournalist, Akila Jayawardana walked around the Viharamaha Devi Park to see the vaccination being carried out by the army on Thursday and Friday and ask people why they were late in getting the jabs. There were no queues but also not many elderly! The son of an [...]

Child protection guardian falling behind on abuse shame

Child protection guardian falling behind on abuse shame

The number of child abuse complaints filed with the agency tasked with protecting children from abuse has skyrocketed to 11,187 in 2021, from an average of 8,500 complaints over the past 10 years. This is a jump of around 3,022 complaints from 2020 when there were 8,165. The figures indicate an increased number of sexual [...]

New rules for schools as new term begins tomorrow

Schools will resume tomorrow for the new term with classes that have more than 20 students being broken up into groups, the Education Ministry said. Classes that have less than 20 students will be held from Monday to Friday. If there are between 21 and 40 students, the class will be split into two and [...]

AG Dept goes to SC over bond decision

The Attorney General’s (AG) Department has decided to file a revision application before the Supreme Court next week challenging the split decision given by Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar in the second bond scam case filed against the 11 accused including former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. The majority of the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar has discharged [...]

Proposed insurance supervisory framework disrupted

A World Bank (WB) funded initiative to introduce an insurance supervisory framework beneficial to Sri Lankan policyholders is in danger of being derailed owing to a dispute between its Dutch consultant and the industry regulator, official sources said. The Netherlands-based insurance expert has complained to the Finance Ministry Secretary and the Presidential Secretary that he [...]

Will IMF be the panacea for our economic woes

With the country’s economy in turmoil, calls for the Government to go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) continue to grow. The Sunday Times reported last week that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa is to visit both the IMF and the World Bank in April when the two lending institutions hold their annual Spring sessions. While [...]

Never-ending milk powder scarcity makes buying seem like narco deals

Never-ending milk powder scarcity makes buying seem like narco deals

Some desperate Sri Lankans are resorting to extreme measures to buy powdered milk, an essential commodity for families with children and the elderly, and which has become scarce for nearly six months. The Sunday Times asked twitter users what was the “craziest’’ thing they had to do to get their hands on milk powder during [...]

It’s a question of this or that for families struggling to meet daily expenses

It’s a question of this or that for families struggling to meet daily expenses

  Rising prices amid falling incomes and slashed salaries are pushing more and more families to the brink of misery with many complaining they are unable to meet their immediate living expenses. The inflation rate increased to 16.8 percent in January from 14 percent in December 2021. Food commodities accounted for 11.44 percent of January’s [...]

Water board plans to allow private sector to provide tap water; Trade unions say Waterloo

The Water Supply Ministry has taken steps to amend the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Act Number 2 of 1974 while introducing contractor financing methods and having provisions to include the private sector for projects. The new draft bill with the amendments has already been prepared and approval will be obtained from the board [...]

Vehicle registration on reverse gear

Vehicle registration on reverse gear

The latest Motor Traffic Department statistics show a sharp decline in vehicle registrations while the the country’s vehicle population remains almost the same for the past two years. The drop in registration in all types of vehicles is due to import restrictions the Government imposed to mitigate the dollar crisis. Our infographic based on the [...]

Stranded Ukrainians and Russians find haven in Sri Lanka

Stranded Ukrainians and Russians find haven in Sri Lanka

When Ukrainian film maker Andrii Morozov (36) arrived in Sri Lanka on February 16 for a family holiday, tensions between his country and Russia were already high. There was a heavy build up of Russian troops and military equipment along the border with Ukraine. Yet, many expected that there will still be a last minute [...]

All Lankan students have left Ukraine; those in Belarus offered assistance: Foreign Ministry

All Sri Lankan students have left war-torn Ukraine with the final batches crossing the borders to reach neighbouring countries such as Poland, Foreign Ministry officials said. They said the ministry early this week set in motion a programme to evacuate Sri Lankans, especially students, stranded not only in Ukraine, but also in Russia and Belarus. [...]

Imprisoned lives

Imprisoned lives

Measures to protect animals are still lagging behind in the country. Animals and birds are seen in pet shops for sale; some of them continue to face cruelty, and are held in congested, limited spaces, sometimes spending days and nights in cages for weeks, if not for months. Though some pet shops try to take [...]

Heavy increase in clinical waste an additional burden on healthcare system

Heavy increase in clinical waste an additional burden on healthcare system

A five-fold increase in clinical waste due to the pandemic situation has overwhelmed existing limited infrastructure and resources in the health care waste management system of the country, a UN agency commissioned assessment report revealed recently. This has created an additional burden on Health Care Facilities (HCFs) and the Health Ministry to safeguard staff and [...]

Farmers fear dollar crisis to affect import of vegetable seed plants; urge local production

Farmers fear dollar crisis to affect import of vegetable seed plants; urge local production

Nuwara Eliya farmers express fears that the country’s dollar crisis will have a severe impact on the import of vegetable seed plants and the Although the country has agricultural research institutes, vegetable-seed plants are not produced on commercial scale in Sri Lanka, the farmers claim. “The seeds we buy are imported,” one farmer said. In [...]

