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Home » NewsPresident unites with Poppy Day
Thursday was Poppy Day and President Ranil Wickremesinghe as Minister of Defence and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces is seen making a contribution to war heroes after Sri Lanka Ex- Servicemen’s Association President Retired Major. General Ruwan Wanigasuriya pinned the first poppy flower on the head of state at the Parliamentary complex.
Corruption: White Paper on tough new law made public
Officers can arrest without warrants, trail officials suspected of being involved in corrupt activities By Namini Wijedasa A new anti-corruption law proposed by the Government envisages the creation of an Independent Commission whose authorised officers may arrest without a magisterial order or a warrant any person suspected of having carried out an offence under the [...]
Travel ban on military personnel; Canada to name three officers, others to follow suit
By Our Diplomatic Editor Last Thursday’s resolution on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will see immediate travel bans by member countries on military personnel. The first to move will be Canada which will name at least three officers, the Sunday Times learns. Others to follow suit are member-countries of the [...]
Proposal for Lanka to downgrade itself to low-income country
By Damith Wickremasekara The Cabinet will take up tomorrow a proposal for Sri Lanka to revert from a middle-income country to a low-income country with the aim of obtaining concessionary funding from the International Development Association (IDA) — an arm of the World Bank which helps the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries. A detailed [...]
Optional retirement age reduced to 55 for SOE employees
Following the reduction of the compulsory retirement age to 60 for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) employees, the optional age for retirement has also been reduced to 55 with a conditional extension of service till they reach compulsory retirement. A new circular, signed by the Treasury Secretary on Thursday and issued to all Heads of SoEs, Chairmen [...]
Crude oil scam: CPC loses USD 90m in six months
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) lost more than USD 90 million from March to September this year due to the purchase of unsuitable stocks of crude oil and an incorrect pricing methodology, according to an analysis submitted to the government. The analysis has found that two refined shipments of oil could be bought for the [...]
Mahinda makes a comeback; first of many rallies in Kalutara
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa appeared in public for the first time since his resignation in May as Prime Minister when he attended a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) propaganda rally yesterday in Kalutara. Mr. Rajapaksa addressed the rally which was billed as the first of many that the SLPP intends to hold island-wide in a [...]
Police begin registration of householders in city; defend move as security measure
The police have resumed registration of householders in the Colombo city area. Police media spokesman Nihal Thalduwa told the Sunday Times this was done in the 1990s during the war period and from time to time they resorted to it to crack down on drug peddlers and wanted criminals who take refuge in safe houses. [...]
From today, Aeroflot resumes direct flights
Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot will resume direct flights between Moscow and Colombo from today. The airline will operate two flights a week on Thursdays and Sundays, a Civil Aviation Ministry spokesperson said. Permission has also been granted to another Russian airline, Azur Air, to operate four charter flights a week starting from early November. Aeroflot [...]
Rajapakshe hits out at SL’s foreign policy and foreign service following UNHRC vote
Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe yesterday blamed what he called a non-existent robust foreign policy and an inefficient foreign service for years which culminated in the international community losing faith in the country and passing numerous resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). He spoke to the Sunday Times in the aftermath of a strong [...]
Heavy fines and jail terms for those who violate Rehab Act
By Ranjith Padmasiri The government’s proposed Rehabilitation Bureau Bill seeks to impose imprisonment and heavy fines for those who attempt to introduce drugs to rehabilitation centres. According to the proposed bill, any person who, without authority, supplies or attempts to supply any dangerous drug, narcotic drug or psychotropic substance or any unauthorised article to a [...]
Inquiry into prisoner’s death from falling into hot cauldron
A Prisons’ Headquarters official has been appointed to investigate the death of a prisoner who fell into a hot cauldron of curry. The official said that the inmate housed at Agunukolapelessa Prison was identified as a 62-year-old resident of Daraniyagala. He had been charged with a murder in 2001 and was sentenced to 25 years [...]
Double murder suspects arrested after 31 years; search on for woman
Two suspects wanted in connection with a double murder committed 31 years ago have been arrested after police received new information. The victims were a father and son from the Moratuwa area. One of the suspects, a soldier, is alleged to have killed a man in 1991 after marrying the victim’s second wife and a [...]
President calls on media secretaries to spread the word on Govt. recovery programme
“If there is instability in the country, it will not recover. There should be stability. It is necessary to provide accurate information among the people to create that stability,” President Ranil Wickremesinghe said. He made these comments while addressing a workshop held on Friday at the Government Information Department to apprise the media secretaries of [...]
2.7m more Sri Lankans pushed into poverty, rate doubles to new high
By Kapila Bandara Sri Lanka’s economic meltdown is worsening and it has pushed 2.7 million more people into the misery of poverty between last year and this year. The rate of poverty has doubled to its highest level from more than a decade ago. The Government revealed this week that an additional 867,696 Sri Lankans [...]
Cleaning up for the tourists
World Tourism Day was marked recently with events across the country. One such event aimed to clean the area around Tissa Wewa. Employees and management of the hotels in the area took part in the event. Pix by Rukman Ratnayake
More drugs, more guns: STF finds gun promotion by drug dealers
The Police Special Task Force (STF) has unravelled a scheme by foreign drug dealers to sell more weapons to local distributors by creating clashes among groups. A senior STF official said that foreign drug dealers have arranged to provide complimentary weapons, such as firearms, according to the amount of drugs purchased by them. They said [...]
