Jun 23 (CT) Former Minister Lakshman Kiriella said the Govt of Good Governance collapsed due to the CB Bonds scam and that although once the incident came to light they requested then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe to remove then CBSL Governor Arjuna Mahendran from his post, yet the former was not in favour of doing so. He alleged that although the present Govt came to power because of the Easter Sunday attacks, no one connected to the bomb blasts has been taken into custody yet, more..

Jun 23 (CT) Parliament is exploring the possibility of conducting virtual meetings of Committees using digital facilities. A mock exercise was conducted by the senior management of the Parliament Secretariat with the participation of Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake and Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General Neil Iddawala. The process wishes to hold online meetings with more..

Jun 23 (CT) The Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe the bombings on 21 April 2019 Easter Sunday, on 19 June ordered the provision of security protection to General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena organisation, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. The Commission issued this order to the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crimes and Witnesses, when Ven. Gnanasara Thera testified before the Commission for the third day. more..

Jun 23 (Island) The new generation has lost faith in the entire political system and the UNP was offering them a choice of candidates at the August 5 General Election, says UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Responding to a question from a young UNP member on how he intended developing the next generation leaders, at a meeting of the party’s Youth Forum in Colombo last week, Wickremesinghe said "I want the next generation of leaders to come up, but we have to remember that more..

Jun 23 (TM) CEB justified hiring an external lawyer to draft agreements related to the formation of a joint venture with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) for a 300 MW extension to the Lakvijaya Power Station in Norochcholai, claiming their legal division is not competent enough to handle the relevant subject. CEB Chairman Vijitha Herath said that by hiring an expert in the field, the Board was saving more..

Jun 24 (CT) There was wide public support for Prez Rajapaksa’s onslaught on Prison’s Dept. For decades our prisons are infested with drug king-pins, officers were corrupt from top to bottom, and prisons were no better than the hell-holes in Mexico and the Philippines. While the public at large and even this usually cautious of the big-stick columnist were pleased by the intervention there was something else we missed till Gota repeated it, letting loose a blitzkrieg on country’s CB. more..

Jun 24 (CT) One of the reputed digital media organizations in the world; Ranker has recently come up with a list of most important characteristics of a politician. Accordingly, there are about 32 attributes ranked according to the number of votes received by a worldwide readership. Interestingly Honesty is ranked number one quality and Experience is the last and 32nd quality. Judging by the policies, actions and recent tongue-lashing given to the hierarchy of sleeping beauties of more..

Jun 24 (SO) The new SLPP led Govt to be formed after the election will launch a number of programs to develop the country, said former State Minister Indika Anuruddha. Former Minister in an interview said that during the tenure of the former Govt, even the amendments to the Constitution were used to cater to the interests of certain extremist elements. We have to rectify those grave mistakes by the Yahapalana Govt more..

Jun 24 (CT) World Bank (WB) on Tuesday approved another US$ 88.86 million aid package to Sri Lanka to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The package comprises two components: A soft loan of $ 87.24 million and grant aid of $ 1.72 million, respectively. The WB said that the soft loan of $ 87.24 million is payable over 30 years with a grace period of five years. The project will help boost SL’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems more..

Jun 24 (ST) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was in a bad mood when he confronted senior Central Bank officials led by the Governor Prof. W.D. Lakshman on Tuesday. Removing his face mask, he pitched into the officials of the country’s main banking regulator blaming them for not jump-starting the COVID-19 economic revival. “Our Central Bank has not done anything towards this (providing new tools to revive the economy). Monetary and Fiscal Policy has been formulated by the Central Bank. more..

Jun 24 (CT) The Ministry of Technology, in cooperation with the SL Accreditation Board (SLAB), has made the decision to export medical gloves and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that are certified for use by the SLAB. However, this has raised concerns regarding the standardisation of the protective gear being sold locally, such as face masks, as well as whether they are suitable for use and actually being more..

Jun 24 (DM) It happened last week. A household of a Navy officer in Kottawa was quarantined because a COVID-19 infected person was found nextdoor. By then the Navy officer was on duty in Trincomalee. The turn of events made it impossible for him to visit his family. Meanwhile the area Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) and the police made their routine visits to his house as they do with all other quarantined households. While on quarantine the daughter of the Navy officer attained age. more..

Jun 24 (DM) Over the past few days, the govt’s notice to have the already postponed GCE A/L exam in September triggered much discussion. When it was issued, the scheme was to hold the exam between Sept 7 and Oct 2. Segments of the teaching community – including private tutors – trade unions, and student groups fielded opinion against this. Their concerns were shared with the public through media briefings and social media. Most recently, Minister of Education more..

Jun 24 (Island) A distressed customer of The Finance Company told the media recently that he had worked hard in West Asia and earned some money for his retirement and deposited it in the hope that he would not be a burden on anyone in his old age, but he had lost all his savings. He was among many people who queued up to collect whatever they could. Their hard-earned money is in bankrupt businesses; moreover, interest rates are plummeting, placing millions of pensioners more..

