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Home » NewsGrandma-grandchild: The best of all bonds
As Sri Lanka joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Day for the Elderly and the World Children’s Day yesterday, the picture of a grandmother watching her grandchild having some fun reminds us of American author Lois Wyse’s famous quote “If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren, [...]
President revokes Gazette on HSZs
By Damith Wickremasekara President Ranil Wickremesinghe has revoked the Gazette notification declaring specified areas in Colombo and Greater Colombo as High Security Zones under the Official Secrets Act amidst questions over the legality of the decision. The new Gazette notification by the Defence Ministry was issued hours after President Wickremesinghe returned to the country from [...]
QR code system to be extended for Samurdhi and social welfare programmes
By Senuka Jayakody The Government will introduce a QR code to identify eligible recipients and families for the distribution of welfare packages under different programmes for those living below the poverty-line, Samurdhi Development Department officials said. A QR code system is being successfully implemented in the distribution of fuel and a similar system is to [...]
Amid recruitment freeze, Govt. will hire professionals to public sector
The Government has decided to permit the recruitment of professionals, including doctors and engineers, to the public sector next year while keeping its limits on enlisting more persons as government employees. Two separate committees have been appointed to make recommendations on recruiting professionals while the other committee will recommend ways of limiting the public sector [...]
Rs. 504mn spent on Special Presidential Coms., but questions over implementation
By Yoshitha Perera Successive Governments have splurged Rs. 504mn on ten Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry (PCoI) over the past eight years, an application to the Presidential Secretariat under the Right to Information Act has revealed. The largest sum–Rs 120mn–was spent in 2020. There was no information available on the outcomes of these Special PCoIs, [...]
Severe restrictions on PC chairpersons’ perks, allowances
The President’s Office has imposed restrictions on Provincial Council chairperson’s perks, including fuel allowances, after revelations that the facilities were being misused. The President’s Office in a circular has limited the fuel allowance to 150 litres a month and allowed only two drivers. This is in contrast to the existing scheme where the chairpersons could [...]
Over 50 containers held up at the port, claim traders
By Chris Kamalendran More than 50 containers carrying flour, cosmetic items, turmeric and food items imported by local traders have reportedly been held up at the Colombo Port. Among the items are artificial garlands and other items used at temple functions. Artificial garland importers said their business had been affected with temple functions coming up. [...]
Pension scheme for migrant workers; more you pay, more you benefit
Manusavi, a new pension scheme for Sri Lankan migrant workers, was introduced by the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment this week. Addressing a ceremony at the the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said the Manusavi scheme was aimed at strengthening the retirement life of Sri [...]
Lankan youth from NZ dies in bike accident while holidaying in Galle
A Sri Lankan youth employed in New Zealand died this week in a motorcycle accident while on holiday in Galle. He was identified as Sahan Diluka, a resident of Kahaduwatta. The accident occurred at the Kahaduwatta junction when Diluka and two pillion riders were returning home in the early hours of Tuesday after buying some [...]
‘This is the way I did it’
Namini Wijedasa talks to a kingpin who thrives in his people-smuggling business Nishantha Fernando met us at the door of his two-storey mansion in Barudelpola. “I knew you were coming,” he announced. News travels fast in this pretty fishing village near Marawila. We were shown into his hall, with its giant widescreen television, patterned chairs [...]
Demands for state to shed waste, after burdens just got heavier for people
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Many businesses are planning to increase the prices of products and services following the revision of electricity and water charges in September. From the local eatery to fine dining restaurants, as well as laundry services, pharmacies, printing and photocopy service providers, supermarkets, grocery shops, and retailers, all are looking to revise their [...]
Flour duopoly failures put 2,000 bakeries out of business
By Kasun Warakapitiya So far, 2,000 bakeries have been forced to close down due to the shortage of wheat flour, the Bakery Owners Association said. Association president, N.K Jayewardene told the Sunday Times that out of the 7,000 bakeries, 2,000 bakeries have now closed. The two companies that import flour have not supplied enough. “Normally [...]
Small industries badly hit by power cuts, warning of job losses
By Sohan Vipulananda Several small and medium scale industry leaders say if long power cuts are imposed they will be forced to close down, with many employees losing their jobs. The tailoring and garment industries had fallen like other industries since COVID-19 hit Sri Lanka, along with the economic crisis. Dehiwala tailoring shop owner Sarvan [...]
ADB spells out emergency assistance for Lanka’s poor
By Kapila Bandara Livelihood support for Sri Lankans who are most vulnerable, and assistance to secure essential items including food and fertiliser are a part of the Asian Development Bank’s emergency assistance, the 68-member bank told the Sunday Times. Rising levels of food insecurity (see graphic from World Food Programme) and malnutrition, in particular among [...]
