Mar 28 (FT) Yahapalanaya is a slogan heard all too often in the current political arena; however rest assured this article is nothing to do with politics, rather the financial institutions and the financial system stability of the country. In the preceding months we witnessed yet another financial institution/group nosedive, namely the Swarnamahal Financial Services Group, and add to the Central Bank’s list of financial institutions pending resolution. The primary response strategy more..

Mar 28 (Island) Several criminal activities carried out by underworld criminals were reported in several parts of the country, but they were exaggerated by the media, Sudarshana Gunawardana, Director General of the Department of Govt Information said. "There has been no breakdown in law and order and the public must act with restraint," he said. According to Gunawardana the govt had already taken a number of steps to curb criminal activities. A committee had been appointed by more..

Mar 28 (Island) Parents Union of Medical Students (PUMS) said yesterday it was having talks with the government and Opposition to have Chairman of the UGC Prof. Mohan de Silva removed from his post. Spokesperson for PUMS Wasantha Alwis told the media that the Chairman’s lack of interest in the welfare of state university students and the free education system and his keenness to promote private higher education had prompted his outfit to seek the ouster of the UGC chairman. more..

Mar 28 (CT) Central Bank of SL has written to CT offering a clarification on the news story published yesterday titled President Stops Gazette On Transferring Central Bank From Ranil To Mangala, where it was mentioned that State Minister Dr. Harsha De Silva had summoned the Monetary Board against established procedure. Director, Communications, CBSL states that De Silva had only convened a meeting of more..

Mar 28 (Island) Drug addicts would be sent to rehabilitation centres across the country in the near future instead of being remanded, Chairman of National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB) retired Senior DIG Sirisena Herath said. "Imprisoning drug addicts is not a solution. They won’t become clean just because we put them behind bars. In prison they can link up with dangerous criminals. The best way out is to rehabilitate them and we have enough more..

Mar 28 (DM) The recently held LG poll was a crime of national proportion and a grave mistake committed by the two main parties to the nation, Minister Vajira Abeywardana said. The comment was made in relation to the numerous political clashes taking place in the country, as parties struggle to retain power in several local govt bodies. “Not only the LG poll is a crime, it is also a crime that no one is coming forward to voice against this. The main two parties of the govt; UNP and SLFP, more..

Mar 28 (EN) PM Ranil Wickremesinghe's UNP has the majority required, at least in theory, to defeat a no-confidence motion against him, but a vote could backfire on the instigators too. The JO, whose de facto leader is former president Rajapaksa, has secured a debate on the no-trust resolution on April 4 and thereafter a vote that could decide not only Wickremesinghe’s political future but of those in the opposition. more..

Mar 28 (EN) Japan gifted a fleet of brand-new vehicles to Sri Lanka's police Wednesday equipping the local law enforcement authority with their most powerful motorcycles ever. Under Japan's international cooperation effort, 11 Toyota Land Cruiser 4X4 vehicles, 10 Yamaha XT 250cc model trail bikes and 10 Yamaha FJR 1,300cc patrol cycles were gifted at a ceremony in Colombo. Police chief Pujith Jayasundara accepted the vehicles at the Police Head Quarters. more..

Mar 28 (Island) Balapitiya Magistrate recently acquitted three suspects in the Kobeythuduwa murder case on the grounds that there were no eyewitnesses or evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were responsible for the murder. The Meetiyagoda police had charged them with the murder of Sankalpa Prabath (17) of Kobeythuduwa. The victim’s body was found by the police near an abandoned well close to his house on 25 July, 2016. more..

Mar 28 (AD) The Joint Opposition (JO) today claimed that a section of the international media has been helping the govt in its propaganda effort to pin the blame for the recent incident of violence in Kandy on the SLPP. “Sections of the international media have continued to amplify and broadcast the SL govt’s propaganda that the JO or the SLPP was responsible for the recent Sinhala-Muslim disturbances in Kandy,” more..

Mar 28 (AD) Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by Minister Mangala Samaraweera to amend the Nation Building Tax Act, No. 09 of 2009 and include the amendment proposed in the 2018 Budget. Accordingly, National Building Tax will be imposed on liquor in addition to the existing levies. Meanwhile the NBT currently imposed on the following goods and services are to be lifted: Equipment used for the construction of greenhouses, polytunnels aimed at utilizing more..

Mar 28 (FT) The Govt says it has taken all necessary steps to promote Sri Lanka as a country which protects internationally accepted human rights and civil rights and to ensure the rule of law is functioning properly. Although the recent illegal activities and organized crime by some persons involved in the underworld have had some impact on the peaceful situation during recent disturbances, there was no breakdown in law and order, Govt Information Dept said in a statement more..

Mar 28 (AFP) President Maithripala Sirisena Wednesday reduced the responsibilities of PM Ranil Wickremesinghe as a power struggle worsened within their uneasy coalition. Sirisena took away the central bank, the policy-making National Operations Room and several other institutions from the control of Wickremesinghe, who had held them since coming to power in Jan 2015. more..