Jun 24 (Island) Former Minister Lakshman Kiriella, representing the UNP dissident group, is reported to have said, in Gampola, that during the yahapalana govt the then PM Ranil Wickremesinghe did not remove Arjuna Mahendran as the CB Governor although some UNPers wanted the tainted official sacked when the bond scams came to light. Nothing is so certain as the unexpected in politics. In a strange turn of events replete with irony, the UNPers who tried to cover up the bond scams, more..

Jun 24 (DM) Allegations of match-fixing by former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has brought the 2011 Cricket World Cup final, which SL lost to India, under scrutiny. But are these legitimate allegations or politically motivated statements? Aluthgamage alleged that SL had sold the final of the 2011 WC against India in Mumbai. He pointed to the four changes SL made to the team that beat New Zealand in the semi-final, more..

Jun 24 (CT) SLC stated that no national contract cricketers will play in the upcoming PDC T10 league, which is scheduled to start tomorrow. “Recent Media reports stated that several SL players will take part in a tournament called PDC T10 League, which, according to the said reports, will be held in SL starting 25 June. However, SLC wishes to announce that none of the SLC contracted players have sought permission to take part in such a contest nor has SLC endorsed such a tournament,” more..

Jun 24 (ST) Sri Lanka is a country that has produced quality players who went on to be greats in the game of cricket but there are also some who failed to prosper and had to hang up their boots premature. Similarly, Thilina Kandamby’s 12-year international cricketing journey has been a career filled with fluctuations. He fell in love with the game at an early age of his life. His father, Sunil Kandamby, was his inspiration to become a professional cricketer. more..

Jun 24 (FT) After more than five years with no power plants added to the national grid, the CEB assured that Sri Lanka’s power industry will get a much-needed jump-start this year, with at least three power plants being completed and two other large scale power plants likely to kick off construction. CEB Chairman Vijitha Herath told reporters the State power monopoly was charging ahead to complete several projects more..

Jun 24 (ST) Money is printed to keep the economy running and it is a necessary step to revive it, if properly managed. Minister Bandula Gunawardena, in denying media reports that the Central Bank (CB) has recently printed new money, challenged anyone to bring a banknote with the signatures of Mahinda Rajapaksa as the finance minister and the Governor of the CB W. D. Lakshman. This clearly shows his misunderstanding of the media statements that the CB has printed new money; more..

Jun 24 (CT) AIA Insurance stated that it extended its Healthy Cook-Off competition to external corporate, following the success of the internal competition. The Cook-Off is part of the broader Little Changes Challenge (LCC) launched by AIA to encourage people to make little changes that can make a big difference. Cook-Off, which was organised just before the COVID crisis occurred, was arranged for the staff at HealthRecon Connect and saw the participation of 10 teams with 6 chefs per more..

Jun 24 (TM) PCoI probing allegations of political victimisation during the former Govt decreed that it had decided that the complaint of the Avant Garde Group Chairman came within its mandate, despite the latter not being a public official. PCoI Chair former SC Justice Upali Abeyratne asserted that the Commission had already decided that it indeed has the jurisdiction to investigate the complaint lodged by more..

Jun 24 (HT) Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene feels players will take time to get going when they get back to playing international cricket. England and West Indies will play a three-match Test series in July and that will mark the restart of cricket again. “The skills of the players as well. It might take a little bit of time for them to find their feet. Test cricket won’t be easy and it depends on the weather as well in England. Everyone is starving for live sports,” he said. more..

Jun 24 (FT) Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, had the distinction of being awarded the title Sri Lanka’s Most Valuable Brand for the second consecutive year by Brand Finance, the world’s leading independent brand valuation consultancy, at the 17th edition of its annual review. Dialog also retained its brand rating of AAA for the sixth consecutive year and the title of Most Valuable Telecommunications Brand for the 13th consecutive year, reaffirming the brand’s ethos more..

Jun 24 (DM) Insaf Ahamed, the suicide bomber who blew himself up at the Cinnamon Grand hotel, had spent nearly Rs.45 million within the first four months of 2019 for National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) to conduct extremist activities in the country, CI Raveendra Wimalasiri of the CID informed the PCoI probing into the Easter Attacks yesterday. He informed the Commission that Insaf Ahamed owned several companies and more..

Jun 24 (FT) Eradicating ragging requires a bottom-up approach that goes beyond punitive measures, panellists at a webinar on the topic of violence in SL’s higher education institutions asserted on Monday. The eminent panellists stressed the need to bring about a systemic shift through social awareness campaigns on the ill-effects of the brutal initiation rituals that are still prevalent in universities and other tertiary level institutes, so that society as a whole will consider it as an unacceptable more..