Some one million three wheelers at sixes and sevens over fares
Govt. trying to regulate services but the amendments sitting on Legal Draftsman’s desk, Minister says By Yoshitha Perera Three wheeler fares are fluctuating, while amendments to the National Transport Act pertaining to three wheeler regulations have been sitting in the Legal Draftsman Department for months. Over the last decade rapid growth of the informal transport [...]
Simmering disputes behind no-fuel boards
Shed owners in crisis as CPC demands upfront cash payments By Chrishanthi Christopher The sudden appearance of no-fuel boards from time to time at fuel sheds indicates that all is not well with the country’s fuel distribution system despite the government’s claim that the QR code system is working smoothly. Such boards appeared this week, [...]
CPC overpays Rs. 4.5b in dealer commissions; audit query reveals
By Niranjala Ariyawansha An overpayment of Rs. 4,574 million in dealer commission has been made to fuel shed owners from June 11 last year to July 25 this year by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) due to the non-implementation of a board decision to keep the commissions within a reasonable limit, a special audit query [...]
Used vehicle prices slide
By Sohan Vipulananda High interest rates, record levels of inflation and a number of other factors, including the fuel scarcity, have helped to drive down prices of used motor vehicles. The Honda Vezel 2015 model, which was Rs 9 million last month, was selling at Rs 7.5 million this month, while the 2017 Toyota Vitz, [...]
Amid capacity limits, railway caters more to high-yielding passengers
By Wasantha Ramanayake A few more passenger trains could be put into service in the short term but capacity can not be increased, a senior railway official said. “Even with the addition of few new trains and an increased number of carriages, we are still unable to cater to the demand,” he revealed adding that [...]
From kidney transplant pioneer to patient: Personal saga of Professor Rezvi Sheriff
Professor Rezvi Sheriff a well known Physician and Nephrologist in Sri Lanka is known as the “father of Nephrology”. He pioneered kidney transplantation in Sri Lanka with the first kidney transplant being performed in 1985 with the help of the University of Colombo and team that included Professor A.H. Sherifdeen and Professor Geri Jayasekara. This [...]
Palaly to Chennai flight to resume this week
By Chris Kamalendran Flights between Palaly and Chennai are set to resume early next week after more than three years. Aviation source said the airfares between Palaly and Chennai would be considerably less than airfares between Colombo and Chennai. The resumption of flights and the cheaper airfare would greatly help the people of the North, [...]
Moragahakanda water imperils Minneriya jumbo gathering
By Kasun Warakapitiya Wildlife and irrigation officials are locked in a dispute over the release of water from Moragahakanda tank onto the elephant gathering areas at Minneriya and Kaudulla, depriving the animals of adequate grass feeding grounds. Officials from the Wildlife Conservation and Department of Irrigation have different views and priorities. Environmental activist Sajeewa Chamikara [...]
10-storey cancer unit at Karapitiya yet to get off ground; fast turning into mosquito-breeding site
Discussions on providing labour to construct building falls by the wayside, no work on site for over one year By Nadia Fazlulhaq “The number of cancer patients in the South is growing daily. Unfortunately what we see of a proposed multi storey cancer hospital are rusting reinforcement bars. Both the government and fundraisers should accelerate the [...]
Exam candidates get reprieve after widespread anger
By Senuka Jayakody Faced with pressure from political parties, students, parents and teachers, the Department of Examinations postponed the 2022 Advanced Level examination to January 23. The Minister of Education, Susil Premajayantha, was reluctant to postpone the exam despite strong criticism even in Parliament. But, a section of principals and some students say exams should [...]
Chugging back in time on board colonial era steam locomotives
Train village at Maradana’s Technical junction to bring more tourists Text and pix by Rekha Tharanganee Fonseka A project to set up a museum covering Sri Lanka’s railway history, with the aim of attracting local and foreign tourists, is currently underway. The museum will be located at the Technical junction in Maradana. CGR Planning Director [...]
Colombo municipality dumps waste creating public health risk
By Renishka Fernando A massive mountain of garbage looms over Madampitiya road. A faded sign that reads ‘Do not dump garbage here’ is hidden by waste dumped by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and passers-by on either side of a by road on the right side of Madampitiya road. Residents are not pleased. “By 6 [...]
Nutritious food beyond reach of low-income families
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Local dairy milk powder prices were increased this week, another blow to families relying on low cost options. A 400g pack of local milk powder was increased from between Rs. 830 Rs 850 to Rs. 950 nearing the price of an imported milk powder pack priced at Rs 1,160. “Fresh milk has [...]
A national trashy attitude
Text and Pix Nilan Maligaspe Blocked drains, and the scattering of plastic bags and containers by road sides have increased the potential breeding grounds for Dengue mosquitoes. Several areas in Colombo City and suburbs have become mosquito breeding grounds, as well as mosquito habitats. Some drainage systems have been overgrown with vegetation and the blocked water [...]