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Home » NewsCan we avert the danger in 2023
As the New Year dawns today after one of the worst years in Sri Lanka’s socioeconomic history, an oncoming belt-tightening is more than likely and the people will have to dangerously cross its path in the New Year like this scene near the Colombo Fort Railway station. Pic by Eshan Fernando
Tight curbs on state expenditure
Ministry secretaries and top officials will be held personally responsible for any big expenditure without Treasury nod All officers, including ministry secretaries, who fail to obtain Treasury approval for capital expenses of more than Rs 500 million for this year or those which exceed Rs 1,000 million to be paid in multiple years will be [...]
AG backs Govt.’s move to overrule PUCSL and raise electricity tariffs
By Damith Wickramasekara The Government is set to overrule the power sector regulator’s objections and push through with an average 65 percent tariff increase after the Attorney General said the law gave full authority to the Power and Energy Minister to formulate general policy guidelines for the industry. Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam has also said [...]
SriLankan seeks suspension of payments from holders of bonds worth USD 175mn
The debt-ridden SriLankan Airlines has requested a 12-month suspension of debt-service payments from holders who have invested in its USD 175 million government-guaranteed international bonds which mature in 2024. The deferral of interest payments covered the coupon payments due on December 25, 2022, and June 25, 2023. The bond was issued at a guaranteed rate [...]
Wrangling over nominees stalls Constitutional Council
By Sandun Jayawardana New appointments to independent commissions continue to be stalled as the Constitutional Council (CC) has still not been fully constituted. A CC meeting held on Thursday to decide on the appointment of the three non-MPs in the 10-member Council ended inconclusively. In November, Parliament called for applications from “persons of eminence and [...]
Dengue epidemic raging, many public hospitals unable to do FBC tests
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi With a dengue epidemic raging in the country, many major state hospitals are facing a huge crisis in monitoring patients with a mandatory but basic test, the Sunday Times learns. “No Full Blood Counts (FBC) are being performed here and at many state hospitals due to reagents not being available,” confirmed Consultant [...]
11 DIGs retire with their service appreciated
Eleven senior Police officials retired yesterday, having reached the prescribed age of retirement. The officials included Senior DIG Nandana Munasinghe, Uva Province Senior DIG W.F.U. Fernando, Presidential Security DIG Augustus Perera, Vanni district DIG Vandana Alahakoon, Northern province DIG E.M.U. Wijitha Gunaratne, Community Police and Environment Protection DIG Jagath Palihakkara, Kegalle district DIG Champika Siriwardena, [...]
Top doctors warn of the unhealthy state of the health sector
The compulsory retirement age rule for specialists and the brain drain of young Consultants will have adverse impact especially on life-saving heart surgeries and maternal health By Kumudini Hettiarachchi The state health sector, grappling with a serious shortage of medicines, will be plunged into further crisis in the New Year with the compulsory retirement of specialists [...]
No immediate virus worries, say health officials amid thousands of likely deaths in China
By Yoshitha Perera Sri Lankans are being told to follow general health guidelines to help prevent the possible spread of the coronavirus disease and its new variants in the country. This follows a surge in infections in China since last month. But, Sri Lankan health officials say there is no immediate threat, unless a dangerous [...]
ETF: Firms with over 15 workers told to adopt online system
The remittances of all companies with more than 15 employees are instructed to pay their Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) through an online system, Minister of State for Finance, Ranjith Siyabalapitiya said. The concept will be enacted according to a decision by the President as the Minister of Finance and according to the gazette notification issued [...]
X-Press Pearl case in Singapore: AG’s Dept asserts its role, as MEPA faulted for delaying report
Authority rejects allegations; says all documents copied to AG’s Dept and Justice Ministry By Ranjith Padmasiri and Sandun Jayawardana The Attorney General is the final authority on all legal matters on the X-Press Pearl vessel and the country’s worst marine disaster it caused, a senior official said. He told the Sunday Times that on all [...]
Pharma industry flays Health Minister’s drug purchase policy
Chamber fires out six questions to NMRA as more details emerge on the controversial deals to buy medicine from two Indian firms — Savorite and blacklisted Kausikh By Namini Wijedasa Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical industry this week voiced concern to the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) about the Health Minister getting Cabinet approval to buy medical [...]
Terror and horror continue for Torrington Avenue residents
For residents of Torrington Avenue in Colombo 7, the festive season was a month of nuisance, fear, and exhaustion in complaining to authorities who have failed to provide a solution for their years-long agony. A Colombo Municipal Council’s neglected community hall and children’s playground bordering the prime residential area turns into a living hell for [...]