Mar 28 (DN) Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday said the real target of the No Confidence Motion (NCM) was the President. He said this NCM was not against the PM but a means to come into power through the back door by politically bankrupt forces that have been defeated in elections twice. Though the NCM is against the PM, the real target is the President. President is protected by the UNP and the PM, and those who are against the President know this very well, he explained. more..

Mar 28 (Island) Two men, who were accused of plotting to kill former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, were yesterday released by Colombo High Court Judge Sampath Abeykoon who found them not guilty of the charges. The judge found that the charges levelled against the suspects by the Attorney General were not proven beyond reasonable doubt. The suspects included the son of a former TNA MP more..

Mar 28 (PSL) President Maithripala Sirisena says that the govt fulfills the responsibilities to a maximum level to protect the younger generation from the negative side of modern technology. Prez made these remarks addressing the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Fathima Muslim Ladies College held at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, today. Prez recalled the action taken by the Govt to temporarily restrict the accessing of social media sites more..

Mar 28 (CB) After a clean-sweep in the ODIs, Pakistan Women started the T20Is series with a nail-biting one-wicket win over Sri Lanka Women in Colombo on Wednesday. The bowlers restricted the hosts to 124 and the in-form Javeria Khan scored her third T20I to seal the victory. Pakistan won the toss and Bismah Maroof inserted the home side into bat. The opening bowlers - Diana Baig and Sana Mir justified the decision by running through the top order. more..

Mar 28 (GDI) President Maithripala Sirisena said the Govt will take a policy decision on the conducting of tuition classes on Poya Days and Sundays in future, as per the advice of the Maha Sanga so as to allow students to receive a Dhamma education. President added that the Maha Sanga has been pointing out that the conduct of tuition classes have had a severe impact on the lives of students. Prez Sirisena was addressing a ceremony to present offer the Sannasa to the position of Chairperson more..

Mar 28 (DM) The recent violent incidents in Kandy district underscore the need to expedite efforts to support national reconciliation, a group of EU Ambassadors who visited the city said today. Ambassador of the European Union, Tung-Laï Margue, Romanian Ambassador Dr. Victor Chiujdea and Ambassador of Switzerland Heinz Walker-Nederkoorn visited Kandy from 27-28 March. more..

Mar 28 (DM) Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Cheng Xueyuan said that China never interfered in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka and never attach additional conditions to its assistance to Sri Lanka. Chinese envoy made this remark during a meeting with Secretary General of National Economic Council (NEC) and Chief Economist Prof. Lalith Samarakoon recently. Ambassador Cheng said China attaches great importance to the bilateral relations and is willing to implement more..

Mar 28 (LBO) Cabinet nod has been received to select a suitable consultancy firm to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed Colombo Port North Harbour project. As per the cabinet proposal presented by Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, Expressions of Interest (EOI) and Request for Proposals (RFP) are to be called for the purpose of selecting a consultancy firm. PM recently said the Colombo Port could end up extended up to Ja-Ela, under the North Harbour project. more..

Mar 28 (SL) Sri Lanka has regained the US Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) trade concession with US President Donald Trump signing the budget bill on Friday, the US Embassy in Colombo said on Wednesday. The US GSP program for Sri Lanka and other countries expired on Dec 31, 2017 as the US Congress did not re-authorize GSP before adjourning for the year. The immediate effect of GSP expiration was that more..

Mar 29 (CT) The impending vote of no-confidence on Ranil Wickremesinghe has excited some while made others very anxious. True to form Shyamon Jayasinghe has bravely come to defend Wickremesinghe (Read Why Ranil is still needed). Jayasinghe, again true to form, plays relative merits in this exercise, for it is no longer possible for him to give his hero the character certificate he would have loved to. Wickremesinghe, simply, has shamed himself too much for that kind of more..

Mar 29 (CT) Mary Mary quite contrary is an old nursery rhyme. Queen Mary, also known as Bloody Mary of historical infamy was the daughter of King Henry VIII. In an attempt to break away from the Church of England, she tried to revert back to the Catholic Church in the immediate aftermath of her coronation. Systematic and purposeful murder of Protestants was carried out to achieve this end. Literary historians believe that this nursery rhyme is actually a cunning preservation of history more..

Mar 29 (SO) We drive comfortably towards Polonnaruwa through wide carpeted highways lined with gushing waters of the irrigation canals, stretches of green paddy fields as far as the eyes could see, massive rice mills with towering masts and women and children bathing and washing clothes in the canals running parallel with roads and ruined buildings. In fact, looking at the vast stretch of paddy fields in the area, I cannot imagine more..

Mar 29 (DN) In SL, we still think that the only method to deal with crime is to prosecute a suspect, spending the country’s money and resources, which may drag on for years. This is the system we have inherited from the British. However, we not only do not practise prevention methods, our legal system is totally void of any preventative measures to curb crime, prior to it occurring, and these preventions are not even taught in law colleges. This is because we practise the adversarial system. more..