Energy Ministry calls for EOIs to re-refine used lubricants

The Energy Ministry has called for Expression of Interest (EOI) from competent parties to function as “Operators” to re-refine used lubricants to produce Hydrocarbon products. According to the notice issued by the Ministry’s Procurement Committee (MPC), the overall objective of this project is re-refining used lubricants, considered as the most effective environmentally friendly option of [...]

Northern fishermen pen letter on bottom trawler issue to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

Northern fishermen have signed a collective letter addressed to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister urging him to take urgent steps to prevent Indian bottom trawlers from engaging in fishing activities in Northern waters at the expense of their livelihood. Presidents of the Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts fisheries co-operative unions and federation met yesterday at [...]

Celebrations continue at the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

Celebrations  continue at the Peradeniya  Botanical Gardens

Three more botanical gardens are to be established as a part of the year long celebrations to mark the bicentennial of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Three notice boards in all three languages were unveiled in the gardens recently by Tourism Ministry Secretary S. Hettiarachchi. The name boards were sponsored by Lions Club of Pilimathalawa. Peradeniya [...]

N’Eliya prepares for next month’s festivities; Mayor expects large crowds

Plans have been drawn to go ahead with next month’s festival activities in Nuwara Eliya. This week, Nuwara Eliya Mayor Chandana Lal Karunaratne met with stakeholders including the Police, Army and non-governmental organisations whose support has been sought to organise the events. In view of the large crowds expected, the Mayor said proper preparation needs [...]

Idalgashinna camping site fast becoming popular tourist destination

Idalgashinna camping site fast becoming popular tourist destination

The area around the Idalgashinna railway station on the upcountry line is fast becoming an attraction among local and foreign tourists due to its scenic beauty. In spite of windy conditions and other climatic conditions it is turning into a popular camping site. On a clear day one can get a panoramic view of the [...]

Pick of the pix

Pick of the pix

 Props: Protestors continue despite difficulties  No goods: A Sathosa trolley stands next to an empty lorry  Dissent spreads: Protestors unite against Russia  Alternative energy: A sidewalk vendor uses a solar panel to power his business  Seller’s market: A vendor displays his goods during a powercut Safe hands: A boy jumps from his sister’s arms into [...]

Appointed President’s Counsel

Appointed President’s Counsel

Viveka Siriwardena, Additional Solicitor General was appointed as President’s Counsel. Ms Siriwardena is a senior legal counsel practicing in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka with 26 years of experience in the Official Bar. She joined the Attorney General’s Department in 1995 as a State Counsel, and was promoted to Senior State Counsel in 2004. [...]

A new train for tourism: “Ella Odyssey”

A new train  for tourism:  “Ella Odyssey”

A new luxury train service, “Ella Odyssey” was introduced yesterday from Kandy to Ella to promote tourism. The inauguration ceremony was held yesterday under the patronage of Transport State Minister Dilum Amunugama. The train will operate daily– leaving Kandy at 7 a.m. and reaching Demodara at 2.20 p.m, and leaving Demodara at 3.40 p.m. and [...]

Kandy court stops construction of building in protected area of Hakkinda

Kandy’s Additional Magistrate has issued an interim injunction to stop the construction of a building coming up on the banks of Mahaweli in the environmentally protected area of Hakkinda. This follows a petition by the Central Environmental Authority, against Udeni Fernando who is allegedly constructing the building, for violating the National Environmental Act under section [...]

Dengue tally nears 11,000, infections rise in 17 areas

Dengue tally nears 11,000, infections rise in 17 areas

Nearly 11,000 people have been infected with the potentially-fatal dengue island-wide since January, causing widespread concern among health officials. Last month 2,962 people were infected. And up to March 3, there have been 187 infections, in addition to the 7,702 people infected in January. Most have been detected within the Western Province. Compared with 4,477 [...]

GISM saves hard currency through pathway arrangement for Sri Lankan students to graduate in New Zealand

GISM saves hard currency through pathway arrangement for Sri Lankan students to graduate in New Zealand

As a Sri Lankan student, it is now possible to obtain a recognised degree from universities such as Massey University in New Zealand that have continuously obtained high rankings for teaching methodologies and research work at an affordable cost through GISM.Also our students transfer to New Zealand can study in world’s safest city, Auckland. GISM [...]

Trenches project to mitigate HEC opens up bigger questions than answers

Trenches project  to mitigate HEC opens up bigger questions than answers

A move by the State Ministry of Wildlife Protection to contract private companies to dig trenches as a means to prevent human-elephant conflict (HEC) has raised more questions than it has answered, even among long-suffering villagers in the worst-hit areas. Both its legality and environmental impact are at issue. But former State Minister Wimalaweera Dissanayake [...]

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