Keheliya dismisses allegations: Says a ‘friend’ paid his hotel bill in India which he settled later
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that reports criticising the Health Ministry’s efforts to procure medicines from locally unregistered Indian companies on the basis of unsolicited proposals to tide over a drugs shortage were untrue, false and malicious. At a news conference on Wednesday, he also implied that they were politically motivated to create instability in [...]
Kandy floods expose the corruption behind unauthorised structures
By Nadia Fazlulhaq and J.A.L. Jayasinghe The recent floods in Kandy have, apart from leaving a trail of destruction, exposed the ugly reality beneath the beauty of a World Heritage city. The reasons are many. They include clogged drains, blocked natural waterways, unauthorised constructions, illegal encroachments, uncoordinated development programmes, delayed projects, and neglected silt traps. But [...]
White fly infestation set to drive coconut prices higher
By Senuka Jayakody Prices of coconut and king coconut are expected to rise further in the wake of the white fly infestation which is spreading fast, and which has reduced the harvest. Explaining the prevailing high prices, the growers say production is leaner in November, December, January, and February. Coconut Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Keerthi [...]
Paradox and resilience as Lankans go into festive mood to welcome 2023
By Sohan Vipulananda Hope amidst despair, happiness amidst sorrow: the dawn of a New Year for Sri Lankans may be a paradox. But a spirit of resilience was seen as they greeted 2023. For the first time in three years, there were public gatherings to usher in the New Year when the clock struck 12. [...]
Experts recommend New Year resolutions on low-cost, protein-rich meals
By Nadia Fazlulhaq Make sure your New Year resolution is a pledge to include low-cost, nutrient-filled local produce in meals, actively get involved in home gardening, and reduce food wastage, nutrition experts recommend. Their food security advice came as the World Bank placed Sri Lanka among the top 10 countries with the highest food [...]
Hauling veggies by train put to the test
By Kasun Wrakapaitiya Vegetables could be transported more cost-effectively by using the railway and a trial was done this week to move a few plastic crates from Nanu Oya Station to Fort Railway Station. Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute (HARTI) senior research officer Duminda Priyadarshana said fuel costs could be reduced and fresh [...]
Museum to be built at site of historic Buddhist nunnery in Anuradhapura
Its founder Anula theri was ordained by Arhat Mahinda and Sanghamitta theri By Senuka Jayakody The Archaeological Department is to restore the stupa at Anula Tissa Pabbatha Vihara “as it is”, Archaeology Director General Anura Manatunge said. “We did not have evidence of the existence of a large Buddhist nunnery in Sri Lanka, but now [...]
Moulding hope
Story and pix by M A Pushpa kumara Sculptors are not an exception to those oppressed by the rapidly increasing prices; faced by an inability to obtain raw materials. Sebastian Anura, a sculptor of primarily Catholic images in Mattakkuliya, who specialises in a rare method used in India, expressed his distress. “The raw items we [...]
Illegal chemical pesticides in Puttalam; Farmers lose their crops
They say Govt. did not give them enough time or resources to adjust to organic agriculture Story and pix by Hiran Priyankara Pesticides that were brought illegally from India and sold in the Eluwankulama area of Wanathawilluwa have destroyed crops in Thawusamaduwa. However, due to the unavailability and high costs of weedicides and pesticides necessary [...]
Unions fume at resurrected rail ‘authority’ idea
By Sohan Vipulananda Railway unions are opposing a proposal to make the Railway Department into an authority as it had been done in 2003 when Ranil Wickremesinghe was Prime Minister. Transport and Highways Minister, Bandula Gunawardane said last month discussions will start with officials to turn the railway into an authority. But, railway trade unions [...]
Five-month shutdown for Indian company to upgrade north railway
By Senuka Jayakody The Railway Department expects to continue operating trains in the north although services will be suspended for five months from Colombo for upgrading between Anuradhapura and Omanthai in Vavuniya by an Indian state company. The “Yal Rani” would be moved to Vavuniya on January 5 when the tracks will be shut. Trains [...]
School children desperate, but won’t get books and uniforms until April
By Chrishanthi Christopher Schools resume tomorrow, but for the children it would be business as usual, walking into the same grades carrying old, tattered text and exercise books used last year. This comes with the Education Ministry’s decision to shift the third term of the academic year of 2022 to 2023. Accordingly, the first term [...]