Mar 29 (Island) The no-confidence motion is the indelible line of demarcation between two camps. Two camps will arise in Sri Lankan politics on the night of April 4th 2018. If you do not wish ECTA to be signed, the Trinco port, the oil tank farm and Mattala airport in the deep South to be given to India, and Special Courts to be set up which can have dual purpose including war crimes trials, while our land is surveyed and our biometric data obtained by an American company instead of more..

Mar 29 (CT) Former General Secretary of UNP Tissa Attanayake says, “Had I remained as the General Secretary of UNP, today, I would have seen to the future of the Party and its members and forced Ranil Wickremesinghe to resign.” Q: You are a former General Secretary of the UNP and someone who sacrificed a lot to improve the Party. There is a big difference between the UNP of then and the Party at present. more..

Mar 29 (Island) The Joint Opposition’s vote of no confidence against PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has assumed the characteristics of a curling game. Someone slid the no no-faith rock as it were and the JO heavyweights have since been doing their damnedest to keep it sliding towards the house; they are frantically sweeping the sheet of ice in its path in a bid to keep it moving in the desired direction. Whether they will succeed in their endeavor remains to be seen. more..

Mar 29 (CT) The recent unrest in Ampara and Kandy and areas adjacent to Kandy, showed amply the truth that there is so much good along with the bad; that the adult population of Sri Lanka is a vast potpourri in even their behaviour. We heard of the rabble rousers, the instigators of the attack on Muslims; the rapacious mobs and the havoc and destruction to property they caused. Then emerged stories of how people, mostly Sinhalese, risked mob-censure and attack and helped their attacked more..

Mar 29 (GV) The highly-educated and hyper-religious Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is consistently failing to apply inclusive, just, and peaceful approaches to resolving the country’s violent inter-communal clashes. The unfolding narrative of recent anti-Muslim riots in six villages scattered throughout the Kandy district, and its aftermath, is remarkably like anti-minority riots since 1915. Further instances of such violence are highly likely unless sincere attempts more..

Mar 29 (DN) In 2012, there were 180 deaths from electrocution, most of them owing to poor safety and quality of wiring, revealed the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) last week as it held its public consultation on establishing a licensing framework for electricians in the country at BMICH. The licensing system is expected to come into effect on 1 Oct. There are close to 21,000 electricians in the country with a majority not being qualified to operate as electricians. more..

Mar 29 (DN) The schoolgirl who stated that she was expelled due to an HIV AIDS fear, held a protest opposite the Gampaha Zonal Education office from March 24. The girl, who attended the Gampaha - Ganemulla Kudabollatha Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, claims she was stopped from attending school from February 20 due to the actions of education authorities. Incidentally, girl who was due to sit for the Grade 5 scholarship more..

Mar 29 (CT) Former SL skipper and cricketing legend Kumar Sangakkara said the decision by Cricket Australia regarding the recent ball tempering incident had set a good example for other home cricket boards around the world. “It’s unfortunate that this has come about. Because it diminishes the careers of two fantastic cricketers Steven Smith and David Warner and also a pledging career of Cameron Bancroft. Even, though the match referee had handed down the maximum sanction more..

Mar 29 (ST) Despites concerns over the financial viability of the proposed multi-billion rupee High Altitude Training Centre in Nuwara Eliya, the project could become a reality with work expects to begin by May this year–no sooner the financial agreement is signed by the two govts–French and Sri Lankan, Sports Ministry sources confirmed this week. The project which will become SL’s single biggest investment on sporting infra-structure, will have indoor and outdoor training facilities more..

Mar 29 (Island) Batting great Kumar Sangakkara has been actively involved in several charities to help the underprivileged and yesterday he came forward to address another burning issue in the country – the extremely high suicide rate. Daily, on average, ten Sri Lankans commit suicide while there are over 100 attempts to commit suicide. Sangakkara is partnering CCCLINE 1333, a free telephone counseling service to more..

Mar 29 (DN) Ex-SL captain and former Chairman of selectors Sanath Jayasuriya said an outstanding youngster winning the Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year title stands a big chance of playing for Sri Lanka after their school career. “The Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year award would elevate young players, giving them a greater chance of playing for Sri Lanka once they leave school. Winning that award is no easy task, score over 1000 runs or capture over 100 wickets. more..

Mar 29 (PHC) Pakistani Women Cricket team led by Captain Bisma Maroof, visited the High Commission of Pakistan in SL today (27). Pakistani Cricket team is currently in Sri Lanka to play qualifier round of ICC Women’s Championship against their Sri Lankan counterparts, comprised of three one day international matches. Apart from the ODIs, both teams will also play a bilateral series of three T20 matches. The Pakistani team has won all ODIs played at Dambulla while more..