Jun 24 (FT) The CEB sought to defend itself from the controversial Cabinet decision to extend the Norochcholai coal power plant and give the contract to China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) by insisting that the State-run power monopoly was still studying the project. CEB Chairman Vijitha Herath emphasised that the 300MW coal power plant was an initiative from the Govt of Sri Lanka and not its Chinese counterpart. He also acknowledged that the CEB is yet to more..

Jun 24 (TM) Public Utilities Commission of SL (PUCSL), publishing the electricity generation report for the first quarter of 2020, indicated that coal contributed 41% in total electricity generation, while hydro contributed 21%, and thermal oil contributed 38% during the respective period. Oil power plants operated by independent power producers or electricity generated by the private sector from thermal oil stood at 25% more..

Jun 24 (FT) Following the success of the Integrity Icon campaigns in 2018 and 2019, Transparency International SL (TISL) announced that nominations are now being accepted for Integrity Icon Sri Lanka 2020 to name and fame honest public officials. Initially conceptualised by Accountability Lab, a global organisation that seeks to support change-makers to develop and implement positive ideas for integrity in their communities, Integrity Icon was held in SL in 2018 and 2019 under the theme more..

Jun 24 (DN) Sport Ministry has planned to conduct the 46th National Sports Festival (NSF) as scheduled. The Inter district and inter provincial competitions will conclude before Oct 31. This was annuanced during a special meeting at the Sports Ministry. A senior Sport Ministry official said all provincial sport directors and senior officials of the Sport Ministry have attended the successful meeting last week and finally made the decision to conduct the National sport festival as scheduled. more..

Jun 24 (DM) Referring to the statement made by V. Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman that he killed some 2,000 to 3,000 SL Army personnel in one night, former UNP Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said Karuna could not kill soldiers of that magnitude as claimed. Addressing a gathering in Ampara on June 20, Karuna Amman said, “When I was a member of the LTTE, I killed some 2,000 to 3,000 SL Army personnel more..

Jun 24 (AD) Nine students of the University of Kelaniya arrested for removing CCTV cameras at the university premises in February this year, have been granted bail. They were produced before the Mahara Magistrate’s Court today (23). The magistrate has imposed two personal bails worth Rs. 500,000 on each of them. On Feb 24, several members of the Student Union of the University of Kelaniya had forcibly removed the CCTV cameras fixed at uni premises for security purposes. more..

Jun 24 (DN) Former SL skipper Angelo Mathews said that he is hoping to explore every opportunity in an attempt to boost his skill level during the second-phase of training session for the National players which began at the Pallekele Stadium in Kandy yesterday. A total of 24 players are currently participating in this training programme conducted by the SLC under the supervision of Head Coach Mickey Arthur along with Grant Flower (Batting Coach), Dilshan Fonseka (Trainer) and more..

Jun 24 (DM) Public Health Inspectors (PHI) Union has threatened to launch trade union action from Friday over several unresolved issues. PHIs Union Secretary Mahesh Balasooriya told Daily Mirror its officers countrywide would refrain from carrying out Covid-19 prevention and election-related duties from Friday, unless their demands were met. “We have conveyed our concerns to Minister of Health on 2 occasions more..

Jun 24 (HRW) The SL authorities have ordered an investigation into a former commander of the separatist LTTE after he publicly boasted about killing several thousand SL soldiers during the country’s civil war, which ended in 2009. He killed more soldiers, he reportedly said, than Sri Lankans had died from the coronavirus. In truth, Vinyagamoorthy Muralitharan, who is better known as Karuna Amman, should have been criminally investigated long ago for war crimes. more..

Jun 24 (CT) A Constitutional Council (CC) meeting is scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. today at the Speaker’s residence, under the patronage of its Chairman and former Speaker, Karu Jayasuriya. Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake said PM Mahinda Rajapaksa and other members of the CC are slated to attend the meeting. According to Parliament sources, the CC will discuss filling the posts that fell vacant by the resignation of Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala. more..

Jun 24 (TM) Despite a recent statement by the Govt to the effect that it would not sign Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, American Govt believes it was still under review by their SL counterpart. When contacted, US Embassy Spokeswoman Nancy Van Horn said that they understood it was under review. “We understand Govt of SL is reviewing the $ 480 million grant. We refer you to govt for comment on its position,” more..

Jun 24 (AD) Eleven more persons have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus as of 10.00 pm today (23), says the Ministry of Health. These new infections were detected among the group of returnees from the United States. Thereby, the total count of novel coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 1,991. Earlier today, 29 other COVID-19 patients were found in the country. They had arrived from Mumbai, India as a part of the crew of a ship anchored in the island. more..

Jun 24 (DM) Asgiriya Chapter Anunayaka the Ven. Wendaruwe Upali Thera expressed concerns about the statement made from the public platform criticizing Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. He said it was a matter of serious concern that a public representatives should have criticized religious dignitaries in this manner when an atmosphere had been created for all communities and religious groups to live in peace and harmony promoting brotherhood. more..