Women’s health to the fore as local, regional experts in field gather in Colombo
Silver jubilee congress of the South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the 55th annual scientific conference of the Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists ends today By Kumudini Hettiarachchi It was not just a single but a double celebration when eminent personalities from Sri Lanka and abroad in the field of crucial women’s [...]
Journalist dies at Kandy Hospital, case records of over 3 years go missing
By L.B. Senaratne A photojournalist who was admitted to the Kandy Hospital died, and his medical records had gone missing after he was admitted to the hospital. Ariyawamsa Jayaweera, a long standing photojournalist who had been with the Dawasa group of newspapers and Lake House, was admitted to the Kandy Hospital through an emergency call [...]
Rehab Bureau Bill aimed at harassing Aragalaya protesters, says FR petition
The ‘Bureau of Rehabilitation’ Bill is aimed at further harassing ‘Aragalaya’ protesters as the bureau it seeks to set up has the authority to send people for rehabilitation without a court order, according to a lawyer who has petitioned the Supreme Court. Challenging the constitutionality of the bill which has been presented to Parliament, Attorney-at-Law [...]
For some unauthorised foreign guides, the old red hospital building is Colombo’s oldest mosque
National tour guide lecturers hit by dearth of tourism arrivals, poor pay and unlicensed operators By Wasantha Ramanayake Sri Lanka’s tourist guide lecturers have met diplomats from major tourist markets to persuade them to facilitate the arrival of more tourists from their respective countries, although they are hit by not only the dearth of tourists [...]
Fishing trip ends in tragedy as man falls prey to crocodile
Pix and text by Amila Gamage A fear of crocodiles has hit a remote village on the banks of the Nilwala river passing through the Matara District, after body parts of a missing person, believed to have been dragged away by a crocodile, were found. Police have handed over what remained of the victim, Palanisami [...]
A soup to start the day
Story and pix by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe A teacher of a rural school in Puttalam has been feeding underprivileged children for nine years after he witnessed the state of the children’s nutrition. L A S Kelum, a teacher at Uttara Attawilluwa government school provides soup or porridge varieties three days a week to school children. [...]
Burning issues unresolved in Grandpass
By Kasun Warakapitiya Important issues including possible illegal settlers and the cause of the fire in Grandpass will have to be established before authorities decide on measures to take. The Kajeemawatta area in Grandpass was engulfed in flames for a third time Tuesday evening, displacing 316 people and 74 families. The fire also destroyed the [...]
Lesson from College of Physicians on surviving difficult times and becoming better than before
It was held amidst trying times – the looked-forward-to academic sessions of the Ceylon College of Physicians (CCP) on the theme ‘Bridging Gaps and Crossing Divides’. A hybrid session, with physical and online attendance, there were around 200 participants on September 22 who had kept aside their stethoscopes to gather at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel [...]
Kaushalya Nawaratne to contest for post of President of BASL 2023/2024
Kaushalya Nawaratne has declared his intention to contest for the post of President, Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) at the election to be held next year. Mr Nawaratne completed his primary and secondary education at Vijaya College and St Thomas’ College, Matale respectively, where he was a senior prefect and captained the First XI [...]
SLPI marks International Day for Universal Access to Information with panel discussion on 5 years of RTI in Sri Lanka
The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) organised an online panel discussion titled, ‘A Law that Worked for Citizens: Five Years of Right to Information in Sri Lanka’ to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) on September 28. The discussion was joined by an eminent group of panelists led by the RTI [...]
Sri Lankan fishermen world’s biggest manta killers feeding Chinese demand
By Malaka Rodrigo Sri Lanka holds the dubious record of killing the most mantas and devil rays compared with all global and large industrial purse seine fisheries combined. A survey of local fish markets from 2005 to 2020 also has revealed that this level of manta fishing is not sustainable. According to the Manta Trust, [...]
Laws should be revised if cannabis is to be cultivated: Ayurveda drugs chief
Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation Chairman Sagala Abhayawickreme said laws should be amended and stringently enforced if the cultivation of cannabis is to be permitted for exports and the large-scale manufacture of medicinal drugs. Commenting on the recent government proposal to cultivate cannabis for Ayurvedic medicines and export purposes, Ms. Abhayawickreme said that at present, [...]
Peradeniya canteen where violence raged, no more any one clan’s turf
By Senuka Jayakody A canteen at the University of Peradeniya where some students are said to have faced physical violence and verbal abuse, must be accessible to all, administrators have decided. This follows a meeting between teachers and students. The dining facility of the faculty of arts where a recent bout of violence took palce, [...]